there's a fountain flowing...

I'm thrilled to announce that a recent breaking of a water pipe at the house has resulted in an abundance of water and hot showers. While Collin was here, he was trying to help turn on the pump to bring water into the house. Somehow it broke, and it has been a glorious thing. it was a bit chaotic that night as we kept filling up buckets of water in the front "yard" (um it's all cement and dirt there) where the pipe was and then carrying it to the back of the house where the storage containers of water are kept. the water just kept coming and coming and wouldn't stop. the plumber came the next day, fixed the pipe, and also said something was clogged, which was increasing the water shortage, but he fixed that. last week i took a hot shower 3 times!!! and this week once already! as far as i'm concerned, the pipes should break every week if this is what happens.

please pray for the people in northern kenya. there is a massive famine going on because of the drought here.

yesterday i went for my last java trip with melissa, lauren, and we took jane for her first time. i ate quesadillas and apple pie and ice cream. it feels so good to act american for one meal.

i did the last major activity i'll do with the older juvenile boys today. we got to do our body of christ skit that we were supposed to do in siaya. there's this australian man that's probably about 60 there volunteering right now. he participated in all our songs and games and popo had him doing all sorts of goofy dance moves. i thought the guy was being a pretty good sport. we can always be young at heart.

i took everyone to see the movie "changeling" on tuesday night. a good one; i'd recommend it. also a glorious experience b/c they had mustard for my hotdog. american condiments are hard to come by here. the ketchup is watery sugary tomato something that i'm not a fan of. in any case the movie is quiet tragic and sad. i can't imagine being in the mom's shoes and spending half of your life absolutely restless with no peace.

i only have 8 days left here, which is hard for me to believe. at times this journey has been a big challenge for me, but now it seems to have gone so quickly. i know that this country has forever changed my life and the way that i think. i have a new perspective of poverty, giving, faith, and how little you can survive on but still be happy and content. yet, there is so much of me that is the same that i wish would have transformed more. i'm always reminded of "Little Women" where Jo March says she is "hopelessly flawed." i'm still impatient, despite living in a slow culture. i'm still stubborn, even after needing to be flexible working with so many people. and i haven't become the prayer warrior that i would like to be. i'm convinced that change can come in our lives but it takes so much time. i hope that i will take back to america the best of this culture: the simplicity, thankfulness, friendship, patience, dancing, joy in small things; and then combine it with the best of america: trustworthiness, cleanliness, running water, not fried food, church services without shouting preachers, and free verizon to verizon calls.