Thursday Evening....

(Posted Friday morning due to internet connection)

Wow! What a day.

We started this morning with an organizational meeting for the volunteers. This group was close to 200 people: VBS workers, physicians, counselors, and every other "title" imaginable. After the planning session we unpacked and sorted the suitcases, and prepped our areas for our classes. It was slightly chaotic, but then again, just among our group of 14, we brought 12 suitcases of "LM auction" items, VBS supplies, and gifts for our M friends. I know that the other groups all brought a LOT of extra baggage as well.

I got some great pictures of the process, but honestly... internet connection is sketchy at best, and I'm having difficulty adding pics. I'll try to email some Stateside and see if my sister can add them from her computer.

This afternoon, we had a few hours of free time which we used to rest, study, and refresh, then this evening was the kickoff meeting. I wish I could just share with you some of the video from the meeting. Words... even video wouldn't do it justice.

There was such a buzz of excitement as old friends met again after several years, and new friends visited. Children were running everywhere, enjoying the ability to speak with friends in their own language... and pretty much the whole evening was what I love to call "Happy Chaos."

Tomorrow, we start childcare in earnest. 7 am team devo's and breakfast, 7:45 bus ride up to Eretria Village, and 8:25 the kids start coming. We will be doing childcare until 12:50, and then again 1:50 to 5:30 Our group has 14 infants, 31 three year olds, 25 eight year olds, and one of our guys is in the 4 yr old class, but I really don't know how many are in that group.

The meals here are buffet style, and are fabulous! The hotels are filled to the max and there are some "transportation" issues, but really, they are doing a wonderful job accomodating such a HUGE crowd.

Thank you for thinking of us, and checking in on us. Father is blessing in a wonderful way already.