Where to start?

I have been posting lots on facebook, and have honestly forgotten that there are so many of you who only look here... I will start working on it today, but in a nutshell, here was my week.... (from an email I sent to a friend)

Here are some quick highlights... of what I hope to post about in the weeks to come.  Bear with me though... John and I are already feverishly working on trips #3 and #4, so time to recap is short... another garage sale is coming soon before it warms up!!


~7 Kolfe kids waiting for us at the airport... then I was honored with a ride in Ayal's work vehicle to the guest house.

~ beach ball party for the little boys

~ first time bowling for 8 of the older kids

~ enrolled a boy in driving school (and then spent the rest of the day giving him some "firsts")

~ bowling on a different day for 3 more boys

~ LOTS of meals at restaurants (boy can teenage boys eat!!!)
~ TWO very full days of shopping with a van load of helpers for new shoes, 2 pair of underwear and 2 pair of socks for the 96 street kids who just moved to Kolfe.... this was my favorite memory. First day's boys (54) got their feet washed by me and a few boys, and were told the story of Jesus washing the disciples feet in their own language... My driver said he had never witnessed anything like it. He was moved almost to tears, and was very sad that he had to drive the other women on the second day, and wasn't allowed to be with me. That was sweet.

~ punch balls for the little boys

~ clothed in a white scarf over my head, I attended an orthodox ceremony, where I had to fight to stay awake.... happiest moment of my day was when a little boy crossed the male/female line of seating to tell me to come with him, because Emnatu had gotten home from work ... hallelujah... nodding off was embarrasing!!

~ honorary traditional dinner with the Yezelalem Minch staff

~ dried fruit and beef jerky for the little boys (older boys wouldn't take it, they insisted the new kids get it)
~ a wonderful time of visiting the Shannons at Korah

~ got a promise (I think) of a job for Ayal in the future, if he is successful at the English classes I
enrolled him in that began last night. :o) His dad and I are excited about this!!

~ muffins/bananas for the little boys provided by a girlfriend of mine who lives there... it was her first time at Kolfe last week, and when she brought the food on her 2nd visit, she inlisted neighbor's to come too... big things will happen from that visit.. God is at work.

~ Emptied my wallet of enough money to hopefully pay for a boy to have possible gangrene surgery. I am working with another friend who will be my feet on this one this week

~ strawberries and fruit for the big boys (just learned there are no photos of this one)

~ Ayal's first birthday party (we turned him 21 on Wed.... he was surprised)

~ a visit to Ayal's house (room) in the ghetto (his words, not mine)

~ celebration of Emnatu's 1st family Anniversary

~ and two rounds of professional photos with my boys.

~ another day of donations... dried fruit that was intended for the BIGs, but they insisted on giving to the LITTLES...  raisins for EVERYONE, toothpaste, more shoes, coloring books/crayons, soap, etc...

My ET friends all said I was able to do an amazing amount of things while there. God directed my time, and ordered my days, and began some wonderful connections with people who can effect change for Kolfe. God was soooo good!