Sorry I haven't been relaying the posts this last week guys! I was finishing up school and was really busy! I'm going to catch up right now!
-Connor

Since I last posted, we have been to church in the little village of N'Zao, which is right across the street from Hope. Church is a packed out little concrete hut with a metal roof and handmade benches inside. The report at the end of the service was about 57 men, 65 women and 90 some kids in attendance! Offering is taken in a moving "congo" line where everyone walks down the isles, row by row, to the front of the church to drop their offering in the baskets waiting in the hands of three attendants. Much music, drums, singing, and dancing accompany the offering. We also took communion in the same fashion. They had all visitors stand, and dr. Jeff (our leader ) has to introduce everyone. They usually ask where you are from and if you are a Christian. If not, then they ask if you want to become a Christian right now! They offered us a great deal of respect by not asking us that! After our introduction, they welcome us with clapping and a "ba sum, ba clash!" on the cymbals!! Imagine the drum/cimbal clash after a bad joke!! Haha! It was quite funny. They also have a person designated to walk around and wake people up who fall asleep! The 90 some children wander in and out, sometimes asking for money from their parents to buy a sucker from a vendor outside. Much praise, worship, preaching (in two languages both of which were NOT english!) and dancing were a part of the whole 2 hour service! We also had a rousing game of volleyball with the clinic staff/kids, an evening walk through N'Zao to the house of family. I have lots of pictures to show the housing situation here for most people which are very small, mud-made brick homes with either tin or grass roofs, outdoor cooking spots. Children run in rags, or in nothing sometimes, just like you see on tv. They run up to you like you are a celebrity and want to do the traditional Guinean handshake, which is a combo of a handshake and a finger/thumb snap with the other person. We were told of a "soccer field", really just an open area between a few small buildings, where there is always a soccer game going on. So we took one of our full-size soccer balls with us to give to them. When we arrived at the "field" there were two full teams of older teenage boys playing, and about 50 small children running around yelling and watching. They were playing with a very tiny/toddler sized ball that was many, many years old. The game stopped and EVERYONE ran to surround Cado, who was holding the ball. Agath, the missionary from Holland, was there with us. She told them in French who we were and that we wanted to present them with a new soccer ball. (Everything given here is done very ceremoniously!) the self-proclaimed "Captain" (Alex was his name) very graciously accepted the ball with much excitement, screaming, and running around by ALL the other children. He was so polite and thankful. He said, God Bless you! We said, no God bless YOU! And told them to run and play. As we turned to go, we looked back to see them ALL taking turns kissing the soccer ball before they started up a new game! If that just doesn't melt your heart, nothing will! Rachel and Caden have taken up working on computer input to enter old pharmacy information to get them current and up to date. they have been working together fabulously and are making slow, but good progress. They are working on May of 2013!! pharmacy purchases! Krae made popsicles from orange soda in ice-cube trays with toothpicks for handles to pass out to the kids on the compound. They loved it! We have spent one late afternoon passing out goody bags to the children in the hospital or with families in the hospital. That, again, was a humbling, moving experience to see their gratitude and awe over a tiny bag of candy and a few toys. We are taking a lot of vitals, doing a lot of consultations (Dawn helps with this a lot!), watching surgeries (I watched my FIRST surgery today!…crazy…Jeff's been doing this for 16 years or so and I've never seen it! Very cool!), and helping in the Cashiers station where they check in patients and take the small payments necessary to be seen in the office. For example, a surgery costs $40 US, and to see a doctor is about $3. We are being kept very busy, being very well taken care of, and we are ALL learning a lot. BTW, the little boy with the burns continues to do SO well! I saw him today walking around and smiling! His head that he could not hold up before the surgery was straight and tall! He has been to the OR twice to clean the wounds and change the dressings, and he probably has at least one more to go. We've seen other surgery patients heal and return home and we continue to see new needs every day. We are grateful we can be here to help and encourage. Thank you all for your prayers and notes of encouragement too! We are cherishing every moment here in our hearts and can't wait to bring all the stories home with us to share! Love to you all, jen