We All Fall Down...

This morning started out with the most SPECTACULAR sunrise! Well, apparently, Summer DeLoach decided to bask in the wonderous glory of a new day in Africa! As she started her journey down the hill right outside of the guest home, her pace quickened, and she began running faster than her mind or body could register. As Summer neared the bottom of the hill, a chunk of rocky, red clay presented itself in her path. Just as Charlie was saying,"Oh! Take a picture, take a picture," Summer tripped over the rock and tumbled down the rest of the hill! Luckily, Summer got up laughing, however, she has scratches from her foot to the top of her knee now!

After Summer's Tumble, the crew headed down for Sunday School! We all split up and spent half of our Sunday morning in different classes with the kids.

Once Sunday School was over, everyone walked down to the Chapel for praise and worship and preaching! Before praise and worship, a few of the younger boys took out drums and amazed us all with their ability to keep rhythm and beat. After this amazing show, a few of the missionaries along with some of the younger adults got up on stage and began singing "I Am a Friend of God" along with other African worship songs. This was truly a moving experience!

While Ryan was preaching, Shauna, Liza, Charlie, and all of the girls took the children out to the pavilion for the first day of VBS.

For dinner, we ate potato soup at Amanda's house with Claudia and her girls and the two other missionary families. Amanda is one of the interns who is serving here at Good Shepherd's Fold for two years. Following dinner, we had a small devotion lead by Ryan.

On our way home from Amanda's, Summer and Shelby were walking together when they came upon a ditch. Just as Summer had said,"Be careful, Shelby, there is a ditch there," Shelby jumped, tripped, and slid on the ditch. She apparently wanted to follow in Summer's footsteps!

Liza and Anna were behind, so Ryan, Shelby, Summer, Lindsay, and Maggie came up with the idea that it would be funny to hide in the bushes and pretend to be Hyraxes to scare them. Hyraxes are strange animals that live in the trees beyond the grounds that make the most disturbing, screaming noises that can ever be heard by human ears! Unfortunately, Anna Reed saw them running into the bushes, foiling their scheme! Luckily, Mark DeLoach came through for us; he was hiding behind the house and when Anna and Liza were approaching, he jumped out and yelled in their faces!

While Liza and Anna were crossing the same ditch that Shelby fell off of, Anna tripped as well. Are you noticing a pattern?

Written by: Summer De Loach with editing and proofreading done by:  Lindsay Thompson and Shelby Reed

On a more serious note, we had a chance to hang out with some of the kids and get to know them better.  We dont't know how blessed we are to have access to many basic things that these children do not have or cannot afford.  The GSF missionaries are doing all that they can to take care of these needs.  This afternoon, Liza, Shauna, and Charlie had a chance to visit with one of the girls who has HIV.  Her name is Noraah.  She is 15 years old.  She has a beautiful voice.  She was singing to the ladies and of course you know that they were very much moved by this.  Noraah is in the late stages of HIV.  We found out tonight that she gave her life to Christ a little less than a year ago.  Praise God.

We also had a chance to have a devotion with the missionaries at GSF.  We set it up much like our small groups at home.  They had a chance to share their hearts and concerns with us.  They are really awesome people whom God has ordained to be at GSF.  They have struggles just like anyone else.  Our ladies are going to take an afternoon each day and spend some time with each of the ladies and pray with them.

I wanted to share with you a really neat testimony about the beginning years on this particular land...This land was purchased by Samaritan's Purse and donated to the orphanage several years ago.  The people of the surrounding villages told GSF that they would not be able to put up the water towers needed for the orphanage, that they were sure to fall because the place upon which the towers needed to be was the place of rituals and sacrifices and that this land was cursed.  They moved forward and built them anyway, and twice they fell.  Claudia and the entire orphanage at that time came to the land and had a prayer walk over it...they rebuilt the towers...exactly as before...and they have remained!!!  It has been such a testimony of our God to the surrounding villages!!!!  You can truly see the work He has done...and over and over today we have talked of how God has orchastrated our every move to be here...we have repeatedly gave testimony today of what an incredible day it has been!!!  Thank you ALL for your prayers and support to get here!!!! And the week has only begun!!!!!!

Written by Ryan Smith and Shauna Stockstill