June 7 Update + Video!

Today marks two weeks since I left home. In some ways it feels like it's been way longer, I guess it's just funny how life goes on there even if you are not there. The time here is flying by. Hannah arrived a few days after me and I'm so happy to have her here. 

We processed a whole bunch of corn this week. We are only a little bit tired, but I'm sure the incredibly strong Mozambicans are reallyyyyy tired. They carry sacks of corn (weighing around 140 lbs) on their heads! With around 400-500 sacks coming in a day and moving them to the chute and then into the warehouse to stack them, that is a LOT of lifting and carrying. I'm pretty positive that any body builder wouldn't last a day here doing what these men do. And we are glad we just have to switch the empty sacks in when they pull out the full ones. But you will be impressed to know that we moved 13  45 lb sacks of rice this week so maybe by July corn buying we could help the guys out. Our favorite part is when they sing while they are sacking. Hannah says it's like the Lion King but way better.

The guys make stairs out of the sacks and then climb them to stack the corn to the rafters.

We have been so busy but really enjoying the simplicity of life here. When we have free time, instead of watching tv or wasting time in some other way, we walk down to the center and there are always some awesome kids waiting for us. They love to call our names and go over Portuguese words with us in exchange for English ones. We started out drawing pictures in the sand but realized that we run out of things to draw really quick and it's not only because my artistic skills are lacking! They live so simply and don't have all the resources we have so many of the things that I would draw, they simply don't know what it is. As I had girls twirling around me, holding to each of my hands and then other girls jumping in when they got too dizzy and fell down so that they could spin too, and then six or seven boys straight in front of me showing off their head stands, cartwheels and walking on their hands, my heart couldn't help but be filled with gratitude that I get to love these kids and they love us. And all we had to do was walk up,  I don't think that there is any other human love as easily earned. And I hope that they will come to know the greatest love ever, a love that will not fail them because of Jesus. 
You all have persevered to the end, so here is a video treat! Last Saturday was a party for children's day. It is widely celebrated here as the birthday for all children since they don't usually know what their actual birthdate is. The man in blue is the guard at the center and is very sweet. The little girl is named Monica, she is three and adored by all.