DONT GET COMFORTABLE!!

    Comfort is what I ran from in the first place! Now this place is feeling like home, which there is nothing wrong with. The problem comes when I get up just to do the mundane and not take much thought into anything. As soon as I go into autopilot, I begin to decend. I will tell you, God is stretching me right now (and it hurts a lot), but I need to press onward, rejecting pacivity and taking on responsibility! God is telling me to start getting to know the men here spiritually. So it's time to ask the tough questions.

     Sometimes I wonder... "Who is changing more by my being here, me or the orphanage?" Then i come to my senses and say, "It's definitely me who is being changed more.." I was talking to Moses about how he started the orphanage, he told me," This work is purely Faith work." Oh great... I have to reliquish more of my control over the situation. =D But he is right, you never have enough money when running an orphanage, but you still seem to make it through. You have to totally trust that God will provide. Ouch, and I thought it was hard getting money for a plane ticket!

     Speaking of plane ticket, this has nothing to do with that! I have had several good talks with the oldest girl here at the orphanage, Maria (not the same as the other Maria (URS))(SO MANY MARIAS [HOLY MOLY] ) She has had... lets just say... a REALLY hard life and she is only 15. She told me that she usually never smiles and has a hard time expressing happiness. But after a few interactions with her, she told me, "I have not ever laughed that hard in my whole life!" "You are so funny!" And then she started joking around herself! Let me tell you, the feeling that you get when you see someone, who never smiles, burst out in laughter and start poking fun back at your potato peeling skills (OR LACK THEREOF), is seriously the best feeling. Oh, and she has learned how to basically have no accent when speaking English. Just crazy crazy stuff Manny.

Oh, this is the other Maria (URS).

Anyways, may the painting of doors continue and may God bless all you at home! Look for Him everywhere, you will find Him.