Enjoying their last days

Jerod showing his new house he built. This is where you store the wood.


This is the homemade soccer goal, the house is behind it, they are the same size!

Jerod's kitchen.

Little House on the Prarie, eat your heart out! Jerod's living room.

Jerod standing next to his house. Notice above his head to the right they even made something to collect water. How creative! I love this!!

Jerod and Alex love the village life. It just suits them! I am so glad that we are leaving on a good note. Not too long ago Jerod was getting miserable because the older kids were picking on him. They were bulleying him and he just decided he wanted to return to the US because it would be better there. Hopefully it will be better. However, he prayed about his situation and decided he would just start playing with other kids. The only other kids around that aren't married or bad influences are 6 and 8. So..... he chose them to spend his time with. He has loved every minute of it! They see him as a big brother and he has really enjoyed playing with them, creating with them, building with them and generally having fun with them!

Alex never really had a problem, as long as he had a good soccer ball he was happy. He plays with some of the kids who bullied Jerod but they don't seem to mess with Alex. Don't know why? Anyway, we are happy that they are both leaving here, not wanting to leave. That way, hopefully they will both have good memories and want to return after our time in the states. Please pray our transition goes well!

I am not worried about Annie wanting to return here, but I am worried about her transition to the states. She continues to ask me if we are going to live in the comfy couch house. (the house we stayed in when she was burnt) It is the only house she has ever lived in while we were in the states. She has stayed with relatives but she has always known that was Aunt Jenny's house or MamaSay's house, but the comfy couch house was the only one where she thought was our home. So, needless to say, she is confused about where we will live when we get to the US. Pleeeeese pray! Love, Missy

Another Saint

I would say that this cross stitched napkin says a lot, it is of a cup of wine. Don't know why it is on his shoulder, but why?

Okay, I guess this is Corpus Christi on a bed with a friend? Who knows! I will find out!

This was the start of the procession. They were covering the priest to keep the sun off of him.

Then came all of the different saints in their boxes.

These precious feet had to carry those boxes. Don't know how they don't break their ankles.

This man couldn't even make it through the parade without starting his drinking. He would play a note and drink, play another, and drink, it was quite interesting to watch! You actually have to be quite talented to do this!

Okay, this one got me, the red jug is to carry "holy" water in. He had something other than water in his and he was pouring it in his drinking goards. He had one thing on his mind, and it had nothing to do with anything regarding religion.

Hi! Today started a fiesta in our village celebrating yet another saint. Oh how it makes me sad to see. I don't know all of the beliefs regarding this saint but I know it has a lot to do with drinking, spending a LOT of money, and worshiping a saint. Corpus Christi is who they are celebrating and I am not altogether sure why and I know they don't really know either. I will try and find out more tomorrow. I wanted to share these pictures with you today. Tomorrow will be busy for us and I know I won't have much time, so I thought I would try tonight. This is supposed to be a religious "fiesta" but all we see them do is drink. I just don't understand.

Jerod has decided that alcohol is altogether a bad invention. All he sees is that is causes harm to people. Not such a bad thing for him to see. I am a little worried that he will return to the states and think that anyone he sees drinking will just end up on the floor or beating his/her spouse. Please pray we can help him understand that not everyone drinks like they do here. I know drinking is big in the states, but it is different. Here, it seems like it is ALL they do. Not all the people of course but if you drink, you drink until you can't stand up. There are always drunks in the streets during these "fiestas." There are a lot of horseback riders during some of the parades, yesterday the kids saw some men on horseback passed out drunk. It is one of the saddest things we have seen. It ruins lives here. As you have seen with our friends Salvador and Angelica. Things are the same with them as of today. Keep praying! I will post more tomorrow! Love, Missy