Getting better

Last night was probably the highlight of my trip us far. We went to onesmo's birthday party. Birthday parties are much different here than in the states. So we got there and we were made to sit in the front with onesmo in what I would call the seats of honor. Everyone sang happy birthday and onesmo blew out his candles. Then they cut the cake into bite size pieces. Starting with me onesmo fed each of his guests one bite sized piece of cake. After he had done the ones he wanted to honor then iris fed him. After this was completed he fed the rest of his guests. Each guest that was honored had to stand while everyone sang happy birthday song and then onesmo would put the cake in their mouth, they would eat it and everyone would clap. It was funny. I think it is a great tradition because it teaches a form of servanthood. A bite is all everyone gets because often the cakes are small and pricey. Afterwards everyone danced and the kis were given chips and juice and the adults were fed rice and beans. Tis was one of the best meals yet! The problem is that they give u so much to eat and I'm always beyond full before I can finish. It's suppose to be insulting if u do not finish but I have yet to finish andi hate this. For this reason and because I haven't found a lot of things here I like to eat mealtime has become one of my least favorite times of the day :( but iris and I decided it prolly just means that this might not be the place for me...
Onesmo's family was very wonderful and lively. Iris is helping Yose, onesmo's uncle (Yose, onesmos mom, yose's brother and their sister all live together), to build an addition to his house. This will give Yose, who is studying law in college, his own room and it will give the family a proper bathroom (right now the bathroom is a hole). I am very proud of her and the things she is doing here. She goes beyond to take care of the kids often taking upon herself avoidable frustrations but she does it for the kids and for integrity's sake. This is one of many things she is doing and has done for the students.
When we returned from the party the electricity was off (it often cuts off at 6 and doesn't come back on until 11). It was very hot inside so we put on bugspray, got a candle and went on the porch where we were soon joined by about 14 students. They were laughing and playing and talking. We joked around and I tried to understand the conversations going on around me. Some of the students conversed with me in English and at was nice, but I soon found myself dozing off, so I gave up on trying to wait out the electricity and decided to take a shower by candlelight. So I got my shower and then talked with iris for a while. I finally talked with her about my struggles here, the food, the buses, the language. She was very understanding and said she felt very similar when she came back here. I really thought this would all bbe a relief, having waited so long to be back on the field, but it's not,lol. It's hard! So we talked for a while and told her how the devil seems to be playing with my mind and all my concerns. I felt better being able to say these things out loud.
This morning we got up and went to church. The church service was VERY awesome! I enjoyed it so much! It was an English service, so everything was understandable. I just felt like I use to at first assembly in Gainesville and it was wonderful. I cried and sang at the top of my voice."He knows my name! He knows my every thought! He knows each tears that falls! And He hears me when I call!" oh it was so wonderful! Then one of the pastors asked if anyone needed prayer to lift their hands to Jesus and he prayed the most beautiful prayer. With tears rolling down my face I recognized that God knows my future and remembered that He called me here! The devil has nos hold on me and God will deliver me from evil. It was great!
Called daddy for fathers day but didn't get to talk long. The Internet was too slow and it kept cutting in and out, this made me sad. I miss both of my parents very much. (another thing I wasn't expecting is to be so homesick) I am going to try to call them later.
Iris made lunch while I helped Yose with his paper for school. The funny thing is that he kept speaking to me in Swahili! I would just wait for him to speak in English or try to gather what he was saying and move on. It took a long time to revise the paper, I hope he learned something. Then we ate. Iris fixed rice and peas, it was ver good! She also made a papaya and cucumber mix tha was VERY good! I think it would be good to have in the US, but iris says that papayas in the US aren't as good as they are here. The papaya we had here was VERY good and was from the house we visited the other day outside of Dar.
Also I am feeling much better since iris gave me some travelers meds. :) haven't gotten sick but I am also laying off the sodas :) thank u Jesus!
We planned our travel itinerary today and are finalizing plans. I am excited and so is iris!
Badi! (see u later!)