Ponder with me if you will...

-Being 19 yrs old... and NEVER having celebrated your birthday... not in any way, shape or form...
-Bringing a baby into your home whose mother (your relative) died of childbirth... no father of baby known... Baby full of all sorts of sores...
-Beginning a walk at 7 am in hopes of getting medical help for your baby who is struggling to breathe (and has been struggling all night)... and 5 hours later finally reaching medical help...

These are made up stories... this is real life here. The 19 yr old is one of the boys from the guys home that our friends run and just came to help us build and do other chores around here... One of the health care workers here really did just bring in a baby into her home whose mother died in childbirth within an hour after giving birth... And a mom/dad and grandma all showed up around noon at the clinic after walking with their baby who breathed like it was drowning (pulling himself up to suck air)... after a neb treatment, antibiotics and instructions on feeding the baby breast milk only (NO Coffee Mate!!)... they began their 5 hour journey home...
I live here and there are many days I can't comprehend it... Simple things we take for granted each day... medical help, available meds... and just simple LOVE... who of us can even fathom the emotion felt when you get your first birthday cake at 19 and a whole party of people singing Happy Birthday to you!!! (Thank you to our friends who sent the 'instant' birthday cakes and icing from the US!)
This morning we topped off the visit from our friends from Davao with an awesome baptism of one of the guys and then a full round of everyone (except for us moms who were holding cameras) being ran down and thrown in the river!
God is SO good... with a refreshing visit JUST when we needed it! :) Thank you for all who pray for us... knowing others are lifting us up before the throne is a huge encouragement! And thanks to all who support us financially... Without you... this would not be possible!!
God bless