Kids do the Darndess Things

This past night I stayed with two girls in a host home and they are so funny. Florence makes me laugh everytime I see her and it is very rare to see her without a smile. The other day Florence put on a white theater mask and turned around to look at me. I about jumped out of my chair and screamed. She looked like a creepy ghost. I just wanted to share these pictures with everyone.

The Eye Doctor

I forgot to mention that the children will not have eye doctors or dentists when they go back to Africa, so we have been trying to make appointments for them before they leave. The other day we made it to the Optometrist and I wanted to share some pictures with you. One of the children, Busuulwa, wants to be an optometrist and so he was able to work with the doctors. None of the children had had their eyes tested before and it was so funny to watch them hold up those one eyed glasses, and totally miss their face or hold it upside down. What an experience to be able to watch children during all their "firsts". To my amazement, out of 26 children, only 2 need glasses. That would never happen with American children, I wonder why? Could it be all the scenes we are raised with from birth?

Vero Beach and my upcoming classes

So this week we have been fortunate enough to have some down time and a wonderful church has given us housing. We had spent some time in Vero Beach earlier this summer, and they knew about the break in our events. I am currently staying with an amazing family and three of my boys for six nights. It has been great to know that I am going home to the same house, at least for this week. Touring is so exciting and thrilling, don't get me wrong, but it will always be nice to stay in one place every once and a while. This house has a pool and the boys have been addicted to their pool table. That is the first thing that they do everyday after school. Today is my day off and I will be spending time at the beach. Apparently I look white...haha. I don't know how anyone could have gotten that idea into their heads.

This experience has already been life changing, and I haven't even been on the road a month. These little children have become my own, and I feel this motherly pride every time they perform. The other day I even caught myself searching out playgrounds and new clothes for the kids, without thinking. One of the boys that I am with now, Joshua Busuulwa even told me about his family a little. He wanted to share what he would have been doing at that time on that day in Africa. He told me about his 11 brothers and sisters and their ages, he is the 3rd youngest, and that they would be outside playing and climbing in trees. Can you imagine having 11 brothers and sisters in Africa?

So moving on, this week I will be taking over the P5 math classes. I can't wait, math is my favorite subject and I have been missing all those accounting classes. They are starting on geometry, which could be interesting considering the last time I did any math like that was my freshman year in High School. Today, I will be reviewing about all those shapes, but I think it will be fun for the kids. This section allows them to draw and color, which lets face it, children love to do. I'll let you know how this class goes.

Host Homes and an Update

Hi All,

I know I haven’t blogged in a while, I just haven’t had the time. This choir experience is just so excited and time consuming. I might have plenty of time to write, but be in a house without internet, and that just makes communicating complicated. I have had wonderful experiences in most of my host homes, and have had the pleasure of staying at a home with a movie theater. Now, I mean a full movie theater with cinema chairs, popcorn, and surround sound. My host and I were able to watch Blood Diamond after the girls went to sleep. I have also stayed in homes by the beach and have been able to have my own room all but one night. I haven't had my own room for the last four years, and it makes me laugh to see that after joining tour I have my own room again...haha.

Besides the host homes, I have finally gotten my permanent assignment. Wow, I sound like a secret agent…haha. I will be staying in Florida with the tour I started on, and will be running sound. The current sound guy will be learning how to drive the bus these next two weeks, and will take over that job when he returns. I have never had the pleasure of running live sound before, and last night was the first experience. I didn't mess anything up and most of the children gave me a "good job" high-five when the concert was done. I think I might be able to get the handle of this after all. There is so much to remember and I act as House and Stage Manager and sound man all in one. WOW!!!!

The tour that I will be with will only be in Florida, and North and South Carolina. There is another tour, for all you Mid-Westerners, which will be traveling through Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan. Please make an effort to visit our website and find a concert close to you. Sorry I will not be on that tour, but you will have an understanding of what I will be doing this next year. You can find our schedule on: africanchildrenschoir.com.

I hope everyone has been having a great summer and that I will hear from you soon.