The kids Came!

LICE....does anyone know what it looks like? Well I sure do. Let's just say I learned a lot about it today! To start off the morning the children arrived at the school throughout the day. Matthew and I were put into a family together and were put in charge of about 15 little boys. We sat before the kids got here and had flash cards so we could memorize their names. Matthew owned me in this process. I still mix them up because they are the longest names ever. This campus went from being a ghost town to an absolute mad house! We called in each child for lice checks and I was so nervous I was going to leave with a head hair of lice. The second I saw these kids faces and the best outfits in the world, I immediately stopped caring. I would leave India with lice any day if it meant I could stroke their heads all day. We put a lice shampoo in their hair and let it sit for 10 minutes then rinsed it out. There was a lice comb we used and BAM there they were; the littlest creatures I have ever seen. Some of the boys had a head of lice and others were pretty clean. These kids were so patient and just sat there enjoying every second of it. I guess they are just used to this process being done once a month. Lice looks like little tiny spiders and the eggs are white. It was important to find the eggs because the shampoo does not kill them.





For lunch I made Matthew and I an egg salad sandwich and Matthew was in heaven. He would be the easiest husband to please. I felt like a chef and all I had to do was crush eggs with a pinch of salt and pepper. After a good nap and some rest we went back to finish the infestation of lice. We can't have any more of these eggs hatching on my soon to be children heads now can we. I went outside to make sure we had done every boy and I found a little boy crying out on the playground. I went over to talk to him and he was crying so hard he couldn't speak. Some of the other children translated to me that he missed his mom and wanted to play outside. I took him in to do his hair and got him to calm down. I must have a mothers touch! ha. I carried him around for a while after that while I chased other kids that would lie to me and say they had already been checked. One little boy said he had already been done and I grabbed his head and said, "Yeah right ya little rat, get in there!" His head had lice written all over it!. Overall we spent 4 hours cleaning out lice and I realized through this whole process that I want a lot more kids than I thought I did. Seeing how much I love them and didn't care I was picking out lice gave me a glimpse of how even more amazing it will be when I have children of my own. The kids here are so fun to be around and they love playing with each other.


One little boy was so homesick and he threw up on Audrey. I could not help but laugh. All the boys loved saying Matthew's name because it was easy for them to understand. They struggled with mine because I guess they aren't used to saying Z's. Matthew played soccer with all the children and they soaked it all up. Or should I say Matthew soaked up the sweat.





Nice smooth part!

Before dinner we had a chance to play with them outside on the playground. The children all eat dinner somewhere separate then us. For dinner we had chapatas with rice, beans, chicken and salsa. We are getting closer to american food and it was so good. Now it was time to tuck the children in and read them books before they went to bed. We went to our dorm where our group was with their house mother and she was on top of things. They were all lying down on their mats next to each other in 2 rows. I am pretty sure I have never seen anything cuter in my life, but I say that a lot! I laid down with Nagaraj and he asked me all about my family and how old I was. I told him I had my birthday yesterday and he said he had chocolate for me. I corrected him and said you mean I have chocolate for you? In India you give people candy when it is your birthday. He said to me again, "No, I have chocolate for you." Out of his pocket came a piece of chocolate candy that said, Happy Birthday and he asked me to take it. This is HUGE for a kid to offer something that they cherish because they have so little. I had the biggest smile on my face. After this they said goodnight, lizey! I gave them handshakes and blew some kisses. I am so anxious to tuck them in again tomorrow and the see them everyday from here on out.


Some stories that were shared today were hard to hear. Amy the director told us that there was were many families camped out front hoping their children would have a chance to come to Rising Star. They had to turn away five families. One family in particular said that their grandpa had leprosy and they found out it was a lie and he was just sick. The children from this family who thought they would be able to attend the school were quickly turned down after hearing this news. To attend Rising Star they have to come from leprosy colonies. The lengths parents go to do get their children an education amazes me. It is so neat to see how much these parents love their children. Anywhere in the world you look its the same even though we all come from different cultures. I am so grateful for the opportunities I have been given and the education I received. Rising Star is doing amazing things out here for a lot of people!

Moroni: 8:17
And I am filled with Charity, which is everlasting love; wherefore, all children are alike unto me; wherefore, I love little children with a perfect love; and they are all alike and partakers of salvation."