Day 1476. Three nights ago Sammy was throwing up, last night it was Tammy. Randy's arm has been hurting really bad for the past two days, and then today he also got sick and did not eat, just like Tammy. In the course of the second half of the day, I've also started feeling bad. Now it's only Emmy who's still fine. Please pray for us to all get well, at least by the time we drive on to the next city on Wednesday.
Sammy has been the one to always be the first one up in the morning. He was up at 7 am, even though we only needed to leave the house at 9 am. Emmy woke up next, then Tammy. We went downstairs for breakfast, but little was eaten. We all put our Malian clothes on for church, except for Randy who was unable to do so because of his hurting arm.
We went to a new church in the little town of Eupora, where Randy pastored for 20 years and where we got married. We got there half an hour before the service was to start at 10 am. We were warmly greeted and set up our info table in the lobby and then ended up staying there and talking with some people before the service started. Then we went inside and to the front and side to sit. The front filled up with people worshipping God. I thought the music was just what you'd expect in a church in Mississippi and made me as well as Sammy smile. I danced with Sammy for a little bit. Then he'd had enough of the loud music hurting his ears, and I went to the back with all three kids.
Before worship was over, we went back to our seats, but the kids wanted to go to the kids' room, so Randy left with them. There was no program, and there were no other kids there. After a while Randy returned because someone else had come to stay with the kids so Randy could be in the service.
They showed my presentation video, then I went up front to speak for a few minutes. I shared some testimonies with them and told them where we're at now. Then I sat back down, and the pastor started preaching, and he was good. When the service was ending, I went to our table so I could talk to the people coming by. Soon Randy and the kids joined me, and the kids went to work handing out brochures to people again, and they 're doing a great job, especially Emmy. We had some conversations, Randy met some people we knew, and then everyone was gone. I didn't get to talk to the pastor after the service, only Randy talked to him briefly. We packed up and left.
As we were close to Miracleland, the church Randy had started and pastored, I suggested we'd stop there and show the kids this part of his history and where we got married. The church now only has 3 people left. We stopped there and found the church open, so we went inside. I explained to the kids where we were, then we went to the back, where we found two of the three people. Randy talked with them, while I returned to the sanctuary with the kids. They grabbed some flags and danced with it, then explored the room some more. I got to take a really good picture of them.
It was getting late, and we were all hungry. Before we left, one of the two church members decided to pray for Randy's arm, and Tammy and Emmy joined in as well. Then we said our good-byes and drove to Randy's mother's house. We had some leftovers - at least some of us did - then went to the house where we're sleeping so we could all take a nap. Sammy fell asleep pretty quickly. Tammy didn't want to sleep but was asleep before Emmy was. Before he was asleep I left them to lie down myself, and then he soon fell asleep. I don't think I slept very long until Sammy already woke up. He was cranky, so I had to take care of him. When nothing worked, I took him downstairs to where Randy was sleeping on the couch. That way Tammy and Emmy were able to continue sleeping some more. Emmy was soon up and came straight to me to lie down next to me. Then he sat up and started talking and talking and telling me stories. It was so much fun!
It was getting late, and it was time to return to Randy's mother's house. We woke up Tammy and all got ready to leave and drove to her house down the hill. The kids were missing their playing buddies, but Emmy wanted to play with me, continuing what we had played before leaving the other house, so I played with him some, making him giggle and laugh. Then Sammy wanted to join in as well, so I was playing with them both. Suddenly Tammy was also in my lap, and Sammy fell and hit his head hard. I comforted him and played with him some more. At some point the kids started watching cartoons, then we had dinner together, then they watched some more. At 8 pm we said our good-byes to return to the house for the night.
Randy had not felt well all day and had been pretty much out of the picture, so I got the kids ready for bed by myself. We read some stories, then I prayed for them and put them to bed. It was after 9 pm, and it was 9:30 by the time I lef them to turn my computer on. Randy was also in bed. Soon they were all asleep, and I was able to work on today's update. And it just looks like I'll be able to go to bed before midnight again tonight.
