Help me see these storms from above...

My prayer lately has been just this. Lord, help me see these storms from above. We are being challenged within our hearts, within our relationships with God, within our characters... if we could only view these trials as God sees them, having a glimpse of the future in the moment where we have overcome and are once again in a time of stillness. Teach us to trust you, Lord, to know your true for love for us, knowing that love will always make a way. This has been the words most spoken within my heart in the past days.

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I look at Malaki often and think, he has no worries. He isn't concerned about what he will eat, and more importantly where it will come from. Where he will sleep and if he will have everything he needs to walk this journey called "life". On the contrary... he trusts us and trusts in our love for him, that we will do everything in our power to care for him. What a powerful example to us as parents, how we should act concerning our trust in God. To look at the children of your womb and to think of the valuable lessons we will learn from them through out our life; this is something to stand in awe of.

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Today, I am hopeful that hope does not dissappoint. Today, I remember the faithfulness of God throughout various trials in our lives and also remember the character built within. Today, we ask that you stand with us in prayer for God to help us in the midst of this hardship we are facing. God is faithful and His love never fails. All our love...

How I love...

How I love...
Those big brown eyes, expressing your joys, sorrows and excitement.
Those chunky little toes and fingers... perfect in every way.
How are you are turning into a little boy,
having now 6 teeth... too. cute.
How we love you, little one.

Life, today, tommorrow and so on...

Life, lately. A beautiful, fruitful whirlwind. Days filled with joy and sorrow, bearing fruit when the night falls. Exhaustion at times, the body feeble, the spirit raging, the heart fulfilled. God is faithful... We cry out, Come Lord Jesus, Come. I have been asking God to help me lately to manage my time in a good way, to be effective in both my house and this nation. There are masses of broken and hungry people that are in our midst daily, may God come into their hearts and transform them. May He be their only hope.

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Malaki is 10 months these days, recently welcoming his 3rd set of little teeth! Crawling, walking, falling...! He loves the "balance game", while learning to walk without holding onto things.. a few seconds is his record at the moment. Above, he's holding tight onto "Buddy", a soft donkey he fell in love with from the first sight and touch! It's precious to see him attached to it! Hints the name buddy... along with his other buddy "Moo Moo"! He is resembling more of Isai's sense of humor as grows, laughing all the time and just... goofy! Thank you Aunt Ann, for thinking of us and sending Buddy our way, it always brings joy to our hearts to know you all are thinking of us and praying for us being half way around the world. All our love...

Giving birth in Burundi...

I have sat on this topic for quite sometime with lack of motivation... as my sister and her co-workers made a request almost a year ago to write about giving birth in Burundi. For me, for women in general and the involvement of nurses and doctors... Also, I thought I would add a nice picture of me eating a big chicken burger before giving birth. I was reassured it was OK... against my better judgement! And yes, right before we welcomed Malaki, I threw it all up!
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What motivated me? One of our staff just had a precious baby girl days ago and Malaki and I had the privilege to accompany him to the hospital to meet her for the first time. Upon walking to the maternity section which is about 5 cement rooms with nice metal sheeting, we came across many many women waiting to visit friends. Thinking this was Zefirino's family... I passed Malaki off as they all grabbed for him... (it wasn't his family at all!) Its rare to see a white baby, so they tend to get very interested with Malaki. As we walk into the room, which is about 18ft wide by about 30 ft long I see the room is filled with women and newborn babies; just born. A small room with about 50 women in there. There is about 2 women per twin bed, along with their babies. Zefinrino's wife was sitting up drinking some tea and eating some bread with her little gift from God next to her. What was interesting was, if you looking on the beds you didn't see any babies as they put a blanket completely over the baby (as though a bed is made with the baby under the cover, is the best way to describe it.) Even the next bed over, and the next after that, both women had 2 little lumps in the bed as they told me "I just had twins". I thought "I wouldn't of even realized there was a baby there had she not said anything!" To be honest, I reminded me of a inventory line. In, out, next...
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As I glanced over across the room, I see a woman hooked up to an IV looking sad. I asked her "are you OK?" She told me "no, I am not". I looked next to her realizing she just gave birth, but no baby. Then I glanced back into her eyes and saw that piercing pain I remembered all to well. I glared into her eyes for quite sometime... wanting to cry, wanting to hug her, wanting to do alot of things... my heart was broken for her. In this culture, especially, the women are quite closed off not willing to express the pain in their hearts... almost numb at times. Possibly because they never had the chance to do so...? I wanted to take a picture of this room with all these amazing women very badly, although I felt alot of tension in the room and wanted to be sensitive to the environment.
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As I walked passed the delivery room, I heard silence, and yes women were in full labor...! I have some local friends who told me that its not acceptable to scream or yell while giving birth. You have to take control of your body and simply be strong... They even said in the mountains if you scream the nurses will beat you! As for me, the whole hospital must have felt every contraction nearing the birth for Malaki...! They told me to be quiet, but really... who listens to that kind of advice in the midst of birth? For Zefirino's wife in particular, when she began to have labor pains, she started on the hour walk through the mountains to the hospital. At this point, most women are pretty close to giving birth. In the hospital near our house in particular, there more than a 50% rate for C-sections. Some locals we know would even take the journey to the city for this fact. Why that is, I don't know.
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As evening approached, I spoke to Zefirino asking if he would like for me to give them a ride back home. He was so grateful, as there is no electricity along the hour walk back home with his wife, mother and new baby. Although, this is the norm. When I look at the material things a simple momma would have for her newborn baby I am shocked. Sometimes, one outfit, a towel to keep the baby warm, maybe one or two cloth diapers. Then I think back to preparing for Baby Isai, and Malaki. I had a room full of things... prepared to welcome our sweet little one. About 50 outfits, 10 socks, toys, a bed, changing table etc! I have grown to see these things as commodities. Needs, no. But things that help one to care for their new baby in a good way! Don't get me wrong! I have a ton of things for Malaki here thanks to our family and friends, but I grown to appreciate them if we have them and make due if we don't.
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In general, birth is hard here for mothers. No men, no friends, no one is allowed in the room. They are at the mercy of the nurses and doctors (if available). However, it is what they know. Its not acceptable nor right to ever compare the standards and way of life of Burundi to our America. Its just mind boggling sometimes to see the huge differences between our cultures and way of life. In the future, I can imagine that we will have our other children here as well if everything works out in a good way; only God knows. But I have to admit, I love everything about the idea of giving birth in America. Nice juice and ice, a nice bed, air conditioning, good care all around. All our love...

The wonders of an oven...

Our friends asked us if we would like to use their old oven as they purchased a new one and the old one was just laying around in an outside storage. It was broken, but Isai was able to get it running in a great way! We made our first homemade pizza, which was wonderful and tasty! I will begin to make some breads, I just have to get trained by my friend! - The maker of the best German bread known to mankind....

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Really, a kiss from God. We have wanted an oven for 2 years and haven't been able to get one. God, He made a way. Homemade pumpkin pie, Shepard's pie and fresh bread.. here we come! All our love...

Beautiful moments...

So, we get to the top, hiking with our little ones on our back.

We think, maybe we should turn around as we were already a bit tired.

We hike all the way back down the mountain to find out that we were at the top...

and could of enjoyed a nice scenic walk to finish it off! Beauty of mysteries...

Why is this picture hilarious? Have you ever seen a

"Where's Waldo book, where Waldo is very small hidden in a picture?

We can call this one "Where is Sam Anderson?"Malaki loves spoons. Silver spoons, colorful ones, all types.

Hints his new nickname "Spoon Bob"!

- Thanks Sam....

Beautiful falls, Mala squeezed in between us both. A place he most loves!The look on Malaki's face when he gets affection...

yes, he is absolutely his father's son!

A time cherished...

The Anderson's and Torres spending some much needed time ...

waterfalls, hiking with our little ones strapped to our backs ...Isai and Malaki enjoying the hot springs... Hours into the mountains in the

middle of no where lies beautiful hot springs about 100 degrees. Streams, small

water falls and a nice hot bath. Paradise like. It was a bit hard to get to it...The Canyons. Who would of ever thought there were canyons deep in

the south of Burundi. Beautiful, breath taking and accompanied with a rainbow.The source of the Nile. Really. They claim the source of the Nile

to be found in Tanzania, Sudan, Ethiopia etc. They say an explorer found it

herein the south. Its a source, that's for sure!The pyramid, found at the source of the Nile. A mountain covered

with rocks and flowers. Its amazing how many different landscapes

you see as you go from the north to the south. It almost feels as though you

have entered a different country!

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This trip has been long planned before Malaki was born! I was pregnant, then had a precious boy, she was pregnant, then had a precious girl. This was perfect timing. Our dear friends moved about an hour away last year and we have missed their presence greatly. The invited us to join them for a few days to view the beauties of Burundi. Blessing us in every way. It's friends like this who see you aren't able to make the trip financially and make a way for you... friends like this. Friendships that last a lifetime. These moments will be tucked away in our hearts and surely it was, a time cherished...

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Thank you. Danke. Murakoze.