Sunday School

Today was a bit cool - it dropped into the 70's this morning and the children were wearing jackets and sweaters :) 

We went to the orphanage Sunday School this morning.  The service was student led, including older children who got the younger ones to obey the rules (such as you're not allowed to sit on the lap of visiting adults during the service).  A teenage boy led the service (opened in prayer, introduced each part of the service, read the Scripture, etc).  Several teenage boys played keyboard and drums and several teenage girls led the singing. One girl would sing a phrase and then everyone else would sing the phrase back.  The children were very enthusiastic in their singing so it made for a lively service.  There was a testimony time (we think) where several youngsters (approx. ages 7-12) went to the front and each spoke briefly in Zulu.  The audience said "Amen" at the end of each one.  There was an offering time where the children went forward and put their offering on the plate, including one little tot who plunked her coin down on the table but didn't quite get it on the plate.  If you want to feel humbled, you should watch orphans giving their offerings to God.  I know that from the children's perspectives I've probably done lots of odd things over the last few days.  So, getting choked up during the offering time just got added to the list.   The younger children were then dismissed and a pastor gave the sermon.  He spoke in both Zulu and English so it was easy to follow.  The service ended with a processional where we all shook the hands of the worship team and pastor and filed out.  Miranda, my champion sleeper, slept through the entire service.

Miranda started showing more opinions today and if there was something she didn't want to play with she would push it away.  We took her for another car ride this afternoon and this time we buckled her in completely.  She did fine in the car seat.   The biggest challenges were the road "hazards"  including lots of people walking down the side/middle of the road.  We also had to wait for 20 or so cattle to cross the road.  There were several large bulls with wide horns and we definitely did not want a close encounter with any of them.  There was also a "police stop" set up at an intersection complete with multiple police cars and officers.  We couldn't really tell who they were stopping and were just glad they didn't stop us!

Our general "schedule" is to have Miranda for most of the day and then take her back to her house at 4:30pm.  We then go back to her house at 7:30pm to help with her bath and bedtime.  Tonight when we arrived Dad's little playmate was happy to see us, Miranda was not. Her house mom told her to come to me and she started to cry.  So, basically, the house mom and a house sister each held a hand and drug her to me. I cuddled her until she stopped crying and then she sat beside me.  She was looking sleepy so I held her again and she dozed off. The problem was that she was not ready for bed.  So, by the time she was ready for bed she was inconsolable and could not get settled.  It is so hard to see her upset and know that this transition will be filled with loss for her.