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For some reason, 2:30 am seems to be optimal writing time for me. We go to bed so early, and I have woken up at 2:30 every morning since we've been here.  I thought I was doing well to have made it to 8:30pm last night, but I am awake again. I am hoping we can get on a little more normal sleep schedule sometime soon. 

I want to try to recap some of the events of the past few days. So much has happened that it is hard to believe we've only been here for 3 days. Friday, Chris (an intern who is the only American who lives here with us) took us to the grocery store in town. Most of the people who live here are not able to shop there, but it is mostly for wealthier people and foreigners. They have a lot of imported goods either from Europe or South Africa. Even though it is the most Americanized of all of the shopping, it was still very intimidating. I didn't know what any of the products were since none of them look like what I am familiar with. I did the best I could. Then we went to check out and the total was 16,000 kwacha. I was very anxious because I could not do the conversion in my head to American dollars so I had no idea if I had enough money or how much I was spending. Turns out, the total was around $100. This came as a shock to me because we really didn't buy very much stuff at all, but it was so expensive. We are trying to figure out how we are going to adapt to the food because we can't afford to eat like that, and also it still doesn't taste like anything we are used to so it really doesn't seem worth it. 

After the grocery store, Chris took us to the village market for fresh vegetables. This is an open dirt field where people bring all kinds of things to sell, and it is where most of the people shop. This was a completely overwhelming experience. As we drove up people were surrounding our car showing their goods to us in hopes that we will buy from them. It is difficult because people know from the car and from what we look like that we are new and we have money. They desperately want to sell things to us, and we constantly have to say no. I have to say, though, the most memorable part of the market was just opening the door and smelling the horrible stench. I can't describe it; it was just bad. So, Chris navigated us to a vendor that he knows, we bought a few things and we left pretty quickly. 

Later in the day, we went to Chitipi farm, which is one of our children's homes that is located just a couple of miles from here and houses 35 children along with house parents and "aunties and uncles" to take care of them. They live in a house with one common area and then several rooms to each side where the kids each have bunk beds. The kids were so excited to show off their beds. They are very proud of them, as most of them had never slept in a bed before they came to live at COTN. Then they performed a welcome ceremony for us where they all sang and danced several songs. They each introduced themselves, some recited Bible verses for us, and a few told a brief version of their story and how they came to live at COTN. They told how one or both of their parents had died and what life was like. Several also saw their siblings die as well. They were then living with anyone who would care for them. Most family members aren't able to take in another child, so they slept on the floor of a mud hut, became malnourished, and some became very ill with no medical care. 

After the welcome ceremony, the kids took us all by the hand to show us around the farm. They have goats, chickens (they LOVE to run around and chase after the chickens...it's quite a sight), cows, vegetable gardens, and a pond. They learn about farming, and were very proud to show us the very successful crop of onions that they just harvested. They also are taught to sew. They go to school at the public school and they receive additional tutoring to help them get ahead. After you hear the stories of where they have come from, it is amazing to see the joy on their faces as they run around the farm and laugh and play with one another. The joy in that house is really contagious. Part of me wants to get a bunk bed and move in. 

After such an adventurous day on Friday, we didn't feel much like going out again on Saturday. We felt a little overwhelmed. Of course, we woke up Sat morning at 2:30 and we laid in bed until the sun came up around 5:00. We started unpacking all of our boxes and suitcases and cleaning, and we were very excited to have the house all arranged. We felt like we had done a whole day's work, and I was ready to eat lunch etc, and I looked at the clock and it was 8:00am. So, without any staff here on Saturdays, and without TV, internet, radio or anything else, we weren't sure what to do with ourselves. Chris came over and we sat on the front porch talking for several hours. Then, we ate lunch and talked for several more hours. Two of Chris's friends came over and we talked for a couple more hours. The three of us ate dinner together then played cards. And that was our day. So, I think this is what they mean when they say it is a slower pace of life here :)