day 19 monday

one day at a time. it is actually thursday. dang it. i want to remember these days. i have daily journaled since 2016 🥴. at home, i am on my eighth identical journal book. it contains thousands of small things that made my heart smile, the daily mundane, the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. i have been so faithful to it, and i am not really sure why. but it matters to me, and this blog is my journal of sorts when i travel. so i play catch up.

we were without power for 36 hours which didn't help. a pocket juice only lasts so long. you'd think i would get used to the power outages, but interestingly, they irritate me more every trip. it feels like a control freak just waits to flip the switch. grrrr. anyway, lights are on, and i thank Jesus and whoever finally flipped the switch back to on. 

okay. a team of nine americans from illinois rolled in about 10:30 p.m. sunday night. they were only here about 30 hours which makes me tired thinking about how exhausted they had to be. i have definitely learned hard lessons about cramming too much in and thinking it'll be great.... until your body reminds you, international travel ain't easy 🥹

monday the plan was to herd cats basically to get people and building materials to a widow's house in botoro. it is such a paradox, this life here. everything is hard physically and yet things come together so magically, i just have to laugh. there are no lowes or home depots. it is hundreds of dark storefronts that house the oddest of things. and everyone knows which store has what. i seriously don't get how they remember who and what and where. one of life's great mysteries. metal roofing sheets, doors, windows, roofing nails on top of the van and we are good to go. 

the home belongs to morah. there is no kitchen or bathroom. there are no beds. it is awful. there are dozens of people that gather to watch her roof get replaced and new windows and a door go in. i want to remember a guy named polycarb. his smile. i am a sucker. let's just say this young man could have had a fantastic opportunity, and he lost it over moonshine. my heart hurts for people here who lose hope and drink their life away. this too is awful. 

esther and i help make the mud to seal the door and windows. the american guys kicked butt. exhausted or not, they labored hard. it was such a great and wonderful day. one i will never forget. and neither will morah. 

she also is getting a new full bed and a triple bunk equipped with mattresses and bedding! and the old metal roof sheets will be used to make her an outdoor kitchen and a pit latrine (bathroom). her life just got a major makeover. what a blessing ❤️