Goma Day 2

Hello all. This is Jessica. So we have had yet another exciting day here in Goma. If I could describe to you the feeling we all get when we get the chance to interact with either the woman from Heal Africa or the children from the orphanges its just simply amazing. To see how happy these woman and children are to see us and have vistors here, for them, its the biggest blessing in the world. They all survive with mostly nothing at all but with just a "Jambo", which is "hello" in Swhali, it has made their day complete!

The morning started off very beautiful here on this side on the world! Michael, Patrick and Terry started their morning off with Camille and his men's group for a bible study on the lawn. While Jen, Nona and myself all prepared for the day ahead and had some funny girl bonding time!

Today we had the oppurtunity to be all over the place. We attended a State of Affiars conference on the subject of "Stopping the Sexual Violence Against the Women and Children in Congo". Very powerful stuff. We got to hear insight from the UN and how they are making their attmepts to help as well as Camille with The Light of Africa network and Heal Africa. Please continue to keep all the victims in your prayers. This is a horrible situation!

After the confrence we went to Bethsaida, which is one of the many orphanges here. We got to meet many, many children, who were beyond excited to see us when we arrived! We got our own front row performance from the children praticing in the choir and they were amazing and sung and danced like crazy. At one point they even pulled all of us to dance with them. It is very entertaining for them to see a "munseki", which meants white person, dance. They had Jen in the middle of the floor dancing like crazy.....very funny! We left the orphange....but of course not without passing ot soccor balls! Which of course the kids went crazy over. We drove off watching them kick the balls around.

The day wound down with a bible study at the church. We had what was called a "Cultural Exchange". Its amazing to see how many different points of view but yet all having the same concept of God, each one of them shared with there questions. It was a bible study done in English so that everyone could have a chance to practice the language..... NO TRANSLATING was allowed! hahahaha. They were asking us many questions about life in America and continuously expressing how happy they were that we were here to see them!

We ended the night with a dinner around the table with Camille and Esther. Its amazing that no matter how far from home and our own families we are, we have a family here. We have all bonded and have been so beyond blessed with this trip, its a great feeling. We discussed and made plans to begin some of the much needed work that needs to be done here. We are all looking forward to tomorrow. We are headed to Heal Africa, where I am leading bible study. Im very excited for what God has in store.

Keep us all in your prayers. We miss all of you.

Love
Jess