Children being beaten, molested, and given a life taking disease are things I expected to hear stories of while in Africa. I knew it happened, but didn't expect to come in such close contact with it.... This past week my discipler, Holly, challenged me to learn the stories of our two oldest girls. The opportunity arose this past Tuesday when I sat down to check out some coloring books with Nelly. She told me stories about the children, and I found out that Tessa and Renaldo are siblings, and Linda and Cornelius are also siblings. What she told me about their lives thus far breaks my heart, my ministry partners and I have had a hard time dealing with what we found out. These were stories of; two of them watching their mother getting beaten to death, getting drunk at very young ages, taking care a large family at the age of 7, the other mother getting stabbed to death because she had HIV. I love these children with all my heart, and wish I could take them home with me. I thank God daily for sparing their lives, without him I'm certain none of them would be here today. They also praise God for their new lives. Even through the pain and suffering they've felt, they are full of joy (for the most part) and enjoy life to the fullest.