The title is truly what it feels like. I will say, I am not able to fully express what I have felt being on this trip in one post. It will be in the stories I tell, in the memories I have years down the road, and the excitement I feel being back home and having Africa pop into my head at seemingly the most obsolete time.
Africa has always been a dream of mine. From the moment I saw the work being done here through a video in 4th grade, I have wanted to be a part of it. Now I have.
What can I say about it? What was my favorite part? What will I remember/miss the most?
These are going to be questions I have for the next months ahead of me. Is it smart to prepare an answer so that I don't sit there dumbfounded when people ask me and I try to summarize three incredible weeks into 3 minutes? Maybe. However, I will have something different every day. There wasn't just ONE experience that sticks out that was the best day. There wasn't just ONE day that I went to bed and said, my life is changed. But coming here three weeks ago, I am not leaving the same person today. My mindset about things is different. My appreciation for family, culture, faith, community....they are different.
Will I still probably provide those three minutes because many people who ask how it went will ask out of habit and maybe don't want the three hour description? Probably.
And this is what I would say,
Being in Africa was something I will never forget. The children, the mission, the teaching, will be with me forever. I am more excited than ever that I have decided to become a teacher and I cannot wait to associate some of the things I have done here and learned here into my future classroom. A memory that will always stick out in my mind is pulling up to the churches and the children screaming and jumping up and down, sometimes jumping into the open bed truck...! and so eager to learn. What we are teaching them isn't just a story. It is the story of God's love, and I got to teach that saving message to 1686 children these last two weeks. We are all one church body. We have different cultures, different skin tones, different ways of life, but we are all one body of Christ, all working together and making each other function. We can hold each other up and we can build each other up. They realize when we get there that the best thing we can give them is not money, but the promise of eternity in heaven.
My prayer as I leave Malawi, Africa,
Dear God,
"Thank you, first of all for the opportunity in the past couple weeks to be able to periodically think to myself, "Am I really in Africa?" I thank you for the strength to come and share something I love and to grow in my faith with you. I thank you for safe travels and keeping us all healthy on our trip! I pray you use what we did here to strengthen the faith of those children and church members who are here and continue to be in the word even while we are not here. I pray for the boldness of speech as I come home so I may efficiently describe what I have done here and describe how you are working in all those we worked with. I thank you for the time with wonderful new friends and for the time of relaxation. Finally, I pray, Lord use me. Send me to do your work, use me to share what I have done here that may lead to them wanting to come share their faith as well. Use me to continue to pray for those little ones here who have just heard about your love for us."
Amen
________
List of "Thanks":
Thank you to all the donors who have made this trip possible for me. Asking for money is not something i am comfortable with, and you all were so generous and gracious.
To my parents who have encouraged me, since I was that 4th grade girl watching that video, to go on mission trips and share my faith.
To friends, thank you for being so supportive. Driving me to the airport, picking me up, buying me caribou and leaving notes and pictures for me to find in my bag... I love you and thank you so much!
To the Felgenhauer Family for being so flexible with our group, taking us to see so many great places, countless hours in the car, and the support while we were doing VBS at the churches. You have such a wonderful opportunity here in Malawi!
To the group I went with, you guys were awesome. This trip would not have been the same without you and I look forward to reminiscing about this trip in the days, weeks, months ahead. Probably at 4 in the morning when none of us can sleep.... :)
________
TIME TO JOURNEY HOME!
Goodbye Malawi, Hello America.
Friday, August 9, 2013
The Final Days
Yesterday and Today have been our two set "off" days. We finished up our VBS on Wednesday. As I mentioned in my previous post. I had not set an alarm for the first time in a couple weeks. So we were all SO excited we could sleep in. So naturally...we all woke up at about 6:30/7. Normally how it goes right. Anyway, after we decided to get moving we all blared music in the house, and packed. Figuring out what fits where, seeing if it weighs more than it is supposed to. Also learned that 23 kg is equal to 50 lbs. Never would have remembered about the conversion...we all got majority of the way packed except with our stuff we were using the next couple days. Then we put in the french toast bake we had made the night before, and ate and had coffee outside on our beautiful morning.
I actually have a lot of room in my bag, i was impressed. We went to a tea estate (which literally looks like a vineyard but its MASSIVE.) It was so pretty. So we got there and did tea tasting. It was very unique. I'm not really a tea drinker, but it was cool to see and try and learn how everything works. Then we went to this little place that is straight out of a book. It had like stone archways and flowers and vines and the rooms are like these quaint little rooms with giant canopy beds overlooking a fountain outside with lights on the trees. It was perfect. Like I said, I have picture and video of it, but it was so cool. So there we got tea and cake and scones which were really good. Then we just sat outside and actually met a group from Chicago. Such a small world. We were there all afternoon then came home and grilled burgers and made some other stuff and ate. Then played banana grams awhile then everyone went to bed. Melissa and I watched Friends a little while, then we went to bed.
Today we went to Majete National Park. It is about 45 minutes away and then you drive on a dirt road for a while and then drive and look at the animals. There is also a dam in the park that we were able to see. It was such a beautiful day so it was great to be outside. The pictures of the dam don't do justice as to how huge it was. We were able to see Elephants, Hippos, Impala, Waterbuck, Nyala, Baboons, and Sabel. It was such a great time. The Elephant were huge and we were surrounded by a great big group of them so they were walking around our car. A little terrifying when they walked towards the car but it was exhilarating! Then we did see a Hippo in the water which was fun. It didnt come up much but it was still cool to see one up close. The other animals we saw many of all around us throughout the park. Now, no safari is complete without a little glitch. So we got a flat tire....and luckily no animals came at the point we were out of the car :) I make it sound more dangerous than it was....in the 45 minutes we were there, we truly didn't even see as much as a bug. We were in the deeper part of the park.
That's it for these two days! Off to bed and we fly out tomorrow!
I actually have a lot of room in my bag, i was impressed. We went to a tea estate (which literally looks like a vineyard but its MASSIVE.) It was so pretty. So we got there and did tea tasting. It was very unique. I'm not really a tea drinker, but it was cool to see and try and learn how everything works. Then we went to this little place that is straight out of a book. It had like stone archways and flowers and vines and the rooms are like these quaint little rooms with giant canopy beds overlooking a fountain outside with lights on the trees. It was perfect. Like I said, I have picture and video of it, but it was so cool. So there we got tea and cake and scones which were really good. Then we just sat outside and actually met a group from Chicago. Such a small world. We were there all afternoon then came home and grilled burgers and made some other stuff and ate. Then played banana grams awhile then everyone went to bed. Melissa and I watched Friends a little while, then we went to bed.
Today we went to Majete National Park. It is about 45 minutes away and then you drive on a dirt road for a while and then drive and look at the animals. There is also a dam in the park that we were able to see. It was such a beautiful day so it was great to be outside. The pictures of the dam don't do justice as to how huge it was. We were able to see Elephants, Hippos, Impala, Waterbuck, Nyala, Baboons, and Sabel. It was such a great time. The Elephant were huge and we were surrounded by a great big group of them so they were walking around our car. A little terrifying when they walked towards the car but it was exhilarating! Then we did see a Hippo in the water which was fun. It didnt come up much but it was still cool to see one up close. The other animals we saw many of all around us throughout the park. Now, no safari is complete without a little glitch. So we got a flat tire....and luckily no animals came at the point we were out of the car :) I make it sound more dangerous than it was....in the 45 minutes we were there, we truly didn't even see as much as a bug. We were in the deeper part of the park.
That's it for these two days! Off to bed and we fly out tomorrow!
Tea tasting |
Outside the Tea Estate |
Outside the Tea Estate |
Outside the Tea Estate |
Our Scones and Chocolate Cake. It was delicious! |
Dam at Majete National Park |
Elephants |
This was how close we were |
We did see more than these three. They just happened to be easy to photograph |
Document of the flat tire. |
Beautiful sunset on our last night in Africa. |
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Njo! Njo! Njo! Mwa Yesu Muli Chimwemwe Aleluya
Njo! Njo! Njo! Mwa Yesu Muli Chimwemwe Aleluya (Joy, Joy, Joy, in Jesus There Is Happiness)
This was one of our groups favorite songs to hear the children do in Chichewa.
Day 1 of VBS -
After VBS we ran some errands and went to a place of someone they know who does beading. They make animals and stuff out of beads and wire, jewelry, and all sorts of stuff. It was a really incredible place to get to see. This person in charge brings in kids off the street and offers them a place to stay and asks them to work to make these things and it pays for them to stay there, eat, etc. It was really cool thing to supporta nd we got to watch the kids make a couple things. Then we got home and talked to our neighbors (neighbors here are gardeners and gate keepers and such. So foreign to us.) and they are really sweet. The wife and the daughter were leaving the next day for a conference so we wouldn't see them anymore so we were talking with them. We were talking to Grem (the neighbor) and asked him if they had any family pictures or pictures of Naomi (their daughter) and he said no. None of us could imagine them not having a picture of their family or their daughter at their house, so we asked if we could take a family picture and have it developed and give to them. So we took those pictures that night. (Step into the future....we gave them to him and he loved them :) )
VBS this week I decided to group into the three days we did it. The church name was Chisomo (a village about 45 minutes away). The first day VBS went great. It was such a beautiful day out. We got to ride in the back of the pickup truck there so it woke us up. This is so nice since the other days its been hard to stay awake on the hour to hour and a half drive every morning and afternoon. So thankful for field managers who are willing to drive all over! At the beginning we only had 50 and by the end we had 130. I couldn't believe how many people came in throughout the couple hours. The church is beautiful. It is such a fun location. The president of Malawi was driving through town today (I did actually see her) so they said that's why their numbers were so low. So many people were out on the streets to see her and she was stopping only a couple miles from where the church was. This church had done VBS there before so they seemed really well organized. The kids were really interactive and the pastor was great at getting involved and helping out, too. It went very smoothly for a first day!
Then we had reservations at a restaurant here called Grill 21. I think I have mentioned it before, but I don't know if I explained it. If so...disregard the next part. It is run by Europeans and the food and atmosphere is incredible. Everyone goes there dressed in a suit and tie. You can tell it is the business place to go. It is a 5 star restaurant and hotel and the grounds are just gorgeous. (Way more fancy than I have ever been in. I'm not made for classy places :)) We went out to eat there last week for a meal and we all had like steak and stuff and the whole meal for steak, potatoes, salad, bread, and vegetables was like 15 a person. Its unreal. Then outside there is seating and a courtyard and lit up palm trees and its just literally out of a book. Its awesome. So we went there for appetizers and dessert which was awesome, walked around the courtyard a little bit, then walked home.
I took my Religion Final when we got back so I am officially done with class for three weeks. I can't believe school starts so soon. But a couple week break with the free time and my nanny kids when I get home will be great :)
Something I have learned along the way -
This may be true with other traveling as well, but I have not traveled for longer than two weeks without family members or close friends that I had known previously to going on a trip. So I did not know what to expect. I have always been independent so I never worried about being away. I also LOVE to travel. There comes a point though that it is hard to be away, and i'm sure the point comes at different times for everyone depending how long the duration of their trip is. For myself, the beginning of the second week was probably the hardest to be away. I was transitioning into a different routine. You still are dealing with a little jetlag. You are still learning the people around you and not trying to be so attached to everyone at home you want to tell everything to. A couple days ago I had broken past the point of it being hard and there were things I started to love here and things I would look forward to every day. It is such a cool feeling and there are definitely things I am going to miss about here. Truly the most exciting thing about coming back to America is going to be.....APPLES. Apples are SO expensive here and I haven't had one in 3 weeks.
Fact: I eat AT LEAST 2 apples a day no matter what. It has been rough.
VBS Day 2 -
Tuesday's VBS was like 50 that morning it was FREEZING. But it went well. We taught the story of Philip and sharing the good news. This congregation has a lot of kids that understand English so I got many of the kids coming up to me and you can tell they are trying to practice their English because it will be very specific language and questions. It was such a blast. The kids love love LOVE singing and crafts. They love being able to stand up and dance and learn new stuff, and they love being about to color (something they aren't normally accustomed to). One thing I love about these kids is they are SO eager to learn. Kids like this are why I wanted to become a teacher. I love the excitement they have and the joy on their face when they answer a question correctly. These kids treat us like celebrities. They chase our car when we drive into the village and wave us down. They look up to us for what we are doing and it makes them excited to hear what we are talking about. Such a cool thing to think about.
Then we ran a million errands around town but got a lot done. We met a missionary here who is from the states but has lived her 27 years and we all talked to him. He knew many people in the WELS and was able to easily associate many of us to someone or something. He knew my Uncle Paul, who passed away a couple years ago now, and had such wonderful things to say about him. It is always so fun to hear such great things about him, he truly was an incredible man with such a big heart and love for his Lord! Then he left and we made dinner and made a couple batches of cinnamon rolls for us and for our neighbors and our field managers. That has been like our staple....Then we got some stuff ready for the next group coming after us. Got the field managers gift ready. Got stuff organized. It was a very busy day.
Almost done I promise! Now that I am writing this I understand why I probably should have written after each day. This week was busy! Sorry :)
VBS Day 3 -
FINAL DAY! Wow. Seems weird that after 11 straight days to the village I am not setting my alarm tonight. I will not go into detail about the impact this trip has had on me, that will be my final post. However, today. I will say that I am overwhelmed in my love and faith for the Lord, and I feel truly blessed! Such an incredible experience and I loved every second. Yes, Even the seconds when power and water were out :)
After VBS today we got some more things done around town that we wanted to do and see, and then went to our field managers house for a Malawian dinner. It was very interesting. We started out washing our hands over a bowl with a pitcher of water, scooped up our food, and ate with our hands. I even felt myself reach for my non-existant fork at one point. It was hilarious. It was a lot of fun and actually tasted pretty good. I am not picky, but I thought it was good. I would not be able to have too much though, it was so dense and so filling!
Praise to the Lord for blessing 1648 children through our work in Malawi, Africa these last two weeks!
"“Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent."
Sunday, August 4, 2013
The Wonder of God
The conclusion to another VBS has come and gone and there is both feelings of excitement and sadness in leaving the children.
Yesterday we concluded our second location for VBS. The total count on the final day was 250! The Lord truly provides. The experience we have gained through these two churches has been incredible. I was blessed to be able to have the opportunity to teach the kids music this week. African tradition of songs and American songs we teach are so different. We do not typically dance, sway, etc. Needless to say, our songs were a little bland for them. However, they LOVED being able to share some of their songs and they were so proud to have learned some English songs as well. The kids were able to sing their songs they learned this week in church today in front of the congregation.
After VBS we got back and had some errands to run. We went into town and walked around a couple of the local markets and went to the grocery store. We came home and got some stuff ready for VBS this week, planned our meals for the week and got a rough idea planned out for things we want to get in this week before we leave. I can't believe we leave in less than a week! We also made cookies and learned the "Cups" song last night. No....it wasn't recorded.
Today was incredible. It is 9pm here and we are all drained! We got up early and headed to church in the villiage where we were teaching this week. Church was as great as last week, complete with many many songs and dances. (Videos when I get home) After church we ventured to a place called "Mulanje's Pepper" where we got brick oven pizza which was amazing! From there we rode into the back of the pickup truck through the mountains and went to Mount Mulanje. It was beautiful and it was such a gorgeous day to be outside! There was an area at the bottom of the mountain that was a rock pool that you could swim around the rocks at the bottom of the waterfall. Melissa and I went with Stephan and took the hike up the mountain to the waterfall. Words don't describe so pictures are at the bottom. Most amazing part...I jumped from the top of the waterfall and got to jump into the water at the bottom. It was FREEZING. It literally took my breath away. But it was truly one of the most exhilarating things I have ever done. Then we climbed back down and went to the rock pool area. It was so serene and beautiful. I could stay there all day :) We headed home and stopped in an area that had tea fields (truly as common as corn fields in Wisconsin) and mountains in the back. Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous! Such beautiful things to see! We got home and are all exhausted.
Time for Bed! First day of the last place of VBS tomorrow! It's going so fast!
Yesterday we concluded our second location for VBS. The total count on the final day was 250! The Lord truly provides. The experience we have gained through these two churches has been incredible. I was blessed to be able to have the opportunity to teach the kids music this week. African tradition of songs and American songs we teach are so different. We do not typically dance, sway, etc. Needless to say, our songs were a little bland for them. However, they LOVED being able to share some of their songs and they were so proud to have learned some English songs as well. The kids were able to sing their songs they learned this week in church today in front of the congregation.
After VBS we got back and had some errands to run. We went into town and walked around a couple of the local markets and went to the grocery store. We came home and got some stuff ready for VBS this week, planned our meals for the week and got a rough idea planned out for things we want to get in this week before we leave. I can't believe we leave in less than a week! We also made cookies and learned the "Cups" song last night. No....it wasn't recorded.
Today was incredible. It is 9pm here and we are all drained! We got up early and headed to church in the villiage where we were teaching this week. Church was as great as last week, complete with many many songs and dances. (Videos when I get home) After church we ventured to a place called "Mulanje's Pepper" where we got brick oven pizza which was amazing! From there we rode into the back of the pickup truck through the mountains and went to Mount Mulanje. It was beautiful and it was such a gorgeous day to be outside! There was an area at the bottom of the mountain that was a rock pool that you could swim around the rocks at the bottom of the waterfall. Melissa and I went with Stephan and took the hike up the mountain to the waterfall. Words don't describe so pictures are at the bottom. Most amazing part...I jumped from the top of the waterfall and got to jump into the water at the bottom. It was FREEZING. It literally took my breath away. But it was truly one of the most exhilarating things I have ever done. Then we climbed back down and went to the rock pool area. It was so serene and beautiful. I could stay there all day :) We headed home and stopped in an area that had tea fields (truly as common as corn fields in Wisconsin) and mountains in the back. Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous! Such beautiful things to see! We got home and are all exhausted.
Time for Bed! First day of the last place of VBS tomorrow! It's going so fast!
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This little girl came with me everywhere :) |
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Teaching the kids a song. |
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Dancing with the kids during music time |
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I Spy, Erin! |
Before the jump.... |
The jump! |
After the jump! |
I fell in love with this view! |
In the middle of tea fields below the mountain! |
Friday, August 2, 2013
We are definitely American...
Top 20 Reasons "We Are Definitely American"
1. We pay and run
2. We require a sign and door for our bathroom with toilet paper
3. We expect running, warm water
4. We expect lights to turn on when we flip the switch
5. The art of dining is lost; we are rushed out in order to make room for the next reservation, we would be asked to leave if we stayed at the table and talked
6. We get into the "driver's" side in order to be a passenger
7. We don't drink coffee at 9pm unless there is a legitimate reason
8. Fast food is fast, not off the street
9. Traveler's mugs are a must, we don't sit and dine
10. We most often buy fruits and vegetables from the store
11. Fresh bread is not available only at the hours of 5am and 1pm
12. Disposable things are readily available
13. We assume houses have air conditioning and heat
14. When we order chips, we mean chips, not French Fries. "Crisps" come in a Lays bag.
15. We use bags, not our heads to carry things
16. We use Starbucks for tea, not a tea cutter and basket
17. When we see a gravel road we avoid it, not say "Game on!"
18. Airport security is not a man "people watching" at a laptop screen and checking the security camera every other minute.
19. We expect fences at the zoo, not pathways to where they step on you.
20. We don't expect a man to run to the gate to let us in and greet us every time we come home.
Man I love things I have learned about Africa so far! What a fun culture. One that definitely takes getting used to, but one that I LOVE things about!
VBS is always hard on a first day. It doesn't seem as smooth, things are getting worked over, trying to work on crowd control in a smaller building since it was raining out, etc. It was a great first day in the sense that we got to teach the story of the Good Samaritan to 110 children and they were able to hear God's Word. Sometimes, the logistics around that don't always matter. It still is amazing to me that majority of them do not even know what a crayon is so we physically have to show them how to color. Makes you think about everything we have. We went to the wood carving place today and got to see how everything was made. It was amazing. I took some videos but those don't upload from here so I will attach them later when I get home. We also went to the disability shelter that the woodcarving place supports. It's incredible. The kids are funded from housing, food, schooling, transportation....Everything. The work going on there is so cool. They are working on expansion and have other locations they are looking to get information from as well. It is such a growing mission and it was so cool to see. We finished off last night with some "Friends" as we went to sleep. It was a very relaxing evening.
VBS went great today. It ran so much smoother, the sun was out and we were able to be outside and the kids were loving it. There was so much energy and we increased 80 kids from the day before! Word of mouth here is incredible. The songs were a lot of fun and the leaders were getting into it as well. We noticed there were two children who laughed every time we spoke and we couldn't understand why. We came to realize that they knew English and thought everything we said was hilarious. They were so cute and would converse with us the rest of the day. After VBS we went out for a small lunch at a cafe in town. Walked to the grocery store to get some food. We went over and met our neighbors next door who are also missionaries. They are with a group called S.I.M They have missionaries coming throughout the year that do various things in Malawi for mission work. Many of them come on their "gap" year from Germany or surrounding countries. The girl we met today was really nice, however she leaves tomorrow. Disappointing. But she had been here 11 months and was heading back to Germany in the morning to start college as a nursing student. Then we went out to a fabulous Italian restaurant, came home and finished with some work for tomorrow, made homemade pretzels, and we are one by one turning in for the night.
Goodnight from "The Warm Heart of Africa!"
1. We pay and run
2. We require a sign and door for our bathroom with toilet paper
3. We expect running, warm water
4. We expect lights to turn on when we flip the switch
5. The art of dining is lost; we are rushed out in order to make room for the next reservation, we would be asked to leave if we stayed at the table and talked
6. We get into the "driver's" side in order to be a passenger
7. We don't drink coffee at 9pm unless there is a legitimate reason
8. Fast food is fast, not off the street
9. Traveler's mugs are a must, we don't sit and dine
10. We most often buy fruits and vegetables from the store
11. Fresh bread is not available only at the hours of 5am and 1pm
12. Disposable things are readily available
13. We assume houses have air conditioning and heat
14. When we order chips, we mean chips, not French Fries. "Crisps" come in a Lays bag.
15. We use bags, not our heads to carry things
16. We use Starbucks for tea, not a tea cutter and basket
17. When we see a gravel road we avoid it, not say "Game on!"
18. Airport security is not a man "people watching" at a laptop screen and checking the security camera every other minute.
19. We expect fences at the zoo, not pathways to where they step on you.
20. We don't expect a man to run to the gate to let us in and greet us every time we come home.
Man I love things I have learned about Africa so far! What a fun culture. One that definitely takes getting used to, but one that I LOVE things about!
VBS is always hard on a first day. It doesn't seem as smooth, things are getting worked over, trying to work on crowd control in a smaller building since it was raining out, etc. It was a great first day in the sense that we got to teach the story of the Good Samaritan to 110 children and they were able to hear God's Word. Sometimes, the logistics around that don't always matter. It still is amazing to me that majority of them do not even know what a crayon is so we physically have to show them how to color. Makes you think about everything we have. We went to the wood carving place today and got to see how everything was made. It was amazing. I took some videos but those don't upload from here so I will attach them later when I get home. We also went to the disability shelter that the woodcarving place supports. It's incredible. The kids are funded from housing, food, schooling, transportation....Everything. The work going on there is so cool. They are working on expansion and have other locations they are looking to get information from as well. It is such a growing mission and it was so cool to see. We finished off last night with some "Friends" as we went to sleep. It was a very relaxing evening.
VBS went great today. It ran so much smoother, the sun was out and we were able to be outside and the kids were loving it. There was so much energy and we increased 80 kids from the day before! Word of mouth here is incredible. The songs were a lot of fun and the leaders were getting into it as well. We noticed there were two children who laughed every time we spoke and we couldn't understand why. We came to realize that they knew English and thought everything we said was hilarious. They were so cute and would converse with us the rest of the day. After VBS we went out for a small lunch at a cafe in town. Walked to the grocery store to get some food. We went over and met our neighbors next door who are also missionaries. They are with a group called S.I.M They have missionaries coming throughout the year that do various things in Malawi for mission work. Many of them come on their "gap" year from Germany or surrounding countries. The girl we met today was really nice, however she leaves tomorrow. Disappointing. But she had been here 11 months and was heading back to Germany in the morning to start college as a nursing student. Then we went out to a fabulous Italian restaurant, came home and finished with some work for tomorrow, made homemade pretzels, and we are one by one turning in for the night.
Goodnight from "The Warm Heart of Africa!"
Children with their projects. Loving the camera |
Church Number 2, Day 2 |
This little one would not let go of my hand all day! |
All smiles from, Edward. We call him "Smiles" |
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