Just so Happy

Yes, it's true! MaryBeth, Beth, and Sarah and my lovely sisters, Thanks for all the comments! Yeah, I am so happy here! Today was so amazing. We visited a church down the road from us. I had been hungering for fellowship. It was the one thing I missed most, to be with my family in Christ. And oh heavens! Today I was so full of joy to worship with such like minded people. We had gone to two other churches and they were very nice, it was nice to see the different ways people do things, but this morning I cannot explain the connection right away. These people were so full of joy, dancing and singing....

Also, thank you for your prayers about the kids. I would say that this past week has been a week of disciplining the kids which has been really good actually. We are little by little gaining the respect of the kids and I think that it is allowing them to feel more and more secure. To know that when we punnish a child for doing wrong to others, that means that we will also punish the others for doing wrong to that child and in the end they all feel much safer in their surroundings.

I had such an experience today. Linus was being punished and so he hit me with a pole and began scratching me. I carried him away from the group and gave him a time out and told him this was wrong to hurt me. After he was punished he climbed up on my lap and said, "Amanda, you are nice." It is so good to see the fruit. I do not always see it so clearly as I did today. God is good to show what he does!

Tomorrow Bethany and I will be saying goodbye to our wonderful friend Katy. She goes back to Germany. The three of us have become what Katy calls "gamineschoft," which is the german word for a strong bond between people that is just so tight and working so well. Soon there will be two more germans coming, two elder ladies. We have no idea how old, but it should be interesting!

I love you all! Many blessings! Amanda