June 12th early a.m. (Leah's Update)

It is just after 6a.m. Caleb is off running and I sit down to the computer to write a little. I have been more involved with the middle schoolers this week after taking care of logistical household details at the end of last week so I thought I would give some of my perspective on the kids response and such. I'm astonished at how quickly we are getting to know each of the kids.
Jonathan
Joseph (aka Hershey)
David
Jessica
Katie
Fiona
Jaina
Danielle
Clara (who left for furlough yesterday a.m.)
I thought I would mention them by name because I know some people like to pray by name for people. It strikes me that these kids are just regular middle schoolers in many ways. For instance they think Caleb's jokes are funny, they love to dunk people, candy and soda are always popular with them, even some of the interview questions we've asked them for the missionary pen pal program we're starting at Faith Community were answered almost identically. Caleb commented to me yesterday that middle school kids here get tired from playing games almost as quickly as kids in the states. Although I'm confident that Caleb has an unusual amount of stamina for any adult. He consistently wears the kids out by the end of the day.
I think some of the differences between these kids and typical American middle school kids are that they have a very quick recovery time after being man handled all day by Caleb and are eagerly calling "Apu?" which means 'can I come in?' at 7:25 each morning even though devotions do not even start until 8. Also, I don't think I've heard any of them talk about video games (which is pretty refreshing to me) their conversations center more around real events. They also have sort of a familiarity with living a life that is centered around something other than comfort. Caleb has mentioned that they're almost constantly barefoot, they scale up trees as gracefully as a gymnasts, and I don't think my husband has made a single one of them cry (sometimes he doesn't realize his own strength).
I don't want to make these kids sound perfect, though. Many of them could stand to be more careful; they try things sometimes that scare me and I think all of the small accidents that they talk about are good evidence that maybe they shouldn't try some of the things they do (I can share this one because maybe it will help somebody not break their neck:). There are other ways that MK's struggle that American kids never do.
One of the most delightful parts about interacting with these kids for me is that they really are responsive to Caleb's teaching. During the past 9 years Caleb has been teaching Jr High aged kids I've observed many of those times. He has grown as a teacher; he has power points with cool art from Pilgrim's Progress on most slides, he has a cool sword drill routine that the kids love, he has perfectly timed snide comments to make at disruptive kids, but mostly, he has what he has always had and that is pure enthusiasm, even passion for God's word. It is tough for me to watch the times when Caleb shares that passion and it falls on deaf ears. so seeing these kids soak it in is really refreshing for me. My prayer, and I hope your prayer as well, is that the kids will be good soil, not rocky, or thorny, but rich brown soft dirt where the seed can take deep root and grow healthy.
My other delights in working with these middle school kids is that they love to be in our home and that they connect deeply with our family partly as a result of Sophie and Aubrey. Since our group is so dominated by girls we almost don't even need to have as many activities as we have because the mk girls just love to play with Sophie and Aubrey. Sophie is starting to figure out that she can make plans with them. Yesterday she told Katie she could go change her clothes (katie had been in the pool) and then she could come back to our house and play with her. Needless to say, I've been delighted that there is a definite place for our children in the ministry we're doing here.
Okay, the girls are awake and I need to be ready for some middle schoolers to be here soon.
God bless you.
Leah