Gui yele ma....

...a change in water.

After weeks of INTENSELY itchy, red spots that look and feel and act like bug bites, I think it may just be "gui yele ma". We spent the entire day yesterday with our sister and brother celebrating with their village the breaking of the fast. We were talking about my itchy spots...all over my legs at that point...and they all said it was not a mosquito, but gui yele ma. My language helper said the same thing this afternoon. So apparently, there is some little something in our water that is causing these breakouts. I woke up this morning with more on my upper leg and arms. I had them when we first got here....thinking they were bug bites....but because of all the skin things that can go on here, I went ahead and stopped using my bath and body wash and started using antibacterial soap. We ran out of that about a week ago and now the spots are back again. Putting two and two together with what I've been hearing from people the last couple of days, and I think it may really be our water. I don't know why it hasn't affected Rick or the boys at all, but I'm thankful for that.

Add to all of that the fact that my blood pressure has been kind of going crazy....probably cultural stress....and I just haven't been feeling all that well lately. All of that to say.....

Thank you for your prayers. I haven't been good about letting people know specifics, but your prayers really, really do mean so much to us.....especially in the smallest of ways. We are undergirded by them. The Kingdom is being advanced by them.

We have said from the beginning that we want to thrive here, not just survive here. These last few weeks, I've felt in survival mode. That's just what happens with nuisances like itchy spots and more serious issues like blood pressure instability and friends who are sick and househelp who hasn't been able to work because of critically ill children. Though we try to view these as opportunities to be light among darkness (and some of them are....like visiting friends who are sick)...more often than not, these things (like itchiness and not feeling well) take our time and attention away from the very important tasks at hand and reasons why we are here. Your prayers make the difference in these things. Never underestimate the power of prayer and how you are coming along side us when you pray. We love you! Thank you!