Wednesday Wednesday Wednesday

It seems pretty sad that an update for this week feels like it should start with a "who's sick now" update, but that is just the way this week has rolled. Maybe we should make a table:

	Not Yet Sick (as of Wed)	Sick	Mostly/Better
Saturday	everyone else...	Alyssa Lori
Sunday	everyone else...	Alyssa Lori
Monday	everyone else...	Heather Rachel Tirzah Sara Christy Mike	Alyssa Lori
Tuesday	everyone else...??	Tirzah Jake Mike Jeremiah Walker	Alyssa Lori Heather Rachel Sara Christy
Wednesday	Tom Angela Gloria Antonio Colleen Jim Bob Messiah	Logan Ryan Paco Mike	Alyssa Lori Heather Rachel Sara Christy Tirzah Jake Walker Jeremiah Mike
Thursday	???		Logan Ryan

So yeah, it’s been quite a run! That being said – the kids really have had great attitudes and overall have enjoyed their time here a lot. It’s been neat to get to know the other group from Iowa that’s here this week, and have a chance to connect with kids, each other, and with God.
Today we had to bid farewell to 4 of the “grown-ups” (ha!) that have been with us so far – Tom, Lori, Christy and Jeremiah. They had to get back to jobs and other grown up things. Fortunately, 2 brand-spankin’ new ones arrived later to continue carrying the torch – Sue and Tim (yippeee!).
Normally our days go (roughly) tutoring –> lunch –> work projects –> supper –> Kids Club. But today we started before breakfast with tie dyeing the t-shirts we get from this week, and instead of our afternoon work project we had a 2 hour retreat of silence. That was a change for high schoolers who are used to going at a crazy pace: talking, listening to music, or sleeping. Andrew challenged us not to talk, or sleep, during that time, but rather to take time for quiet prayer and reflection. Neat stuff!
It was hard to wrap up Kids Club for the week. The kids just seemed so sweet and willing to connect this year. A couple of 20-year-old guys that Ryan was talking with live in the same complex as these kids. They told him, “it’s just so neat to see the children smiling and having fun. You brought them joy”. Just cool stuff! Tonight in addition to our normal game playing and dispensing of sno cones and popcorn, we handed out dental supplies! Alyssa had asked around with dentists in the Valley and rounded up a big supply that we were able to package and get to the kids. They loved them and kept coming back in line to get more for their brothers and sisters.
We wrapped up the day at the laundromat –hopefully we now have enough clean clothes to end the week in style!

Wednesday pics VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Saturday: Exploring St. Louis

After a lovely morning sleeping in, we all eventually piled into the cars and headed off to Grant's Farm. Grant’s Farm is a combination Budweister Clydesdales, zoo with giant elephants (one of whom is named Bud and can do cool tricks), petting zoo, amusement park, and amazement. We had fun playing with and petting pygmy goats, watching the elephant show, and seeing the huge horses.
Next we headed off to the Arch. It really is a magnificent sight, even if you’ve seen it before. Some of us didn’t realize that you can actually go into the Arch – from far away it looks so small. We had fun going through the museum below, and compared the height of the Mississippi with previous years (it’s high!).
For supper we trundled off to Union Station where all got to try different restaurants. Then we wondered by the Fudgery – a magical place where they not only make fudge, but they also sing and entertain you. We watched an entire “show” and got free samples – YUM!
Then it was time to head back for orientation and to be reunited with the rest of our group – Lori, Tom, Colleen and Jim. Hooray!
Words we would use to describe the day:

hot. sweaty. amusing. fun. adventuresome. spontaneous. memorable. unforgettable. sick to my stomach (that was Alyssa ). lovely. pickle.

(thanks to Gloria, Rachel, Bob, Logan, Heather and Alyssa for their help with this update). 

		Saturday pics VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

A little game: match the caption with the photo!
Bob’s sandwich | getting in line | bookmark Mike made of “stuff to look for” through this week | The Arch | Licking the Arch (don’t ask) | chillin’ | fudgutainment | COWS! | The group | On the train ride | Grant’s cabin | COW! (we could have touched this guy’s horns as we went by – eep!) | Photo op at Grant’s Farm | Alyssa makes new friends | Bud the elephant – all 16,000 pounds of him