So. Much. Amazing!

Can I just say, "Wow!"

Real quick synopsis and the conclusion we've come to so far...

Wellllll, the safety paradigms are slightly different than what we're used to...

(I don't have any good pictures of it yet, but something I keep shaking my head over is all the little -- 2, 3, 4-year-olds -- walking and sitting along the sides of these main roads. Six-year old girls carrying their baby sibling on their backs... that's just for starters...)

The money exchange made us instant millionaires... (well, not really, but it kinda feels like it...)

A basketful of protein...

...Zae says the caterpillars (no, I'm not joking), taste, "sweet... like a treat."

But the babies... are one of the many aspects of what I consider to be a treat!!

The man reached into the cage, pulled out a couple of live chickens, and handed them to the boys. So, we didn't have fresh chicken that night... but we could have...

Israel told us later that night that "holding the chicken was one of [her] highs of the day."

We went into the place where the women sell material and this man sewed up a couple of "satingies" for me (the traditional African wraps).

I can't tell you how glad I am to be with my bosom buddy. It's beyond wonderful to spend time with this sister!

We spent the afternoon eating yummmmeeee PBJ's and tuna fish sandwiches made special by one of our favorite people we've met, Mcsonic (our family's new hero)... taking a power nap... hanging out at the pool on the African Bible College Campus... enjoying African Sunshine... basking in the sweetness of these relationships...

And my daughter is loving her bosom buddies, Nya and Analise!

Today we visited Lake Malawi... g o r g e o u s!!! The children (okay, us adults, too), soaked up this little piece of paradise! African sun, swimming in warm water... with schools of fish... hello!

The drive to the lake was a huge culture lesson! These people. This country. Their smiles. The villages with their homes -- homes as big or smaller than some people's walk-in closets -- with the thatched roofs. The bitty children. The women walking barefoot with enormous loads balanced on their heads. The group washing their laundry in the muddy creek alongside the road. And so much more! All of it amazing! Beyond amazing.

And our conclusion so far?

Uh, Africa has stolen our hearts. Our children all agree they want to live here. In Isaiah's words, "I'm living here forever!"

Tomorrow we go to live in the "Deep Village" for four days... We'll try to update you when we return to the Stauffacher's Home.