What a day can bring is simply amazing!

Yesterday morning, after treating my two patients, who are both recovering nicely, I ran up to the training center to call Roy. While I was busily chatting with him, I saw the caretaker and his wife zoom away on my motorbike. I thought that it was odd to see them leave right then, because we had all been invited over to our animist neighbors house for breakfast and worship with our pastor and some of the church members. ( A truly amazing development!) After talking with Roy, we made our way over to their house where we were treated to a wonderful, vegetarian feast. They don’t eat with us, but the do sit and watch and talk and try to get us to eat more. While we were finishing up, the lady of the house went around the circle and carefully poured cold water down our backs! I was rather shocked at this strange behavior, which is certainly not common in the USA, but they then told us that it will ensure that we can be neighbors in our next life! Well, it was really sweet of them to want to be neighbors anyway!

Then, the church members and Pastor arrived, so we had a lovely worship service in this humble little home. When the service was almost over, the caretaker and his wife came driving up with a little baby between them on the motor bike. I was very curious about this, and thought that maybe it was their granddaughter. So, after the festivities ended, I went to ask them about the baby. They held her out to me and said that they knew that I would be thrilled to finally have a daughter!

Shocked is too mild a word to explain how I felt about then. They then explained to me that they had been giving bible studies to a man in Three Pagodas, and he had decided to be baptised. His animist wife could not endure the thought, so she left him and his little 14 month old daughter. He is a soldier in the DKBA army in Burma, and cannot take care of a baby, so he called the caretaker and asked him if I would take his baby. They were just sure that I needed a daughter, and the Father said that his only other option was a Buddhist monastery for the little one, so of course I am very happy to take her. My only complaint is that I had no warning! Don’t mothers usually get 9 months to prepare? Well, I did beg for 2 hours, as I handed her back to the caretaker, I quickly took the last of my money and went racing off to town to try to buy supplies. She had absolutely nothing but the dirty, worn out shirt that she was wearing…not even any pants!  In town I bought her 3 outfits, some diapers, a bottle and some milk, and one package of bath toys, which she dearly loves. I could not afford to get more, but it is way more than she has ever had before. Right here I would like to make a plea for anyone who has pity on me to send me some cloth diapers and rubber pants. We cannot buy such things here, and the disposable diapers are very expensive. It is terribly expensive to send things here, but maybe if a whole bunch of people got together they could send it? I would be SO grateful! I thought about doing things the Karen way…not using diapers…but I am afraid that I am far too American for that!

The absolutely amazing thing is how she has taken to me. When I got home from town, I went over to get her, and several of the neighbors were sitting there with her on the porch. She looked at me and hid her face in the caretakers wife’s arms, she did not want anything to do with me! But, both of them told her that I am her new Momo, and that she must go to me. So, with much fear on her little face, she came toddling toward me and fell into my arms. She threw her arms around my neck and would not let go. Now, she will not leave me for even a moment. As long as she is with me, she is perfectly happy. She is a really good baby and does not cry unless she is afraid I am going to leave her. She even slept through the night!

Last night I had to break the news to my husband and he was just as happy to take her as I am. We talked about a name for her, since she did not seem to have one, or at least nobody knows for sure what it was. So, Roy told me that it had to be a bible name, and it has to end with a vowel sound so that the Karen can pronounce it. I chose Hannah. We will call her Naw Hannah, which is proper in Karen. ( Naw means Miss)

Hannah seems to really like her new BIG brothers. She likes to sing along when Jason plays the violin. ( at least that is what it sounds like) When I had to go to the outhouse this morning, she took refuge in Ben’s arms, much to his delight. And this evening, when I was trying to decide whether I should bring her to town with me, Ben offered to take her, and she was happily snuggled up with him in the hammock when I left.

So, although I was ready to drown in the blessings being poured down on me, I am still afloat and becoming a stronger swimmer for my efforts. In consequence of my many blessings, we are going to start a new building project immediately! We decided to just build another bedroom onto my house so that I will have room to house the new students. I cannot afford to build the dorm yet, and it will be easier for me to keep track of Hannah if school is conducted in my own home for now. I have about a week to get Hannah on a schedule before my next set of responsibilities get here. PLEASE keep me in your prayers.