We are Team Wicks: Homes of Hope

Bula from the hills of Suva! We are settling in to Homes of Hope and absolutely loving it. While we enjoyed the work we were doing in Lautoka, God has blessed with this opportunity in doing exactly what we had hoped to do when we came to Fiji. To live among the people (not just in a hotel room) and work alongside them has been very rewarding already. Angie spends the mornings with one of the mothers doing "nursing rounds" and visiting and examining each of the children to check for lice and scabies and also to care for some of the skin conditions they have. Angie is able to train this mother with some basic nursing skills. Angie is also spending some one-on-one time each day with one of the mothers who has had some mental and suicidal history and giving her some basic counseling. And, of course, Angie has been excited to cook with the moms for the meals and also is hoping to go with them in the afternoons when they go into town to sell the fresh bread they have baked that day.

I am working on a financial project for the director and he has also asked me to draft a workbook of basic financial teaching for the mothers. I will also be building a swing set for the children and assisting with the construction of additional cottages for the mothers.

The kids have been going to the preschool they have here in the mornings and Sam is officially one of the leader helpers. They have loved being able to go outside and run around in the hills here.

On Thursday, one of the mothers wanted to take us for a little hike into the jungle to show us a waterfall. It ended up being more of a climb than a hike up and down slippery slopes and rocks. It was beautiful and quite an adventure. However, apparently, I owe Angie one after taking her and the kids on that.

Being in the hills here brings new bugs and critters that we haven't seen yet. Yes, the cockroaches are everywhere we go. We also now have centipedes that can give a very strong sting similar to a black widow bite. We have to check under the covers and pillows for them whenever we go to bed. The first evening we were there, Sam called me out to come look at all the eagles that were flying above the house. Sure enough, it looked like a whole flock of hawks or something that were soaring in the air. Only when they swooped down low did we realize that they were giant bats!

We have been listening to the radio closely over the last few days as there has been tension in the city and threats of a military coup as the military commander has threatened to overthrow the government. Australia sent in some warships to prepare to evacuate their citizens if necessary. We have been keeping in close contact with the US Embassy, but especially in the last day or two, it appears that things are settling down.

Have a great weekend!