Fun on the Farm

One of my students' families invited me to their family farm for an over-nighter.  I was excited to see a new place and spend some more time with this family who has really blessed me since arriving.  They told me we would have a birthday celebration for their youngest son who just turned 5, and we would be celebrating Children's Day (which was Saturday).  They are in charge of the missions and evangelism division of their church and so they used this opportunity to bless others.
Around 10:30 PM on Friday night probably 30-40 people showed up.  I heard 22 of them were kids.  The place went crazy!  I had no idea all these people would be spending the night, but it was really fun.  We ate dinner at 11.  The kids took a nap in the afternoon and were ready to go at night.  Most of the people there did not know any English so it was fun trying to communicate or just watch them and see how they did things.  Everyone just came in dropped off their bedding and got to work.  Some went to play, others went to watch the kids, others came to the kitchen to help out.  I was really blessed to sleep on a bunk bed.  We were in a small room with probably 10-12 people.  They all love being close and spending time together.  It was really good for me to experience.  I was so tired when we went to bed I don't even remember them turning out the lights!  When it was time to go home on Saturday everyone just cleaned up- some were in the kitchen, others mopped the floors, others took care of the kids.  Everyone did their part.  Here are some photos.

On the way there this bus kept getting so close to our car so I touched it just to be able to say I had done it.  Then I decided to take a picture so I had some proof.  Traffic is soo squishy here!

Here is the bus as it was finally passing us.

 This property reminded me a lot of my families cottage.  I was told it was a very simple place, which it was, but there was running water, electricity, and bathrooms so it had everything we needed!  It was a child's paradise.  There was a raft out in a small pond.  It was floating using empty pop bottles.  There was a rope swing made from a Banyan Tree.  There was some play equipment for the kids.  I have seen this a couple times here and am amazed, but the slides are wooden.  I would think that could be painful, but the kids seem to love it.  I guess they know how to go down without getting slivers!  There is an area where they had a big bonfire too.  I didn't see them, but they have 2 horses, and I did see the 2 dogs that live there.

There were also baby chicks!

For the birthday the kids all heard, and some helped act out, the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.  My student's mother did an amazing job with decorations and she is a preschool teacher.  Of course she is an excellent story-teller (even if I couldn't understand most of it!).  Fortunately on Saturday another person from the church arrived and he spoke some English and translated some for me.  

We blew up a lot of balloons that morning!

 One of the best cakes I have tasted so far here.

 Blowing out the candle I found at a local "sweets" store.  It had such a long wick that it kept catching flame after the birthday boy blew it out.  He must have blown it out 5 or 6 times before it stopped!

We got to play some ping-pong, which was a lot of fun.  They are good!  Here they call it "pingy pongy"!  Its really cute.