"...I think I may need stitches..." (don't worry, not me)

So last night the power was out in my building...don't ask why...no one is sure. I walked in from the baby house fully expecting to heat up my left overs (in the microwave), eat, get some e-mailing finished, and head to bed. Instead I found a few of the missionaries eating my candle light in the other kitchen in my building. So I heated my dinner on the stove...thank you Lord for gas and went to join them.
One of the candles burned out because the wick was a little too deep, so Chris decided she was going to "fix" it. This started with the brilliant idea of pushing a match stick down inside but when that didn't work she went for a knife and was going to cut the candle down so she could get the wick out. Let me just remind you the power was out!
So I watched as she went to work on this candle...then the knife slipped, cut half the candle off, and Chris quickly jumped out of her chair. We all said in unison..."are you ok?" She said yes, yes and put her hand under cold water in the sink. We asked one more time, "are you sure you're ok?" She said yes, so we went back to talking. Then timidly Chris said, "...I think I might need stitches..." At that moment all you could hear was the sliding of all our chairs on the floor as we got up.
If you knew the people I was with this would be a little funnier...but let me just tell you each of our personalities shined. Celia (a Brazilian who speaks English) was first sure we needed to put salt on Chris's hand...to which Chris replied ABSOLUTELY NOT. Then she was on the phone calling "medical on call". We have a medical on call phone on the base in case of situations like this...there was no well Meghann's here...which I was perfectly fine with...so soon another nurse was on the way. Sharon (an American who works in the hospitality part of our center) sort of stood back and didn't say much until a little later. Heather (who sliced her foot open several months ago, cutting a tendon and artery) was saying we need to put pressure on it. And, I was attempting to look at it under the small amount of light I could produce with candles and flashlights. Medically I wasn't worried...it wasn't bleeding bad but there was some wax in it, and I couldn't really tell how deep it was. She could move her hand...but I quickly learned Chris has a fear of needles. So in her mind she had already decided we were going to send her somewhere where they were going to poke her.
So after we got Chris calmed down a little bit (in Portuguese there is a word...calma...it is just the best verb ever!)...it seemed everything she said was hilarious. First she tells us she really just needs to pee. So if we could wrap up her hand and just leave it that would be great. Then I was standing on one side of her with her head leaning against me...and someone told her not to look at her hand as the other nurse was taking a look at it...and she said, "All I can see is Meghann's cleavage." Yep that's right...in the midst of it all we were all laughing.
Anyway finally we decided Chris really did need stitches and sent her off to the clinic in the city (it is a very Westernized clinic where we would send missionaries or visitors). After 2 stitches and very numb hand as Chris said...She was back within a few hours...and on her way back I received the text...can you please re-wrap this when I get back...it's already falling off.
Well that sums up last night. Today was much less eventful. Our new little ones are settling in well and seem to now be ok with white people. They are talking (or at least jabbering) and smiling! Makes my heart smile each time I see them playing with the others and finding this place home. God sure does work miracles here.
Oh and as for Clotide...I got to meet her mom on Sunday. Ros and Steve (directors here) invited me to come with them to another project about 30 minutes north from here. It is out in the community (like 15 minutes down very small dirt roads). The point of this project was to start a church as well as provide a place for older boys, who grew up in the center but either have no family or are not able to go live with their family, to have a place to go when they "out grow" the center. Anyway, Clotide's mom lives out there and goes to this church. I got to meet her and pray over her during the service. It was VERY eye-opening to see the lady who raised a girl I have already grown to love. She is pregnant...probably about 7 months along or so. And owns absolutely nothing. Her 3 children already live with us...and one more is on the way. I'm just praying for God to do a work in her. I invite you to join me. Also be praying as the ministry decides how we are going to support her. There is talk of possibly building her a house...no decisions have been made.
Ok...that's it for now. I'm off to bed. Tomorrow I will have a roommate! Our newest nurse flies in tomorrow and will be living with me!