"Mom Corrie"

I came to love this name. Everywhere I'd go around Daniel Hoover Children's Village, I'd hear my name called out. "Mom Corrie! Mom Corrie!" Often, the kids just wanted me to turn and acknowledge them, but many times they'd run over to give me my daily hugs, or come to clamor for a place along my arm to hold onto. (Which they'd have to compete with Hawa and Anika for... and Hawa didn't capitulate easily.)

Sometimes it was overwhelming... to be wanted and needed all the time... all day long. I mean, I also had 4 children of my own who were all very much in need of my time and attention. Then you add the masses of others, and there were moments that I needed to go hide in our house just to stay sane. Although, our house only has mosquito screens and thin bars on the windows... so even though you're inside, and the kids are outside, you can still hear them all talking, laughing, arguing, fighting, yelling, or singing on the porch. Or, maybe they're right outside the window of the room you're "hiding" in. That's the funniest. You think you're alone in the room, but then you hear your name again, "Mom Corrie!" Nuts. You've been found out. Now other kids come to the same window because they now know your location. There's no place to hide.

But I'll tell ya... when we'd be gone to the Deaf Mission for the day, or from being in town dealing with the craziness of government offices, and arrive back at DHCV, it totally made my heart smile to have the kids running towards the van, shouting, "Mom Corrie is back!" Then, I'd crawl out of the van, and get ambushed by my peeps who hugged me ferociously and told me how much they missed having me around.

So... see? I love that name. I can hear Mercy (and Antoinette, and Henrietta, and Eve, and Rosetta, and Monishat, and Margaret, and Gbolu, and Blessing and Princess, and Elizabeth, and Peace and Praise...) calling it out right now... and coming to give me my long hug before saying, "Mom Corrie... I've been missing you."

My girlies... after Eve, "the best of the best" at plaiting (braiding) did wraps in my hair. I love that I can name everyone in this picture now... well, except for the boy in the upper right who snuck in on the photo op!

Just walking with our entourage.

Peace on the porch... (Peace is a name.) She was quietly sitting there everyday... she LOVED just being with us. I miss her so much already. She's fierce, but so tender. She's my girl.

Me with the little 'uns before church on Sunday morning. Jenneh, Berryline, Gbolu, Mary...

Doin' nails with the big girls at my place. I invited them over for a polish party... we sang, we danced, we got beautified... good times! Monishat has the deepest voice you've ever heard come out of a female... it's awesome, and she LOVES to sing.