Snorkel Fun

Now before anyone reading this starts getting worried that I'm not working yet, let me just reassure you that I'll start at Shiphrah on Tuesday July 3.

Dad and I got up pretty early yesterday to meet the Mercy girls and their families at a boat on the Santa Ana pier. We got there before everyone else and a little boy - probably around 3-years-old - walked up to us and began to beg. It broke my heart. He was absolutely adorable and it made me sad that I couldn't do anything for him except pray for him. He looked to be around the age of my youngest brother. It was hard seeing how different life can be for even little kids.

Then we went boating and snorkeling. This was the first time I had ever snorkeled and I really enjoyed seeing the colorful coral reef and all the fish and starfish. However, at one point, I was talking with one of the Mercy girls and we were standing on one of the reefs. Then, she shifted position and cried, "Ouch!" She had stepped on something poky and it stung her. I moved away from that area and stepped on something poky too. "Ouch" was an understatement. So we looked into the water to see what we stepped on. In several places on the reef we were standing on were rather large starfish-looking animals with needle-like stingers. And boy did it sting. I stayed in the water for another 40 minutes or so and the stinging never let up. Then I got back on the boat and it still stung. In fact, it stung until this morning. At least I can walk on it now.

Anyway, we visited one area called "The Wall." The coral reef extends pretty far then suddenly turns into a vertical slope and disappears from sight. It was pretty cool to see.

I really wish I had a water proof camera.

When we got back to the pier, we were surrounded by a whole bunch of beggars. They looked to all be under the age of seven. They saw us carrying bags of trash off the boats from lunch and instantly began asking for the trash. Dad was carrying two empty water bottles and one little boy made a really cute face and held out his hand. Dad handed him one and a little girl fiercely snatched the other one from Dad. It was sad watching the kids fight and beg for trash. Then, they snatched the bag of chicken bones from one of the midwive's husbands and began to greedily try to eat it. It was so sad. I really wished there was something more we could have given them but it's not good to give money to any of the beggars here.

Today, I was allowed to shadow some of the Mercy girls on the day shift. It was awesome and I got to see two births. I'll talk about it later, since I need to download pictures and Dad and I are going to the mall to get me a cell phone for while I'm here, eat dinner, and watch Spiderman (it opened a few days early here so I get to watch it before anyone in the US - nana nana boo boo :-D)

And for those of you who are wondering, don't worry, I'm not using any of the support money people have sent me for any of this stuff. That money is strictly for Shiphrah.

Sunrise from our hotel room

That really tall building is the Marco Polo hotel, where we are staying.

these ladies just came off of night shift but still wanted to come snorkeling!

Dad

Coconut

Me :-D

The boat we took

wish you were here?

Very incredibly annoying salespeople... Think: very annoying. I had to snap this picture on the sly or else they would have started trying to sell me pearl earrings...

The Mercy girls

star fish

As we were leaving one beach, this dog started playing tug of war with the rope attached to the boat