Yesturday I met a group of women of supernatural strength.  They are called "gogo's", which means grandmas.  Julie has been meeting with these women for several months now and has been building relationships with them.  They are a group of older women who volunteer at the care points in the area where AIM is based.  Julia and I were both really excited about the meeting yesturday because it would be our first experiment in making a craft for the women's co-op we hope to get off the ground in the next few months. 

As Julie started explaining how to make a card using African fabric, everyone soon became distracted by the large supply truck that was pulling in.  They explained that they needed to unload the truck before going on.  As the women got up, we decided to join and help.  I didn't know exactly what I was getting myself into!  The weathered skin and weary eyes of the women melted my heart, but they are not separated because of their age.  We started to relieve the older women of some of the tougher posts, only to start aching myself.  They worked tirelessly until all the bags of maize meal were unloaded.  

In the end, we had unloaded 200 bags weighing 100 lbs each!  That's 20,000 lbs of grain that 15 women unloaded in the hot African sun!  No complaints, no excess breaks, just hard work!  My young body was achy and exhausted.  I felt for the older women who have been doing this literally back-breaking work all their lives.  And now they volunteer to do it!  What can compel this behavior but the love and strength of Jesus Christ!    

As my back reminds me today of the events of yesturday, I have nothing but heigtened respect and admiration for the women I hope to serve here.  We come to teach and yet we are the ones being taught sometimes!