This morning I went for a long walk with Jonathan, thrilled really with the progress that he's made, thankful in my heart for how blessed we truly are, and in a reflective mood. I've been running so fast for so long I think I haven't had a chance to just pause and think. And as I look back on the last ten days I can't help but do so without a real sense of awe. Jonathan had open heart surgery last Monday, was out of ICU on Tuesday, was released from the hospital on Wednesday and went on his first half-mile walk with his grandfather on Thursday. I'm still amazed, and as Jonathan and I talked about that while we walked I came to the conclusion that I've got every reason to be amazed. They know what they're doing at the hospital, this is all a whirlwind for us, but they do these surgeries day after day and they were the ones who told us to prepare for Jonathan to be in the hospital for 5-7 days. And here he was out of there after only two. We return to the hospital tomorrow so they can take out his stitches and we'll learn how much longer the doctors want us to remain here in America before we can go back to Tanzania, but based upon the way Jonathan is feeling we are beginning to truly believe that we're going to be able to go back to Tanzania as planned in early January.

But I've been reflective about the news I've received from Tanzania in these last few days as well. I find myself living for those emails from Godfrey and Emmanueli, hanging on for every one and reading them over and over to draw meaning out of each little word, picking through what they write, trying to read between the lines. The truth is that no matter how much they do write, it never seems to be enough. The news this past week has been exceptionally wonderful.

To know that they all waited up past midnight in Tanzania to get word about Jonathan's surgery and then they launched into celebrations certainly touched my heart because I know that they really do love that kid they all call their little brother.

To hear from Godfrey and Emmanueli about our 73 graduates who are out in our schools doing a 4-month internship was truly amazing -- some of them are teaching the Intensive English program to kids who have just finished primary school, some of them are serving alongside our project managers who are building new schools, a few of them have been chosen to work along side Godfrey and Emmanueli themselves and to travel with them as they go from village to village. It's simply amazing that this is happening. All of these kids who were to be thrown on the ash heap of history, to be told that they would never get to go to school again, not only have they finished their O-level exams (we follow the British system), but they are out serving in villages other than their own doing wonderful things.

And I've been thrilled to get not just pictures from Anne (Godfrey asked her to make a whirlwind tour of all of our schools and take pictures) but I've also gotten glimpses of her enthusiasm as she has recounted in place after place the incredible work that our students are doing, not just in studying, but in making bricks or hauling stones so that we can build even more classrooms so that there will be a place for their little brothers and sisters to go to school.

But of all the emails that I've gotten from Godfrey this past week, there is one that will forever be a treasure for me and I've taken the time to translate it for all of you. I've savored each sentence as I've translated this letter. It is a reflection for me of the immense blessing that God has given to me and Susan.

Mzee I got to talk to my wife on the phone yesterday. She told me how she has been traveling with her students to visit Mama's friends [people with AIDS in our villages are now referred to almost by everyone as Susan's friends]. They visited one woman named Blandina who has two children left, one who is in first grade and the other who is still too small to go to school. That woman told Veronika that the medicines are working and that she truly has hope that she isn't going to die anymore, that her children aren't going to be orphans, but she doesn't know how she is going to get out to farm this year because her legs are still not strong enough to walk all that way. And with the rainy season ready to start she is afraid that she won't get well in time and she doesn't know how she is going to feed her children this year if she can't get out to her fields to farm.

Mzee I'm writing to you today because I want you to tell Mama of what our students at Madisi did. My wife told them about this woman and her children. Mzee our students went together and worked to completely hoe her entire field for her. In my heart I am very happy and I know Mama will be happy for her friend Blandina and for her children because her prayers were answered and there will be no hunger in her house this year. It makes us all happy when the deeds of our students cause those who are poor and in need to give praise to God. God heard the cries of that woman Mzee! I am thankful that my wife went to her house that day. I am thankful that our students listened to my wife when she told them. But what is best is that they did more than listen, they did something about what they heard. Mzee this is another example that we are not just building schools, we are building up people. Tell Mama that we all miss her but she should know that my wife and the other teachers and all of our students are continuing on with the work. We love you, Godfrey

We are so blessed. It is no exageration to say that when you are sitting in that hospital waiting room and your son is having heart surgery that you cry out in desperation and ask God to just let him live -- you can see that on the face of every parent there at the hospital and you can feel it on your own face. It is just like the poor woman sitting in her house in Tanzania knowing she simply isn't well enough yet this year to go out and farm and so she cries out to God, wondering in desperation how she will possibly feed her children this year. And God sends an army of students to take care of her farm in a single day! Godfrey is right. To build schools is good. But what is really important is what is happening inside of those schools, in the lives of our students.

It's good sometimes to slow down and take time to reflect. I'm glad I did.