We have had an interesting week. It’s been a good week of meetings in the city regarding building space, phone and person to person conversations about ways of bringing help to our friends in need of jobs and houses, encouragement and help to a dear refugee friend and her family who had surgery (everything went well) and a fun day at the zoo. Asha’s Refuge has been blessed with the best volunteers and supporters ever. They help us in so many ways. If you are one of them, we cannot thank you enough.

Today was our zoo day. We took our English conversation class students, our preschool students and a few of their family members. We ended up having about 40 of our refugee friends and about 24 volunteers with us at the zoo. The weather cooperated nicely. Getting our friends to and from the zoo by bus went well, thanks again to Mr. Mac and New Bethel Church. The Memphis Zoo ticket personnel helped us get our tickets and get into the zoo easily. Everyone was grouped and then enjoyed a nice walk while watching all the animals.

In case your wondering, here’s an update on the animals we visited at the Memphis Zoo: The lions and lionesses were not so scary but ever so sleepy. The monkeys and grizzly bears were lazy. The pandas were hungrily eating bamboo. The petting zoo animals were all standing still not very enthused to be touched (except for a frantic rooster that somehow found his way out of its cage and ran around on the sidewalk). Ducks were enjoying water play, mostly dunking their heads upside down and wiggling their webbed feet in the air. The fish were pacing and blowing bubbles. The polar bear kept shifting his large head from side to side and seemed to be losing his mind trying to figure his way out. Flamingos, ostriches and other birds were running or flying around in circles. The two alligators were playing a game of “who can hold out the longest from making a single move” or “I bet they’ll think we are fake if we don’t move or blink”. The prairie dogs were chaotically digging holes, munching on veggies and always keeping watch of the passerby’s. The coyote were howling the most annoying loud and whiney song. The Zebras, Gazelle, Antelope and Deer were scheming in the corners far away from where most could ever get a good view of them. The deep sleeping warthog blended into the dirt and made it fun for everyone to try to find. Giant elephants were fanning themselves with their large ears and the swing of their trunks. The Giraffe’s found their way to a zookeeper to have a snack out of his hand. And, the snakes were all sneaky and quiet as usual.

We had a great day. We learned a lot of English vocabulary. We worked well together today. I am thankful for everyone’s cooperation today and through the week. God is good!