Happy Easter!!

Greetings from the land of dust...




We don't think we have ever, in our lives, wanted rain so badly! I can remember thinking the dust in Zambia was bad but it doesn't compare to the terrible air quality right now. Hopefully, we are only about 2 weeks from rainy season, my head feels like it will burst. No amount of sinus medication, cold tablets, aleve or cold compresses seem to relieve the headaches and coughing we are both experiencing. In spite of the weather, life here is really quite nice. David and I seem to have finally cleared that hurdle we run into each time we move to a new country. Feeling comfortable, getting to know people, beginning to learn the language and just knowing in our hearts that this is where we are supposed to be. You know you are "use-d" when you don't even hear the generator running or the chickens squawking:)



We are excited to spend our first Easter here celebrating our risen Savior. We will attend our church for service, come home to cook (David will, of course, nap) and then off to a pot luck, fellowship and a praise and worship service with our expat family. It was refreshing to see Good Friday still observed as a revered holy day and a national holiday. The churches were packed and most of the businesses closed.



For those of you that know David well, I'm sure you remember what a man of few words he is/was... He has been asked several times to emcee sport relay days and has graciously accepted each time. He sits on the platform, gives a short speech and presents all the awards and certificates. For a man that was so shy... everywhere God has sent us his grace has proved to be more than sufficient. David has always been vocal and visible everywhere we have been sent and once again "Watters" is a familiar call as we drive down the road. The children flock to him and once again he charms the cook... Myla, the woman who brings cooked food (lunch here is called chop) for workers to purchase each day, is spoiling him by feeding him every day. The men working on the site are thrilled a "restaurant/bus stop" has been enhanced on site to offer them shade and a place to sit while having lunch. Just little things ..



Grandma and Janet are doing quite well. After our last visit to the Dr. on the way home (about 125 yards from our driveway) I stopped and put Janet in my lap and let her "drive" home. Oh my... she was beside herself, she is now a celebrity as she has "driven a motor car". Every time a friend comes to visit her she brings them to our house and gives them a "tour" of the motor car, explaining its' glory and where she sat while driving. It's the cutest thing... We have been so blessed, we wrote a proposal to a church in Waterville OH requesting a donation from their endowment fund for a used vehicle and they approved it! We found a 95 Jeep Wrangler for sale here and have purchased it. Funny...a vehicle made so close to home in the states. It's been running well and is so helpful in our ministry work. It's perfect for those mountain paths (what they call roads). I've been branching out from Newton and visiting neighboring villages. I've been asked to teach "computer" to many who are interested in villages around us. Can't wait until the DVD projector arrives so we can start visiting villages and sharing with others the Jesus film and other great Christian films.



In the evenings we take a walk and visit with the neighbors, from the road you would never even know there are houses tucked behind the trees and hills. There are still a few little ones that are frightened by "obotu" but most are very happy to see us and stop and chat. Lots of building happening in our neighborhood, the site is attracting many people. We then enjoy sitting outside on the porch and watching the foot traffic in front of the house. Janet and Thomas come over and I read them books, try to teach them to do puzzles (did you know that in every country we have been in no one has ever seen puzzles) and work with them on counting and colors. They seem to think that if the piece doesn't fit, you just need to pound it in place:) (Dawnette, thank you so much for the donations of kids books/puzzles) Janet is like a sponge, she is here every night waiting... I can't believe the difference in her, she must be feeling more comfortable around us. She smiles all the time and is talking quite a bit in English. She and Thomas "help" me do wash, they help load the clothes and fight over who gets to push the button to start it. Then they sit and watch the washer while munching crackers. I love it! While filling the water barrel to feed into the washer, the kids gathered so the water splashes into their faces. They were just beaming and enjoying the impromptu shower, what a true blessing water is, I don't think I ever appreciated it until these last five years. To think I took it for granted, for years!



Well, my life of "luxury" and idleness has quickly come to an end. The onset of mango season is looming... the trees are getting heavier each day with big green pods that will become delicious mangoes in the coming weeks. I will be working closely with World Hopes' outgrower program, founded with Houghton College, to assist in facilitating the sale, transportation and delivery of mangoes to the juice factory on site. First Step is also coming alongside the local farmers to assist them in planting pineapples that will supply the juice factory. I will be working with a local company to work out how to make this happen. It is all very exciting!



David is thriving, he's working very hard. The men will be pouring the concrete roof on the second floor of the security building this week. There will be fifty men who will form an assembly line to move mortar in pans (similar to dishpans) from the ground to the second floor. It needs to be poured into a rebar and wooden form and smoothed before it hardens. We've seen it done and it moves so fluidly, it's amazing to watch. I'll try to video it and share with you. It now looks like he will be even busier... We had a number of visitors from various countries last week and they were very excited to see what is happening here in Sierra Leone. One or two are ready to sign on the dotted line! Pray these contracts come to fruition, it will mean many more jobs for Sierra Leonean people and an additional boost to the economy. Another new solar system was just installed to power the security/admin building. It's amazing to think of how technology has "harnessed" the sun to provide power. It's wonderful and will save so much money in the future.



We have been asked to stay another year! There are many things in the works..a friend we met in Zambia wants to visit this fall and teach English, friends want to share of themselves and their talents with our new family/friends here and it will be great to continue to see how God moves. We should be home late summer on furlough and to do additional fund raising. Hope during our church visits we get to see you!



Once again, as I've struggled with feeling disconnected, God provides a clear answer. I love this devotional book (Jesus Calling) that my good friend, Mary Ellen gave me before we went to Haiti. Taken from Genesis, Romans and Hebrews "I am with you and for you, your constant Companion and Provider. The question is whether you are with me and for me. Though I never leave you, you can essentially leave Me by ignoring Me: thinking or acting as if I am not with you. When you feel distance in our relationship, you know where the problem lies. My love for you is constant: I am the same yesterday, today and forever." and He loves me!!!



May you have a blessed Easter celebrating our risen Savior!



Blessings,

David and Beth





P. S. We have cleared and planted a large community garden behind our house. Got some great organic seeds in the states that are really liking this climate. It should provide great veggies for us and all the neighbors. Our daytime guard helped me to build a make shift fence to keep the chickens out. They can get through the smallest holes...I've been threatening to let Diesel loose and give the chickens something else to do:)



Rocky was bitten by a snake a few weeks ago. He came crying (you know how cats do) into the house and we discovered a huge lump and two puncture wounds on his hind quarter. We were able to squeeze it all out (yuck), give him antibiotics and nurse him back to health (with only a few scratches between us).



Shopping here in any town is like a huge drive thru.. the traffic moves so slowly that vendors move from car to car selling any number of things and you even have time to jump out, buy something (as long as you don't need a receipt:) and return to the vehicle, which probably hasn't moved far.



Stepped outside the other day to find a frog, frozen in mid stride... He must have gotten in the path of diesel fuel going to the generator and it seemed to have killed him instantly, the kids were fascinated, he looked like a statue.



We are still behind in our cash/pledge yearly goal amount. If you wish to contribute, please follow this link https://giving.wesupport.org/gift2/designation.php?GUID=0A797C5B-2B8A-4686-AB22-A52383315A6B&id=29156. We could never do this without your prayers and support, thank you.