Happy Mothers' Day!
What a terrific month we have had! The men completed the roof on the second floor of the security/administration building. It was fascinating to watch them pour the roof, by hand. I posted a video on Facebook and also our blog. Check it out...
The greatest thing of all.... we have water!!! Three men spent 10 days digging a well by hand, got down about 30 feet and they starting hitting the water table. A crew of men then spent five days with some sort (? my tool knowledge is not the greatest) of hand drill and finished it. They sunk a electric pump in the ground and ran a pipe underground to our water tank. We also had them put in a outside faucet so we could share with all the neighbors. I could not believe how many people just appeared.... hundreds came with buckets, pans, jugs and containers. Everyone was dancing and singing, it was a perfect day! Besides our own water tank, we are pumping over 1600 gallons of water each day into barrels and a big tank for the neighbors.
We love it, we have met so many people and are having so much fun with all the kids. The first night David hooked a big blue piece of tubing to the faucet so we could fill barrels easily....these six little boys walked up in their underwear with their buckets and David said "Oh if you come for water in your underwear, you get a free shower"! He squirted them all and they were laughing and jumping around. Imagine never having had a shower before, water being so precious you don't waste a drop. The generator has to be on for the pump to work so we fill it in morning and when we return in the evening people are lined up all over the road, waiting for us. The first night we pulled in they were cheering and clapping, it was hard not to cry. They keep saying thank you to us, but we refer them to our Father then to First Step. I enjoy spending time outside playing with the kids, teaching them to blow bubbles, I would have never thought .50 bubbles would be such a hit! The kids are also learning English..."I want to try to blow a bubble". (I posted a video on our blog and Facebook). David spends most evenings outside with everyone. He loves the kids... Of course, my Janet is right with me, she stands in front of me, so the other kids know I belong to her:) I love that girl!
New addition to the family, a "blue" monkey named George. David found him on the main road and had to have him, he traded a goat for him. George looks like an organ grinder monkey. He certainly has personality! I'm not feeling too warm and fuzzy about him, which obviously he senses, but he loves David. George lives outside during the day, entertaining the kids and the guard while people come for water. In the late evenings he comes in (on leash) and David feeds him and then he sleeps in the bathroom. Between the dogs and whatever I don't know how he would fare outside. He's rather fascinating to watch as he uses his hands and feet to eat. He makes the weirdest noises, like cackling then this chirping thing followed by a clucking noise. It's cute for a few minutes, but then.... Every night David goes into the kitchen and whatever he comes out with, George sits on his hind legs, holds out his arms and waves at David to bring it to him. But he is a great assistant in my war on bugs, he loves them!
The rains have begun, sporadic but it's cooler in the evenings. The first and second time it rained.... I was not prepared for the invasion. I kid you not, flying termites (like 2 in long), flying LARGE "things" and these yucky beetle/roach type things that live under ground. We literally were dive bombed inside the house. Out came the weapons....but the smell almost killed us:) It's getting better now.
I have been so busy learning more than I thought possible about mangoes and pineapples. Working with a group of local farmers who will be planting pineapples, tromping through bush doing soil samples (?), buying tools (do you know that tools here are sold with/without handles?) I didn't and flipped out when my huge delivery of over 1000 different tools arrived with no handles. Can you imagine going to Lowe's and buying a shovel with no handle? The locals here like to have their own handles made and then use a blacksmith to attach the handle to the tool. I'll post a few pictures on the blog of the farmers when we delivered their tools, so happy! I've never seen such smiles. Did you know there are MANY varieties and sizes of mangoes and only certain ones are good for making juice? Been involved in the logistics of coordinating transport, payment and delivery of over 8,000 crates of mangoes in just the last 10 days. Such a wonderful opportunity for the local farmers here. Getting ready to plant 400,000 pineapples soon with local farmers, great things happening!
Exciting.... looks like we have a team coming at the first of the year! David is excited to have other men to "play/work" with... me I'm all about the Oreos (for those of you that know me). We can't wait!! Great friends of ours... David is happily getting dirty and playing with tools all day:)
This past week has been an emotional rollercoaster for us, one thing after another, I pick up my devotional and there it is...Taken from John, Isaiah and Philippians "Do not long for the absence of problems in your life. That is an unrealistic goal, sine in this world you will have trouble. You have an eternity of problem-free living reserved for you in heaven. Rejoice in that inheritance, which no one can take away from you, but do not seek your heaven on earth ...begin each day anticipating problems, asking me to equip you for whatever difficulties you will encounter." This life, although it's all we've truly seen with our eyes, is temporary and it's comforting to know that his hand never lets go of me, even when I keep running from his grasp. He is always awaiting my return!
God continues to open our eyes to his peoples' needs and hurts, it's hard to handle at times. Living in a foreign country (unlike "living abroad") as a missionary is never an easy task. It's touching, delightful, inspiring, heart breaking, frustrating, lonely, frightening, confusing and still I can't imagine us anywhere else right now. Please continue to lift us in prayer, we've had some difficult situations to deal with recently, along with all the other missionaries in your lives. Our newsletters usually portray cheery, funny, interesting God filled days, but as with anything, there is another side we don't expound on. It wouldn't glorify our Father and I refuse to give Satan "any" air time:) Just continue to pray, please... God has big plans for this country and its' people and we are thrilled to see them begin to unfold.
We will be home on furlough in August and part of September. If you would like us to come visit you/your church, we'll be happy to try to get there! Please let me know.
Blessings,
David and Mrs. David (alias Bath or Maim)
If you would like to contribute financially to our work, please follow this link. https://giving.wesupport.org/gift2/designation.php?GUID=0A797C5B-2B8A-4686-AB22-A52383315A6B&id=29156
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