June marches on

Another good month continues on!  Guess who got to meet the Vice President of the whole country??? Yep, us.  We happen to live across the street from the nicest house in town owned by a man somehow involved in government.  Anyhow, the VP and his enormous entourage were passing through and stopped to eat lunch at his house.  We, being the lucky neighbors we are, got the invite.  

We got all gussied up, headed over, walked completely unquestioned through the fifty or so police and military personnel and entered the yard.  We sat and waited while everyone ate, then we were ushered in.  Dum, dum, dum, dum.  We shook hands, he asked what Justin did here, and while Justin briefed him on what we are doing here...I stood in embarrassment as our kids ran wild (they're too comfortable in that living room), filling his chair with pillows, chasing each other and crawling around meowing like cats, ahem.  I went to wrangle them but was told to leave them alone.  We just hope he didn't mind his chair piled high with pillows!

Those girls.  We did have our first harvest!  These are the green beans we gleaned from a few of our plants.  These beans sure were good and we can't wait for more to grow! It is funny  how much we all LOVE green beans (even Justin) since we can not get them here. 

We have a new favorite recipe...want it?  Marinate 2-3 chicken breasts in: 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1 tsp ginger, 1 Tbsp cilantro (we sub with basil, so can't vouch for cilantro), 1 garlic clove minced, and 1/2 lemon juiced.  After a few hours, pat dry, saving marinade.  Salt and pepper chicken.  Melt 1 Tbsp olive oil and 1 Tbsp butter.  When foaming stops, add 1/4 cup honey and chicken, stirring and cooking till sticky.  

While chicken marinates, thin slice green pepper, carrot and onion.  Plus anything else you want.  Cook veggies using the marinade juice when you're done with it.  It's soooo yummy.  We actually crave veggies now! 

What else?  Did I mention yet that we got "fast" internet?  It's WONDERFUL!  The girls have particularly loved the discovery of online games/school activities.  There's a whole new world out there!  Our favorite site now is ABCYA.com.  It has fun and educational games based on grade level!  If you have a favorite site that is educational and exciting, let me know.  I need all the help I can get with this homeschool stuff!

We've also discovered youtube.  Sunday worship has taken on a whole new meaning!  Plus, the girls are totally into music now.  Of course, they have picked up on some "unusual" music so their favorites are Evanescence and strangely enough, Adele.  You should hear Braelyn belting out Rolling in the Deep.  It goes something like this: "Ahhhh, oh.  Uuuuhhhh, eeeeee!  Ahhhhhh haaaaa.  Paaaaay eeeeeee".  It's really priceless.  

Newsletter in the works.  Love and miss you all.  Have a great day!

Progress at Kokota Island

Work has kicked back into full gear for Justin and the water projects. After waiting for a lot of the materials to be shipped over here from places like Italy, South Africa and Germany, things are finally coming together and work is back underway to provide the people here with access to clean drinking water.

Above is a picture of a well being dug. The water that comes out of the well is salt water so they will pump water from the well to the desalination machine. They do this to cut down on sediments and distance that would occur from drawing water from the ocean. The well is dug right next to the machine so the pump they use can be smaller and use less energy. 

This will be the base platform that the tower and machine will be built upon. In almost all of the pictures you will see the structure of a school also being built. A friend of Justin's is working on finishing up a school for the island as well. It will be their first one ever. 

After digging the well, these concrete casings will be placed down in the well to prevent erosion or the well from collapsing.

Here is a picture of the school being built. We are excited to see how these changes impact this village/fishing community. We pray that He would receive the glory and that this project would open more doors for us to share with people here. 

Words from an uninterrupted Quiet Time

First, a quote from an online Daily Encouragement site:

In order to realize the WORTH of the ANCHOR, you must feel the STRESS of the storm.

I've come to know that being a mommy is HARD.  And not just for me, not just here in Africa.  For everyone.  For my sisters and my friends back home.  It's hard, it hurts, it exhausts, it discourages.  But in the midst of ANY storm, let us cling to that ANCHOR that will, does, has always, held firm.

And my desperate longing prayer to be able to someday say to my friends here on the island:
From 1 Thess. 1:4-8 (some paraphrasing by me)

For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that He has chosen YOU, because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with POWER, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction.  You know how we lived among you for your sake.  You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering (though I pray not here), you welcomed the message with the joy given you by the Holy Spirit.  And so you became a model to all the believers in (Africa) and the Lord's message rang out FROM YOU, not only on this island-your faith in God has become known EVERYWHERE!

Oh, Lord, that's why we're here.  Please let us learn the language so as to tell, and let some welcome your message with JOY!

And now... a nap. =)

Ummmm...I'm alone

It's 9:42 on a Wednesday morning.  And I'm alone.  For me, this is UNHEARD of.  Braelyn, being the needy baby she (still) is (because I failed to provide a younger sibling for her as per her father), I don't get to be alone.  She is my wake up call and my good-night kiss (or shout, depending on how many times she's gotten out of bed).  She still wants to sit on my hip while I cook.  Her most frequently uttered (shouted) phrase in life is, "Moooooom, uh ah youuuuuuuu?" That's mom, where are you.

This morning she woke me just after 6 with her tears.  They continued off and on till I crawled back in bed with Justin and begged him to take her away.  I suggested for days, we compromised on hours.  So a trip to half-an-hour-away town was planned.  But then sisters begged with tears to go also.  And then friend needed to go to hour-away-town.  And now Justin is headed off into the wild, blue/green yonder with ALL THREE GIRLS!

And I'm alone.  The time will soon be over, I'm sure.  What shall I do?  Shower (uninterrupted)?  Quiet time (uninterrupted)?  Read a chapter of my book(uninterrupted)?  Start the next meal (with both hands)?  Oh Lord, (and Justin) this tired mama thanks you.  This never-alone mama thanks you!

June already

Just as you are getting HOT, we're cooling right down.  I even turned the fan off this morning!  It's lovely.  Oh, and if you've been wondering, things seem to have cooled off politically on the big island too.  The President issued a very well put "statement" condemning the attacks and reiterating his support for every person to religious freedom.  We haven't heard about any more violence since!

 The girls wanted mermaid outfits after watching Barbie Mermadia a couple months ago.  I resisted at first, but then thought, hey, there are not many things I can "give" them here on the island?  So, here they are.  I know belly buttons are peeping out, but these are a lot more modest than the actual costumes!  It was a fun project. 

 Every "cool season" the nice hotel up north closes for a couple months.  This year, we were BLESSED enough to get the standing invite to use the CLEAN pool!  It's been so nice for our Sunday afternoons.  Sometimes we take a picnic, always some yummy snacks and friends.  Unfortunately for mama, that water is FREEZING.  Well, gotta be in the 70's at least.

 2 or 3 weeks ago Avery came home with the tiniest splinter in her foot.  She is such a nightmare to work on, I decided to leave it and see what happened.  This past Thursday or so, having not mentioned it since the first day, she showed it to me before bed.  A huge boil had appeared!  We spent 3 days soaking it in hot water and bandaging garlic to it (not effective) and trying to poke it with a needle, to little avail.  But after swimming all Sunday afternoon, it was HUGE.  

We all headed to the car and were packing up when I looked in at Avery who was sitting with eyes wide in fear and dress pulled down over her foot.  She shrieked, "I don't want anyone to see it!!!"  So of course, I pull her dress away and spied a quarter inch thorn protruding from an angry red hole in her foot!  She'd squeezed it and out it popped!  We were all stunned that THAT had been in her poor, little foot!  So glad it's out.

So after the rains pummel us for a few weeks, Butterfly Season hits.  Last year it was simply the caterpillars and then chrysalises everywhere, we actually saw very few butterflies.  But this year we're ready.  We already found the first patch of butterfly eggs, now in Mayonnaise jar captivity, one caterpillar who may or may not have been the one to later make our first chrysalis, now in peanut butter jar captivity.  We also found this dying Cream Striped Owl Moth.  Different species, we know, but still very cool.  

This is a nice distraction since our garden is floundering.  Only two of our sweet corn plants (out of 10 or so) is still standing.  2 of the 4 watermelon plants are growing, though one looks pretty wrinkly.  The green bean plants sprouted fast and hard, but they're just sitting there now.  The green peppers and carrots that we thought were lost, however, are starting to go!  So, mixed results.  I'm not holding my breath to actually eat anything this year.

Thanks for all your love and prayers and support.  It means more to us than we could ever tell you.  Keep up the good praying, we need it!