Tangawizi

Here we often cook with fresh ginger root. It's called tangawizi. A fun word, but an even funner person!Our friend Ginger from back home has come for a look-see and it's been wonderful! For me, hopefully for her too. This week she has been putting on a one-woman VBS program for the kids on our team...that's up to 7 kids 7 and under! Whew is right!
We have also gotten to share with her some of the sights of the island, we went visiting neighbors, shopping in the marketplace, and playing with some local kids who've taken to coming to play every day.
Next week we'll take her to Mombasa to check out the work with the street kids and then she'll spend some time with a different team nearby. I will certainly be sad to share her! But it's awesome to be able to show my new home to someone from my old home. And to see and hear what God is doing in another person's heart regarding his love of the lost!
Thanks for coming and BLESSING us, Tangawizi! And thanks to her family and friends for sharing her!

Oh my girls

Sweet Hunter is me in a little package sometimes. She has the most features from my side of the family by far. She loves arts and crafts more than any old school subject. And lately she's been organizing. On her own accord, she has completely emptied every shelf and toy box we own in order to stack memory cards and rubber band them, sort Critters from Ponies, and put the books facing the same way. Braelyn dumped out the box with our big-people games and so I just put the junked pile up high till I can deal with it. I can't tell you how many times she's eyed that pile and reached for it. Ah me.
Avery love has never been good at body part identification. Besides the fact that she's still missing her K and G sounds, so she is forever hurting her "antle", no matter which joint it may be. Yesterday I told her to go potty and she rubbed her tummy down low and said, "Yeah, my ribs have been rumbling!" She used to live on gum and hot cocoa (dum and totoa). But recently, she decided that chai is her new favorite (hot tea). This morning her first real words to me were, "Mom, tan you det me some toffee tate and chai? But I want it real." That means with milk in it like the Kenyans do. Don't know why that makes it real, but then again, she's 3...for a little while longer. Braelyn is potty trained! Not when she sleeps, but I've been spoiled by my first 2 who stayed dry by this age. Still, it's awesome that she's day potty trained at 18 1/2 months! She was really into it and needed no prompting from me. Except that she loves to poop outside. THAT I do try to discourage. Talking is another matter. Her words doubled the week after she got tubes in her ears and I was really encouraged. But they've definitely slowed down. Oh well, what does a third born need to talk for when her sisters hardly give her a chance anyways? Thus we just end up with a lot of yelled, "MOM!" Yes. She also quit calling me "Mama" and refers simply to me as "MOM!" In that tone of voice.
Sweet Angels, true gifts from heaven, how can I do right by you? God, give me patience and joy to raise these girls to love and follow you. Give me the strength to spend each day with them without going crazy.

High Point of My Day

This afternoon a few children were standing on the road watching us sit outside, playing Duplos and eating popcorn. I say, "jambo" and they came up to the fence, grinning ear to ear. Hunter went and opened the gate and says, "Njoo" (come in). Several times. She adds, "Cheza?" (Play?) Never losing their silly grins, they didn't move. So I came over and they ran back to the road. In my very best Kiswahili, I asked them to come play. By now there's about 10 kids. I asked if they wanted to come play. They said yes, but wouldn't come. So finally I told them to either come in and play or go home, but not to stand there and stare at us. Silly grins continue. I repeat, come in or go home, as simply and clearly as I can. Finally one little girl pipes up, "I don't understand white people language!" Argh!

I say, "Ah! I'm not speaking white people language, I'm speaking your language!" Alas, apparently I need more practice.

In other news, Justin has been traveling all over meeting the elders of different villages, Regional and District Commissioners, principals, laymen, politicians and other sorts. Really, that makes all sorts, doesn't it? He is working on getting drinking water into several areas that are completely without water for most or all of the year. Many areas have to bring boatloads or truckloads of fresh water from other parts of the island every day. Pray with us that he could be a bringer of water as well as Light for so many who need it.

Us girls are doing fine, meeting neighbors, studying lots and learning to love it here. Pray our shorter times out are filled with a Joy and Light that is undeniable and most desirable. We miss you all!

Now that's what I'm talking about

I wasn't lying, huh? It is breathtaking here.

These are pictures from a recent walk down our road. We live between a small town and a village nestled up against a beautiful Forest. There's only a few neighbors, but a lot of people pass by every day.

It was fun to walk along, greeting everyone while "enduring" all the giggles and staring. Everyone has been so nice.

The girls are adjusted beautifully. They've learned to greet the traditional way and love to get dressed up in their version of local. Hunter is flying through Kindergarten and it's hard to keep Avery away; she loves to do school too. Braelyn is full on toddler: a screaming, hitting, kissing, potty training, babbling mess.

Things are going well and we thank you so much for your prayers and support. It's amazing to be setting our feet on new paths and planting seeds in new soil.

Welcome to our Little Island

I can't believe how beautiful it is here. I accidentally deleted some of my pictures, but here's one that survived the cut. This is just a glimpse of the world outside our fence. There are neon green rice fields all around with giant mango trees standing guard in the center; coconut trees bowing in the breeze, the most colorful and billowing clouds glowing brilliant colors in the sunrise each morning and the sunset each evening.
We have been welcomed warmly by new friends and many, many curious passer-bys. FEW white faces have appeared here, and we are an anomally. After nearly 3 years here our team mates say they still get stared at.
But we are resting easily in the palm of our Good Lord. Yes, there are difficulties. With water, with edible food (only some of that blame rests on me the cook), power cuts, mosquitoes, etc. But beyond all that we see a people waiting for Freedom. For Truth. For Love. And we so take another deep breath, survey the beauty around us, thank the Lord for all His many, many blessings, and we seek to be Light. Pray we are Light.

Dum Duh Duuuummmm!

We made it! We are officially living on our beautiful little island that we've been waiting for for 3 1/2 years, it's almost unbelievable. We landed in a tiny prop-plane amidst torrential rains, on the third pass over the airport. It was a bit of an adventure, one to add to our long list of "Wow, our life in Africa is something else!"

Our house is not quite finished, due to the rains and lack of power for the last several days. But perhaps tomorrow we will be sleeping there! In our own little home. On our own little island, shuttled along on your big, big prayers.

Thanks so much. We are blessed beyond measure and are excited about the future and missing and loving you all. Please do pray for health, the house to be finished before the weekend, and a pleasant settling in. Thanks and we love you!

Welcome back

Sorry for the silence! We've been without internet access and waiting for the opportunity to get it.
Today we came back to our old neighborhood to see the kids (and connect for a minute to the wireless!) Hunter told me on the way over that she was getting used to Africa again, and hopefully we all follow suit.
Thank you Lord for safe travel, a great welcome "home" and of course, flannel jammies when it's 100 degrees out!