Halloween...Island Style

The last day of October found us getting ready for all the festivities!  We didn't even finish school before we couldn't keep our knives off that watermelon a minute longer. 

Yes, we carved watermelons.  It was all we could find.  Now, we weren't much into Halloween when I was growing up.  Justin's family was.  So we've kind of compromised on having a nice, happy Halloween.  That is, until I carved Watermelon number 2.  Waa-haa-haa.  I hadn't let Braelyn see the carving yet before this picture...she was not hugging it later!

Hunter dressed up as Izzy from Jake and the Neverland Pirates.  The littler 2 were Indian Princesses.  So off to the beach we headed for the annual....

Mommy Hide And Seek For Candy!!!!

The other troops were made up by Princess Ladybug, Spiderman, a Conductor and Cool Moves: the original and not-yet-patented super-hero creation of Griffen. 

As usual, Mrs. Sandy did a bang-up job on the cookies.  

And nothin' says Island Livin' like cooling off in the good old Indian Ocean with a night swim after running frantically up and down the beach in search of moms holding candy.

Happy Fall!

Adult Education Center

Here she is!  And if you can imagine, the outside color is even more shocking in real life.

We've rented this small room to begin offering classes in computers.  We can fit 8 students, one teacher and a whole lot of hope.

We can't believe how excited people have been.  Classes were slated to begin this afternoon, but this is Africa.  Therefore, fees have not been paid and applications keep rolling in.

We've set a deadline for both of these things for Wednesday and classes WILL begin next Monday.  Lord willing!

Rejoice with us that this School has opened in God's time, with virtually no opposition and lots of open arms.  Justin will be teaching a late afternoon class of men and Shannon will be teaching the women.  Please pray for open hearts and minds to learn what we can teach in order to better their lives. That this school would provide us with relationships that would go deep and true.

October

 What was the last moment you had that took your breath away?  We had one last night.  I noticed that the moon was nearly full and rising early, so we packed up a picnic and headed to a small, secluded beach.  We picnicked alongside the outgoing tide, and as the sun flashed hot pink and sank into the sea, the moon took over with a glow strong enough to cast our shadows on the white sand.  Soon, fireflies danced around us.  God is AWESOME!

Today was another Siku Kuu (Special Day) to celebrate the Hajj...the pilgrimage to Mecca Muslims are supposed to make during their lifetime as one of the 5 pillars of the faith (aka, steps to heaven).  Justin convinced me to brave the throngs and head to town with the girls.  

It turned out to be really fun.  We decided to try something new and all, all FIVE of us got on the Piki Piki (scooter bike thing) and put-putted to town.  There we walked around, visited friends, went with friends to meet their friends, and generally made the rounds.

It was really fun to see how happy we made people just by visiting.  Or maybe they were making fun OF us...hard to tell sometimes.  I was amazed that nearly ever kid in town knew my name.  "Mama Huntah" was the constant call as we meandered through!  

Here's Zahor Justin.  If you'll remember, he was born back in July during that memorable evening of me driving to the hospital without his mama when his daddy tried to speak to me in English and told me  they were already at the hospital.  His mama named him Zahor.  His daddy named him Justin.  Little Justin that is.

Homeschool plugs along.  We LIVE for Fridays when we get to do art.  This is Hunter's version of the 3 Olympian winners standing on their podiums.  She pointed out to me that there is no platinum medal. 

Braelyn decorated this horse I made for her and Avery went for donuts with faces.  I'm suddenly realizing how often we stay in our jammies till afternoon.  Joys of homeschool, right?  

The first official Computer Class begins a week from Monday!  The interest has been huge, over 30 applications have been given out, and the clock is ticking!  Justin will choose 8 men (that's all we can fit in the tiny classroom we have rented) and I will probably get talked into doing a women's class as well. It's not at all that I don't want to, it's that I wonder how I can do it all.  But God doesn't ask us to do it all, just to do the best we can at what HE asks of us.  

We pray all is well on your end.  Thank you for your love and prayers!

Busy Fall

Yes, it's been a month since I took a picture and had anything to blog.  Homeschooling is going well, but takes a lot!  Hunter is loving science and social studies, not so much the math and handwriting.  Avery and Braelyn are playing better and better together, but I still feel like a referee much of the day!  

Recently painting on paper got a little boring, so Hunter turned Avery into the frog from Gnomeo and Juliet.  Soon after, Hunter became some sort of china doll princess. 

 Later that day we took a walk though the forest marveling at all the fungi and giant teak leaves we found.

Here's the update on the Adult Education Center!  All the computers have arrived on Little Island and are in our rented room, along with various other needed things.  Only lacking desks!  They're in the workshop and nearly finished.  Here's the currant mess:

Soon these puppies should be actually working!  English and Computers, here we come!

Crafternoon

I stole that particular gem from Sandy, I must be honest. 

After lunch today Hunter read us a book called "Swimmy".  Its pictures are done with carved potatoes dipped in paint.  Guess what the girls wanted to do?

 

 

So, out came the knife and 4 potato halves soon became a giraffe, elephant, baobab tree and flamingo.

 

It was a HUGE hit!  The girls sat quietly painting at the table for what seemed like an hour!

 

Hunter turned her ideas into an amazing book.

 

"Fleing (flamingoes) are fethery fowls thye stand on onw Leg thye Livin the water.

 

Elfints are hyoog Anmls wiht littl hars and Long nosis.

 

Jrafs heve Long neks thar legs are long."

 

The final picture failed to load after 5 attempts, but it says, "Hunter ilustrater".

How cool is this girl?

Goodbye Justin

Justin D. that is.  He will fly away tomorrow and we will miss him sorely.  What a treasure from home to cherish for a little while. 

Did I mention the two Justins built a swingset?  We'd brought 2 swings with us with that intention, but without a Home Depot handy, the job was just too big.  Until the big guns arrived.

 

It started with a trip out to a field of trees. The Justins picked out the 3 they thought would do the best. Then they negotiated a good price (about $5 a tree) and paid the man to have the trees chopped down (by hand) and hauled to our house (by ox-drawn-cart). They were delivered just after dinner and we spent a surprisingly fun evening stripping off the bark.

 

Then came the deciding of size for the project, measuring, and inital cuts. We found the "panga" to be even easier than the saw, if you didn't mind the risk factors of flying wood chips. Ali was the pro on that!

Day 2: Tar the ends of the trees that would be sunk into the ground to help fight against the eventual rot. Notch out the joints to fit together. Haul the trees into place. Dig 4 foot deep post holes. Drop in vertical trunks. Stare up at the monstrosity you just started and wonder how on earth to get the crossbeam up. Drag dining table out. Stack ladder on it. Put Justin Brown on the top rung, Justin D on the 6 inch wide concrete wall. Overhead press a 200 pound tree trunk, wiggle it into its notch and push the bolts through. Various versions of physical collapse to follow. 

Day 3: And it's a SCORCHER! Attempt to plumb up and level structure using eyeballs, bolts hung from fishing line, and coral rocks. Mix and pour concrete into trunk post holes. Handprints required of course. Drill holes through cross beam and install hardware. Hang swings, level swings, wait for concrete to dry.

Day 4: FLY, FLY, FLY! And don't hit your head on the water tower. Actually, the Justins masterminded a way to keep body parts just inches away from danger, maximizing swing distance AND safety. Cool.

 

Yes, Justin is looking right now on the big island for a swing for Hunter.  For now, sigh, she has to share with Avery.  Or ride the rope.

 



 

Oh yeah, I decided to rip out my kitchen sink while the men were slaving away. I'd done my last dish reaching into a sink situated in a corner half a foot away from the edge of the counter. Justin D suggested it, then swooped in to save the day by re-installing it for me when he came in from finshing the swing set. Very cool.

 

 

Did I mention we were gonna miss him?

 

The Really Little Island

One of our nearby Really Little Islands is populated with about 500 fisher-folk, and completely devoid of fresh water.  Justin has helped bring them a desalination machine to filter ocean water into pure, crystal drinking water.

 A special blessing for us came in a package from home also named Justin.  What a delight to work with, relax with and enjoy!  Thanks, Kim, for sending him to us!

 The audience never waned as they sought to construct this 20 foot high station.

 The food was truly local with octopus served over rice, sometimes with a side of beans.  The crew of 8 (Americans, Germans and Africans) really experienced village life as they camped out on the little island the entire 8 days.

 Here are the Justins pulling the cables taut for the wind turbine.

 Which ended up like this:

 This is the machine in its almost finished stage. The technology used in this machine can take out any virus or bacteria and obviously the salt in the water too. 

 This solar and wind powered machine should provide the whole island (2 villages totaling around 500 people) more than enough clean water to drink and cook with.  We pray it is a blessing, and that our guys were a light to all the people they worked with and for.

Catching a ride home.  Praise that they all made it safely!

PS: PLEASE PRAY FOR HOMESCHOOL BOOKS TO ARRIVE FAST!!!!!!!  It took weeks for them to arrive back home, and now they have to make it over here.  Thanks!