Happy Wedding Day!

Our neighbor and dear friend Zehera got married today!  The ladies were going to start cooking at 6am, so at 7 Hunter and I jumped out of bed and rushed over. 

 We had chai with the bride, in all her blushing beauty.  We are THRILLED that she married a sweet young man, little brother of good friend, and someone who appears to adore her.

 Here's the ladies stirring one of the three enormous vats of rice, later to be spiced the island way and topped with vegetable sauce.

Now that is a big spoon!

One of the many Miriams...but maybe the most precious.

About 8, after Hunter's turn at the giant spoon, we headed home to shower and re-dress and get the rest of the gang.  When we returned, we found the bride all beautified...island style.



Love, love, love this picture!

Then we all sat and ate (men) or waited (women).  About noon, after the Pilau (spiced rice) and Mchuzi (sauce), we headed home to rest for a few hours.  The drums started up about 5pm and called us back to find Zehra re-beautified.


Zehera seemed to swing between happy and scared and worn out by the end of this LONG day.

But soon Yusuf showed up, all smiles, eyes bright as he lifted the veil to see his bride for the first time.

Some awkward moments followed as everyone tried to get a picture on their phones, tell the happy couple how to sit and where to put their hands.  But finally, they were off.  Pray with me tonight for this precious girl as she faces the unknown.  Pray they find true love and gentleness and one day, Him!

Is that a spitting viper?

Why yes, yes it is.  Un-funnily enough the men thought it was just a cobra of some sort and were thus brave enough to pick it up and study it at stick's length.  Can anyone else praise the Lord with us that this thing did NOT spit?  It could have hit all of us...even up on the porch thinking we were safe.

 Speaking of hidden dangers, or not, small sea urchins CAN be picked up and carried without being speared.  Thank goodness for my girls to figure these things out for me.

 Another beautiful sunset over the good old Indian Ocean.

 After a month of dryness, the rains have returned in gentleness, often arriving after a "warning" of these beautiful rainbows across the fields from us.

 Medical work continues in my porch/clinic.  Burns and skin infections and diarrhea and colds.  It's a dirty world.  But I thank God that I can help in any small way.

Thanks for your continued love and support!  Thanks for being a part of our lives and our work here.

May Wraps Up

Little Suhaila (severely  malnourished tot) seems to be improving every time I see her.  She is learning to eat whatever is available.  Unfortunately, that isn't much as I'm hearing every day about families surviving on rice and cassava only.  We're working on some ideas to help some of these families start growing HEALTHY food, instead of just what they're used to eating.

 You may remember a rather gruesome picture of a boy's open leg wounds a few weeks ago.  We got him situated in the hospital a half hour away and this wonderful Dutch doctor has been taking good care of him.  Without proper diagnostic tools and medicines to treat the suspected lymphoma, he started Suleiman on meds for Tuberculosis, simply because they were available.  Miraculously, they are working!  Praise Him for his daily improvements and for the fact that he is reading the Book I've given him every day!  Keep praying that he would be able to gain some weight and strength to heal. 

 English classes keep on rocking.  We finally got into our new, bigger classroom yesterday and it was so nice! Now we just need to get furniture for it.

 The rains have slowed down and the crops are glowing in the sun's rays.  Our passion fruit vine has started taking over and is creeping across a rope line towards the house, dripping its fruit as it goes.

 Praying Mantis mating season has come and (thankfully) gone.  The females really do eat the males when they're done!

 Homeschool finished up last Friday for us and Mama flew off to collect Ginger (our new teacher for the school.  and wonderful friend.) on Big Island (woo-hoo!  She's here and safe and will arrive on Little Island after a couple months of language learning).  Meanwhile, daddy took the girls up to swim at the hotel and found...FRIENDS!

 A WONDERFUL French/Irish family is staying for 10 whole days with their 2 very cool kids aged 9 and 7.  It's been awesome.  Marshmallow bonfires, treasure hunts, adventures galore, and tonight: a sleep over.  Should be fun!

So, another month down.  June brings a new family who has joined our team for their site visit.  They are set to move here in another year and a half to two years, but they're coming to check all this awesomeness out now.  Pray that their hearts are confirmed in the Plan for them.

Avery's Graduation

 

Avery finished up school for the year with Hunter just a couple weeks out! Both girls are doing amazing with school even though it isn't always easy for them (or us!). Of course we had to have a celebration and the girls made their own party hats and decorations.

 

 

The girls decided that "shrimp" (lobster) was what they wanted for the party. Justin got us some and then cooked them up on the grill. Delicious!

 



 

We are so proud of you Avery for the work you did in school this year and the fine young woman you are shaping into. You are kind, energetic, funny and such a joy to be around.

 

 

Mother's Day: the Awesomest Yet

Sunday Morning had us singing our Sunday School songs down the road and to the harbor for a boat ride over to an amazing Tiny Island Marine Park.

Rainy Season took a break for ME as the sky fairly glowed blue,

fluffy white clouds shading us occasionally.



Justin hopped in the water with the 2 fish (Hunts and Aves) while I coaxed a mask and snorkel onto my water-fearing little one.  Miracle of miracles, she did it!

 She and I paddled around, exclaiming to each other through our snorkels over all the beautiful fish and coral.  It was so fun!  That's her above. 

Later, we took a long walk through the jungle over to Turtle Beach and then waded out to Tiniest Island to search for lost treasure and exclaim over the razor-sharp coral ridges trying desperately to slice us up.

 This little guy was probably born in the morning but he was already feisty and he let us play with him a bit. 

I couldn't believe how strong his flippers were!  Guess that's how he lives, right?

 Giant Clam and Lion Fish

 Getting love wherever I can...

I was the only one brave enough to get a kiss though.  Little girls...

Well, this one is brave when she wants to be.

So much beauty in one day!

It was a great Mother's Day.  I am so thankful for my daughters and the man who made me a mama!  

Best Day Ever

Ok, that might be an exaggeration, but I'm still smiling 2 days later.

It took till the very end of yet another miserable, heat rashy hot season, but Justin wavered for a single moment in his absolute opposition to some serious hair chopping.

That was all I needed!  I grabbed the scissors and the ponytails and chop, chop, chop!

 



 

The girls were as pumped as I was, giggling and dancing around and flipping their short locks around.

 

It has been so nice having about a thousand percent fewer tangles, less heat, girls doing their hair themselves, no more tears on that front!

 

And to top it off, they look adorable.  Hunter and Braelyn have a more layered look that's shorter in the back giving shape and lift and the sweetest soft curls.  Avery's is more blunt (she was last and Justin's pained looks made me back off half an inch) but still loves it.

 

I assured Justin we should do it now so that there's still plenty of time for it to grow out before we come home...but I'm not sure any of us want it to anymore!

 

Medical Work

Every day it seems someone else comes knocking on the gate seeking help, answers, care.

Some things are fun...helping a mom deliver a newborn baby...giving some Ibuprofen for an aching back.

 

Other things are not so fun...12 year old Suleiman came on Monday for me to change his bandage and give my advice.  Change his bandage I did...and then we went to see the Dutch doctor in the next big town over.  Sadly, the most likely diagnosis is a years old lymphoma, too far advanced and spread to treat.

 

Little Suhaila became severely malnourished when her mom became pregnant again and didn't know it, her breastmilk disappearing before Suhaila really took to food.  She is thankfully home from the hospital and on a special high-calorie food, free from the local clinic!

 

I love helping and loving and praying with these people.  I am so thankful for the chance to be the Light in this land.  But as I face down Suleiman's fate, and that of a friend's elderly mother, I am reminded of why we are really here.  Pray for us that what we give is not just a helping hand.