Kevin and the East African extreme sport of "palm boarding" with assists by Toby, Acacia and Margaret, our neighbor
Here are some fun and a bit odd questions we have pondered of recent days. . . ."When was the last time we dewormed?" and when attempting to remove tick, "Do ticks follow the universal law of lefty loosey and righty tighty?" (That would be referring to which way to "unscrew" the head of the tick).
We are currently in the middle of the rainy season so it has been cool and a bit wet. Rains are a blessing as in most agricultural based societies as people's income and food source is dependent upon the rain. The other nice part is it is not so hot in the rainy season.
In other news, the house is off to a good start (as you can see in the background of the picture of Jennifer and Mary. ) The students from the vocational school are doing the foundation and underground cistern. This is a great opportunity for them as it is real training and a chance for them to earn some extra money. The actual walls of the house will begin to go up in about 2 weeks. Geoff recently brought all the students from the different vocational school programs to see the work the builders have been doing. It was encouraging for the builders to have their fellow students cheer them on, and it was beneficial for the other students to see learning in action. Geoff also recently highlighted the tailoring students' work for the community and the other students, as well as showing off the carpenters' products (a bed and bench) that had been purchased by members of the New Hope community.
Just a few weeks ago New Hope hosted the Regional District Commissioner (highest level of district government falling somewhere between a mayor and a governor) who toured all of New Hope and was especially impressed by the quality of vocational opportunities offered by the vocational institute. Geoff had a chance to share the vision with him and he promised to bring other government officials to visit at a later date to witness what New Hope is accomplishing.
Jennifer, in the above picture, is one of Mary's mentorees from David family and one of the three girls involved in the Sunday afternoon Bible study. They are still studying "forgiveness" and they can't seem to get enough. Each week they ask to continue on the subject and Jennifer especially asks real questions, "How can I forgive someone who keeps hurting me time after time?" Mary doesn't try to reinvent the wheel, but lets God speak through His word. (see Matthew 18:21-35) Jennifer is a great girl who desires to be a missionary and a nurse in her future. She loves to sing and really has a great heart. Having lost her parents when she was 10, she has been with New Hope for the past 6 years.
There are many people coming and going this next week. A team arrives today from Costa Mesa as well as a young man considering bringing his family here to work with the new campsite on the shores of Lake Victoria. The Andersons, Tal and Tiffany and their 5 kids arrive Friday, and the Browns return from a couple of months in England sometime next week. Our kids are especially looking forward to those last two groups mentioned!!!!
"See" ya next time . . .
