A whole lot of fun!

The kids at our orphan meeting on Friday really enjoyed the water fight we had- especially when they got to attack the leaders! In this pic Fani, one of the missions workers who is helping us with translating gets soaked!

These kids literally wear STRAIGHT thru the soles of their shoes... and then they just keep wearing them!

This past week I had the joy of getting pictures and profiles of EIGHT new orphans that are being added to our Amigo Orphan Program- their smiles lit up the area! Here are three of them- Twins, Abel and Zacharias, and their little sister, Rimbudzai. We now have ten orphans waiting for individual sponsors.

Here mom hands out new school clothes and a backpack to Gina, (who along with her brother Farai, are also waiting for sponsorship)

After the orphan meeting we played outside for a bit waiting for Rick to come pick us up. Tendai LOVED playing with Grandma and Grandpa.

We went to our Shepherd Domingo's house for supper and to see how he feeds his family. He has wisely saved his money and now has a small water pump that he can use to water his garden which provides fresh veggies and some maize for most of the year. He also has a larger maize plot, litchee trees, peanuts, chickens for meat and eggs, and in addition to ALL that he uses reeds and grass to make amazing hats that he sells to supplement his income. Oh wait.. I forgot, he also made a canoe out of bark and uses handmade nets to fish our local river- where there are crocodiles.

Domingo and Rick in the "canoe"- really a large piece of dry bark stabilized by pieces of wood slightly larger than twigs.

After touring Domingos garden, his wife fed us some amazing supper!!!! Including some wonderful sweet corn.

Mom and I sat on the mats and ate with the ladies and children, Dad, Rick and Domingo sat on chairs- this is completly customary.

And finally... Tendai is showing some (albeit limited) interest in walking.. Grandpa is really good at helping her along with a stick to hold!

This week we are driving back down to South Africa to drop Ricks parents off, as well as be there to support Bero before, during and after his surgery, before we leave him in the capable hands of several people from Mercy Air who have agreed to check on him after our departure. Please pray for safety as we travel, and for Bero as well as he heads into a major surgery, in a foreign country where they dont speak his language!

God Bless, Rick, Heather & Tendai

UPDATE:

We are now in south africa, enjoying Kruger Park, and all of the amazing animals it has to offer. Tendai, unfortunatly did not get her paperwork, so she is at Marc and Andrea's keeping them busy and being entertained I am sure. We praise God we have such amazing friends who are willing and able to watch her for us, and grateful too that she loves them and their boys!

Mom and Dad leave on Monday, so we have one more full day with them before dropping them off- their visit was short, but we are so glad they were able to come at all! God Is Good!