Snippets...

sometimes things happen i just forget to blog about them.. so im just gonna write up a bunch of little snippets i remember from the last week or so... here goes!

Snippet # 1: Yesterday we were driving out of the shoprite entry and just look at what caught our eye....

can you believe it?? We were pretty pumped to find a little outpost of a ministry that brings Bibles into all sorts of African Countries, right here in Chimoio- and the Bibles were in the local languages.. and the Portuguese one was in the equivalent of NIV.. not the portuguese equivalent of King James.. YEY!! (nothing against King James.. but for folks just leaning to read and write it is rather difficult!)

While we were there, a gentleman came running from across the street with his wife, he quickly asked if he could please purchase a Bible, when he turned around holding his very own Bible in his own hands, purchased with his own money.... the look on his face brought tears to my eyes. He was so excited, so happy, as he carressed it with his hands and hugged it close I asked him " Its beautiful isnt it?"  "Yes!" he replied! I just cant express to you the look on his face, but it was amazing... So happy I got to see that moment.

Snippet #2: Today for a brief period of time I was the only staff person available on the farm. Andy was in Town. Barb was in town. Rick has left to go up north. Ron was working somewhere and unavailable. Dwight and Lynn have gone on a much needed break. Francois and Alta were going to Zimbabwe quickly. Even Matthew and Joao are gone. With this sort of situation I just KNOW something is gonna happen. ... and yep. it did.  Minutes after Rick left the shepherd shows up and tells me the missions "Big Bull" (the "nice" one) is sick... ahhhhhhhh! So i quickly makes some calls and arrange for some meds. Two hours later her returns with the guard, to tell me that the Bull has died. ARGH!!! And to top it off, becuase it died from an unknown and untreated sickness and was not butchered we cant even sell or give  the meat to the local people!! WHAT A WASTE!

On the other hand Im very grateful for staff who can deal with the investigating the insides of the cow, digging the hole and burying it for us!
Also grateful that I did not have to go down there since Domingo (the shepherd) had also just informed me that a Rock Python as thick as his leg (and im sure much longer than his leg) had been spotted this morning too! ACK!!! ( i have since seen the actual snake... its dead now.. not quite as large as he said but still way to big for my liking!)

Snippet #3: Last night there was a Lunar Eclipse in our parts, (unfortunatly i forgot to go look) When the guard came this afternoon to fill me in on the progress of burying of the bull- he spent several minutes explaining for me with great detail and hand gestures what the insides of the cow looked like (from what i could understand it was not pretty and most likely Bovine TB), then went on to have an indepth discussion on the leg meat they kept to entice the crocodile out of the water so it can be hunted (the crocodile hunting has been going of for a very long time now).  After all that he stopped and then said "Senhora, can you answer a question for me? What happened to the moon last night?"

I decided to first find out what he thought had happened, and pretty much he said, they think a cover or curtain is pulled over the moon, so that bandits or bad men can do things at night. In the time of the war, he said people would run into the bush to hide during Eclipses, convinced that bandits were coming to kill them. He was very interested to find out what I had to say, so I explained that the moon is like a mirror, it only reflects light, and if something gets between it and the sun, even if just for a few minutes, It can make it go dark for that time. I drew a few solar system-y type sand diagrams and did a whole hand motion thingy that I think he understood! Anyhew,,, all this to say.. that at the end he looked at me and said.. "Senhora, is this like science?" Yes, Jose, it is just "like" science! I love moments like this when someone suddenly understands or at least is exposed to a concept that was previously shrouded in mystery and fear!

Snippet #4: totally random and I wish I had a pic to prove it... but the other day in town we saw a guy biking with at least fifty chickens tied to his handbars.. upside down.. and they were live. sheesh. thats nuts!

Snippet #5: This week Tendai and I got to spend a whole afternoon with our new friends Sarah and Tabita! Sarah and her husband Aaron, run a technical training school here in Moz, where they train local young people in skills like mechanics, carpentry, metalworking, etc. Several young men we know thru our mission and who work for the mission are training with them at Tariro School. Sarah and Aaron, were just blessed to pass court and become the official legal parents of little Tabita- who is almost the exact same age as Tendai! I cannot express to you how amazing it was to meet up with them and be able to spend a whole afternoon just sharing our common experiences. My prayer is that Tabita and Tendai will grow up being good friends, and that having a buddy whose family "looks like theirs" will be a source of encouragement and peace for them!

 (tendai taking a pic of her new friend Tabita.. not sure if she actually took one or not lol)

Although at this point the girls mainly play beside each other and not neccesarily with each other, it was still awesome to see them interact. I look forward to getting to know Sarah, Aaron, and all their kids much better!  Meeting them has been an answer to prayer for me, as I knew Tendai NEEDED a friend.. someone who would understand the unique issues that she will face! Praise the Lord for adoption buddies!

Rick and Joao  inspecting the footings of our house.

Snippet #6: The foundations for our house were poured this week (woohoo), Rick is now gone up north and the layout of the walls makes it a little difficult for them to start laying Bricks without direct supervision of a skilled kind (ie.. not mine), so they are taking this week to get absolutely EVERYTHING prepped for when Rick gets back so we can lay those bricks.. "chop chop" as they say here! ("quick quick")

  Rick needed to make sure everything was level (that is key when building a house! )  :)

Once the footings/foundations were all poured, and Rick had to leave for the seminars up North, the guys turned to organizing and preparing for laying bricks once he gets back!
That Meant:

making stacks of bricks all around the inside of the house, so that the bricklayer will not have to wait while his helpers run around and find bricks (I know this seems like something obvious to do, but trust me, this is not the normal way of doing things here!)

 and getting more pit sand so we can make the cement mixture.

Tendai and I took a moment to go survey the progress this morning.

 Thanks so much for your prayers as we continue with this work. It is a long road ahead, but we know our God is able to bring in the supplies, funds, skilled workers, etc that we need!

Please pray for Rick's health, safety, and for the seminar participants as he is up north this week. It seems that during seminar times is when we get the most sick, and we know it is because Satan has no interest in us teaching others how to reach children with the love of Christ!

Thanks again! Hope you enjoyed my "snippets"! :)

Blessings,

Rick, Heather & Tendai