Shekinah House Thank You Festa

Its tradition here on the farm to host a small party for all the workers who helped build your home, we extended it to include all the permanent employees bc nearly everyone on this farm helped in some way or another, directly or indirectly.  We were also able to provide a full meal, as we had some LOVELY meat donated by a friend.  The guys were excited to come, as they knew it would be a good good festa! 

 So on Thursday morning we started preparing for lunch- first some of the meat went into the pot for "stew".

me and Suzanah (Raymundo's daughter) waiting for the Maheu.

 I went with Lovemore to pick up the Maheu (local traditional drink made with cornflour , sugar, and water, left to "ripen" in clay jars for a few days until its "good". If you leave it too long it becomes alchoholic and there are few people who enjoy it then.. very few... but when its just "good" EVERYONE loves it. Except for us foreigners. I can hardly stand to smell the stuff let alone drink it!) You can see our Maheu was made in buckets not clay pots, since we needed a lot. We had about 35 guys for lunch. And 90 Litres of Maheu. By the time everyone enjoyed and took some for home it was all GONE. I think its one of those things that requires a lifetime of "getting used to" before you truly appreciate it. Im not there yet. :)

 One of the workers wives made the Maheu- she is known for her excellent maheu making skills. Here she is with two of her children.

 We got back to find the beans were now being cooked as well.

 Me and Gladys worked on the sauce inside- tomatoes, onions, spices, garlic... mmmm.

 Sauce in the back pot, beans in front.

 Tendai wanted to help too, so Maganesu let her measure and wash the rice.

 Rick of course manned the Braai with a whole lot of meat on it!

 Everyone being served lunch and enjoying it!

 Ryan was the only one from our family who actually enjoyed the Maheu. 

 Lovemore, Maganesu and Armando all recieved a gift as a thank you for working on our home with dedication for the last two years. Lovemore recieved a battery he has been asking about for a long time, and Armando and Maganesu each recieved a solar light and cell phone charging kit for their homes.

After we gave the gifts and everyone had eaten until they could not possibly eat any more, there was music and laughter and dancing and it truly was a great festa! So thankful for the many wonderful staff we have here at the farm.

Enjoying a great meal together!

We are so glad to be in this house. It feels like HOME. I find it hard to even remember how I  felt in the other cottage, as it was so small, with no shelves or storage, and no room for Tendai to play. Our lives have changed so much since moving over here. I feel like this is where we belong, it is safe and fits our family in so many ways. It has room for our family- which has already grown to include Ryan, only a month after moving into this house! I have fallen in love with baking and cooking meals for my family, now that I have a kitchen with space to store things and countertop to work with and an oven that actually works. Oh.. and a fridge that keeps things cold!!! We have been so blessed. Please continue to pray for us- we have a small amount of work remaining to be done, some of the floors are not finished, window latches etc need to be put in so they can be locked, and our guest room is nowhere near finished. (But we promise if you come to visit we will get it ready in no time... just need the motivation!! :) ) 

Thank you to everyone who has given so much to make this place of rest and refreshing a possibility. We cannot express enough how thankful we are for the prayers and financial support of so many, because without those prayers and sacrificial donations there is NO WAY we could have done this on our own. We look forward to being able to focus on ministry for the next year without the added stress of a building project! We hope to do at least one more children's ministry training seminar this year, and several next year before we head home on furlough (Lord willing, in August next year). We also have DVBS coming up at the school in November, and a seperate DVBS for the orphan children in January, Intensive seminars in the end of Nov, Christmas Festa with the Amigo orphans in December and are looking at planning some exciting outings for them as well. We are so glad that God has called us to work that we love, even on the tough days!!

God Bless, Rick, Heather, Tendai & Ryan

Fogo!

 Every year around this time, we have fires all around. There are many reasons why the local people light fires, some dealing with traditional farming beliefs- if we burn everything then the green will come (since when you burn things the green does tend to sprout quickly afterwards, though its mostly weeds and grass and you have burned alot of of the good stuff out!) some do it because they want to chase out the small animals- cane rats, etc to hunt, some do it for traditional/ cultural beliefs- if we burn the ancestors/gods/spirits/earth will be appeased and will send the rain in time for our crops to grow this year. Whichever way you look at it, they have a "good reason" for wanting to burn. The only problem is it is not only illegal here to light wildfires, but it is even more illegal (if that is an actual thing), to light them ON someone elses property (ie our farm) or to fail to keep it from crossing onto someone elses property (ie our farm!) 

 These are some pictures from the first weekend when we had fire on the farm, it was a raging blaze that in the end managed to burn nearly half of the forest within our farm boundary lines. 

 These pictures are taken near where the fire started, at the far end of our airstrip.  The only fire fighting equipment we have is green branches broken off of trees. Obviously this is not ideal, but Lynn and I decided to demonstrate how they are used on a few of the smaller fire areas.

 Obviously, once a fire gets this big, there is little our guys with branches can do. But they do what they can, try for as long and as hard as they can, but often we must resort to lighting a backburn and managing that, as it is safer for the guys.

One of our night guards, silhouetted against the fire.

 The next day the fire was still raging, but had now moved towards the front half of the farm, moving closer to the community. We had parked our truck and walked up this little road so we could investigate where and how big the fire had gotten at this point, but by the time we got close, we realized it was racing towards us, and the wind was changing direction, blowing it in the direction of the truck. We could see that the flames were HUGE and there was no way the guys could continue to fight, so we quickly made our way back to the truck. Fire scares me. It is like a LIVING thing. It is unpredictable and changes its mind on a whim (or on the wind's whim i guess), and it is destructive beyond what we can imagine. I am so grateful for the men who helped to fight the fire and man the back burn so the community homes were saved, and so our gardens (for the school and orphan kids), litchi plantation, animals (cows and sheep), farm buildings (carpentry shop etc) and homes were safe as well. 

 We decided to light a back burn, using our entry road, and the training centre as the firebreak.

 Backburn raging towards the fire. Rick and the guys manned this road for quite some time to ensure no sparks flew over and lit on the other side, the wind was strong and we had to be very careful.

 Of course the many small lizards, frogs, insects and creatures like this lovely little chameleon are the unintended victims of these fires. We saw this little guy trying to escape, but if you have ever seen a chameleon try to run its not a very quick process. ;) Rick picked him up so we could bring him home and put him in our garden where he would be safe. Here Ryan isnt quite sure what to do with him, he kept doing this half cry/half laugh kinda noise.. his mouth would smile but his eyes looked terrified. It was very cute. Eventually he decided the chameleon wasn't to scary after all.

I think this is his "thanks for saving me mr. rick" hug.

Fire season has not yet ended, we had another fire approaching the farm this weekend but it was contained before it crossed our boundary. 

Thank you so much for your prayers we appreciate them greatly!

Rick, Heather, Tendai and Ryan!

Our new Addition!

Our new "family logo"... how cute is this!!!

No... we aren't adding on to the house already- instead we are adding on to our family! You may have noticed the blog has been neglected this last month, but ive got a really really really good reason! Little Ryan Antonio joined our family on August 6th, and along with all our normal busy-ness we have been getting things ready for his arrival! Please join us in welcoming- 

RYAN ANTONIO

 Age 3, Likes: toy cars, stuffed animals, anything he can eat, sleeping, and playing with his big sister. Dislikes: going for drives in the truck- it makes him anxious and car sick, being told "NO", when dogs run at him, or bath toys that "swim"!

 Early July was spent getting into a bit of a routine with our homeschooling! We are loving the sonlight program we are using!

 I spent a few days with our colleague Leila recovering our dining room chairs! (they turned out great, though I have a feeling ill need to add more padding eventually!)

 we installed our bathtub (those are just candles at the far end)

 Tendai has been attending ballet lessons with in town after our playgroup meetings. She loves the teacher- a Canadian lady who came here to do something completly different, but has ended up finding her niche as a dance instructor here! (she was a professional ballerina in Canada)

 Tendai also had her much longed for "long curly hair like Nede's" put in. ... took forever and drove me, Gladys and her nearly insane, but thankfully it will last at least til September- so.. one entire day of hair, means no real hair issues for nearly two months! (will take us just as long to get them out though! ACK!)

Very happy to have her long hair!

 At the End of July all the missionaries were teaching at the weeklong Intensive Seminars for our Pastor Monitors and Supervisors. There were several graduates this time around so we got to get all dressed up on Sunday for the graduation service.

 Tendai, and Chupicai (one of the amigo orphans)

 the graduates tossing their caps

 Family photos

 We also had visitors who helped us deliver the orphan food For the month of August.  At one of the homes we found this sitting/sleeping mat that one of the young children was making.

 Delivering food supplies to Mae Farece's house.

Our visitors

 We also had several visits with Ryan Antonio before he came to stay with us. Here is his first visit to our house, playing with daddy and Tendai.

 :)

 Then, the day before his 3rd Birthday, (his bday is August 7th) he came to stay! He came with several friends from the orphanage and we had a great party to welcome him home, and celebrate his birthday!

 really really cool (read "dangerous") birthday cake candles.

 Sharing cake with Daddy and Tendai

 First bath- laughing at daddy's soap beard.

 Happy Birthday Ryan! I have to say- we've got a pretty good looking family- (well , at least the kids!)

 Playing with his new cars.

 Introducing Ryan to the staff.

 Painting with Mommy and Tendai

 Learning how to drink out of a sippy cup.

 Working on our fine motor skills.

 :)

 More painting!

 Wrestling with daddy!

 playing in the sprinkler- this was not mom approved. but by the time we saw them playing there (instead of the sandbox where they were supposed to be) they were drenched, so we just let them go nuts.

 We visited the sheep.

 And the cows.

 and sat thru Big sister's Ballet Lesson.

 Had a blast playing with the wagon!

and went for a few walks!

 We also spent some time helping Lovemore plant a small garden- so far its been a sucess so we are contemplated an expansion project.

 The mission's garden had an ABUNDANCE of tomatoes this year, so we were able to distribute some to the orphan homes.

 and purchase some for ourselves as well- me and Gladys decided to tackle the job of canning them head on- pretty proud of ourselves when the day was done! I had never canned anything before.. EVER, and to do it without the proper jars, or the proper tools, lets just say i was quite proud!

We also have been working to finish up the odds and ends around the house, like putting the backing on our kitchen island, and the handles on all our cupboard doors and drawers, get the screen porch screened, and rat proof the roof. Its been a lot of work, but so satisfying to see the job done, and how great everything is turning out. 

Please continue to pray for us , our ministry, our health, and our finances. We are still carrying a fairly significant debt from the house materials etc, and we really would like to have it paid off, and SOON! This house has already been a blessing to us, and to the folks we have been able to host so far. We look forward to it being a place of rest, refreshing and fellowship for many many years to come.

Our family could also use your prayers as we adjust to being a family of four, instead of three, and to having an already three year old son, whom we only just barely know, yet who already has a whole set of likes and dislikes, etc! Its a big adjustment for us all, in particular Ryan and Tendai. 

Mozambique could also use your prayers. The closer we get to the elections later this year, the more uncertainty and speculation there is. The main opposition party is threatening boycotts/ demonstrations and violence if their list of terms is not conceded to. Please pray that cooler heads will prevail. Pray that both sides will be willing to make comprimises to move the discussion forward. Mozambique has come so far in the the last 20 years, and there is NOONE here who wants to see a return to war.

Thank you again for your prayers- we all got over last months bout of Tonslitis/ Malaria no problems, and have been doing well. Praise the Lord!

God Bless,

Rick, Heather, Tendai & Ryan!