We had an absolutely beautiful day here today with a great worship service. No rain again today which made more many more hours outside enjoying each other and the weather. I really look forward to our Swahili friends singing for us, I could listen to them all day. We had a great big lunch here and several church members ate with us. I made spaghetti with homemade sauce and Angie mixed up some of her cashew cheese sauce for those who liked cheesy noodles. Beth, Hannah and I figured out how to make garlic toast (very garlicky) with oil, garlic powder, and salt. Teresa and Shari helped cook the toast so I could do other things. We heated up leftovers from last night and we had quite a feast with enough food for all. I really encouraged everyone to eat the garlic toast otherwise they would not be able to stand those of us that did. I can still taste it tonight even after we had a light supper of coconut, dried fruit, bananas, and pea soup that Angie made.

Everyone is in watching blue planet but I am not sure which one. Chris and I are on dish duty so we are in the kitchen and then I pulled out my computer.

My family, Barasa’s, Yona’s, and some others went with us to visit the cripple lady whose teeth memere pulled the other day. I knew she was doing well because yesterday Shari and I stopped in on our hour walk to Lupalilo and she was smiling and feeling better. I could understand why!

Anyway we wanted to visit her and take her some things and see how she was today. So we were quite a large group walking up the dirt road with the wives of the locals here singing most the way. The lady’s name is Yusta and she was very happy to see all of us. She has to scoot herself on the ground with her hands and some of the men got her a little low bench (probably made just for her) to sit up on. I gave her material, Chap Stick, gum, candies, beads, and a bound note pad with pens. She looked like she might cry but really liked everything. Barasa described to her what some of the things were. Then the women all sang in Swahili to her about 3 songs and we prayed then Yona read from his bible and he prayed. Then we all told her goodbye and went on our way. We were probably there about 20 minutes but she enjoyed it. Come to find out, Barasa said she is a converted Adventist but the rest of her family remains catholic. My husband commented that he was very glad that we went to her.

This evening we got to try some homemade roasted peanuts that I brought back from Lupalilo. I had to sort them and Hannah helped quite a bit then I had to cook them over low heat on the gas stove. Of course I burned some right away and had to try and pick them out. Next I had to mix salt in water then toss it on the peanuts and let the water evaporate. Well they still were not cooked all the way but I took them off the heat. This afternoon I slipped them in the oven on a real low heat and that finished them off nice and most everyone liked them. It was a different treat!

I went into my tent to lie on my back for a few minutes this evening and was rubbing my feet together and I felt a bump. So I sat up and rubbed my big toe on the underside with my finger and felt something. I thought it is either a blister or a funza. I don’t usually get blisters so I had that sinking feeling that I was the second victim of the funza- I was very correct. My husband said let Miriam dig it out and immediately I said NO. I just have this thing about not letting other people work on me with pins or needles. So I got out the headlamp, alcohol wipes, and a pin. I remembered what Miriam had said when Beth had it in her toe; she said remove the whole sack. So I carefully began sliding the pin under my skin and lifting it up and then I could cut it with sewing scissors. I worked all around the circumference of the sack until I thought I could finally get it out without breaking it. The very last edge I had to snip with the scissors and a few eggs leaked out but I had done it! I had correctly removed the entire egg sack and left a small crater in the underside of my big toe. I put the egg sack on the alcohol package and brought it out for everyone to see; and believe me they all wanted to. Miriam said I did a good job and even all the Swahili friends wanted to see the sack and my toe. All the kids in our group couldn’t wait until everyone had seen it so they could squish the eggs out- they were delighted when they got their hands on it.

Now that I have experienced the funza I would have to say that it is no big deal. I felt nothing on my toe like pain or itching like some do. It did not hurt taking it out at all it just took time. However, it does burn some now where the opening is left.

Chris woke up this morning with a sore throat- it’s going around to us all. Jonah and Izzy are doing much better and Jonah even ate today and was up a lot. Poor little Leila has been fighting a cold but came down with a fever today. I will pray that she is healed because it’s so hard to see those little ones suffering. It’s hard enough to see the older kids getting sick and feeling miserable. We have all been praying that everyone will be made well.

We all enjoy all the comments from everyone. The boys would like to say a special hello back to Garhett and I believe they requested pizza at the airport upon arrival back home! They are dreaming of their favorite foods again except this time Jon was leading the conversation about his favorites. We have all been here so long that an apple sounds so good.

I don’t know what tomorrow will bring but if the day is nice and does not rain we will take the kids down and let them swim in the creek in the afternoon. Take care to everyone at home and we miss you all.

Our group walking to visit Yusta today.

This is Yusta the cripple woman that Memere pulled several teeth and clean off

The plaque.

This is the funza egg sack, chris put his finger in the picture so you could see the

Size.