Thursday-

Yesterday we woke up to Thanksgiving here at Kibidula. We had a wonderful breakfast that Antoinette had prepared for us with banana muffins. Then we learned that there would be a dinner for us over at one of the other family’s homes that live here. The Ross family consists of Bill and Nanette and their kids Joya, Kiel, (both girls), Matthias, & Ezra. The ages range from 11 down to 3 years old and they are very nice kids. This family is here from North Carolina and has only been here for 3 months and plans to stay for 6 years.

Nannette fixed some very good food and we helped Antoinette prepare some food to take over. The meal was all vegetarian and it was really good.  We had Mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, sweet potatoes fixed with sugar and toasted nuts, cauliflower (first time since we left that we have had), cooked carrots with green beans and pea pods (the beans were a treat), lettuce from the garden with dressing and fresh tomatoes, wheat bread, chipattis, fruit salad, and pie. We were not expecting anything like this so it was a real treat and all the food was good; it was an extravagant meal compared to what we had been eating. We got to fellowship with the families here and meet some of the missionary students from the states. The kids all had a really good time making new friends and playing together. After the meal it was decided that we would play a big soccer game up on the airfield. So we drove back to Jason’s house and the guest house to change out clothes and picked up some more Swiss kids that live here along the way to play. I believe that we ended up with about 28 people on the soccer field and we were still missing several women and girls from our group. There were five different countries represented on the playing field. United States, Tanzania, Canada, South Africa, and Switzerland and everyone sure had a good time and the game went on for several hours. The men were looking a little pooped out about half way through. I played goalie part of the game because the young girls were afraid to get hit with the ball. Chris scored a goal against me so we teased him that he was picking on girls! Mat took Chris out pretty good, although it was not intentional; Chris went flying through the air and looked like one of those figure skaters doing a twist in the air before slamming down to the ground. Steve had to drag him up or I think he would have laid there for awhile and then he hung his head between his knees for quite sometime. The game was fairly mild but there were a few collisions and trip ups.

Last night we had popcorn and fruit rice pudding for dinner and the kids watched a dvd on the computer about Ireland. Jason arrived from Tanga (up near the Kenya border) last night about 8:30pm with his container and Memere’s container arrived from Tanga sometime this morning to Mafinga. They use the Tanga port because Dar Es Salaam is so congested that you can hardly get in and out of the harbor area. Memere is going to open up her container and take out some of Jason’s things before having it transported up to Mago. Jason looked like a boy at Christmas unloading the truck full of container contents. I guess there are a few more containers due in the next few months for Kibidula families and just for the farm here.

Wednesday night we ate dinner with Thomas and Anita (they are Swiss) and we had bread, fruit (canned peaches & fresh strawberries), and veggie turkey roll that Thomas had brought back from Arusha (Up north near Kenya border) which takes 15 hours to get there. That was such a treat for us, it was the first processed vegetarian food we’ve had the whole trip, well we do eat TVP but I don’t count that.

I washed some laundry by hand yesterday and yes most of the families here do to. Antoinette is lucky and has a washing machine in her house that they run on the generator and I was able to do the majority of my stuff today in her washer. That was the first time any of our clothes has seen a washing machine since we left.

I have hardly seen the kids today they are out with the other children here somewhere on the 5000 acres of Kibidula. There are kids that are 15 & 16 along with them so I don’t worry and the parents that live here say that they are okay. Well, whatever they are doing they have a lot of fun! Mat has identified so many birds on this trip and he has been going nuts here at Kibidula because there are so many different types. As soon as light hits the sky in the morning he says “can’t I go bird watching the birds are already out”? So we let him go.

Anita and Thomas are preparing lunch for my family and the Tall’s family today to give the Ford’s time to spend with their family here. So Jason’s family, the Ford’s, and Memere took off for Mafinga to do some things together. That will be nice to have time without the rest of the group around.

Monday we leave for Iringa to stay the night and then Tuesday morning we head to the Ruaha game reserve for a Safari; the kids are very excited about going! Then after we safari all day we head back down to Iringa and stay the night again, then on Wednesday we will get to go to Market there and look around. Then we will head back to Kibidula and pack up quickly that evening for Lake Malawi and we will head out Thursday morning and come back the following Tuesday. I may not get reception out at the lake so if you don’t here from me just know that we are okay but we have no reception for the computer. I hope it will work out there but just in case it doesn’t I wanted to mention it.

Thomas told us that 2 days before we got here someone had killed a boonslang and skinned it out. Boonslangs are poisonous tree snakes that have fangs in the back of their mouths. They are fairly docile and really have to chew to inject venom; they mainly eat birds out of the trees. He then told us they have puff adders, and green mamba’s too but that snakes are pretty elusive around here.

Mat spotted a blind snake yesterday and was very happy with himself to be able to add one more specimen to his list of observations.

The girls spend a lot of time playing with Helena and Arriane and their many animals they have. We hope everyone had a good holiday yesterday and didn’t eat to much food. Love and miss all.

A scene from part of the soccer game that we played on thanksgiving day. So much fun!