Abundance

Posted on Friday, November 21, 2008 at 04:40

Mom was pleased with how nice the church looks. The sanctuary is all done. I was so thankful when we were done. The fumes were overpowering, but we are happy with the results.

My dad arrived home safely. His trip was uneventful.  We heard from him and the other half of our group would be very interested in what he wrote since he shared in our worships about their struggles at EVI. He wrote:

“Things are great at EVI. I praise the Lord every time I think of it. All the onions are sold as well as the tomatoes. Whole Foods Inc, can't get enough of our produce. They made all of their staff taste our tomatoes as opposed to other tomatoes and it was unanimous. Our tomatoes won hands down. We are getting $2.50 per pound now, $3.00 in Dec and $3.50 in January till spring. We had seven guests in our LSC in Nov. We've paid off our $150,000 loan and have $91,000 over and above. I don't know what the Lord did, but I'm surprised, and overwhelmed with gratitude. We already have five guests for our Dec program and I hope that number grows.

No doubt, things could go south again, but for the moment I am reveling in some good news. I didn't come home to any disasters, which counts for a lot.”

Before the rest of our group left we decided to buy Barasa and Yona a bicycle each. Today mom went to Ikonda and picked up the bicycles that she had ordered. We presented the bikes to them and you should have seen their smiles!!! They were so pleased. Miriam knows she is getting a sewing machine when we can get it picked up. They are all happy. Yono rode away with his little ones running squealing behind him.

The boys and Vanessa and Brianna went with Memere to see the town, since they had not been yet. They had fun buying some fabric. The boys are getting some shirts made by Miriam. She can’t make them now, but mom can bring them later.

Our work today was a little different then what we have up to now. We worked in the orchard. Jon pruned, some of us weeded around the trees, some slashed the grass in the rows and Steve ran back and forth with a 5 gallon jug watering each tree after we had finished with it. We had not had rain here in over a week, but  we only got have the job done and it is now pouring… so, Steve might have wasted his energy.

Jon is getting his hair cut at the moment and Jonah is next… he might go kicking and screaming, but his mother is determined that as long as he lives in their family he must look civilized and not like some wild mountain man! His curls give him an extra 2 inches in height and I think he is proud of that.

The girls are playing banana grams and the boys are drying their wet clothes by the fire. Leila isn’t happy that she isn’t allowed to play the game or sit so close to the fire! Poor kiddo. Life is so hard when you are two.

I scrubbed up one of our footlockers and removed all the writing and then I wrote Lea Nzali on the lid and presented it to her. She is the gal who teaches the sewing school and has been working endlessly on all our orders of dresses and skirts. I was beginning to feel really bad she had to work so hard for us. I paid her for the dresses my girls had made and then gave her the tote. She was sooo thrilled!  It takes so little to please them.

We are looking forward to Sabbath. Tomorrow Yono has the sermon and we are having one great big potluck. With the inside of the church all painted it should be nice.

To Bethany

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, November 21, 2008 at 10:47 - Link

Hi Bethany,
How are you today? I am sure that you are enjoying a wonderful Sabbath by now, or at least you will be soon. Here it is Friday and we are getting ready for Sabbath. This week we have the "Homeless Ministry" to provide food for. Mrs. Anderson (Pastors wife) called me this morning to find out what kind of food to bring. We had a nice time chatting together.

I talked to Yannika last night, and she told me that she has been keeping up with Mrs. Fords blog most of the time. She also said that she cant wait to see you when you come home in December. She has been really busy with school, work and music. She was getting ready for an English test and a Bible test last night. It seems that every time I talk to her she is preparing for some big test or project.

Next Wednesday, Grandma and Grandpa Wallace will be coming down for Thanksgiving. They will stay here till the following Monday. Of course Grandpa was requesting gluten steak sandwiches for at least one of the meals while he is here. We will also enjoy some apple pie, Thai curry, and some Indian curry.

Tomorrow I am teaching Primary class and we hope that McKenzie will be able to make it. We are so looking forward to seeing them and hearing all their stories. Our mission story is still Clever Queen, and that reminds me... I had better read up a little on it, so I can tell it tomorrow.

Please keep Kendall and Lacey and Mrs. Axelson in your prayers. They are having a hard time. Kendall reads this blog every day. It keeps you closer to her heart. She misses you alot.

Well, I need to go and finish the laundry, and help the girls with school.

I love you lots :)

Mom

Happy Sabbath!

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, November 21, 2008 at 06:52 - Link

Dave, Kristen, and girls, and the rest of the gang should be here any time. They called when they left Sea Tac to say they were on their way.

Jon, they packed 140 bins from Mick's. 95% packout, 90% US 1, peaking on 80s, 90s, 70s, 100s. Concord packout was 90%. Most were 80s and 70s. 90% US 1.

The guys finished pruning Mick's today. Hired 4 more pruners. I finished taking out trees. Finished Mick's young trees. Started Moubray's. Four rows done.

Glad to hear everyone is feeling better. And that you got so much done. Now relax. Like me!

Last Sabbath we went for a walk along the canal with Ratcliffs. Nick and I walked to the point. The others 2/3s of the way. Jared was taking pictures with his new camera. He is pretty proud of it.

You guys had better start talking about your next mission project. There is over $5,000. in the fund already.

The crew just arrived so I'd better send this and go see them.

Love and prayers to all.
Grandpa, Eldon, Dad and Grandma, Ronnie, Mom

Happy Sabbath

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, November 21, 2008 at 07:41 - Link

Happy Sabbath!
Thank you Teresa for your e-mail. It was good to hear from you. I miss talking to you but I am surviving by reading the blogs and enjoying all the stories.
A bug found me and I ended up in the bathroom most of Tuesday night sitting on the throne and holding the wastebasket. I also had the chills. I slept all day Wednesday. Thursday I felt better but only with my head on the pillow. The only problem was that I had sent out 50 invitations for my annual Creative Memories Open House for Thursday evening. So we kept praying that I would start feeling better so I wouldn't have to cancel. Dad was offering me food and liquids but nothing sounded good. Finally Thursday noon I got up and felt fine. I ate a bowl of Top Ramen, took a shower, had my open house and went to work today. It was a miracle and I had the best sales I have ever had, $900.00. Praise the Lord!
I am sure gald everyone is feeling better and pray that you will all stay healthy.
I found out something interesting when talking to my cousin Couleen. She asked what the lastest was from Africa. I mentioned that you were going to Lake Malawi and she reminded me about our cousin Alma's husband Henny Zinke. Henny's parents named him Henoch---German for Enoch. He had a almond orchard in Chowchilla California but once he gave over the orchard to his son he began to travel. He usally went alone. He had traveled all over the world and hiked Half Dome and MT. Whitney. His extensive travels included Alaska, Australia, New Zealand, China, the Holy Lands, Russia and Europe at least a dozen times. He rafted down Snake, Colorado and the Kings rivers. He would love to visit the mission stations and helped in their projects during his travels. So June of 1991 Henny was visiting Tanizania Africa. He was at Lake Malawi and on June 5 he decided to go on a hike. Someone was walking along the beach and found his clothes and billfold. They sent out divers and found that he had drown. The autospy report was he had a heart attack. He had told someone that he was going hiking and it was a very hot day he must have decided to take a swim to cool off and the cold water was to much of a shock. The government was very nice and helpful to the family. He was doing what he loved to do. I wonder if he visited Kibidula or was it there in 1991? I thought you would enjoy a little family history in Africa.
Have a wonderful Sabbath!
Love and prayers for each one.
Mom (Yvonne)

Jonah

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, November 21, 2008 at 08:04 - Link

I sure wish you had come home with Uncle Dave. So I would have some help pruning young trees. And to keep me company. I have been talking to myself quite a lot lately. And my hearing isn't as good as it used to be. So I have to ask myself to repeat what I just said a lot. Any way it is causing a lot of confusion. Maybe the solution is to talk less to myself and talk more to the dogs. Let me know if you know how to solve this dilemma.
I also could have used your help fertilizing. And mowing.
Whirlwind misses you a lot.

Love and see you soon,

Grandpa

To Bethany

Posted by Daddy on Friday, November 21, 2008 at 08:31 - Link

Dear Bethany,
Well, I looked on my map of world daylight and it looks like Sabbath morning sunlight has been up for at least a little bit. I hope it's a beautiful day for you. We watched one of the newest Walter Veith DVD's for worship tonight, and are getting ready to go to bed now. Looks like Mommy filled you in on most of the news, but I thought to at least write you a note to wish you a Happy Sabbath and let you know that I love you and am so proud of you.
It sounds like everyone made it home ok. I don't know if we'll see them tomorrow or not cause about time we get ready to go to church, they'll all be about ready to go to bed! It'll probably take them all a few days to get used to what time it is here.
It's only a few more weeks now and then we'll get to have a party to welcome you home too!
Well, Mommy just shoo'd your sisters off to bed and is starting to turn lights out, so i guess that's my sign to wrap things up too... ;)
Have a wonderful day,
Daddy

We're HOME!!!

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, November 22, 2008 at 07:24 - Link

Hey everyone,
Just wanted to let you all know that we made it home!! After 24 hours in a plane, 8 hours in airports and 3 hoursin a car .....we made it! It's a killer though. Definitely not something to look forward to. Be prepared. I have been so dizzy since we've been home after so many hours in the air. Came home and took a hot shower and went to bed in my own bed, and slept sooo good... until about 4:30 and then was wide awake. Oh well. Got up and unpacked enough to function. Had only slept about 3 hours on the whole trip so I'm sure I'll be making up for it over the next few days.
We were all asleep in the truck on the way home and when we woke up we were at Grandma and Grandpas house( our house I guess now). Anyway, my whole family was there and Dad had brought us there to surprise us with what he and Jon got done while we were gone! I felt like I was on an episode of "Extreme Home Makeover"! OK, maybe I'm exaggerating a little about how much they got done, but with what they got done, I was so excited! They got all the wall paper and popcorn ceiling down in the upstairs and on the main floor, retextured the ceilings, completely painted everything on those floors, and took the liberty of throwing up a few red walls here and there at random. It looks nice and it's so much less work for us. Matt is coming for the weekend and is bringing stuff to switch out some of the electrical stuff. We hope to start moving tonight and have enough of the big stuff in by Monday to be living in there before Dave goes to work on Tuesday.
We'll see how we feel though.
We found out yesterday that Matt is coming this weekend for Thanksgiving and Ronnie invited all my family for dinner today too. So Jon, we'll eat two Thanksgiving dinners this week in remembrance of you! I didn't think Talls were going to do Thanksgiving because nobody was going to be around but Matt talked your mom into it I guess. It will be nice to get together with everyone. We weren't going to go to church today either... but I guess since the girls and I are up we might as well go. Kenzie is wearing her new dress today and it looks really cute. Dakota would like to wear her skirt but it's too cold here. No snow but frost and cool. We built a fire in the stove last night and it felt so good.
So glad you guys got plenty of food finally. I was beginning to think you were all going to wither away!
And I'm so glad to hear Barasa, Jona and Miriam liked their gifts. I wish I could have been there to see the looks on their faces! How exciting!
Tell Teresa we met and saw some families on the way home who had just adopted from Ethiopia. The kids were so beautiful and some had interesting stories. I'll tell her when she gets home. Also, Teresa, I'll write later about what I got for the family and few more thing I need you to get for me if you can. The other thing is shop early, because trying to do it in the last few days is a nightmare and Cindy and I were exhausted just from the energy it takes to constantly bargain with people. I actually don't care to shop again for a very long time.:-)
McKenzie says to tell all the Talls hi and everybody else too. And she says she misses you all. She says to tell Izzy that somehow we ended up with her Rush Hour game as well as Kenzie's, so if she's looking for it that is where it is. Sorry! Oh, and she wrote Izzy's name on her Rush Hour game so they won't get confused. Oh and she wanted to tell you all that she saw her elephant in the game park as we drove to Dar. It was a baby and so cute!
Angela, we had trouble with the airlines again not having vegetarian meals for us and by the end of the flights we were so grossed out that we just couldn't eat, so Cindy was going to try to call the travel agent to see if she could make sure that that was taken care by the time you guys fly. We'll see.
Ok, well just wanted to touch base with you guys. Be strong and of good courage.:-) You can do it! I'll be in touch again much more I'm sure.
Much love to our family there...... and to the rest of you too!:-) Happy Sabbath!
Kristen and Kenzie

Dakota will write later, she wanted to write her own.

I miss you!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, November 22, 2008 at 08:28 - Link

Hey everybody,
well as it says in moms comment we got home safely and tiredly. If sure isn't the same riding on the plane with half the people. I miss you all sooo much.
'nessa: I'm writing you an email, hope to send it soon.
Jonah: I'm sorry you had to get your hair cut!!! it looks way different here without the leaves on the trees. I ate Taco Time on the way home last night, now I know it's not Taco Bell but it sure was good until we got home. My stomach was killing me!!!
Sam: It hasn't snowed yet although it's FREEZING cold. we're having Thanksgiving today, I'll eat an extra helping of Turkey Loaf for you. I miss you.
Uncle jon and aunti: we have a nice hot fire going in stove!!! Tell Isy and Leila "HI" for me.
Miss ya'll. Love you guys.
Have fun at Kibidula and Malawi.
Love,
Kota
P.S. I'll write later.

Teresa

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, November 22, 2008 at 03:58 - Link

Today after church Pam came running to show me photos of Jennifer's babies. Sadie is dark like Jennifer and Pam said her personality is like Jennifer too. Sean is light and is quiet like his dad although Pam said when he now wakes up he lets out a cry that he wants to eat now. Sadie has alot of hair. They are home but can't take them out for 6 months. Pam goes down and helps with the night feeding. Jennifer is doing ok but it is a challenge to nurse them at the same time. They are cute and Pam is a very proud of them. She told me to be sure to let you know that I have seen their pictures. She said you should go on Jennifer's blog and you can also see their pictures. But you probably don't have it with you.
Debby Godman McCraver is due about the time you come home.
Love you! Mom