Life in the Mission

Posted on Saturday, November 22, 2008 at 09:09

 We were so excited to have 4 comments and one email (hotmail sometimes works for me, verizon never!) to read Sabbath morning.  It was a blessing to hear from home. I even heard from Julie… amazing! Ford’s might actually have some relatives on the other side of the ocean, after all. I have some comments from the other part of our group to read this morning and a few others. Weekends are good!! We hear more from home.

Church was good. Yona had the sermon and he shared a little of their experiences in getting this place going. It was helpful for us to see what part we have had in coming here. It may have seemed to those who already left that we didn’t have that much of an impact on the people here, but it isn’t so. We are really learned to know the people more in the last few weeks. Metu sat on my lap all through church and wore me out .LOL!

Yesterday we asked Alex, one of the lads that come to play soccer every evening to take us to his home. He’s a bright lad of 14 and is about the size of Matt. He is full of energy, acrobatic and very happy. He lives just up behind the orphan home and I think he is an orphan. He took us to his home and we were introduced to his grandmother. He went into the hut and popped out with a cute guinea pig much to the kid’s delight. It was a photogenic little creature. Alex and his grandmother don’t have much, but he was very, very proud of his piece of land.  There were of a group of 4 brothers (also soccer players) tagging along with us so they took us to their house next. The oldest is 16 and the youngest 4. It was obvious that their status was above that of Alex, but they are friends. The father of these fellows is a school teacher. They had three brick buildings surrounded by a fence. In one was a couch in another was a bicycle. They had a pig and piglet in pens high off the ground. They were friendly pigs.

We met some kids jump roping and of course, Jon and Steve had to show them that they could jump, too.

Some of the group decided that we needed to have a potluck for our last Sabbath here. So, since it was Abi’s turn to cook she and Miriam made quite a lot of food. It was a good thing…. I was a little worried that the people would not understand the concept of a potluck so I stressed to Barasa to tell everyone that they needed bring their plate and spoon and some food the share. They didn’t get it. Only Lea brought plates and a loaf of bread. Brent brought some plates and forks and some food. Otherwise, that was it. We have a funny picture of Chris eating off a big platter with a giant serving spoon and Teresa eating out of a peanut butter bucket with a measuring spoon. The rest of us did shifts with our kids. The people enjoyed the food and the fellowship. We had quite a time getting the spaghetti off the floor.

I immediate took sick after lunch. Something did not sit right and I was running to the cho and bloated and cramped terrible for the rest of the day and night. I guzzled a jar of charcoal much to the kid’s amusement …. Black teeth and lips!  I am fine this morning and actually left for Lupalilo with mom at 5 AM to get cement. It’s almost breakfast time. Steve and Vanessa made it for me… which is kind of sad since Vanessa and Brianna made my supper last night, too. However, I wasn’t the only was who was sick and a half a dozen people could not eat supper but were not in quite as much pain as I .

There is no water in the ditch this morning so the men and boys are off hauling water from the spring for the fundis to make their cement, Leila is happily sucking on a mango pit on my lap, and mom and some of the gals are pulling a tooth in the church. I guess  the lady pinched mom pretty hard and is groaning and moaning terrible. Hannah came back because she says it’s hard to listen to. The tooth broke and mom is digging it out of the jaw

Last night they watched a dvd last night at the church and the termites came in clouds. There are thousands of wings all over the floor. They are grey and about an inch long. Where the film was shown the wall is covered in wings because the paint wasn’t quite dry! What a horrid mess!!!!

Barasa told Jon that before we leave we really ought to visit Mekete. So, Jon says, “Do you think that you could take me on the back of your new bicycle?”

Barasa patted Jon’s belly and said, “Ah…. I don’t know you might be too big.”

Jon is like, “But look since I have come here my belt has gone from this to this,” as he shows his belt holes.

Barasa, “Ah…! but that is good because Obese is not good!!!”

Hahaaa!! Anyone who knows Jon knows there is not much chub there.

Chris passed his kidney stone at midnight. His girls think they can find it outside… Jon teased that he thought he heard a pig squealing at about 2 minutes after 12!! Chris is fine and very glad to have passed that stone.

Untitled Comment

Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, November 23, 2008 at 02:43 - Link

Hi there! Just to let you know... we're planning a Thanksgiving potluck meal at the Ross family's house. They've invited us all over. See you all Wednesday! Antionette
PS. How are you all getting here?