A Week in Africa - Friday

Its a pretty typical morning today although we had two exciting things:

1. We had bread with breakfast - which is always a treat.

2. We have our first egg!

Nia triumphantly holds out the first egg from our chickens.

8:30a - Florencia should be coming so Mat has to get water for laundry. I let the girls do some water painting while I finish up a few things.

The girls working hard.

9a - Mat goes to meet Peter for prayer and we decide to start school early.

10:45a - After a short day, we finish school.

11a - Mat comes back with news that we are causing division in TZ. Apparently the man whole welcomed the original TIMO team in Pahi served as an "informant" of sorts to the head Islamic leaders. The article talked about how white people are taking over the Kondoa district and hundreds of people are converting to Christianity each day (a nice thought although not actually happening). The article talks about how these people come as learners, they help the poor and the sick. It says they are building schools and helping with water issues etc. The article talks of these white people trying to convert their people to Christianity. Well, some of the things they are saying is true and we do live in the Kondoa district. A lot of the work they are mentioning is due to success in Pahi from the original TIMO team. They have started a church and school there. The Christian school boards hundreds of girls, some of them being Muslims wanting a good education and finding faith in Christ as a result. The article mentions there is a division among the Muslims who accept these Christians and those who don't.

This was interesting news to us because we have notices there has been less interactions with our neighbors this week. We really don't know if it is due to this article but it seems coincidental timing that our neighbor, who is an elder among the Muslims, has stopped coming by our house everyday like He usually does. We know God has everything planned and we will wait and see if there are any positive or negative affects of this.

One other thing Mat returned with was Thailie's Birthday dress. Back in October we let her pick out material to have Ruthie, Peter's wife, make her an African dress. Well, she has finished it and Thailie LOVES it!

Ecstatic little girl in her new dress.

11:30a - Florencia comes to do laundry. Our tank is running low so we were hoping for some rain, with no rains Mat has to get more water.

Florencia makes use of Mat's tarp shelter to keep her out of the sun. Also, I did not catch her in this position, this is how they stand when they do just about any housework - laundry, dishes, sweeping, moping etc. It is back breaking for me!

I see a bunch of girls holding baby Shazma, our neighbor's baby, so I come out to hold her. As I take her I have in mind the fact that they are some of the people we haven't seen much of since the article came out. The girls see Thai playing with puzzles and want to know how they work so they come in. Meanwhile, I get Shezma to sleep and one of our neighbors comes with change for us. We tell her we're going to Arusha for a week and she tells us she wants a coal cooker - yep, it's totally normal here to ask for a gift when someone goes somewhere.

I just prayed yesterday for Thailie to have some girls to play with!

After awhile, Thailie wanted to hold Shazma. The other girl in the picture, we found out, is the daughter of the man who owns our house.

Even missionaries have to have fun, Jared comes to pick us up, we get the Mashauri's and head to the girls' house for football, Cheetos, a fire and roasting marshmallows - We are all thankful for the things we find in care packages!

 

Jared's brother has been sending him all the Bears games so we get together to "be American"

Teaching the Africans how to roast marshmallows.

 

The marshmallows were a fun treat - the Africans had never tried them before.

I think they liked them! Sarah gives us a gooey smile.

Something just didn't seem right when Jared pulled the guitar out - to play Christmas songs!

 

Time to go home. It was a fun, but late night. Nia in her pjs and Thailie fell asleep in Megan's lap.