Bag of Blessings

Today we went to visit Ana, also known as Mama Remi.  Ana is a widow in our church who have been going through a difficult time recently.  Her husband died a few years ago and she lost her arm in a bus accident around ten years ago.  Most of her children live far away and she has to find a way to survive here.  It's important to us and Africa Harvest of Hope to help the helpless. 

Ana is a faithful member of our church even though she has to walk a long way to get there.  Her English is very limited but she always says three things to me - "I love you,"" I miss you" and "God Bless You." Then she speaks in Kiswahili and I just smile and nod.  She knows I don't understand her yet, but I want her to know that I care about what she has to stay.

 Her house is a bit far and hard to find.  So, Redemta, our pastor's wife, came with us to show us the way.

This visit was to say hello, pray with her and bring her a small bag of blessings.  We bought a few basics to help out: tea leaves, sugar, ugali flour, bread flour, rice, beans, laundry soap, dish soap and more. 

She was very happy to have us there and we were happy to be there.  She gave us tea and peanuts while we sat around and chatted.

Before we left, we prayed for her needs.  Her main prayer is that her children come to know God and live lives that honer Him.

She has a few physical needs that we hope to be able to help her with in the future.  They include patching up holes in her tin roof to keep the rain out and getting water piped into her house so she does have to go outside and collect it in buckets.

If you can remember Ana in your prayers, she would be so grateful.

Church Wide Tea

Today we had a blast at church.  It was the day of our church wide tea.  The day began very early for me.  I woke up early to make mandazis (African donuts).  I think I ended up with over 150!  Fortunately Eli cooperated and slept late so I could do most of the work before he woke up. 

At the service, George taught from James chapter 5.  Today’s topic was patience.  Life doesn’t become smooth and problem free when we become Christians.  We have to be patient and go with the trials and tribulations that come our way.

After church, we held our all church tea.  Last week George taught about sharing and caring for others.  He told them about the tea and asked them to bring something to share if they could.  Potlucks don’t happen here.  Generally when people are invited somewhere, the host provides all the food.  If you suggest going out for dinner, it is assumed you will pay the entire bill, even if there is a large group.  So, the idea of a potluck is a new thing for them.  I was curious if anyone would bring anything.  We feared some may not come because they couldn’t bring anything.  We hoped that wouldn’t be the case.  When we are able to contribute, we do.  When we can’t, that’s ok.  We can still come and receive.  I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was touched to see people coming to church with bags in their hands.

Earlier in the week, we had sent some supplies and funds to Redemta, the pastor’s wife, so she could make the tea early.  So, we had tea, mandazis, juice (Crystal Light Fruit Punch, thank you to those who sent those to us!), biscuits and the contributions of others which included chapatti, bread, rolls, bananas, and beans.  It was a nice spread.  

It took a long time to set up and I wondered why.  Couldn’t we just put it out and self-serve, buffet style?  Apparently, that wouldn’t have worked so they set up chairs around the room and used benches for tables.  Then we went around and served the tea.  Meanwhile, a few other women carefully dished out the food making sure it was divided equally.  We had a lot of people and I wasn’t sure if the food would be enough, but it was.  Everyone left with full bellies.  It was like the loaves and fishes!

At first people were quiet while they waited to be served, but then once the food and tea were served, they loosened up and we all had a great time.  We laughed and enjoyed each other’s company.  It was a really nice time.  They were so appreciative too.  I think we’ll try to do this once a month.

 Since Eli has learned to walk, he likes to be out and about.

Naomi was great and kept him entertained for a long time which freed us to visit with others.  I kept checking with her and offering to take him, but she wanted to keep him!

Because we extended church time to do this tea fellowship and the service ran long (3 hours!!!), it was decided to cancel our evening classes.  Then the ladies would have enough time to prepare their food for the evening.  I was bummed because I was excited about the lesson I planned.  It was about fearing the Lord and what that term really means.  I understood, though, and will do it next time we meet.

As we left, we both felt really happy.  It’s nice to feel like a part of the church family here.

Newsletter

Orwas Newsletter June,July 2013 by Evenings George Orwa">

Home Visit

On Wednesday, we went to visit the home of Edita, a woman from our church. She invited us to come for lunch. We arranged to go at noon since it was in between Eli's morning and afternoon nap. I was worried how Eli would do since he hadn't slept well in the morning. I figured we would eat right when we got there and then be back home in time to put Eli to bed. I hate to rush things, but a tired baby is a fussy baby and that is fun for no one. I should have known that we wouldn't be leaving as soon as I thought. The food hadn't been cooked yet. TIA (this is Africa)! It was ok though. Eli managed to hang in there pretty well and we had a nice time with Edita.

She lives in a village outside of Moshi called Majengo. She rents a small, one room "house." It's actually one of many rooms in one building that surround an open area. Because of the set up, the neighbors end up becoming close and often help each other out. Here is Edita's room. The front part acts as a sitting room and is also where she cooks and does her sewing. Behind the curtain is her bed.



One of her neighbors has two year old twins. They were very wary of Eli. He is not shy at all and immediately wanted to play with them. He hasn't learned boundaries yet and scared the girl, Mary, when he got in her face.



We tried to win her affection by bribing her with crackers, but she wanted nothing to do with us. John, her brother, was a little more open. Eventually Mary warmed up a bit, but not much. Eli wanted to sit next to them so badly, but he kept grabbing Mary's face so George had to hold his hands!



Edita was such a gracious and generous host. I always feel bad when we visit people and they treat us to a nice lunch and sodas. I know it is a huge sacrifice for them. They barely get by and it's touching that they want to honor us with a nice meal.



Here is Edita sharing food with Mary and John.



We had a great time and left stuffed. We had a chance to pray with Edita and encourage her about somethings happening in her life. She is a sweet lady and an extremely hard worker. She is an inspiration to me.

Tomato

Mom: Eli... what did you do with the tomato?

Eli: What tomato?



Eli: Oh this tomato?



Eli: Ummmmm... it was....



Eli: Delicious and squishy!

Joy in Trials

Sunday we were back to our normal schedule. George began the morning by continuing to preach from James. Now he is in James Chapter 5. That morning he went through verses one through six. James was writing to Christians, but was addressing the rich. James warned them not to pile up riches. After all, it won't help us in the long run Instead, we need to focus on Christ and the eternal riches we find in him. George talked about the Israelites and the manna. God told them to gather what they needed for the day. It made them learn to rely on Him for their needs. George reminded the congregation that true richness is in sharing with others. People may not have much to give, but God isn't concerned about the amount we have. There is nothing wrong with being wealthy. It's how we view money and what we do with it that counts. God cares about our hearts So, George encouraged everyone to share what they have and not hoard things. Invite a neighbor over for lunch, buy someone groceries, just do what you can.

As a way to practice what we preach, we invited them to join us for a tea fellowship next Sunday. We'll bring the tea and treats and we asked them to bring something, if they are able. Like in the US, it's easy for people to dart out right after the service ends so we hope this will encourage them to stay and fellowship for a while.

In the afternoon class, they discussed the verses in James further and how many of us envy rich people and focus on what they don't have instead of focusing on the everlasting riches of Christ.

The ladies and I had a nice time discussing finding joy in the midst of trials. I feel like it can be a cliche topic. We all know the Bible says to consider it joy when we go through trials, but how do we put that into practice? Trials hurt! It's often hard to feel joyful. So, we discussed why we go through trials (there can be many reasons) and looked at what the Bible says about them. We shared examples from our own life when we felt God's peace and joy even though the circumstances around us were difficult. This actually took more time than I thought. I had to throw out my lesson and just listen to the ladies. I love it when they open up and didn't want to limit them. We wrapped up with practical advice on how to feel joyful. What do we do when we feel scared, overwhelmed, hurt, etc.? Turn our eyes to Jesus. Stop for a little while. Take your mind off your burdens by beginning to focus on who God is. List His attributes. Remember what He has done in the past. Renew your trust in Him. After turning away from the trial and turning towards God, we may not have the answers, but we WILL find peace and joy in who God is and find the strength to get through the hard time.

Tea or Not to Tea

Tea is a huge part of the culture here. Like George's mom says, "any time is tea time." Although I knew this, I was still shocked to see George's cousin's daughter drinking tea in her bottle. At the time she was seven months. The American in me thought, "you can't give a baby tea! There is caffeine and sugar in there!" I have been very strict with Eli about what he drinks. I like to make sure he is well hydrated, especially because of the hot weather here. So, I give him lots of water, never juice, soda or tea. He is a great water drinker. I am afraid if he has sips of other drinks, he won't drink water anymore. In the US, we don't want kids to consume drinks with sugar. Childhood obesity is growing so we are cautious about it. If it were up to George, Eli would have had tea long ago. It's just what they do here. Also, you rarely see an obese child so they don't worry about the extra sugar.

Recently I began thinking about it and wondering if it's something I need to give in to. If it's in moderation, it should be ok, right? I mean, he is African and is growing up here so he needs to learn and like the culture. Same thing with ugali and omena. He is a Luo so he must love those things. It's another example of balancing our two cultures.

I'm still not sure what we will do. I just feels wrong to give a child tea, but kids here drink tea and are just fine. We'll see what happens.

11 Months

Eli is 11 months old tomorrow. Woo hoo! This was the most fun yet. The biggest thing that occurred this past month was Eli learning to walk. He crawled for only a week before he began walking. It began with a few tentative steps that made me wonder, is this it? Is he really starting to walk? I didn't think he would be an early walker, but he was. From that point on, he was off! He loves that he can walk. Sometimes he walks around in various directions just because he likes to walk. I still am not used to him walking into a room where I am. It's so cute! It's like he is saying, "hey, what's up mom? Watchya doing in here?" A couple days ago, he mastered going up and down the step from our porch to the house.

Here he is wandering down the hallway looking for George.



The most noticeable changes this month have not been physical, but cerebral. He is learning, understanding and retaining so much. I am fascinated by his mental growth. Now I know why all parents think their babies are geniuses. It's because it's so exciting and incredible when they learning something new. They started off as alien looking blobs and now they are able to communicate. Amazing.

Eli can identify parts of his body. My favorite is his tummy. When we ask, "where is your tummy, he grabs it with both hands." He is also good at following directions. If a shoe falls off, I'll say, "Eli you lost a shoe. Bring it here." And he does. I'll also tell him to go get Nala's toy (she only has one) and throw it, and he does. He also can pick out the right book if we recite a few lines from it.

He is also quite mischievous. He knows what he is not allowed to play with. He really love s wires, plugs and cords. When we catch him holding something he shouldn't have, we say Eli no and bust him on it. He immediately holds it up and gives it to us like, "oh this cord, I was just getting it for you."

Eli is a crack up. He likes to laugh and smiles all the time. He rarely has a bad, fussy day. He is learning to entertain himself which is nice for us. He loves to explore the house now that he is walking. He has become Mr. Independent and doesn't want to hold our hands when we walk with him.

Next up... Eli turns 1!

Politically Incorrect

A few days ago, we were in the grocery store browsing in the clothing section. We never get anything, but it's fun to look around. When passing by the underwear section, I saw something that made me laugh. There were packages of underwear of various sizes. There aren't many overweight people here so finding larger sizes isn't common. Well some company decided to market to plus size women. Right on the package with a size of 4x it said, "For Fat Women." I laughed out loud and had to show George. That would NEVER be on clothing in the US where we are concerned about being politically correct and not offending anyone. Here, that is not an issue where size is concerned. Being politically correct isn't part of the culture. When referring to someone's size, it's simply an observation and not an insult. Being larger myself, it's something I have had to accept and get used to. And the funny thing is that even though it says 4x, it probably is comparable to an XL in the US. Their large sizes aren't very big. I just thought the packaging was really funny. This culture is blunt and to the point which is even reflected in underwear packaging!

Medical Camp

George and I have an opportunity to go to Kenya for a week in August. George is offering his services as a laboratory technologist to a team coming from California to do a medical camp in a rural area. We weren't sure if Eli and I were going to be able to go, but we just decided to go for it. It's important for us to do ministry as a family. So, hopefully, as George runs a basic lab and helps out in other ways, I'll be able to help too. That is, when I am not chasing after Eli. Although God has us in Tanzania, Kenya is home and still very much on our hearts. We are excited to be able to go there to help at this camp where they will not only help with physical needs to people who badly need it, but where they will share the Gospel as well.

Stubbornness

This morning at church we had a guest speaker. Her name is Rita and she has known Pastor Zac and his family for years. She and her husband sponsor and run an orphanage and do other projects here. Although they are US based, they come here several times a year. Rita shared with us a message God put on her heart. And that was about stubbornness. She did a great job at showing how being stubborn to God's will for our lives, can hurt us spiritually and at times physically. She had good Biblical examples as well as examples from recent life. She encouraged us to submit to God's will. He has a plan for each of us. Each of us has a promise land that the Lord has waiting for us. Unfortunately, the road to it doesn't always match what we want. Sometimes the road hurts, but we have to trust God everyday to provide for our needs and have faith that He knows what is best for us and that He has a reason for everything.

It was a great message. One that I needed to hear. She is from California so it was also nice to talk with someone from home and discuss our love of Mexican food! With her, she brought the kids living in her home. They all looked so healthy and happy. Hopefully we'll be able to visit her place and see how she was able to do things.

Our evening classes were cancelled due to a meeting in the evening which gathered many churches together. So, we had the afternoon off. It was nice to be home early and just enjoy some down time with Eli.

(How cute are these photos? This is while we were waiting for a taxi to take us to church this morning.)

Camp Planning

Yesterday we met with Pastor Zac to continue planning the youth camp we are putting on in August. Zac is leaving for his pastors school tomorrow so this was our last chance to meet with him for a month. There is a lot to do when planning to host 50 kids! We had to make a budget for their food and lodging. Compared to camps in the US, these kids will be roughing it, but for them it will be fun. The girls will be sleeping in the church building, the boys will be sleeping in another building and we'll construct a tented area for the teaching and activities. I am really excited for this camp. I remember going to many when I was a kid and loving it. We had fun and learned about the Lord. That is what we are hoping will happen during this camp. We'll be teaching about the life of David, doing various topical seminars. Please pray for us as we work out the logistics. US camps can cost over $200 per child, but we will be able to do the whole thing for less than $20 per kid for the whole weekend. Although it's cheap, the kids are not able to contribute much. They will be asked to contribute 1000 Tanzanian shillings which is about 75 cents. And that will even be difficult for some to come up with. We won't turn any away if they can't afford it. So, we are planning by faith that the Lord will provide for all the needs. We'll keep you updated on how everything is going and would appreciate your prayers!

Good Bye Nancy

On Tuesday, Nancy headed back to Kenya. It was so nice to have her here. Being with family makes us very happy. We really miss both sides of our families. It was nice for George to have someone to speak Luo with and to enjoy some yummy Kenyan cooking.



On Nancy's last night, we went out to dinner. We realized that since the last team left last October, we have never gone out to dinner! It was a nice treat to go out as a family.

Eli had fun running around.




They even had a high chair for him to use. He did fairly well in it as long as we kept him busy with food. Before the food arrived, he just threw all his toys off it.... repeatedly.



This restaurant is unique and has a huge menu. They are known for their Indian cuisine. Here is how they serve it.



Eli liked it!



He also loved sucking on a chicken bone, making his father extremely proud and probably giving his grandma a heart attack (right Mom?). He clutched that thing for at least 30 minutes after we got home.



We all had a great time.





It was a special and fun way to end Nancy's time with us.

Nancy

For the past five days, we have been blessed with a visit from George's sister, Nancy. It has been so nice to have family here. On Friday, we took her to Marangu Falls. It's only an hour from Moshi and is really beautiful. We went there with my Mom and Al and loved it just as much the second time around.

Marangu Falls is at the base of Mt. Kilimanjaro and is where many people begin their climb up the mountain. It's absolutely beautiful.









Eli has had a great time with Auntie Nancy.



The guys (George and Eddie, our friend and taxi driver) were great sports and dove into the frigid water.



Even Eli got to dip his toes in.



Proof I was there too.



Eli had a blast walking and crawling around in the grass. He is finally old enough to explore.



Fun Day.

Walking

It's official. Eli is walking.



And we are in trouble! He has no fear of anything and tries to run. We have to grab the back of his shirt to keep him from falling. I think it's because he is used to leaning forward in his walker to go forward. When he actually slows down, he walks very well.

Speaking of the walker. ...I think he has outgrown it. How do we know? He is now walking in it while lifting it up and carrying it. It's hilarious!



I'll miss it though. It was good to us and is thoroughly thrashed. Eli used it so much. It is now being held together by duct tape so I think it's time to bid it farewell.