20 Months

Eli is a hoot. He is so funny and talks so much. He knows many, many words now. He is constantly surprising us with new ones. Eli is awesome at names. He quickly learns the names of people and then uses them from then on. And, he keeps talking about them later in the day. He’ll name them and something he associates with them. For example, a little girl in the play group is named Chi-Chi and one time she told Eli “acha” which means “stop it” or “leave it.” So when we pass her street, he says “Chi-Chi… acha.” Or if I tell him “acha” he’ll say it.

Eli is incredible at directions and knowing where he is. I think it’s his superpower! Even if we have been somewhere only once, he’ll point it out as we pass it or go near the street where it is. For example, there is a shop owned by an older man that we go to every now and then, hardly often. He has given Eli a lollipop twice. “Babu” is the word for “grandpa” so when we drive down the street, Eli says “Babu’s shop…. sweets.” He really impresses me. First that he knows when we are on that street and second that he remembers the owners “name” and that he was given sweets. I love that he speaks English and Kiswahili. At church on Sunday, he was saying “Amen” and Amina (the Kiswahili word for “Amen”) while George was teaching. It was so funny. He also has a grasp on possessions. He’ll say “Mama’s purse” or “Papa’s tea.” Plural as well…. Socks vs sock.

As Eli ages, he grows more independent and focal about his preferences. Today he told me “Mama acha.” Who is he to tell me to “stop it”?! A typical toddler! We are still having to use “time outs.” Some days not at all, some days, 10 times it seems. For some reason he likes to pour out drinks and decides it’s so fun that it’s worth going to time out for. He tries to get out of time outs by immediately turning to us and saying sorry while hugging our legs. If it’s a minor infraction, we may let it slide. However, if it’s something big like hitting us or Nala or doing something he knows he shouldn’t do, like pouring out water, he for sure goes to time out for a few minutes.

Eli still sleeps very well. 12 hours straight at night. However, he is learning how to drag out bed time. One more book, one more song, one more person he wants to talk about. It’s pretty humorous. I didn’t realize what he was doing at first. He’ll just start rattling off people’s names, things in books or stuff he did that day as I am trying to put him in his crib. He also just started faking “owwies.” As soon as I lay him down, he’ll say “owwie” and touch some random part of his body, hoping I will stay longer. I just quickly rub it and then say good night (for the 55th time).

We are working on manners. He has “please” down . We used to have to prompt him to say it, now he does on his own. Now we are working on “thank you.” For some reason, he says “Asante” (the Kiswahili word) quicker than “thank you.” Either one is ok with me. He still is very friendly and says hello and good bye to everyone, whether he knows them or not.

Eli is getting more advanced in his playtime. He is learning to play with toys better, as opposed to seeing them as objects to eat, throw or break. He has started to do “pretend” play. One day after a long nap, I went in to pick him up and he was crawling around his crib, barking like a dog. He thought it was funny when I called him “Nala.” He also has a small blanket with a bear head on it. He calls it “baby.” He likes to wrap it in a blanket and put it to bed in his swing. It’s so cute.



Overall, he’s just wonderful. Draining at times, but a huge source of joy. Love him.

Here are some photos from last month...

He still loves to sweep! And wear Papa's shoes!







Eli plays drums anywhere he can.



One morning, he was really quiet out on the porch and I found him sitting in a bucket looking out at the yard.



He loves to sit on curbs and begs us to join him.... "Papa sit!"

Health Outreach at the Playground

At last the clouds parted and the sun shined! Friday and Saturday were sunny and warm so our health outreach at the playground was a go. When we got there, a bunch of kids were waiting for us. Unfortunately, their parents were nowhere to be found. That was going to complicate things. We couldn’t give medication to the kids without their parent’s presence and permission. So, the leader of the ministry went door to door to gather the moms. Finally we had a little group of five moms so we decided to begin. Slowly, our little group grew and we eventually saw around 25 moms. I began by welcoming them and giving them a talk about worms – where they come from, how to prevent them, what the symptoms are, etc. George added some additional info and then we thanked them for coming. We knew they had a bunch of work waiting for them at home so coming was a big sacrifice. We also thanked them for allowing their kids to come to the playground. We love their kids and hope they experience God’s love for them as well. Then the moms lined up and we passed out the de-worming medicine. We asked them how many kids were in their house and gave them as many as they needed. We came with enough medicine for 100 kids and by the time we were done, all the medicine was passed out.



While we met with the moms, the kids played. They were separated into groups and rotated to different activities.



Meanwhile, George and I hung out to talk to moms that showed up late. In addition to the de-worming health talk, we brought supplies for wound care. We set up a wound care station in a tent and George was able to help kids with wounds. The first boy ended up chickening out half way through and ran out. I think he thought he was getting an injection (he wasn’t) so we had to tell the other kids their wounds are only getting cleaned and there was nothing to be afraid of. George cleaned their wounds and told them how to keep them clean each day.



It was a little bit of a hard day for Eli. He wanted to run around with all the other kids, but because we were busy, we couldn't keep an eye on him if did. So, he had to stick close to us. He did very well for the most part.



Overall, it was a really neat time. It was great to have the parents there so they could see what we are doing with the kids. It was nice to be able to have something to give them as well. Worms are small creatures that cause huge problems, but are easily treated (usually). Hopefully the kids and parents were blessed that day. I know we were. Thanks to RdR and all you who gave so we could get the medicine and supplies for this event. We couldn’t do it without you.

Rescheduled

Ok, so we are rescheduling the medical outreach for this coming Saturday. Yay! As George likes to say "God is never late" so we trust in His timing. The good thing is that we are pretty much all set to go. We left all our stuff packed up and ready to take to the playground. We'll post a flyer on the playground fence which will hopefully communicate to the parents when we'll be there. Today we had the first day of blue skies in quite a while. It was beautiful and Mount Kilimanjaro was very visible and stunning. In the evening we had a few sprinkles, but that's it. To top it all off, we saw a HUGE, lovely rainbow arching all over Moshi. Hopefully that is a sign of what is to come on Saturday. Keep up the prayers!

Rained Out and BUMMED!

Our mini-medical event at the playground was rained out. We are so bummed. It has been raining more than it has not been raining lately. It's tough to plan things in the rainy season. We will reschedule soon, possibly for next weekend. We'll keep you posted.

Rain Rain Go AWAY

During the hot season, I desperately miss the rainy season. The thought of cooler weather blocks my memory of the challenges it brings. Now that we are in the midst of the rainy season, I am reminded of them and am looking forward to the dry season. The rain brings mud and lots of it. Sometimes I have to put on rain boots to open our gates when the mud is really thick. The mud also makes driving difficult. I am not so good at driving in the mud and will go the long way if there is a better road. There are paved roads in town, but most of the neighborhoods are in dirt roads.

The rainy season also brings tons of power outages. We have outages in the dry season because there is not enough water to generate electricity. In the rainy season, we have enough water, but the water messes up the power lines. So, we have been in the dark a lot recently.

Another drag about the rainy season is it's hard to dry our clothes. They dry on a line in the back yard and I am constantly taking things on and off when it rains. I have to guess from the clouds if it's worth it to take them down or not. Will this be a sprinkle or a down pour. In the hot season, clothes dry in four hours.

More bugs come out in the rainy season which is terrible! Chances of malaria increase then too so it's a bit scary.

But, there is cooler weather. It's still humid, but it least it's not so hot. And our water bill goes way down. No need to water the grass. It's almost enough to make up for the rest of the rainy season's problems. Ask me again in the hot season. I know I will be dying for the rainy season once again!

Mini-Medical Camp

On Saturday, we have our mini-medical camp at the playground ministry. A flyer was sent home with the kids last week to let the parents know and asking them to attend. We will be offering wound care, health education on worms, de-worming medicine and malaria checks. We won't be able to treat the kids unless their parents come. Since this is the first one, we aren't sure what to expect. We could either be swamped or no one comes! Please pray for us as we do the remaining preparations. We are still waiting to get the event permit so pray that comes through. Also pray for no rain! If it rains, we will have to postpone the event as there is no roof or place for shelter. Plus the ground is all dirt (no grass or rocks) so it gets very muddy when it rains.

We are excited about this!

The Fear of the Lord

Today I was the guest speaker at church. With Pastor Zac and George gone (at a wedding), last week Redemta asked if I would speak at church this Sunday. I immediately said "I can't, George won't be here to watch Eli." When she said, "don't worry, I or one of the kids will watch him" I no longer had a legit reason to say no. I always get nervous speaking in front of people. I feel much more comfortable in a small group or one on one. Teaching is not one of my gifts. George is the teacher in our family. I especially feel self concious speaking on Sunday morning. That's reserved for the pros! Throughout the week, I tried to think of ways to get out of it. Then I realized, I need to face my fears and do this. This is why I am here. To share the gospel with people. It can't always happen on my terms. So, I prepared and prayed... a lot!

I think it went ok. :) You'll have to ask the people of Yesu Anaweza for the official verdict. I spoke about fearing the Lord. What does it mean? Since it's the beginning of wisdom and a life giving fountain, we better figure it out! It's not a cowering in the corner type of fear. It's not fear of God's wrath. Rather, its true understanding of who He is. We looked at Isaiah's experience in God's presence. Imagaine seeing that! No wonder he thought he was a goner! Then we examined who God is by looking at the different names of God in the Old Testament (ex. Jehovah Jireh, Jehovah Shalom, Elohim, Yahweh, etc). Have you ever done that? It's so powerful. His different names reveal His character. Next we talked about what having a proper fear of the Lord looks like in our life. Basically, it's living a life that honors God. One that loves Him, His Word and His commandments. It's showing the fruits of the Spirit. Our awe and reverence of who God is motivates us to live a radically different life.

Lastly, I shared how recently I have dealt with anxiety and stress. One thing happens and I begin to worry about all the obstacles and problems we are facing. It is overwhelming and causes me to shut down and feel panicked. I know those thoughts are harmful. The Bible says not to worry! So in order to stop those thoughts, I lay down and say the name of Jesus over and over. By focusing on Him and who He is, things begin to get back to the right perspective. My problems are still there, but I remember God's strength and power in my life. Often I sing songs that talk about who God is to help calm my nerves. My favorite is "I Stand in Awe of You."

Talking about the fear of the Lord has helped me be more aware of my behavior and thoughts. We may not have had Isaish's experience, but we ARE in God's presence all the time. Hopefully those at church today felt as challenged as I did.

Microscope

A few months ago, the team brought with them a special blessing for George.... a microscope! Our friend Chris, with the help of Rancho del Rey, ordered one for George so we would be able to use it in our ministry. This is huge because we have not yet found a reliable laboratory in Moshi. As soon as we get some basic lab supplies (like slides), we'll be able to not only test ourselves when we are sick, but also be able to help people in need of (reliable) lab tests who can't afford them. We aren't opening up an official lab or anything like that (at this point). But, it will be there to be used as needed in our home. It will give us a chance to minister to people spiritually as well.

Although the microscope came in December, we hadn't been able to set it up because we had no place to put it. We wanted to wait until we had a table set up to put it on and keep it well protected from naughty little hands (those would be Eli's). The team raised money to help us get a dining table. We had a little left over to put towards a desk/table, but we couldn't find an affordable one until this weekend. Wood is being triple taxed right now resulting in extremely high prices to have something built. Fortunately, some friend of ours were getting rid of their desk and we were able to buy it at a low price.

So now...... presenting..... George and the microscope!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you Lord!

Furlough Plans

In a few months, it will have been three years since I left the US to move to Africa. We have been wanting to come back to visit for a long time now, but didn't know how it could happen, financially. Well, God knew and we are excited to report that the awesome people of Rancho del Rey have raised a huge chunk of what we need in order to come. This relieves half of the burden we face in going to the US. The other issue which will need lots of prayer is the visa process for George. It should be simple and easy, but you never know how things will go at the embassy. We are praying about the timing and are thinking about going in the next eight to fourteen months. It will depend on how a few things develop here. We are hoping to come for three months and will focus on fundraising, rest and soaking up precious and sorely missed time with friends and family. Finally you all will get to meet George and Eli! Please continue to keep our furlough plans in your prayers. We will keep you updated as plans progress.

Thank you!

Teaching

Pastor Zac is currently away teaching at a pastor's school on the other side of the country. While he has been gone, George has been filling in for him on Sunday mornings. As always, I love to hear him teach. Kiswahili is not his first language so he prefers to teach in English while Redemta translates it in to Kiswahili. Kenyan Kiswahili is a little (George will say a lot!) different than Tanzanian Kiswahili so it was a challenge for George to speak it when we first got here. Now that we have been here for almost two years, his Kiswahili has gotten so good that he naturally switches from English to Kiswahili mid-sermon. I rely on him speaking English when he preaches so I know what he is talking about. Now, I have to say, "what I heard was great... but what else did you preach about?!" We are still working on teaching Eli to sit in church during the service. He is still so young that it's a challenge to keep him occupied. I usually have him color for a bit and then read his books. Once he gets wiggly, we go just outside the church doors. I don't let him run off, but try to keep him close and remind him that it's church time. Sometimes there are other little ones out there too so he has someone to entertain him. While I am watching Eli, I try to listen to the teaching. George is so good. I know he is my husband, but even if he wasn't I would think that! He has a way of relating to everyone and teaching solid truths from the Word. Two Sundays ago, he taught about seeing Christ in all circumstances. Not just in the good times. This past Sunday, he taught about avoiding self-pity. It was a particularly powerful topic. Life is so hard here. It's easy to fall into self-pity and depression. You have to have a reason for living other than your current life situation. George shared stories from his own difficult childhood and how Jesus gave him hope and joy. It was a special Sunday.

Wilson's Story

Wilson is eight years old, but lives the life of an adult. Due to the circumstances he was born into, he doesn't get to have a typical childhood a kids should have - playing and carefree. Wilson lives with his Grandma, Mama Remi because his parents don't want him or are unwilling to fight for him. His mom and dad aren't together anymore. They both moved on, married other people and have had more children. There is no place for Wilson. The new spouses don't want him around and his parents aren't able or willing to insist he stays with them. So, Wilson is left to live with his Grandma, who can barely take care of herself. Sadly, Mama Remi's children are able to help her financially, but chose not to. They live in another city and have turned away from her. Needless to say, this breaks her heart. It also leaves her with a lot of stress as she tries to find money for food for herself and Wilson, in addition to one of her sons who lives with her due to illness. He is terminally ill and she is taking care of him. The three of them live in a tiny one room house. Unfortunately, these hardships fall back onto Wilson. He has to step up and help around the house - cooking, cleaning, washing clothes.. he does it all. When he is not at school, he is expected to be at home to help. Some work is ok for a child, but this is too much. Sometimes it builds up to where it is too much for him to take and he runs away from home for a few hours to escape. Possibly to just play with other kids. When he comes home, he knows a caning awaits him - the only way Mama Remi knows how to disciple him.

When we visited them at home, George asked, "why is he always sad?" That is when we got the previous background story. This was another day where he ran off and was caned. Caning is very common in Africa. It is even common place in all schools. Ask any African child if they have been caned at school and you will NEVER find one who says no. Their answer is "Yes! Many times." It is what happened to their parents and grandparents and is perceived as normal. We know there may be times when some physical discipline is necessary, but often it is taken too far. George was able to talk to Mama Remi about alternative methods of discipline and encouraged her to help him have a better childhood, despite her current hard times. Perhaps she could give him a set time to play and just be a kid. It's a sensitive subject because she is doing the best she can, but he is old enough to know his parents are alive and he has been rejected. He needs to feel loved, safe and protected. Fortunately, he comes to church every week and gets to hear about God's love for him.

Wilson's story is far from unique. So many children go through the same thing - rejected by step parents and ultimately sent away by their parents. They are why we are here. They are what motivates us to press on during hard times. Every child deserves love.

Mama Remi Finally Has Water!

In January we wrote a post about arranging for Mama Remi to get water at her house thanks to the AHOH team that came in December. Well, it took the water company only two months to install it! We visited Mama Remi today to see her new water tap and celebrate with her. Having water at her house greatly improves her quality of life. Having only one arm and no one to help her, hauling water in buckets from far away was very difficult. Now she only has to step outside her door to get water. This is a BIG deal and a huge answer to prayer. Yippeeee! Mama Remi is currently sick, so we had the opportunity to pray for her and bring a little bag of food. She is a dear woman who loves the Lord and it is wonderful to see her blessed this way.