Sunflower season

Everywhere we go we see beautiful sunflowers! They are grown for the oil, but don't always grow this tall :o) One year, a long time ago I planted a couple of acres of them. It was a fun experience, but I didn't make any money as I'm not very business minded!

It's also the season for weddings - today (the day of The One in UK) we are having a 'send-off' for Tula, the daughter of Bishop Donald and Gladys who spoke at our own in September. Then the family will go to Morogoro for the actual wedding. I went to the hen party last Tuesday as well.

This whole week Kevin has been trying to get his Tanzanian driving licence. the process takes ages, so please pray for patience and perseverance.

morning all :o/

We're in Iringa now for the Easter break, but have spent some time in Kilolo where Kevin has been invigilating for the students as they do their mid-term exams, and I have been resting! In fact I'm still not 100% healthy with a bit of pain in my middle, but thankfully it seems to be getting better, not worse.

The Bible Knowledge students did average to poorly, but that's not surprising, as they hadn't had very long to get into gear. Pray for them as they have a break, and us. We are still amazed at how everything has worked out like this. Not many would have such an honour. Praise God.

Rat traps

Yes, it was in our house! My books have been chewed up, and we were being kept awake at night. Our fruit had holes in it in the morning, so the rat had to go! but there were two, so it took a whole week of setting two traps each night. The first one was caught on Monday, but the second, not until Thursday. We feel much freer now. One night I woke up and felt the rat on my arm. Eeeek

After my petrol incident I managed to get back all right, and we had a camp fire the next weekend together with Kevin's fellow language students. Last night as well we camped there just to have a weekend off, and I decided to sleep out under the stars. It was a tremendous experience watching the moon go overhead in the sky and the tree shapes above my head, listening to the river sounds as well.

Lost in the mists of time

This is an old picture of the car just after I collected it from the docks in Dar es Salaam in March 2009.

Last week I went to Kilolo to teach, and guess what? I ran out of petrol! I never run out of petrol, but I did then. The engine just stopped! I was near the top of a hill, so I asked some kids to push me to the brink, and coasted down (dropping some money out for them as I went) and along the flat as far as I could go, then pulled over and parked on the side of the road.

I took my mobile phone and an umbrella, and the small amount of cash I had, and started walking! First I called in at the nearest house to ask them to look after the car, then I walked on through a nearby village to a farm where they found me a bit of petrol they usually keep for the lawn mower! My friend drove me back to the car, made a funnel out of a plastic bottle, and put around 3 liters of petrol in. He also lent me some money. The booster took me on to Kilolo where, amazingly there is a petrol station. Where is my brain? Somehow lost in the mists of marriage, perhaps?

Hope and her family

When we arrived we found Hope and her sister Anna and all their children still living in the little rented house where they've been since 2001. Hope works at St Michaels Secondary school as the secretary to the headmaster, so she's been keeping my house in Kilolo occupied, while the rest of the family live in Iringa.

Unfortunately their rented accommodation in Iringa has just been sold, so they have to move out in the next three months. I'll try to fill you in on their story in the next few blogs, and keep uou updated on what happens next in their lives.

Kevin has just finished language school so we plan move to Kilolo on Sunday. The next unbelievable thing is happening! Keep praying that we make the adjustment all right, and more than all right! Thanks. It's a big step.