Birthday

I think there was a bit of confusion whether it was a birthday cake or garden. Anyway I've planted lettuces and carrots in Kilolo, and this was a gingerbread that reminded me of that.

The secondary school has just had half term, and the Bible school students are graduating, so I have a few days off here and there. I am nearly finished with the marking of exam papers. Suddenly the students are writing real essays in Kiswahili, not the one-liners I've had until now. Great, that's what I want them to do, but it makes marking a much longer process! Maybe I'll change the format next time...

Today Elizabeth left for her epic three month trip to England at 83 yrs old and just a month after a hip replacement and before that a broken leg. I've heard that the seven hour trip to Dar es Salaam went well, and believe God will take her safely on the plane with Rebecca her granddaughter. Prayers please!

Dolphin-fin

Here he is, enjoying the palm trees of Oyster Bay in Dar es Salaam! I went on 3rd March, and on the way the vehicle I was in overturned completely and rolled back onto its wheels again. We all survivied with minor injuries, but the vehicle looked very sorry for itself and wouldn't drive after that. The rescue vehicle took a while, but thankfully we were able to get to Dar the same day. I collected my ten year old Daihatsu Terrios the next day and am calling him Dolphin-fin because he has extended the scope my life and I had lots of lovely swims in the Indian ocean that week.

Next day Elizabeth had her hip replacement in Dar, so I was able to spend time there in the hospital together with her family while getting a tyre change and service done. She walked the next day and is slowly developing that skill again.

It has taken me this long to get back onto my blogsite, because I had some difficulties with connecting to the internet. They are still not sorted out but I am borrwing a friend's laptop again...

On my cooker...

...I've been making bread and heating water for a hot wash! It also cooks my dinner and heats water for the neighbours. Not a bad addition to the house, methinks. The doors are going on to the outside kitchen next week, and someone is working on the garden, making it look less like a building site. Last week I managed to get a new little laptop set up so it can do internet in Kilolo, and next week I am hoping to collect my new car from Dar es Salaam. What a lot of changes coming together; I won't know myself in a few weeks' time!

On a more challenging note Elizabeth has broken a bone in her hip through a fall, and will have to go to Dar to get it fixed. Meanwhile she is in a lot of pain, so keep praying for her healing. Thanks.

...and thorn trees

I decided to show you a picture of one of my favorite types of trees. This one is near the farm, near where I swim, when the river is down. At the moment the water is too high, and I'm not cycling either, so I do need to work out some other form of exercise. Someone suggested skipping; I will be a skipping phenomenon before long. Watch this space.

At the Bible school we have six students for three months, mostly mature, and it does make teaching easier. We cover more ground, and the questions they ask are very interesting, leading to some good discussions. At the Secondary School I have started to teach 'O' level Bible Knowledge in English as well as Religious Education in Kiswahili. It takes a bit of getting used to. At last we found some past exam papers, but I still don't have a syllabus... I do have some idea of the Bible passages to be covered, and the students are keen. As they say: "With God's help we will succede."

cats

...are more intelligent than bats. Before I'd put the screen up in my window I was awoken at around 2am by a cat jumping off the chair beside my bed! I just caught sight of the shadow running into the sitting room and round the wall by the light of my torch, but quick as lightening it was back in my bedroom and out through the open window again, leaving a muddy footprint or two on my wall. Then I noticed a human footpring just beside the window as well. mmm interesting. Hope it got there when the men were putting up the ceiling boards. (Don't worry, the bars on the window are too close together for anyone to get through, and anyway Kilolo is much safer than Iringa.)

Back at the farm I found Elizabeth had had another fall, and is now dependent on others for almost every need. I am helping her at night when I am here, and her son Richard comes accross from his house when I am in Kilolo. Not an easy situation.

Teaching is a bit stessfull as well, as I have been asked to start teaching 'O' level Bible Knowledge as well as Religious Education... A big vote of confidence but hard work.

Bats

For the last two weeks I've become an amateur carpenter, making a wire netting cupboard for food and putting up fly-screens in the windows. I was pleased with the result, but the local bat population were not so happy. One evening I had a batty visitor flying around, and then again at 1am, because my bedroom windows aren't screened yet, and I like fresh air; one flew in and did close shaves on my face...

When it flew through to the sitting room I got up quickly to open the front door, because it kept batting itself against the wire netting in the open window there. Even when I stood in front of the window and shone a torch in its eyes it didn't seem to take any notice ('blind', I said to myself, 'blind as a bat'). So I tried scraping my shoes on the floor. That did the trick. The bat didn't like the sound, and flew away. Next week I'll do the screens on the bedroom windows.

Back at the farm now for a rest over the weekend, I found Elizabeth had had a fall. It just caused bruising, but was a shock to everyone. She is feeling much better now, but will have to be more careful in future. This is a picture from last November at Victoria's birthday party. From the right; Margaret, mother of Joyce who is a near neighbour, Elizabeth, mother of Richard who runs the farm, and myself on the left.

Here's the famous cooker being carried towards my house. It is now in the outside kitchen covered in cement 'droppings', but will soon be clean and in its place, I hope. The day of the big Move was Saturday, and it went more smoothly than I anticipated. I was afraid things might get stolen or broken on the way, because the road from Iringa to Kilolo is very rough and there was an overnight after loading, before setting off. However in the event it was like the disciples must have felt when they saw Jesus walking towards them on the water; 'Why are you afraid, O you of little faith' and then 'Peace, be still' And so I was, on Sunday, the day after the move. And now I'm in!