Update from January 25th

Reflections by Kathleen: It is Thursday and we are in Lusaka to do business and for the girls to get their hair done - a 6hour activity. Our days are full and lots of things happening. Sena, Kristina, Christine (the daughter of the farm manager where we are staying), and I are helping at the community school almost every day. They have about 230 students - age 2-17. Sena helps with the preschool class. Kristina and Christine are working with small groups of older children. The first day we went they said to me, you teach the older students. So I have a class of 17 students - age 12-17. I thought I would also do tutoring, but they gave me the whole class. Talk about a challenge - I had no lesson plans for that size, I don't know what they know, they have no books, etc. But they do have a very big chalk board. So I did the best I could - and of course I had a lot of fun. Can't pronounce half of their names, and some kids look at me with blank stares, so I don't know if they understand me or not. But the teachers are happy to have us there and I love teaching - especially with the large chalkboard! So I have the class for 2 hours. The last half hour or so I do music. Then I go outside and do music with most of the other students. Children under about 7 or 8 don't know any English so that makes things interesting.

Last night we invited 2 young men who are supervisors to come over to our house for Games night. We had Uno, Skipbo, and Heave Ho going. Popped popcorn and had dessert. Tomorrow night we will have a birthday dinner. It is both Benedict and Kimberly's birthday. Saturday we have a "Put together the well-drigging equipment" party! One family is coming from Lusaka and others from the farm area. Benedict is looking forward to that. He is becoming quite the farmer, "cowboy" hat and all. Since the tractor is always breaking down and fuel is so expensive, we anticipate getting a couple of oxen very soon - more reliable!

Steve and Drew are hard at work making the kitchen cabinets for 3 of the cottages. They will have accomplished so much in their 2 weeks here.

Sena is looking forward on Monday to going over by a little store and sitting with one of the young women who sell cabbages by the side of the road. Sena wants to learn their language and the young woman wants Sena to help with learning English. Kristina is turning out to be a great teacher of the children. It is fun to overhear her working with the students.
There is much more to tell, but we are reminded of our early marriage days when we lived in community and always had a housefull of people. In the house there are 9 and the men are sleeping in one of the chalets. We have 2 cooking crews and take turns cooking dinner. So there are 11 around the table every night. Thanks to the Lord's love and grace we are all getting along very well. Of course it helps that we can go sit on the veranda and be outside almost anytime - expcet when it is raining. The temperature is in the upper 70s I would say most of the time. (Heard Maryland was having snow!)

Thanks to all of you for your prayers and interest. Much is happening, and there is much to do, but everyday brings us closer to receiving the children that God will bring and who are in desperate need of loving care.
Kathleen