Isaiah 11

Since we are talking about animals this term, we have tried to have several weeks of study about animals mentioned in the Bible.  This next week will be Jonah and the whale and we will be talking about ocean life.

The last few weeks we have been talking about mammals.  On one wall is displayed with wild animals, another wall is tame animals.  Then this week for our Bible lesson we studied Isaiah 11.  It turned out to be quite something as it included Felix, our resident artist.  Basically there is part of Isaiah 11 that lists a number of situations where wild and tame animals are at peace with one another.  For example, the wolf and the lamb, the ox and the bear, etc.

Felix has sculpted all the animals listed.  He also made a small child since the passage says, "and a small child shall lead them."  In addition he has been drawing beautiful pictures of what the passage describes.  So we have a beautiful picture of a leopard with a goat.  He also drew one of a lion and a lamb.  He is now working on a picture of a cow and a bear together.

It was a wonderful week of talking about this scripture and Erna and I will always think of the children and each other when we read that.

Animal Babies

It seems to be the time for animal babies.  We have 2 baby oxen, one brown and one black.  That brings our little herd up to 8. Some of them belong to Auntie Harriet.  Of course there is Samantha and her 8 baby pups.  Sena has started bringing one of the biggest and the smallest to school each week for us to weigh and measure.  We are keeping a chart of their progress.  It is amazing how much they grow in one week.  Then probably within the next week or two our cat, Simba, will be having another liter.  (Oh, joy!)  Of course there are baby chicks in the chicken pen.  So it is a place of learning first hand about birth and life.

 

Patty's arrive

On Wednesday night late, the Patty family arrived.  This family of 5 is from Texas, and have been here 2 other times.  Their plan is to be here a year.  Alan will be helping with purchasing and business activities.  June will be helping with the school.  She also homeschools their 3 children; 11yo, 14yo, and 15yo.  They were last here in December.  It was encouraging to us to see their amazement at all that has happened in the last5 ½ months. They are renting the house on the Green farm that we stayed in when we first arrived.

Harmony

 

As  a musician, I am always very interesting in the music here in Africa.  Here folks have to make music to have music.  Unfortunately in the states, people don't know how to make music, they just listen to pre-recorded music. 

 

Our children love to sing.  Often for morning meeting on Fridays, we do lots of singing.  Yesterday was no different.  We let them take turns leading songs.  Roman was very funny as he went to the front of the room, and would give a slight nod to those he wanted to come and join him in leading.  He would shake his head "no" if someone was volunteering to help and he didn't want them.  One of the teachers said that he was like a choir director.

 

Even the 2 Zambian teachers each sang a song for everyone. 

 

But the wonderful thing that I am observing is that the children are beginning to sing in harmony.  No one has really taught them how to do this.  Two or three children will sing a part, or add something.  In the US, it is a challenge to get students to hear and sing the parts.  In Africa it is so natural.  And it is so beautiful to hear.

 

 

On Strike!

At the beginning of this school term – beginning of May – the government teachers here in Zambia went on strike.  One of the reasons was that those who teach in the rural are suppose to get a hardship allowance.  Well they haven't been getting that.  The strike is continuing.  Now other government workers have joined.  This is including nurses and doctors. 

A little boy (not one of our children) was bitten by a snake.  Kamau took him to Liteta hospital and they said that they were on strike so wouldn't see him.  Kamau had to take him to the private doctor at Fringilla.

We also learned that the hospital at Liteta is only receiving ¼ of their budget.  The director for this area, Dr. Teesha, does not know what they are going to do, or what services they are going to be able to provide.

The government does not have enough money to do all these things they need to.  It doesn't help that by law if you go out on strike, you still get paid your full salary.

Benedict is thinking that the little clinic we are building for our workers and children may be more important than we at first thought.

 

IMPORTANT MESSAGE

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Family

We have the great joy of having our son Christopher here for about 6 weeks. It is wonderful to get to share with him our life here.  He is using his skills in graphic design to do work on signs for the market and restaurant, websites for the school and the Chimwemwe ladies, and miscellaneous other jobs.  Of course Sena loves having her brother around.  On Sunday he preached at our church on Pentecost Sunday, and I think we were all blessed.  What a gift to have our family in the US connect with our family in Zambia!

75%

For the last 3 days we have had the challenge of almost no electricity.  Just like he does in the US, Benedict always calls the electric company ( Zesko here) to let them know we have no power. The information that he got was that they are working on the big electric turbines at Kafue Gorge.  As a result, 75% of the country has been without electricity except for maybe 4-6 hours in a 24 hour period. 

It makes you realize how much we depend on electricity.  Here at the Village we use electricity to pump the water.  So if it is off for too long we run out of water.  We haven't been able to use the copier at the school, so have to make work sheets and manipulatives by hand.  If we want to work on the computer we can only do work as long as our batteries last.

At night I'm usually ready to go to bed by 8:00 and with no electricity it makes it even harder to try and stay up.  I've also noticed that since the days are shortening and it is dark later in the morning, with no electricity, the children get a later start and school has been starting late.

But we can still see the beautiful Zambian sunrises and sunsets.  We can still hear the bird songs and that crazy rooster that starts crowing at 3am. And we can always walk to one of the houses and visit with the children and mothers.