Day 31
Ladies Bible Class
After breakfast, I leave for Ladies’ Bible class. Esther uses the time to do her laundry and to study for her afternoon class with the youth.
The elders are having a meeting at the building with the vocational school so the ladies are meeting in the bakery. We have a good group today. I have a coloring sheet with a scripture on it for them to color today. They enjoy this so much. We put away the markers and get into our lesson on Proverbs 1:10. As we leave the baking begins.
Comforting the Family
After a quick lunch, we go to comfort Peskani’s family. Peskani was a preacher who worked with us in 2018 and has since been working in South Africa. He died of a heart attack while there. He was about 40 years old. The whole church goes to offer comfort and I believe other congregations have joined. We sing, pray and have a message. In the local tradition, they take up a collection to help pay for the burial costs.
Baptism – New Life in Christ
A young woman, Maureen Chirwa, from this area has told one of the WBS workers that she wants to be baptized. Tenson has been preaching in the area and signing up WBS students. He heard him preach. There have also been several people who want to rededicate their lives to God.
We pile in the vans and head to the closest water. We take a short hike through the bush and arrive at the stream. There are a couple of fishermen here that we disturb but they don’t seem too bothered. Maureen is baptized and welcomed to the family and then we go back to our vans.
Fried Green Tomatoes
On the way home, we stop at the vocational school and they give us some of the green tomatoes they were not going to use. We wanted a few they gave us a bag full! We told them we wanted to make fried green tomatoes. They have never heard of such a thing. We offer to pay for them but they say zero K.
Esther and I fry green tomatoes. We slice the tomatoes and dip them in flour, then a milk-egg mixture, and lastly cornmeal. Then we fry them. 8-year-old Kwema the youngest member of the family really liked the green tomatoes and wanted all of the children from the neighborhood to try them. I am amazed that he will try so many new things. Everyone likes them. I should have given him more but I wasn’t sure how many we would need for dinner. We had a few leftovers after we ate. I probably snacked too much as I cooked. We also made fried egg sandwiches which make a quick dinner.
Day 32
Today I woke up early and got ready for the day. For breakfast, we had corn, pumpkin, and muffins. Lawrence enjoyed the remaining fried green tomatoes.
New House
We dropped food off to Wanangwa’s mom and talked with the carpenter about our new shelf. Then we went to visit the Chirwa’s new home. We walked around the property and saw the boundary lines. A worker is there clearing the land. Mbwenu talks with him for a bit. Eventually, they would like to build a few guest houses on the property. They have worked hard for this.
We take a tour inside the house. It is so nice! Wanangwa is very excited about moving to her new house. I am excited for her. It will have electricity (It will also have solar panels) and indoor plumbing. The windows and doors are next and then the flooring. Outside they show me a spot for my house. She tells me next time we will be here. Her excitement is contagious.
We go to the printer and pick up the last of our copies. I buy snacks for the nursery school and say bye to Wanangwa. She’s going to work at the shop. We go home for lunch. Soon I hear the motorcycle. Wanangwa got worried about leaving us on our own to cook lunch. She probably has no idea how much I cook in the states.
Laundry
I take the opportunity this afternoon to wash my laundry and sheets (by hand of course.) This is a challenge at times to get enough sun to get my laundry washed and dried all in one day.
Lawrence has been working on World Bible School all day. Esther and I help with the scanning of the lessons.
Hygiene Bags
We have run out of the hygiene bags I brought and have many ladies asking about them. I am going to teach them how to make the pads. So, I spend the afternoon cutting out the pads so that it will be easier for them to learn how to make them by hand. They do not have sewing machines. I made a hair tie by hand while I was at it.
Car Trouble Again
Mbwenu had car trouble again and had to go to Mzimba to get it repaired. When he returned he and Wanangwa went to Manyamula to check on the shop and pick up the shelf from the carpenter.
Hospital
Rose, our new sister in Christ, came by to use the phone. I did not realize what was going on. Her son had fallen and hurt his arm and needs to go to the hospital. Mbwenu is taking them to Mzimba to the hospital. He is the nearest one with a car.
Pumping Water
Esther and Tulumba (8 years old) filled the giant barrel from the well tonight! This is a huge accomplishment. I can fill a small bucket and I am tired. This 8-year-old girl is amazing. This little girl knows how to do everything. She can pluck the feathers and cut up a chicken for dinner, carry water on her head, make a charcoal fire, etc. She has great survival skills and has taught me a thing or two while we have been here. She’s a constant companion.
That’s another day!
