5 sleeps...

until we fly to Johannesburg and from there on to JFK and then to LAX. We just worked out that it's 37 hours of travel time including layovers. B keeps on telling me to think of it as free movies, free food and close family time! Please pray for us as we head out, for safe travel and for energy to cope with all we'll have going on . We will be in CA for 3 1/2 weeks during which time we will attend our church's biennial missionary conference, spend time with Brian's family and finally apply for my citizenship.

Strange Smell

For the past week or so we have been smelling a gas type smell. We were checking the oven, the electrical box, electrical outlets and anything else that might be the cause. We found nothing. One evening, Brian was putting on a DVD and the TV wouldn't work...well that was because the plug had been fried into the surge protector. We have had so many brown outs lately and it was probably during one of those that this happened. The wooden cabinet that the TV is in was blackened too. We're so thankful that a fire never started. We have been extra careful about unplugging appliances and watching for brown outs.

Visitors...

...from South Africa via Botswana and Zambia! We had a great couple of days this week when friends stopped by on their adventurous journey through sub Saharan Africa.

Such fun to see a GP number plate.

Ami, auntie Christie and Zech-our neighbour.

Marius was so kind to the kiddos. Here they are playing Candyland.

JD and Christie travelled in a back up vehicle for Marius who rode all the way on his motorbike.

JD pushing sweet Alli on the swing!

The kids got to help Mr. Marius wash his BMW motorbike.

And then for their hard work he rewarded them each with a spin on his bike.

THANK YOU JD, Christie and Marius for visiting us. You were an encouragement to us and we are excited to hear how the Lord will shape and use you all for His glory.

Rubble

This is what is left of the rubble pile next to our house from our home building project. This pile has been a never ending source of bits 'n pieces for the kids' construction endeavors. As of this week though the rubble pile is out of bounds...100%.

What's this? A shed snake skin. Found where? On the rubble heap.

And this? A spitting cobra. Found where? Near Richard's legs, with neck puffed out on the rubble heap, as he was clearing it. He killed it with a brick and a stick.

And these? Two more spitting cobras. On the rubble heap. He killed these as well.

Thank you Lord for Richard!

Just dusty

When we look over our wall we either see maize grown in its fullness or land that has been harvested, all depending on the season. We love the open space and even though we live in a city, we kind of feel like we're in "farmish" Africa.

Guess what's going up right next door to our house in the mielie fields? A shopping mall with 80 stores and three movie theatres.

They have started levelling the ground and they expect the complete project will be done in 18 months.

We're not overly excited about the mall. We like feeling that we're in "farmish" Africa. We've had clouds of dirt dust blowing our way during the day when the graders are at work. This development is HUGE for Malawi. Apparently the parking bays will be enough for 1500 cars. Thirty years ago there were probably only three hundred cars in the whole country.

When I told the kids about what was happening over our wall, Brad asked, "What's a mall?"
I had to explain that it's the place with the moving up and down stairs where we usually get good ice cream from when we're down in South Africa. He still doesn't think he's seen one- a mall, that is.

Happy 4th July

There are just a few families here on the ABC campus and so we decided to have a barbeque at our house for July 4th. I managed to find a few red, white and blue decorations that I had in storage and attempted to make a Liberty Bell cake. The weekend was full of activity. Bied took the three older kids to the party at the US Ambassador's house-they came back covered in face paint and exhausted. Brian didn't have his face painted:)

To the trees

Boys will be boys...

...most of the time!