Hosting at home

Every Tuesday we host two IBF Church Bible studies (ladies at 9am and family study at 7pm) in our home and we love it! This week we've been hosting 16 students at 8am every day too, for a study on Biblical Love, which they are enjoying with Brian. There are no classes for the students-it's Spiritual Emphasis Week. They also get to hear a guest speaker in the mornings at chapel and in the evenings too. We do thank God for our home and that we are able to serve Him this way by opening it to share with others.

Brian teaches Homiletics to the senior men students only. It 's great to get to know some of the other students too.

We have begun a study on 'The Excellent Wife' by Martha Peace and the ladies are being challenged. We have 14 ladies attending.

We have some sweet baies who join in the study too.

My friend, Rachel Floreen teaches the study and we are so glad she does!

Walls

Some who have lived in Malawi and are now in the US have been asking about whether the proposed mall next door to us, is a rumour or not. The progress is slow, probably due to the rains, but the walls are going up and it's definitely a reality. The red brick wall is ours and so you can see how close we really are. As I have said before, we're not that eager for the huge development and all that goes with it, but if it means being able to pop next door to get a litre of milk...well we may enjoy it very much.

Dirt and blood?

We made two batches of mulberry popsicles. It looked as though the kids had injured themselves after being done with them. Boiling hot water poured directly onto the stains in their clothing did the job of removing the marks. Not too sure how soon we'll be making those ones again, even though they were voted the best. We visited friends yesterday. They live on a huge plot with lots of dirt and so that's where the kids ended up...I wonder when they'll stop enjoying sand piles and mud?

Happy

After supper the children usually tidy up the kitchen with instruction and help from both mom and dad. I had to rush and bathe Allison because she needed it desperately! Bied was busy and the kids were finishing up their food. When I returned this is what I found. It did make my heart happy!

Malaria

Please continue to pray for us especially with regard to malaria. A freshman student here at African Bible College died from malaria. He was at the ABC clinic and was unconscious for a day before passing away this morning. There have been several cases here on campus and so pray that we would be wise with regard to protecting ourselves from mosquitoes.

Brian Home!

Yes, he was gone too...Brian left for California on March 6th and returned home yesterday -17th. He went to LA to attend the annual Shepherds' Conference and to make contact with possible professors to join the faculty for the seminary he hopes to begin here in Lilongwe in August of 2012. Right now there is no Masters Degree in Theology available at any institution in Malawi. Lord willing, this whole project will get underway soon and men will be able to be trained at a higher level here in their own country and possibly those from surrounding countries as well.

He also returned with a new power cord for my computer! My old one 'fried', probably due to power surges.

We missed him so much and are so glad that he is back safe and sound.

Brian asked the boys,"Who has been swinging on the towel rail in the bathroom while I've been away?" It's looking a little worse for wear. Bradley has broken it twice in the past...

Bradley points to Ben and says, "He usually does all the bad stuff!"

Glasses

Ami has been complaining of headaches at school and so we took her to get her eyes tested. The optometrist we went to see is from Germany and eventhough he is a good salesman, he seemed very professional. Needless to say, we came home with glasses and we haven't heard too much complaining about headaches since then.

Great Expectations

Hard work pays off! The great excavation took two afternoons to complete and by the third day, once the finishing touches were done, the kids were ready to experience their homemade mud-tub. We think their expectations were met! Some concerned neighbours came out to see what the kids were doing, because they had seen them using a Malawian hoe. That was all in order though and dad had said they could use it as long as their toes were not in the way!

Once the tub was filled they climbed in. It was cold and so they added boiling hot water. Yip, a hot mud tub! Next thing you know they are putting their faces in the water. After that they dried out in the sun and were left with a darker shade stained on their bodies.

Swim Demo

Today all the children from Reception through First grade demonstrated what they have learned in swim lessons during PE. Bradley and Ami have both done well. It was fun to watch them interacting with their classmates.

It started to drizzle.

Brad with Mr. Owen helping to demonstrate floating.