House Makeover

Wow! I have to stop going away. The last time I was here in Malawi Kelly and Bill painted my Livingroom and Den and Laundry room. This time they have torn down about 5 walls and put in heavyduty insulation. My bedroom has lost 2 pine paneled walls and now has drywall and some unknown color paint. Kelly won't show me what it looks like, she is waiting for the big reveal. I like what Brandon said about his room makeover. They painted his moldings a brown color, but he said I don't think I like that color mom, "it looks like poop".

Kelly sent me a picture of my dog Eddie's haircut. Moses our orphan looked at the picture and said "Lion?" Funny, he has never seen a dog that looked like this before. Almost all their dogs here are muts and look pretty much the same.

We are down to the last week to get our orphange ready for children. There is a ton of stuff happening there now. Floors being finished, doors going in and windows be made. I've been shopping the past 2 days for household things: cooking pots, dishes, cups, silverware, you get the idea. Also did some shopping at second hand Mall for clothes and bedding. Thank you America! There are tons of clothes here you have given away when you needed more room in your closet. Every where I look around town I see people with American t-shirts. Tim Hortons, football teams and Little princess. Color and design doesn't matter to them, just does it fit and can I afford it. I bought a Columbia winter jacket to wear home for $5.00, awesome.

 

Here is something for you all to think about: How do you hang a shower curtain without a shower curtain rod? And not just straight, it has to be an "L" shape.

Sometimes you just want to hide in a box.

Praise God! After 2 months I finally have internet that works well enough to listen to K-Love. I’m counting this as miracle #3. Our hauling truck had to be worked on today so we were pretty much grounded for the day. We have been hauling sand for 2 days to mix with concrete for the 2^nd floor deck we are ready to pour. Today was supposed to be the last day of hauling sand. 

I was feeling really down today. When we went to Bible Study Pastor Mkisi spoke on the battles we are in being Spiritual battles. We are fighting the unseen. Sure I’ve heard this before many times but today was like a pep talk from Jesus. Perfect timing of coarse but I was so down I still wanted to cry. I ate some cheese curls and that held me up until I got home but I was still battling. Then I decided to try to listen to K-Love on my computer. What do you know it works, Praise God! I have a month to go here and this is going to really help keep me going.

#2 Had a really hard day and I was ready to come home. My daughter called that evening on Skype and for the 1^st time Skype worked for 22 minutes all the other times we were lucky to have more than 30 seconds. I talked to my grandson and Bill and Kelly. Kelly put her iPhone on the counter and I watched her make a cake. Almost like being there with her. Praise God he knew how much I needed that.

#1 Again I was down about a week or so ago and all I could think of to do to help was Praise God. I walked toward the store to get some water and praised God all the way. I wasn’t there a minute before my phone rang. It was Steve Butcher our Hesed President calling to see how things were going with our Orphanage build here in Mzuzu. We talked for ½ hour. God’s perfect timing again, thank You Lord.

There have many other miracles while I have been here but these 3 are related. God wanted to let me know He is here with me and listening to my every word. Just when I’m doubting why I’m here He lets me know He is the one that sent me.

 

You need gravel and sand to make concrete

We left at 6:30 this morning to haul gravel to the orphanage and got home at 9:30pm, but thats not work. Look how they make gravel in Mzuzu, this lady is 81 years old and she sits all day and breaks rocks. The good part is what ever she breaks up is hers to sell. Tomorrow we will haul more sand.

Rynn

While out visiting a 120 year old lady we found puppies and Florence bought one. Her name is Lynn, that's prounced Rynn in Mzuzu. SHe will staying at Samuel's house becuase they eventually want puppies.

This is Agnes or Gogo ( means grandparent) she was alive during World War 1, whoa. As near as they can figure she is 120, they figured this out by what she remembers from childhood. She can still walk and see. When I asked to take her picture she got up and took her jacket off so she would look nice. The village where she is has been her home always. She wouldn't leave to live with her daughter so her grandchildren are watching over her but she still has her own house. They did update it for her from a thatched house to brick after she was biten by a snake and almost died.

Moses is nagging me for more homework to do so I better go for now and write out more math problems for him.  Be blessed.