Two Updates!

A New "Home" ( 2007-07-31)

Thursday was a day to settle into our new “home.” Since everything was dirty and dusty from the mountain, everything and everyone was cleaned. The guys set up their tents in the morning before breakfast- Hannah and Aimee tried to make doughnuts, but running out of oil and having an unevenly heated skillet caused us to just have sweet rolls instead. There was a mandatory shower time, we had library time, Bible marking, and even a GG (God’s Gentleman/ Grubby to Grace) class after dinner. Late in the afternoon, Peter returned from Moshi where he had been taking care of some business and drove the team out to the construction site. It was about a fifteen-minute drive from the house to the site, which included a drive through a creek. Once there the team had the chance to walk around the perimeter and pray for the land, the work that we will be doing there and then the use of it after we leave. The views from the property of Mt. Kilimanjaro were gorgeous, especially because we went as the sun was setting. Friday morning Peter, Aimee, Jesse and Sean left shortly after rise and shine to drive to the airport then on to Moshi to take care of paperwork concerning the land. The rest of the team had breakfast after we left followed by devotions and Bible marking led by Hannah, the topic for the day being Creation. The team then had free time until lunch, followed by library reading. After library Peter came back to pick the team up to take them to do EV at the Light in Africa orphanage. The kids sang to the team first, and then the team did a short presentation and colored with some of the kids. A taxi came to pick the team and four of the children to take them to another home (part of the same orphanage). There they had another short presentation and more coloring with the kids. Because the second place was near, the team just walked the five minutes back to the house, changed and had more free time. Following dinner on Friday we had another GG class and Rachael led evening devotions. Saturday morning, everyone was excited that we could finally begin construction. We had free time, breakfast and devotions and then we were off to the work site. Our first task there was to clear the land of the corn and rocks. The team went to work right away and actually got a lot of the land cleared. We also began prayer closet while at the work site, We drove back to the house for lunch and had library time so the team could take a short break before going back to the site. This afternoon all the layout was done and bricks moved from the roadside where the truck drooped them to the site. We have dug the foundation and plan on laying our corner stones most of the team is really into work. Pray that we can take our project to the end.

Our Many Adventures! ( 2007-08-05)

Sunday morning, July 29 we attended an English speaking church back in Moshi. Once there, it was such a blessing to be able to sing praises in a language we understood, as well as listen to what the speaker was trying to teach us. At the end of the service, the church asked the team to come up and sing two songs, one for the congregation and the other as they walked out. That evening Greg led devotions. At the work site we continue moving rocks and digging out trenches. After lunch and library, the team returned to the work site for the rest of the afternoon. That evening for devotions, Caleb led the discussion. Sometime early Wednesday morning it started raining, and the guys were in tents, many of which were uncovered. So a lot of their things were soaking wet, especially the two tents right under the edge of the roof. Jaron’s tent was nicknamed ‘Lake Texas.’ They tried hard to dry out their things, but a lot just had to wait to air out. The team began the morning then in a GG class, followed by breakfast and another day at the work site. Thursday morning, after breakfast and devotions the team split into three different groups. Most went with Peter to the work site and began pouring cement and laying the foundation. Three team members stayed at the house with Hannah. They returned to the work site to continue pouring cement, and in all they worked close to eight hours that day. After showers and dinner, Jaron led the evening devotions.