Christmas Tree

Thanks to some missionary friends in Ndola we have a Christmas tree this year. However, all of our ornaments are still buried in the recesses of our container. So the kids made some ornaments and had lots of fun decorating the tree. Near the top of the tree, you will see a lovely Christmas shark. After a few more interesting decorations, we channelled the kids creativity. This is a tree we will remember for quite some time.

Christmas is celebrated by many here in Zambia, though we don't see the commercialization one sees in the West. There are a few decorations put up in some of the stores, and a few items available for sale. Most Zambians celebrate very simply with a special meal.

One thing that makes it hard to realize it is almost Christmas is the weather. Absolutely no snow here, since it is in usually between 70F - 80F most days unless it is raining, which makes it a bit cooler. The kids were a bit disappointed when we told them they could not make snow angels here, but we are waiting until they try it in the mud.

We look forward to celebrating Christmas together with our missionary friends here in Zambia. We would appreciate your prayers as it will be hard on family ties during this holiday season.

Future Vet?

The Rains Continue to Come

Here are a few shots of the recent afternoon rains that we have received. The rainy season is upon us. I always wondered what was meant by "rainy season" - Does it rain every day? Does it rain all day? For those in other climates what does this mean. Well, we are still learning about it, but we can let you know what has happened so far.

Does it rain every day? No, at least not yet. However we do get rains at least every few days.

Does it rain all day? No, so far we have had mainly fast moving storms come through. These last anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours. They come with lots of lightning and thunder and pretty good downpours. Yet, we have had a few nights where the rains started in the afternoon and then switched to a good steady rain that lasted until early morning.

It has made a major difference in the landscape. In just a few weeks our yard has changed from almost no grass to one that needs mowing frequently. Many flowers are beginning to pop up and, as we have shared earlier, many creatures have been forced out of their homes to look for dryer accommodations.

The main thing about rainy season is that we actually get rain. We arrived at the end of June, and did not see a drop of rain until late October. We expect that it will continue to rain like this until sometime around April. But we do expect heavier rains to come yet this season.

Sunset

Thought you might want to enjoy some of God's beauty that we have been seeing here.

Happy Thanksgiving

Today we were able to celebrate Thanksgiving with 50 fellow missionaries from the surrounding area (30 were children). We are thankful for the opportunity to serve the Lord in Zambia and also for the friendships God has blessed us with.

The meal was terrific. The only thing missing was an actual turkey (though some excellent chicken was a fine substitute). Other than the lack of turkey, all the normal American trimmings were brought, even the cranberry sauce (though some of us would not have minded if that has been left out).

Good food, great fellowship, and lots of fun - much to be thankful for!

Here are a few photos of the festivities.

Kids not Critters

Enough with the nasty bugs and other creatures that we share our home with. Thought some of you would like to see some pictures of the kids. They are growing quickly! And they love it here.

When the rains started, we were able to get the kids' new umbrellas out. The boys had been playing in the rain since there was no lightning with that shower. The umbrellas were simply props for this picture. They obviously were not used to keep them dry. The little lady that Becky is stayed dry - this time.
The boys are also sporting their new shirts from our church in SC. Caleb's frog shirt is so appropriate, since he loves to catch the frogs and toads.

Becky often asks me if she can wash my dishes. As there is always a pile of them by the sink, I wish I could tell her, "Yes, go ahead." However, washing dishes here in Africa is a little more complicated than in the States. Actual washing is the same, but then I rinse the dishes in boiling hot water with bleach added. At three years of age, I don't think Becky is able do this safely. I do let her help dry and put the dishes away, though. Here she is wearing one of the Washer's (no pun intended) aprons to protect her dress from bleach splatters.

Another new critter

Last night we had a new visitor in the kitchen. Thankfully we noticed him before he got any of our toes. We think it is an earwig. Though he looks very menacing he is harmless (at least what we found out about earwigs on the internet, said nothing except about their pinchers). Commonly they are known as Pincher Bugs.

Critters in the Night

Tonight was an eventful evening here on the Washer Plantation, at least as far as critters go.



During supper time Auntie Joy came up and asked for help catching a large spider in her bedroom. She is collecting them for the Hafler family. The picture here is of the same kind of spider but one that we found already dead outside.









About an hour later Auntie Kristie came to the door and asked if we wanted to see a couple snakes that they had just killed on the sidewalk in front of their apartment. (If you would like to see the picture you can visit Joy's blog at http://joyinafrica.wordpress.com/ ). They were a couple of small black mambas (small but very deadly). Our dog, Zambi, was the one who announced that the snakes were there - he was the hero of the evening!






After Joy finished blogging about the snakes, spiders, etc she was walking back down to the apartment and found an even bigger tarantula on their door step. We caught this one as well for the Hafler collection.








We are thankful for the Lord's protection that no one has been bitten by any of these creatures. Also that most of the nasty ones have been at the apartment and not our house ; )

Termites Anyone?

We are experiencing an invasion of flying termites. We are told they will stay with us throughout the rainy season. The bugs are about an inch long with their wings and about a half inch long without. The ground and floors in the house are littered with the wings. This video was taken outside our kitchen door. The bright light attracts them. Sophie did the dishes that evening without the kitchen ceiling light on to discourage them from joining her inside. At the end of the clip, you will see our dog Zambie enjoying a little extra protein. The termites are edible for humans also. Haven't tried them yet.

Another chamelion friend

John found this little critter outside our side door in the bushes. He brought it in to let the kids see it. They are so facinating to watch. John even saw the chamelion eat a couple flies. Actually, he just saw the flies disappear, it was so fast.

Before, Becky has shyed away from touching or holding these critters, but this time there was no hesitation. It looks like she is giving it a kiss, but there is some distance there. It's a cute pict anyway. After showing the chamelion to Uncle Daniel who was visiting with Aunt Kristie, Caleb gave the critter a new home in the avocado tree.

Rain in Zambia!

Yes, the rains have come! There is not as much dust to have to wipe off the window sills, countertops, etc. Now there is just mud all over the floors. : ) What amazes us is the colors of the trees even during the dry season. Before the rains come, the red flame trees bloom, as well as the plumeria and others. I hope to sometime post some pictures of the beautiful flowers here in the yard.

After a couple nights of sprinkles, it rained all afternoon through most of the night Friday. We received off and on sprinkles on Saturday too. With the rains came wonderful cool breezes. It was actually almost cold! The rains were also accompanied by lightning and loud thunder. We have heard that the storms get even more dramatic. So far the kids have been fine. We are trying to teach them that the thunder is from God, just as the rain is. Also with the rain comes more critters. There are many flying ants and other winged bugs in the air and crawling around.

We haven't seen a huge increase in the toad and frog population yet like Caleb is waiting for, but this one toad seemed to be knocking at our front door asking to come in from the rain. He stayed outside.

Another thing that accompanies the rains here is more frequent power outages. We dug into our container (when it wasn't raining, but still cool) to find some of the candles we brought with us. We are very thankful that the Washers have a gas stove/oven that we are able to use to make hot meals even when the power is off. We also have one on our container to use when we are in our own home.

First Day of School

We started school today with all three children. Joshua and Caleb are in K5 and Becky is in K4. They have been asking to be able to do school for some time now. Their break was quite long with packing and moving over here to Zambia. Then we had to wait for the school books to arrive on the container. After seven months, we are hitting the books again! John set up the desks and school supplies in a portion of the living room.

They all loved their first day. Caleb managed to pay attention very well even though he was somewhat uncomfortable with his chicken pox. An advantage of homeschooling is that you still get to go to school even with spots all over you!

Becky sat through the boys' K5 lessons and colored quietly at her desk. She was given the option to go play, but wanted to stay in school.

After teaching two extra lessons this first day, Sophie eventually had to kick the kids out of school and make them go outside and play. At lunchtime, they asked if they could do more school later today. They will have to wait until tomorrow. In a few years, their attitudes about school will probably change, but it is great that they are enjoying it now.

Mudslide!!!

I have mentioned the termite mound in the backyard before. The other day it became a fun mudslide. The excitement started with the B kids pouring buckets of water from the top and watching it run down the side. Then Uncle Todd put the hose up there and the real fun began. We are nearing the end of the dry season here, so there has been no rain since we arrived. Everything is very dry - or at least it was until this day. I'm sure there will be more muddy adventures once the rainy season is upon us.

The boys went down the slide many times while Becky stayed at the top and watched. The picture to the far right shows that she was not shy about playing and painting in the mud, however!

Math Is Fun

The homeschooled missionary children in the area got together for a math challenge recently. They played games while practicing their math facts and having lots of fun. Altogether there were about twenty-two children participating.

The younger kids were under the charge of Auntie Bri and played a few games for number recognition and then they just played games. Everyone had a great time. Much thanks to Janelle P for organizing and hosting the event.

Container Arrival

We are praising the Lord that our container with our belongings arrived safely in Kitwe, Zambia on Saturday, September 22. This was only eight days after the original estimated time of arrival, so we were pleased. After many calls (starting the week before the container arrived), John was able to locate a crane that was in working condition and not already assigned to a job in the mines. (The crane was seen broken down by the side of the road after leaving our place - so we are thankful that it was able to complete our task.)

Both the truck and the crane made it up the drive to the gate. The drive is lined with frangipani (or plumeria) trees. Surprisingly few branches were knocked off. Kathy B hopes to plant some of these cuttings at their new place.

It was an exciting moment when the truck pulled away from under the container!

Isaiah H. was impressed with how strong the men were as they "moved" the container!

We had many spectators for the big event - both American and Zambian. The football (soccer) game at the playing field outside the wall was only temperarily interrupted. The unloading and positioning of the container took over two hours, but the job was finished safely.

Rhino Beetle

This small rhino beetle was captured near the house and has been enjoyed by the children. It is totally harmless, though it looks mean. They can grow quite large (up to 7 cm according to one source). The males use the "rhino horn" to fight with other males, knocking them off a log or onto their back.

Bemba Lessons

We are taking Bemba lessons under the instruction of Kristie W. She is a single missionary and grew up in Africa. She has taken an intensive course in Bemba and uses the language in her clinic and deaf ministries. We are getting a slow start trying to get our brains into the swing of studying. We desire to have a good working knowledge of the language so that we can communicate the truths of the Bible with the Zambians whom we have contact with. Some of them have a basic knowledge of English, but it is always best to use a person's "heart language" to share with them matters of the heart. Please pray with us as we embark on this important and long-term part of our learning process.

Creatures Great and Small

One of Caleb's favorite pasttimes is hunting for lizards. He has made "traps" for them, but his best success comes from simply catching them with his hands. There is plenty of "game" here for him and the other boys too. Caleb's first lizard was caught in the living room. It lost its tail after a little handling. Then Sophie was able to explain how God created lizards with the defense mechanism of dropping their tail to escape (most) captures and how they then grow a new tail.

This is the smallest lizard caught by one of the Beaman kids. We also have some lizard eggs found in the Washer girls' apartment. They are probably duds, because they have been around for a while now.

This is the largest lizard (actually a chamelion) caught in the yard. It was very intriguing and surprisingly calm. We watched its color change some when it was passed around by all the children and most of the adults.

There are a variety of insects too. We are told all the critters get more numerous during the rainy season which starts the end of November. This grasshopper was found in the rose garden.

It had recently shed its skin (which was also found in the rose garden), which may explain why it did not try to hop or fly away. Caleb is holding the skin in his right hand while the grasshopper is on his right shoulder.

Never fear, we have a band of fierce warriors to protect us from harm from any of these creatures.

MKs

There is no lack for American playmates for our children. With Central Africa Baptist College here, there is quite a team of missionaries (from two different mission agencies) to supply MKs (missionary kids). Shortly after our arrival at the end of June, Joshua and Caleb were able to enjoy a couple days with their new friends at MK Camp. It was held at our home and organized by Joy and Kristie Washer and their friend, Janelle Stokes. A couple of the men came to give challenges from the Bible. The kids had a great time playing games, singing songs and learning important truths from God's Word. 1. God's love for me is unchanging. 2. God's purpose for me is Christlikeness. 3. God's grace for me is sufficient. 4. God's Word for me is the final right answer. They even learned these truths in sign language. Almost two months later, the boys can still quote and sign them pretty accurately.

Joshua during Bible Time.

Caleb during Bible Time.

Just with our GFA missionaries here in the Kitwe area there are 15 children among the four families. We all gathered in one of our homes shortly after the Beamans arrived in August.

Puppy

Before we came to Zambia, we were offered a puppy from a co-worker. So when we arrived, we had a pet waiting for us. After living in an apartment and then being on deputation, this is the first real pet our family has had. The boys named the dog Zambi and he is a boxer - bull mastiff mix. He is about six months old now, but he will be quite big when full grown and should be a good watchdog as well as a playful companion for the children. His brother, Duke, is with us here in Garneton as well for now. Duke belongs to another co-workers family and they are staying with us while looking for a home to rent. Besides these two puppies, there are five other dogs on the property. After some acclimation time, they all are getting along pretty well.

Our Home..for now

The home we are able to stay in temporarily here in Garneton is quite spacious and the yard is beautiful. Right now there are two families living in the house. Us and the Beaman family. The Beamans are co-workers and just arrived the middle of August. They are living here while they look for a home to rent. The house is big enough that each of our families has two bedrooms and a bathroom. The rest of the house is big enough to share space.





We are very blessed to have the privilege of staying here. This is the home of the Washer family who are currently on furlough. They are allowing us to stay here as the house is safer with people living here than empty. We will start looking seriously for our own home to rent after the beginning of 2008. The Washers will be returning in late spring or early summer.

The rose garden in the back, right outside the kitchen door, is lovely. There are a variety of different plants throughout the big yard. The Zambian worker does a great job caring for everything outside. He has been here as long as the Washers (more than 10 years) so he knows the property like the back of his hand.






Behind the house there is a large termite mound which the kids love climbing and playing on. It is unoccupied, except for the lizards, so it is safe. It is probably at least 15 feet high with a cement slab on top. It is a great lookout. We also enjoy the fellowship of Joy and Kristie Washer. They live in an apartment behind our home. It is the white building to the right of the termite mound. They grew up here and their brother's family normally lives in the main house. The kids love visiting in the apartment and playing with their kitty.

Besides the landscaped yard, there are raised beds for vegetables in the back yard and another garden in one back corner of the walled-in part of the property. In that garden there are numerous banana trees (though someone once told me that bananas don't grow on trees), and areas where other vegetables can be grown. Right now there are beets, carrots, and several other things planted. The worker planted some tomatoes from seed for us too. Also in the garden lives a large snake (we have not seen it personally, thankfully). For this main reason, we let the worker do the gardening and pick the bananas. Caleb has determined that the bananas in Zambia taste better than the ones in America. They definitely are fresher! In the yard there are other fruit trees too: papaya, lemon, tangarine, avocado and maybe some we don't know of. We are enjoying the papayas and lemons now.

Arrival in Zambia

On June 26th we arrived in Zambia at 12:50pm. The flights from the US to London, London to South Africa, and South Africa to Zambia were all uneventful. Our personal transitions between flights went great, however our luggage did not make the plane from S Africa to Zambia. We had been praying that we would not have problems getting through customs. It was a breeze since we only had our carry-on bags with us. God answers prayer in mysterious ways. We were thankful that we had packed an extra set of clothes for everyone in our carry-ons. Our bags did arrive in Zambia the next day but we were not able to get them sent from Lusaka to Kitwe, five hours drive north. Our co-workers, the Haflers, were traveling through Lusaka on Sunday, July 1st and were able to collect all our bags without incident and bring them to us.

During our first few days we stayed with the Bill Knipe family. Our children enjoyed playing with their two children, Jonathan 2, and Anna 6 months. The beginning of July we moved to Garneton, about 10 km north of Kitwe, to live in the home of another missionary family who is currently in the States for furlough.