Lizards, Health & Language School

Sabbath as we were getting ready to leave to church, we heard water coming into our tank for the first time since we have come to Kibidula. We praise God for giving us some more water.

It also rained.  We still need more daily rain, so we continue to ask for prayers regarding this.

Friday my (Tamara's) fever got up to 101*F.  I spend most of the day in bed or in the bathroom.  I had a fair night and after using charcoal with each episode I finally slept well.  Sabbath I was much improved.  I was very weak and tired in the morning but much better after lunch.  I was thankful that I was able to go to church with my family and to lunch with the mission families.

We have a lizard that is giving us some entertainment.  Doug saw it Friday in Joshua's room.  Saturday between church and lunch while I was taking a short nap, it dropped from the ceiling onto the bed just behind my head with a loud "thud."  It woke me up.  I called for Doug and asked him if there was a lizard on the bed.  He smiled and said "yes."  It moved quickly away as I turned over, but we believe it is the same lizard as he is missing his tail.

As Joshua was climbing into bed Saturday night, he starting making "oh, oh" sounds.

He said something was wiggling in his bed around his foot.  We could not find anything, so we assume it is the same lizard. 

Sunday we got up and had breakfast and starting getting everything ready for our trip to language school.  We made arrangements for most of our stuff to be put securely into someone's container to keep rats and other things from getting into anything that we were not bringing with us.

We had a very enjoyable ride to Mafinga where we took a daladala (long minivan type vehicle) to Iringa.  We were at the first stop, so we were able to have seats.  It stopped numerous times and took over 2 1/2 hours to get to Iringa, with people getting on and off throughout the trip.  The highest number of people we counted was 29.  We would have counted higher but we could not see as people got packed on.  There were so many people that it got to the point where I could not even turn my head because of the press.  It was fun for about 1 1/2 hours.  After that I was feeling more uncomfortable but we were all in good attitude.  It was amazing that so many people can be pressed into such a small space.  The nice thing about the daladala is that it doesn't go at scary high speeds.  It is an experience that is hard to put into words.  I should remember not to put my hair in a bun when riding in a daladala again.  It was taking up more space than if I had put it in a braid.  I will try to remember that.  We then took a larger vehicle, maybe more of a bus, but just a bit bigger than a daladala.  This time all three of us squeezed on the hump that covered the engine beside the driver and the passenger seat.  At least this time I could see outside.  That was nice.  It did grow hot sitting over the engine after a short time.  They dropped us off about 1 kilometer past our turn off.  It was an additional 1.5 kilometers after our turn off.  We chose to walk after all that sitting.  We were very happy to arrive and get rid of our bags. 

1 Walking down to Language School

 

The language school camp is very nice.  It is mostly quiet and pretty.  The name is River Valley Camp.  The name changed this last year (per one person here) as it changed owners (brothers.)  It was Riverview previously.  We met and visited with many other people yesterday from various places.  There is a couple from Germany here along with two English Couples (one couple lives in Kenya the other in England,) an American (from Tennessee,) and others.  People come and people go quickly here it seems though.  The American is already gone, headed to South America, and many others we have not seen today.  Today, Monday, we have met someone that just arrived from South Africa.  He will be here for eight weeks. 

We started our classes today.  Joshua had his teacher and Doug and I shared a teacher.  Today they were finding out how much we know and teaching in some areas.  We found it very challenging.  We were also very glad for what we had already learned.  Joshua said his teacher said that he had the knowledge by the end of class of someone that would have been in their classes for one week.  I am glad that we have been trying to learn as much ahead of time.  If we were starting from the beginning, I think it might seem a bit overwhelming!  Class is intensive from 8:30-1:30.  Now we have homework.  I need to get to that soon.

We do not have phone or internet coverage with our current carrier in the valley.  We have been told that if we walk back up to the highway (1.5 km uphill) or up onto of a huge rock (which we have been told about) we can probably get coverage.)  We will be doing that soon.  It has been raining here yesterday and today (like it should be in Kibidula.)  Please keep praying for rain in Kibidula.  There was some fire there Saturday, but the rain that came put it out. 

The German couple went to town and got us a different sim-card so we can be called by those at Kibidula if they need to contact us for anything over the next six weeks.  We wanted to let them know that we arrived safely. 

 

We praise the Lord for my improved health, safe journeys, good classes, new friends (here and at Kibidula,) and answered prayers.  Thank you to everyone who has been praying for us. 

Please pray that we will learn this language well for the use of our Lord in His harvest field.

 

TUESDAY/WEDNESDAY

I was unable to get enough signal from the Voda rock to send my email update to the website on Monday.

Tuesday Doug went to town with some others to get our workbooks and notebooks.  He was able to send an email while in town, but by the time he returned I did not try to go up on the rock again to try my computer.  We had a different teacher this day.  Each teacher really stretches us to learn.  We had Joyce this day as our teacher.  Monday we had Moshi.

One of the workers came in during dinner time and told the owners daughter (who is running this place while her parents are gone for cancer treatments for her dad) that he saw a hippo today.  The river is mud colored right now with it being rainy season. According to Good Luck (a worker here) the rainy season is when the hippos come.  Joshua is praying that we will get to see one.  They are  very dangerous, but from a distance will be fine. 

 

Wednesday (currently today) we had another teacher, Ishmael.  Joshua was without a teacher today.  We have homework each night and so many new words to review.  It is really a very comprehensive class.  It has been quite rainy here (we hope Kibidula is getting some also.)  Today it has been beautiful, but I hear the thunder coming in and the wind picking up.  I had better get this finished, climb the hill and rock and see if I can get a connection to send this.