Books, book, books!

I am still learning the publishing work.  I have gone to five different meetings now outside of Kibidula so far (Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam-another time, Morogoro, Iringa, and Singida).
I have been reading books, articles, watching tutorials, asking lots of questions, and doing a lot of trial and error.
It has been challenging, but I think some of it is starting to come together.  Because I know so little, it makes me aware of my total need of God to help me through it.
First I started with books to publish that had already been printed by us previously.  I only needed to make very minor changes (didn't seem minor the first time though!) like changing the spine size and information on the first few pages.
Then I got books where the text was all ready but the entire cover needed to be updated (and a few pages!)

The OLD cover of "Health and Happiness".

Cover Updated for Health and Happiness

Then I received the text where all the words were fine, but the layout was not.   So this was a new experience to put it all in a specific layout (with additions of little inserts), add pictures, and design three covers for it.
Soon, I will have the entire project to work out.  The text will be raw from the editors, and everything will be new.
This next project (You Turn, a shortened version of Health Power) requires a LOT of pictures throughout the book with the text flowing around pictures of different shapes and such.
God is so good to walk me step by step by step through this process instead of making me jump in the deep end all at once!
Truly this is His work, and He leads step by step.  I am thankful for such a Wonderful, Loving Leader!

New book covers designs

I am also VERY grateful for a director and team that give me lots of feedback and suggestions.  This is not the work of one person, it is a team effort.  I just get to do most of the computer work on it.  Thank you Jason, Bill, Temboh, Joel, Edgar, Doug, Joshua, and Wiktor (at the press)!

Sample page of the first book I worked on "layout".

I am very excited about the Steps to Christ book project we are working on right now.  If we can get the proper backing, we hope to make this book available at a very affordable price to the public!  I personally plan to buy a LOT of them to give out (especially to the police when they pull us over).

These little books can reach people in places where no person can go personally.  These books can bring the good news of better health of body, spirit, and mind!

Thank you for all the prayers and support!  God is faithful, and Jesus is coming soon! 

Timber! (In many senses of the word)

We have some very tall, old trees that are about past their usefulness.  The decision to hire some locals to cut and mill the trees was made.  We have been hearing chainsaws and the portable sawmill for weeks around here.
We also have a new skyline since so many tall trees are down now.
Last week some of the Cootz, Joshua and I went out to see some of the operation in action.  The mill wasn't going, but we saw stacks and stacks of cut lumber.  We also heard cow bells and a chainsaw.  We had to work our way into where they were working, but it was worth it!

Stacks of fresh lumber

It seems that the big trees are mostly cut on Sunday.  Then the main person works to cut the large trees into sections.  Then he uses his chainsaw to cut them into thirds or fourths.  He does an amazing job milling those pieces with only a chainsaw.  They look so straight and even pretty smooth!

Straight cuts with the chainsaw - making thirds or fourths

Then three men with a team of three cows and a donkey yoked together with chains, pull the cut sections to a pile where they will start milling again.

These guys didn't want us taking pictures, so we were trying to be discrete.  (So I didn't get good pictures!)

Three cows and a donkey pulling sections

Then then men pile the sections together

Then this last Sunday, the tallest trees closest to the shop were cut down.  These were located between many structures (the old farm house, the little house behind, the little round outbuilding, the "outhouse" (choo), and the garage/shop.
Jason used the JCB to move a piece of equipment, and then used it to help the trees fall a better direction than if they were just cut.  He also used it to move the big trees to a pile away from where they were falling.  It was amazing!  God really blessed us with a great piece of equipment.  It is used to make fire breaks, roads, fix roads, move trees, help fall trees, dig up stumps, dig the ditch for the dam, and many other things I don't even know about, I am sure!

The JCB lumberjack in action. Those other tall trees to the left of it are down now also.  That was the first of the day.

Soon our lumber supply will be good again, and these trees that were getting dangerous will be down.

This particular type of cypress gets hollow inside and rotten if you let them get to big.  These were already starting to be that way.

The darker areas are really soft and starting to rot as well as the center.

God helped us to get them cut just in time!  Also the tall pine trees that the monkeys hide in, are down.  YEAH!  That is a bonus for us!

Thank you for all the prayers and support!