Haneti Effort and a little dog

Most of our "team" outside the church the first Sabbath

Haneti village area

Friday, July 5th, Joshua and I said "good-bye" to Doug and got on a bus to answer the call for assistance for an evangelism effort north of Dodoma.  We had gotten an informal invitation while working in Dodoma in June.  The official letter arrived very shortly after we got home from those meetings.  There was already a conflict in schedules for us.  We were also invited to Kirando.  We prayed about it and decided to spit up our family and team and have two people in each place.
After about six hours on the bus, we met up with Elizabeth and her husband in Dodoma.  Then they drove the last 100 km as quickly as the roads would allow to arrive shortly before sunset Friday night at the hostel where we stayed.   The trip was a bit scary.  We came VERY near crashing when a huge truck came roaring around a corner on our side of the dirt road.  God was with us and Elizabeth's husband took the car down into the ditch and back out without letting us get smashed by the big truck.  It was only by God's grace we didn't get killed before the meetings ever started.

Testing blood pressures and checking BMI

The hostel was the Catholic run housing for young ladies attending the secondary school in Haneti.  The two "sisters" that ran the place were very nice and we enjoyed our time with them very much.

The two sisters and Elizabeth (our team leader.)

They told me that they had picked out the best available room for Joshua and me.  They brought us in to a large room with two single beds with unusual foam for padding.  There was a pillow for each.  There was a table and two chairs.  The room had a DC LED light.  I had been drinking lots of water and said I really needed to use the facilities, and I saw that there was one there off the room but there was no door and people were coming and going out of our room.  Oh yeah, we had no door on our room.  It was the kitchen, or pantry area also.  So they had put up two sheets to partition our sleeping area off from that busy room.  When I said I really needed the toilet, but there was no door, they showed me that there was a second one just to the right.   It had a door!

Home away from home

YES - this one has a door!

Termites working hard to repair the tunnel above the bathroom door.

Joshua was very nervous about our room in the beginning.  I wasn't nervous, but the first few days are always an adjustment.  Here we were, with people that we didn't know, in a new place, and without Doug, also.
It was a good thing that I take earplugs and eye-masks on trips.  I really needed them for this trip.

Sheet curtain/door to separate our room from the kitchen

It is the dry season in Haneti.  The dust and wind are formidable.  There is a large Mus1im population there along with the Masai people.  There is a rather large Catholic influence there also.  Water is a challenge for the people.  There are actually several water pipes where water is pumped to the site where people can get it.  At some of the locations they have to pay for it by the bucket.  There were always cows, chickens, donkeys, sheep or goats around it seemed.  I don't know if I have ever seen so many donkeys in one place before.  They are used to haul all kinds of things, but especially water.  Many people take water for granted.  Living here, one learns quickly just how important it is.

Inside the little church the last day of our meetings

Health teaching was to start the very day after arriving.  God blessed and people seemed very interested.  The church there in Haneti isn't finished yet.  There are open places for the windows and on one end of the church.  There are between 20-25 church members there.  The children had Sabbath School out under a tamarind tree.  The benches are in need of repair, also.  I was thankful for all the fresh air in the church, though.

Children's Sabbath School class under the tree

After church there was a small puppy being a bit mishandled by some children just outside the church.  We went to its rescue.  It was actually a she.  She belonged to the herds-boy that was watching the calves close by.  There were several puppies.  This little girl warmed-up to us and was following us around shortly.  Someone mentioned something about if we wanted the puppy.  The idea grew on us and we did end up getting her a few days before the meetings were over. 

First evening for teaching at the wide open area.

The main meetings started on Sunday out in a wide open place by one of the water pipes.  The dust and wind were a huge challenge especially in the beginning.  It is a big challenge trying to teach when you can't even see because of the dirt blowing in your face.  They tried to clean up the area and wet it down several times.  It got better and better.  Each time a herd of cows, sheep or goats would go by though, the dust would become a cloud around us.  Joshua and I enjoyed watching the mother goats and sheep come home each evening and the babies coming out running and crying to meet them.  I don't know of many things more cute than baby goats.
We were to do health testing from 2-3pm.  Another person was to give the "Family Life" teachings from 3-4pm.  Then I was to teach from 4-5pm.  Then the main message was to be from 5-6 pm.  After a couple of days we also started a 7-8pm session out by the village area close to the hostel with the projector after dark.  I would teach another session on health and they would follow that up with some other things. They would nail a white sheet to the outside wall of a mud brick hut.  We would hook up the generator.  Four stools would be found for us.  One was used for the projector, one for the laptop and two for out seats.  Joshua did a good job translating for me at all the meetings and many other times.
At the end of the meetings seven people followed their Lord and Savior in baptism.
God is good.

Carrying water Tanzania style

Working animals

Visiting with the local health officials and clinic

Setting up the meeting site

Main meeting time

We were asked to speak at the Haneti Secondary School and give a talk on health and to encourage the students and staff.  That was a great privilege.

Haneti Secondary School

Teaching, sharing and encouraging staff and students

The pastor of the area has already invited us to participate in another set of meetings next year.  He wanted us to go to another set in January in Dar, but our schedule is already over-booked for January.
The work is big, and the laborers are few.  We are praying that we can get some of our students do to the mobile work more and more and we can get more and more people trained.

A typical mud hut for this area.

Another type of simple house

Joshua and the big boabab

Village life around Haneti

Lots of animals at the meeting site each evening

 

Heavy fire wood carried by the ladies

At our health testing site

Simple pleasures

Joshua and his new little Mus1im friend

 We are thankful for all the blessing of working for our Lord, wherever that takes us.

The Zimbabwe Orphanage Project

It was a great blessing to get to tour the orphanage the day I was leaving Zimbabwe.  It is amazing the work God is doing through these dedicated people.  The orphanage is run by a retired doctor and his wife.  His brother-in-law (which we know his children in the US (Fishers!) is also helping there.  The children seem so content and with a purpose.  Every child from infant to young adult was wonderful to meet.  They were so pleasant. 
We took the tour with the doctor (85 years old.)  Don't ever let anyone tell you that you are too young or too old to work for Jesus and share His love with others.  Some of the children are orphans as result of AIDS.  One tiny boy was found his first day of life in a toilet in the train. 
The doctor told us that when the neighbors cleared out the trees behind the orphanage, the monkeys came through their property.  He saw one particular mother monkey carrying her dead baby monkey as she escaped the area.  He said, "How can a monkey show such compassion to her dead baby, and people..... people throw living children away?"  It was so sad.  He has such amazing compassion for these young people. 

Very well behaved children doing some extra studies in the open-air

One of the buildings

They all have such hard starts in life. 

Our tour with Dr. Farag

One of the classrooms

Little ones ready for lunch

The youngest sleep here

Aren't they precious?  I am so glad they have a home.

Peacefully sleeping

This room is for the ones that are a bit bigger

I missed the smile, but there was one.

Setting up a donated printing press

Welding by Mr. Fisher (from Oklahoma!)

Do you see his joy?

They need volunteers.  If you know anyone that is interested in doing some volunteer work in an orphanage (where they speak English) please contact them.

 http://newstartchildrenshome.org/

Here are a few pictures of their lovely place.  It is the dry season.  They said it is just beautiful in the rainy season.  I can only imagine.  They have worked very hard to make this place a blessing to very many babies and children.  God has worked miracles.

Zimbabwe and Mbizi Game Park

When I was asked if I could step in and help with a medical missionary training in Zimbabwe, I really didn't know what would happen.  My expectations and the reality were very different in MANY ways.  Working with God certainly does lead to a lot of unexpected surprises.  I was told that the training was scheduled, people were coming, but the group that was to facilitate could not come.  I was asked if I could help.  After prayer, Doug and I decided I could go.  He would teach the last few days of the medical missionary course in Kibidula.  I would travel by myself to Zimbabwe!

I left my guys for 2 1/2 weeks to help facilitate the medical missionary training.
It seems that when God has something great planned, many challenges can be expected.  My luggage didn't arrive the same day I did.  I was in a strange country, staying in a house with someone I had never met before, and wearing her clothes.

It was very strange being in a place where they use US dollars for most purchases and they speak ENGLISH!  It was a treat to teach without a translator!  Zimbabwe is much more developed than Tanzania.   It is a lovely place to visit.  The people were wonderful.  It seems much safer than Tanzania, too.

The training was 10 days at the Mbizi Game Park in Harare, Zimbabwe (http://www.mbizi.co.zw/).  So after a few days of getting ready off we went to the park.  Our training rooms were very well ventilated, causing us to wrap up diligently early in the mornings and late in the day.  I am so thankful that it would warm up each day.  We got lots of good fresh air and sunshine.  Winter is even colder there than it is in Kibidula!

 We would take three walks each day.  It was really nice being able to walk in the game park area where the wild animals are living.  We saw zebra, giraffe and other animals almost every day.

 We didn't have to go anywhere to find the monkeys.   They would find us.  We had to be careful not to leave things out.  We had been warned that they will most definitely take food, but they also take other things.

 I really enjoyed my early morning walks out with the animals.

 We had to wash our clothes by hand and try to find someplace to hang them.  This tree was close to our cabin.  Do you see the monkeys checking out what is going on?

 There were four of us facilitators, and we all are currently from four different continents!  Dr. Bev is living in Australia, Richard is from England (Europe), Monica is from Canada (North America) and I am living in Africa!

 Some of the early morning sunrises were breathtaking.  I highly recommend Zimbabwe to anyone that would like to come visit Africa.  It is a beautiful country.  I was not able to go to Victoria Falls while I was there, but it is in Zimbabwe.  The Mbizi Game Park is a very lovely place to visit.  I have been told that the country is twice as beautiful during the rainy season.  It was still lovely even during the dry season.  I was told that the wild animals are all contained in various game parks that are fenced in to protect the animals and the people. 

 We had a great group of people.  There were 41 of us total between facilitators, organizers and attendees.  It was a great team of people.  I was blessed to be part of the program.

Mbizi has many nice places to enjoy, including this area of boulders and even rock paintings.

 The  owners of the park became our friends.  They came and ate with us at each of our meals and attended some of the lectures.

 This was my home away from home while we were doing the training.  Five of us camped out in this bungalow.  Two on each side and Richard in the middle outside with only a curtain between him and the world. 

 After the meetings were over, one of the organizers took us to several places.  One quick stop was the lion park.  We were able to drive the vehicle right in to their area.  Those cats are beautiful and huge.

 I am so looking forward to heaven when all the animals and we people can be friends again.  It is amazing how much beauty still exists in this world after 6000 years of selfishness and sin blighting it all.  God is so amazing.  His creativity, His love for beauty and variety still shine through.  Heaven is going to be great.
We were able to visit two future homes of a training center and an outreach center.  One was several hours away from where we taught.  We also visited several other sites including some health outreach facilities.  In addition to that, we also visited an orphanage. 

The children ranged from newborns to young people that are in college now!  It was wonderful to see all these young people with real peace and purpose.  The work they are doing there is AMAZING.  If anyone is interested in working with orphans, I highly recommend this orphanage.  The name is Newstart Chidlren's Home.  Here is the web address.  They need volunteers.  http://newstartchildrenshome.org/

It was a great blessing to be part of the facilitation team.  I made many new friendships that I hope will last through all eternity.  If I don't see any of them again before Jesus comes, I hope to see them all when He does!

Doug caught a thief "red-handed" TWICE!

We caught a thief "red handed!" 
This afternoon, we decided to take the boys for a walk that they had been asking for.  We decided to walk the "fire breaks."  While walking we notice someone way down in the valley "poking around" with a stick.  It didn't look like anyone we knew, so Doug and Ashery headed back up to the road, while Joshua and I went on down and around to where we had seen him.  On our way I thought I saw him way ahead of us looking at us.  By the time we got up the hill and met the other two guys, it sure seemed that he must have ducked into the brush and trees.  We kept looking and poking around for him for over 30 minutes.  Doug finally heard him in the brush and ducked down.  Then he came out and Doug confronted him.  He no longer had the stick that we had seen him with in the beginning.  He did have a machete and a few plants.  Doug called to the rest of us and we came from our various places. 

The man said he was from two different villages and also gave his name differently a few times.  Supposedly he was looking for plants for medicine.  He had not gotten permission to be on Kibidula property, and we were told to ask him to leave.  The man said he had his motorcycle parked a distance away.  Doug and the boys escorted him to his motorcycle and I took the dog home. 
After arriving back home, Doug told me more of the story.  After they arrived at the motorcycle, the man took his handful of plants, and strapped them to his bike.  Doug and the boys headed away from him but then ducked down out of sight to see what he might do.  The man took off on his bike and the boys left to go to a friends house to help walk their dogs.    Doug was going a different way but kept hearing a motorcycle. He said he thought it was probably another one.  So he headed back to where they had saw the man leave.  Doug saw the motorcycle again, but the man was not there.  After a while, he heard the man coming through the woods and ducked down.  He had a bag this time and started up his bike to leave.  Doug popped out and told him to turn of the bike.  Doug asked to inspect the bag.  Sure enough, the guy was caught.  In his bag were rats!  (I wish I had been there to see the look on Doug's face.  I think that was what he was doing with that big stick in the bushes when we first saw him.  I thought maybe he was poking around for snakes.  He was searching for rats!  He should have just said so in the beginning.)

Doug also asked him why he needed medicinal plants.  Supposedly his kids have the flu.  Doug told him that we could help with that problem.  Supposedly he will come back tomorrow to our house for help for the kids.  But Doug told him not to come back for plants or rats again.  I really don't expect him to come for help tomorrow, but I could be surprised.  Stranger things have happened.  So, Doug caught a rat & plant thief red handed.  I think the plants were probably a cover-up when he saw that we had seen him.  I could be wrong.  The whole thing is pretty suspicious.  The good news it that there are few less rats here on campus (and a few less weeds.)

So our walk was a bit more interesting than we had planned it to be.