(Malaika & Sharon, best pals) Muli Bwanji Everyone,
From Kimberly....
Where has the time gone? Forgive us for starting off with a cliche, but we are truly asking that question. We can hardly believe that it has been two years since we arrived in Zambia. I can still remember wondering what it would feel like to finally set eyes on the face of the first child that would come to live at the Village of Hope. Now we have 21 faces that have become very dear to us living at the village!
Kimani just recently celebrated his 10th birthday, his second in Zambia. Everyone stopped by for some cake and fellowship. Malaika will be celebrating her 8th birthday in the States. Yes, we are going to be returning home to Delaware for a visit from October 21st to January 3rd. We are actually leaving Zambia on Friday, September 26th on a train bound for Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and then onto Kenya by bus. We will be visiting with Kamau's family for the first time in the 11 years that we have been married. Shortly after we arrive in the U.S., we will be participating in the wedding of my sister. As you can imagine, this is a very exciting time for us. We are looking forward to seeing many of you, so please be on the look out for us!
(Future carpenters?)August, we enjoyed the company of a family from Michigan that came to visit the Village of Hope after hearing about it on the Family Life Today radio program. Mark used his carpentry skills to help with some projects and to take time to instruct some very eager students! The children could not wait to get their chores done so that they could come over to the work area to hang out with Mark and work on their projects such as, benches, crosses, little tables, etc.
As you can see from the above picture, Isaac and Brighton were absolutely fascinated by the drill and could not wait to try it out for themselves. Maureen, who is a teacher, was of great help to us as we were preparing to resume school in September. She helped us put together a teacher training program and provided us with a wealth of ideas for our school. Kristopher, gave art instruction and taught the children how to play checkers. We were sad to see them go and we really miss them!
(Selita, Isaac, & Brighton hard at work)
(Selita making a bench)
From Kamau...
This is the time of year when it is very dry, windy, and hot! It is also the time of year for fires that just spring up suddenly and hungrily eat up the dry grasses of the bush. This fire that you are looking at was right on our property and actually came into the village and came very close to the houses. It burned all of the grass on the 97 hectares of land that belong to All Kids Can Learn Zambia. Amazingly, whenever this happens the trees do not burn, they are very resistant to fire and seem to thrive in this type of environment. Fortunately, no one was hurt in this fire but just about a week later there was another fire right across from us at Ibis Gardens and a man lost his life. He had been drinking and decided to lay down in the tall grasses of the bush in order to sleep, and the fire surrounded him. It was very sad. In a similar fire, Pastor Zulu, our pastor, lost his elderly mother in a bush fire just like this one.
( This photo was taken not far from one of the houses in the village)
(Benedict came out with the skid loader to put out some flames that were getting too close to the hose pipe connected to the water tank.)
(Kathleen and the children outside of the community center which is currently being used for school)On the first day of the new school term, the children were very excited to be attending school at the community center instead of in the houses at the village.
Kathleen and one of the teachers welcomed the students and gave an encouragement from God's Word.
We have begun to upack the many boxes of books that arrived on the container and we are pleased that we can have our very own library! What a huge blessing!
(The children have a look around at the classrooms that they will be using)
(Exlidah, Sharpie, and Gift looking at the many books)Prayer Requests
- Pray for safe travel for our family
- There have been many illnesses at the village lately. Please pray for healing and protection.
- Please pray that God will send to us godly, experienced teachers for the next term in January 2009. This is an urgent request.
- There was an attempted robbery at the community center a few days ago. They were after computers and sewing machines. Again, please pray for protection of our guards who are the ones who would come in contact with the thieves. Pray that God will change the covetous hearts of those in the surrounding community, it is a real problem.
Hope to see many of you very soon,
The Kamaus
