Village Life

I realize it has been a while since I have written. The internet issues (same as the cell phone service) has gotten increasingly interesting. My new modus operandi, when it seems impossible to get a text message to go out, is to push ‘send’ and throw my cell phone high into the air, hoping to catch some kind of signal. It works, by the way. Not that Dave thinks it is a great method, but again, desperate times call for increasingly desperate measures!

Visiting our neighbors is one of those things we enjoy when we make the time, but takes deliberation. It always ends up being a blessing to us. Two nights ago was no exception when we visited our friends, the Misungwi’s. They are an older couple (the medical officer and the one who taught us about proper cleanliness and correct breastfeeding).

Mama Misungwi has had problems with her legs for some time now. As we lingered outside on small, creaky wooden stools, enjoying the fresh dry-season air and the rustle of the tall corn stalks, she told us that her legs are doing OK, but still give her problems. “They keep me up at night and they just ache during the day. It is hard to get around, and painful when I walk.” We offered a couple words of sympathy for her condition. She smiled and replied, “All of this is from the kindness of God. God is good.” She didn’t say it as some trite conversation fill-in, she said it as a matter of well-known fact.

Later on we discussed the funeral that had taken place the day before of a young man in the village. He had died very suddenly, although he hadn’t felt well for a while. His father also recently lost his granddaughter very suddenly. I was feeling sorry about that. “God has His plans,” she said very sweetly, “He knows when each one of us will live or die.” Far from being the exception, her statement would be “amen”-ed by most of the Tanzanians I have talked to. While the belief in “God’s will” sometimes leads to complacency, or a lack of admission of fault in a matter, it is also something I can take in and hold on to for my own life. They certainly seem to understand the reality of God’s ways being higher than ours a lot better than I do. The “stages of grief” can be very cultural, by the way!

Being white in Africa at times leads to frustration, especially when you are constantly asked for money or things. It is easy to get in the mind-set that everyone wants something from you because many people ask. However, it makes the generosity of people so much richer when it happens. As we got up to leave, Mama M. gently but firmly put us back in our seats and told us to wait a minute. Then she and her husband walked around their little place, gathering corn from the stalks, a special fruit on their trees and some different kinds of cucumber-looking things. They escorted us through their fields, Mama carrying the bag of goodies with difficulty on her bad leg, and then, “Come again, soon!”

We are blessed!

This chameleon has nothing to do with this post, I just like him!

Reading, Writing and a Trip on a Four-Wheeler!

Five of the younger Mbugua kids are currently attending the early education center taught by Alicia Hazlett on campus.

Bianca, Michael, Aika, Helena, and Pili began their first term of the year on Monday and have greatly enjoyed their first few days doing many fun activities.

Jonathan attends classes for a short period of time in the mornings.

Manyashi, Mariamu, and Esther, the three eldest Mbugua children are enjoying their classes at JBFC, a neighboring private school. For the sake of Manyashi’s safety, the three kids get the rare opportunity to ride the four-wheeler to school every day, chauffeured by Grandpa Larry Nickish.

John (daddy) will take the kids by four-wheeler when Grandpa is gone.

On Tuesday Alicia took the kids up to a small cave on the hill to find hidden scrolls representing the discovery of the famous Dead Sea Scrolls.

It is proving to be a year of discovery in the education department!

Christmas

Reuben Tanner reclines in a mound of mangoes harvested from Mavuno trees

Christmas came decked in mangoes and mud this year. Staff excitedly made their entrance to the annual Christmas party, which included some tasty beef and an intense white elephant gift exchange. The children eagerly passed gifts in a game of Musical Presents, and the day was polished off with many rounds of volleyball.

The hat with hair and the absurd glasses were big hits at the white elephant exchange

Church was the perfect place to celebrate on the actual day, and choirs from the area arrived to sing and worship together. Everyone enjoyed a large feast together and some of the events lasted until after sundown.

Michael Mbugua prepares to pass a wrapped surprise in musical presents

Esther Mbugua returns to her seat with a heaping bowl of food

Merry Christmas, one and all!

The children enjoy a lavish feast at the party

Dan Tanner successfully disposed of a massive village pest; one of four hippos that has been destroying numerous fields of corn and rice. The nationals were grateful for the unexpected source of meat provided by the large creature.

Dan Tanner supervises as the dead hippo is dragged from the lake

Villagers survey the large beast as they observe the process of extracting it from the water

Volunteers

Joel and Lauren Wildasin joined the Mavuno team on Saturday, November 26. They have two children... Treth, age 3, and Nya, age one; the third child is due in January. Joel is helping with the agricultural program and we praise God for their enthusiasm and expertise.

The Wildasins in their front driveway with the lake in the background

Alicia Hazlet is a long term volunteer who is developing the school program. Right now she teaches seven of the Mbugua children preschool. She comes to us with lots of experience and great ideas and she is an invaluable asset to Mavuno.

Alicia looks on as the children play a game with mangoes

With the Millers on furlough, Bev and Larry Nickish came to Mavuno for three months to do the bookkeeping. Bev works in the office as accountant while Larry does various projects on campus. He used to be a butcher and helped with slaughtering and butchering one of the Mavuno steers as well as construction and anything else that needs a handyman.

Larry and Bev were excellent in aiding the meat production

We thank God that he sent these dedicated volunteers to Mavuno.

John Zephania

Mavuno has recently received a new off-campus child named John Zephaniah. He was discovered at a bus wreck site near Magu, and one of the surviving passengers took him to the police station the following day. Social Welfare requested that Mavuno take care of him until his family could be located. He was placed with a wonderful couple in the Magu district.

John is around the age of two and his new parents had the pleasure of naming him because no known name was found. He cannot talk, is not potty trained, but can walk.

Social Welfare could not find his biological parents so he now legally belongs to Mavuno. We praise God that he can grow up in a good Christian home.

Rainy Season Arrives!

Helena and Mariam go for a run

The rains have finally come! We are enjoying the humidity and the green scenery. The villagers’ gardens are doing well and there is fresh grass for the cows. With the rains the animals are emerging in abundance. The chameleons, hedgehogs, snakes, scorpions, and bugs frequently enter our houses. This, too, provides newfound excitement for rainy season!

Carter enjoys a hedgehog

Please pray that it would continue to rain so that the villagers’ newly planted crops can grow well this year, after a long period of little harvesting.

Several weeks ago Manyashi Mbugua, the oldest on-campus child, became a Christian. Here is his testimony in his own words:

It was Friday, August 26 around 11 am. I was having a rest near a water tank and socializing with my daddy and my younger brother Michael. I asked my daddy a question, “There are people who are saved and keep sinning and there are people who are not saved but do good actions, so who will go to heaven when Jesus comes back?” My daddy answered, “Only the one who is saved by accepting and believing Jesus as his Savior. Which means Jesus died for his sins. We are not saved by our works but by accepting Christ.”

My daddy asked me, “Are you saved?” I said no. Then he asked me, “Do you want to be saved?” I said yes! I accepted Christ as my Savior and that he died for my sins. I prayed and after my prayer, my daddy also prayed.

Since that day I am peaceful and happy in my heart. When I go back to school I will ask my friends to accept Christ.

From John:

I told Manyashi that believing is accepting without doubt that Christ died for your sins. And this means that he died for all of your sins that you have committed and the ones that you will do tomorrow. I quoted Eph. 2:8-9 that we are not saved by works but by grace, through faith in Jesus. So believers will sin even though they are saved, and go to heaven. Unbelievers will go to hell even though they are doing good works. He was silent for a few minutes and then asked, “How can I be sure if Christ will take me when he comes?”

I told Manyashi about Romans 10:9,10. If you confess Christ and believe in your heart that he died for your sins you will be saved. I asked him, “Do you want to believe in him?” He asked if he had to wait until Sunday at the church. I told him no, you can do it now. He said he was ready. He asked Chrsit to come in his heart and after praying, you could see joy in his face. He said, “Next Sunday I want to stand before the church and tell them.” I told him, “Sure, you can do it!” The next Sunday he stood before the church and everybody was happy.

Before he went back to school, he asked me to write those verses out so that he could memorize them and use them to tell his friends about the Gospel.