Camp Week!

Mavuno Camp started on June 25th for all the off-campus children and their siblings. 40 youths aged 11-20 arrived Sunday afternoon, tired from their long travels on public transportation, but looking forward to the week.

The first day was spent attending orientation and getting settled in. The girls were placed in the almost completed Family House 3, while the boys slept in the Team House attic and guest room.

Each morning began with exercises, chai, and sessions. After breakfast, the morning was filled with drama practice and personal devotions along with a few games and sessions.

The sessions were about sexual purity, salvation, creation, AIDS/HIV, Bible youths, and other various topics that applied to the kid’s lives. The speakers were several staff and board members, as well as the camp counselors.

The kids were divided into four teams of blue, green, red, and yellow. The blue team was the winner at the end of camp week because they memorized the most verses, and had the best behavior and attitudes during the games.

Three of the kids memorized 40 verses and were awarded a prize for their accomplishments. Joseph Malelo and Naomi Motomoto were given soccer balls for having the most Christ-like attitudes during the camp week.

Charlie and Jen Mann, Elliot Heumier, and Shaina, Seth and Tate Powell were present during the camp and organized the games. They also developed strong relationships with many of the kids. Each day they had a total of three hours a day to play outside games with the camp members. The youths learned many new games and also thoroughly enjoyed the water balloons provided by the team from Montana.

A dental group arrived mid-week to inspect all of the kids’ teeth. They pulled a few but most of the kids were in tip-top shape. Unlike a typical dental office, they had a great view of the lake from the Helsby’s back porch. The rest of the youths made various beaded creations while they waited to be examined.

The mealtimes were held at Family House 3 and consisted mostly of rice, beans, meat, ugali (thick, boiled maize), daaga (small fish cooked whole), and fruit. The boys hungrily devoured a great portion of the food at every meal.

The team also provided shirts for the kids to decorate and there were many creative ideas.

The last night of camp, a large bonfire was lit at the beach and the kids gathered to sing before a lengthy discussion led by John Mbugua and Dan Tanner. Each kid was given a stick to put on the fire to make it blaze brightly. This symbolized that, with the help of every child, Mavuno could shine as a bright light in Tanzania.

On the day of departure the kids packed their belongings and were driven out to the main road where they would take their various transports back home. Tearfully, they said goodbye to their newfound friends and the Mavuno campus, with renewed energy and commitment to God.

Team Building at Mavuno

This week was a very different week here at Mavuno. Usually the fields are filled with temporary workers going about their daily work, but this week the director decided to just have full-time volunteers at Mavuno. He used this time to further explain the Mavuno vision to the volunteers and do team building in order to create unity through-out the volunteers. They did many projects together such as gardening, watching ”Farming God’s Way”, toured the campus and got in-depth insight of Mavuno goals concerning agriculture, children and construction. Every morning and afternoon they met and were all able to discuss problems and remedies of Mavuno’s relationship with some corrupt village leaders. After this they set aside a time for prayer and encouragement.

Mavuno Full-time Volunteers watching "Farming God's Way"

Discussion Time

Heads bowed in prayer for Mavuno

The Mbugua Family

There are now 9 Children in the Mbugua family. Manyashi(10), Esther(10), Mariam(6), Bianca(5), Pili(4), Michael(5), Aika(4), Helena(4) and Jonathan(3).

Manyashi goes to a boarding school in Mwanza, called Jellys. He is currently in the 4th grade. There he is able to get very good schooling. He is a very academic boy, and has a passion for learning. Esther is now in 1st grade. She goes to a school called JBFC. Her and her little sister, Mariam, leave at 7 for school. It’s about a 45 minute walk through Kitongo to get to their school. They get home at about 5 in the evening. Mariam is in Kindergarten and is a very bright little girl. Bianca, Pili, Michael, Aika, Helena and Jonathan all aren’t old enough to go to school, so they stay at home. At home they have their play time, and at about 10 their Mama, Milka, does schooling with them. She is an amazing teacher and mother. They practice writing their names, learning letters and numbers. At 11:30 four times a week the kids go to pre-school. After pre-school is lunch time, followed by nap time. In the evening the girls, Pili, Bianca and Aika have to responsibility of going to get the milk at the container yard. Usually by that time Esther and Mariam can meet them at the container yard and walk home with them. Sitting at the Tanners house we can usually hear them singing and playing all sorts of games on the front porch, or race around the soccer field in the evenings.

I have had to joy of watching them grow and develop under the love of their parents John and Milka. I have never seen such well behaved children! John and Milka have received 9 children in little over a year, and have room for 1 more. Pray that John and Milka continue doing an amazing job as they raise their family. Pray for the kids as they bond to each other, their parents and are nurtured by God’s love.

Pre- school

Kaylen Tanner and Danya Burke started a Pre-school with the missionary and Mbugua kids. The age ranges from 5 years old to 2 years old. We work on colors, shapes, numbers, and letters. On our fun days we play with play-dough, go mango picking, do some fun crafts, or visit the Mavuno Library. Every Friday is the kids favorite day because it’s Beach Day! We take some Frisbees, tools and buckets to dig with, a snack and have fun playing on the beach.

The Pre- school working on shapes and colors with blocks

Zeke and Reuben on face paint day!

Kaylen Tanner giving the kids rides on the beach!

Helena, Aika, Reuben, Michael and Zeke hiding their feet in the sand

Craft Day

The Pre-school picking mangos

Bible Club

Every Wednesday Mavuno puts on a Bible Club for the village kids of Kitongo. Milka Mbugua, our first Mama, teaches the lesson and leads the singing. Right now she is teaching in the book of Ruth. Afterwards the kids play games like soccer or bata, bata, cuckoo (which is Kiswahili for duck, duck, goose).

Bible Club posing for a picture

Michael, Esther, Jona, Zeke, Habe, Myanda and Carter listening to the lesson

Milka giving the lesson

Update

Last night one of Mavuno’s dairy cows, Coffee, gave birth to a little bull. Everybody is very excited. This will mean more milk available for Mavuno’s staff and our increasing number of children.

The newest addition to the Mavuno Dairy Program

Construction Update
The construction is moving along on Family House 3 and in the village plaster house. In Family House 3 the workers are pouring the final layer of cement floor. After the floor is completed the next step will be to start painting!

The village plaster house is in the “chicken cage stage” and ready to be plastered. The workers should begin plastering it next week.

Family House 3

The final cement floor layer being added in Family House 3

The "ckicken cage" in Kitongo waiting to be plastered

New Year Celebration

On Saturday, Mavuno threw a New Year’s Celebration. The Lord really helped us out. It was raining all day, but about an hour before the celebration started, it cleared up, and He gave us sunny skies; when it was over, He let it rain again. It was a good chance to get acquainted with the local villagers of Kitongo. Pop and Mandazis (an African doughnut) were served by the Mavuno staff. Dan, Marco, and Malucha got a chance to explain Mavuno, and what our purpose is. John Mbugua preached a short sermon of the gospel. Afterwards the Jesus film in Kisakuma was shown. Overall it was a great chance to get to know our neighbors, fellowship with each other, and share the gospel message!

Marco


Malucha



The Mavuno Staff serving pop and mandazis

Watching the Jesus Film

Praise:
Our water crisis is now over, thank- you so much for praying. Dan was able to buy a new pump, and yesterday filled all of the water tanks!