Water!!

Praise the Lord- yesterday night, a little past ten, the pump finally pushed some water into our almost empty tanks. None of the houses actually ran dry. The Helsby house and Mbugua house almost did though. They both had only the water in their pipes left. This morning we filled all the tanks and now we are all catching up on laundry, and enjoying not being quite so stingey with our water. Thanks for praying.

PLEASE PRAY: our water pump is broken down right now. Dan Tanner is working frantically to fix it, but until he does we are out of water. Pray that he will be able to fix it quickly.

Corvallis Team

Hi, this is Wilbur Nisly and I am here in Tanzania for two weeks. We come from Montana and have had wonderful and growing time here. I spoke at the parenting seminar that Mavuno Village put on and that was an awesome experience. John served as translator. There were about 45 people attending, mostly pastors and their wives. The subject material we used came from Ted Tripps book ‘Shepherding a Child’s Heart’. The people were very gracious and receptive of the teaching. Of course I needed a lot of grace extended for my very limited Swahili, which they were so good about. It was a crash course on the local culture but was a very pleasant experience. The seminar was well organized and the enthusiasm of the people for fellowship and teaching from God’s Word was very refreshing. I so enjoyed their singing. It seemed such an enthusiastic expression of the joy in there hearts. I praise God for the opportunity to study and worship with this segment of God’s family.
Our team helped with several projects here at Mavuno Village. Among them were developing a watering system for their crops and garden. The ladies cleaned, sewed curtains, watched children, and such. We worked on the new house being built, running conduit for wiring, helping put on the steel roofing. Carol Webber, one of the ladies of our group, shared at the parenting seminar on praying for our children, and praying scripture for our children. Some of us had the opportunity to go for dinner to a local village home. We were almost overwhelmed with their generosity and gracious spirit. It was the kind of evening that made you think that sometimes our priorities need some major adjustments.
Here at Mavuno Village the work is moving ahead. The people here are driven by their love for God and a passion for providing good homes to orphan children. It was a privilege to be a small part of helping them in this pursuit. It’s a wonderful, functional community with lots of challenges and yet the patience to allow God to work in His timing.


Don and Larry welding on the pump house fence



Carol with Esther



Larry and Rollie working on our water system



Larry enjoying watching Rollie work on our water system



Bev loving on a child



Larry helping Dave Helsby roof Family House 3.



Wilbur speaking with John Mbugua (our first foster father) as translator.



Deni loving on a baby



The Team having a good traditional African meal. Ugali: stiff mixture of various types of flour, with some Daga: very small salted dried fish



They also got to visit our village church; in this picture the choir is dancing, which is just as important as singing here.



We were very happy to have the team. They were a huge help around here, and in the Parenting Seminar they were a huge encouragment.

They’re Moved!

Last week the Helsby’s moved into their new house, which is very exciting. And this Monday (August 30th) the Millers moved into the house the Helsby family vacated (they are rejoicing at having running water again- “Uncle” Josh said he loved being able to take a hot shower, in a real shower, and he didn't even have to boil his own water!). The house that the Millers moved out of is going to soon be filled by our latest prospective parents, the Chitumbis. They are required to be here for four months on a trial period before they become Mavuno Foster Parents.

Reminder: Our Parenting Seminar starts next week. PRAY that it would go well and that our Off-Campus Foster Parents would learn lots and be encouraged.

“Pool” Party

This last Saturday (August 14th) the Mavuno families had a pool party! The girls, Hannah Helsby, Danae, and Launa Tanner, worked really hard these last two weeks to make a pool with a slip and slide down the hill. This “pool” is a hole in the ground with a tarp in it, accompanied by a ditch with a tarp, as the water slide- but it is a lot of fun. The Millers, the Helsby kids, Tanner kids, and Mbugua kids all got wet and had a blast Saturday. It was awesome to see all those kids splashing, sliding, yelling, and laughing.


The"water slide"









The Never Ending Line












Esther liked the pool.







Jonathan kept getting stuck so Levi
Tanner and Carter Helsby helped him out.










Hannah Miller gets helped along by John









At first Aika was not so sure about the water,

















But after a little convincing (by Launa Tanner)














She tried it out, and had fun.










Hannah and Katie Helsby race for the finish!










Mariamu helped along by John













Helena(with John) was nervous about the slide











But after a few rounds she was having a blast! (she is with Levi Tanner here)










Mariamu climbing out of the pool







Manyashi was determind to discover the fastest way down- I had a hard time getting pictures of him












Esther helping Zeke out















Michael with "Aunt" Amy Miller











Mariamu Champion of the Slide!









John helping Esther and Jonathan








Launa Tanner and Jonathan having fun















John makes Lauren Helsby's day









"Uncle" Josh Miller was definatly our fastest runner- he is with Jonathan here.









Naomi Miller and Esther making good use of the pool









Traffic jam- good thing John was there










Michael arrives











Tired kids eating bannanas


By the end of the day all the kids were very tired!

Family House 3 is on the way! In the last few days the cement foundation between the Mbugua’s and Tanner’s has grown up into a skeleton house. Dan and Dave have been working hard at welding, drilling, screwing, pushing and pulling to get all the poles and trusses up in the last few days. Praise the Lord that no one has got hurt with all the pounds that have been suspended in the air as Dan moves the trusses into place. It is really exciting to see this house come up, even though we still have a lot to do- wiring, pluming, plastering the cement walls, putting in doors and windows, and painting-before any one can move in. Still, the hope is that four months from now we can start putting kids in!

Exciting Arrivals

Aika


Michael


Manyashi


Aika and Michael have arrived! We had been planning to receive them last week but that didn't work out. We have them now, though, and Mavuno is so excited about it. We all realize that transition from the baby home, Forever Angels, to a family is going to be difficult, but they are excited to finally have a family. And we are excited that we can give them one!

The day before yesterday Manyashi came home from boarding school. Manyashi has been going to school at Jelly’s English Medium School, but his month vacation starts this week. Manyashi is the oldest on campus child; right now he is ten but he will be eleven in September. That makes him a big brother to a growing number of kids.


The Mbugua family,
(top) John and Milka
(bottom) Aika, Michael, Jonathan, Helena, Mariamu, Manyashi
(Esther was at school, so she is missing)


If you want to know more about Forever Angels go to:www.foreverangels.com