We are making progress on the classroom. There are new bookshelves and tables being built as we speak. The classroom is in need of painting, but it seems that paint is hard to come by at this time, so we will just have to wait on that part. We are having a meeting tomorrow with the parents and some of the local leaders. Hopefully we will get things set for registration. We are planning to start school on Feb 1st...only a couple days away!
Thank you for all the prayers and words of encouragement.
Please check back often for news and updates from Macha
Just wanted to let you know that we finally made it back to Macha. We ended up flying back, but we were delayed a couple of times due to the weather. It eventually cleared up just enough for us to take off and land safely. We left our car in Lusaka (the capitol city) for some repairs and new tires. Gil will be returning to Lusaka tomorrow (with Ben Sakala and his truck) to bring back some of the items that we purchased at the estate sale. I can't wait to get everything set up in our new home. We will post pictures when we get things organized.
The rains never seem to stop. It has been so dry in Botswana for the past couple of years, we are not used to this much rain...but they have needed it. This picture is of one of the roads here in Macha....talk about an off-road bike adventure! Not all the roads are flooded, this one just happens to have an overflowing creek run past it.
Hi Everyone
WOW.....God is so good!!!! He is so faithful!!!! He always blows me away when he does not only give me what I need but he gives me the desires of my heart. He opened His hand and the blessing just poured out!
Ever since I knew that I would be moving to Macha I had been thinking about decorating my house in Macha to make it my home. I had some dreams as I may have watched too many decorating shows when I was home for Christmas. I prayed for things for the house and then the week we left we found out that we would be running a guest house...I thought I would need allot more stuff and had no clue where I would get stuff.......who cares what it looked like at that point ...getting it (anything) would be a problem.....so I thought!
Well, on with the story. I prayed for some things.Since I have had lots of experience second hand shopping I learned a long time ago to pray specifically for what I needed.....most often I would find exactly what I needed and had asked for. When I started praying for the Macha things there was Sooooooooooo Macha to pray for as we had nothing. Everything we had in Botswana was the schools. I started to pray very specifically. I decided I would like to decorate in an Africa motif and I thought a brown couch would be nice God.....and I would like white dishes if possible God. I would be happy with any dishes but white would be nice(-; Also all of you know I LOVE giraffes. Well, yesterday we went to an estate sale at a missionary couple's house that can not get their work permits extended and must return to the US. You will never believe this!!!!!!!!! We walked in and there before my eyes was a three piece lounge suite in brown with a wooden frame. with quite over stuffed pillows.......curtains with hand painted giraffe valances!!!!! and then I proceeded to the dining room to find a set of white dishes from Montgomery Wards and a set of cutlery that was almost like the new stuff I had just gotten for the flat at TDS last year. Now that did NOT happen by chance!!!
We were also able to get many many other things that I need to run a guest house....or even a house just for us!!! shelves, single bedroom set, coffee pot, bread maker, pots and pans, bikes ( the only way to travel in Macha) and this will blow your mind....... we got a washer and dryer! Now we only have water in the am and pm, but it will work and electricity varies but it can be on for several days in a row. I decided that after the towels did not dry for two days in the rains I needed a machine that would spin the water out and a dryer for the towels and sheets of the guests.
We also got a white board on an easel......coolers for our food when we travel back and forth to Lusaka to grocery shop and the list goes on. I think you get the picture!!!!!
We are so unworthy and feel so blessed to have So Macha to start with!!!!!! Praise the Lord SO MACHA with us!
We will finish our food shopping today...fly to Macha tomorrow and then I will have to start getting ready for school. We will have a meeting on Friday at 4 with parents. So Mid and I will get the room ready even if it is not painted and the furniture is not made ....we will make it work!! Skip will get Ben Sakala and they will have to come to Lusaka a few times to get the stuff as Ben has a truck. Sue and Joel may bring a trailer load ....and we will be set!! The car will go to the doc on Tuesday and will take a week or two to get fixed....and get new tires.
Our time in the US was wonderful. Although it went by quickly, we were able to spend quality time with family and friends. Our first stop, on our return to Africa was Botswana, our home for the past 8 years. Ronda helped with some teacher training for the new school year and Gil got the computer lab set up for the students to continue their classes. We then packed up some of our remaining things and headed out on the journey to Zambia. We reached Macha, Zambia on Sunday Jan 15th. We arrived to wonderful news! The mission hospital has generously offered to let us stay in one of the vacant houses that is reserved for visiting doctors and their families. It is an answer to prayer, as we were unsure of what our housing situation would be. We now have a 4 bedroom home, with running water and electricity...Macha Room!
Our house is already getting plenty of use (it is the Macha Bed and Breakfast!) We already have several guests. Gertjan's father and uncle are here for the month. They are helping with the architectural design and fundraising for the school (MICS) and many of the other projects happening in Macha. Our other guest is Richard, he is with Flying Mission (based in Botswana) he is here to help with the computer network and some new projects that will provide the internet to the surrounding villages (LinkNet). We were hoping to have a visit from a team of short term missionaries. Greg and Kathy Smith (friends of ours from when we lived in Menomonie, WI) have brought a group of people from Wisconsin to Zambia. Unfortunately the heavy rains made travel difficult and they were not able to make the trip to Macha.
Progress on the school (MICS) is moving along. The class room is being set up and we are getting very excited. We are currently working with the government to get the school registered. We are planning to meet with the parents next week about registration and other details.
Thank you for all your prayers and words of encouragement. The Lord has truly blessed us and is doing wonderful things here in Macha. We want to take this opportunity to invite you all to come for a visit, since we now have Macha Room in our wonderful new home.
