Fire Again!

(Written on 10-30-09)
Tuesday morning started out like any other morning – and Janet and I were getting things ready for laying out two more buildings – a house and a dormitory. We were heading for the truck so we could go get material when one of our fundis, up on the roof of our mechanic classroom saw fire and told us about it. We decided to go have a look and ran into Baraza (our interpreter) who was coming to get us. He told us the other boys had already gone and that the fire was quite close. Janet went back to the job site and collected the fundis. Upon arriving we could see that in reality the fire was about a quarter mile away from our property; a lot closer than the other fire we fought a few weeks back. Anyway, while walking up we passed a young lady carrying a baby on her back; she just stood there looking guilty as we walked by – holding head down and just barely looking up at you. I wondered if she had anything to do with the fire. Come to find out she was burning her field when the high wind blew it out of control. Last year this area burned and the village people milled the good wood off of it. Upon doing this they left piles of slab wood just waiting to catch afire. That is exactly what happened. Well, we fought for about 2-3 hours and finally beat it. There were a total of about 50 people all working together for one cause – get the fire out. We had about 30 of our group there and the rest were village people. The Lord blessed and no one got hurt and no houses were damaged.

Janet and I was able to lay out the perimeter walls on our 4th and 5th buildings yesterday (Wednesday). Things are moving fast and we have a lot to do before coming home in December. The fundis are getting the first building ready for roofing sheets that should be coming next week. They will also start plastering some of the walls. They are currently living in a “canvas” garage that Janet had, but when it rains it comes in and gets them wet. Once the roof is on the first building and the walls are plastered, they will move into there to give them more room and also to be out of the elements. Rain has started early this year. Although, we don’t get it everyday, we do get rain that will soak you to the bone if you are out working in it (which I have ). The first step of our Gazebo is completed and it looks nice – we are hoping that the kids will be able to use it on Sabbath, but it still has to cure some more. We’ll see…..

Oh, Janet wanted me to ask for recipes. The foods that we eat are: potatoes, tomatoes, onions, garlic, wheat flour, white flour, corn meal flour, beans, rice, spaghetti, and greens. They fix them, and they are good but it is the same ol’ same ol’, if you know what I mean. We get tired of it for one but also we want to hold cooking classes and would like to teach them various other ways to prepare these foods. Do not send the recipes here. Once we get back to the states I will put in another request and tell you where to send them. I repeat, do not send them now. I would greatly appreciate it and thanks for your help.

I had other things to write about but Janet told me she would write on the items and I could use it for a blog entry. WHOO! WHOO! But as of yet I have not received them and I am writing the rest of this blog on 11-2. I know it will come because it will be a couple articles for EVI’s Faith Venture magazine; so I should get it soon.

Jason, Bill and Eric are here from Kibidula until Thursday helping us. We received roofing sheets, One-Day-Church parts and have been busy putting these things up. I sure do wish I can send pictures with me blog. With Jason here I will ask him. I believe I may know how I can with out it taking all my time up. Anyway, things are really looking good down there. The 2” pipe is here also for our water system, but that is on hold until at least Jason and the others leave. We want to use them on the buildings as much as possible.

A side note. I have been invited to join Janet and her family to go to the lake (Matemba, I believe) on vacation for a few days before we come home. When, I am not sure, but I think it will be soon. I am looking forward to seeing a place that is new.

This is goodbye from Mago….

Deniece