September Comings and Goings

It’s been an eventful month! After moving into our new house, a team from Corvallis, MT arrived. We have had some great teams, but we have never had 7 “mature” people come on one team before.  How the kids are enjoying having some grandparents around! We have all been so blessed to have them in our homes and enjoy an older generation (which we rarely get to do!).

While here, they have helped with our parenting conference, an annual event that we use to try and encourage our off-campus parents in child-raising, marriage, and other relevant areas. This year’s conference was SO good, and Wilbur, who taught on Shepherding a Child’s Heart, did a terrific job.

In the midst of running back and forth to the conference and keeping things running around here, we had an exciting fire the other night. It started down by the lake, most likely by a fisherman, and quickly spread. It is dry season here, which means it hadn’t rained in several months, and the grass is tall and crispy. ‘Makes for perfect fire spreading. Thankfully, nothing was hurt and now we have a better idea of the lay of the land where the school will eventually be. The fire burned so slowly that eventually Dave and Dan decided to just light a big fire right by our house and back-burn to the original one. Finally at midnight or so it all burned out. When it first started, we were watching the flames grow and spread quite rapidly from our back porch. Megan turns to me and says, “Mom, you wanna know what I love about fires? Guess.” I couldn’t guess. She whispers in my ear, “Hotdogs and marshmallows.” I guess she thought that the raging inferno was still an excuse for a nice campout!

On a lighter note, we are all settling in to the house. The kids, who have all shared a (large) room, now are split up into three rooms. They have already posted “no boys” and “no girls” signs on their doors—maybe pent-up from years of having to share.  To a Tanzanian, the idea of having children in separate beds is unthinkable—every child sleeps not only with other siblings, but at least two to a bed. Even in the hospitals the children share beds (even on the maternity ward two women AND THEIR BABIES share ONE bed, and we’re not talking even a twin sized one). So while it is nice for the kids to broaden their boundaries, it is hardly necessary. We’re thankful!

It is also Ukwaju season here (pronounced Oo-Kwa-Joo). We have a big tree right next to our house that produces this fruit. It is the natural version of sweet tarts, only it’s tarter and not quite as sweet. However, it is a delicacy in these parts and the kids have been busy making Ukwaju candy and ukwaju-ade and anything else they can think of. The little girls were making me laugh the other day, putting the ukwaju seeds in, lots and lots of sugar, water, stirring and stirring, tasting, sticking their fingers in it…you get the picture. And they were making it for our guests, who had no idea so many hands had “seasoned” it. In the end they even left the red stirrer in, just for looks.  Kate meanwhile licked around the entire edge of the sugar bowl in case she hadn’t had enough yet.

The boys are equally enthusiastic, picking it eagerly, mashing it, making lots of candy, eating most of it, selling some to their sisters and other unsuspecting customers. The older girls (Launa and Hannah) skip the whole ukwaju process all together and just make coffee candy. There’s something for everyone.

And Michael and Aika, our new kids on campus, are doing well and adjusting to their family.  Here is Kate with a black baby and Aika with a white one!

Last thing:  A HUGE thank-you to all of you blanket-makers out there. 

 I think all the children for the next five years shall be properly "blanketed"! 

Home sweet home

Well, we have moved for the last time (HA!). Our 10th move in Africa happened two days ago, into the house we will most likely (Lord willing!) live in for the rest of our days (here, anyways). Not that there has ever been anything to whine about—God has always provided so greatly for us!

We moved from the “team house,” where we have lived for the past 1 ½ years, to Staff House 1. We are the first move of the big house shuffle, with the Millers moving into the team house, and our prospective second parents move into the house the Millers are in.

The house is amazing—plenty of room for this growing-up family, a quick walk from Tanner’s and the Mbugua’s first family home, and an AMAZING view of Lake Victoria. We are so grateful to the Lord for this provision. We don’t live here for the view, but we’re not gonna complain either!

 Chris and the gang

One of the biggest blessings for our family was having some amazing people come and help us. Our friends, Chris and Lindy Thompson, from Nairobi, arrived for 10 days and worked their tails off the whole time! Chris and Lindy have a ministry, Only Servants (click here to see more!) that serves in several different ways in Kenya. We first met them when they invited us to stay with them while we waited for Kate to be born. We didn’t even know them at the time, but we sure got to know them as we lingered in their house for a month waiting for the girl to arrive! During that time we became good friends, and God has deepened that friendship as we have continued to mooch off them when we go to Nairobi. So to return the favor, they came and WORKED the whole time they visited. What a blessing these guys were for us…God knew exactly WHO we needed and He sent them!

 Lindy ponders a curtain dilemma

Now that we are moved, we are praying we can settle in quickly and get on with the other building (kids, people and houses!) that is going on at Mavuno. School should start up again here soon for us (the kids said today they were ready, so that is a good indicator that I need to get in gear!) and we have a team here, as well as a parenting seminar for all of our off-campus parents.

Pictures are coming--we have no internet at the new house so it makes for difficult blogging!  I CAN get cell phone reception if I stand on a chair on the back porch. :)

God is good…ALL THE TIME!

No entry fee needed!

I hope none of you have been feeling sorry for us, stuck out here in the bush, working with beautiful children, right on the edge of Lake Victoria, in the dry season. If you were, just put all of your sorry thoughts out of your head. You’ll wish you were here, too!

All of the kids have been working hard on digging out a water slide in the rocks above the Tanner’s house. They finished it in time for the grand opening on Saturday (after Dan put the tarps on and filled it all up!), and everyone was invited. The water slide ended in a decent sized pool, and the parents had a temporary shade shelter right nearby.

Most of the kids just jumped right in, and they didn’t get out for the better part of the afternoon! The big kids all lugged the little ones up the hill and then slithered down again on the tarp. A little soap kept those bodies slightly more slippery, and a little bleach cleaned everyone off nicely. We considered doing it every three months or so, just for hygiene’s sake!

Our trip to town, by Hannah

At the moment we are driving into town to do some errands. I am glad I brought this piece of paper with me, for we have had a very interesting ride so far, and we are not even ½ hour into the trip.


About half way to Lugeye from Mavuno (on the dirt road), we saw a lady on the road who wanted a “lifty” to Mwanza. We picked her up. I must say that I never knew someone could have so much air in them. Nearly as soon as we began driving, our passenger began letting out very loud belches from behind us. Lauren and Megan were seated in the middle with Kate and our guest. Surprisingly, they paid no attention to the loud noises beside them. Mom and I, however, were nearly dying of laughter. We were trying to suppress it nicely while mom also tried not to drive off the road. Pretty soon, the little girls took notice of the incessant burping noises and Lauren said, quite loudly, “Hannah, is that you?” I was laughing too hard to answer so mom replied, “No, Lauren, it isn’t.” Lauren, puzzled, then asked, “Who is it then?” I buried my face in my arm to stifle my humor and mom, after a few moments of regaining composure, said, “Lauren, it is our guest.” It is a good thing “our guest” did not understand English. Well, after a particularly loud belch (they were happening about every two minutes), Megan tried to imitate it with her own loud fake burp. Mom and I began cracking up again. Mom barely managed to say, “Meggy, no, don’t do that.” A moment later, our guest let out the loudest one yet. Megan quickly said, “Mom, that wasn’t me!”

After a long, humorous trip, we have arrived in Mwanza. I only hope I don’t ever come across what that lady ate for breakfast!

A Growing Family!

Aika, Michael, Jonathan, Helena, Mariam, Manyashi (Esther at school)

Yesterday was an exciting one for us as we welcomed two new children onto our campus and into the Mbugua family. I don’t think I will EVER get tired of watching the end results of this ministry! It is so amazing to watch children who have no one come into a family and know they will be there for the rest of their lives! Michael and Aika came to us from Forever Angels, a baby home in Mwanza. You can read the day from Amy, the director’s perspective here for the date of Aug. 4, Wednesday. Amy does a terrific job with all her children, and it is a privilege to work with her for the children. Michael and Aika are two of the several we will be receiving from Amy’s home in the near future, as they are too old now for her place.


This morning we had our Thursday morning singing time with all the kids. It was such a blessing afterwards, to hear Michael talk about his mommy and what she had made him for breakfast, what his daddy was doing at work, “Did you see my big house?”

Thank you for your continued prayers. Milka and John have been parents now for about nine months, and have seven children under their roof! They have a big responsibility, lots of love to pour out, and they are doing an amazing job! It is awesome to see once again the power of the family to disciple little ones.

New sisters!

The Baby?

How she got from this

to this is hard to imagine!

Happy Birthday to Kate last Friday!  I always feel kind of sorry for the little people when they get a birthday.  I think they think their families have finally figured out the treatment they really deserve--balloons, streamers, cake, presents.  They are just getting used to it by the end of the day, and then the next day is back to normal!  She did learn a couple things--"Cake," how to make two on her fingers (more like 2 1/2 or 3), and she said "Meggy" for the first time, instead of calling both the girls "Looey."  It was a big day in the life of the 2-year-old.  Thank you, God, for this amazing little piece of creation!

One of a almost a million

Every week in our Tuesday staff meeting, we have the chance to discuss situations involving orphans and widows (along with government and local offices, licenses, permits, etc!).  This last week, however, it hit a little closer to home, as Sato, one of our girls who comes to Bible Club, lost her mother.  This family is our closest neighbor, and are also the ones who lost Sato's sister less than a year ago due to tetanus.  Sato, two other sisters, her mother, and another woman and her baby live in their little compound, and then right behind them is another group of relatives and their children (her father died a long time ago).  Sato works so hard.  For all of her thirteen years, she manages amazingly well.  She is almost always washing the dishes, clothes, sweeping the house, or caring for the children who live there and around them.  She goes to school, but on more than one occassion as I passed by her house, I have found her taking care of all the little ones when school is in session. 

 As Dave and I have talked about this, there always seems to be a catch somewhere.  If she does go to school, the chances of her learning much aren't good (500 children, 5 teachers...if they even show up).  If she doesn't go to school, the chances of her never leaving the village and being stuck in this cycle of poverty are high (her family will marry her off young so that they can get the dowry).  If I have her work for me so that she actually earns money so that she can eat, then I am paying for child labor.  If I don't, and no one else does, it will be a huge temptation for her to use her body for money in the coming years.  If we give her money, she will begin to be the sole provider for all kinds of relatives.  It is unlikely her family would sign her over to social welfare, as she is in the "best" stage of life to help with the children, house, and everything else that needs to be done. 

Sato carries 20 liters (about 5 gallons) of water on her head at a time into the village from the lake, just to earn enough money for her daftaris (school books) that cost about either 10 or 25 cents.  When I went to her house on Monday, the day after the burial, she was down at the lake washing clothes.  There were still all kinds of people about (funerals usually last three days), sitting around, drinking chai, and I was so sad that no one would go help her, but just leave her to do the work.  "Yes, Sato is an orphan now!" they would say, in the same careless way as "nice weather we're having!"  When Sato came back from the lake, she greeted me sweetly and played with Lauren a little. 

That's the sad news.  The great news is that GOD has planted in Sato's heart a love for Him and for His word.  She never misses a Bible club, brings all her little charges, and last time she even led the singing.  You would never know what burdens she carries when she comes--she plays and smiles and is always happy.  God has also brought her into our lives for a reason.  Please pray we would find a good way to help her in the coming days. 

On a lighter note, the longer we are here, the more we are amazed at how little we actually know!  Funerals are quite the learning experience, and intimidating, but really all the people want is for you to come and sit.  As Marco, one of our staff says, "You don't have to go to the funerals, but you will never be part of them unless you do."  Funerals are so lengthy that it isn't always on the list of top ten things to do with your time, especially when you don't know the person (doesn't make a bit of difference here--you are expected to be there).  However, it is also a good time to get to know people and be part of the larger community.  I was under the impression that people just sat for three days, but Marco tells me it is the time to catch up on all the news, play cards, and have a good bonding time.  Playing cards is what they were doing when I went, a group of men on one side and the women and babies chatting together on the other.  It is the family's responsibility to provide the food for everyone, which can be quite a burden as you can imagine.  Therefore, everyone who comes to the funeral must pay a fee and have it written in a book.  The fee in our area is 42 cents a family.  If you are ignorant like I am, and decide to help the family out by giving more, then 1. within a day everyone in the village will know what you gave and expect the same and 2. the village office includes that money in the price for the "help"

they gave for making the food, and it doesn't really go to the family anyways. 

If you don't pay and have it written in the book, you will be fined.

Yesterday at our staff lunch, Marco asked me if I knew what a certain older man in the village did during the funeral.  I hadn't heard anything about it, but he told me that when they were carrying Monica, Sato's mother, to bury her, the women began wailing (which is typical here).  Mr. Ngololo, the old man, stood up and said, "You stupid women, I told you not to cry!  You're so stupid!"  I was astounded, but Marco said that lots of people just laughed.  "Isn't that disrespectful to do at a funeral?"  No, not really, lots of times the men will tell the women to stop crying.  Sometimes if there has been  a friendly kind of joking between families, someone will go up to the dead person in their open casket and continue the  joking, like, "You owe me money!  Where am I going to get my money now?!"  Dave and I were cracking up.  Here we had been worried about not doing the right thing.  Evidently the "right thing" can take many different forms around the world, some I had honestly never thought possible!
 We have so much to learn. 

I'll keep you posted on Sato!

Sato, Lucia and Eunie, leading last week's singing