We have had a busy week.
Kids are back to school, healing and peeling from their sunburns. More sporadic internet , some frustrations and lots of rain.

Everyone here has said this in unusual to have so much rain. It has been almost constant. I took some pictures one day when we were out, but was not fast enough for one shot, that would have been great!
About 6-8 ladies, all in their chitenges were trying to cross through a puddle. They had their skirts hiked up a bit, were carrying umbrellas and they all were smiling and laughing. Even now, thinking back, I wish I had my camera ready quick enough! Anyway a little farther down the road and they were covering up the chickens that were for sale, so they would not get all wet.

At the fruit stands by the road, the ladies all sit with an umbrella over the fruit.


We were able to get the money for the house to rent and they have started to clean and fix a few things. We waited for about 40 minutes outside the gate on Wednesday to meet the realtor and the contractor to say what need to be fixed. The realtor finally showed up when we were getting ready to leave to go pick up the kids from school and he didn’t have the key. He said the contractor did. So we made plans to meet them the following morning, Thursday. So when we showed up the next morning the contractor was there but he did not have the key. He said the realtor did!
We left to drive around the neighborhood ( or maybe I should spell it neighbourhood) and then came back at the time we had planned to meet . The realtor was there with the key. So we did a walk through to say what all need to be fixed and cleaned up. They estimated by Monday we would have the keys turned over to us and we would start renting.

If that does happen, we then have to go and buy everything. Refrigerator, Stove ( cooker) , washer and dryer ( I am so excited about that one..) Beds for everyone, furniture to sit on, a table to eat on….
Then once we buy it all, we have to get it to the house. So It will hopefully be by the end of next week that we can actually move ourselves in.

That will be great. It has definitely been challenging to be in this limbo state, we were made for work and for routine. The kids are ready to have their own beds and places to put the few things that we have right now. The house is closer to church and to their school, so that will help in the mornings and picking them up.

James went to get a post office box early in the week. In order to get a bank account you need to have an address. So he went to get one. Everything went through fine and then the woman went to get the key to the box and she said the key would not open the box, so they have to get a repairman to fix the boxes before they could give us the post box. So that held up the starting to get the bank account.
Yesterday though he went back and was able to get one. So we now have an address. If you would like that I can email it to you. We also have our phones. Cell phones. So we can receive calls from anyone and it does not cost us anything. So if you want to call us, get a good international plan and then give us a ring. We have used Cloncom before and they have decent rates. Unfortunately skype has not been working with the connection that we currently have.

We are still waiting to get things completed so that we can have the man go down to South Africa and get a car for us. Once he starts the process, it takes about a week for him to get it. We are very ready to have a vehicle, especially for everyone to have a seat and to be in a seatbelt.


Last night I was able to go with a friend to the grocery store. She was so helpful walking up and down the aisles and showing me things. She said that a friend had done that for her when she moved here and it was a help to her. It was a busy time at the store, so it took almost 2 hours to complete the shopping. Several interesting things you can find there. I bought several things and am eager to cook dinner tonight.

Well there is ironing to do. The laundry is a bit damp, but it had been on the line for 3 days, and there was much more to do. So that laundry had to finish before more laundry could be washed to put it somewhere. That has been a bit stressful. Not being able to have clean clothes when you want them.
And not being able to do anything about it. This morning I was ironing a couple items so that people could get dressed for the day. It had to dry again overnight with the fan on them ( thanks for that tip Aunt Sue) and then iron them.

I heard a bit more on the bugs. They are called something like a pootsie fly. And they form underneath the skin and then you have to pop them ( I guess like pimples) to get the puss out!

Well James is gone to try and work on getting the bank account. He needed 2 passport photos, which have to be gotten somewhere else and then it takes 5 -10 days to get the account set up.

More later...
Hopefully some pictures





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I wrote this earlier in the day and just now am posting it. I was able to take a load of damp clothes to a friend's house and use her dryer. I was so excited when I took the clothes out of the dryer and they were warm and soft!

Also I made dinner tonight, and was able to find ingredients for Fajitas. They don't usually have sour cream but they have greek yoghurt ( spelled that way) and the kids liked it very much.

James was asked today to teach at the young peoples meeting tomorrow afternoon. I guess the preacher that was lined up was not able to do it, so I think he is glad to have the opportunity to fill in.

Emma's friend Chomba ( the tall girl )
She asks, "When is Emma coming back to school"


Kabwata Baptist Church



Huge potholes in the road that fill up when it rains







Chickens for sale