Sorry it has been so long since I last wrote. A big Thank you goes out to my amazing Sisters and Mom who keep my blog up to date for me even when I don’t have the ability to get online to write. I would be lost without them!
As I write this, I am sitting in the dark. Once again, the power has gone out. I’m getting used to it because it is on a schedule of one day on then one day off… But every time we have power and I know it is about to go off, I still find myself praying that it will stay on. So, lets just hope that my laptop battery stays good!
Well, a lot has happened in the past couple weeks. Some good and some bad. I will start off with the good stuff!
Two weekends ago, I was at my host Mum’s house. Her daughter Doreen is getting married in January, and the families are starting to go through the traditional steps before the wedding. This meeting meant that the women cooked a BIG meal for the men in Issac’s Family and the men in Doreen’s Family. While the food was being prepared, the men all sat in the Sitting room discussing “The Bride Price”… The Dowry the Isaac will give… How many cows, sugar, rice, fabric, vegetables, etc. We were not told what they settled on, but we DO know that the meeting went really well and both sides were in agreement. Yay :o) In December, is their “Introduction”. The families and some friends get all dressed up in traditional clothing, and get together like an engagement party, but before eating or celebrating, the groom and his family have to give the dowry and other gifts to the Bride’s Side. Then the Bride’s family has to officially give the blessing saying that it is ok for the man to marry their daughter. It is far different from what I’m used to, but it is fun to be able to experience all of this!
I went with my host sister Doreen to the ministry that she is starting with a group of ladies in the Slums of Katanga. There are 5,000 people and only about 6 outhouses in the whole slum. The shacks are so close together with small walkways in between them. The walkways are thinner than a hallway back in the States. There is no pavement, and because of the rain, the walkways are being washed away and turning into gutters… The ladies in Doreen’s Bible study are anxious to learn about God, the Bible and have started getting the desire to learn English.
We are meeting with a lady this week who we are hoping can take care of the cow that will be purchased from the money donated by a friend in the U.S.
We are hoping that she will agree with the terms, and that we can keep the cow at her small farm and transfer the milk to the school every day from there. Please pray that she will say yes! If she does, then we will start contacting the person we know who we can buy the cow from. It is all very exciting! (This is not the real cow, but you get the picture, right??)
And now for some hard stuff:
Last week on Wednesday, we received the sad news that the father of one of our students passed away. Annette is 5 years old and is in one of our baby Classes. Her dad died in a town 30 minutes from the Village from a sudden problem with his intestines. It was very unexpected. Africa does not have the abilities to preserve a body like we do back home. Here, a body must be buried that day or the next day. Annette’s family had to come up with the money to transport his body home that day so the funeral could be on Thursday. I immediately called my Mom to ask people to pray for the family. Within about an hour after we heard the news, we had a donation of money to help pay for some of the funeral costs, and to help with some school fees for the kids. Teacher Madena and I walked from the school to the other side of the village to Annette’s House. I tried to prepare myself on the way there, but nothing could have prepared me for that experience.
The men were all sitting outside the small house, and were very grateful to know that people were praying for their family. Then we took our shoes off and went into the house. The Father was laid out on a mattress on the floor in the sitting room covered in a blanket so only his face was visible. His wife, and other women in the family were surrounding him on the floor screaming and crying. Her mother has lost her husband, she does not know how to survive since her husband was the only one with a job. Where will they live, what will they eat, and how will they continue to have the kids go to school without being able to pay the school fees? These questions had been racing in my mind on the walk over, but all of that was forgotten when Madena pointed to where little Annette was, and what I saw broke my heart… a 5 year old little girl kneeling on the concrete floor next to her dad’s body screaming and sobbing her little heart out… not only has she lost her father, but her whole world has been turned upside down. Madena and I were crying because all we could do to comfort her was to hold her tight and and pray that God would send them comfort. Please pray for Annette’s Family as they work through the grieving process and come to terms with their dad no longer being here.
And now for some prayers requests!
* Annette’s Family!
* This week is when we give the kids their 3rd term Exams. Yes, even preschoolers here are given a test every sememster to see their progress. Each teacher gave me an example test, and I wrote them out on my computer and we printed them off this weekend. I think they turned out really good. Now I just pray that the kids will do well on them!
* Please pray for Teacher Jennifer. 2 weeks ago, someone came to their house and stole her husband’s bicycle. It was his main transportation to work. Then a week later, someone broke into their house while they were sleeping. Thankfully he ran away when they woke up, but she is still pretty shaken up about it
* Continued safety traveling to and from the school.
Thank you for your continued prayers for me and for Global Hands of Hope. I can feel your prayers and I appreciate them so much! You are all wonderful and I pray that you have a great Day! May God Bless You this week!
Love,
Alicia
We will leave you with this thought:
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