Steve and Barnabas in Tanzania

Several folks have asked I give them an idea of what my life is like at the new site since I am not doing all the physical work I used to do for the other ministry.  While I doubt anyone has a set in stone schedule that is never adjusted from week to week, I can say mine follows a regular routine.   kids watching the videos.  Dorcia and Dorean the twins on opposite ends.  Gertrude front and center as usual.  Happy looking a little bored.  and Samson already tuned out.  This one was a little long for the baby class. I love Mary's face in this photo while Nice looks bored.  As usual Thercia is trying to find a gap. Monday is the day I head into town so I can get on the internet for a couple of hours and buy the food for the week that is only available in town.   So I get up around 6 to 6:30 AM and after a bathroom break I get some of my dirty clothes together in the bucket I use to wash them.   It takes about 30 minute...

A tiny house in Tanzania, really most any house not in a city, is what we call "off-grid."  This means exactly what it sounds like.  We live off the electrical grid, the water grid, the sewer grid, the trash pick up grid.  It is vital to do your planning considering this situation. The cats story will be at the bottom but since facebook uses the first picture in the blog I needed to move it up. Windows.   Any house built out of anything other than mud and sticks here (and yes there are still a lot of those being built here) needs to consider how to get air circulating and bringing in light during the day.   Windows are the key to those two concerns.   Tanzanians are also security conscious.   It comes from the belief if you don't guard it or permanently attach it to something, then it is fair game to take.   I even have to watch my laundry while it is drying on the clothesline or the boys herding goats too close to our line will snatch...

Yep.  I want to brag a little today.  Don't worry I am not here to brag about myself, but about the kids at our school.  For newer readers, we have 43 kids at the school aged 4 to 9, with the majority being on the lower end of that age range.  Our kids live in a tough environment.  Most of their homes do not have any form of electricity, no heat, no air conditioning, no tv and no video games.  The majority of the kids don't have a chore list with rewards if they do x number of items without being reminded.  They have life that includes washing dishes, taking care of younger siblings, going with their mom to wash clothes at the well, herding cattle after school.  Most don't have their own room, in fact some share a room with all their family members at bedtime.  They don't have flavored juices and drinks refrigerated and waiting on them any time they want them.  There are no snacks to pop in a microwave or rip open a bag.  They hel...