We have received another  child a 2 year old girl named Diana.  Another child still not sure of white skin.  I am thankful after 4 days out both the children are now ok with me being around them and even give me high fives like the other children. Of course 2 week old baby Peter has no problems with me holding him and loving on him. 

While I was out this week I checked in on our kids doing school.  I was so blessed to see them using their I School tablets taking a small test before they went on in the subject.  Teachers Ronald and Kelvin are doing a great job with out kids.  One thing I have been truly blessed by is hearing them teach in English.  In the community school nearby it is mostly taught in Tonga and when the children get to grade 8 in Kalomo they struggle becasue it is all done in English.  We are seeing a different in this years grade 8 students.  Last years grade 8's are still struggling a bit but are catching on and for that I am so grateful.... We have a team coming in June with teachers!  Praying they can help catch up a few of our children needing something extra. 

The children planted Sweet Potatoes in our garden area this year along with a few beans.  The sweet Potatoes are loving all the water...  not sure about the beans will have to wait and see. 

Mackmore has been taking his hearing aid out and Mama Mary is  nervous it will be lost in the wet grass.  I thought to buy a couple of head bands to try and keep it in his ear. So far he has not been taking it out but the other children have taken the headband off to put on themselves.  Always a challenge around here. 

The double orphan child Michael has been helping with a large head (water on his brain) has had treatment in Lusaka and we believe he will be ok.  The large open sore on his spine has been removed and closed  and the fluid has been drained from his brain.  There is a review this month and we are expected a good report. His name is Ernest please keep him in your prayers.

Luuwo one of our 20 year olds has been helping at House of Faith with all our babies.  Her relatives will be meeting soon to help plan her future.  Keep Luuwo in your prayers.  She is such a blessing.

My adventure was shared in our newsletter about my first time to be stuck in sandy flooded waters.  I just thank the Lord he had it happen to me with the only working tractor in our area about 1,000 feet away.  I now know what it is like to kinda be stranded in the village not being able to get across the rushing river and flooded streams.  It is not a great feeling.  I have taken out a few food items that can be stored like peanut butter, crackers, rice, oatmeal, cereal, boxed milk just in case I get stuck again in the near future.  Also I saw that when I rocked the vehicle trying to get out of the sand and water I buried the back tires but it got the engine out of the water...  Everything happened in a good way for me and I am so grateful. I got back into Kalomo safely after a extra day and night and it took 2 hours and 15 mins to drive the normal 1 hour. 

We had planed to go and check out the progress on the building at House of Hope mid week.  We had passed much of the mountainous areas leading us into the valley when we saw many cars and trucks  stopped. Then we saw the sign ROAD CLOSED  Oh my what should we do now.  Michael got out and ask some questions.  Seems the two  areas they tried to fix with many tons of coal so people could still pass  one area dropped and washed away no one can pass until they get the temporary  bridge constructed.  They cut a one lane road  around the mountains so people can get in and out of the valley  We heard it reopened late Friday and went down early Saturday.  Life is always an adventure here, thankful we made it....One area is still holding with the coal.   

We found the Actives Building at House of Hope moving slowing but moving.  Two bedrooms and two bathrooms have been plastered and have their cement floors.  The big room has half a roof and then one more bedroom will need to be done roof plaster and floor.  We are hoping to make a trip to Lusaka for the finishing supplies wiring, toilets, sinks, etc. Hoping our two July teams will be able to stay there.   

A few of our House of Hope kids....  Visiting on a Saturday I was excited to see them all.  With their school schedules  I am always missing 4 or 5 of them. 

We have a new baby calf that was born the last week in March at House of Faith.  The children loved  watching him wobble  around his first couple of days

It's that  time of year when you really need to keep a watch on your fields.  We were told children in were in Mama Mary's field helping themselves to some pumpkins and goats in the children's field helping themselves to maize and knocking down the stalks. I went to check in on the children's maize before I came back to Kalomo and found about 18 goats helping themselves again...  I followed them and found out who's they were.  Seems the children where in school and the goats were just enjoying themselves while no one was watching them.  They belonged to our Pastor so I went for a chat to ask PLEASE have someone keeping an eye on your goats they are enjoying our maize. 

The children's maize is looking pretty well and will soon start drying.  We are hoping our May team can help the children harvest. 

Weeds have the prettiest  flowers sometime but they are truly just weeds.  I have always loved daises...

We have three guava trees almost ready to pick fruit on.  The children are always pick it to soon...  Trying to teach them to leave it on a few more days until it is kinda a cream color. 

Our chickens are doing very well this year we have almost 60 larger ones and so many babies it is hard to count them all. 

Well the rivers and the streams are not flooded  anymore and things are getting back to normal with transport out of the villages.  We will start therapy back with the boys soon and we have a little girl Faith who has had a couple of asthma attacks and she is only 15 months old. This last one she was in the hospital for a week.  We thank the Lord she is smiling and happy again but keep her in your prayers.   We started this week preparing for teams. Cleaning the team rooms and the storage closets and getting schedules together so nothing will be last minute.  Keep me in your prayers, we have 4 large groups and a group of my Carolina family members also coming making it 5 groups in 4 months!  I am so excited to have them visit. 

What a great month for RAIN! Our prayers have been answered and crops are getting what they  need for what looks like a great harvest.  It has been a challenge to get food out for the kids at both sites this month.  Rivers have been over flowing and our travels have been interesting. We are blessed our vehicles can  pass through high waters if Michael is driving. If it is above my knees I dont like to try it. :)  Our trip out with Mid month supplies we could not pass.  the waters where very high and rushing.  Michael stood on the back of the truck to try and get a single with our phone to call the ladies.  He was able to use the speaker phone and get them to bring the Ox cart to collect the food on the other side of the river.  He made several trips across with eggs, cabbage, tomatoes, bread buns and meat.  Mama Daisy was traveling with us and decided  she would  cross the river so she would not miss any more days after a family funeral in town.  The next several pictures are of that afternoon.  

The building at House of Hope is coming slowly with the rains. Another roof is on and another room is being plastered. The first room now has it's floor poured too.

House of Faiths maize crop loved the fertilizer it received mid January and is now making cobs of corn.  

We decided to plant sweet potatoes and beans in the garden this year looking forward to seeing what they will do in March. 

We received two new children this month both boys.  Chabota came to us after his mother was found dead early morning after complaining of chest pains the night before.  He is 18 months old and does not like white skinned people just yet. :)  Mama Mary has done a wonderful job helping him feel welcomed in his new home.  

Baby Peter is just two weeks  old and his mother is having mental problems.  We are caring for Peter becasue he needed a place of safety.  We will sit with his family at the end of March to see our way forward with Peter.  We are praying his mother can be helped  and  can care for him again soon.

Traveling out last week we saw a rainbow!

Michael saw a dung beetle as we where going to House of Faith.  I look ahead as to where we are going and somehow he always sees little animals on the road . 

As we traveled to the House of Hope there are rivers and  streams that overflow.  Michael got us across without problems and also helped a young man on a bicycle up the hill with his loaded bicycle. 

These are a few pictures of the kids holding a valentines  heart.  They are all special in HIS  sight! 

Michael has been out  teaching two  weeks a month even in all the rain!  It has been a challenge just staying dry but all three classes are moving well.  

I  spent  a lot of  time in Kalomo this past month becasue of the rains and not wanting to travel out alone in the mud and cross the high river.   Hoping to have more pictures and  stories for you next month.  Thanks for prayers!