Thanks Tim Krogsaard from Webster

Webster is one of our builders for community schools. Tim, our carpenter son in Canada donated his safety glasses to Webster and Webster says "thanks Timmy!'

Alex, Molly, Timmy and Joseph

This afternoon -

Far left - Molly

Mouth wide open - Timmy (Molly's twin)

Right side - Joseph "Jo-Jo" - he's a TANK!

Centre front - Alex! If he isn't just the cutest!! He also has a very sweet emerging personality.

Alex's family

Yesterday, we drove 21 km. along the sandy, rough road off the tarmac from Zimba to Alex's village. There is absolutely no infrastructure in this part of Zambia. No electricity, no running water, no roads, nothing. Only clusters of small huts and one run down, but operational government basic school that also operates as a health post.

Alex is 9 months old and stays with us at Kasensa. His 23 year old brother, Modern brought him in July following the death of the mother. Alex is child #21 of a polygamy family. Modern is the firstborn from wife #1, Alex is from wife #2. Alex's dad died in January of this year. The first wife has 11 children, Alex was #6 from wife #2 and wife #3 has 4 (from this husband, she had 5 from another husband).

wow - family life in Zambia and other Southern African countries where polygamy exists can be complicated and strressful!

Since Modern is the firstborn of the first wife he has inherited all his dad's family responsibilities (the 21 children) and all his assets - the farm, 130 cattle, goats, sheep, a motorcycle and a toyota hilux that does not start without a push!

Modern graduated from Zimba High in 2010 and performed quite fine. He even got a 3 in agriculture science. He had hoped for college - not managing a verylarge family and a farm. These days Modern's days consist of overseeing the crops and cattle and ensuring there is enough to eat and that school fees get paid.

As we visited about how Alex might return to the family, Modern had one eye on a few of the cattle that were become unruly - and brought them back to quick order in a commanding voice to the cattle boy.

On his own initiative, Modern has made the 50 km. visit to Kasensa three times to visit Alex.

Alex's 4 siblings resemble him so much! So what can be done? One day Alex must be returned to his family.

On the surface, Modern seems to be handling the situation fairly well. But, there is some work to do if Alex is going to be able to return to his family. It is tricky to understnad or problem solve this complex web.

The best we can do is consult our God and our Zambian friends for insight, wisdom and guidance. Along with us yesterday was Timmy Mbambiko - one of our grade 12 sponsored students at Namwianga Christian Secondary. He also is a village boy and an orphan and headboy of his school. At 21 years of age - he is wise and humble.

In our short visit with the family and Modern there were a few points that were concerning. Although the children appear well nourished - not skinny or sick, we were left with a few queries and some incongruencies in the stories that were heard.

After some consultation with Modern, the two "mothers" - and also Timmy, we decided to have mother "#1" and Modern visit Kasensa in the next few weeks and also encouraged Modern to continue his visits while we are out of the country. When we return in September, Richard, Timmy and I will return for another assessment and will attempt to work with some church leaders in the area that could be a support to Modern and the family.

Modern is new at his job! And he is a 23 year old male! What temptations and challenges he faces! He has inherited huge responsibilities and huge assets. As we left to return home, Modern was headed to Livingstone on his motorbike. It was Saturday night. Only Timmy heard about the Livingstone trip - and didn't get an understanding why he was going.

Please join us in prayer for the challenges ahead for Modern! and for Alex and for everyone involved in helping this family and ones like it!

Milk babies and thanks Katy and Owen!

Every 15th of the month aunties, fathers, or whoever the caregiver of the baby in need is, comes to collect 6 tins of milk formula.

Each baby has a unique situation. About a week ago a mom came on referral from the nearest Health Clinic. The mom has had 4 children in all - only the eldest and the youngest remain alive. She is HIV positive and her husband, the father of the 4 is in jail. Ethel came with her caregiver - and she is NOT one of the ladies in this picture. The baby who is now receiving milk from this program appears fairly healthy - a wee bit underweight and has a generalized body rash. The family have NOTHING. We rustled up a baby bundle (blankets, clothes, nappies) put together by some precious Alberta women and also gave her the first 6 cans of formula. Mom will come every month for the next 12 months - with the baby and the under 5 card that verifies that immunizations are being kept up to date.

A special thanks to Katy and Owen for contributing to this program! thanks you two!!

Measles and other things this week!

Sunday afternoon - time to write, have tea, and enjoy someToblerone brought to us by Ruhtt and Shepherd (gift from South Africa). The dog - Odie is at my feet, and a few of the college boys who came for "lunch" of tea and buns and leftovers have just left to see Mrs. Mbumwae to get their next term's fees. I'm even listening to Tiffany's recordings on the MP3 - Taylor Swift. The clouds have rolled in and the weather is cooling down - tea is lovely!

Another measles case this week, Michael. Joy had measles first, then Alex, then Abigail and now Mike. I think we've now become professional caregivers for the measleys! Joy and Alex both ended in hospital b/c we were just not familiar or experienced enough. I clued into the signals quickly with Abi and Mikey. A high fever is spiked very quickly and some minor rash type spots are noted on the face and chest and "koplik" spots in the mouth. So far, Mikey has been very good tempered about it all - not so uncomfortable as the others. I'll take him to the clinic on Monday or Tuesday(Monday is a holiday here). So far, we have it under control. I created an isolation room - not that I have to be concerned anymore with who might get measles - either they've had measles or have had the immunization. The isolation room is a room though where the aunty can just pay special attention day and night to the wee one without waking the other babies up!

Last night Richard was late coming to bed! He was fighting with "insilibi" - biting black ants that had come to invade the house -they were only following the stink bugs who hatched in the millions. Richard was up late doing some e-mails and he noticed the ants. He used up 4 cans of Doom - (like Raid) and this morning we woke up to a zillion black little ant corpses inside the house and outside!

The college guys came by to play fooseball - but I made a deal that they could play if they were willing to pick up the broom and clean up the corpses! No problem -

The college guys have been here for the past week volunteering on the farm. We've enjoyed having them around - they mostly cook for themselves - and they come each evening for devo time. We studied the book of James together this week and had some very meaningful discussion with the 10 of them ~ and great singing. Last night I cooked supper for them - masala, nsima and cabbage salad and then we all watched "the princess bride". Timmy Mbambiko - one of our Zambian sons has been staying this week with us too - and he says about the movie "I know what they're going to say before they say it'." Definitely this boy is one of us!!

We went camping this week with Timmy and Mathias - just to Livingstone for one night. It was time for some downtime and while the boys campfired their supper Richard and I went out to supper at the L'stone golf course for our 35th anniversary celebration. God is good - we are grateful!

extremes

This morning I was reading in Daniel chapter 1 where King Neb demands the "wise" guys of his kingdom to interpret his dream. If they can, they will be rewarded - if not "look out wise guys" - "they will be torn limb from limb, and your houses will be turned into heaps of rubble!" Wow, that is extreme!

You've heard that Africa is a continent of extremes. It is.

Yesterday I was blessed to attend Nordy Siabusenga's wedding. Nordy has been one of our sponsored students and now he is a nurse, working at Namwianga clinic and married to Felister, a teacher at Choma. Nordy's extreme: he came from a very impoverished family - not able to pay for school fees for their children. Sponsored through secondary school - and college by ZMF-C. Yesterday, he was decked out so smartly in a white suit with 6 male attendants and 6 beautiful Zambian women dancing him into the auditorium to join the love of his life! Dancing ...cheering...ululating....huge celebration!! Wow - It was so special to be part of Nordy's very special day. I always feel like these kids are almost my own. I'm so proud of their hard work and their faithfulness to our God. Nordy is always very grateful for what ZMF-C has done for him.

Another extreme

Meanwhile , not even an hour before the wedding I'd been to Kalomo Hospital to retrieve our baby, Alex. Alex is 8 months old and is just recovering from a terrible case of measles. He was in isolation at Kalomo Hospital. At one point his fever reached 105 f. Yikes! I was worried. We made twice daily trips to the hospital as every patient has to provide their own careprovider. So, I'd drive an "aunty" in the morning - after packing a big lunch for her, new bottles and diapers for Alex and then I'd drive back again in the evening with the night aunty.

A nurse stopped me on Friday night and asked if I could help a family. A woman had delivered a beautiful baby boy two weeks ago, and fell into a coma. Baby needed either respite care at the orphan home where Richard and I are now managing, or to be put on our formula milk program.I spent some time with the father and determined that between the family members they can care for the baby if they just have some milk formula. So...they are now on the program. I brought some baby clothes, diapers, blankets - as the child had nothing, not even a diaper on. The family is from a village quite some distance in the bush from Zimba. The mom will not likely live - she is an AIDS patient, this is her 7th child and she already appears like a corpse. So sad. The grannies were giving her a bed bath as I delivered the milk last pm. I'll return to Kalomo Hospital and check on the family early this week.

From celebration to desperation.

Today - we heard that one of Jack (13 year old orphan who lives here at Kasensa), found out that his sister-in-law died this weekend. She is not old. As well, the wife of one of the teacher's at Namwianga secondary died today - of child-birth. This was her second child. And then a man at Monde took his life this w/e. Monde is close to where Jack and Twaambo come from. A few minutes ago Queen, one of our night shift aunties came to ask permission to attend the funeral of this man as it is her daughter's father-in-law.

Life on this earth is tough - no doubt. Some of us on the planet at this time of history have it very good.

For me, there are not enough good, clear reasons why there are such extremes from one continent to another or even within the same continent. Somethings are very difficult to understand.

But I do know that God is still in control of everything that happens and I do know that one day something quite extraordinary will happen - our very temporary bodies will be replaced by an eternal body. That is extreme - and while we live in these earthly bodies we will groan and sigh - but God has this all prepared for us!

I pray tonight for the mother of the 7 children - that she will receive the new body and that her children will be cared for by the grannies, aunties, father and others in the village.

Michael's problem and Michael's blessing!

Remember baby Michael from a few weeks back? He's now 3 months and weighs in at 2.9 kg. Still a teeny tiny Mikey, but "bit by bit" he's moving in the right direction.

About 3 weeks ago however, another health issue arose, besides being underweight. He developed an inguinal hernia which was getting harder to reduce manually. I'd taken him to Zimba hospital 3 times in the past 10 days and ....each time they say...he's not strong enough to withstand anaesthesia. "wait until its strangulated - is the message. Yikes.

I take him to Zimba b/c there are times when we cannot reduce the hernia and he stops eating. Unlike some of us, Michael cannot afford to stop eating. Finally, on Saturday the doctor at Zimba hospital said - "I can't reduce the hernia either, so lets consult L'stone General and see what they'll do". That doctor and I had already each spoken with the doctors at Macha and they also though LG would be the best bet as the hernia appeared non-reducable. So after a full morning with the sponsored kids Richard and I picked up Rachel (Michael's mother's sister) from Kalomo and headed to Zimba to fetch Michael and then off to L'stone. Dad of Michael (Samba) and another sister, Emmeldah joined us later.

Michael is to get surgery Monday am - so....please keep this very handsome and precious one of God's in your prayers. He has a wonderful family that at this point feel inequipped to care for a not quite 5 pound young'un. They all have either 4 or 5 kids at home. But....they so love this little one and are so looking forward to him being at home with his daddy and 4 other siblings at Choma once Michael has put a bit more weight on!