Rain, Rain and......termites!

Well....so much for Mr. Mwaikemo's Monday night prediction - 'The rains will not come until November."  We have had rain of biblical proportions since Tuesday evening.  Tuesday and Wednesday night were particularly inspirational - I reviewed all my sins at least 3 times on Tuesday night in anticipation of the endtimes.....the noise on the metal roof makes it sound like a hurricane at least!  Wednesday was a bit better with only one time for the review of sins. 

The rain also brought a continuing infestation of termites to my bathroom....Yuck!  Big mommas and all their little hatchlings.  This happens when it rains since they get washed out.  They appeared in the early hours of Thursday - I asked our #1 helper Martin what to do and he replied "I wait for them to leave".  Well they are leaving but then they come back.....this AM we applied paint thinner to try and eradicate....keep a good thought.  They are not dangerous of course and that is good but they are revolting :).

We were able to hold class - rain is even more difficult when you are walking in flipflops or in worn shoes that may or may not fit you properly - many kids were not able to make it on Wednesday but by Thursday we had almost everyone and Friday we had only one absence. 

It is true that our students and folks here in general walk much more slowly than we do - as I observe the terrain - huge rocks on the paths, holes and general uneven and slippery into the bargain - it is apparent it may be as much a safety precaution - albeit one of the few I have seen here - but I would not want to walk too quickly around here in flip flops.  As a result, I have stopped telling kids to haraka haraka - hurry hurry.

This is the path to our classroom on the campus of Manow Lutheran

This is on the road to the market at Lwangwa....Yikes....the true miracle is that Mama Jane never fell the whole time!

As we finish our second week of class we are seeing a small glimmer of understanding in some of the kids....since we know very little Swahili - a word or phrase here and there - the kids struggle to understand us making their job much harder.  We are getting there bit by bit.  Keep us in your prayers.