The longer we live here, the less frequent I seem to be posting updates. Thanks to those who are still checking, and those who have reached out wondering if they maybe missed an update ;) In March, we were extremely happy to welcome my sister, brother-in-law, and their 4 kids to Zambia for a visit! Our families have always had a special, easy connection, it was so good to see them in person, and show them around the area! I'm pretty sure we didn't see our kids for the entire two weeks, except for when they needed to eat!
Airport reunion!!
Tim and Kristi took hockey bags full of needs & supplies for Seeds of Hope, and one of the things packed in them were books. Their first week was at Grace, and we went through, labelled, stamped and added them to the Grace library.
We also prepared strings/cardboard for a mass friendship-bracelet-making afternoon. We had just over 90 bracelets ready for making, and not one remained! It was heart-warming to see crowds of kids working away at the bracelets! (For any of you that sponsor a child here - getting embroidery string is a huge hit for ALL ages! The other day I was teaching a group of 8 boys how to make bracelets - and they were all 14-16 years old).
We also did face painting one afternoon, and played lots of after dinner basketball games. Tim's work raised money for soccer balls, and they came with a bag full of them. As we drove through town, we kept our eyes out for kids that we could give a new ball to. The big eyes, and smiles that lit up their faces were priceless! It was so interesting seeing everything through fresh eyes, again too. One of the afternoons my sister and I went to a bakery, picked up some food and drinks, and went to the tree where the homeless boys (yes, children!) sleep. We thought we had enough with 12 drinks...there must have been about 20 of them when we started handing things out. How I wish it were possible to help everyone who crossed our paths!
These three loved their time with the kittens!
After a blessed (and way too quick!) week at Grace, we were off to explore Lusaka and Livingstone with them! We left on a Sunday, and celebrated London's 12th birthday that day! First we did the local market, and then the kids all went for a swim before dinner.
Cramming all of us in in to one elevator :)
The next day we drove down to Livingstone, and got settled into our new spot. Victoria Falls, one of the seven wonders of the world, was a short walk from our resort. We checked it out on Tuesday. Words and pictures can't really do the falls justice. We are still in rainy season, so the water coming off Victoria Falls is about as much as it will be all year. It was thundering off the rocks! All that water created so much mist that we were completely drenched from head to toe!
That evening we went on a sunset dinner cruise on the river. We had never come across a sign like the one below!
Hippo at sunset!
The next day we crossed the border into Botswana, and went on a safari. We started on a boat, and after lunch jumped in a Jeep and did the land safari. Both were incredible! We saw a brand new baby hippo, that our guide said was probably only 1 week old. Female hippos give birth in isolation from their herds, and remain that way for up to 2 weeks. It was pretty amazing to witness such a new little one!
We saw water buffalo crossing from one marshy island to another. If you look closely at the picture, you can see a crocodile lurking in the front right of the picture. These animals are stealthy! They lie in wait for a slow crosser, a baby, or a weak one. If they think they have a chance, they'll go in for the kill!
At the very end we came across these beautiful giraffes!
The elephants were everybody's favorite! Seeing these incredible giants coming down to the water to drink felt surreal. Everything about it was just so natural and beautiful. The little baby elephant was playing with a stick in his trunk, and the mom almost appeared to be reprimanding him! It was fascinating!
They came so close to the Jeeps, too!
While we didn't end up seeing any lions or leopards, the safari was 100% worth it. It just reinforced how much detail God put in to His creation, and how well designed the circle of life is! It was refreshing to be away, but also felt so good to be home again. It truly felt like coming home - driving in, unpacking into our house, and seeing all the Grace kids again.
Back at the farm, there continues to be a steady flow of work. The very first maize was picked for the cafeteria.
The banana trees are doing great, and the very first harvest from the trees was taken a few weeks ago. They were nicely packed into banana boxes (that came full of stuff in the container and have since been emptied!), and are finishing their ripening.
The new water tower is finished being hooked up!
A roof was added between two containers so there would be some dry, clean workspace & storage (especially during rainy season!). Jon had help, from a wonderful crew of older kids, to paint the containers grey!
That wraps up a general overview of what has been going on over here. Please send any questions you have our way! Hope all of you have a blessed weekend, and are able to pause and reflect on God's goodness and mercy with the crucifixion and rising of His son, Jesus!
Love,
Renae