Makadiyi

Pounced MA-Ka-dee.. That is how are you in Shona, and about the only thing I can say with a certainty so far. Today we went straight to the field to start preaching, it's a wonderful 70 degrees here..not that I'm bragging..just informing 😜 Sense we are with the missonaries we are preaching in Shona, we visited the squatters camps which is a corn field with shacks in it. One day a family said they wanted a place to live, went for a walk and there was a empty field so now it's a little establishment of many families. It's quite neat and well organized.

Sister Garonga has a few studies with mothers and so does Tracy, but mostly with younger ones don't let anyone fool ya even those children brochures are difficult! The kids all welcomed us with hand shakes,hugs and huge smiles. They love getting any kid of attention here and the Caleb videos are a smash both in English and Shona.  

After service we met up with a sister who works at Bethel for lunch and game plan for our bethel stay this coming weekend.She and her husband went through Gilied as well but are now full time Bethelites. 

Our meeting was tonight, where we both managed to answer in Shona, correctly! The congregation was very impressed mainly because most people that come from the states are still dealing with jet leg at this point and to even learn a bit of Shona is a feat let alone preach and comment in it. We also got bibles so later we can read at studies and follow along for the talks. 

This is just such a wonderful area, ripe for harvesting, a few girls from the camp managed to walk over not only did they come but they all commented, they just want the truth so bad.  This congregation has 24 pioneers, most work full time jobs so they preach at 6 am to 9 then 6 pm to 8 or 9pm. 

This was such a good idea! I can't wait to try English out. 

Much love to you all. 

Airport

Soo. My least favorite place is the airport. It's tense..cold..and confusing. 

I some how was still over weight, apparently a pair of pjs and a few shirts weight 7 pounds..after sweating through my shirt at 3 am Chandler  and I were able to shove a few more things in our now super over stuffed carry on bags.  

Good news is we are here, we made it safe and sound all bags made it with nothing taken..so far that we've seen. The flight was long but it went really well the 13 hours started off slow but picked after a few meals and movies. It was a slim group so we were able to spread out and sleep a bit. After landing in Ethiopia time lagged on a bit,  

We started our flights at 6 am Monday and touched down in Harare on Tuesday 2 pm. Tracy and Toney met us at the gate after slipping through customs and we started off on our tour of the city.  It's so beautiful here very green, can't wait to load some photos. 

We will be staying here at the missionary home a few days then off to stay at the small Bethel home.

Tomorrow is service in Shona at the squatter camp.   

Last

Last week. Here it is, the last week my mother will sleep soundly, last time I see a dollar menu, or fast food for that matter, last week I'll see sweet chili Doritos, and last week I'll understand most of what is being said around me even if it is in English. 

Tracy told me to enjoy all of my favorite things: food, family, friends,tv shows,constant supply of power and water..you know the extras in life. Granted after 21 days things start feeling like home so it won't be long before I have new favorite things that I can miss after I leave. 

Thank you all so very much for all the help you have been giving me while preparing for this, dealing with my meltdowns, crazy schedule or my absent mind. It certainly does take a village to keep one focused. I will miss all of you while away and think of you often. 

I'm going on this trip to work out a few more of my imperfect kinks, not that they will all be gone with only three months, but it won't hurt me to experience a few more difficult tasks. I hope to come back home to all of you a more rounded,not physically {hopefully}, person. Sending all the love I possess.

The world is too big to stay in one place too long. 

The Knapps

We leave in less then 10 days, hard to believe just less then a year ago I decided to go to Africa and now it's time. 

 I thought I'd acquaint you with the couple that will be meeting first thing over there and who have been essential to this trip coming to fruition. Sadly at first we won't be spending much time with them because they are heading to Brazil around the same time we get there...hopefully their trip is short so we can meet back up.{otherwise it is another reason to go back or stay longer..} Anyways they are friends of Thomas & Stacie Houghton from Ionia, we were discussing my next trip and it ended up that Stacie grew up with the sister Tracy and they had been assigned to Zim. They graduated from Gilead in the 129th class in 2010. (Their class is featured in the February 2011 Watchtower). Tony & Tracy Knapp.

Here they are the international convention in Indianapolis earlier this year. 

Before class they were involved in the international volunteer construction work, they worked six months both in Ecuador and Paraguay..it seems unknowingly I'm following in their footsteps counties wise.

Interestingly enough when I planned this trip the announcement for an international convention had not gone out, and they had only had four need greaters in about six years..now we are flooding in. Zimbabwe is back on the map thanks to the GB, as it stands there will be 6 or 8 of us there around the same time helping with the harvest work. We shall all be lost, culturally confused and jet lagged all together so never fear we will be alone. :) 

These two sisters are from Germany that will be staying until the beginning of March I think, the sister in the middle is one who we will be staying with at some point.