Another Busy Day

Team Update for May 16, 2014

Today was another fun-filled day! Lots of work and lots of happy faces at Mkombokati.  We started out the day with a talk about the sports ministry at the carepoint.  Wonderful work is going there and we all had a chance to buy t-shirts to help fund raise for a satellite dish and large screen television to older teens to the carepoint to watch the games. This project met its financial demand and we may even get to see it installed before we leave!

The big focus of our physical projects today was helping move 200 cinder blocks around the foundation trench for Make Shongwe's new house.  We passed the blocks down the line one at a time until we finished.  Then, several of us helped fill some large tanks of water for mixing the foundation concrete by hauling five-gallon buckets one at a time from the water source. It was a heavy job, but it got done...in pretty hot weather.  it was about 85 today--10 degrees hotter than the previous few days.

After lunch we set up to hand out all kinds of things to the kids: backpacks, school shoes, clothes, beanies, hygiene kits, lunch boxes, school supplies, flashlights, bracelets, mirrors, and water bottles!  We loaded those kids up with great stuff they can really use.  Deli, the carepoint manager, was very strict about who got what.  It would have been very difficult if we hadn't prepared so well last night by labeling and alphabetizing all the backpacks.

Our last VBS with the kids went well.  We had a great time singing the "Making Melody" song led by Mbuso. As always, the Hippo Song and "My God Is So Big" were favorites.  Bridget finished up the VBS message to the kids, having them recite the memory verse, "Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds, and give praise to your Father in heaven."

After packing up, we headed off to Julie's house and the Timbali Crafts headquarters.  We shopped until we dropped and then ate a gorgeous meal of chicken tortilla soup, salad, and rolls, before finishing with an amazing apple crisp.  No one left hungry, that's for sure.

We are all looking forward to the fun day at the carepoint tomorrow, complete with a bounce house and cotton candy machine.  For now, we'll all be heading to bed.  We are exhausted!

Jennifer S.