Movin, movin...
So, once we get the keys we need to get the stuff. And to get the stuff we need to get more keys.
We have been so blessed with friends in Tete who support us in really "extreme" ways! Our Zambian friends got in touch with a Zimbabwean mission pastor to get permission for us to move into an empty house on the Good News Ministries property here in Tete. Right beside a church in a fairly secure compound this little two-bedroom cottage sits empty... waiting for a missionary to live in it. Our friends got the keys and cleaned the house so it would be ready for us when we got to town. We arrived Dec. 31st, New Year's Eve... on Lavendar's birthday. I brought her a cake; she invited us to lunch. Nice to have friends in town!
Upon inspecting the house, we noticed the power line was cut. There have been lots of storms lately. The line was reconnected the same evening. Nice to have friends in town!
For several days, we tried to contact our friends in Tete who have stored our stuff in a spare room for over a year. No luck. The Cell phone network was off... they weren't home... we know they were planning to go to Brazil, but someone was supposed to be staying there. So we cannot get our stuff to move in to the house. But... we have friends in town!
We've stayed with the Daniel family more in the past two months than we've stayed with anyone anywhere! Well, God provides for all our needs, doesn't He? What makes their hospitality even more remarkable is that they are moving, too. Yep, Mom takes the kids to Malawi on Tuesday while Dad ties things up in Tete and waits for the movers a couple of weeks later. We can't move into our house without our beds, stove, fridge, etc... locked in someone's house. So, we stay on here. They have become very good friends, indeed!
Now, I know that my Mom is thinking, "Jen, how could you just move in with people who are moving?" She's embarrassed that I'm so thoughtless, I'm sure! But, I can't unpack my stuff. I'm stuck... so I help pack HER stuff. Our kids play together. We encourage each other in our simultaneous transition. Incredibly, it is working out. God is good to all of us.
With New Year's celebrations and no cell phones for 3 days, we have really struggled to find the man with the keys to our storage room. He works in a shop... closed for the holiday. So, what do we do? Pack for the Daniel family, of course. Today, the shop should have opened, so we took the kids into town to find our keys! THAT particular shop stayed closed today. So, we bought the necessities... big fans, mosquito nets, lunch, water, cleaning stuff... and headed to the new house anyway.
We got in, opened windows, turned on the fans... this whole week, the temperature has climbed above 100F/40C! (No air-conditioners in this house.... but there are ACs in our storage room!) We wiped out the cupboards and ate lunch... tuna sandwiches, raisin muffins, cold water sitting on a trunk with toilet paper for napkins.
"Mom, this is a good house. It is better to have a good small house than NO house!"
"This is good lunch. This is the best tuna sandwich you ever made!"
"It is good that these muffins stick to the paper, because then you can't eat the burned part!"
Ah, yes! It is good to look at the bright side of life.
Just think, for me it is a huge blessing to help someone pack! You see, so many people have helped me pack and clean and store stuff in the past years that I can't even count them. I've appreciated them helping, paying attention to my kids when I couldn't, sometimes just being there for me. I follow my friend through the house and move stuff to the right pile. I might feel silly following her around, but I remember "being her" not too long ago. It was so good to have someone do just that for me a couple of months ago! (Thanks, you know who you are!)
So, thanks... Mom, Irene, sisters and in-laws for all your patience over the years. You have been a blessing!
Thanks, Lavendar, Angela and Christina for your extreme generosity, hospitality, and friendship here in Tete.
All things work together for the GOOD of those who love the LORD. You love the Lord too... good for you!
Have a very good, and blessed whole year!
The cell phone works this evening. Mikael called the key-guy. Tomorrow we get our beds! Thanks for your prayers. Just pray that it doesn't rain until our stuff is in!
We have been so blessed with friends in Tete who support us in really "extreme" ways! Our Zambian friends got in touch with a Zimbabwean mission pastor to get permission for us to move into an empty house on the Good News Ministries property here in Tete. Right beside a church in a fairly secure compound this little two-bedroom cottage sits empty... waiting for a missionary to live in it. Our friends got the keys and cleaned the house so it would be ready for us when we got to town. We arrived Dec. 31st, New Year's Eve... on Lavendar's birthday. I brought her a cake; she invited us to lunch. Nice to have friends in town!
Upon inspecting the house, we noticed the power line was cut. There have been lots of storms lately. The line was reconnected the same evening. Nice to have friends in town!
For several days, we tried to contact our friends in Tete who have stored our stuff in a spare room for over a year. No luck. The Cell phone network was off... they weren't home... we know they were planning to go to Brazil, but someone was supposed to be staying there. So we cannot get our stuff to move in to the house. But... we have friends in town!
We've stayed with the Daniel family more in the past two months than we've stayed with anyone anywhere! Well, God provides for all our needs, doesn't He? What makes their hospitality even more remarkable is that they are moving, too. Yep, Mom takes the kids to Malawi on Tuesday while Dad ties things up in Tete and waits for the movers a couple of weeks later. We can't move into our house without our beds, stove, fridge, etc... locked in someone's house. So, we stay on here. They have become very good friends, indeed!
Now, I know that my Mom is thinking, "Jen, how could you just move in with people who are moving?" She's embarrassed that I'm so thoughtless, I'm sure! But, I can't unpack my stuff. I'm stuck... so I help pack HER stuff. Our kids play together. We encourage each other in our simultaneous transition. Incredibly, it is working out. God is good to all of us.
With New Year's celebrations and no cell phones for 3 days, we have really struggled to find the man with the keys to our storage room. He works in a shop... closed for the holiday. So, what do we do? Pack for the Daniel family, of course. Today, the shop should have opened, so we took the kids into town to find our keys! THAT particular shop stayed closed today. So, we bought the necessities... big fans, mosquito nets, lunch, water, cleaning stuff... and headed to the new house anyway.
We got in, opened windows, turned on the fans... this whole week, the temperature has climbed above 100F/40C! (No air-conditioners in this house.... but there are ACs in our storage room!) We wiped out the cupboards and ate lunch... tuna sandwiches, raisin muffins, cold water sitting on a trunk with toilet paper for napkins.
"Mom, this is a good house. It is better to have a good small house than NO house!"
"This is good lunch. This is the best tuna sandwich you ever made!"
"It is good that these muffins stick to the paper, because then you can't eat the burned part!"
Ah, yes! It is good to look at the bright side of life.
Just think, for me it is a huge blessing to help someone pack! You see, so many people have helped me pack and clean and store stuff in the past years that I can't even count them. I've appreciated them helping, paying attention to my kids when I couldn't, sometimes just being there for me. I follow my friend through the house and move stuff to the right pile. I might feel silly following her around, but I remember "being her" not too long ago. It was so good to have someone do just that for me a couple of months ago! (Thanks, you know who you are!)
So, thanks... Mom, Irene, sisters and in-laws for all your patience over the years. You have been a blessing!
Thanks, Lavendar, Angela and Christina for your extreme generosity, hospitality, and friendship here in Tete.
All things work together for the GOOD of those who love the LORD. You love the Lord too... good for you!
Have a very good, and blessed whole year!
The cell phone works this evening. Mikael called the key-guy. Tomorrow we get our beds! Thanks for your prayers. Just pray that it doesn't rain until our stuff is in!
Great to hear news about the new house. Love ya.
ReplyDeleteD
I am so glad you found a house! I'm sure you were a blessing not a burden to your friend. I am praying you'll get your hands on that key!
ReplyDeleteThanks, David, and Happy New Year! I've just spent too long chatching up on Lingamish... I hadn't been online for a month!
ReplyDeleteHi Jeni! Really good to hear you will get your house at last. Nice start of the new year! Sounds like you have far to hot weather to be comfortable, here it´s been really cold for a long time and still no snow! What´s the use then? School is starting for me on wednesday, have been good to have a brake though. Rest the brain some....:)
ReplyDeleteKramar K