So, things have been going pretty well. We've started holding meetings with the workers ate Lusyomo during lunch time now and then. Basically, we do a Bible study, then sometimes go into some health related topics. That's going pretty well. The state of the dead is a huge topic for them. They believe that if a man's wife dies, her spirit stays there with him, and he has to go through this ceremonial cleansing that basically involves him sleeping with another woman. So, it's been a hot topic. We've had two meetings on it and things still aren't as clear as we'd like.

We also had a meeting this week on the other side of the mountain where the people we've been visiting live. Apparently, some of the people we haven't been visiting have been complaining because we haven't spent any time with them. We've just been singling out those who our Bible worker feels need the visits the most. They are the people who are interested in learning more about God but are not in the church. So, we decided to start having meetings over there as well. Bible study, then some health related things as well. The water source over there is really bad this time of year, and there are a lot of people who are sick. With the same symptoms. So, we've been addressing the whole topic of boiling your water, drinking lots of it, and how to use and make charcoal.

We've got a lady named Esther who we've been visiting. She has been sick for about five years now. She's pretty well convinced she isn't going to live much longer. Godfrey (our bibleworker/translator) has really been urging her to get serious about Bible study and prayer... she has like six kids and is super skiny. So yeah, if you could add her to your prayer lists that would be great.

The lady who had the bad infection after giving birth to a stillborn child is doing much better now. She has regained most of her strength. Unfortunately, her husband went and married another woman and she hasn't seen him since. We're not sure if that means they are still married or not... he could just have two wives now. Anywho, she had been having trouble feeding her kids, especially as she was recovering. So, we gave her some mealie meal (ground up maize used for making porridge and nshima), and beans. She has two of the most adorable little girls you will ever meet. Big smiles. We also spend some time sharing encouraging Bible verses and gave her a Tonga Bible. Godfrey said that was a good move because she's an active church member and will put it to good use. She really liked John 16:33. It's a great feeling to watch someone's eyes light up like that.

It's been great to go visiting. When you approach a hut, the people just bring these tiny little stools out to you, you sit down and start sharing. People are very happy to see you coming, whether they listen to all you say or not is another matter entirely, but hey... they're nice. We have a couple of people that are very serious students now though. We have given out 6 Bibles and have requests for 3 more. After we finished visiting this man named Boyd today, he hurried off into his feild and came back with a big grin on his face and his arms full of corn. I'm just waiting for someone to offer me a chicken.

So yeah, I'm just kind of rambling here... one day I'll learn how to write a nice blog for you all.. Haha... Tomorrow morning all of us student missionaries are heading to Lusaka, from there we'll catch a bus down to Harare, Zimbabwe. We are taking a long weekend to help out at an orphanage/school/clinic that a former student missionary is currently working at. So, that should go well. It sounds like we will just be doing a lot of maintenance down there.

I just found out that Hein and Melissa (the couple that runs the project down in Mukuyu, where we held a dental clinic) are having a lot of trouble. They are having some land disputes with the local cheifs. One of the cheifs had given them land for the mission they are running (actually I think they gave it to his brother, but his brother died and left it to him). Now, this dishonest cheif is claiming he didn't and is saying he traded it with this other cheif, or something to that affect. So, they are all fighting and they camfe for Hein and beat him up and took him off somewhere. He's back now, but I guess they ruffed him up pretty good. Also, they broke into the house and stole everything of value and have started poisoning their animals now. So, Hein and Melissa are trying to raise money to hire a laywer so that they can scrape their lives back together. They've got a good work started there with an orphanage that is about to open this year and everything. So, if you are interested in helping them with some funds to keep this mission project going, you can send a check to OCI (Outpost Centers International) Just make a note that the money is for Hein and Melissa's project in Mukuyu, Zambia. You can get the mailing address at www.outpostcenters.org

Anywho, I think I'm done rambling on for now. :) Later.