Discharged from Labor and Delivery. Tanner got to meet Naomi for the first time. Kari is very happy for a baby sister. Mommy took a casserole so they could all eat together. Picking strawberries at their house. They love gathering the eggs with Grandpa and then putting them away. All dressed up for Sunday. Enjoying the sunshine and garden. David’s birthday. David’s birthday supper before his family took a trip to PA. Kari’s birthday present. Grandpa had to put it together. Happy to be going to see new baby sister. Continually working on the meeting house. Uncle Fain’s took a trip to PA to see their grandbaby. Jed’s were home for the weekend so they had David’s birthday dinner with Grandma and the family. Great Grandma and Naomi Tanner got to come home for a few days before his surgery. He was doing so well and crawling every where. Family photo before Tanner’s brain surgery. Waiting to be taken to the Operating Room. Tanner after his 11 hour brain surgery. He was stable the whole time. Finishing the Geise’s newsletter before the Africa trip. After his second brain surgery of 5 hours. Enjoying watermelon Aunt Pearl and Uncle Ezra brought. First Green beans of the season. “And so our adventure to Africa begins! ๐๐คWe’re just missing one of our valuable members. But we’re headed to London as fast as we can!” — CandaceOn the way to the airport. The remaining girls cheering themselves up with a shopping trip. –PearlFirst swimming of the summer. Lunch picnic after swimming. Picnic at Uncle Fain’s. “After a squishy ride we arrived at the Geises beautiful place. We spent the afternoon visiting and getting a tour of their house and property and discussing all the plans for these coming weeks. We also unpacked our suitcases and gave them all the goodies we brought for them. โบ๏ธ We had a very nice time around the supper table and then Bible time. And we’ve just been trying to keep ourselves awake till it’s time for bed. We have still felt bleary-eyed and foggy brained and just sleepy throughout the day. David decided he’s not a fan of jet lag. But hopefully if we sleep well tonight it will be much better tomorrow. So maybe we’ll get more and better pictures tomorrow. I will bid y’all good night! ” — Candace Geise’s property. “We washed laundry in the bathtub because the washer stopped working half way through the wash.”–CandaceSamuel spent a few hrs bushwhacking, and then we raked up the “hay”. This is going to be a volleyball court eventually. ๐ค–EzraReciting Bible verses. –EzraBro. Phil and David went to town for supplies this morning, while the rest of the guys worked on the roof. We girls helped with baking, school lessons, music lesson, and some VBS preparation. In the afternoon was the children’s class. We sang a song and Bro. Phil gave the lesson. All the children who said the memory verse got a piece of candy. After class time, we played a ball game with the kids. The boys beat the girls 8 to 4, but we still had fun. ๐ Now Amrie is making popcorn and smoothies for a snack. We met Baba and Mama V, who are here for the evening with their three children. Baba and Mama V. help translate. They were both saved out of witch doctors’ families. Baba James is another helper with translating and keeping an eye on the kids. ๐ –CrystalAfter the sun rose, and we had consumed a prodigious pile of pancakes, we grabbed our chainsaw, and rode in the trailer to Shengeza (where the Blignauts lived). There we sweated for a few hours, cutting up trees and dragging away branches to help an older lady who is expanding her peanut patch. We were rewarded for our labors with a can of Coke and a bowl of fresh raw peanuts straight from her patch! Then we picked up a tent and a bunch of benches for the VBS coming up next week and brought them back with us. After lunch we spent some time practicing special music for church tomorrow. Then we cleaned all the VERY dusty benches, raked up the rest of the hay, and finished changing the rest of the washers on the roof. The ladies have been busy making applesauce and pickled beets, and good stuff like that. Right now they’re making supper, and boy does it look good. ๐๐ –Ezra Building benches for VBS. –EzraPracticing singing. –EzraWe rode to church in style as you can tell from Samuel’s video. ๐ It was a Dutch Reformed mission church, so the congregation was all Zulu folk with lusty voices and a good sense of rhythm. ๐ We sang 3 songs for them when they asked if anyone had a “musical item” to share, and they nearly raised the roof with their appreciation. ๐ Suffice it to say, I have rarely sung to a more appreciative congregation! Bro. Phil preached, and then we ate lunch with the (white) Afrikaans couple who are in charge of the mission there. Very nice people, they made us feel right at home. ๐ค On our way home, we took a detour around the lake, and got a much better glimpse of the local hippopotamus population! ๐คฉ We mulled over our plans for the week as munched on popcorn and fresh grapefruit, and then gathered for prayer together at the end of the day. We’d appreciate your prayers as well. We’re setting up the tent first thing Monday morning, and plan the first VBS service to start at 2:00! ๐ There may not be a huge harvest this week, but we’re praying for a good planting at least, and trust that God will work in the hearts of the little Zulus around here who need Him. That’s all from here! Over and out. ๐ด –Ezra Opening gifts for Baby NaomiKari and her new baby sister NaomiTanner and LeviChurch fellowshipNaptimeSweet and smiley boy!Enjoying the garden at the hospitalHappy boy after his third surgery – fixing his drainWith his daddyHot porridge with frozen raspberries and strawberries for breakfast!Smoothies and games this evening. Sourdough bread fresh out of the oven!Tanner and NaomiSo happy to be home together – supper with Grandpa and Aunt Pearl
1 comment on “June 2023”
Bethany Griggs
I enjoyed this post so much, Amaris!! Thank you for all the work you put into compiling it.
I enjoyed this post so much, Amaris!! Thank you for all the work you put into compiling it.