Installment 25

Installment 25
We have to talk. Almost always when I write this blog, I take a few minutes and go back and read what I write…mostly so I can tell people that my blog IS read. Last time I fired off some stuff and just let it go. So tonight, which is this morning for most of you, I talked to Sandy and told her that I didn’t really know what I had said. She told me to go back and read it. Now I know how painful it is to actually read this tripe after it has set for awhile. Anyway, I want you to know that what I write is mostly how I feel at the time…scary isn’t it. So here’s the deal…everything I wrote in 24 is true….well as I see it. There is a lot on J & C’s plate, but they are OK with it because they know their God and know that He has given them the privilege to serve Him here. So, I just want to remind you that the complaints are mine. Like I said in an earlier blog, “I want to be more like them“….they just trust and obey, without complaint….I only hear praise for how good God is. That being said, back to the buildings. Yes the need for the building is great and yes God has called for us to get going on building them, and historically speaking, He has always revealed His next thing with Instep, called them to action, and then provided as the projects proceeded. It won’t be different this time. There is no need for staffing the buildings yet because there are no buildings yet. So, you just stay tuned over the next months and just see if God doesn’t come through with staff when it is needed. In the meantime, I think I’ll just continue to do what I was called here to do and get the buildings started….I’ll bet someone will come along to keep it going. After all, He got me here and for just a time as this…OK, I feel better…and we all know, IT’S ALL ABOUT ME!
This morning for use which is your last night…I think, after excavating Dale out from under the avalanche of blackness, we took one last reading to record the height of the water tanks…Dale’s idea..so we now can calculate the water pressure from those tanks anywhere we pipe to on the property… It’s a big deal…to us and you might even be saying “Big Deal!!! Or maybe not. After that, Dale finished entering the data and we made copies to stay here and he took the file home to print it out. Then the time to take him to the airport. He went around saying goodbye, and there were some tears, mostly mine, as now I am the only target for the kids….again! Eliud and I drove him to town. Jeff would have taken him, but found out that I wanted to come along. “Hey Eliud, I suddenly don’t feel well, could you take Dale and Terry to the airport…and here is Terry’s passport…just in case he ‘happens’ to get ‘mistaken’ for luggage.” he says. “Yes”, replies E, “I don’t mind taking Terry..remember, I take the diapers to the dump.” And so with that kind of encouragement, I couldn’t resist coming along. On the way, we stopped at English Lady’s for lunch and told her that we were going to the airport. She excitedly said, “I’m quite sorry to see you go.” to me. I informed her that it was Dale who was leaving. She must have become rather attached to Dale because it was at that point that she teared up. “Oh” was all she said. Then, on to the airport and to ‘security’. No machine, just a man who said to Dale: “Have you any bombs or fingernail clippers on you or in any cavities?” “No,” D responded, “I left them in my other suit.” “OK, why is this a one way trip? “ asks Mr Snoopie. “I live in America with my family” D counters. “Are you planning to blow up the plane? MS quiries. “No, but I may commit suicide right here if you keep asking me questions.” D says. “Oh, then please get on the plane, we can not afford to lose this building.” MS encourages. So, with that, Dale was just a fond memory…or maybe the only fond memory of Africa.
Eliud and I left and went to the hospital to pick up some medical records of 2 children. We went into one of the ‘record offices’ and asked for Blessing’s records. “Over there, look for yourselves” the man says. We look and on the shelf, and on the table and on the floor, were stacks of records. “Don’t you keep them in the computer?” I asked. “We do, but the computer is full.” he says pointing to a desktop computer with paper sticking out of every crack. “Oh“, I replied, maybe you need a bigger computer.” “We have looked for one, but all the desktop computers seem to be about the same size.” By now, even Eliud was using Jeff’s look. Later, after looking through all the files we struck out and headed off to our next adventure. Downtown we went to a place that had a sign that said ‘Pest Control’. Eliud said we needed ‘snake bait’. And all this time I thought we were trying to get rid of snakes. As it turned out the ‘bait is lethal to snakes and so does rid the compound of the critters. One thing worth noting is the fact that this one shop didn’t have any riffraff guards on duty. Eliud said that that was what the shop did….get rid of pests….I chose to stay outside.
Then back to the compound where, left on my own by my “friend” Dale, I had to face the onslaught solo. You know, I do like it here, but sure miss my best friend.