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Published: August 13th 2007
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On their Way
Three ladies on their way somewhere, home, the market, making use of head and hands for thier loads. We are just shy of two weeks until we get on one of those big steel birds heading home! We are excited to get to see and hug friends and family. We hope to see many of you, but please forgive us if we are not able to get to everyone in the short time we are there. We pray that you all will keep us in your prayers as we travel so we get home safely and have safety thoughout our furlough.
Since our arrival last October, I have been working on the pictures for this blog. One of its kind takes a while to compile the pictures, and you will understand why once you get to them. Enjoy and who knows who might show up in your worship services in the next few weeks!!
I grew up on a small “farm” in Tennessee …. Now, farm in most folks mind, would be many acres. Out west 1,000 acres would be small in some areas, so let’s just say we had LESS than a thousand acreas and I will leave it at that. But we had a barn, fences, chickens, at one time some ducks, one time we
Traveling?
Why roll your luggage or have a consierge? Use you head! had a cow, one time we had a pony, then we graduated to a horse. One time we even had a barn full of pigs. We weren’t keen on the pigs.
We had a big yard, a garden, and with all this came the need to do physical jobs around the house. Which meant we sometimes had to think about what we were doing in order to do it right.
I remember when we were building the barn. There weren’t boys in the family, there were Tom Boys. I was as much a tom boy as any girl out there, and when it came time to climb up on the roof of the new barn and hammer - I was there! It wasn’t nearly as easy as it looked, but I was a stubborn and determined kid and knew I knew what I was doing. You’ve heard that before! Thankfully, I didn’t fall off the barn or nail myself to the roof.
I also remember having to mow the lawn … which I mowed in my own fashion. These days I love working in the yard, planting, weeding, trimming, and yes, even mowing. But that was not
always the case. Mowing the yard when I was younger was not my favorite thing to do! I remember one particular day, I was told to mow. I proceeded to mow in every which way. Circles, left, right, criss-crossed. It was as if I had created one of those string art projects that you do in kindergarten with the lawn mower. You know the ones where you take a piece of string, dip it in paint, lay it on a piece of white construction paper and then fold the paper over the string and then proceed to wiggle and pull the string from between the paper. When you open the paper it looks as if Jackson Pollock had been there painting. (For those of you who don’t know who Jackson Pollock is, look him up on the net. Remember - I was an Art Major at Freed.) Anyway, the yard looked like a huge Pollock painting and I was mowing over and over to cut the grass inbetween all the lines I had created. Made the job ‘funner’, but to the dismay of mom, not the appropriate way to cut grass.
We did all sorts of things growing up
5 Gallon buckets FULL of Water
I have watched ... they fill the bucket first .. then squat and with both hands on the bucket, lift it straight up to sit on their heads! These are strong women! at a much younger age than what most folks let their kids do today. Why? I am not really sure. It was good for us to have some resposibility - plus it helped mom and dad out. I guess we think kids these days ‘can’t’ help out at an early age, to which I say, “hogwash”! They love helping mom and dad. No, they don’t have to mow at age 5, but helping pick up, put things away, carry sticks and leaves from the yard, and any number of chores at the house, let’s them understand they they have a place and a responsibility in the family. And that is a good thing.
But throughout growing up, I do remember vividly Mom and Dad using the phrase, “Use your head” more than once. Think things through - try to realize what you are doing BEFORE you do it; doing things the right way, rather than haphazardly. For example, there is a proper way to stack firewood so it won’t tumble into a heap - or on top of you! There is a proper way of washing clothes and hanging them out to dry so all your whites don’t become
Chairs
Even the men use their heads! pink. And believe it or not, there is a proper system of washing dishes!! Glassware first (keeps them from having a greasy film if you wait to wash them AFTER the pots and pans). Mom and dad taught us these things, and many more and we understand what they meant when they said ‘use your head’.
But that same phrase here in Tanzania takes on a whole new meaning!!! There is not a mile driven that it is not evident. No limits on age, and barely a limit on objects. Pictures will explain it all … no further words needed …. Use your Head!!
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kup
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I love you
If you can't love missionaries then you can't love anybody. I am in awe of you and the work you are doing and I stand amazed at the beauty demonstrated in your words and deeds. God bless you. just ken