December 30, 2009

As the Christmas holiday approached, December continued to be a time of fellowship with friends and colleagues. The second week of the month brought the FMS bookkeeper and his wife to Maun. They stayed in the flat while here with 60 of their church youth group from Gaborone. The teens were staying at a school and doing a combined youth rally with a Maun church of the same denomination. It was good to spend some time with them, as they came and went from the youth activities.That same week, the FMS office was finally equipped with an air conditioner. It is usually pretty typical to have two workers show up to do a job, one will do the work while the other supervises. Above the installer. Below the supervisor.

Needless to say, we were all very happy to have it installed after tolerating 90 -110 degree weather for a few months while just using a floor fan.
Our circle of people that we have built relationships with is very diverse. With in that circle is a number of young pilots, who are all here working to build flight hours. It is an interesting group, as the pilots come from all over the world. One young pilot was moving on and there was a going away braii (BBQ) for him at his house. Colin showed up with a large decorated cake, which was a big hit with all the guys.

Rolf and Colin with the cake (above)

The gathering (below)

Even though Kari moved out of the flat on our property last June, we still see him often and he comes over to visit now and then. He went home to Sweden for six weeks, and when he returned to Maun he surprised us with coffee and chocolates from there. Both treats were quite rich and flavorful! Kari is pictured below sitting at the head of the table at the pilot braii.
The rainy season is in full swing, and not only is the country side getting very green and lush, but the landing strips are getting flooded.

Misheck and Debra asked to attend church with us during December. In the Zimbabwean culture, the women are not to leave the house with the baby for the first month. So the first outing Debra made with one month old Briane, was to church on Sunday. They have continued to attend, and we hope they will continue to feel there is a church family for them there.

At church, Colin continues to enjoy visiting and entertaining the many little village children that attend from the neighborhood around the church. Even though most of them speak very little English, the children can easily connect to the warm smiles and hugs he gives out.


As Christmas drew near, it was decided that the FMS Maun team should travel to Gaborone for the FM Christmas party on Monday the 21st. The Kowalski family drove down on the Friday before. Colin flew the C210 down on Sunday with Julie, Patricia, Robert and his wife Pusetso. The picture to follow is the only one we took on the trip...We not only were able to have a great time of fellowship with the Botswana FM team Monday afternoon, but we also spent most of morning in productive meetings at the FMS office.

On returning from Gaborone on the 22nd, we were just a few days away from Christmas. Colin really had a heart to do something again for mothers with new or soon to have babies. We had been so blessed by giving out the baby things we had found stored last year, that we were hoping to do something similar. With some love donations from a few people in the states, we decided to give to a few people in need that Mmatshimo knew.

Christmas is pretty low key here. There is not a lot of hype and decorations etc. like in the states, probably because most people just do not have the money. After driving around Maun on Christmas Eve morning, Julie was able to gather a few gift baskets and bags to distribute in the out lying areas around town. Colin wanted to make sure there was something for the other little children that we were sure would be around each stop, so he put together little bags of sweets and stickers to hand out.

After loading up the back of our car and picking up Mmatshimo, we drove around and made deliveries. People were so surprised and happy to receive the gifts. We also gave out copies of The Book of John and tracks that we were given. The next few photos are of some of the women and children we visited. The young girl pictured below, is only 15 years old. She was expecting in early January and had nothing yet for the baby. Julie was able to visit a few days after Christmas to give printed photos from our visit and a few newborn baby clothes that a friend had given us.
It was late afternoon when we drove back through the sand tracks to this lovely girls one room brick home. We lingered there a while longer than some of the other stops as there was a delightful elder man we enjoyed visiting with. Of course Mmatshimo had to translate between us all.The last stop was Mmatshimo's family plot (property) that we visited last year. This year two other of her sisters could use the baby things. It was fun to see some same faces. One of her sisters is expecting in January, and the other had a baby two months old.

As evening approached we felt so blessed to be able to give to others in need. People here are so thankful for the littlest of things. The picture below is of us with Mmatshimo's family.

The rest of Christmas Eve was spent quietly together. We watched "The Nativity Story" that a friend had sent us from the states. It was wonderfully done and a perfect time to view the movie as we celebrated our Lord's birth.

Christmas was very special this year. The church we attend had a Christmas morning service and after the service, gifts were given out to the children attending. The congregation had donated the items over the last few weeks and all the children seemed very happy with the gifts they received.
After church, we went to a beautiful brunch being held by friends of ours that own the Island Safari Lodge. We loved the good food and quiet atmosphere there by the river. A little later that day we met with Keith and Cheryl, our teammates with FMS, and went to the children's ward at the hospital. Patricia was also with us to interpret while we gave out Christmas presents and prayed for the sick children and their moms. It was such a special time to give hope and encouragement to every child and mom on the ward.
Through out each day, and in all these things we were apart of over this month, we hope that the light of Christ was apparent and that our Father in heaven was glorified. Wishing you God's blessings in 2010, and that you "...will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living." Psalm 27:13

November 30,2009

Once again this blog entry was started almost two weeks ago, but with internet difficulties among other things it is now really mid December. As in most months, we have had a variety of visitors. We usually do not mention everyone that we are able to extend hospitality to each month, but we are finding it to be a large part of a ministry of encouragement that we feel called to do here. Pictured below is one of the short term missionaries from Flying Mission in Gaborone that was in Maun for a few days helping with a youth activity for handicapped children. He was able to go on a flight with Colin to see a bit of the Okavango Delta while here.
In addition, there were two people staying in the flat for over two weeks while doing a job here on a house Flying Mission has in Maun. Jack and Jacob did an incredible job repairing the house and property in that short time.
Colin has continued to stay busy flying and building relationships with people from not only Botswana, but all over the world.

This year for Thanksgiving, we were once again invited to a gathering with the American missionaries servicing through the Love Botswana Outreach Mission. There were 20 of us that had dinner together, complete with turkey and all the trimmings. Even though most of us had put in a day at work, we gathered together that evening to give thanks and observe our American tradition together.

Julie's last day of teaching was December 4. The last few weeks were extremely busy with final assessments, report cards, and end of the year activities. She was able to arrange a field trip to a local game farm and lodge with her students as it blended perfectly into the natural resources and tourism units the class had just completed in Social Studies. Below are just a few photos from the outing.

The last week of November was when the school ended afternoon enrichment activities. Julie had a final Bible club with games, a video, and birthday cake for Jesus. On that Friday, it was "Prize Giving" at the school. There were all kinds of special events and music along with every student getting an award (prize) for some achievement in the school year. The photo to follow is of Julie's class holding their awards. With mixed emotion, Julie turned in her resignation after feeling that the Lord had other ministry needs for her to participate in while living in Maun. Trusting that the Lord will provide financially in other ways, she will still stay connected with the children at school next term when she continues the Bible club there.
The evening after "Prize Giving", we participated in a children's outreach with friends from our church and our Flying Mission team mates, Keith and Cheryl Kowalski. It was quite a wonderful evening that began with face painting, group games, and food for the children.




The guys did all the cooking outside the hall we were using, and at the same time visited with parents that were dropping their children off for the evening. Many parents ended up staying the whole evening.

Keith's parents were visiting from Canada, and dove in to help where ever needed.

Above is our friend Brit (left) and Keith's parents, Louise and Tim.

Beside fun games and great food, there were skits, singing, and a Veggie Tales video. In addition Cheryl returned as the wacky Professor Praise from our last day camp outreach in August. Of course she had a scientific object lesson to do with a meaningful spiritual message.

There were 72 kids that attended the event that night and we hope to do more of these types of activities in addition to Bible clubs in the schools during the coming months.

Knowing that we had a young pilot friend, Jake, from Alaska was coming to Southern Africa for a month and working his way to see us, we decides to do a day trip into the Moremi Game Reserve on a scouting trip. The Moremi Game Reserve is only a few hours from Maun and people from Maun often go there on a day trip. We had traveled there in August of 2008 for one night, but went to the northern portion of the reserve. We left early one Saturday morning and found we can travel the southern region of the park and back again in a 12 hour day.

The highlight of the day was an encounter with a Cape Buffalo herd of bulls.

It is spring/summer time here and not only did we see lots of wildlife, but also many young animals too.

Impala mothers and babies

Zebras are black with white stripes....if you were wondering

A few new animals spotted on the drive were the Red Lechwe pictured first below and a few Tsessebe pictured next.

As always, there was a tremendous variety of birds everywhere and we identified a few more to add to our list. We also got some clear pictures of ones that we have seen before, but never could get a good snapshot to show.

Lilac Breasted Roller

Hooded Guinea Fowl

This is a Black Stork above. They use their wings to cover their whole body blocking out the sun light to be able to see the little fish in the water.

A White Stork above. I would have called it a "Half and Half".

Below are the meat eating Marabou Storks.

Above is the Spur winged Goose
Below a Black Smith Lapwing Plover

By 1 o'clock that day we reached the camp ground known as Third Bridge. We drove across the hand made bridge, ate a picnic lunch, relaxed a bit and then headed on back home.

On December 3rd, our friend from Alaska Jake arrived from his his travels originating in Capetown, South Africa, and through Namibia. He then went to Livingston and Victoria Falls in Zambia before coming to see us in Maun. Unfortunately he had a return ticket already purchased, and by the time he got to us he could only stay three nights. Jake is pictured below by the C210 on the Thursday he arrived in Maun.

That Friday was Julie's last day of work and we had a Christmas fundraising event for orphans we had already planned on attending that night, so first thing Saturday morning we headed back to Third Bridge in the Moremi Game Reserve.
It was a great day for game viewing, and we saw lots of the same animals mentioned in previous blogs. Some new ones we had not seen before or as closely were a couple predators.

Above is a black Back Jackal
Below are two Cheetah

Below is a Spotted Hyena with a radio tracking collar, a female with pups to feed obviously.

There was a family of warthogs close to the road, but the little babies moved so fast and would not stand still that all our pictures were rather blurry. We did get a good picture of the father boar though.
At mid morning we stopped at a lagoon to have a tea break. The pool was full of hippo and we counted at least 15 grunting and bobbing while we enjoyed the morning sun.

When we reached Third Bridge, we ate our picnic lunch and as we were relaxing before the drive back home a herd of elephants wandered on through the camp.
When surrounded by elephants it is good to hide quietly under the trees. Though when hiding from elephants, it is not wise to hide under a sausage tree (Jake with a sausage tree seed below), as the seeds are a favorite food with the elephants. The seeds also weigh about 10 pounds and frequently fall from the tree. This is Africa, danger all around!
Some follow up items from previous blogs.... More airplane tail registrations.

Debra, Misheck, and baby Briane are all doing well.

Briane is now one month old and is as big as a 3 month old baby.

In thinking of the blessing of Misheck, Debra and their little son, we want to thank God for the gift of His son. Also the blessing of our family, and so many friends here and abroad that have enriched our lives over the years. Though for most of you we are far away this Christmas season, please know we are thinking of you and feel truly thankful for you all. We also wish you the best of everything in the New Year.