Everything had to be counted to make sure everyone has cutlery, dishes, and a bed. That was where we came up a little short, but we’ve been short on beds for quite some time. We manage to provide them for some, but for larger groups, most members have had to be willing to sleep on sponge mattresses on tent floors. Our aim is to be able to one day offer 5 star camping accommodations to everyone. This is how stars (*= star)are assigned:*Kitchen with stove/fridge/electric light
*Bathrooms with sink and flush toilets AND hot showers
*Large tents
*Beds
*Covered dining area
(Brief divergence here: I’m thankful to say that even upon our arrival to this neck of the woods 12 years ago, at least I had 2 star accommodation: a large tent and a bed. Our bathroom facilities were very “bush”. The toilet was a latrine with black garbage bags for walls (oh yes, very private indeed). Our shower was simply a blue tarp strung between 2 trees to stand behind and you sprinkled yourself with a camp shower: a plastic bag (with a nozzle) you’d hang from a tree. One side of you was shielded from human eyes but the other side was in full view of the bush beasts. The kitchen was an oddly shaped tarp tied onto trees to shelter a table, a 2 burner camp stove and a book case (used to hold dishes). There was no fridge. Yes, it’s an interesting way to live for an indeterminate amount of time. I don’t miss it at all!
Back to what I was saying though. Over the past few years we’ve been able to upgrade our campsite to offer 3 star accommodations (the first 3 above). Now, we’re making a concerted effort toward providing the 4th star...beds. Due to USASK’s fund raising efforts, we’ve been able to pick up some sturdy camp cots. But just recently our woodworking shop has become better equipped and we’re pleased that we’ve been able to produce a few beds of our own! It’s easy. First you go cut down a tree. Next you cut it into slabs. Then you cut it up some more J (obviously this is not my area of expertise). I do know there’s a lot of precise work involved. This is a picture of Dwight and Gabriel (one of our woodworkers) doing final measurements on this bed before it gets assembled.
If you’re squeamish about insects or reptiles, it would be good to ignore the last paragraph of most of my blog posts. Personally, I am not a fan of either, but I can’t help but photograph the more impressive ones we come across. So...here’s the latest. I didn’t know scorpions got this huge, and Dwight and I were both quite alarmed with the discovery of this one. Firstly, we were concerned that he was inside our house and we didn’t even see him come in. Secondly, he’s very big! Dwight just so happened so have some dental floss nearby and “lasso-ed” him. I wasn’t there to see the spectacle since I was in the bedroom working on my English assignment. Before we got rid of him we inspected the dark place he’d emerged from to make sure he didn’t have a wife and kids :). Nope. Phew. You never know.
Anyway, I’ll sign off for this time with the promise to keep you posted on all the teams’ activities over the next few weeks. TTYL.
Before he went on the tour of the mission, the much-rehearsed route pattern was quickly changed. So rather than see the mission structures first, they saw them last. When they happened by our house that is currently under construction, the governor said, “When you are ready to inaugurate your home, I would be very happy to join you for the event.” So—I’d better get planning NOW. This will certainly be a grand affair :)
“It looks like it’s been through the war”...because it has been! These dots in the walls are from bullet shots fired at it during the civil war. But even with all the abuse it endured, the basic structure it pretty sound. 
Though construction on our house has taken a back seat lately, mostly due to weather, we are making some progress on it as well. (Note the grass growing inside the foundation walls :)) Our hopeful ‘date of completion’ is July sometime so Rick and Heather have a place to stay when they come (besides a tent). I’m sure they’re praying to that end too, and that may well be what speeds the process along! 
And last but not least, the spider part. Spiders seem to be reproducing prolifically right now, much to my dismay. And their favourite spot to spin huge webs seems to be everywhere I need to be, like right across the paths we regularly use. There’s just about no worse feeling than walking merrily along minding your own business and suddenly you’re snagged by an invisible net of sticky spider webbing across your face, head and arms! I've learned some impressive 'rapid-back-up-while-in-motion' steps complete with sweeping-arm manoeuvres to decrease the chances that the web's resident spider is crawling down my neck. Aaaaaahhhhhhh! I’m happy to say, that hasn’t happened to me yet. 
Hmm, although her friend had the hang of what to do on photo-day, this little one on the left wasn't too sure about it all! 
She looks a little more amused here (can you tell?), but we failed to coax a smile onto this cute little face! Maybe next year.
After photos were taken, new ID cards with last year’s photos were distributed. This is definitely the most fun part of the day. We all love to see pictures of ourselves and these kids are no different, especially since these are about the ONLY photos they’ll ever own of themselves. To see the responses to these ID cards is always a highlight for me. After the initial hand-out rush, the cards are studied closely with amused smiles and little comments to themselves and each other. Then kids congregate into small groups to look at each other’s photos. If per chance in the photo someone wore a funny smirk or expression, there is an outbreak of hilarious whooping and laughter. This goes on for quite some time since photos are SUCH a novelty. It truly is the best entertainment for at least a week, likely more. I can’t help but get warm feelings inside when I think of the difference the participation of many people has made in these young people’s lives! Each smile is priceless. 
We also visited the kids who have now ‘graduated’ to grade 6 and are boarding at Chitundo school. Last year there were 10, now there are 22. So the Mucombeze bush presence is becoming one to reckon with! The icing on the cake is that 3 of the 22 are girls, and 1 is a new boy who struggles with a real physical challenge. He was caught inside a burning hut as a toddler and has extensive contractures of his arms now. He has a heart of gold though, and who knows, maybe he will even have corrective surgery one day! Oh, small item of interest to a select few people...pet bugs!
This week was a busy one rife with challenges. Yesterday while I was having some ‘fun’ of my own, Dwight was nearly involved in a head-on collision. Yesterday on our highway as he came up over a blind rise he was practically nose-to-nose with a vehicle passing a semi on double solid lines. The vehicle that was passing was so far into his lane (nearly on the shoulder on his side of the road) that he hit had to hit the brakes veer hard toward the ditch. Dwight said his life flashed before him in that instant. (Bear in mind that we drive on the left side of the road here.)
Thankfully he missed the last of a row of these cement erosion steps in the ditch, so slid to a stop on fairly flat ground. Had his tires hit this cement step, or had any pedestrians been in the way, things may have turned out much differently. We’re thankful that the Lord neither slumbers nor sleeps!