Sept.13-19

Monday Tamar made me a big pot of greens. She makes them with delicious tomato and onion sauce like Berea (Barabara’s cook) does. She used spinach out of the Morton’s garden. She made a second pot of greens later in the week out of China cabbage which also comes from the garden. I really enjoy the fresh vegestables.

I just asked Tamara to make a new pot of greens for lunch today for Imre and Andre
Vos and myself. They are staying with me at the Morton’s house from the 19th to the 22nd of September. Andre, a doctor from Canada, and Imre, a lawyer, are both originally from South Africa and have spent youth mission time in Nkhoma. In Canada they are in an area that has many South Africans, many of whom are interested in setting up a fund to help with the needs of the hospital. They suggested the Nkhoma Hospital to the Canadians because they remember the hospital from their previous stay in Nkhoma. That’s just another example of God being the great chess player! (Putting people in the right place at the right time, providing opportunities for people to do things to make a difference!)

In Africa plans change constantly as you attempt to set up an event. In the beginning the Ter Haars were coming here to dinner on Sunday, the first night with Andre and Imre. Then they decided that since Sunday was Willeke’s birthday, they wanted to go to the lake. Then I asked Barbara and Happy to have dinner with us. Jessie and Rhona offered to make a cake for us, so I asked them to have dinner also. Then the Ter Haars were still around because The Ter Haar’s relatively new van broke down on Friday and Willeke was stranded at the ABC campus in Lilongwi all day Friday. They couldn’t get the van fixed for the lake trip and were stuck in Nkhoma all weekend. I didn’t feel that I could have all 8 of the Ter Haars on top of the others. But a quick surprise birthday party was set in place for her by the mssionaries. So after church Sunday we all had a surprise birthday party for Willeke. Maralise has a visiting missionary from South Africa in her home who is going to stay there for a month while she visits her family in South Africa. We had talked about a common meal, but she thought the group would be too many. Later Sunday Jessie called to say that Isabel, who now lives with Jessie and Rhona, was on her way home and would be home before dinner. So she got invited. Then Barbara went to see Maralise, and Barabara asked her if she was coming to dinner. So Maralise called to ask if they were to come, and so I told them we had plenty so to come. We all managed and the group enjoyed each other. Imre and Andre are wonderful guest just joining in as if they part of the group. They are most helpful also.

I spent a lot of time in the Kindergarten room this week. It is difficult for those, who haven’t worked in learning centers to guide children in the opportunities to discover how things work, because they are so use to telling children, “This is the way it is done.” After working 25 years with very young children, I have learned from children that there are more ways than one to do most things. Of course, some ways are better than others and some are simply not acceptable! The thrill of seeing the excitement a child receives in DISCOVERY is well worth the agony of watching the child learn by trial and error.
When something is DISCOVERED on one’s own, it most likely will never be forgotten.
And every once in awhile a child comes up with an outstanding approach or answer that you have never tried!!! Even the two year olds at PWW taught me things.