Sept.7-12

Barbara and Happy invited me to have lunch with them after church on the 12th. They have a good garden and many tomatoes. We had lots of sliced tomatoes on toast and smothered them in a delicious cheese sauce. It was a great lunch.

School started on Monday. They do not register before the first day of school. They just expect all the children from last year to come on the first day of school. We had many coming from last year, but we do have some we must check on that did not come. When they drop out it is usually because of finances. Hopefully scholarships will be found for all of those children. Each day all week a few new students appeared. We have 3 new teachers, and they are all so very enthusiastic and good with the children. We are really looking forward to a good and happy year.

The first school building was built 3 years ago. It was wired for
electricity, but the electricity was never installed in the building. We have requested the hook-up many times and have been denied each time. This year the problem seems to be that they do not have meters. So we have instructed the electrician to buy our meter and have it registered with the company so that we can be connected. Now it seems, we need a letter to authorize the electrician to buy the meter. An electrician did do some work at our building on Friday. Our rods for curtains also appeared in the administrative office. Maybe some things are going to be done. Our printer has been placed in 3 different homes. We are very excited about the prospects that it my soon be in our building. All the wonderful books sent over this summer by First Pres., Gastonia have been put in the computer by Jessi and we have set up the library for use. We are thrilled with all the books which have been sent by the USA, Holland, and many friends.

This week was terrible busy with unexpected happenings, like having to change classrooms two days after school started. The first day of school the night watchman was taking down the tire swing which was put up on the top of the swing frame for the summer. The tire slipped, hitting him in the mouth, knocking out one of his front teeth. So I sent him to the hospital. The next day he returned to the hospital for pain medicine, but he seems better now. The first week of school is often rather hectic, and this year seems to follow right along the same path. I had Barbara and Happy for dinner last night, and I invited Adam (5 yr. old) and David (6 yr. old) Ter Haar to have dinner with us. It was a treat for the young children to have a dinner party without the older children and parents. Those three children really do enjoy each other. The two oldest Nagy children and the oldest Ter Haar are enjoying school together in Kenya, The children seem to be having a ball, and the parents are doing pretty well.

Maralise and I went to Dedza today to shop at the huge market they have there and to have lunch at Paragon Ceramics, the pottery place. We had a delicious meal of goat, potatoes and vegestables. Of course, we bought some of the pottery even tho’ we said that we weren’t going to buy.