April 10. A little bit of rain this afternoon. I was thankful for the coolness of the rain this afternoon. It was quite a warm day.
The day was somewhat frustrating. There was so much going on today. I was thankful that Serah came to do laundry.
Vinet and Maura came after lotu and weeded the garden. Mailin and Penina came and made peanut butter. There were lots of peanuts this time, and it took them about 2 1/2 hours. That was another thing that was a bit frustrating.
Also the water problem is getting worse and worse. Most of the day, we have very little or no water. We gave Mailin and Penina a break from peanut butter making and sent them to the village tap for a couple buckets of water. However, there was almost no water at the tap too. I had started cleaning the bathroom, but needed water. They were able to get enough for me to use a little bit. The floor didn’t get washed as I had hoped, however.
I worked on lessons the first half of the morning. Then did cleaning the second half of the morning. It started sprinkling before noon, so I went out to get the clothes. Was surprised that they were all dry, except for half a dozen items. While I was waiting for dinner to warm up, I put the peanut butter into containers.
Daddy worked on putting legs on the schoolroom table so it doesn’t have to sit on boxes. He did a really nice job — made a frame like a bed frame, and nailed the plywood tabletop to that.
Wan came and finished the wall by the side veranda steps. So hopefully the rain won’t blow onto the porch anymore. We will see, as the wall doesn’t go all the way up. (It does keep the rain off the porch, so that is a great blessing.) Then he helped Daddy with the table.
This afternoon, I worked more on lesson preparations. Finished getting references into the youth leaders’ lesson for tomorrow so that could be printed out tonight. Also cleaned out the grinder. Put second grade books into the drum in the schoolroom.
After supper I did dishes. Took about as long to wash the grinder as it did the rest of the dishes. It is so hard to get that grinder clean after making peanut butter.
This evening, I got lessons printed for Monday so I can meet with the teachers tomorrow and go over their assignments for Monday.
After a hard day, how thankful I am for the comfort of listening to hymns and meditating on God’s Word.
"The place which is called Calvary." Luke 23:33
The hill of comfort is the hill of Calvary; the house of consolation is built with the wood of the cross; the temple of heavenly blessing is founded upon the riven rock—riven by the spear which pierced His side. No scene in sacred history ever gladdens the soul like Calvary's tragedy.
"Is it not strange, the darkest hour
That ever dawned on sinful earth,
Should touch the heart with softer power,
For comfort, than an angel's mirth?
That to the Cross the mourner's eye should turn,
Sooner than where the stars of Bethlehem burn?"
Light springs from the midday-midnight of Golgotha, and every herb of the field blooms sweetly beneath the shadow of the once accursed tree. In that place of thirst, grace hath dug a fountain which ever gusheth with waters pure as crystal, each drop capable of alleviating the woes of mankind. You who have had your seasons of conflict, will confess that it was not at Olivet that you ever found comfort, not on the hill of Sinai, nor on Tabor; but Gethsemane, Gabbatha, and Golgotha have been a means of comfort to you. The bitter herbs of Gethsemane have often taken away the bitters of your life; the scourge of Gabbatha has often scourged away your cares, and the groans of Calvary yields us comfort rare and rich. We never should have known Christ's love in all its heights and depths if He had not died; nor could we guess the Father's deep affection if He had not given His Son to die. The common mercies we enjoy all sing of love, just as the sea-shell, when we put it to our ears, whispers of the deep sea whence it came; but if we desire to hear the ocean itself, we must not look at every-day blessings, but at the transactions of the crucifixion. He who would know love, let him retire to Calvary and see the Man of sorrows die. —Morning and Evening
April 11. Raining this evening. Nuanda took charge of prayer lotu yesterday and wanted to preach this morning, but he was not able to do anything today. So he asked Daddy to preach. Devit took charge of the singing. Matyu interpreted for Daddy during the first meeting, and Luke during the second. Daddy started today preaching on three important words in the book of Romans. The first word is “all” (“olgeta”).
After nap, I made popo crisp. Then Lilian and Tania came for teachers’ meeting. Mailin came later, but I had already given her assignments to the other two. So she went on to see them.
“As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.” Romans 9:33
April 12. Didn’t sleep well last night. Sinuses giving me problems. Once it was a rat that woke me up. It woke Daddy up too — chewing on the box that the bag of peanuts was in. Daddy got up and put the box on top of the wood stove.
2 1/2“ rain last night. The world was quite wet this morning. We were thankful for the sunshine so the children could play outside for recess this morning.
Not a drop of water in the house all night too. Daddy went out early this morning to see if he could find out the reason. There was no water anywhere this part of the village. Anevina went up to check on things. We found out later that there is another break in the pipe where Sakias cut into it while cutting grass just above the haus sik. Guess they must have got it partially patched up, as we have been getting some water since mid-morning. (The water pipes are close to the surface of the ground and easy to cut accidentally with garden tools, etc.)
School went well today. I was thankful for the Lord’s help as my head was somewhat stuffed up. He helped me to be able to think clearly.
The children had their first dictation in tokples today — vowels and syllables. They weren’t quite sure what was going on at first, but seemed to catch on okay.
Bonita did a whole lot better in math class today. She even finished before a couple others and got 100 on her work. Thank you, Lord, for Mailin’s willingness to help.
They all had a hard time with the “no” answers in English class. Couldn’t get the "No" and the "not" together correctly in the sentences. We’ll practice more tomorrow.
Daddy went for a walk today up to the airstrip. Needs to get out more and walk, as his back has been bothering him. I probably need to walk too, although I walk around a lot in class.
Nuanda is still rather sick and is thinking of going to Kudjip when he goes to town. Is supposed to go out for haus sik meetings sometime soon.
"My heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels." Psalm 22:14
Our blessed Lord experienced a terrible sinking and melting of soul. "The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity, but a wounded spirit who can bear?" Deep depression of spirit is the most grievous of all trials; all besides is as nothing. Well might the suffering Saviour cry to His God, "Be not far from me," for above all other seasons a man needs his God when his heart is melted within him because of heaviness. Believer, come near the cross this morning, and humbly adore the King of glory as having once been brought far lower, in mental distress and inward anguish, than any one among us; and mark His fitness to become a faithful High Priest, who can be touched with a feeling of our infirmities. Especially let those of us whose sadness springs directly from the withdrawal of a present sense of our Father's love, enter into near and intimate communion with Jesus. Let us not give way to despair, since through this dark room the Master has passed before us. Our souls may sometimes long and faint, and thirst even to anguish, to behold the light of the Lord's countenance: at such times let us stay ourselves with the sweet fact of the sympathy of our great High Priest. Our drops of sorrow may well be forgotten in the ocean of His griefs; but how high ought our love to rise! Come in, O strong and deep love of Jesus, like the sea at the flood in spring tides, cover all my powers, drown all my sins, wash out all my cares, lift up my earth-bound soul, and float it right up to my Lord's feet, and there let me lie, a poor broken shell, washed up by His love, having no virtue or value; and only venturing to whisper to Him that if He will put His ear to me, He will hear within my heart faint echoes of the vast waves of His own love which have brought me where it is my delight to lie, even at His feet for ever. —Morning and Evening
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