April 3. No rain today, but still overcast, windy, and cold. I woke up around 3:00 in the morning; and when I went to get a drink, I felt a cold breeze blowing on me. I looked up and saw that the back door was wide open. Daddy had forgotten to lock it when he came in from turning off the generator last night. BRRRRRR!
The wind came up in the schoolroom about mid-morning and was blowing on my head. So after recess, we had the kids bring the school table into the kitchen so we could be near the fire. That was so much better. The air has such a chill, like winter is coming. We’re just waiting now for the snow. :-)
Beni cut more firewood today. We are really using up the firewood, keeping the home fires burning from early morning until bedtime. Toni cut grass and Severah raked. Danny brought firewood. More Marivo people brought more firewood.
I was thankful for the Lord’s help in teaching today. How does one teach with laryngitis? With great difficulty, but we did manage to get through. Lunch was late today as we had four classes. Since the boys were in the kitchen for tokples class, though, I could start getting lunch ready while they were doing their seatwork.
It was nearly 2:00 when we went for nap, and nearly 3:00 when we got up. So that gave me just enough time to get things ready for school tomorrow and then fix a meal. Had greens to pick over, wash, and prepare. Peeled and cut up carrots. Got a pot of water on for spaghetti, and cooked meat for spaghetti sauce. Part of the food cooked on the wood stove, and part of it on the gas stove. Now supper is done, and dishes are done, and it is time to relax.
“For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.” Philippians 1:29
April 4. Another cold night, and cold all day today, but more blue sky this afternoon than we have had for a while. Even had my jacket off for a while this afternoon – a very short while. And the Lord gave us a beautiful sunset this evening, the first sunset we have seen since we’ve been back from town.
The cold winds are blowing strong, coming from every direction. People are saying that they have never seen this kind of weather before. The morning temperatures are just like dry season temperatures; but in the dry season, the sun comes out and soon warms up the air for the day. We have been getting almost no sun, however, and it stays cold all day long. People are keeping their fires going all day as well as all night. They usually let them die out during the daytime while they go off to work or do whatever they do around home.
Hardly anyone came for lotu this morning. At first there was only Amos’s family and Graham. After we started, Apekio came. We had prayer time and a few more came. Daddy didn’t do the lesson in the “Sios I Gat Glori” book today since there weren’t very many here. He gave a little talk on some verses in I Thessalonians 5, verses 16-22. People were getting ready to help David carry coffee over to Aivonti. Don’t think they got started before noon or after though.
School classes met in here by the fire again today. We started setting things up in the regular meeting room, but Sosthenes wasn’t feeling well and said he was cold. I am thankful we moved in by the fire because it did not get any warmer as the morning went on. It got quite a bit colder. Sosthenes had to go out several times because he was sick to his stomach. I was thankful my laryngitis wasn’t quite as bad today.
Had some time after classes to grade papers and start getting ready for tomorrow. Have decided that I am going to have to add time to English class as there is a lot to do now. We have reading two days a week, and then the workbooks, new letters, spelling, etc. on other days. So will add 15 minutes to English class on Mondays and Fridays and a half hour on Wednesdays.
Put leftovers on the wood stove to warm up for dinner. It was nice to get to nap earlier and have more time this afternoon to get other things done.
“9Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9-11