March 17.
The more opposition we see, the more we are convinced that God is in this work and we should keep our eyes on Him and keep moving forward. Daddy asked Daniel if he wants to help with some of the work. He needs some encouragement to get his heart right with the Lord.
After Daniel left, we went down to lotu. It was already dark. We just sang a few songs. Then Daddy taught more on the family, the father’s role. There were LOTS of kids there, especially boys. And they were not behaving very well at the beginning. After they were talked to a couple times, some of them moved up closer to Daddy and listened to him teach. At the end, he commended them for better conduct.
No rain again last night. Tried to rain a little bit this morning, but just a tiny bit. Today has been quite a busy day. After breakfast and quiet time, Daddy and I got busy organizing and taping boxes that were already packed. Later in the morning, Daniel came by, and Apekio. We left to go look at the little house where we stayed before — up above OBC building. David came along because he wanted to work at the computer.
Ismel had the toilet hole partly dug for a new toilet at the house. The ladies had cleaned inside the house yesterday, but the ceilings were really gross. You could tell they were full of pipia (rubbish). The bottom porch step was gone, and one porch post was loose. Part of the kitchen ceiling was falling down. The veggie cupboard is really dirty, and the kitchen cupboards are really gross looking.
Then we went to the nurse’s house. They said they had an extra room we could store stuff in. They just had a few things in there on the floor. Their house looked pretty clean. So we came back to the house and started sending boxes up. Daniel stayed up there and organized them. David went and called Silvia and Saina to help. As the morning went on, more and more people stopped in to help, even little children. There were a few lightweight things for the children, but mostly heavy things. We have two drums (full), the school books, the Genesis books, lots of other boxes of books, and a few other boxes and other items stored up there. We gave lollies to the little ones who helped and biscuits to the bigger people. George carried a full drum up by himself!
David was working at the computer while everyone else was working on carrying boxes. Then they called him to come help out with digging the toilet hole. So he left the computer and went to do that.
That took most of the morning. I hadn’t even had a snack break. When everyone was gone, and I looked at the clock, it was already ten to twelve. Glad we had leftovers again for dinner.
Nap time was shortened when I was awakened by boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom — ”music” from next door again with the bass much too loud and very annoying. After trying for ten minutes or so to get back to sleep, I finally got up. Couldn’t handle that same beat going over and over in my head. Got out the tape recorder to try to drown out the other music. Then Daddy got up so we had our prayer time.
After that, Daddy went up to the other house. David was still working. Daniel came back after he had gone to the mumu for Danny’s roof raising. The men worked on fixing the broken step and post and kitchen ceiling. Daddy took the broom and dust pan up and banged a lot of the dirt out of the ceiling in the kitchen — three dust pans full. Said they heard baby rats in the ceiling. Banged dirt out of the ceiling too in the room where we’ll be storing other stuff. They also moved the small bed into the middle room so we can store some things on top of it. They moved the big bed out so we can put our own bed in there. And moved out the crooked little table that was in the bedroom. Patched up holes too that rats had made.
I did a little more packing and worked more on translating Nehemiah this afternoon. Want to get that done so we can print it and give it out to the church men. There is so much in there applicable to our present building program. So many of the tactics that Israel’s enemies used are being used to try to hinder our work here.
Had just shut down and put eggs on to cook for supper when Daddy and David came back. I gave David some soap to go wash his hands at the tap. Then he had a few bananas to eat. Afterward he got back to work at the computer. Is typing up a toksave for Andreas to put on the public notice board.
After supper, I remembered I had to make granola so got that into the oven before doing dishes. In the mean time, Matyu and Erisapet came.
It was getting beyond 7:00, and I had work to do at the computer. David was still working so I went to help him finish up so I could get at the desk. Then he went and sat with the other guests. I gave them all some roasted peanuts to eat. We would never eat them all ourselves. Daddy won’t eat them at all, and I can’t eat very many without getting pain in my right side. They talked too about the nuclear explosion. Filemon had called his dad, and somehow the story was really mixed up. Now everyone is afraid to go out, and afraid that the stuff might fall on their gardens too and get to them through their food. There is always something new to scare these people
It was after 7:30 when everyone left.
“6Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O LORD; thou art great, and thy name is great in might. 7Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? for to thee doth it appertain: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee…. 10But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation…. 12He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion. 13When he uttereth his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures.” Jeremiah 10:6,7,10 ,12,13
“21For the pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the LORD: therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered…. 23O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. 24O LORD, correct me, but with judgment; not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing.” Jeremiah 10:21, 23,24
March 18. Still no rain. Lots of dry season winds. People making fires and burning off the land. Today I did a little bit of packing, and a lot of computer work, trying to finish translating Nehemiah so Daddy can use it on Sunday. Have two more chapters to go.
We had asked men to come work on tearing down the schoolroom today, but nobody came, except for David. But he couldn’t do the job alone. He wasn’t feeling well either. Has caught a cold. Lots of colds going around. He spent several hours putting translation in the computer. Came for Bible school this evening.
Daddy finally got in touch with Jim Farr. Has been trying since we got back from town, but hasn’t been able to get through. Found out the 9,000 liter Tuffa tank costs a bit more than we expected. So he is going to see what the next size down might cost.
From Solomon’s prayer, regarding confession of sin, “36If they sin against thee, (for there is no man which sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them over before their enemies, and they carry them away captives unto a land far off or near; 37Yet if they bethink themselves in the land whither they are carried captive, and turn and pray unto thee in the land of their captivity, saying, We have sinned, we have done amiss, and have dealt wickedly; 38If they return to thee with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, whither they have carried them captives, and pray toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, and toward the city which thou hast chosen, and toward the house which I have built for thy name: 39Then hear thou from the heavens, even from thy dwelling place, their prayer and their supplications, and maintain their cause, and forgive thy people which have sinned against thee.” II Chronicles 6:36-39
And from God’s answer to Solomon’s prayer, “13If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; 14If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” II Chronicles 7:13,14
March 19. Another dry day, but very humid. Hot too. Only Daddy and I and David’s family at prayer lotu this morning, plus Maro’s mother and Neomi’s mother. It was good to see Neomi’s mother out. She is still not doing well. We went down to see her a while this afternoon, read to her and prayed for her. A number of other ladies, young ladies, and children sat around and listened as well.
After prayer lotu, I did laundry. David came and fixed the bottom step of the front steps and also dug out the ditch out back so the water would run down and not run all over the path. Wan came along today and talked to Daddy and David while David was out there working. Haven’t seen him most of the week. Said that he was down below all week, getting kunai for the roof for Solomon’s house.
George came and cut firewood today. We were getting low and are wanting to have a bath tonight. It will probably be the last one until we get our new house built and get settled in.
After hanging out clothes, I worked on Nehemiah. Was about to finish it while dinner was warming up. However, we heard raindrops on the roof so decided we had better get the clothes in. Finished Nehemiah this afternoon after nap and prayer time. After that, I worked on some notes on “the fear of man,” and “following man,” before we went down to see Neomi’s mother.
It was about 5:00 when we got back. Put eggs on to cook for sandwiches for supper. Cleaned the bathroom while they were cooking and cooling afterward. Got the bathroom all cleaned except for sweeping the floor, which I did after supper and dishes.
“If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?” Jeremiah 12:5
Verses Lew shared yesterday, “5Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. 6For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited. 7Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.” Jeremiah 17:5-7