April 18. Seems like it has been a long day. Woke up a little bit early so got up, had my lemon drink, and went out to hang clothes. It was a dry day, but mostly cloudy, hot, and humid. No rain the past couple days, but hardly any sun either.
Daddy was not feeling well today at all. He woke up early this morning feeling nauseated. Had a fever and stomach pains and cramps most of the day. Didn’t eat much - a leftover pancake with honey in the morning, a cup of chamomile tea for lunch, a bowl of cereal later in the day, and a little bit of rice and carrots for supper. Seems to be feeling a little bit better this evening.
After hanging out the clothes this morning, I had my breakfast and quiet time. Then got busy preparing the food for the students’ party today. Got the rice and water measured and put in the pot to start cooking later. Sliced the banana bread that I had made yesterday afternoon. Made up some fruit juice drink. Filled the peanut cups and stuck lollies in them. Got out plates, spoons, and cups. By the time I finished all that, it was pretty close to 9:00. Opened the door so the students could come in.
I saw most of them down on the playground area earlier so I figured they would be coming up shortly. The first thing they did was guess the number of items in a bottle. Esau almost always guesses correctly. He, Sosthenes, and Sunny guessed the exact number. They had a playoff and Esau and Sosthenes both kept the same number so they had to share the goodies.
Then we had a sword drill. They all seemed rather puzzled when I asked them if they had brought their swords. Finally one of them asked me what a sword is. I thought some of them knew, but they must have forgotten. I gave them the Pidgin word for sword, but they still seemed puzzled until I asked them what the sword of the Spirit is. Then their eyes lit up and they went for their Bibles. Sunny won that game, but Sosthenes and Tania both did well too.
After that we had an active gave - musical chairs. Steve won that. Then another sit-down game - a geography match. Each time one of them answered correctly, they got to add a point by the name of each member of their team. I had all the names written on the chalkboard. After that we had a break. I gave them their lollipops, and I went and had a snack myself.
First thing after break, we played the water relay. Teams had to carry water from a bowl to a cup by spoonfuls to see who could fill their cup first.
Then the paper balls. Each member of the team had a piece of paper. At the signal, the first member had to crumple his paper and toss it into a box about ten feet away. If he missed, he had to go pick it up, come back to the starting line and try again. They had to keep trying until they got it into the box. As soon as they got it in, the next team member had his turn until one team finished.
Then they played finger ball. Using foam balls, they had to push them from one end of the table and back, using only one finger. If it went on the floor, they had to pick it up and go back to start.
Last of all, we played rhymes and opposites. We laid out word flash cards on the table, and they took turns trying to find the rhyming word if I called for a rhyming word, or the opposite if I called for an opposite. They are really rusty on their rhyming and opposites so I think we’ll be doing some practice in that area next term.
I let them add up their scores, while I went and added the fish to the rice and set the banana bread out on the tray. Dallas and Tania got the table set up since we were celebrating their birthdays, both of which are next week. Esau prayed. Then Dallas and Tania served the food, and I went and fixed lunch for myself. After lunch, I let them choose their prizes and gave them their report cards. Then I gave Tania and Dallas their birthday gift bags, and we sang “Happy Birthday” to them. Before they left, I took pictures of the two birthday people, and then the whole group.
While I was eating lunch, Phinehas wrote a nice little note on the chalkboard - “Good-bye, Judy, you have a nice holiday.”
I felt really wiped out by the time everyone left, but I still had to go out and get the clothes in before nap - just in case of rain. Daddy came out and helped even though he wasn’t feeling very strong. Before I got to nap, Saivu came with some firewood and also brought a bunch of bananas.
The nap was very welcome, and I did not feel like I needed to hurry and get up. After nap, I put water on to heat for dishes. I didn’t want to wait and do all those party dishes in the evening. While water was heating, I got all the dishes rinsed and started putting away chairs out of the schoolroom. After doing dishes, I got the rest of the carrots washed and cut up to cook for supper. We had some uxai too, but I only salvaged a few pieces out of the five or six ears. One ear was completely spoiled, and most of the others had already gone to seed.
While supper was cooking, I straightened up more of the schoolroom. Got the table cover washed off so I could fold it and put it away after it dried. Then we had supper, and I got the sheets changed on the bed and made the bed up so Daddy could go back to bed. Amos wasn’t around to start the generator, but I saw Steve outside so sent him up to ask Tomas. Tomas wasn’t home either, but Graham, Phinehas, and Bethuel came down to see if they could help. That meant Daddy had to get up to go tell them what to do. Graham tried first, but didn’t succeed. Phinehas got it started. Then Daddy went back to bed.
Bethuel came into help me hang up the bananas that Saivu had brought. He wanted to know if he could play the keyboard so he stayed for about an hour and did that. I got today’s pictures added to the Kodak file, and then showed them to Behuel. Then he helped me put the long table back in the guest room, and we talked about the pictures of the children which I’ll be gluing to the posters for the special meetings. He left just a little while ago to go home.
It is about 7:45 now. Daddy was up again for a while, but just went back to bed again. All is quiet inside and outside. I don’t know who will turn off the generator. Will Daddy get up and go down to do that? (He did.)
“1Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 2That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.” I Peter 4:1,2
April 19. It is about 7:15 p.m. Discipleship class is scheduled for 7:00, but there is not a soul here as yet. It is raining too, but not very hard. Has been raining a good part of the afternoon and evening. We praise the Lord for a nice morning, and that we were able to get outside for a while for a little sunshine, fresh air, and exercise.
Mike wasn’t here this morning for lotu. They said he left yesterday to carry coffee to Okapa. We wonder if he didn’t realize it was his turn to preach today as he usually lets somebody know if he can’t be here. Matthew wasn’t here either. He had said that he may not be back today from his garden work in Marivo. Nobody else was prepared to teach, but David shared some thoughts on a verse he had read this morning, Psalm 19:14, and did well on that. Tomas translated for him.
After lotu, Tomas and Phinehas started the generator so I spent time at the computer while the power was on. We went outside for a stretch; and after we came back in, I got busy cleaning the bathroom. It had been a while since it had a good thorough cleaning, and that was the first cleaning project on my list for the holidays.
After resting a little while, I got lunch on the table; and then we had our nap. This afternoon, I got the students’ soul-winning file set up with the new lesson so I could print those out this evening. They are in the process of being printed now.
Then it was time to make supper. Made a pizza crust and threw in some cheese, the leftover spaghetti and sauce, some salt and pepper and oregano. While the pizza was baking, I got more pictures glued onto one of the posters. There were quite a few dishes to do this evening since I had done them yesterday afternoon, but not last night. Still there weren’t as many dishes as I did yesterday.
It is now 7:40, and the only one who came for class is Graham. He said that he talked to Sosthenes, and Matthew hadn’t even gotten back yet from Marivo. So people must have found out somehow that he wasn’t here. I gave Graham a little job to do while he was here – collate the soul-wininng lessons I had just printed out.
“But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.” I Peter 4:7