Life

Here are some more pictures of everyday life at Rainbow!

Rainbow was blessed with donations for two washing machines.  We have many children who wet the bed or get sick and their soiled clothing/bedding needs a good wash.  So Lucas collected money to have two washing machines bought for Rainbow.  Here Jeremy is showing the house parents how to use the machines.  They've never seen washing machines before.

Practicing with the washing machines

A little permaculture!  Here Jeremy is taking the runoff water from the washing machines and using it to water a bed.  The permaculture club is putting a straw fence around it to keep the dogs and kids out.  They are also planting a permaculture garden in this huge area.  Yet another use of permaculture at Rainbow!

Evelene and Wakisa watching the activities

Julita working her portion of the gardens.  The kids were allowed to plant their own crops and maintain them if they wanted to.  Fallos (one of our older boys) just sold a huge crop of onions and made MK8000 ($20).  Hopefully more kids will catch onto this and decide to work hard and make some extra money for themselves.  

Working the gardens

Chikondi

Meshek pushing baby J on the scooter

The boys spent last Saturday hauling in the dried corn/maize husks and stalks from the big garden behind our house.  These husks will be used as mulch in the permaculture gardens.

Having fun riding back on the truck.  The boys did about 6 loads that day alone.

Jeremy reading to baby J

Martin and Jeremy working on Chichewa by translating the Bible

Mavuto kwambiri!!!  

Maula Prison Water Wells

Last month M-1 Ministries sent an email to our supporters on our email list requesting prayer and guidance over a very big ministry opportunity.  Amazing Grace Prison Ministries (headed by our friend Charles Msukwa) informed us that Maula Prison here in Lilongwe, which houses over 2400 prisoners, had no access to reliable water.  The prison is completely dependent upon the local water board which is less reliable than the local power company.  The water company in Lilongwe routinely looses water for hours each day and some water outages have lasted over a week at a time. That's an entire week of absolutely no water for over 2400 men, women, and children (the women who are nursing are able to keep their children with them). 

The prisoners in Maula can be placed in the prison for any number of offenses both minor and major.  We know of some who are in prison (or awaiting trial) for stealing food. 1200 of the men have been convicted and over 1000 are still awaiting trial. Here is a New York Times article that shows some of the story of Maula and other prisons: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/06/international/africa/06prisons.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

In His perfect way the Lord already had Jeremy working with Clean Water for Malawi which raises money to place water wells in villages all across Malawi who have no access to clean water.  God provided that Clean Water and Amazing Grace would work together to accomplish His work in Maula Prison.  We sent out an email explaining the need and our supporters responded in a mighty and God- glorifying way!  The desire was to raise enough money to provide Maula with two wells on the property. Not only did God provide the money for both Maula Prison wells but he also provided money for an additional water well!  That's 3 water wells that will be placed thanks to the Lord's guidance in the hearts of our friends and family.  To God be the glory!!!  

We knew immediately where the third water well would need to be placed.  Please read the story of Mphatso and Justice who are just a few days from traveling to the States for reconstructive surgery in San Diego via Fresh Start Surgical Gifts.  (We will update on that story soon.)  But we realized when we visited Mphatso's village that they had no water well and were using a hand dug well for access to water.  Now Clean Water will place a water well in Mphatso's village as a result of the Lord moving in a mighty and powerful way!  To God be the glory!!!

Yesterday Jeremy went out to the Maula Prison with Charles to meet with the prison officials and plan the two sites for the water wells.  Below are some of the pictures:

Charles Msukwa (Amazing Grace Prison Ministries) is on the left and the facilities manager for Maula Prison is in the middle. 

The proposed site for the first water well at Maula

The men of the prison working to cook the daily portion of nsima given to the prisoners

Maula Prison grounds

Above is the site where the women of Maula cook.  There are approximately 200-300 women in Maula and their nursing babies. The second well will go here.

Visitors day at the prison

Praise God for His provision for Maula Prison!  Praise God for the sacrifice of those who supported the water wells and the ministry of Clean Water and Amazing Grace.  Praise God that he has placed our family in this amazing ministry where we can see first hand His work and His power.  To God be all glory, honor, and praise!  

  "For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because of your names as followers of Christ, truly I say to you, he will not lose his reward."

In This Life (may we glorify Him)

The title of our blog is "In This Life" and the subtitle is "may we glorify Him".  This is what we strive for our life to be:  In this life may we glorify Him!  

Below are some pictures of our everyday life here in Malawi.  We love our life.  We love our home.  We love our adopted country.  We love our children.  We love His mission. We love being His servants.

"Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4

Does this mean that if we love God He will give us what we desire?  No.  This means that the more we love, worship, and mold our lives into God's plan, the more HIS desires become OUR desires.  

For the first time in over two years we are NOT wanting to run home.  Yes, we leave in 1 1/2 weeks.  We'll be "home" (in the US) for a long 5 month furlough where we will share with our friends and family all that the Lord is doing here.  But we are very torn.  We want to see our loved ones.  But this is home.  These are also our loved ones.  This is our life.  We love it!  And it's going to be very hard to leave. 

 Thank you, Lord, that your desire has become our desire.  Thank you that your work has become our work and your people have become our people.  

Here is a glimpse of our life:

CJ and JC

JC and AJ

The "fruits" of our labor!  All organic veggies fresh from our garden!  This plus two heads of lettuce was one days harvest.

New puppies!  Some of the Rainbow boys found orphaned puppies who were starving and cold.  Of course they tried to hide them in their rooms for a few nights.  Once found we got permission from Nasson and the Kyser family took them to bulk them up until they're bigger.  THey've now doubled in size and Simba and Sam LOVE them!

Jeremy takes the Rainbow soccer team to many different villages to play games.  This day as they were returning we could tell they had received a BIG WIN!  Yay for Rainbow!!!!

Baby J keeps getting bigger and bigger.  He's now walking in his Daddy's footsteps!

Amayi (mother) and mwana (child) outside our house.  They are church members of Rainbow.

Heading to check out the work the Rainbow boys are doing in the fields.  This is our road.

Jeremy promised that if the kids got their fields prepared for planting before we left then they'd get a pizza party!  They've been working hard!

Phiri and SM

Toto (Towerra) and baby J.  

We love our life and we're so very thankful for the opportunity to serve.  To God be all the glory and honor!  

New Drilling Rig!

Clean Water for Malawi sent over a new water well drilling rig last week and what a blessing it will be.  Of course, getting the rig through customs and all of the red tape that that entails was a hardship not many will understand unless you've lived in Malawi for some time!  But God is good and the rig was cleared.  The off loading and transport of a drilling rig is a very big ordeal.  Yet by God's grace all went smoothly and the rig was delivered to Rainbow until the test dig could be completed.  

The crate that holds the drilling rig

Beautiful new drilling rig for Clean Water for Malawi

After the dust had settled from clearing the equipment through customs and getting the rig to Rainbow the next step would be a practice hole to make sure the crew knew how to operate the rig correctly.  

Rainbow provided the perfect test bed for the crew.  This is our front yard.  Notice the 22 month old who's calling the shots out there!  He's the bwana (boss).  

No shoes?  No problem!  It's how we roll in Malawi.  

This big event provided much entertainment for all of the Rainbow kids (and the village kids looking through the gate) all day long.  It's not often you see a drilling rig in action in your front yard!

SM, Sauda, Alice, and Chifundo enjoying the show!

Now that the crew has successfully figured out the new rig, there are 10 wells that are scheduled to be put into the villages here in Malawi in just the next few weeks. Two of those wells will be placed in Maula Prison here in Lilongwe! By the grace of God, Clean Water has raised more than enough funds to supply two water wells for Maula Prison!  Praise God for His provisions and thank you to all of our supporters for the sacrifices you made!  We will be sure to post pictures as soon as the wells are in place!  To God be the glory!