The blog slog

Muli Shani!
The week that was
Highs
- Last Sunday night we watched the Pinapple Story.  It was brilliant, we borrowed the dvd from the OM library.  If you're thinking about doing missions work it is well worth a watch.  It definitely put culture shock into perspecstive, and was challenging about looking at everything as God's.
- Eric continues to do some walking without an aid, he is improving in distance.

  
- I feel like I've settled in fairly well into doing physio in the classroom, the kids generally let me do what I want without complaining :)
- Yande (one of the Bethesda kids) walked for the first time with a frame and her braces on.

- I taught on tuesday afternoon to the Betheda mothers on Burns management, it was kinda on fire safety also. 
- Jono taught again on Tuesday, on velocity and distance type stuff.  He's been given a regular teaching spot (science) for tuesday afternoons for the forseable future. 
- We had Peter and Brendah and their family around for dinner on thursday night (we had invited them the previous week but had to cancel due to illness)

Peter and Brendah plus family outside their house, that's right all 7 of them fit in there, and this is potentially the longest side of the house

 - We had a lovely date on Friday at the fig tree cafe, they do NZ style food (used to be owned by kiwis), the food was pretty darn good, especially the lemon merignue pie, nom nom nom. It should come under lows, but it's relevant here, they made my iced choc with coffee in it, ew, sent that back, turns out they don't really know how to make an iced chocolate here, they just gave me a chocolate milk shake with ice in it instead :(

Us at the end of mid-winter date, on the shortest day of the year!  Jealous????

- Jono preached an excellent sermon this morning at Nakoli church (a revised, improved version of the one he gave the other week on John 15).
Lows
-  I have managed to get sick again.  After mainly recovering from the issues of last week, I have developed a cold.
Things that dont fit under highs lows
-  Jono had the 'interesting' experience of taking the Bethesda children on Wednesday morning for half an hour while we (Brendah, Peter, some Bethesda mothers and I) had a sign language lesson, a bit of a crash-couse on keeping a class under control!
-  I had a couple of people turn up for the community clinic on Wednesday afternoon
-  Jono continues to sort shoes, which he is finding thrilling, especially as there seems to be an awful lot that don't have pairs :$
-  On Saturday we helped (a team of maybe 20) clean up Bethesda, it's had a lick of paint now, plus all the shelves are sorted, and equipment 'cleaned' (I'm not sure I'd consider it clean) and labelled

This is the main building at the OM base, and there is our borrowed jeep.

Staff vs Student soccer match, sadly both the green guys are staff, on the same team . . .

Another 'action' shot, and BTW the staff won.  They don't seem to have girls playing yet, maybe that'll change soon . . .

Some children at Nakoli school, I sit in on their class for about an hour on some Tuesdays while I wait for the Bethesda support group. As you can see I'm disrupting this time with my camera!

 Now for the final installment of England/Europe.  So from here on in the blogs should, let me repeat, SHOULD be shorter (I make no garuntees).

From P and P land AKA North Hampton we caught a bus to London where we briefly met a friend of mine from uni days Miss Hellie Flower, who gave us her keys and a map so we could find her house then skittled off back to work.  She had kindly offered us a bed, which we gratefully accepted :)  We dropped our gear and then in the brief time we had before meeting a group of friends/relatives for dinner, attempted to see some sights, with some success.  We saw the Big Ben, and the outside of Westminster Abbey (inside was closed), and Trafalgar square.   

Big B, and once again, we have the beehive, it's so unfair!

Outside of Westminster

The front of Westminster

My home AKA Buckingham palace in the background, pretty sweet view!

Ok, so you can totally tell I'm from NZ and haven't seen many squirrels.  It was funny not long before this pic the squirrel and pigeon were fighting, I was too slow with the camera.

That famous square

Dinner was a good albeit brief catch up with a group of people. 

Left to right, myself (in case you've forgotten what I look like), Bjorn's girl friend (Katja), Bjorn, Hellie, Arpana, Shamira's friend, Sharmira, and good looking :)

After a somewhat lazy start (Jono was reluctant to get out of bed) we walked the river Thames passing by some famous attractions Big Ben (yes we saw it again), Westminster, the London eye, the globe, all the way to the tower bridge.  

MI6 and a suspicious looking character . . .

Calling about the suspicious character . . . IN A RED PHONE BOX (Once again can tell I'm from NZ)

The tower of London

Big B and stuff

The Globe, sadly we ran out of time to see something here.

Tower bridge

From there we went to the tower of London, which I really enjoyed.  I saw some jewellery I have my eye on! Jono is saving as we speak!  It was awesome.  There’s a lot to see, and to my relief it’s not all museum like.  

Some old torture equipment, nowdays people use Physioterrorists . . .

Itsy bitsy little knight beside HUGE knight

A very cool dragon

Draw bridge type thing

 We wandered to St Pauls only to find it was closed for the afternoon, it had closed early for a special event. 

Outside St P's

 Onward to Westminster Abbey again, this time to see the inside or part of it, as we went to Evensong there, so much of it was closed for that.  One of the highlights from London was the Lion King Theatre experience, it was absolutely amazing.  Definitely worth seeing, the way they did the animals was incredible. 

Before the event.

From there, well, we flew to Zambia (via Dubai, had 9 hours there so they gave us a complimentary hotel and meal, still only ended up with about 3-4 hours sleep though) and well here we are.

Prayer thanks
- My certificate of good standing finally came, and they even emailed me a copy, which is great considering how much trouble I've had with them.  I've emailed it through to the Zambia health commission, so cont praying it gets sorted on Zambia's part quickly.
- For safety while we've been travelling.
- For the progress some of the kids have been making.
- For the relative lack of culture shock this week. 

Prayer requests
- That  I would get better from this illness.
- For continued safety while we travel.
- That we'll deal with culture shock well
- That we will connect well with the locals and missionaries. 

- That God will be our highest priority, followed by our marriage

- Still haven't found that car part, so that we will find it soon.

Bethesda prayer requests (this is a new category, I thought maybe it should have it's own)
- For more financial supporters, with looking to expand in the future we are aware that the financial costs are going to increase. 
- That the children and adults I've been treating will make good progress/have healing)
- That Given would be healed (An update of Given, her Mum has just given birth to another child making things a little more complicated)
- That the Bethesda ministry would continue to grow spiritually and in number.
-  For some land so we can build an intergrated school (we want enough land so that we can also grow some crops to help feed the children)
-  For a car and a printer for the ministry.

I can't believe we've been here about a month!!!

Appologies for the length again.  I seem to get a little carried away or something!  I often wonder who views this blog.  I get some statistics about number of views, but that doesn't tell me who is perusing my writing.  Strangely enough some people from random parts of the world have stumbled across it, I wonder why.  They've not left any comments, so maybe it was by accident.
Highs and lows seem like a good way to frame the week, let me know if anyone can think of a better way, I guess I could give a day by day break down, but I fear that'd put you all to sleep.
Highs
- Eric who I gave the frame last week suprised me.  After practicing some walking with crutches, he decided that he'd like to try without any aid.  He managed a couple of metres by himself.  It was so cool to see.  Brendah, who's the teacher, said she'd never seen him walk before.  I then had to clarify that this was his first time, and he hasn't been walking at home.  Thank you for your prayers, look how they are paying off!!
- Jono has found himself plenty to do, maybe too much!  He had another teaching session on tuesday, further advancing on energy.  He only found out about it on monday!!  And he has another teaching session this coming tuesday as well.  Jono has also been given the honourable task of sorting through thousands of shoes, which I'm sure he's finding thrilling.
- We went to Makwati (a community here) church last sunday.  It was a great experience.  It was so funny to see this guy from OM, who is normally quiet, passionately preaching the gospel, and when I say passionately, I mean PASSIONATELY.  I was blown away by his biblical knowledge as well.  They had a bible study at the start, and someone had a question about some passage.  He then whips out all these bible verses to answer the question.  One amusing thing was he told the youths off for picking soccer over God the previous day.  I'm not sure what they had been meant to be doing, but it seems difficult to interupt a Zambian from their soccer.  Anyway they chose "soccer not life" and the pastor was going to have some serious words with them after the service!
- We went for a braai on Sunday with a missionary family.  Lovely food and company.  We went for a little walk round the back of their house (also the back of the OM base).  There's a lovely wee lake there that has water lillies in it.  Shame I didn't take my camera!  We saw our second snake, this one was bigger (still small comparatively), but dead, thankfully!!! We revisited the walk yesterday so there are some pics of the lake :)  I saw the tail of what maybe a monitor lizard slide down into the lake, one day hopefully I'll get to see it in full and get a pic!

For Mum xoxo

Sunset from the OM base

 - Yesterday we went to watch a soccer match  (well the second half of it) at the base, Zambia vs Sudan.  It was so funny watching these Zambians sitting on the edge of there seats, during a not very stimulating bit of the match.  And hilarious when they got a goal.  Sadly it was a draw.

The soccer, all the people (can't see but there are about 8 children on the floor at the front also) crowding around the tiny tv, check out that ariel set up to the left of the TV on top of the stacked chairs

Some of the celebration post goal, hard to capture, must have gone on about 5 mins though!!

What do you do post watching a soccer match? Why play soccer of course!! The soccer pitch at the base as we were heading home

Lows
- Both Jono and I have been sick and are still recovering.  I went to the Dr on Thursday after about a week or so of stomach cramps to discover I have a bowel infection.  Jono thinks he's had some sort of a stomach bug. 
- After having 9 people come last week for physio community clinic, I had a big fat zero this week :(
Other
- On friday we saw the Orthopaedic Surgeon from Beit Cure who came to assess some kids for surgery, he does the work for free.  There's a few of them that are on the list in July and August.  Sadly Given (who I've mentioned on previous posts) is too complicated for him, so we have to seek another Dr's opinion. 
- We went to Nakoli community church today.  They were very welcoming.  They seem to like to 'embarass' you here a bit in Zambia by pointing you out to everyone, despite the fact we stand out like a sore thumb anyway.  They made us get up and dance during some of the songs, that was interesting.  I'd prefer to hide away in my shell.

'Stolen' photo from Brad - Nakoli church from the community disability day.  I think it shows the inside well, and the lean of the building!

Yes there is dancing in the front of the church!  And yes those yellow containers are drums!!!  Shame I missed the little kid break dancing down the front!

 There are some pictures I've acquired, thanks Brad! (I wish I'd taken some of them) They kinda don't fit anywhere but are pretty cool.
 

Me doing my thing, kinda

Not really physio but helping Clement count I think

Love this picture of Brendah, she's the teacher at Bethesda

Me doing some physio stretches

More Jane Austen???? (Can you have too much?  I don't think that's possible!!!)
So we drove a very long way to North Hampton, the base for our quest for Pride and Prejudice sites. 

Found this sign at the hotel we stayed at, wondering where I can get more from . . .

 We found 3/3 houses (that’s all we had time for that were ‘near by’) that were used in filming.  The quest was one because as it turns out, it is somewhat difficult when you don’t have a gps and are trying to use google maps plus a vague area map.  Google directions may have assisted if the streets actually had signposts, which some of them didn’t.  The quest conveiniantly went through Grantham (I imagine this is where the Earl of Grantham of Downton Abbey ‘comes’ from) and also Nottingham forest.

Notttingham forest on the right there

Ok so it's a poor photo, but driving through the countryside, seemed pretty classical english with the stone fences

 We had some amazing food in/around North Hampton – a Yorkshire pudding with garlic mushrooms, profiteroles (this is fast becoming a favourite dessert, they are amazing!) and a white chocolate ginger cheesecake.  Nom nom nom.  
 

Not the amazing food mentioned but at the same place as the yorkshire pud

Found this sign at the place with amazing cheesecake

 Perhaps photos best explain the quest for the first house which was . . .   Well you all should recognise it

So the end of the road, where can the house be?

A little way on, still no sign . . .

 

Can you see it there behind the trees?

There it is!!!

Getting closer . . .

VICTORY!!! :)

Mr Bingley's house - Netherfield

Second house needs no introduction :) Unless you're not as big a P and P fan as me

I love this, cricket pitch at the front . . .

Lovely gardens at the back :) (Classic P and P view of Rosings)

THEE DESK Mr Darcy wrote THEE LETTER on to Miss Bennet

Staircase that was used in filming, Mr Darcy rushed up it at some point and into . . .

This room

Third house :) Unfortunately we only got to see the outside as we got there after it closed and had limited time.

Here endeth the quest, and what a high note to end on, how can you beat Pemberly?!? and the blog for this week.

Prayer thanks
- We've continued to have safe travel
- For the progress Eric has made is a short time
- That Jono has found plenty to do (teaching he seems to enjoy, perhaps a need meeting with his giftings there?)

Prayer requests
- I am still feeling a bit unwell, so for healing would be great. 
- For continued safety while we travel. 
- For Eric to continue to make good progress/wisdom re physiotherapy
- For healing for Gift and Given
- Still haven't found that car part, so that we will find it soon.
- That the Bethesda ministry would continue to grow.  Things we're praying for are some land so we can build an intergrated school.  A car for the ministry.
- For my physiotherapy registration to be sorted out.  I'm still waiting for a good standing certificate from the NZ physiotherapy board, they have been very difficult to get hold of regarding it, I'm finding this rather frustrating.
- That we'll deal with culture shock well

- That we will connect well with the locals and missionaries.  

- That God will be our highest priority, followed by our marriage

 

Thank you for the emails of encouragement we've recieved recently!  It's great to hear from people back home.  Feel free to email karlyn.jonathan@gmail.com