Waterboy...

Loves the jobs you hate!













Where there is water, there is a Zeke!!  And as it's rained solidly for 2 days now and he has no waterproof, he deceided to put on Ella's and go paddling!!

Where there's no power, the Chicken must still go on!

A couple of days ago we had another power cut.  (although we later discovered it was Zeke's fault not a general power cut - he had plugged a 2 pin plug between the live and the earth socket - but that's another story!)

Leanna had a whole chicken to roast, so, undeterred we lit up the braai (BBQ), got it hot, put the lid on and left it to cook for 45 mins!  Pretty tasty if we say so ourselves!!  Tough being a missionary sometimes!

We later remembered we had a gas oven all along........oops!

Shock and Awe Tactics

Zeke's new favourite game is to hunt down the Junebugs with a dust pan and brush and play with them until they are so overwhelmed they play dead (or get squashed!).

1st Day(s) at School

They have all been at school for a couple of weeks now, but thought we'd post their 1st day at school pictures.  Zeph is in Caterpillar Class (and even happened to have a Caterpillar bag from Grandma!)

 Suzanna is in Grade 6 and stated school the day before everyone else!  And Ella has the 'poshest' school uniform we've ever seen!!

3 Homes!? (part 3)

Watch this space...

3 Homes!? (part 2)

Home 2

Now in Clarens (where we will be based longer-term) we are staying in a holiday self-catering house.  It is very pleasant but not a long-term option as it's too expensive and the holiday lets make a lot more money than the long-term housing rents.

 It has loads of outside space and the boys (getting fed up with all our cars that keep on braking down) have been zooming around on their new motorbikes since we arrived here 2 days ago!!













It even has a washing machine.... but it leaks from the door, so someone has to sit with their foot on it while it runs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

3 Homes!?

Home 1

We spent a few nights at Glen Skye in Fouriesburg, with some of the most incredible views.

The kids (left) enjoying the view (right) on the first morning, having arrived just after dark the day before.




Some swings and 2 big soppy dogs to play with and the boys were happy!!

Enjoying the outdoor life!!

3 CARS!!!

Car 1
Good Points - Bought for us in advance.  Got us from Jo'burg to Fouriesburg (5 hours) with 14 suitcases!!!  Can drive through or over anything!
Bad Points - It was serviced and had various things done costing a mere R21000 just before we arrived.  And then the engine went up in smoke when moving to our temporary house in Clarens.  We were helped by the pastor from the Clarens church who relayed us and our luggage to the house.  The garage think we might need a new engine!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Prayer appreciated!

Car 2
Good Points - Nearly new, economical, quiet and clean
Bad Pionts - It's not ours!!  We had to hire it to get Ella to school for 6am for a camp to initiate the new Grade 8's!!  Her school is 30mins drive and she couldn't get the minibus because she had to be there so early!

Car 3
Good Points - It's a Subaru!
Bad Points - It's not our!  August (the Unit Leader for Lesotho) has lent it to us on behalf of a new couple coming out in mid Feb.  By a small miracle we may have our car back by then - if they can repair it!!  We'll keep you posted.  (We managed to get a puncture, as you'll see in the picture, but the guys at the petrol garage where we were fixed it within 5 mins without even removing the wheel for R30. (about £2) !!!

AIM Lesotho

The Lesotho Unit for AIM will have around 20 missionaries by February and we enjoyed meeting and praying with those already here last Monday.  Here are some of them...

There is also another family with young children which is great for us, but they all live several hours from us in various spots around Lesotho.  But it is great to have a supportive team praying and supporting us.

A Great Flight and First Few Days

We’re here!  The flight went perfectly and the kids got a good amount of sleep!  We were met at the other end and managed to load our 18(!!!!!) suitcases and all of us and our helpers onto and into a Land Rover, a car and a local taxi to go to John and Shan’s (AIM’s Southern Region Directors), who live in Jo’burg.  After spending the night with them we drove the 5 hours to Fouriesburg on the Lesotho border and met the whole AIM Lesotho Unit who had gathered for their quarterly prayer day.  It was great to meet everyone, understand their ministries and pray!  God has been good and going to church on Sunday in Clarens (where we expect to be based) ticked loads of things of our todo list!

• Suzanna’s school uniform
• Start and finish times and dates for Zeph and Suzanna
• Lifts for Ella to school in Bethlehem
• Contacts for possible housing options (temporary and long-term)
• Friends for Zeph and Zeke (sons of the pastor are exactly the same age as ours!)
• Friends for Ella and Suzanna (who are going to the same schools!)
• etc....

Basically, the first few days could have gone much better – so THANK YOU for all your prayers and especially to those that helped us at the airports - both ends!.

On-line at last...oh well, maybe not!!

We have finally managed to get an internet dongle to work and I am writing this just as a MASSIVE thunderstorm is crashing all….oh, and now the electricity has gone, so while Leanna sits with Zeke (who as usual is awake an hour after all the other kids), I’m off to find and light the candles!

Candles lit, but internet is down again, so this will be posted when it’s back!!

Anyway, we’re all doing well (apart from the Mosquitoes have a liking for Zeke) and now we’re online we’ll put a few back dated blog posts up to fill you in on our adventures so far!