Two Weeks

When you think of two weeks it really is not that long, but when daddy is away for two weeks that changes everything. Brent recently attended an urban conference training in South Africa for missionaries in all of Sub-Sahara Africa to help them know better how to reach those in the cities here in Africa. He learned a lot and we are very thankful that he went, but the kids and I had to stay at home and continue our lives-homeschool, ballet, ministry-while he was away. Below are a few shots from our two weeks, we made the best of it but were so thankful when Brent finally arrived back home.

Above: Bo-our new Labrador puppy-was allowed to come in and play some nights. He loved that time with the kids.

Below-We got together with all of the other missionary women to fellowship and pray. We got ice cream afterwards and Bradyn’s face showed how delicious it was.

Above: Bradyn exhausted after a day out at church doing children’s ministry and pizza night at a friends. He zonked out on the 15 minute ride home.

Below: My dear friend Onalenna just celebrated her 27th birthday. She and I have studied the bible together for 2 years now. We went out for her birthday and had such a fun time together.

Below: The kids got to play at a playground while Onalenna and I had a nice dinner. Taylor made a friend and if you know her that is a very easy task for her. She and this little boy just clicked and were the best of friends. He gave her the necklace she is wearing before we left-it was his favorite good luck charm and wanted her to have it.

Ballerina-Taylor

Taylor has now started back with ballet.This is her 2nd year of it and she loves it so much. She is in 1st grade homeschool so this is so good for her to be in a classroom setting with other children and having to listen to a teacher. They are working on a ballet recital in November, so more pictures to come later.

Treehouse decorations

Brent completed the children’s treehouse last year before we went to the States. It’s so awesome but it was lacking a bit in personality so the kids gave it some with paint. Enjoy the pictures of our fun/messy day.

Glenwood Baptist Church-Volunteer Team

We had a volunteer team from Glenwood Baptist Church in Marion, NC visit from August 5-14, 2013. This team was just amazing! They worked so hard each and every day and were able to spread the love of Jesus to all of those around them.

They came prepared to do VBS at our church, Gaborone Baptist Church, and the 1st day we started with around 40 kids and by the 4th and last day, we had 100+ kids. So many of them heard the gospel and were able to just come and have fun.

We played with a parachute, played dodge ball, kickball, ring toss, bubbles, and many more fun activities. The team also brought crafts for the kids to do each day and face painting. At the end of all of the games and crafts they were able to sing songs and present a bible story to the kids. So many seeds were planted with these children.

We also were able to drive about 1 hour south of our city to visit the Lobatse Orphan Care Center. Two just graduated college students from the States felt the Lord’s calling to come to Botswana to start this after school program to help some of the poorer children in the Lobatse area with their schooling and to give them a warm meal for the day.

To fund the orphan care center, they have taught the 3 Batswana women who work with them to make headbands. They initially did them all by hand and have just earned enough money to buy sowing machines that make production much faster. This project along with the help of Lobatse Baptist Church helps fund the Center. They currently have 15 children that come Monday-Friday and they get to learn about the love of Jesus through many avenues.

This volunteer team came to work. In the mornings, they helped put some much needed gutters on our home and the Warner’s home. They also helped organize the Logistics Warehouse and office. They were such a big help to us all. They also brought gifts to all of the missionaries in our city, comforts from home, that were so much appreciated.

We also were able to take the ladies out to the market to do some shopping. They were able to spread the gospel to many of the people we met that day.

The team took a day to see more of the beauty of Africa and went to Madikwe Game Reserve and did a day safari. They saw some amazing animals and you can see below just how close they got to a lion.

Saying goodbye to this team was hard. We enjoyed having them here so much. We pray the Lord brings them back again soon.

Lobola-Traditional Wedding

So we have been in Botswana for nearly 4 years now and I think we attended the most fun/interesting event we have ever been to last Saturday (July 27). The pastor or in Setswana moruti (mo-roo-tee) at the church we attend invited us to be a part of his family for the day and experience the traditional wedding of his son. This event is only for married couples, aunts, and uncles of the to be bride and groom.

Preparation for this day began a couple of months prior when the groom and his uncles approach the brides uncles about what would be an adequate price for him to pay to the brides family to marry her. The brides family normally ask for cattle but they can ask for blankets, suits, or even money since some families live in the city and don’t have a place for cattle. The brides family in this instance asked for 12 cattle and upon negotiation, it was decided that the grooms family would offer 10 cattle for the bride.

The day began upon arrival at 5:30am at the grooms place and the groom and all of his uncles and male representatives from his family had to arrive before daylight at the brides place where the uncles and male family representatives all were waiting. They grooms family come in and traditionally go down on one knee and ask to enter (pictured below and seen from the grooms sides perspective). The brides family then welcomes the men and allows them to sit in chairs. They talk and agree again upon the 10 cattle price for the bride. If they had not arrived before sunrise they will be locked out of the yard and the price of the bride will go up.

Below: The women waiting back at the brides place for the men to return. Grooms family with blue blankets on their shoulders and brides family with white blankets on their shoulders.

Above: Cooking in the traditional pots outside on the fire

Above: The ladies carry everything on their heads and the luggage on the aunts head of the groom was being taken as a gift from the groom to the bride.

Below: They enter the bride’s boma (small house/hut) and present the gift to the bride from the groom.

Above: The gifts from the groom to the bride consisted of a traditional blue dress for the wedding, shoes, 3 purple pillow, and a blanket.

Below: The bride

Above: The ladies visit the gentlemen to tell them that the bride has received her gifts.

Below: All representatives from the groom’s family heading to the bride’s family to hand over the ten cattle.

Above: The groom is in the front herding the cattle

Below: They again bow before the bride’s family and ask to enter and bring their gift.

Above: The 10 cattle

Below: After the exchange, the bride is then presented to both the woman and the men.

Above: The bride being presented to the men.

Below: Both the men and women join together and the traditional ceremony is held. The bride is presented with a ring. I am told this is  like an engagement. There will be a white wedding (or church wedding) in November and the village wedding up in northern Botswana will be held in December. BUT as well as we can understand, some married couples in Botswana just do the Lobola and they are then considered married.

After the ceremony, a big meal is then provided by the bride’s family to just the groom’s family. There is much dancing and singing. As you will see in the video, it is a time of joy. You will here the ladies doing a high pitched “la-la-la-la-la” and that is sort of like a clap. Taylor has perfected this sound pretty well.

Picture with the beautiful bride and her blue traditional dress.

Above: Taylor made a friend as usual. There were only 4 kids present as it is an adult activity, but it was so kind of them to invite our whole family.

After eating at the bride’s family, the groom’s family all go back to the groom’s family to report about the day and how well we were received. The groom’s mother and father are not allowed to attend any of the festivities of the day except for this part when the groom comes back. Everyone was so excited and danced him into the gate.

Above: The ladies reporting that we were received well today by the bride’s family.

Below: This is Mma Kabika, she is the mother of the groom, the pastor’s wife, and I am so blessed to have her as my friend and mentor. What a beautiful day and we are so thankful to be a part of it.