September update

17 September 2012

bricking the chapel floor

July was a time of recovery for Larry after the pace maker surgery, working in the OMS office getting things organized and supervising the workers as they got things fixed on the school and the grounds. Susan tutored a student and worked on the school handbook, organizing the teacher’s orientation and getting all the teachers lined up for the new year.

teacher training/team building

Teacher training

August began with all the teachers arriving back for four days of orientation.  We had some great training sessions and then a highlight for all the teachers was a team-building day.  A missionary friend of ours does team building exercises with teenagers and adults.  The teachers had a great day and got to know each other.  School began on the 7th for the 7th – 12th grade students and then the K – 6th grade students started on the 9th of August.  What did not arrive in time were the textbooks that we ordered in March when we were in the U.S. As of today (Sept. 9th) we still do not have our textbooks.  They should be in port by this week and hopefully in our classrooms by next week.  The teachers have been very patient and have had to make copies so each student can do his work.

Katie & community kids in the afternoon children's program

You lookin' at me?

 A new additional to our family in August was our niece, Katie Krampitz from Vancouver, B.C., Canada.  She is taking a gap year in between high school and university.  She is here to help out at CAM.  She is busy teaching two primary music classes, 11th/12th grade literature, tutoring ESL students, and subbing when teachers are sick.  On Tuesdays and Thursdays she helps with the community kid program run by the Almeida family.  She is not hard to spot, the tall redhead surrounded by a group of 30 – 50 African kids.  They sing, listen to a Bible story and then play.  She is learning Portuguese and the tribal language Shanghan.  She is a big help at CAM and we are enjoying her enthusiastic sense for adventure. 

time for a nap

 Due to the nature of Katie’s visa, she needs to have her passport stamped every 30 days.  This gave us the excuse to take a trip to Kruger National Park.  We slept at a lodge outside the park and spent the full day in the park.  By the time we stopped for brunch, we had seen four of the “big five.”  (Elephants, cape buffalo, rhino, and lion.)  Then about half an hour before we left the park we spotted a leopard in a tree with a kill.  We kept reminding Katie that it is a special treat to see the Big Five in one day.  It was a good day and a great weekend. 

Sammy

We are enjoying our kitty which we shared about a couple of blogs ago.  After a couple of months, we were debating whether Sunny was actually a boy or a girl.  Normally orange kitties are male.  Larry looked on line and discovered that 80% of orange kitties are male and only 20% of them are female.  We determined that Sunny is actually a girl and she has been renamed Sammy, short for Samantha or Miss Kitty.  She continues to be a sweetie and we all love her. 
 Larry was able to get internet service working on the campus after a couple of months organizing it.  We had a couple of rough weeks of intermittent internet, but now as long as we have electricity we have good service.  We are so thankful for that. 

It has been extremely dry and we have not had any rain since April and last week we had three solid days of drizzle.  Katie said it reminded her of the northwest.  The ground is nicely soaked and we can see the grass greening up now.  We will be heading into some warmer temperatures soon. 

Larry had a good check up at the doctor’s and his pace maker is working well.  He is sleeping better at night and has more energy.  He just would like a few more hours in the day to allow him to do all his work. 

We just heard the good news that we should get the school textbooks this week.  The teachers and students will be glad to have their own books.  Thanks for your prayers for us.  We have a busy and challenging life here, and we value your prayers.  Until next time.