Sunrise Praise and the Farm

Today began before daybreak as we gathered with the children for their early morning worship time and breakfast. The worship was great and as Mpeli says, "Powerful." "This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it." Three times a week the children receive porridge--a super-enriched with vitamins and minerals cream of wheat type of liquid cereal. Kip and I had a delicious cup. You could have it with or without brown sugar. The children also had tea and bread.

We learned that some of the children did not go to school today. Their teachers had some kind of testing or training day. They begin leaving for school around 7 AM. What was cool was seeing them with the book bags that they made from previous mission team trips or received from last year's catalog gifts. They rotate them (each child decides which one they will use) for style and to make them last. The children who did not have school swept the yard as the others were leaving.

After the children's breakfast, Jonas had prepared for us a second breakfast. Thank goodness it was more like a brunch.

After breakfast we headed for the farm. You should see the corn, beans, tomatoes, pumpkins, eggplant, onions, okra, sweet potatoes--I think that I am missing something. Oh, the strawberry harvest is over but the plants appear to be getting ready for round two. With irrigation, they are planting the vegetables in cycles. One crop of tomatoes just finished, a second crop is just starting to produce, and a third crop was planted last week. The banana trees are coming up nicely along with the other trees. The pig is due any day now--she is huge. We also have an expectant goat. The goal is to have 24 goats. Once that happens, critical goat mass will be reached. Then, two goats per month can be used for meat at the Children's Home and the herd will remain at 24. Also, the chicken coop is expanding toward our first goal of 100 chickens. This will give enough chickens for eating, egg production, and selling in town. To see what kind of farmer you are--guess the crop from the picture.

Tonight we will worship again with the children. More pictures and info later tonight Tanzanian time.