Reality Check

Well, a lot has happened this week and I could post a lot of pictures (which I will try to do as many as I can) but first I want to start off with a 'Reality Check' for those of you reading this.

One of the people that has been reading my updates is the intern that was here last year. He sent me an e-mail to ask how things were going and he had a bunch of questions to ask. I answered them and in his reply to that he said that everything was sounding great from my blog and he was starting to ask why I wasn't having the problems he was having.

So, before everyone assumes things are going wonderfully (and they are actually, but I think a lot has to do with your attitude, not with what happens), I want to just remind everyone that it is Zambia and, well, things never work perfectly here. For example, the tractor wouldn't start for several weeks and instead of getting a mechanic the first day and getting it fixed, it has taken until this Wednesday to have it fully working again (yeah I know I said it was working last weekend and we thought it was, but it turns out there was more wrong than just the starter). For us, when something is broken, we fix it. If we can't fix it we find someone who can. If they can't fix it we buy a new one. Here, things are a lot slower and it can take a week just to get some simple supplies (like seed for the garden, which...come to think of it, we still need).

I guess the moral of the story is, even if things seem to be going well (and they very well may be going well) prayer is always a good thing!

Now, on to some of the excitement from this week. As I mentioned above, the tractor was not working on Monday. The starter was fixed, we had diesel and the battery was charged. So we went to York Farms and talked to the Farm Manager to see if he had any suggestions (or maybe an extra tractor...) He pointed out that right next to us (and I didn't realize it) was a mechanic with a full shop and tool kit. So I went to talk to him. He came over and looked at the tractor and thought that the fuel lines were blocked and needed cleaning. Tuesday he towed the tractor to his shop and got it cleaned out. We got it back on Wednesday morning and I have been out plowing everyday since then.

On Wednesday, I also picked up my temporary permit so I can stay!! It is nice to actually have it and not have to worry about having to go back and get it.

Perhaps the most exciting news from this week is that it rained yesterday. In the early afternoon it started to rain lightly and in a matter of twenty minutes it was pouring. The rain only lasted for about an hour and the ground is dry again but it means that it will start raining now. This is great for the garden because now less work will have to be done to water and more energy can be put into other things.

Hmmm, it appears the pictures will not work this week so hopefully I can put some up later. I had a couple of me actually driving the tractor, in case anyone didn't believe me, and also some of the boys playing in the rain. Yes, boys are boys no matter where you are in the world.

Anyway, I think that will be all for now. It would be great if people would still pray for the plowing and the field preparations. Also pray that we get the garden to be more productive. Thanks for all the e-mails, comments, letters and support from everyone. It is greatly appreciated.

Goodluck and Godspeed