From Steve, 11/12/09

Every now & then something happens that is 'worth writing home about'. It happened again today. I have been building a concrete and stone footing for our septic tank lid this week. The footing is 40cm deep, 40 cm wide, and rings a hole that is 1m across, x 2m wide, x 3m deep; you do not want to fall into this thing, you'll feel worse than Joseph. The plan is for an indoor toilet, shower and maybe even a sink; that would really be livin'.

So you don't get any horrible ideas of our cleanliness, we do bathe indoors, but we take water from a bucket in a plastic scoop cup and pour it over ourselves while standing over or within an aluminum basin. The basin catches most of the water and the rest is absorbed in the dirt floor. It's a huge adjustment for me to live in a house made of mud clay brick. Honest, the way to keep the dust down on the portion of the house where the floor is made of dirt is to carry a bucket and toss water on the floor. Not too much, just cover the dirt. The house does not get mildew amazingly enough as long as no plastic is left sitting on the dirt or concrete. If it does, just put a little straight bleach on that area; no life will remain. Wow, what a digression.

So, I had completed pouring / building the tank lid footing by about noon today and prepared to walk the 3 miles to the school. I took my hat with the cloth that shades my neck from the sun, my umbrella (the heavy thunder did not produce rain, but it sure looked like it could), the laptop with the New Beginnings seminars by It Is Written (people here absolutely love this program), and my Sony Walkman MP3 player (I wanted to listen to the book 'Christian Service' again). For an hour I walked and listened to chapter 1.

I met my friend Gregory at the school. We visited about reconstruction plans for the second of 3 classrooms, and had a Bible study from the laptop; about 2 hours & change all together. We paused the study occasionally for questions and comments. We had a great time! Gregory has decided to study with me for a year. At the end of this year he plans to make a significant denominational decision. Neither of us is in a hurry. A decision of this weight should not be rushed. This man is a Christian who is very committed to his relationship with God. We share together as the brothers in Christ that we are.

As I walked back home towards Lassin, I heard chapters 2 and 3. In them, we are counseled to make use of every opportunity to share the good news with people. This was a happy day and I was in a long conversational prayer while walking. But who can I share the 'good news with'? Well, there's Franklin the carpenter who made our dining room table and chairs and the food preparation counter with the food storage shelves below. He is currently preparing to build Carol a table to place our gas burners on. (It will be so nice not to have to kneel on the dirt kitchen floor so you can bend over to see under a pot to adjust the flame down. Carol has been such a good sport- no complaints- just like her.) Yes, Franklin. I was so amazed to see him in church last Sabbath. He showed up after Phillip invited him. I'll bet he would be interested in bible studies in his home. He works such long hours and it is so inconvenient for him to come to the church on Wednesday, Friday, or Sabbath evenings for prayer meetings and bible study time. So, "Franklin, would you enjoy Bible studies in your home some evening?" "Yes." We agreed that tonight, Thursday, at 7:30 PM would be fine. We visited for a few more minutes and I left him to continue a project.

I headed towards the Village phone shop and saw John standing on the front porch of his general store and taxi business. "Brother John, how are you?"
(The title of 'brother' is used liberally here. It really has no bearing on whether you are actually related or go to church.) Guy talk followed, and then I got the same idea again, "So, John, when would you like to have Bible studies with me?" I couldn't believe I was asking, but it came out so freely and it was out now. He decided that Wednesday or Thursday at 10 AM were very slow times and he could close his store to eliminate interruptions. Can you believe this? The busiest man in town has just agreed to have Bible studies with me! How exciting. Now, this friendship didn't just happen out of the blue. I have visited him many times, even the first visit to Lassin a year ago included a stop to John's store. I do business with him whenever I can. Recently, he rode along with us an entire day to Bamenda to show us the way and facilitate some business that each of us had there; extending our Visa 3 more months before we are eligible to request a residence permit; like a green card. It was he that arranged for proper lifting of our little Toyota; the thing rides rough and stiff like a goat now, but it no longer smashes the engine against rocks at the slightest pot hole- should extend its life considerably. So, next Thursday at 10 A.M.

I came home with an amazingly light heart. Ate a wonderful dinner of steamed brown rice under jamma jamma boiled in a 'cheese' sauce. Two bananas made desert. "It just doesn't get any better than this" (Diane).

After dinner, I walked about 1km to Franklin's house. I was welcomed in his front yard with rounds of handshakes from Franklin, his children and 'brother' Naphtali. I was taken into his home, given the chair at the head of the table. Then we waited.. The house began to fill. Children of all ages came. Last, the women came from their work in the kitchens. We had prayer, sang a hymn at Franklin's request and watched the first of the New Beginnings Bible studies. After the study (in English), unsolicited, Naphtali spent about five minutes translating the program into the Noni language. Somehow, I had imagined that Franklin and I would have sat alone at his table that evening. Instead, God packed the house with people from at least three homes, and provided an interpreter! No wonder we call Him God!

Just had to let you know. Keep keeping us in prayer!

'brother' Steve- don't you dare call me 'brother' Steve! I'm just regular 'ol Steve to you :)