There is so much to be thankful for! The corn and bean harvests are in.
The bean harvest is pretty bad, but the more important corn harvest was really good. Last year we harvested 102 sacks of corn and this year we harvested an estimated 125 despite the fact that everybody expected the harvest to be poor. We are extremely thankful. The blessing of this harvest is amplified even more when we look to many areas surrounding the school where the corn harvest failed completely because of a lack of rain. God has abundantly provided for Waama and we are very thankful for that.
Graduation came and went with plenty of work and stress, but otherwise without a hitch. On Sunday, June 28, all 61 students who started the year not only continued to the end, but all of them also passed. That is the first time we have witnessed this here at Waama. It was quite the celebration and it was fun to see many of our students' wives and children. It was a blessed day.
But perhaps the best news of all came the following morning, Monday. As Jesse and I were finishing packing up our house (which we had to vacate so it can be used while we're gone), news came that the power company had arrived and brought the much awaited transformer! So by the time we finished packing our house and left for Arusha the transformer had been installed, though apparently not connected (see picture)! That is great news. Unfortunately, this does no mean that Waama has electricity ... yet. They say that a new transformer has to be "primed" for a couple of weeks before it is operational. During that time the power company also has to run lines off the main "trunk line" to all the individual buildings and install meters. Once this is completed, the switch will be thrown and Waama should be online ... at least all the building which have been rewired and brought up to code. We have more good news about the rewiring too! Our electrician has made it through some health issues at home and is ready to do some more work for us. He is supposed to come today, Tuesday, to Waama and then continue to Arusha to purchase all the needed materials. Thanks to many of you, a lot of money has come through for this project and we think it should get us most of the way through our project. So Jesse and I are very hopeful that Waama will be "on the grid" by the time we get back to Waama in October. Praise the Lord.
Jesse and I have started our trek back to the States. We have made it as far as Arusha (a 2 hour, 45 minute ride from Waama). We have a little time here before we continue on our journeys. On Wednesday morning, I will catch a bus to Dar es Salaam, usually about a 10 hour ride. Then early Thursday morning (July 2nd) I will catch a flight to Minneapolis via London and Chicago. After about 24 hours I will arrive in Minneapolis. Jesse will leave from Arusha on Friday the 3rd. We appreciate all your prayers on our behalf as we travel. We both plan on being in the States for almost 3 months. During this time we will be working some, visiting friends and family, and sharing in many different churches. If you would be interested in having us share about our work, please let us know. I will send out a schedule later on. I hope to see many of you this summer.
Thank you all for your prayers and support. May God richly bless you,
Ben
