Manicure Namibian style?

Saw this the other day while Buddy and I were having Bible study at the Woodcarver's market and I just could help but take this picture.

Shaddy

Shaddy just might be my favorite little kid in Nau-Aib. Even though he sometimes shows up on my front step at 7:00 am if I have inadvertantly left my front gate unlocked. It's hard to so no to him though, with his quiet personality and his inquisitive looks. And who could resist a kid who so cheerfully says, "Amanda, good morning!" even if it's 5:00 at night. (I just don't have the heart to tell him 5:00pm isn't morning!)

Shaddy and I having tea on my front step one morning:



Playing his new favorite game, Memory:



Every time he gets a pair that matches he runs to me with them in his hand and says, "Amanda, I win!" I always smile and say, "Good job!" So now when he plays Memory with a friend they each run eagerly to me to show me their pairs and smile delightedly when I say "Good job!" I even hear them say "Good job!" to each other. Shaddy also loves come to me with two cards turned over and have me guess what is on the card. If I get it right, he always exclaims, "Good job!" to me and runs back to get more. The best part is when he has two cards overturned wanting me to guess what's on the card, but before I can guess he whispers to me what it is, and when i guess right...you guessed it - "Good job!" he says. The game never gets old.

With some friends:

Is it Come???

The kids from Location continue to come to my house everyday to ask, “Is it come today?” Which translates into, “Can we come and play?” I have to set boundaries because otherwise all I would do is be the play house everyday. I have narrowed it down to Thursday at 3pm when they meet here and we walk to Kids Club, and Friday afternoons when they can come play while I bake cookies for Friday night’s coffeebar. Last Friday two of the older girls helped with the baking and thoroughly enjoyed rolling the dough into little balls, and putting them on the cookie sheet. They were surprised to see how big the cookies were when they came out of the oven.

Here are the girls in the kitchen playing with the magnetic poetry while we wait for the cookies to bake.



While the girls helped me bake, some of the boys were putting puzzles together in the living room.



What a grace from God it is to have a house to open up to people!

lately

been sick. =(
time with Sam.
teaching Caroline to climb.
Kathy and Paige coming on Thurdsay.
studying Otjiherero.
Coffeebar.
Lots of soccer.
missing friends from home and the emporium talks.
very windy and dusty.
approaching the 7 month mark.

newest pics....here you go:

Sam and I in Swakopmund


Understatement


Caroline's Ascent


Caroline after her fist day of climbing (I think she's hooked)