Random stuff

The team from Minnesota is going to be leaving tomorrow morning. I must say overall it was pretty cool. There were some great people (some of them from Wisconsin, making them even better), we played cards, talked a bunch, and it's fun having other people around. We've been playing Uecker a lot, which is for sure a Wisconsin card game (I don't know how to spell it so I guessed), and it's been great. Saturday morning I canoed part of the lake with one of the ladies, and it was cool. It's been great laughing with (and at) them.

Joe and Lyn got back Sunday and that was cool. It finally feels like we're not intruding anymore, so that's good. While they were gone it was kind of like something wasn't up. They talked a bit about their trip, and it sounds like they had a good, restful time.

Yesterday I went to Mawe Hai with Joe and I can honestly say that the man is mental. Total and completely mental. So we are walking around and I'm showing him the moringa and what we have been doing, and we end up by the lake. There were people playing with the rocks near the shore, and Joe explained to me what was going on.

He had rocks brought in from the size of soft balls to the size of volleyballs and poured them on the shore. Then these guys were flattening it as much as possible taking high spots away and filling in low spots with more rocks. Why is this happening? Well, Joe wants a beach. Not just a place to hang out, a full-fledged, sand beach. He wants 15 meters of sand all along part of the shore at Mawe, then a pagoda kind of thing for eating, and bathrooms and stuff. In Goma, Joe is going to put a beach.

I was rather confused and wondering why all of this money would be going towards a beach and he says it will be a great place to come Sunday after church. It will be for young people to come and play, hang out, go swimming, and lay on the beach. Then while they are at Mawe, we can also show them the moringa and it will all be worth it. I sure hope he's right and that the beach will bring in people who might not normally come to Mawe Hai and that we would be able to use the opportunities to teach. Joe was serious too because the rocks were already there, they were filling in the holes, and maybe before the new year, there will be a beach. I'm not sure when it's supposed to be done, but someday there will be a beach at Mawe Hai.

On the plus side, it should be fun when it's done. Can you say "Frisbee?"

Something else cool happened yesterday too. Joe and I went to visit the house we ate at on Sunday with the embassy representative, and in the midst of their French talking they ask me "where are you staying?" Of course I replied "at Maji." "Would you like to stay here for the next three weeks?" Apparently they are going out of town and starting on Friday they want me to house sit for them, and I think I will. Joe thought it was a good idea and I will have a car, a guard, and a cook/maid, so that sounds pretty darn good to me. As long as Lyn agrees, that's where I'll be this weekend and the next 3 weeks. It should be fun.