Hannah and Mapile: February 2017

At the end of January I went back to work at Project Canaan. It has certainly been an adjustment figuring out being a mom + work. I started out slowly, just going to work two days a week, which was a nice transition. For the first few weeks I took Simo with me, but I did not have anyone to help me with her at work. It was quite tricky trying to get work done and take care of her, and I quickly knew that I needed to find somebody to help me with her. Mapile and I took our time looking for the right person to help us with Simo, and after some time we found a wonderful answer to our prayers: Ayanda. Ayanda is from the Manzini area, and we heard about her through one of our good friends. Ayanda is planning on going to university in the states this August, and until then she was hoping to find a job. She is a very sweet girl, and she does great with Simo. We feel so blessed to have found such a great sitter for our sweet Simo.

It has been good to get back to work. While I was on maternity leave the nurse I had been working with resigned, so a new nurse was hired. The new nurse is a retired Zambian lady, and she is so kind. Since I’ve been back she has been very willing to work with me and help me in any way. I’ve mostly been working with the files at work since I got back, but recently I started seeing the sick kids again and helping decide the plan of care for them.

It’s also been a huge blessing to have the privilege of being able to take Simo with me to work. They have been so kind and welcoming to us, and willing to work with us with our schedule of breastfeeding/pumping milk. One of the things I was pretty nervous about was the hour long drive to work with the baby, but after a few rough trips she seems to have settled in pretty well and I think she doesn’t mind the long car ride.

The students have come back to the Bible College, and they are now into the swing of things as this is the second week of classes. There are 6 new students at the Bible College this year. Mapile has been busy with his work as Student Dean – everything from organising rooming situations and getting to know new students, to hosting student meetings. He has also been making sure that there are plenty of sporting activities available for the students, so he’s been busy playing/organising soccer & volleyball in the gym for many evenings. It’s nice to have the students back on campus – it feels alive again. This semester Mapile will be teaching Research Writing, New Testament Survey, and several computer classes. He’s also still working as the Librarian, and he will have several students helping him in the Library this semester

In other news, Dorcas Croft and her son, Mathias, came back from the States in January. They are good friends & neighbors of ours, and it’s good to have them back!

Dorcas & Simo

Mathias & Simo

Simo has been sick for the last 10 days or so, and we are so thankful that she is finally better! She had chest infection that turned into bronchitis, and finally we are free from the coughing and congestion and lots of medicine. She was a super cute sick baby, but boy we are thankful she's finally better!

Taking her nebuliser treatment!

Thank you so much for your prayers!

As you pray for us here’s some specifics:

- Praise God for providing Ayanda to help us with Simo
- Praise God for helping Simo get better from her sickness

- Praise God for the 6 new students at the Bible College this year.

- Continue to pray for God’s direction and timing in going to seminary. We’ve had a setback in the application process, and we’re just praying that God would open the doors that He wants us to go through at the right timing.

Thanks for reading!

“I will thank you, Lord, among all the people. I will sing your praises among the nations. For your unfailing love is as high as the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.” – Psalm 57:9-10