Our First Team is Here

Last night our first ADBC team arrived here in Gaborone, Botswana.  Like us they were without luggage the first night.  Only one member is still without.  Pray that it arrives tomorrow.  Three friends sacrificed to be here and help build the feeding station being relocated to Old Neladi's church site.  I know we have been here for 18 days but boy was it like Christmas when they brought gifts to us.  Chocolate chips, bags and bags of chocolate chips was the biggest surprise.  In Botswana chocolate chips come in medicine size bottles (when you can find them) and are quiet expensive.  All we  could think was how we can now share this blessing with so many other families.  Chapstick in every shape, flavor and size - we are so thankful.  The air is so dry and hot your lips dry out in a few hours and burn.  They do not have chapstick like we have back home.  We are so glad to have it to share with our teams and friends here when they need it.  We received a special cook book on how to feed more with less.  Very important to have with 7 mouths to feed and with 3 who eat like they are starving at every meal is expensive.  Food is fairly expensive for the most part and they do not add a lot of additives like the states and it does not put up well.  You have to eat it or freeze it when you purchase it.  Thank you DuPrees.

We had a great day driving the team across town and to all the local sites.  This afternoon we drove them through the area where David Livingstone started the missionary church movement in Botswana.  He also was a major reason for the end of the slave trade in Africa.  Beautiful views and country but hard to watch the extreme living conditions you ride by.  The conditions are hard on the people here.  When you have limited resources and depend on the environment around you to keep you going it is hard for this American to comprehend.  The poorest in the US are blessed compared to what the poorest and most of the people here experience.   I took our boys to Old Naledi earlier in the week and I could tell it impacted them.  When I asked why they all said they felt helpless and it hurt to see the children in dirty worn out clothes and waiting for food.  The people here stay busy and do not beg or ask for more.  They work to get what they can get and for the most part are grateful for what they have received.  Thank you God for prayers, promises and good friends.    Scott