Helping Students Help Themselves . . . And Us

Every year the Lord brings into our lives a few students who become more close than most. This year, two of those students are Danieli and Shukrani. We mentioned them in an update upon our return. They have become family, in their opinion. Joanne has sewn “church” shirts and backpacks for them and is the mother hen who frets over whether they have food in their “ghetto.” We keep a record of the hours they work and pay an hourly wage against their school tuition and fees. They are so grateful for the help we give them, and we are so grateful for the help that they give us.

Faithful watering by Danieli and Shukrani has produced a nice vegetable garden during the dry season. Now we have entered the rainy season, when it will eventually rain nearly every day. While others are just now planting, we are enjoying greens with our daily menu of rice and beans. And yes, Danieli and Shukrani are taking some greens home for cooking and say they very much enjoy the “greens from America.” Those of you who donated garden seed: God bless you for the blessing you gave.

 

You know the saying, “If you want it to rain, wash your car.” Well, our experience here is that “if you want someone to visit, sit down to eat.” We joke as we ready for a meal whether we’ll get a bite of hot food before someone comes to the door. We take turns answering the door so that we can enjoy a few bites of hot food. We also like to use meal time for a game of Yahtzee, Rack-O or Quiddler, or to watch a DVD. As you can imagine, it sometimes takes a few days to finish a game or movie. We really are a spoiled bunch of children, aren’t we?

“For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. And if we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.” 

I Timothy 6:7-8.

In His grace and service,

Gary and Joanne Grenell