Camping and more

I was never a great fan of camping! I simply don't like sand and ants in my food and in my bed, stuff all over the place because there are no cupboards to keep everything organized and a mattress that needs air every hour. Yet, when we had car problems in Zambia and needed to stay multiple nights in Lusaka we figured it was cheaper for us to buy a tent and sleeping bags than staying in a lodge. That's when our family camping adventures started. We cannot afford lodges, resorts, hotels or cottages so when we want to go other places with our family we camp. It's a LOT of Work....(especially for the mom). I must admit, there is a bright side to camping in Africa! Unlike to camping in the Netherlands we usually have the whole campground for ourselves!!! And even if we don't there is still lots of space left for playing, making noises and spreading our junk. An other blessing is the untouched surrounding creation, nothing is cultivated, no trimmed hedges, just bush, wild flora and fauna! Animals around you, pure African bush noises and smells. The number one blessing is the amazing sky at night. There is no place where you can see so many beautiful stars!!!!! I have no words for the sight of the galaxy here. Every Easter our church here (IBF) goes camping. A team from US comes to provide kids and adult Bible programs. We always enjoy the fellowship with one another in the rustic setting of Kuti campground!!! Will we go camping again? Lord willing, yes!

Welcomed by an ostrich: "Hello, how can I help you?"

This Duiker was addicted to coffee, every time when I emptied the filter it came to eat it.

Pinning the tent corner under the gaze and graze of local cows.

Campsite at the beach, no danger of tides at a lake! My favorite spot! Waking up (in case I slept) with the sound of waves.

We hiked the nearby Senga hills, great view of the bay!

An other blessing of camping...mud making and painting. Moses stared this feast and soon all little boys of church camp came to have this experience.

An hour after this three were flat...we didn't manege to find the holes.

Received their Bible story and coloring book, so happy with it!

First fruits of 2014.

Rhoda and 600 other kids watching the Easter skit.

Mothers were watching too!!!

Lunch with the chief and his wife.

Looking back

There is nothing wrong with looking back. In fact, it is encouraging. Didn't God instruct the Israelite's to remember the past in order to celebrate Gods faithfulness? When you live your life as a follower of Christ it is good to take a little time now and then to look back and say "Eben-Hazer".

April 2006 Arrival in Africa

Covenant College mission post, we lived our first 365 days in the tiny left house before we built our own.

No electricity so in order to have hot water, this is what we did.

April is a special month in our family. First of all we received two children in April; Joas was born 9 April 2000 and Rhoda 6 April 2002. What a blessings from God our amazing Creator. He has kept them all these years in His hands. Secondly we celebrate our arrival into the mission field in Africa this month. It has been 8 years now that we set foot on the African soil. I never ever thought of going to Africa, I was totally focused on going to Indonesia, yet Gods thoughts are much higher that ours. He makes no mistakes. He made us willing to go to a place I would have never picked myself. Great is His faithfulness.

Homescholing our kids .

The school building where Cees taught pastors from mon-friday and I did kids ministry on Saturdays.

Graduation October 2006

Joas and Rhode enjoyed eating lunch with CC staf (all from one pot).

The CC farm was just taking in the harvest when we arrived, a welcome distraction to our kids as we were still waiting for our school materials (arrived 6 months later so I improvised a lot, like, daily schooltrips to the farm...)

God blessed us with a son in 2008, Obed, born in a local hospital nearby, baptised by Rev. Miti our 'grandfather-friend'.

In 2009 we were again blessed with a son...that make a lap full for daddy Cees during his student-home-visits.

Family pic Dec 2009

Family pic 2014. Eben-Hazer! (To Joas' happiness he is now as tall as his parents...)