Kushushu Kakhulu

from Elliott
It has been very hot and humid recently - not surprising for South African summer! It has helped me practice Xhosa when I can say to others 'kushushu kakhulu' which means it is very hot.

So hot in fact that a gecko got into the car and positioned himself on the vent just waiting for some cool air! Problem is that to get the cool air on it takes a scary human to turn on the car which caused the gecko to hide underneath the seat. We were just waiting for it to surface while we were driving and then it would be scary gecko freaks out a human.

We like geckos here since they eat many mosquitoes. So we are happy to have them outside the house, inside the house and even in the car! 

Mr. Katherine

from Elliott
We arrived at Arise and Shine School after a lengthy absence, so of course there was great excitement. The children in the Grade 3 classroom greet me at the door - "Molo Mr. Katherine". I am not surprised that they see me as the male version of Katherine. They have heard my name, "igama ngu Elliott" but Katherine is their main focus so I must be an afterthought. We joke that I am her driver since they see me driving the truck or that I am there to carry the bags. We tend to challenge many of the accepted gender roles and that can be useful when presenting the Gospel message.

That day the children were very curious as to why I had a ring on my finger and then one child pointed out that Mrs. Katherine had one too and it looked the same. "Thank you, Lord" for opening the door to a conversation (little did they know that they were setting up a new Gospel message!) about Christian marriage and commitment. I explained what the rings signified and that she and I had the same ring reminding us that we were co- equals in a relationship formed by God.

One boy then said, "I think I will get my wife a ring" I explained that were quite a few steps in between Grade 3 and getting married and that he might have to be patient! I then said that now was a good time to be thinking about how God wanted men and women to treat one another and get some practice.