| FROM “BUSH BUNNY BRENDA“ DATE: NOVEMBER 10, 2018 |
| MASSIVE RAIN/WIND STORM CHANGES OUR PLANS Thursday night at 9pm, residents of Balama were awakened by a roaring wind with heavy rain beating on our roof tops. For those who were putting on new roofs, the storm left them wet and cold. NO ONE was expecting such a downpour this early in the month. Since the rain was blowing into my windows, I knew the load of food in our 7 ton truck was probably getting wet. Sprinting out of bed, I found that the wind was spraying the sacks with a fine mist as the rain was being blown horizontally over 8 ft. (2.5 meters) under the carport. We had tarped only the small part of the truck not covered by the carport roof, so the rest of the truck needed to be tarped immediately. (This truck was scheduled to deliver this food to the Mango Tree Church groups early Friday morning.) Grabbing a tarp from storage, one of my night guards helped me cover the sacks of corn and beans that were being misted. The winds made tarping a bit difficult, but thirty minutes later with both of us wet and cold, the task was done. Not to worry, each truck load next week will be tarped when loaded. Bush Bunnies don’t like middle of the night tarp games. Dawn came creeping in a bit late with a low cloud cover threatening more rain. Daylight allowed us to see the mess the barrels of rain had left behind. House #6 on Friday morning. Our House #6 construction site was under water, and all of the dirt roads leading out of Balama had some degree of damage. A phone call to the Pastor of the Mango Tree Church confirmed that much rain had hit them also. All BBC games were canceled for the day due to the heavy mud. Due to road damage and massive amounts of mud on the Mavala Road, we had to reschedule the Mango Tree Church give out to next Friday, Nov. 16th (Loaded 7 ton trucks do not dare venture onto any village road after a hard rain for fear of sliding off into the ditch and getting stuck.) We ask you to join us in prayer agreement that the rains will hold off until we can complete the FINAL 3 FOOD GIVE OUTS for this year. This last give out includes SEEDS and CLOTHES for the children. Very important that it not be delayed and longer than next week. Two other major areas are already scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday this coming week. DRY ROADS are all we need to be able to complete all 3 give outs by Friday. DOCTOR “SMILEY” VISITS OUR CHILDREN TODAYThe Balama doctor nicknamed “Smiley” brought deworming medicine to all our children today. Every child in Balama District received these tablets this week during their “anti-intestinal worm” campaign.“ Dr. Smiley hands out dewormer pills to our children. Dr. ‘Smiley’ is part of our family and helps keep our children healthy. He joined in our “family photo” today. Our 2018 family with Dr. Smiley. Since all the children were together, our overdue family snap shot was taken. Thanks to your help, our family members are growing up happy and healthy. Dr. Smiley is the guy in the very front with the big grin on his face. CURRENT PROJECTS:With more rain coming soon, we are busy digging ditches in key places to keep our homes safe. Faithful and strong, our team moves the bridge. The LION KIDS are receiving a brand new cement bridge for their new home. A major rain run off area runs right past their front gate, so several weeks ago our bricklayers poured a cement bridge that we placed over that ditch today. And the Lion Bridge is in place. Can’t let our Little Lions get their paws wet and muddy! Blessings,Bush Bunny Brenda LangeAnd the Balama staff |