Baking cookies and cakes

My dear friends how I appreciate your prayers.  Thank you thank you!!!

Last Sun we had 3 new men in church.  One is a school teacher.  His wife is a Christian and has asked me to pray for him.  He is a good man but needs the Lord.  Pray that he will continue to come!!

I visited a 92 yr old woman here in village the other day and first thing she wanted to know was ...am I a witch...when she learned I wasn't she was warm and friendly.

Electricity seems to be iffy a lot of the time.  Yesterday I bought 2 lanterns to have for when it goes out at night.  It is really dark here with no street lights or any light of any kind.

The biggest subject we all talk about is how hot it is. Those who have lived here all their lives say this yr is unusually hot.  That and the shortage of water has been a big concern...Even tho it has rained we still don't have running water in our homes b/c they are putting in new pipes to run the water into the village.

Besides being called Mamy all the time I am now known as the  cookie lady. Nobody knows how to bake around here.   Some didn't even know you could make them at home.  I will have cooking class soon to teach them how.  One lady asked me if I knew how to make a cake and when I said yes she was amazed!!!

I went to a women's conference last wk end.  Here some men go too.  I was told they need to, to give support to the ladies. One lady there asked me who cooked for me and I said I do my own and she would like to do my cooking for me.  But I will continue to do my own.  I have already eaten more hominy and porridge than I ever want again.!!

I do have a lady who does my laundry for $4 ea wk and another  lady who cleans for me who wants nothing. I have given her money but she doesn't want to take it.  I should tell you that b/c of the water situation it all has to be done by hand.  She will iron for me too if I want.

Back to the cookies...I just thought it would be nice to.have something on hand to offer any company I have and I've had quite a bit.

Christmas here is just another day in the week.  Families don't get together they don't have anything special to eat and they don't exchange gifts.  The pastor has asked me to fix a typical Christmas dinner for his family, his parents, his brothers and sister and families...a little scary!  I don't know how many yet.  I'd like to make things in advance but I have limited space in my frig.  

Sunday I am to speak again...I did such a good job the last time they want to hear more!!!!  I don't want to do a bad job but I'm not a preacher...I don't have a file of sermons!! Lol

Everything is good here as long as I can have water to drink and run my fan!! 

Today I'm teaching English and music.

Updates - House and Furniture

My dear friends:

First of all this week of Thanksgiving I want to thank everyone of you for your friendship and I'm so.grateful for all of you who said you are praying for me...please don't stop, ..
I covet your prayers for me and the ministry to which God has called me.
I have felt a little handicapped with only my phone for communication since I left my tablet on the plane and have done what I supposed to do but my compete with my isn't working yet either.
The long trip over the ocean from Atlanta to Johannesburg wasn't as bad as I anticipated.  3 of my children, my brother and some grand children were at Columbus Ohio to see me off for Atlanta.  I had 4 crates and 2 suitcases but with all the ones to help get me to the airport it was no problem.  I thought when I arrived at Gaberone that the pastor and others would be there to help but there those who come for you have to wait outside and can't come to the baggage claim...How was I going to handle ,6 items by myself...I believe God sent an angel to help.me.  I was waiting for the baggage to start coming around when an oriental young man asked me how many items I had...I told him 6...He said oh I will help you.  He got 2 carts and loaded the 4 crates on one and my 2 suitcases on the other.  He then said "follow me".  We were going thru customs.  He showed his passport and said to the inspector "she's with me" and was motioned on thru...I offered my passport for inspection and the inspector just waved me on thru.  They never opened a single container.  Afterwards the oriental showed me his passport and on the front in big letters it said DIPLOMAT PASSPORT... I met my friends who had come for me and the oriental was gone and I didn't have a chance to properly thank him.  God just took care of it all for me.  I never had to lift a single piece.
I knew before coming that I would be purchasing furniture for my house...I had an estate sale in Alabama so I would have money to buy furniture when I got here.  I was wanting something nice but cheaper since I only plan to be here 2 or 3 yrs.  I looked at some stores and most everything more than I wanted to pay.  The pastor's wife said she knew of a place that had nice furniture but. Cheaper than in the big city.  We went. I was shown the bedroom suit that I sent pictures of.  I was told $5000 pula or $500 in our money.  I walked away and the pastor's wife said to me "don't you like it?" I said yes I do but it is too expensive and too fancy for me.  The clerk quickly said oh no you don't understand...it's on sale.....The whole set is$500...I thought well in that case I could be interested.  So said I would take it.  We then went to look at living room furniture.  Again I was shown a lovely set of 2 couches and a big chair.  Again I saw $5000 pula...I can't afford all 3 pieces.  The clerk said not for each but for all 3 pieces.  So long story short I was to have nice new furniture for $1000 in our money for bedroom and living room both.  Too good to be true I thought.   I went to the cashier to pay for it .   Here you cannot draw more than $800   a day from the bank and I didn't have enough cash to.make up the difference.  I gave the cashier my credit card and while waiting for approval she is saying. ...oh Lord Jesus please let this go thru for this lady...and when it was approved she clapped her hands and said ..thank you Lord Jesus...So then I said how much do I still owe and I will bring it tomorrow...oh she said that's not necessary...I adjusted the price to cover it all..when I saw sales slip I paid $749 for all the bed room and living room furniture. I am still stunned at how God has  worked so.many things out for me.
I am already teaching music and English.  They want me to teach sewing and cooking classes and just today the pastor told me he would like me to teach some kind of marriage counseling classes or seminars.
I am really being stretched out of my comfort zone.  But I am happy to be here and know I am where I'm supposed to be for now.I was at a huge wedding. I've witnessed 2 funerals.  When someone dies in the village the body is kept at the mortuary. And for a week every eve is a funeral service.  Preaching and lots of singing... acappela and beautiful harmony.   Some of the tunes I recognized...in the sweet by and by, near the cross, coming home and other tunes from the past. after each service everyone is served white tea and some kind of bread. The week over and the final service comes.  At 5:00 am the mortuary brings the body to the house of the deceased and there is another service.Then to the cemetery. At 6:30 am we sing some more and more words spoken.  Everyone stays until the last bit of dirt had been thrown back in.  Then back to the house for dinner at 8:00 in the morning...I haven't had my morning coffee yet and I'm supposed eat dinner,?! 
I think there were 500 or so in all...huge crowd.
I asked many of you to pray  for rain...for 3 days it stormed and the wind ruined our tent. Last Sun we had an open air mtg. But  are praising the Lord for the rain.   The dam has water in it.   We are still carrying water in.  They are changing the underground pipes from plastic to metal so I still don't have running y in my faucets....

My home.

This is a view of the front of my house.

This is the way it looks when I stand at my front door and look out.

This is the pastor's home next to mine.

Welcome to my blog....i hope to keep you updated and informed in the days ahead.
God has so marvelously prepared and provided for me to return to Bokaa Botswana and i am thrilled to answer His call in going back to help and encourage the people there.  
I am scheduled to fly out of Columbus Ohio on October 27th.  From there to Atlanta and then on to Johanesburg and then on to Gaberone where i will be met with my wonderful Botswana friends.

I would ask that you pray for my health issues.   God has called and I know He will enable me to do what i need to do.  Nothing is impossible with God.   God has assurred me over and over again through His Word .  I am in love with Jesus and have such a desire to share His love.

In His steps
Elizabeth Brown
elizbrown38@gmail.com