Dressmaking, Tanzania-style and a little work

I already know about buying fabric and having someone here make it; I've done that many times before. But, I tried a new sewing person and just got my new outfits (and 2 decorative though not very comfortable pillows for my bed) this past Sunday night. I am very pleased with his work! I had been given 2 pieces of fabric a couple of summers ago, and I just never got them made up, so I showed Julius what I wanted, and he did such a nice job.
My friend, Janet, also had some fabric made up for a 2 piece outfit, and 1 piece of light cottony fabric for a nightgown. We could both tell that the nightgown concept was particularly "foreign" and couldn't wait to see what came back! It really looks like a summer sheath, complete with facings and a zipper - not necessarily something you want in a nightgown! She's going to have him remove the zipper, at the very least!
My pillows are pretty, but I think he stuffed them with rags, so they're not soft, but will definitely keep their shape for a long time (unlike bed pillows you sleep on here!).
My housemates were so impressed that they went right out and bought fabric, and I gave them a fashion show of all my TZ outfits to give them an idea of what to have him do for them!
Now, about work, now that the students are on holiday. Joshua had gotten in a shipping container of more school books than I've ever seen in one place, and they have been filling up our education office, and are in piles in the container-storage space. (Containers here are used for offices, storage, a classroom, etc. NOTHING goes to waste!) Janet and I were assigned the huge task of organizing those, getting them out of the office, and onto the shelves that have been built in the container. We worked yesterday afternoon, when it was so hot in there, and then all morning this morning, and can finally see some organization beginning to happen. This will probably be our on-going job for the rest of the week, apart from mentor-training meetings and a trip tomorrow to see our schools and accomodations for our weeks out in the villages. Janet and Corrine will be at St. Dorcas, where 1/2 of our Karanse graduates are in secondary school. The two of them haven't been there and would, of course, like to see it before they begin living there for 2 weeks out of every month. Joelle and I will be going to visit Karanse and Angaza (where we will stay) because Joelle hasn't been to either place, and there are still arrangements to set up or finalize. Even though I have been lots and lots, I can't wait to go! Though school is out for holidays right now, I'm hoping there will be children and teachers around to visit, and I have a couple of jobs to do for Perimeter while I'm there.
The next week, lots more meetings to help us know what our part is, then we finally get to go! That part seems to be taking so long!

Note to Mama and Liz Amor (!)

Just wanted you both to know I did indeed get your packages! Liz, I hope you got my check, and Mama, I hope you wrote a check to yourself! Who knew those were going to be soooo expensive to mail?! Many, many thanks!

Mama, it's beginning to warm up, and I'd love a couple of pairs of my capri pants I left at home, especially the khaki ones and the black jeans ones. Since they're not too heavy, maybe one more pair - surprise me!

Thanks, again!

Saying good-bye is never easy

Today we say good-bye to our student/teachers, some for a longer time than others, and it's just never easy. We've been together 6 weeks now, and I feel like I'm just getting started - how can it be time for them to leave already? Of course, I'll see 6of them every other week beginning the end of August as we go out to Karanse to mentor, but some of the others I may not see for months. They're going to miss each other, too, so today is very bittersweet.
It is made a little better by 3 things: I'm going into town this afternoon to pick up my 2 packages that have been here for a week, we're having dinner at Khan's (more on that later - you've got to hear about this!), and I'm going on a day safari tomorrow to Arusha National Park, one I've never been to before, so I'm really looking forward to it. More on that after I get back.
Now, Khan's. For anyone who's been here on a short-term team, you've eaten there, but for any others, it is pretty hard to explain. By day, it's an auto parts shop, by night it's a sidewalk Indain tandoori chicken/beef restaurant! It's actually one of my favorite places to eat here, and it's always a treat to take new people there. We have a couple of new people on base who haven't been before, so we're going tonight for dinner. It's also turned cold (50's maybe), and since we'll be eating outside, we may have to bundle up, but that's even more fun! And the food will warm us up! I'll try to include a picture of that and safari next time I get to download pictures.

Teachers, teachers, and more teachers; and Jif!

Yesterday I got to do something I've been looking forward to practically since I got here - go see almost all of the Imara teachers at a seminar SBC is putting on in Arusha! There were about 40 of our JTTC (and other) teachers at Arusha Community Church, and I haven't seen most of them since exactly a year ago! I was a presenter at the seminar for a couple of days last year and got to see many of them, but then I left for home. As I sat in the devotions (with the Imara worship leaders, who I also hadn't seen since I got here), I was overcome with gratitude that the Lord had truly brought me back to TZ, to the very place I last left. A great reunion with them all after devotions, and during tea time and lunch time, with many promises to come see them in their schools, looking at baby pictures (Godfrey's newest daughter, Glory, looks a lot like Faith, his oldest; Loomoni's 2 daughters are beautiful), hearing an update on John's house (no roof, yet), hearing the news that Moses' daughter Lulu will be taking her Standard 7 exam this year and Exavier will be taking his Standard 4 exam, so many prayers for them, please; it just went on and on! Hated to leave, but I wanted to run by Imara, too, and see Miriam, Isack, and everyone else there.

While I was at the seminar, sweet Sharon, from SBC, gave me a huge "Miriam bag" with some teacher materials, a letter from a sweet couple I know in AZ with pictures of their new baby, and what she called, "leftovers" from their trip so far - teas, Starbucks instant coffees, oatmeal, Crystal Light-type drink mixes, grape jelly, and (best of all) half of a 3lb jar of Jif! She'd been planning to bring that to me all along, but then "sacrificed" some of it for the sake of the team in one of the remote villages where they stayed. Like Christmas, but more unexpected!

It really is funny how much something small like that reminded me of God's goodness - I certainly didn't "need" those things, but they were such treasures that I remembered I have a loving Father Who even cares that I get Jif peanut butter in TZ. A good reminder to me that He can handle the little things as well as the big ones, and that all I have to do is trust Him (harder to say than do, sometimes, though, I admit).