WIDOWS THANKFUL FOR NEW HOUSES

These women, and others, lived in houses that were collapsing around them.  Thanks to sponsor funding we were able to build them new houses.  In the first part of this less than two-minute video, Maureen is expressing her gratitude.  (She was very shy and a bit intimidated by us.)  You will see the inside of her home, in which she has covered her mud walls with old lace curtains - something we haven't seen done before.  You will also see Margaret in her living room.  The house is only 3 weeks old and the walls are not finished.  You can see the door to the other room (her bedroom/kitchen) behind her.  The house was filled with smoke from the wood fire on which she was making tea for us.  Margaret had lived under humiliating circumstances in addition to the collapsing of her home.  She was a "co-wife" - meaning that her husband married another woman.  (The Luo tribe practices polygamy.)  In essence, he abandoned Margaret.  But the other woman left him and he came back to Margaret.  Later, he died.  A man is required to build a house for each wife.  It is her right and very important in the culture.  However, because Margaret's house collapsed she had to move into the house of the co-wife.  But the other wife came back and had the right to her own house.  So Margaret was forced to share the house with the co-wife; she had truly lost her identity.  Now she has her own home and has regained her dignity and status.  Unfortunately there was a glitch in the recording of her thanks and the translation didn't get recorded.  As you watch the short clip it barely needs translation, for her expression of gratitude is very evident.  Finally, you will see Anjeline and Marty dancing out of the door of her new home.  You will get a real insight into village life through this little video.

PRAISE REPORTS
*  We are home in the US.  Our journeys home to the UK and US went very well.  Thank you for your prayers.
*  We remained healthy the entire trip.
*  Crops are healthy - the sorghum (a new crop) is ready to harvest.  The maize will be ready in early August.  
PRAYER REQUESTS
*  That repairs to the house/barn will be well done.
*  For laborers for the harvest.
*  That we will be able to find good accommodations that are less costly.