Lighting by Lisa

We are thrilled. There are several times I have wanted to write a book entitled something like "Under the hot Tanzanian sun" but today, the book would be entitled "Putting that hot Tanzanian sun to use". Our solar power is installed and ready for use. We have 4 80-watt panels and six batteries which will power the whole house's lighting. The change from generator power to solar is huge; studying and supper will now take place in the quiet, and our budget is going to get a huge break from not having to spend nearly as much on petrol for the generator. We'll be praying for not too many cloudy days during this rainy season, because this morning when all was installed, this hot Tanzanian sun charged the batteries fully by 1pm. We had the company go ahead and install the equipment in order that we might be able to switch back and forth between solar power and generator power, knowing there will be days with little sun. We thank God for giving us his Son and his sun. Thank you, once again, Lisa Alvetro, for yet another improvement and labor of love on behalf of these children.


Ellison & Lucas, our fantastic solar friends, putting the finishing touches on the charge controller.
Staff learning about the essential functions of the solar power system.

New additon to Gamasara

Today was a big day for the Angel House shamba/farm. All three of our staff guys - Mwita, Magige, and ChaCha - went to a nearby village known for it’s quality cattle to purchase a couple of strong steers in order to pull a plow. Thanks to Ed Craig, Colleen and Dick Smith, and BJ Lamp, we were able to begin our purchase of farm animals, many more of which are to come. These strong plowing cattle will increase the size of our shamba yet again, which means our garden is continually becoming self-sustaining…the children eat squash out of the garden for breakfast 3 mornings a week, and green vegetables right out of the garden at least 5 meals a week. Mwita is convinced that in June when we harvest, we’ll be harvesting six months of corn already, and is so excited at the possibilities that lie ahead with these two animals and a plow. If there’s one thing we have plenty of, it’s land. Thank you Ed, Colleen, Dick, and BJ, on behalf of the many satisfied stomachs we'll have for years to come.

Miss Fashionista's shopping day

What do you get when you have 2 junior staff and a high school gal go clothes shopping for the six new children who came to live with you in one week? A LOT of cute clothes, and some VERY happy girls. Sarah Sabai is Miss Fashion herself, and is shown here putting a cute new jacket on darling Bahati, who came to us with only two extremely tattered dresses. Her sister Rhobi, below, also scored several cute shirts and pairs of jeans. We gave the older girls the equivalent of $10 for each of the new children, to head to the secondhand shops in town, and they came back with lots of great things. Sarah, who I'm so thrilled to have back with us at Angel House, has spent the last couple of years at boarding school. Since she graduated last fall and won't start studying again until sometime in the next year, we asked her to join us on staff. Her English is stellar, she is the best role model we could hope for, she leads worship and is the head of the church choir at our house, and has appointed herself my Swahili coach. She hopes to join the police academy in the late fall or in early 2011, but until then, I am so grateful God brought her back to live at Angel House.


Bahati's new outfit
Getting the sizes right

Rhobi's new jeans

The Fashionista at work

Charles Frazier's new boy

Meet Frank, our newest 7 year old around the house who has made fast friends with Sammy. He comes from Rebu, and is a cousin to Bhoke Mwita, one of our girls who just graduated high school and is working on staff part time until she heads to college in the fall. He is super sweet, polite, and shy, and will start school on Monday! Thank you Charles, for your support of Frank!

Our wonderful staff

Anna Migera, supervisor

Sarah Sabai, junior staff

Bhoke Mwita, junior staff

Magige, night guard

Mwita, day guard and farm supervisor

Salma, housemother

Tedi, housemother

a few things i've gotten used to

i've gotten used to a few things around here...without them, i'd be pretty stressed, and hungry.

eric catching a bite to eat out at the house

liz, who has quickly earned her way into the secretary position

the international food
(that tastes much better when there's not sand in the rice)

Laundry time!

A day in the life

Hung out with the littles today after school, as they did their afternoon chores. Fetching water, washing their clothes, and studying. Not only are they adorable, but ever-hardworking.

Angel and Veronica

One of the many, many buckets that Nossi, our youngest, pulled up from the well today. She was insistent on fetching water for everyone and filling their containers. Her strength is unmatched.



Filling her own little bucket to haul.

What is Black, Purple, Blue, Red, Swollen, and Dirty?...My Ankle!

The first day we were at MAHOTT, the girls were carrying water on their heads so I thought “how hard could it be?” Umm…much to my surprise after I had walked with one bucket about a hundred yards to the house my entire body ached. I had a headache, my neck hurt, and my back hurt! I looked like such a wimp compared to all the girls, including some of the younger ones, who had carried at least three buckets already that morning! I learned a lesson that day that apparently I needed to learn again a couple of weeks later…

One Friday night, I was impatiently waiting for Eric and Holly to come and pick me and the five little children up from MAHOTT to go spend the night at our house. We planned a fun-filled evening of coloring and a movie along with a slumber party! Well, my impatience got the best of me and I decided that I wanted to play soccer with the boys. So, in our makeshift soccer field that was recently slashed (or cut) we played a game of five on five where I was the goalie. I lasted until the other team scored twice before Joseph Charles pulled me out of that position. I ran toward the ball and found a hole instead. My ankle immediately started throbbing, changing colors, and swelling. I thought I may have broken it because every time I stepped I wanted to cry! However, after Salma (who “says” she had training in nursing) twisted and pulled and banged on it…I did not feel from my knee down! It has been over a week now and I still cannot walk without a limp.

Colossians 3:12, 13a reads: “therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, long sufferings; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another.” Both of these stories illustrate how much the children have humbled me in the short three weeks we have been here. Every day they remind me of how much there is for me to learn about life and hardships. I tried to be one of the girls and I failed miserably just as I tried to be one of the boys playing soccer. I have traveled long distances to teach them, and yet in just staying home they have taught me so much.

In Christ,
Liz