On July 19th, 2023, I flew out of California by myself. Leaving Jana and the kids behind is not my favorite thing to do, but necessary at this time. After much prayer, we decided that I would go ahead, Jana and Mikey would follow in a month, and Wilma would stay in California with her older sisters to finish her final year of High School. After 24 hours of travel, Bro. Jonas picked me up from the airport and brought me home to a very empty, quiet house!
While in the States for the summer, our home church raised money to purchase all the large appliances for our home in Moshi. So I arrived in Moshi with the job to go shopping! I decided to start with a refrigerator. Now, shopping for these things has usually been a joint effort in our home, so between Jana and I, pictures taken and sent, prices compared, video chats, and a lot of negotiation with the appliance store manager! Jana has opinions: not side by side, needs to be large enough to hold food for groups. She says color doesn't matter, but in the long run, it will matter! You know that old saying, "If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy!"
Well, I like a happy life!
We are down to 2 options, she says, "Just choose between those two and whichever is good with me." Finally, I choose! The final choice will be a surprise for when she arrives. Next on the list is a stove/oven. Again, pictures, video chats, negotiation. Again, opinions: not electric, big enough to cook large meals, as large as will fit in the kitchen, color doesn't matter. I hope to make her happy with my final choice. I also shop for a washing machine and go through all the same steps but decide to wait for her to arrive before making that purchase.
Between all my shopping trips, I finished painting the bathrooms, the dining room, and the front porch. I enlarged the house's back door so that the appliances would fit through, designed a new door and had it fabricated, then hired Rogers and Musa (the contractor building our churches and his helper) to do the parging. Also, the yard had become overgrown in our absence, so Rogers, Musa, and I tackled this project to make it look like civilization instead of bush country.
Don't tell my wife, but I lived like a bachelor while she was gone! So, as the day approaches for their arrival, I incorporate maid into my job description! First, I must empty my wardrobe, also known as the couch, and put my clothes in their proper place. I made beds, swept floors, cleaned bathrooms, and washed my piled dishes! Now I understand why they say, "A woman's work is never done!"
Boy, am I thankful for her!
Their plane will arrive tonight, actually, tomorrow morning, August 25th, at 1:50 am!
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