Just Call Us the Doo-Littles

Here are just a few of the animals we have had and have as pets.

Here is Amber Elizabeth with our first pet; a hedgehog. We found it soon after we arrived to Malawi.










Here is Molly Grace with a bird a gardener caught. We didn't have it too long before it flew away.


























Here is LeAnne's chameleon. One of her student's gave it to her for Christmas last year.











This is Molly Grace with her bunny she got for her birthday.













This is Molly Grace's hedgehog.














These next pictures are of the girls with their rats. Yes, rats.











Amber Elizabeth and her rat.






















Molly Grace and her rat.






















Sarah Rose and her rat. We no longer have hers because she stepped on it this morning and it died.




















And, our three most favorite pets. This is the cage we kept the rabbit in.
















We also have a cat named DC (Da Cat). We are actually cat-sitting him while Larry Brown is on furlough. I don't have a picture of him right now, but as soon as I get one, I will post it. He is a beautiful cat. He is black and white.

We love y'all and miss y'all.

the Doo-Littles
(actually LeAnne for all 5 of us)

Sad Story

Tuesday morning around 4:15 we were woken up to this awful noise coming from our back khonde (porch). I jumped out of bed and ran to the back door. I saw two dogs with our pet rabbit (the one Molly Grace got for her birthday) in their mouths. Since we have a gate, I shook it to make a noise to scare the dogs and hoped that they would drop the rabbit. It didn't make a noise, so I ran to get the key, which is in the laundry room. By the time I got back to the door, the dogs were gone with the rabbit. I walked outside to see if maybe they had dropped it somewhere, but they hadn't. The night guard told me he saw some dogs run behind a neighbor's house, so we walked back there, but there was no sign of the dogs or the rabbit. The rabbit was kept in a cage outside and I had no idea that anything could get to it. I still don't know how they pulled the rabbit out.

Later in the day, Sam told me that Laura Chinchen had told him that the rabbit was found down by their house on the other end of campus.

I would like to ask that you pray for Molly Grace. She has been real sad since this happened. We told her that we will get her another rabbit soon.

In Him,
LeAnne (for all five of us)

Amber's Poem of Africa

Amber wrote the following poem during her school break. Hope you enjoy.

"Africa is a wonderful place.
I love it a bunch.
A lot of Africans are
on their right pace.

They have this soda called
Fanta Punch,
I love it a bunch.

Africa has some beautiful beaches,
and wonderful peaches.
Africa has the best scenery
And they have lots of pottery.

It is beautiful. Very.
I love Africa so much,
I am very merry."

A Youth Director's Dream???

(It's Sam again). Friends, last night I was invited to speak at a youth group meeting of the Kanin'ga Church. Mid-week services here are never at the church but in homes. And groups are split according to where they live (otherwise, you'd try to cram over 1,000 kids into a home!!!) I went with my 'brother in crime' Bentry Mhango who gets me into all kinds of trouble. We arrived after the city's electricity had already gone out for a few hours, so we met over flickering candles. (Now, here's the part where you start making comparisons with the youth groups we have in the States). When we arrived the students were all arranged, seated in a circle along the wall of the home. They were dead quiet, a sign of respect for both the dark and the arriving guests. After we were settled one of the students arose (understand, there is no adult here to supervise, the kids are running the show themselves) and says" "We would like to welcome you to our meeting tonight. We pray the Lord will speak to us through your message. Let us arise and sing." Perhaps a little too organized for teens (formal) yet it reflects the true nature of Malawian culture - very formal!!!! The students all rose in unison, and, typically, sang together boisterously. They sat and the program was ours. Bentry led our introductions. He asked, "How much time do we have?" The student responded, "Is 45 minutes okay?" As a teacher (and a long-winded one at that) my heart fluttered with excitement. "Forty-five minutes," I shouted internally, "is it possible????" Only in a place where television is not revered as Lord could one even broach such an attention span. Of course, they were still kids as attentions came and went. I shared from Isaiah 6 that the only way we progress in the Christian life is to "get over ourselves." Isaiah seems to be confronted with that reality in the most stark terms, to say the least. Anyway, following the talk, the students took up an offering for charity (Did you hear what I said, the KIDS took up an offering). We were thanked, and allowed to leave after our time. Then outside we met the leader (not a youth director, just an adult assigned to lead this particular youth meeting). He was on his way in to lead discussion of the lesson. So the meeting didn't end: The fellowship time was afterward over a discussion of the lesson.

Mind you, this was all a shock to me. I've been to the adult versions of these meetings before, but this was the first youth meeting. I was blown away by the formality (but that is more cultural than anything). But I am coming from a "youth group culture" (and as a former leader of one) where the highlight is to see if someone will swallow a goldfish, or the kids ask, "Where are we going?" or "What game have you got for us tonight?" But, in spite of the things that please adult eyes in the youth meeting, there of course is one thing that alarmed me. The kids model what they've seen (which of course, can be good) but to a lot of them, it occured to me that this was an expression of faith (which again, it can be). What I mean is there is very much a syllogistic approach to faith (i.e. "If I do A, then B will happen.") Thus, the performance of "religious duty" is not a reaction to the radical love of our Triune God, but a means of getting Him off their backs. I hope Isaiah helped.

Update on Seminar

Dear ones who prayed for the lecture series on preaching at the local "big church" I wanted to write a big thanks. The information and presentations were well-received. In fact, the church has agreed to three more such occassions offering the same talks in English and Chichewa. We really are praying that this begins planting the seeds of gospel-focused, Christ-centered sermons. So, thanks to all of you who are playing a part in this.

Sam