March 20, 2014

Dearest Friends and family

It is hard to believe we have been back a month.

We are having what I call 80/80. That is the temperature and humidity when we go to bed at night and wake up in the morning. 80 degrees/80% humidity. However we had 96% humidity many mornings. Kind of makes everything in the house wet and sticky.

BACK HOME
We are slowly getting things back to normal (if anything here can be called normal, even me). When we think we are in the groove again something breaks down and has to be repaired. A lot of things are corroded because of the sea air and have to be greased up.

The motorbike started up right after we got back but then nothing. The wires were really corroded so I have to clean them and the bike works again (for awhile!).

One of our ceiling fans was making a rubbing noise for awhile and then it just quit working. So I had to check it out and found out the rubbing noise was a wire had dropped down on the fan and it had been rubbed in two. No fireworks but I had to repair the wire. Gotta have these fans!

Had a cyclone around here March 9-12 named Lusi. Lots of wind and rain but it it moved off to the south before it got too strong. Some of the unprotected outer islands suffered a bit but fortunately it was a small cyclone. Unfortunately a gust of wind blew one of my solar panels off the container. I thought it was secured but it pulled the cement block off it was attached to as well. On the way down the block hit the water line from the water tank to the house and I had to repair that water line so we would have water in the house. Fortunately I was working outside when solar panel and the the block hit the water line and we did not lose too much water out of the tank.

MISTER GREEN THUMB
I have been busy cleaning out the garden. When we left everything came into fruit, the brethren ate it and the garden overgrew. All the area I had spent so much time clearing I have to clear again.

We do have a lot of papaya, coconut and banana trees that have matured since we left.

I cleaned and planted some green beans last week and they are already up.

I have also planted seed boxes with tomatoes, capsicums, onions, cabbage, broccoli, pumpkin, cucumber and etc ready to transplant when I get the ground cleared.

WE HAVE WATER
Up to date we have depended on our water several ways: 1- rain run off the roof into tanks (since getting back we have had sufficient rain to keep the tanks full, thank you Jesus); 2 - a water line from the village which to date has only dripped water (ten gallons in three days) into containers that I then pumped up into the water tanks; 3- drinkable water from Stephen and Rose Hanna's house in Port Vila. As of March 17th we have our own well.

We had paid for an Australian man to dig our well while we were gone but things being things it was not done until we got back.

We hit the fresh water table about 6 meters (19.5 feet) down and have water down to 8 meters (26 feet). We are now pumping with a small 12 volt water pump into holding tanks and then pumping up into the water tanks as needed.

I brought a submersible pump back with us but found out it needs a control box so I am waiting until it comes to hook up the system properly, straight up to the water tank with a pressure system.

We have everyone in the neighborhood watching. Circus of the day!

Edward, Morris and me

Kathy with Edward, Rebekka and Morris

SCHOOL PROPERTY
The day after our well was dug we had one dug for the school property. (We are about a mile from the property where we live now.) We are still negotiating the fence line we are running along one side of the school property. Another family has been running cattle on the whole property for many years and so we are making sure everyone is okay with the division of the property. The well was dug well inside the property line.

One of the local hardware stores had a sale last week and I was able to buy 3000 meters (9800 feet) of galvanized barbed wire for a great discount. We should be within a week of running the fence and getting the barbed wire up. Then we have to put our own gate into the property off the main highway and start clearing areas for the buildings. We are also planning to plant at least a hundred mandarin trees on the back side of the property where we plan to have gardens.

BAPTISM
On March 2nd one of the young ladies we have known since she was a baby was baptized after services. Her name is Tuling and she is the daughter of Sul and Janet.

Sul, her father, did the baptism right off the beach in the village.

Some people have already told us they plan to give some of their tax refund to the school and we thank them for that. Hint! Hint!

Thank you so much for all of you who are praying for us, supporting us and have contributed to our needs. God bless you! Thank you for your prayers!

Thank you Lord for healing and providing what we need!

Grace & Peace

Tobey & Kathy Huff

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Contributions for the Huffs and the Bible school can be sent to:
Huffs/Bible School
c/ Mt Hope church of Christ
2830 Mt Hope Rd
Webb City MO 64870
or
Jason Huff
2730 E 24th St
Joplin MO  64804