Earlier in the week when we went to Yowando to try and find Emmanuel’s voter’s ID card we noticed a man in his early 20’s mending a soccer ball. This soccer ball was in the worst shape of any ball I have ever seen anyone playing with. All the rubber had been worn off the ball. He had opened the ball and taken out the rubber bladder and patched it like they patch inner tubes. When we saw him he was in the process of sewing the ball back together. He was not using thread or twine or string to sew with, he was using that fake hair that women use to weave into their natural hair to make their hair look longer. As we were leaving the young man told me they needed a new football; they call soccer balls “footballs”. We left and we have been thinking about that soccer ball ever since. This afternoon we decided to drive back out to the village and give them a new soccer ball. When they saw the new ball their eyes lit up and the children started dancing around. They passed the new ball around; everyone wanted to hold it. I told them that I wanted the old ball. Of course they thought I was crazy and they definitely thought they were getting the better end of that deal! We also brought them 2 other soccer balls that were new but would not hold air. The ball repairman was every bit as excited about getting those balls as the new on. He assured us that he could fix them.
Steve and the hospital team finally finished screening the Yendi Senior Secondary high school this afternoon. They are going to start on another school next week. Steve told them that he would not be able to help with that screening because he needed to get back to work in the Child Center.
Tonight after Bible study Kiayee, one of the church members said he needed to talk to us. Kiayee is a bit slow mentally and he is also almost deaf. Anyway he built a mud ball house that needs to be roofed before the rain comes and melts the mud balls. Kiayee raised yam mounds for someone but he only has enough money to buy the metal roofing sheets. He asked for help with the wood, nails, rafter etc. We told him that if he wanted to use his money for the rafters, wood and nails we would give him some of the used metal roofing that we took off the mission house last year. He thought that was a grand idea. Recycling at its best!
Thank you for all you do for us and for the work.
In His Service,
Steve and Kandie
