We drove to Tengeru on Saturday to see our former office worker, Sofia. You may recall that she began working in our office in 2006, helping maintain our database of pastors. I’m sure you can imagine that it’s a bit difficult to keep addresses and phone numbers in a culture where many live in mud huts in the middle of nowhere!
Sofia is a delight. Her smiling face brings light to a room. She has become a close friend to us.
Last year when we arrived in Arusha, we learned that she had recently been married. She was happily in her new home (pictured above. . .and yes, that is the entire house--a small cement block bedroom and sitting room only, with a kitchen and make-shift toilet enclosure outside). She is so happy, and she and her husband Elibariki are so grateful to God, and in love with each other.
In their home and surrounding yard, they are raising chickens--now up to 8 large chickens and 24 baby chicks. This provides them with both food and a potential little income. Additionally, they have used their yard as a small maize-field. Sofia says they have 2 feedsacks of maize from their crop last year.
When Sophia heard we were coming she wanted to honor us as special guests, so she actually went out and killed one of her chickens and cooked it along with roasted banana for us to eat. She was so excited to have company!
Elibariki is a good and kind man. We came to know him also in 2006, as he worked for friends as a construction worker. He has now learned the skills to be a mason, working well with concrete, brick, and plaster. As you can see, they have a new addition to their family! They are both so happy and excited about this new baby boy, Elijah (pronounced ee-LEE-yah).
