WE DECIDED THAT SUSAN WOULD LEAVE ON THE 21ST TO BE ON TIME FOR THE DEPARTURE OF OUR DAUGHTER AND SON IN LAW, WHO WERE LEAVING WITH THE LIBERTAS-CHOIR TO GERMANY. OUMA HAD TO LOOK AFTER THE 2 YEAR OLD GRANDSON, WHICH SHE THOROUHLY ENJOYED!
I (JANNIE) STAYED AND FINISHED THE ROOF OF THE CLINIC (REALIZING I NEEDED 16 TRUSSES NOT 12!). I WAS ABLE TO DEPART FOR SA ON THE AFTERNOON OF 1 DECEMBER. IN THAT LAST WEEK, THE RAIN SEASON STARTED AND THE WORK THAT I THOUGHT WOULD NOT BE FINISHED IN 5 DAYS, THE LORD HELPED ME FINISH IN 3.5 DAYS! I WAS EXCITED ABOUT THE NEW ROUTE THROUGH BOTSWANA. I LEFT FROM TETE IN MOZAMBIQUE THE SUNDAY MORNING AT 04H00.THE ROUTE WOULD BE TETE, CATANDICA, BANDULA , MUTARE , MASVINGO, BULUWAYO, PLUMTREE INTO BOTSWANA, FRANCISTOWN, PALAPAYE AND THEN STOP FOR COFFEE WITH A FRIEND THE EVENING 11H30. PASSING GABERONE AND THROUGH LOBATSIE I REACHED RHAMATHLABANA, THE SOUTHERN BORDERPOST OF BOTSWANA AT 06H00 THE FOLLOWING MORNING.
NEARING SA, I TRAVELLED QUICKLY. I HAD A WIMPY BREAKFAST AT VRYBURG AND TRAVELLED THROUGH WARRENTON, KIMBERLEY, AND THREE SISTERS. I REACHED HOME THE MONDAY EVENING AT 09H30. THE LORD PROTECTED AND KEPT ME 3,300KM AND VAALJAN MY FORD RANGER WITH 400,000KM ON THE CLOCK READY TO DO MORE. THIS WAS DEFENITELY THE ROUTE FOR THE FUTURE. COMPARED TO THE ROUTE THROUGH BEITEBRUG, IT WAS 210KM FUTHER, BUT SO MUCH FASTER AND THE BORDERPOSTS A PLEASURE.
NEEDLESS TO SAY WE HAD A VERY BLESSED VISIT WITH OUR CONGREGATION FAMILY AND FRIENDS. I DID NOT TAKE MY TRAILER WITH TO SA SO IT WAS POSSIBLE FOR ME TO BRING A FIELD AMBULANCE FOR NKHOMA HOSPITAL FROM POTCHEFSTROOM ON THE WAY UP. BEING A 3 WHEEL FARM “TRACTOR” THAT WAS CONFIGURED TO BE A FIELD AMBULANCE, JAN VAN LITTERVELT AND I MANAGED TO ADAPT THIS VEHICLE AS A TRAILER AND WE BROUGHT IT THROUGH TO MALAWI WHERE WE REASSEMBLED IT BACK TO WORKING ORDER. THE PLEASURE ON THE PERSONNEL`S FACES WAS VERY SATISFYING AS A 2 YEAR PROJECT HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED.
AFTER DELIVERIES OF VARIOUS PACKAGES, WE ARE BACK IN CHANDAME ON THE 5TH OF FEBRUARY, BACK IN OUR ROUTINE. THIS TIME OF THE YEAR IT RAINS A LOT, SO WE SCHEDULE EVERYTHING AROUND THE WEATHER, BUT WORK HAS COMMENCED AND WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE “RIDE”. THANK YOU, LORD, WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE LEADING THE WAY!
JANNIE AND SUSAN