AUGUST 31ST  HUMPHRAY, OUR FAITHFUL FRIEND AND GRUVERS LAST DAY

I awoke this morning to an email from Humphray, the staff's tech person and all around helper with the children and driving. He is amazing and such a friend to us.  We spent a day with him as he drove us to the shopping center to pick up items and look for some music of Beanwell's I wanted. We had lunch together and talked. What a great friend he will always be to us. In the email he sent this morning, he sent me a picture of Gruvers last day with everyone arriving to bid them a fond fairwell. My goodness, Mama Margaret and staff saw everyone off and went to the airport often to greet and see people off no matter what time of the day it was. (  I was overwhelmed when right before we were to board our prop plane to our safari, Mama Margaret and Ba Patricia showed up at the airport as we entered to surprise us and help us with everything.  )  Below is a picture of everyone before Gruvers left: Humphray is taking the picture.

Below are pictures of last minute packing  ( Gruvers brought some 24 bags and carry ons to help with supplies for EOH. Holly purchased a painting of the children which she said " I realized I didn't have anything up in my house of our orphans here and they will always be with me" so I bought it." It was very difficult for them to leave and they are so loved by the staff. People in Africa do not cry - they have always been taught to be strong. However, for our family we aren't as strong as they are.  Below you also see Mama Margaret with a pink bag in her hand. It is the sample blanket that the factory gave us to take back to EOH to show the type of blanket we can get for $3.50. It is beautiful.We all stayed at the Intercontinental Hotel the last two days before boarding the plane to come home so we could resort clothing and get adjusted for the long flight.  The last pictures are of us having our final breakfast together. It was a "double wamy " for Les and I saying fairwells because we were saying fairwell to both our experience in Africa and the people but also to our amazing children and grandchildren who live !,000 miles away from us at home and whom we just don't get to see enough of.  Pray for our transition back home as it is very difficult for me. I can't speak for Les but I am sure he is restling with some of these feelings also.  We all handle things differently because we are all different.

But Grandpa always seems to help us lighten the load we are all carrying on this day.  Life for me would not be okay without Grandpa around.

AUGUST 30TH - CELEBRATING OUR 43RD WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

Les and I were, as you know, in Zambia at the time, at the Abundant Life dorm getting ready to start working with the children in the village.  Holly and Will surprised us at dinner by announcing our anniversary and two heart cakes were brought in with sparkling juice. It was very special to celebrate with such a group of wonderful people. Thank you to our thoughtful children and Gary, our founder.

AUGUST 30TH  BLESSINGS FROM THE LORD - OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN. PRAISES FOR THE AMAZING MINISTRY THAT HOLLY AND WILL HAVE TOGETHER WITH THEIR FAMILY. THANK YOU HOLLY AND WILL FOR INTRODUCING TO US SUCH WONDERFUL PEOPLE , BOTH THE ZAMBIANS AND THOSE INVOLVED WITH THE ORGANIZATION. IT HAS CHANGED OUR LIVES!!!!

OUR FOUNDER AND CEO OF EVERY ORPHANS HOPE , A GREAT MENTOR, GARY SCHNEIDER, OFFICE IN FRISCO, TEXAS

SOME OF OUR AMAZING TEAM MEMBERS, L TO R, JORDAN SHEPHERD, INFAMOUS GUITAR PLAYER FROM GRUVERS CHURCH, JED RYAN INFAMOUS SINGER AND COMEDIAN FROM CANADA, LUCINDA KOLLENHOVEN FROM CANADA SOON TO BE A ZAMBIAN, OUR CLAIRE INFAMOUS SINGER AND NOVELIST, KARA SHEPHERD, INFAMOUS SINGER FROM GRUVERS CHURCH, ELISE KOLLENHOVEN FROM CANADA SOON TO BE A ZAMBIAN, JUSTIN WOOD INFAMOUS IN ALL AREAS FROM CANADA. FRONT ROW L TO R, OUR TOMMY GRUVER THE INFAMOUS CHARACTER AND FRIEND TO ALL, OUR SAILI GRUVER A FRIEND TO EVERYONE AND VERY EXPRESSIVE, AND OUR LEX GRUVER, OUR KIND AND LOVING GRANDSON WHO ALL THE CHILDREN LOVED ESPECIALLY SOME OF THOSE GIRLS WHO THOUGHT HE WAS REALLY COOL!!!

L to R Timothy Payne, music director from Gruvers church, Jordan and Kara Shepherd, Gruvers church. Tim and Jordan led us every morning and evening in song with their guitars and music direction. It was such an amazing gift to us to be able to sing praises to our Lord and it was another support for our ministry.

Justin Wood with our Tommy while Gert looks on.

Brenda Van Zyl from South Africa and great addition to our team, an amazing prayer warrior.  She prayed over me and stopped my hiccups.

Jordan with Saili and Tommy horsin around.

Tim saying goodbye to everyone as he had to get back to church early. We were sad to see him go.

Karen Ferguson, a wonderful lady and helpful friend to us,  with Tommy. 

Our team on our bus on our way to the village!!

And Here's Karen, my lifesaver

And Here's Elle, Karen's daughter and good friend of Shaina , our other granddaughter in Texas!

Brenda loving on an orphan

Grandpa, visiting with the children

Karen and Elle Ferguson with Tommy

Another great shot of the worship time with these amazing kids!!

Our team with staff at Chuminuka Lodge on our last day together .

More worship shots at our dorm, Abundant Life

Surprise, we see Jed is a great singer, Jordan accompanying on guitar.

Worshiping our Lord and Savior

Singing African worship songs

The Kollenhoven's

Karen and Elle sorting our handouts for the children

The amazing Kollenhoven family, L to R Machteld "Maggie", Gert,  Elise, (Lucinda not pictured here)

Me with Brenda Van Zyl

L to R Maggie Kollenhoven, Brenda Van Zyl, Les and I, Gert Kollenhoven