full day at site

link to photos:
http://picasaweb.google.com/105226841757151966002/AfricaDay3July8?authkey=Gv1sRgCNLr7L3i0rmRfQ&feat=directlink

this is what I would have posted last night - didn't get to it:
today we made huge progress, the walls are all between 5 and 6 feet high, 2 doors and 3 windows have been positioned in place.
The morning, on site, began emotionally as Marleen sterilized and wrapped Grandma's hand. Shorai's translation told Grandma that Marleen would continue to change the dressing while we are here and they all had some happy tears.
Today Vera and I were prep cooks and had an opportunity to visit more with Babie, he has a college degree in construction engineering with plans to continue University engineering. His wife has just finished a college program in nutrition. They have a 14 year old and 10 year old that they want to send to college and they are saving. His habitat salary is 2000 Kwacha/month with a living allowance of 1000 Kwacha (yes that is about $27 total). University cost 6000 Kwacha per term...I felt pretty crappy knowing I had just spent 2500 Kwacha on a kettle on the day previous. Also makes me ill knowing I still have 15500 Kwacha for souvenirs.
He also told us that Grandma is essentially the grandma of most of the children we see as we build. The 6 houses in the immediate vicinity of hers were her 6 children's. Tadeo's office chose her and the 3 kids for the home because they lost both parents to AIDS, the other 5 children of hers died to AIDS but have living spouses to parent. Juma's wife died 3 months ago.
Relaying this info to Barb made her think of her friend Stacy who teaches a book to her grade 9's called "the Heaven Shop" it is written by a Canadian about an orphanage in a town at the base of the Mulanje and about a family that owned a coffin shop. There are several coffin shops that we have seen and Barb took a photo for Stacy to use with the novel study. It is almost as if we have found the setting of the book.
Barb brought a skipping rope to work today and it is apparent that smiles, belly laughs and playing are universal languages!!
We are finding the on site staff and community very at ease with our presence.
Did not send the blog last night as I used my online time showing Tadeo 'bears' on google. On the bus ride home they were described as a 'cross between a pig and Lion' he was intrigued (and pretty confused - good descriptor, eh?)
that led to you tube video of a bear attacking a caribou, which led to googling caribou, moose, deer, then Nancy joined us and we went back to you tube and she was thrilled with the Bob Marley music we listened too. She also was intrigued by the bears, antelope etc. We spent about an hour searching and watching and Tadeo copied and pasted the sites to his 'yahoo' mail account. I also wrote out 'you tube' for him - I think he will be a fan.
He said he hasn't used a computer much since getting this job in November, his government job had him on one a lot, now he is on his cellphone and texting mostly. There are cell phones and everywhere (several ipods too). Africa skipped the land line infrastructure and are into wireless communications.
Lisa stayed back today as she has had some stomach issues and did not want to push it, everyone else is doing well.