Monday, May 27, 2013

Quarter of a Year

Well, we've been here for just over three months now ... that's a quarter of a year! It's definitely feeling more and more like home, although for those of you asking, we still have no news on the container!


This last month especially we've really been getting into the rhythm of things. With the school holidays finishing, Abigail was very excited to be back again and Naomi is over the moon at the prospect of taking regular trips on the school mini-bus now that Jenny does her share of the runs too!


Abigail is still loving school has made several good friends of all different nationalities, English, South African, Tanzanian, Australian, Indian. We were able to go and see her and her class take the primary school assembly last week, they all did a great job!


They all went on a class trip to the MAF hangar recently too as they have been studying transport. Abigail thought it was really cool that she would get to see Mark at work.


A week or so ago Abigail got a package from her old pre-school back in the States. Every child had made her an 'I miss you' card. It was so lovely and she was over the moon!


Whilst her big sister has been busy at school, Naomi has been having fun at home generally being cheeky playing and also helping Maria with some of the day-to-day stuff!


The girls have been playing really nicely together for the most part, both inside and out. They love going to the pool and playing on our compound but are equally happy at home and are often found reading somewhere or other in the house together or doing some painting, for which Abigail is a very helpful big sister as Naomi is still getting the hang of it!




Abigail is in school until lunchtime and Naomi tends to sleep after lunch (when Jenny and Abigail do some baking or something else) but the three Beckwith girls get to hang out together every afternoon!


As a family we've been having fun out and about in town and making new friends. Jenny has a soft spot for the teaching staff a CAMS (Abigail's school, having been a teacher out there herself many years ago) and so we been able to invite some of them around several times already as well as spending time with some of the other MAF families and also discovering new places to go as a family ... of which to be honest, there aren't very many!



Mark has been busy in the hangar too although he'll update as to what he's been up to in a separate post. As a MAF team though, we are currently in the midst of celebrating the 50 year anniversary of MAF in Tanzania ... what an achievement. We feel really privileged to be part of the legacy of MAF here. (See below, a lot of the hangar staff with a 50th Anniversary Cake)


While there have been many frustrations in the transition process. We are continuing to enjoy the day-to-day stuff. We'll be in touch with more news soon!

Friday, May 17, 2013

The Archbishop of Canterbury

The new Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby is visiting Dodoma this weekend during his first overseas trip.

He is here because the new Archbishop of Tanzania is being installed at the Cathedral where we're go to church in a service tomorrow (Saturday) and will then be preaching at a joint service on Sunday.

This afternoon he arrived in town, along with his wife and a couple of others via the only means of transport we would recommend ... MAF, in a Pilatus PC12! Mark went across to the airport from the MAF hangar on the back of the tractor to collect some items from the aircraft and get some photos for MAF (and for us). He did a great job! Below are just a few of the shots he was able to get!


























Please pray that the weekend and all the events and celebrations will go smoothly.