Art competition

Tonight the colouring competition was judged by all the visitors to the party. Mercy got third place, Elvis came second, but way out in front was Asham.

...and the winner is....

December birthdays

December is popular for birthdays so tonight we celebrated five! Philip, Matthews, Nicolas, Justin and Judie.

New Year's Eve

Tonight we had a party to celebrate New Year. The children invited their friends from Bethel to join them and had a great time. We had games, our colouring competition, supper, birthdays, singing with Uncle Studd and pictures from 2013 and a devotion from Uncle Phil.

Musical statues

Musical chairs - bus version

Supper

Pass-the-parcel forfeit

'Find someone wearing black, someone red, someone green, someone orange and sing the national anthem!'

The children with friends including Patience visiting from America

Harold with Bartholomew, Philip and Bright

A presentation of Christmas

In the week before Christmas, the children were divided into three groups and had to prepare something to present on Christmas day. They also had to create a poster to go along with it - everyone needed to be involved.
The first group did a drama presentation of the whole Christmas story, the second told the Christmas story in memory verses and the third presented 'The adoration of the Magi' in a drama.

Christmas day

Christmas day was celebrated at Ipusukilo by the children, mayos together with some guests.
For the first time we were able to celebrate in the chota which gave us a lot more room! We watched an animated dvd of the Christmas story to remind us once again about the birth of the Lord Jesus. After this, the tables were set and everything put in place for a special dinner of chicken, sausage, roast potatoes, green beans, carrots, peas and gravy. This was followed by pineapple sponge and custard.
After dinner we watched a short movie, did our Christmas presentations, played pass the parcel and finally opened our Christmas presents.
We then moved inside to watch 'A Christmas Carol' while we ate our snack supper.

Ready!

Dinner is served

Dinner is enjoyed

Seconds of dessert

Colouring competition

Ready for the drama

Happy with our presents

The mess

Carols at Bethel

Last night we all went to Bethel Chapel to join in the annual Carols by Candlelight. The message was "Good News to all Mankind - We have found Him". Carols were sung by the choir and the congregation. A drama was performed by the youth including some from Ipusukilo. It was called 'Away with the manger' and highlights how other events at this time of year overshadow the true meaning of Christmas.
Refreshments were enjoyed at the end.

A choir piece

Mercy is Mary in the drama

A photographer tries to capture the 'manger scene'...

but worldly things like 'Father Christmas' get in the way

The results are out

The Examination Council of Zambia Grade 7 examination results were just released, so Aunty Deborah took the boys to school to collect them. All three passed with very good marks, in 'Division One', meaning that next year they will go to grade 8 and study for grade 9 examinations at Chingola Secondary School.
Mr Phiri, the deputy head was delighted and Justin said he was 'so happy' with his achievement.

Well done to Bartholomew, Justin and Philip

School closes

On 6th December, the school year 'officially' came to a close. Grade 7 and Grade 9 examinations were completed in October and November, so those of us left at school went for the last few lessons. Not much else happens.

We are all at home now doing our best to keep busy. Aunty Deborah set us a lot of work for while she was away, and we think that's all done!

What happened to November?

Uncle Phil and Aunty Deborah were away for most of November and the beginning of December. Here's some of the things that happened, December should (hopefully) be a lot busier!
Bright's birthday was celebrated on the day, as his was the only birthday in November.
The next evening we had a lot of visitors from Amano join us for Sunday night singing and praise.
On the 24th November everyone went to Amano Christian School to join in their Carols by Candlelight service in the evening. We had a great time but no one took the camera - so no pictures!!
The following Friday was the end of term Christmas Concert at Amano and Uncle Phil is trying to find some pictures of that, because we didn't take the camera then either!

Happy!

New stuff ;-)

Mayos discuss how the cake is to be cut......

Visitors to Sunday singing

Some of us singing

Our family

This our latest Ipusukilo family photograph taken outside the chota - most are smiling!

Grade 9 exams

Zambia's national Grade 9 written examinations start on Monday. Pray for Mercy as she takes 12 exams in the next 8 school days. She will be sitting Civics, English, Science, History, Geography, Mathematics and R.E.

Welcome to Elidah

This month we are pleased to welcome Elidah to Ipusukilo. She brings with her many years experience of working in an orphanage in Ndola. Elidah is currently settling in and we hope that she will become house mother in hostel 3.

Matthews' birthday

Today we celebrated Matthews (2)'s birthday with cake, presents and balloons!

Candles blown out

Present delivered by Emily

Uncle Studd's back!

It's great to have Uncle Studd back with us after an extended visit to the UK. He has been able to help Uncle Phil with some of the bigger jobs at Ipusukilo. Aunty Muriel is back too now after checking on the arrival of their new grandson.

We moved up the 5000litre tank to the top of the tower in order to double the water storage capacity for the project. Once this tank was connected, the small tank below took a feed from it to take water to Mission Support next door. 

When we first started on site, the plot was just bush so he had to create our own secure compound using four ex-shipping containers. Now that the site is well developed it was time to start moving these containers to new locations. This container was moved across site today and will become part of a training workshop.

Independence Day

Today, Zambia celebrated its 49th year of Independence.
At Ipusukilo, the children divided into groups and designed posters with facts and figures about Zambia and its years of Independence. They then had to present their posters and research to the other groups.

Grade 7 exams

Today, the Zambian national grade 7 examinations started. Pray for our 3 boys Bartholomew, Justin and Philip as they sit these exams this week.
Today was IciBemba and Creative and Technology Studies.
Tuesday: English and Integrated Science. Wednesday: Mathematics and Social and Development Studies. Thursday: Special Paper 1. Friday: Special Paper 2.

What does our garden grow?

Laston drives our bus and takes the children to school every day. There's a few trips each day, and in between these he works in the garden. Until earlier this year the garden wasn't producing many good veggies so we contacted some friends of his who gave us some advice and things started to improve. In June we had a bumper crop of tomatoes just at the time they more than trebled in price at the market. At the moment, there's cabbages, rape and onions growing well and being harvested.

Most cabbages weighed 3-4 kilos!

Awana Sunday 2013

Last Sunday was Awana Sunday at Bethel Chapel's morning service when the children who attend Awana presented what Awana is about and some did sketches, songs and recited memory verses. Three from Ipusukilo were involved and had been to practices in the preceding weeks. Philip committed the meeting in prayer, Sira introduced the Awana groups and Mercy recited Philippians 2:1-11 as well as the drama and singing.

AWANA song and pledge

Mercy, Joy and Mercy sing

Birthday 2 you

At the weekend it was Emily's birthday, so by popular request we had a party at the Musenga Mission swimming pool on Friday afternoon. Plenty of fun was had in the water cooling off from the hot season heat. There were cakes, Fanta and presents and we celebrated Elisa's birthday too!

Keeping an eye on the water

Elisa and Emily

Paul's August birthday was celebrated earlier this month