The Meltons

Once again we are blessed to have visitors from the US. Henry and Mary Ann Melton are long-time friends from Brentwood Oaks in Austin. They have already spent three weeks in Africa and are now spending a week with us at Namwianga. Veteran campers and travelers, Henry and Mary Ann have been adapting nicely to the inconveniences of our current situation (more on that later).

On Saturday, Henry and Mary Ann went with me to Siasompela for an area-wide meeting. Mary Ann and I had been invited to speak to the women. As the church leader told me, "We are asking four old women from each congregation to come. You will teach them, and then they will go home and teach the young women in their churches." So that's what we did. We took turns speaking for most of the day. We brought along four of the Harding young women, and they joined in by singing for the ladies. Henry listened in on the men's sessions during the day. We all enjoyed eating the nshima and chicken lunch that our hosts provided.

Sunday we headed for Kasibi to the congregation where Leonard Sichimwa is an elder. Mary Ann and I taught the children's class there. Most of the Harding students came along on this outreach and sang for the congregation after the morning service. Leonard is doing all the cooking for the Harding students, and we were touched when he stood up at the end and called them all his "sons and daughters."

Henry Melton is a science fiction writer and volunteered to teach while he is here. He is presenting lessons on writing to my English classes and is also leading small group sessions on writing for publication. Mary Ann will be going out to villages and teaching ladies' classes Wednesday through Friday. Yesterday she spent her morning with the toddlers at Eric's House. Like me, she has fallen in love with these little guys.

As always, we enjoy sharing our world with our visitors.