Sorry, it’s taken a while to write. Last week, I was able to send a few emails, but I couldn’t update our blog. I am not able to update the blog now either, so please accept the updates via email (pictures are sent as an attachment). Jesus is doing a lot of wonderful things in the ministry (salvations, healings, divine protection), but we wanted to take a little time to let you know about some of the other things we are doing.
Photos:
1) Building gazebo with friend, Condela
2) Snake in the bathroom!
3) Caterpillar Train. The longest we’ve seen was about 21 feet
We started painting the inside of our house this week. My mom sent paint tints last year, so for most of the house we’re able to create the colors that we want. Many colors in oil based paint are not available here. We mixed lime (powder) with water and then primed the cement walls. That’s how it’s done here. The bathroom and Amerel’s room are shades of pink. Today, I hope to paint Isaiah’s room a shade of blue. Later, we’ll paint the kitchen a shade of yellow, and the school room and our room will be cream. We’ll include some other pictures a little later.
Last week, my friend Condela and I started building the small, round gazebo on top of the Dancing Hill, the small mound on the side of our house. The sides will be about a 1 yard high. That’s the first time I laid cement blocks for a foundation and rounded walls. It took a while measuring and laying the foundation on the uneven hill. Eventually, the gazebo will have a bamboo and grass roof on it. (Condela’s name means God likes/loves me).
We designed our folding kitchen table and gave the plans to the same carpenter who made our windows and doors. The table top will fold open/close. With this design we’ll be able to save space in our eating area, and save money by using less wood and labor on a smaller table. It’s helpful to be able to expand the table when we have guests over.
Speaking of guests, one morning we found a short snake curled up behind our toilet bowl. We don’t know how many nights we had been relaxing in there with a snake about 2 feet away from our feet. I was getting concerned over the 4 or 5 snakes that have been either on our veranda, where our children play, and then the one in the bathroom. Then, the Holy Spirit spoke to me asking me why I was focused on there being snakes and not on the fact that I killed them or chased them off. His word helped me to see clearly and gave me a different perspective. Something good was happening in the spirit.
We hooked up a plug-in, under the counter light to our solar panel battery system. Now we have one light at night! Since the center wall in our house isn’t completed, the light shines into the children’s rooms (which they love), the kitchen and part of the bathroom (if you keep the door open).
We thank God that we’re getting closer to finishing the work on the House of God’s Pleasure. Much is being built up in our lives and in the kingdom of God during this home building process. Please continue to pray that we yield to Jesus’ transforming power, and He continues to do a deep work in our hearts to make us more like Him.
Longing to be more like Jesus,
Tyren and Tiffany Haynes
