taxes

Hello Everybody! I hope no one was worried about us since I didn’t post anything last week. Our internet and e-mail went down last Monday and it is all just restored today. The server needed to be rebuilt (whatever that means!) and the provider also had problems. I don’t know what all that entails; I’m just glad to be reconnected to the world. I only had a very few e-mails from last week, so some may have been lost. If you wrote to me and I don’t get back to you, that’s probably what happened.
I was very excited to hear that the tax measures passed in Oregon. Thanks to everyone who voted there! I have no guarantee that I will have a job even so, since budgets are still tight, but my chances are much improved over what they would have been had the measures failed. I won’t know for sure for some time yet. I have resigned my position here in the meantime. The Director needs to recruit for any openings for next year, so I had to make a commitment by last week. He has agreed to hire me back if necessary – and if he still has openings – if nothing works out at home. If that is the case, we will still be doing well. There are so many things that we truly love here, not the least of which is the wonderful friends we’ve made here. We will go where God leads us.
Mary is busy, busy, busy! She not only has her homework load and violin, but she just got a part in the middle school play! She will be rehearsing 2 – 3 times per week until the end of April. It’s exciting but a big commitment. I’m proud of her!
Bryce has one week left in his cast, which has turned a disgusting gray color. He hasn’t slowed down a bit with this arm – mostly all it’s done is keep him dry. Mostly.
I went to Chombo last weekend – January 24. It was wonderful to see the corn growing, and so much more of it than last year! I was also able to see and try out the pump on the well and had a nice drink of the water from it. Delicious! They have cleared a huge plot of land near the pump that has been fallow forever and are now growing tomato plants there along with peanuts and beans. It’s so exciting to see their new prosperity! The difference between this year and last – when they were racing home with the food bags to eat – is heart warming. My plan for the rest of this year is to take food out once a month until harvest time, rent them a bull , provide them with some chicken wire so they can build a coop and buy a few fruit trees. Then it’s up to them. My friends Al and Cindy, who deliver the food with me and have been wonderful about sourcing materials, etc., will be here next year for sure and will help out with seed and fertilizer if needed in the spring (fall in the US.) I feel very optimistic about their future independence! Thanks for all your help with this project! Jeff has to be smiling about this!