Marquez

May 24, 2005; Hello to all from Botswana,; We have been on our own since the Halsbands left on Monday. Joe has been to the prison on Tuesday for the Bible study with the prison guards. Last night we picked up some of the people that usually ride with the Halsbands and went for the evening meeting. When we got there we found that the generator was too low on fuel to be able to have the light bulbs burning. So we had the meeting by candlelight. The evening was cool but we were pretty snug in the little round building with grass roof and walls. Of course everyone was given strict instructions to make sure the candle were put out properly before storage. One spark and the whole building would be a memory!
: Joe will take the meeting on Sunday morning and next Thursday evening. School is out for vacation until May 9^th so the Sunday School work is not running at normal speed. Daily schedule is quite leisurely so we are taking things slow. We are getting a good rest after the long trip. One of the girls asked me last night if she could come over to visit me so I think things will get a little busier the longer we’re here.
: The culture and surroundings have not given much problem as there are many similarities to what we have experienced in PY. We do find ourselves in beautiful and restful surroundings in a little oasis which is the Halsbands home. There is an irrigated yard with greenery in contrast to the pale gray, cement colored sand around us. We are greeted in the mornings by the sound of braying donkeys and crowing roosters. The roosters are a familiar sound but not the donkeys. The town of Maun has no street lights since it’s so small and that’s one less thing we have to think of while trying to remember to drive on the left side of the road! It’s a new experience and one that Joe is having trouble getting used to. Also the double cab Toyota truck is a manual transmission and the shift is on the left as we drive on what for us is usually the passenger side of the vehicle. So some things are totally new.
: When we arrived we found out that one of the dogs at the house is going to have pups. The dog is a boer bull. So when the pups make their appearance we have to take them to a local doctor to have their tails cropped. There is no vet in town so an American doctor in town has offered to help. The dogs are more of a security system than pet .
: I am having trouble with the glare of the sun. On Friday I had mega migraine! It came on quickly and I had to take a shot to relieve it. Yesterday I felt one coming on again but I took some Exedrin and decongestant in time to ward it off. It was relieved by meeting time but the flickering candle light and the creosote treated straw almost brought on another headache. I’m prone to these types of headaches so I’m going to have to figure out a plan to fight the glare. Today I have worn dark glasses inside the house and I have all the curtains drawn. This has helped but I’ll have to work out some way to get outdoors. I feel like an albino. J
: I forgot to mention the issue of our visa. We were given, upon request, the 90 day visa when we arrived in Gabarone. When we flew into Maun the next day (Tuesday 19^th) Sid took us over to the immigration office and we had our extension to complete 6 months within a matter of minutes at no charge. The girl who attended us was quite friendly and joked around with Sid about marrying his son, Nick, who had driven us over. Sid asked her how many cows he would have to pay and she said 8. Sid told her that was too much so she quickly told him that her tribe doesn’t marry by trading cows but by building a house for the bride’s mother. I don’t know if she thought that was cheaper than 8 cows but Sid still didn’t accept. J Nic was quite amused and wondered if she knew that he’s only 18!
: I’ll close for now. Write when you can.
: Love to all,; RamonaKay for both of us