Happy Birthday Nya…

Our baby turned 7 this last week. Hard to believe that she is that old. We had a little bit of a party for her. So here are some snapshots. We did a slip and slide party/ relay races/ movie night/bbq (braii)/ have fun night with her....

We rented a blow up slip and slide...that a daddy went on and broke so I had to make up games - relay races for about an hour/ and daddies Braii (south african term for bbq) and then Kung Ku Panda was shown on our wall and cake was given and presents were opened. Just a normal birthday party for her.

So here are some of the kids( and adults) watching Kung Fu Panda
Daddies bbq with a mom in the mix of it all

Opening presents with friends...

So this is what is happening this week for us.

1. Busy teaching – like usual
   
2. Bob leaves with 7 others to Tanazania. So really would appreciate prayers for the team, the traveling, dealing with border issues, and also as they work with our friends up in Arusha, Tanzania
   

3. We 3 girls will be alone for at least 12 days, Safety and protection.

4.There has been many many break -ins on this campus for the last month. It has emotionally worn all of us out. As Bob in Head of Security he has really had to deal with alot.

Well- chat with you again - amy louise

For those who didn't get it here is an email update that I sent out just recently...

Last month at this time, we were in South Africa. But thankfully we were able to come home a week later with a healthy little girl. Since then she has been amazingly healthy. She has been back to school and loving her friends. We are so thankful to have her healthy. She turns 7 this next week March 24 and she is growing up. My baby is not the baby anymore.

We have been back to "normal" life here. Bob has been teaching his classes and weekly going out to the local village to do train people deeper in God's word. Spring break for the college is coming and in 2 weeks he will be taking 6 students and Josh Ketchum (who is from San Diego working here at African Bible college as a operations manager) to Tanzania to work with our friend Pastor Eric Mukwenda in Arusha for 10 days. He will be taking Blessings, Joseph, Lewis, Grace, Mercy and Shonduri. They will be traveling by car. They will be doing outreach as missionaries. They will experience cultural shock as they will not understand the language and have to taste new foods. I am so excited to hear the stories. It will be amazing for them to interact in a brand new culture. A team from San Diego will be meeting them and working with them as they serve in Tanzania

As for Analise she has gotten her first haircut and really is growing up. She still is at home with me. She is loving that she can be with mama but really craves to go to school. Next year she will be at the academy full time at the preschool class.

Well- what is happening with me (Amy). I have been busy with this and that. I love teaching my bible study at the college. We are working on growing deeper and being open and honest about Christ and life. I am also helping with many of the college happenings. Also I am still helping out at the clinic with xray. I have been helping Bob at the High School talking to those girls about sex issues, what it is to have a relationship with Christ and fight for their futre. I also am working on being a better mama and better wife. It is a journey!

We have some prayer requests...
- For safety as Bob and the team travels to Tanzania, Us girls will stay in Lilongwe while they are there.

- We would remain healthy. That last sickness was too much. We don't cold here and there but we really don't like the flu. :)

- We were hoping to come home this summer for a few months to visit family and friends, but have been turned around financially due to Nya's hospital visit in South Africa and because of a few other financial strains. Tickets to go home will be around $9000. At this point, we will have to wait another year, already having been here two years. Please pray for the Lords provision.


Thank you for loving us and praying for us. Love the Stauffachers - Bob, Amy , Nya Beans and Analisey.

The life on the Stauffy farm...

Well 2 new additions have made it here to the campus farm. Above are the 2 baby pigs that have been added ( bob and josh added). Along with the deer and the dog (now 2 piglets) that we have and neighbors have 3 turkeys, 3 bunnies, 10 chickens and about 5 dogs on campus. we are actually growing these pigs to have some baby back ribs. Sorry those who are animal lovers.

Here is a picture of Kim and I. That is Jordan's mom from Zimbabwe. She is a science teacher at the academy and a truly lovely friend. She helped us tremendously when Nya was sick and she barely even knew us. I love people like that. Just like family after a week of knowing them. I have been fortunate to have many people in my life over the years like that. ( you know who you are!) Anyways here is a couple pictures of life here...

Nya, Jordan, and Analise and the dogs and Dainty Toes our bush buck deer!

Pork Chop and baby back ribs! That is what we see when we see them. They are truly pigs!

Nya and Dainty Toes! She loves our girls and runs from any person that is big.

My beautiful girlie Miss Analisey! She is so delicious!

Here is picture of Bob preparing with his weekly village outreach team! They are such an amazing group of people that want to transform Africa person by person! The man that has crutches had polio when he was little.

Such a sweet girl that stopped by! Her name is Funa! My girls love her! Funa is good friend and is so refreshing!

Here is my pink girl! Tina! She has been in many of my pictures! Her and Funa come over very regularly! One day I just have a day in the life of pictures So you can see who all comes over! lots of love- amy louise

Life in the rainy season...greenery and allergies

Here is the front gate from our driveway at the ABC Campus...

The rainy season is about to end. It has been an amazing rainy season. This is picture above is our house on campus... See how green that plant life is...

After this being my second rainy season, I love Africa rain even more. Something amazing about it. It gives life - it really does to plants and people. There is no real irrigation system here so it really gives life and feeds the people. Unfortunately is not going to be a good year for food. The Malawians plant maize ( corn) here and that is there staple of food - they eat it with every meal. It is called nsima. (look we even like it. we meaning Bob, nya, and analise! Me still trying to) They plant and fertilize their crops but the problem is the fertilizer went up double the price so many many could not afford to fertilize their crops. So the food that plant to eat all year will only last 1/2 the year or less. Below is a picture that I borrowed from a friend here on campus... http://robbinsabroad.blogspot.com/ She captures life here so great!

This is a picture is of some cute mamas with healthy maize but bad maize is yellow and half the size. It usually doesn't produce a corn husk. Sad no food for cute families. This broken world. makes me a bit upset. But It is not heaven yet until then Life is not easy! But we do have the hope of heaven and that really I know from the bottom of my being that He uses all things for good in our lives when we give them to Him. Beauty from Ashes. Seriously - i have stories in my life that only God of the entire universe could use for good.

Hmm.... Moving on to the next story.... Really this is light conversation and a big change in topics . You see this beautiful tree... They are everywhere on campus and town. They are gorgeous. Just another tree that flowers... Well this one gives me allergies. Lovely. never had allergies until last year. It is a pollinating tree. But boy it beautiful. So beautiful but yet such a headache - really!

Well - that all for now! just snippets of life in the land called Africa. The land I now call home. (Home away home) I am finding myself loving this land even more than before with this rawness of life and allergies. lots of love- amy louise