Saturday... and some bits and bites....

Saturday was a beautiful day at the beach with Dutch friends. As there was a large group using the site we normally go to, we decided to take the boat to the next inlet and there we had the place to ourselves. The snorkeling was amazing and we found lots of neat shells, some still inhabited, and the bamboo raft which provided much fun!

*I think Pak Nios is rather proud to work for us. Today in the late afternoon he sauntered in the yard and made his way to the pump house and very slowly opened the lock with his key (presumably to make sure that anyone around could see that he has a key to this door) and went inside and fiddled around for a few minutes and then went out and relocked the door... Too funny!

* We have a new pulpit in our church. Previously our pastor made use of a very well used stand with a little doilly draped over it. Now we have this monstrosity at the front of our humble "sanctuary", complete with said doilly, that actually has steps going up to the area where he stands. That way he is a little higher than the congregation... (I'll try to take a photo one of these Sundays...)

* Pak Nios' family is thrilled with the photos I took of them. Nios says that people were telling him to get a really big enlargement of the photo of he and his wife... I told him that I didn't think the file size of the photo was big enough for that... never mind where he would hang the thing... never mind how much it would cost...

* The other day I went to the market to get some chicken legs. I made my way over to my guy and asked him for some legs and he asked me if I wanted some chicken breast as well. I said,"Sure why not throw in a few of those too." "I'm sorry," he says, "I don't have any chicken breast." Ummmm whyd'ya ask then???? (This is very typical I might add....)

* Last Tuesday Pak Nios told me that someone had stolen his shoes the day before. He felt very upset about it and couldn't work that night so he had his brother work for him. He's convinced that someone from outside their area did it because he knows everyone that lives around him. I wasn't sure what to do. Do I offer to buy him some new ones? That idea, while a nice one, could create problems down the road as it could give the impression that we are willing to solve all their problems. Hugo offered him an advance on his salary if he wanted. He didn't want to do that even though he doesn't have money right now as he just paid the entrance fee for his son to go to high school. So Hugo gave Nios an old pair of still wearable shoes. Even though Nios is nearly a foot shorter than Hugo, he fit the shoes quite well. Dani people tend to have rather wide big feet. So for now the problem is solved... He was quite worried about having to preach with sandals on....