“How precious is your steadfast love, O God! All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights:” Psalm 36:5-10 The image given here is God as a mother bird spreading her wings over all who seek or need shelter. It reminds us that all people may take refuge. This mother bird spreading her wings is a great provider of food and drink to the world. All are invited. This brings to my mind the mother hen herding her chicks and calling her chicks home to safety. When playing with eleven children under three years old or working with twenty children between four and seven years old, it is easy to picture the mother hen herding, protecting, calling her chicks home to safety. Speaking of birds, there is a fascinating bird here called the “weaver bird.” The male is bright yellow and he weaves the nest out of grasses and soft stems. The nest is built upside down with the opening to this pouch nest on the side in the lower half of the pouch. The male builds these nests to attract females. The more ambitious males can build many nests, attract several females. I have been told that if a female does not like the nest, she rips it down and the male has to start over.

The latest project here was to get the garden in order. Because of time off during the holiday and a spell of cooler wet weather, (very Seattle like) the vegetable garden was a little behind. Kevin and I tackled a compost pile that had been started three years ago. The pile was about as tall I am.

Much to our surprise the compost pile contained about 10 metal spoons, two potato peelers, a cell phone, toys, toothbrushes, more plastic bread loaf wrappers than we could count, plastic bottle tops, rubber straps, etc. It took four of us two full days to sort through this. We have saved these items and we can now use them as teaching tools . . . letting the children and staff guess what there are and how long it might take them to decompose. We are working on some new ideas to help give this composting system more attention with some care and guidance in sustaining it. We created a new kitchen garden in an area that has just been home to some weeds, and created a new flower bed while sprucing up existing flower beds. We are still averaging 14 to 15 hours of sunlight a day here, and because of the coast, weather here can change in an instant. The other day it was in the low eighties, midafternoon brought in a dense fog followed by mist and a thirty degree drop in temperature. We did get the veggie garden planted. The Swiss chard, (what they call spinach) beets, cabbage, broccoli, carrots, are all really good. Several of the staff went to a game reserve for dinner. I am kicking myself for not bringing my camera or phone to take some pictures, especially of the gorge below. I did learn more about all the different indigenous animals, the antelope family alone has probably around ten different animals in it in this area. I hope to get back there someday soon with my camera. By the way, the lamb (mutton), beef, pork, chicken are all really good here, and very affordable. I close with a picture of Kevin and some of the children putting together a small trampoline that a government agency (not sure if census or elections) gave to Open Arms before Christmas.