We are currently in Botswana in a small village called Kumakwani, population 3k, but possibly more goats then people. It is about 30 minutes out side of the capital, Gaborone. It’s smack dab in the middle of the dessert! The temperatures get in the high 80s and 90s F. in the afternoons, but it is nearing winter time so it cools off nice in the evenings.
Our hosts are an American couple, Jeff and April. We love them a lot and they are quickly becoming like our African parents. They own a small restaurant/bookstore, called In Touch Cafe. The food is the bomb.com due to their past history of owning and managing resteraunts in Florida. Jeff and April’s main ministry is through the books they sell and run the food side as a way to cover book costs.
They also run a small aquaponics green house system. Jeff has found that this is the best way to farm since water is scarce and this system uses less of it by continuosly recycling it. They have two large green houses full of maze, strawberries, tomatoes, cucumbers, mint, basel, lettuce,and thyme, to name a few. One side of a green house is also used to hold tanks for a couple hundred tolopia! Jeff has self taught himself everything, and has become very knowledgable about aquoponics farming over the years. They use the farm as a way to self sustain as well as employ a few men from the village to teach them work ethic and money management skills.
We start the day around 7 am, 3 of us typically working in the green houses and 2 of us helping at the cafe. There is always something to do like cleaning the foam boards (used to hold plants), transplanting, trimming, planting, cleaning, cow pie picking, compost turning.. etc… Because we are in the dessert, there is nothing but sand, hence the reason for making our own compost. After we are done farming in the afternoons, we walk around the village inviting people to different events held at the cafe.
On Wednesday evenings we host a worship session, Fridays are bible study, and Saturdays are movie nights for the kids.
Sunday’s we go to church and help April with Sunday school.
Last week, Jeff took us to visit the village chief. We took a picture with him which he requested to be hung on his office wall, an extreme honor for us. 🙂
The chief is responsible for every thing except rape and murder. Those types of offences are sent to the city for the large justice system. The chief handles all other crimes as well as miscommunication among villagers.
Wi-Fi is a once a week thing if that, so I hope all is well!
I can’t believe this is our last month in Africa but it’s been my favorite one yet!
