Assignment

Well, it's official: I've been assigned to the Shiyeyi language project. Woohoo!

What does that mean? It means that we move to Maun at the beginning of January. Our housing here in Gabane ends mid-October so we're in a scramble to find new housing now. We're looking at temporary housing in October until January, to make it easier for Rob to work full-time with the Bakalanga on the New Testament launch coming up early 2009. Then, we go to Maun so I can get into working on Shiyeyi language materials with locals. Well, first we'll do Setswana language learning and get settled in to the new place, finally spend our household set-up fund. We'll also need to buy a car, which we are greatly looking forward to. The repairs on this old one that we've been driving for the last 6 months have already gone into the quadruple-digits. Ack. About mid-year, my focus will switch to full-time Shiyeyi work. Rob will have been working in vernacular media all along. With 3 New Testaments from LBT projects being published in in the next couple of years, Rob is about to have his hands full. Double woohoo!

All this is pending our immigration processing, of course. Our visas may be extendable and that would make the next couple of months much easier. Rob has applied for a 3 year extension, which we would then extend again at the end of that time, if the assignment calls for it.

Just got back from another big trip yesterday. We went to Domboshaba festival (Kalanga) and then on to Maun to see about housing possibilities. Found at least one really nice housing option, are waiting to hear if it will be available to us (he said he'd get back to me around the end of October). Nothing yet on Francistown housing but we're continuing the search. We're also needing a serious break after the last 2 months. Not enough true rest, way too much time on the road... in 102° heat, through the bush, without air-con.


The kitchen of our favorite housing possibility in Maun.