If you know Ben...

If you know me (Ben) then you know that I love good coffee... ok you can call it a pretentious desire to find and make only the best I can source:) So now if you know anything about speciality coffee you know that authentic Blue Mountain coffee from Jamaica is some of the most sought after and rare in the world. All that to share my excitement with you about a friend of mine who is a coffee farmer and roaster here in South Africa who just bought a 15 kg Barrel of it to roast. Barrel cost $1,500. If I can have just one cup I think that I'll be happy for life... until I find someone who has that St. Helana coffee...

Moral of this blog comes from what Kristy and I have been reading together. Ecclesiastes 9:5-6 Go, Eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine [or coffee?] with a joyful heart, for it is now that God favors what you do.... Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love....

Solomon talks a lot about the meaningless days of our life, yet reminds us that what we do, who we are, the job we do, and what we even drink are a gift from God and should be enjoyed! I will be enjoying what I drink for at least a cup or two!

At Lou Lou's Jewelry Exhibition

If you follow the life of these Carlsons in the Evergreen City (Durban) then you know that on eof our good friends and past student Lou Lou Mgugudo is one of Kristy's best friends and competing for best Aunty of the year award with a couple other candidates.

You may remember that last year she was in Colorado Springs on a 3 month Navigator global student project. She came back to us a changed woman! We are excited about what God is doing in Lou Lou's life.

In the creative side of life she is finishing her honors degree in jewelry design in the next month and just put on an amazing exhibition to showcase her work. Watch all the fashion sites in the next year for Gudenuf, Lou Lou's design label!

Functions With Goat

One of the past students, Thabisa, along with her husband Sizwe, have become great friends. So it was great to go to the dedication of their lil one year old girl Zen.

There is always an after-party. The after-party starts with lunch, then has a goat laid out on a board (pictured) which is everyones favorite. The guys get to sit in a circle, share a knife and hack off pieces of goat to dip into the salt pile and chase it with boil bread. Women stay in another area (usually inside chopping stuff for the lunch.... oh ya, this is only the starter).

Next is the pudding (trifle with ice cream). Then the lamb curry made on a poijki. Finally the fire is started and the nyama (meat) can be Braaied (grilled).

Lots of fun. New friends made. Kristy and I figure this time with a past students family and relational networks is what we have been doing and desired to do since day one in Africa 8 years ago.

Reading Books About a Baby Brother Coming.

Oh the bugs we see.