Dull Details Part 3

Our school system at this time: Ephraim (16) meets with Leon and I every morning from 6-7 am to talk about life purpose and goals etc. He is enrolled in a college program called College Plus. He works with Leon and a College Plus Coach to schedule his time. He works on multiple subjects. Along with these he is studying for the Sociology CLEP test right now which he takes in 2 weeks.

Currently Asaph (11) , Havilah (13) and Zuriel (9) are reading great books, writing, going through a Saxon math book and teaching. Havilah is teaching Naphtali (6) multiple subjects , Asaph is teaching Zion (11) math and Zuriel is teaching Simeon (9) beginning Language Arts. Zion and Sim spend additional time working on other subjects including overcoming their language difficulties.

These studies all take place in the morning and conclude at 11:30 am

We also read together every day while Leon is at work. Right now we are reading the book, Home Making by Rev. J.R. Miller. It was originally published in 1882. I recommend it. We are also reading through the Little House On The Prairie series, (again). In the evening, Leon leads us all in worship, scripture etc. On Fridays we all share essays, songs etc.

During the 1 1/2 hour nap time, the older children (9-16) work on finishing up their school work. The younger ones read and/or fall asleep. This is a totally quiet, alone time for everyone.

We believe that almost all activities are educational. The children learn during baking, chores, teaching, animal care etc.

Yesterday Asaph and Zion built tepee's and the others built a fire. Then they ran in asking for food that they could roast.

Ephraim has almost completed the bee hives in preparation for our bees which arrive in April.

Leon is a creative musical fountain continually pulling all of us into it's waters.

I'm sure your family does everything differently and that's the way it should be. I try to go out for a walk every day and most of the time I am begging God to change me or show me what to do about something. He shows me my sin and I grieve over it. Discontent, anger, selfishness, meanness etc.

side note:

Naphtali just came to my almost crying and very mad at Asaph, "Mama, Asaph is being really mean to me, he said to Elsie, 'Elsie, don't mind Naphtali he's a dumb bell, Elsie, can you say; d-u-m-b, b-e-l-l, yeah, good job'". It was funny, so we laughed and Naphtali felt a lot better.

Pelt Community Gathering

Saturday, April 2 nd, 6pm at our home

(Pelt stands for: Play, Eat, Listen and Tell). It's another Open Mic., this time featuring Brian Griffing. If you haven't been to our house before and need directions, you may send me an email. j e n n y f a c e @ y a h o o dot c o m

We have plenty of room and healthy treats so invite everyone you know. We look forward to seeing you there.

Sincerely, The Goodenough's

Be Angry

(This is a true story, I have changed her name)

Dear, sweet, smiling Ehna lived and died in bed 17. She never went outside, or saw the sun. She lived her whole life wanting someone to come for her. Three months before she died it was reported that a missionary came to the orphanage. She visited Ehna and Ehna begged her to be her mama.

A family that I know was waiting for their paperwork to be processed so they could go and make her their little girl.

If someone could have come sooner she could have had her surgery and known love, and family. She could have been a little girl laying in the sun and playing tag with her papa.

Above is a picture of Ehna at age 9 and below she is 15.

There are many children waiting there still. Please pray for one little boy that I know of who is facing a life time alone in a crib like Ehna. He has a chance for life and family love right now, but he is being denied it. Please pray that those making the decision will be moved with compassion and mercy. What would qualify for righteous indignation more than this?

Sweet Ehna

In 1995 God chose to reward a young woman with a beautiful

baby girl. Ehna was made in the image of God and

created to do good work which He planned in advance for her

to do. She was a blessing and an inheritance from God. She

was soon diagnosed with hydrocephalus; a condition that can

be treated with medication or by surgery.

Her condition was left untreated and she was abandoned to

an orphanage. When she was 4 years old Ehna was

transferred to a mental institution. Here, she lay

undressed on a sheet of plastic because there were no

diapers. She laid in her own waste in a room full of

moaning children with an aching head.

Birthdays came and went. She couldn't even have a toy or

anything to interest her while she lay for long hours

waiting, staring at the ceiling. Ehna was one of 25-30

children waiting for one worker to take care of them. If

the worker could work for 15 hours straight, this would

give her 30 minutes to spend with each child. This would

be all the time Ehna would have each day for interaction

and would include washing and feeding her.

When Ehna was nine years old the little boy next to her

died. All the children around her were so small and weak.

They were all over four but, because of untreated

illnesses, malnutrition and lack of any stimulation or love

they didn't grow.

When Ehna turned 10 there was no birthday party. Her

day was just the same: a bed and a room full of children

crying out for help with no one answering them. No one told

her that she looked older, because she didn't.

Ehna had a friend in the bed next to hers named

Christian. One day Christian became ill.

Ehna worried about her best friend. Both girls were 11

and both had the same medical condition. One day in May

Christian died.

More of her birthdays passed, without her even knowing....

and, yet, she still stayed the same. She was still the size of a

three year old even though she was 15. She never learned to

crawl or sit up and could barely speak. She couldn't even pick up her head because of the Hydrocephalus and poor conditions. In 15 years she had never had a chance to go outside. Oh, the violence of the hatred that the world showed her.

Then one day...

He walked in.

She knew him.

He had never left her these 15 years.

But, today something was different.

Today, he picked her up, held her close.. and

carried her outside

Some of the children that she left behind

heard her say,

"I see it,.. the sun!"

Church

Last Saturday we had another music night. There were 38 people here. We were led into worship. We enjoyed God's creativity expressed in conversation, stories, music and faces. We hope to meet again within 2 months.

Sim

We spend a lot of time in our living room. Every night we gather there. Leon reads the bible to us and then we read another book. Right now we are reading The Baronet's Song (again) it's by George Macdonald.

This is Sim. He is very happy and snuggly. He loves to laugh and dance.

The robot here is the one that Ephraim built. It took this photo.

Dull Details Part 2

My chore system at this time: We have 4 people on rotating chores. They change jobs each Sunday. The chores are: Dishes, Counters (which includes kitchen garbage, wiping off appliances, putting everything away that's on the counters as well as wiping them and the stove),Grinding grain (thank you Marla for that idea) and floors. Those children are ages 9-11.

Naphtali always clears and wipes the table. All of those chores take place after each meal and last 30 minutes.

Ephraim and Havilah are in the young adults category. They work at other times. Ephraim spends a lot of time with his college work, tending the fire, taking care of the goats and miscellaneous wood projects that Leon assigns him. Havilah milks the goat and cares for the chickens. We are excited to try out bee keeping and have just ordered our first two sets of bees.

Besides the after meal chores each room team is assigned one bathroom. They only use their own bathroom and they have to keep it clean. We have three bathrooms in our house so, Leon and I share with the Tree house and I never have to clean my bathroom (in theory).

It's not easy to train the children to do their chores. We have to all work together as a team or none of us will enjoy living here. Most of the time I am close by, managing the whole thing but, I can leave the room and they will continue to complete their tasks. I can occasionally leave the house with Ephraim in charge or another adult and the work will usually get done without any problems.

Please remember to err on the side of grace. Work is satisfying and feels good but, they have to learn this attitude. It took us years to train the children so that their "help" was actually helping. The littlest ones still seem to follow me around undoing what I do.

Your family should do things in it's own style. Don't listen to the voice that says, "you aren't as good as them", or "you should be doing it like them". No you shouldn't. You should be doing it the way the spirit leads you.

love, jeni

Dull Details Part 1

For my new friend who inquired:

Our shoe system: It isn't the best. I would rather have a mud room to sit and deal with shoes, umbrella's coats and sticks. However, we enter directly into our living room so; We have a book shelf on which we all keep one pair of shoes or snow boots. All our shoes are 'family shoes' which means they go to the person they fit and are passed down accordingly. Some people also use mud boots every day. They are allowed to keep them lined up neatly against the wall. The other shoes that we sometimes wear are in the hall closet. Shoes that don't fit anyone right now are in a couple boxes under a bed.

The top shelf has two baskets which is where we keep the socks. One basket is for small and the other for large socks. Leon keeps his personal socks in his drawer.

Having a bathing schedule has really relieved some of the stress in our home not to mention some of the odor. We have three child rooms. They are; Black Horse Castle, Tree house and The Cabin. Each room has assigned bath days. They can bathe during any free time all day until dinner. I don't have to nag because there are consequences to missing their bath.

The different room teams are required to brush their teeth together also. They hold each other accountable to brushing well, flossing and brushing for two minutes. This has been working very well. The dentist was happy with their improved oral hygiene on our last visit.

This is just the way I do it. What is helpful to one family might not be good in another. We are sure to err, Err on the side of grace.

love, jeni