We were grateful to have a bed to sleep in. Gordon and Leigh Ann Fort were Baptist Missionaries who helped us so much when we first came to Maun to live. They were on furlough and the Schroder’s, the family that was staying there while they were away were out with our teams and graciously let us stay there will they returned. That next morning we got up, got dressed in the same clothes we had from the day before and went to breakfast at “Hilary’s” a favorite, and only (at the time), little coffee shop in the village. We sat and ate, trying to decide what to do next. We kept waiting for Hilary to get us the bill and when we asked for it, she said “breakfast is on me! Anyone who has been through what you have should not have to pay for their breakfast!” This was the first of many blessings we were to receive from this small Village of dear people. We walked into the grocery store, wondering where to begin. Diapers, check. Toothbrushes, check. It was not easy starting from scratch with 3 kids and we didn’t have money to spare.

As the days went by we began to have a steady stream of people at the door of the Baptist mission house, bringing things to us, some new some old, big and small, but all precious. People who had so many needs of their own, came bearing gifts. Our dear African family, came one by one, bringing gifts of love that humbled us more than we can express.

That Sunday we decided to go ahead and have church. The church was very young at that time and we were meeting at the conference room at the old Riley’s Hotel. Jerry said, let’s not say anything about the fire, let’s just worship God and have church. I was leading worship at the time and that is just what we did. The people all new about the fire and we had a nice show of visitors who came just to show their support. At the end people were amazed that we could go on like that after loosing everything. But we hadn’t lost everything! We still had our family, our church and our faith. People said that they expected us to throw in the towel. So much stuff…lost…no insurance…what would we do?! They were watching.