As the short Cessna Caravan roared to a stop on the dirt airstrip behind our house, Dan Keeport and his father Larry stepped from the plane with big smiles and big boots (snake protection!), ready to spend two weeks in Magambua! Larry and his wife Barb are long time friends of my (Jon’s) parents, and our families grew up together. Their oldest daughter, who is married with six kids, attend our home church in Hershey. Dan, doing pre-medical studies in Boston, came out to see our medical work and lend a hand around the house with his dad, who is a handy-man/jack of all trades kind of guy (not to mention quite a joker, with great stories to tell!) This was their first trip to Africa. We really enjoyed spending time with them. They accomplished a number of projects around the house like some shutters, baseboard, gutter backing, and putting formica on a countertop with backsplash. Dan jumped right in with the medical work, and was a big help on the mobile clinics, especially because the local government nurse is on extended leave after her house burned down! He also donated a unit of blood because he was a match for one of our critically low inpatients who we transfused. He and our missionary nurse Kim did all kinds of dressing changes on wounds and burns. One day he also pointed out a young black-necked spitting cobra moving across our front yard, who was promptly dispatched with a walking stick! A game park safari, cookout on the airstrip, visits with some of the local elderly folks, a town trip, church services, and Dutch dice games, rounded out their time with us. They were a lot of fun to have, and really had servant hearts and such an easy-going manner. My face hurt from laughing for two weeks while they were here. Next time bring your canoe Larry, and we’ll paddle around the local watering hole! Blessings on you guys for giving of yourselves!

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