One of my very favourite families (and the only Zambian/Peruvian family I know!) - the Mbumwaes - are coming to visit Regina from December 31st to January 3rd! I am so excited to see Ruhtt, Shepherd, Miguel, Melina and Manuel again! It has been over a year since I spent two weeks living with Ruhtt, Shepherd and Manuel in the summer of 2007, and tagging along with them in all of the work that they do. In short, it was an awesome experience, and I realized even more fully just how amazing this family is! There is nobody quite like them! They've been in the US for the past year as Shepherd furthers his education, and they are heading up to Canada for Christmas and New Year's. It will be such a pleasure to see them again!

The following are a couple of excerpts from blogs that I wrote in 2006 and 2007 about the Mbumwae's (or just Ruhtt).

From 2006 (after returning back to Canada):
Definitely one of the most amazing families that I know. The amount of work that this one family has done is incredible. They've started community schools, community churches, run the Canadian sponsorship program - and that is really only the beginning. And on the side, they have found time to open up El Pantano, a internet place/restaurant/take-out/book store/gym in Kalomo since we were last there in 2003. Ruhtt - appropriately nicknamed "Ninja Mother Teresa" by Matt Goud - is constantly on the go. She is such an amazing woman, and has such a heart for the people that she works for and with. She is a real example and encouragement to me. Besides doing amazing work in Zambia, she also is the person you want to take along when buying things at the market - she can barter like no one that I have ever seen. Shepherd is definitely one of nicest guys that I know. And their kids are a blast - full of energy (sometimes too much), and always able to make us smile.

From 2007 (written after a long day of doing many, many things with Ruhtt):
I don't know how Ruhtt does this every single day! What a woman! I am in awe of what she does! Kathleen and I were saying that she is the only person capable of doing what she does, as nobody else would be able to do everything, let alone keep track of it all. It kind of makes me smile, as we drive through Kalomo, she is constantly honking at people and calling them over to talk to her - her sign painter, a brick layer, an electrician. Somehow she keeps them all straight - and keeps track of the work that they have done, and what they have been paid so far. She is truly an example of a servant - and if I could accomplish 1/4 of what she does, I would be happy. I know that many, many lives have been touched/changed because of her hard work and big heart.