Geckos

Not sure how many are familiar with these little creatures, but I can assure you you get familiar with them around here.

Geckos are small to average sized lizards belonging to the family Gekkonidae, found in warm climates throughout the world. Geckos are unique among lizards in their vocalizations, making chirping sounds in social interactions with other geckos. Gekkonidae is the largest family of lizards, with an estimated 2,000 different species worldwide and many others likely yet to be discovered. The name stems from the Indonesian/Javanese word Tokek, inspired by the sound these animals make.

They are harmless, other than scaring you when they jump out of somewhere when you least expect them. This can be a railing you are holding as you go up or down outside stairs, or a pole you grab to clean the spa, etc. We are staying on the sixth floor of the building this term which means there is less human traffic, but it seems there is more gecko traffic. Two have found their way into our room, and while as I said, they are harmless, Marlene was not impressed. A couple of years ago we were going out to breakfast one morning with seven people in the van, and there was a gecko on the outside of the front windshield. It was hanging on for dear life as we started to move, and to get rid of it, I turned on the windshield wipers. Unfortunately, one of the windows was down and the gecko ended up in the car. You should have heard the screaming, and it wasn't coming from the gecko!

Our new session started this week, a ladies session, with 52 participants from about 19 countries. The Resident Coordinator is a lady from Indonesia, who with her husband, operates: 1)a home for unwed mothers; 2) an orphanage and; 3)a private school. When she talks it is always, "God does this and God did that". But a new line tthat I had never heard before was that she and her husband consider themselves spectators to all that God is doing in their lives. Amazing!

The other picture I have included is one of the employees here at Haggai with her pet parrot, "Iman". She had him here on the weekend - he doen't come to work with her.