I am only 8 years old, but Mum says that I am old enough to help in the house and with the animals. Joseph likes the goats, but I like the sheep best. We have a little lamb. In the winter we keep the animals in our house. They stay next to our kitchen. I help Jacob clean them out so that they don’t become too dirty!

I like living here even though it can be a bit smelly with the animals. Because the roof is flat, when it is hot we can sleep on it. I like to watch the stars as I go to sleep.

Mum is going to teach me how to weave clothes out of wool. I can already milk the goats. Granny and Aunty Ruth make it in to cheese. it is very hardwork! We also have some hens and I help collect their eggs in the morning.

I like helping mum grow plants. My favourite plants are the herbs. They smell really nice. Mum uses herbs in her cooking. Granny also says that some of them are good for us because they can make us better if we are ill or have hurt ourselves. I like looking after the plants better than animals because they are so important and not so smelly. Joseph carries the heavy water carrier, but he lets me help him. Sometimes when Jacob is being lazy, the animals get out and eat the plants. Mum and dad get very cross. Granny says “If we are not careful the goats would even eat us all up.” Goats are very greedy.

I am really pleased that you are going to grow some of our plants with us. I hope that you enjoy it as much as I do.

My favourite stories are about Elijah. I like the one when we he goes to Mount Carmel and he challenged the priests of Baal to ask their god to set fire to a sacrifice and he could not do it. Then God set light to Elijah’s sacrifice even though they had poured lots and lots of water on it.

You can read about Elijah and the prophets of Baal in the Bible – 1 Kings 18:16-45.