19 November 2010

“We find courage to stand,

when we kneel before the Lord.” Anon.

Wow! Have these last 2 weeks been a rollercoaster ride. Our rural ministry came to a close well before the first real rains and that was a great answer to prayer. It was a joy to spend time with the students this year as we studied together.

Then just having planned what I was going to be doing during the rainy season we were throne a curve ball when the owner of the the farm we are renting gave us three months notice to shift. His desire is to return now and live on the farm. Well thinking of moving a house is one thing but moving a farm is quite another. Firstly, there are not too many farms around with access to piped water at the house and electricity. And secondly if you found one they would probably want the earth in rent.

Well, not surprisingly God provided us with a 140 Hector Farm just 2 Km from our current location with water and electricity. At present we rent a 15 Hector farm. Yes moving is going to be the challenge, but at least we have a place to move too. It is going to be sad saying goodbye to our little homestead of 8 years, but it seems the Lord is wanting to extend our boundaries. Thank you all for your prayers!!!!!!

Then on Wednesday this last week I was invited to attend one of our employees’ wedding in the village. It was really a mix of some Western and Traditional Traditions. Lots of dancing and sing!!! I think for me what was very interesting was the importance of the wedding cake at the ceremony. Lynne baked it for him and I took it out on the morning. Well I was a little late but that was ok as they could not start the ceremony without the cake. One person had cycled a good few Km to go and phone me to find out if I was coming, with the Cake! What a learning experience! Every aspect of the ceremony had the cake involved. It was ceremoniously cut up into small pieces and then when anybody participated in the wedding they were given a piece of cake. Even if you presented the couple with a present you were given a piece of cake. It was given to you on a fork by the Matron of Honour, and she had to place it in your mouth, without you using your hands, touching the cake. To cut it short I was glad I was number 6. The same fork in the mouth of about a 100 people!!!

Please do pray for us as we begin to plan this enormous move. Our family has really felt a little unsettled this past week. God bless and thank you!

3 November 20101

“The best gift for the younger generation is a good example from the older generation” Anon

Age is something that is very relative. We never really want to believe that we are getting older. Somebody in their 40’s think they are very young compared to those in their late 50’s and 60’s. But those in that age bracket believe they are young compared to those who are older. Well the other day somebody commented on how grey my hair is getting and then that same day I came across this quote. What really struck me is that we are never too young to be an example as there are folks always younger than us. We are also never too old that we cannot learn from somebody older than us. So whether we believe that we are young or old there is always a lesson to learn.

We closed off our Bible Schools for the year with our final meeting. Unfortunately only three students arrived but we decided to continue anyway and it was a real blessing. Sometimes we can get so hung up about numbers and seem to forget that God can use a single man to change the world. These folks were so keen to learn. Later this month I hope to visit my students in their homes. It may be a bit of a challenge as some of them live 160Km into the bush and on very bad roads. Hopefully the roads have not gotten too muddy yet and that the streams will still be negotiable with our little Isuzu.

We are still trying to plan one more seminar for some folks down on Lake Tanganyika. I met with these folks last year doing a course of Bible Studies over the year and they would like to learn about Christian Leadership. We have already had one of these seminars in a village quite close to us and was a great inspiration to us all. Leadership is so important and especially in the Church.

And so we await the rains. It is hot and muggy and all we look forward to is that first good shower to bring us some relief. We have just started to construct a small paddling pool for the children. Hopefully it will be finished in the next few weeks.