Friends,
The week between SALT Schools is always a good time for a variety of different activities and for a slightly slower pace of life. For a start, the alarm does not go at 6.00am so we have time for everything before being at the school venue on time. Secondly the day to day schedule varies a bit as well. So let me give you a look into our past week.
Sunday we went to the Bhweju King of Kings church high in the mountains to the north west of Mbarara. It was a good journey on recently graded roads until we came across roadwork to install a new culvert. With no way around the work, we were diverted along a 'goat track' that took us high into the mountains on tracks that only a serious 4x4 could navigate. Praise God for our Toyota Prado. But the somewhat horrendous trip was very worthwhile when we met with the dear people at Bhweju. Pastor Hannington and his wife Loveness are both SALT graduates and are doing a fine job in this remote location. We finally arrived back at our home at 6.00pm. It was quite a bone jarring day.
After a day off on Monday, Pastor Daniel, Pastor Nathan and myself left the house at 5.30am and headed deep west to visit some of our graduates who live and minister in the remote Katerera region. As it is in the same area as the Queen Elizabeth II National Park, we took the opportunity to take Daniel to see the elephants, hippos, buffalo and assorted antelope and monkeys. Although we only had a couple of hours, it was a real treat for him.
Then we returned to Katerera to see our pastors. They minister in a region that is heavily impacted by witchcraft and the accompanying evils. But these faithful men and women have planted lighthouses in the midst of darkness. The people of Pastor Elias' church had heard we were coming and had gathered for an impromptu service with the 'visitors'. After a huge lunch we had more time with the pastors of the region. They would love us to come and conduct a SALT School for their leaders, something we may consider in the future. Once more it was after 6.00pm before we returned home.
The past three days have been around our home base. On Wednesday, Daniel left to go and join a Romanian colleague who ministers in Kabale, about 3 hours south west of here. Meanwhile, back at our base, I have been working on the upgrades to teaching materials and meeting with SALT School headmaster, Pastor Nathan, to make sure everything is ready for our new school that commences on Monday. The major frustration this week is that we have had very little electricity so everything in our freezer defrosted and has had to be cooked. Things seem to be back to normal now. That is life in Africa.
Being Saturday today, Glenda and I have been to the markets and supermarkets to lay in supplies for the week ahead. Tomorrow we are off to Ibanda to visit the King of Kings church and hopefully give some encouragement.
Thanks for your prayers and interest. This is such a worthwhile work and it is hard to quantify the encouragement that our visits to the rural areas brings to the people. It is clear to see the difference that our SALT Graduates are making in the churches they serve. God is surely with us in this time.
Gavin and Glenda
PS. There will be some photos on our Facebook page for LttN Ministries Inc.
The week between SALT Schools is always a good time for a variety of different activities and for a slightly slower pace of life. For a start, the alarm does not go at 6.00am so we have time for everything before being at the school venue on time. Secondly the day to day schedule varies a bit as well. So let me give you a look into our past week.
Sunday we went to the Bhweju King of Kings church high in the mountains to the north west of Mbarara. It was a good journey on recently graded roads until we came across roadwork to install a new culvert. With no way around the work, we were diverted along a 'goat track' that took us high into the mountains on tracks that only a serious 4x4 could navigate. Praise God for our Toyota Prado. But the somewhat horrendous trip was very worthwhile when we met with the dear people at Bhweju. Pastor Hannington and his wife Loveness are both SALT graduates and are doing a fine job in this remote location. We finally arrived back at our home at 6.00pm. It was quite a bone jarring day.
After a day off on Monday, Pastor Daniel, Pastor Nathan and myself left the house at 5.30am and headed deep west to visit some of our graduates who live and minister in the remote Katerera region. As it is in the same area as the Queen Elizabeth II National Park, we took the opportunity to take Daniel to see the elephants, hippos, buffalo and assorted antelope and monkeys. Although we only had a couple of hours, it was a real treat for him.
Then we returned to Katerera to see our pastors. They minister in a region that is heavily impacted by witchcraft and the accompanying evils. But these faithful men and women have planted lighthouses in the midst of darkness. The people of Pastor Elias' church had heard we were coming and had gathered for an impromptu service with the 'visitors'. After a huge lunch we had more time with the pastors of the region. They would love us to come and conduct a SALT School for their leaders, something we may consider in the future. Once more it was after 6.00pm before we returned home.
The past three days have been around our home base. On Wednesday, Daniel left to go and join a Romanian colleague who ministers in Kabale, about 3 hours south west of here. Meanwhile, back at our base, I have been working on the upgrades to teaching materials and meeting with SALT School headmaster, Pastor Nathan, to make sure everything is ready for our new school that commences on Monday. The major frustration this week is that we have had very little electricity so everything in our freezer defrosted and has had to be cooked. Things seem to be back to normal now. That is life in Africa.
Being Saturday today, Glenda and I have been to the markets and supermarkets to lay in supplies for the week ahead. Tomorrow we are off to Ibanda to visit the King of Kings church and hopefully give some encouragement.
Thanks for your prayers and interest. This is such a worthwhile work and it is hard to quantify the encouragement that our visits to the rural areas brings to the people. It is clear to see the difference that our SALT Graduates are making in the churches they serve. God is surely with us in this time.
Gavin and Glenda
PS. There will be some photos on our Facebook page for LttN Ministries Inc.
No comments:
Post a Comment