Blogger Mari...

Hi di Hi, Mari here to talk to you happy campers again! Sorry if I repeat myself, will try not too!

Starting from last Sunday 28th Sept. Beki will have told you she was busy at Bweyogerere Church working with the Youth. Orginally Emi and I were going to a small mud church which is set on a hill through some sugarcane fields just outside the town of Lugazi. He was unable to contact the Pastor (Dan), so at the last minute the arrangements were changed and we went with Elder James (who looks after the orphans) to a church that he has been encouraging. He told us there would be about 30 people there.... ok..... We arrived just after 11 a.m. having travelled a rough village road to the place. I can't spell, or pronounce its name, but in English it means "the place where they kill mosquitos". Don't think they are working hard enough... they are still finding me! Anyway.. on arrival we find a big celebration going on. Their Pastor (Moses) had just graduated from a 3 year Bible College Course. There were 2 tarpaulin shelters put up and we were shown to the best one.... as..... WE were the GUESTS OF HONOUR!! (news to us). Emi told me that they would expect me to speak. Thankfully, I had something ready to share, and as always, when you have God on your side, it is perfect for the situation. A young lad had to hold an unbrella over me and Emi (he was translating) as the heat from the sun was unbearable. There were over 100 people there, and I had such a job trying to stop my hands from shaking. It seemed to go ok, Emi was pleased. They also had speaches, dancers, choirs.... the day wore on. I had drunk my one bottle of water within the first hour, my clothes were sticking to me, and after 4 hours we had given up the will to live. Eventually, the food was served about 4.30 p.m. You know when you think you are starving, and then this mountain of food appears, and suddenly your appetite just disappears? Well it was like that. Then Emi gets a phone call from home that a pastor has been waiting for him since noon. So we had to eat as much as we could manage, make our exit as inconspicuously as possible and get back, which took about one and a half hour.

The man we were to meet was Pastor Isaiah and he visits Rwanda a lot so will accompany Emi, Flo and me when we go on the weekend of 17th - 20th October. Can't tell you how much I am looking forward to that. It will be a days travel both ways and we will have Saturday and Sunday there, probably visiting 3 churches in all. Pray for us.

On Monday it was a day of this and that, can't even remember most of it, but I had my head in my Bible most of the time. Tuesday I helped with the Bible Study at Bweyogerere. I am doing a series about FAITH which I had the basis of from a study that Pastor Paul did some years ago. I altered it a bit to suit the circumstances here. Wednesday, Emi, Beki and I went to see some of the widows. In Emi's church there is a group of about 12. Six of them came along to one lady's house. We had asked them not to prepare a meal (partly because of the expense to them, and partly because of time limits). I shared a few thoughts on the "Aroma of Christ" and how we have to become "living sacrifices" for God to create the same "aroma" that Christ did when he died for us. They gave us tea and popcorn (but not as you know it!). Community Church also gave them a gift of 10,000 Ugandan Shillings each. This is just over 3 pounds, which does not sound a lot, but is equivalent to a weeks wages for some people. We also gave them a little bookmark (these were made by Helen on her computer before we came), they each had a little satin ribbon and a butterfly "sticker" and the words "YOU ARE LOVED". They were happy. I hope to visit them again before I come home.

On Thursday, I worked with Beki at lunch time with the kids at school, which I think I mentioned last time. They did some Ugandan Worship first, then we taught them a song. Then Beki read the story of "Cecil - the lost Sheep" (Helen's creation) and I larked about with a little lamb 'puppet' which the kids loved. Then we gave them all a biscuit before they returned to class. Beki later heard them singing the song we had taught them as they walked about from class to class - JESUS POWER SUPER POWER, SATAN POWER ZERO POWER !! Lizzie and I learnt it in India. Even across cultures and nations - HIS POWER travels! In the evening I went to Sonde Church (Pastor John and Christine). William (Emi's nephew came with me to interpret). It was almost dark when we started out and we took a public transport bus along the main road. Then I had to hide while William negotiated with the borda borda man (if they see me they charge more). It was quite a long journey, up hill and down dale in the twilight. AAAAAAAARGH..... goat in the road..... AAAAAAAAARGH herd of cows.......AAAAAAARGH flock of sheep..... AAAAAAARGH bike with no lights..... AAAAARGH REALLY REALLY BIG LORRY...... CAN YOU SEE, CAN YOU SEE..... OH shut up Mari, just close your eyes and pray! And that was just going there, it was a bit more scarey in the dark. Anyway, re-run the session on FAITH that I did at Bweyogerere and they were happy. Saw my new grandchild (Marie) nearly one month old and really beautiful (must be in the jeans!).

Friday, Beki took the day off from teaching and came to Lugazi with me and Nurse Grace to meet with James Akolo in Lugazi. We had to go on the public bus and then a borda borda to James house then a borda borda to Buyengi, a little village the team visited. The nurse treated about 92 people and we helped to pack up the little envelopes of pills for her. They were happy. At one point Beki and I had to share the same borda borda, which caused a lot of hilarity along the road, with the kids stunned into silence - a few managed a "bye mzungu" before we disappeared. James Akolo was very happy because we also left worming tablets for the whole of his school, and the kids at his church. So because of your kindess, 440 people are free of worms, and we still have 2 schools and one church still to do.

Today, I am with Beki at the internet cafe in Bweyogeredre, which for some reason seems to be able to give us a connection only on Saturday. Later today I will be going to a lady's house for lunch or tea, I'm not sure. Her name is Joyce and she has interpreted for me from time to time. She has also travelled ALONE to evangelise in the Sudan - brave lady.

Tomorrow, Beki will be with the youth at Bweyogerere, I am sharing in the main church and then we are presenting a half day workshop for kids workers in churches. This will be for about 6 - 8 people from different churches that Emi overseas. We are holding it at Florence's house and she is providing lunch. We are making them up a folder each with a notebook, pen, bookmark (thanks to Helen) and possibly some photocopies of some of the resources that Helen and I used in our children's work. They will be able to "cascade" the information down to other workers in their churches. Will say bye bye now