Highway in the Desert

Friday, July 13, 2007

Two-week Trip

On 17 July we all leave for a half-work and half-holiday fortnight away. Our route is marked on the accompanying photo. The first day will see us driving to Rundu where we will camp for 2 nights whilst David does work shops. Then 200 km on to Divundu for more workshops, and ditto Katima Mulilo. Whilst David is teaching we shall explore the Caprivi strip. Beth and I will make the 2 weeks into a giant field assignment for the children! At Katima we will cross the border into Zambia and, from the Zambian side, camp and enjoy the sights around the famous Victoria Falls (we - as schooling - will be learning about David Livingstone and Vic Falls before we go). We plan to be back by the end of July (DV). David has been to Katima before but I have been no further than Rundu, though I did see the Falls from the Zim side in 1989. And for Beth it is all a first so that is great for her, too! It will be a two-day journey home. Once David's workshops are out of the way we can all relax and get into the holiday mood. Can't wait to post some pix of our adventures for you to see ...

Friday, July 06, 2007

The ministry team from SA

We are currently hosting a ministry team from South Africa. They have travelled over 2,000 kms to be with us and encourage us in our work and we are very blessed to have them. Actually, the 53 people are four different-but-related groups. The main one is the annual visit by members of the CESA (Church of England in South Africa) who spend a week here and minister in different ways (more about this below). A secondary group are families of team members (including 9 children). A third contingent are students from George Whitefield College (training young men and women for ministry, particularly CESA but with students from all over Africa and even one from Oz!). David and I met at GWC. Last but not least are a team of students from the Bible Institute (where I studied for 3 years) which, like GWC, has sent up some students for ministry experience.They are camping near Ondangwa (about 45 mins from us) at a site with cold (and unreliable) water so we make our home open for hot showers! David and I have co-ordinated their schedules from our end. Ministry opportunities include: full-day sessions in high school offering life-skills education about HIV/AIDS and sports clinics; 1 hour gospel presentations in 12 primary schools + the Wednesday Bible Club (drama, music); a 2 day retreat for church leaders with 5 speakers on subjects aimed at further equipping them for ministry (David has just left for that); a one day intensive workshop on Saturday designed to equip people for children's ministry (teaching them how to teach); an outreach to women at different locations; Bible club most afternoons for any children in Ondangwa; evangelism in cuca shops (the informal bars which abound here). Not only have the team brought up their enthusiasm and skills, but they have brought many resources including paper, powder paints; glue, pencils, scissors and crayons for children's ministry and a very welcome fresh influx of books for the library club!Please pray for safety as they all drive back next week, and for fruit from this time. A bonus is having been able to catch up with old friends and make new ones!