Well, that was some experience! We’ve just got back from 4 days in the small town (or maybe a large village, I’m not quite sure) of Nancaramo. Although it actually sits on a main road and has old, slow lorries and rickety old buses lumbering through it, Judith and I felt as if we’d been transported back 2000 years to Bible times. We asked ourselves several times if village life in Palestine in Jesus time would have been much different to present day Nancaramo!
Life each day is lived very much according the sun – the day starts at first light and many people are in bed by 8:00pm! We didn’t go to bed later than 9:15pm on any of the nights we were there! (But I was up at 4:00, 6:15 & 5:00am respectively). The days were hot (high 20’s) despite in being winter, and the night skies truly spectacular.
I had the privilege of teaching in the church Thursday – Saturday afternoons to 20-25 people, and helping baptise a husband and wife at 7:00am on Sunday morning. I also preached in the service that followed and praise God two ladies came forward at the end to profess faith in Jesus for the first time.
The cuisine and cooking was, as expected, totally traditional. The ladies of the church cooked for us all each day – shema and tomato gravy with the extra luxury of chicken, duck or even Guinea fowl in the gravy. These are real luxuries as most people cannot afford meat as a general part of their diet.
On the Thursday we went to the local primary school and were treated to singing by the children and Judith and I got to give out prizes for a colouring competition the children had done for us.
The real purpose of the visit to the school was to meet with a high up government official (so important she even had an armed guard!) to discuss both a possible link between the school and ours at Whitton, and Ron & Irma’s hope to sponsor the building of some class rooms. Both initiatives were received warmly by the school and the government official was very enthusiastic and encouraged the school to make the most of any offer of help.
We’ve taken lots of video and pictures and will fill in all the details when we get home.
Judith and I have both been challenged and had our eyes opened afresh in all sorts of ways over these four days and I truly thank God for the privilege of meeting and serving the church and village in some small way.
The only down side of 4 days in the bush is that both Ron & Irma have caught the sickness bug that Danielle had before we went. They have high temperatures, severe headaches and general lack of energy so please pray for them as they still have to be hosts to us (!) and have another busy week of events, activities and meetings coming up. Please also pray that neither Judith or I will catch whatever it is that they have!
Health permitting it’s another 5:00am start tomorrow (Monday 4th) as Judith will be home-schooling the girls and I will be helping with breakfast at the sports ministry seminars Ron has organised. Both start at 6:30am!
Thanks for your prayers and God bless you all