Welcome to Ibanda’s new guesthouse!

The last 24 hours have been incredible - prayers answered in surprising ways!

Kosam and I had planned to go to visit his tailor in Ibanda to have a suit and smart trousers made for me following the BoG Meeting.  We were both tired, and all but decided to call off the trip.  For some reason we ended up driving past our house and directly into Ibanda.

As we turned onto the main street, a young and rather bedraggled German couple charged towards the car.  In exhausted bursts they unravelled their story…

They were on their way from Mbarara to Fort Portal by taxi (small minibus) when they discovered that the taxi would not actually take them all the way there.  It was late (about 5.15 by now) and they had no idea what to do as there was nothing heading that way by now and no one was able to help them.  They had planned to get to Fort Portal and the next day travel to Kampala.  It was clear that they were both near breaking point as we suggested they come and stay with us overnight and we arrange for their safe travel to Kampala from here the next day.

We put their bags in the car and Claire took them (Kris and Melanie) to sit down and enjoy a cool soda while I got sized up for my suit and choose the material.

Within the hour we had them sat on our new sofa with beds being made up in the spare room and sugar cane providing a comforting energy boost.

Thank you all for joining us in prayer that this house be used to shelter and welcome all who need rest.  We feel that we have been blessed beyond our needs with this house but can now see a glimpse of why our Lord has given us so much …so we can give it away!

Please continue to pray for Kris and Melanie as they travel Uganda for another few weeks.  They left for Mbarara at 7.30am in a special hire taxi (a car) driven by one of our neighbours and a trusted man named Mugeni; he will see that they safely board a Swift coach to Kampala.

Musiime Ruhanga, ahakuba embabazi ne’zebiro byona!  (Give thanks to God, because his love endures forever!) – Psalm 136:26

BoG Meeting

Quite the contrary to what some may be thinking of by 'BoG Meeting' ...BoG stands for 'Board of Governors'...a new abbreviation for me!

Claire and I were invited to attend NMS’ Board of Governors’ Meeting at 10am yesterday morning.  The meeting, as I’m sure you can imagine, started at 11:30 after the governors drizzled in to school from their respective homes and offices.

The meeting started with prayer and then a tour of the school (presenting the progress made on certain construction projects etc).  Following our tour we all took tea, bread and g-nuts.  Eventually, after loooonnnnng introductions, welcomes and thank yous we got started on the agenda.  We were supposed to be finished by 1pm for lunch… was this really going to happen?!

We continued through until 2.45 when we stopped for lunch before concluding the final few points on the agenda and ending our meeting at 4.45.

Items such as sourcing funding for a new girls’ dormitory, planning the laying of a foundation stone and the further development of the school were key focal points during the meeting.  It turns out that a short report I wrote last August on potential school development projects for NMS has been welcomed with great enthusiasm and included as ‘the detail’ for the Finance and Planning Committee to review and work from.

Despite its length and occasional ‘eyelid propping’ moments, it was very interesting to be a part of.  We were welcomed and involved in all the discussions being made free to express our thoughts and opinions despite not being members of the board.  The board members were pleased with some of our input, especially our short-winded and to the point answers to debate (even more so as the day wore on!).

Anyway, the meeting ended with creaking bodies being stretched and all attendants dreaming of home.

Being invited into this meeting is an important step, and we thank God for it.  We have also, by the sounds of things, been called into many of the subcommittees that draw up the policies and proposals etc for the board to review and pass.  Praise the Lord for his opening of doors and the loving and enthusiastic acceptance of us by these important figures.  Please pray that our Lord continues to guide us and go before us in preparing the way; and that we live and serve worthy of the calling on our lives through Christ our Saviour.

Surprise(d) Guests

On Saturday, Claire and I were enjoying a stroll through Ibanda hoping to find a place for a cool drink. The bar we had reckoned on had rather a lot of cars outside… it wasn’t long before we realised some fairly sizeable event was going on. Within a few seconds of peering in we were gregariously invited in to partake in the festivities! Looking around we could see we had stumbled in on a wedding party, complete with the best food, marquee tents and smartly dressed Ugandans! We were led straight to the food.  We received our rice and matoke and were next offered boiled intestines… not our favourite it has to be said! We managed to skirt away from the person offering them without causing offense thanks to the arrival of an understanding friend named Charles who teaches at Kibabura Girls Secondary School and helps out part-time at Nyakatukura.

Despite feeling completely underdressed we were announced over the PA system “welcome to the mzungus” …an amusing and extremely interesting hour was spent!

School has slowly been getting going… we now have nearly all the pupils. Andy commanded much interest as he demonstrated a Physics lesson and was asked “is it magic?!” by one of the observing students! Language is still a bit of a challenge as our accents continue to confuse some of the students. This is particularly evident with some of the biblical language in our discipleship sessions and during the Saturday fellowship time with the boarders. However, I have formed a good friendship with Rhoida, who is the Religious Prefect in the top year group. She is an excited and mature Christian wanting to understand more…

An added excursion was built into this past week, as we travelled to Mbarara to attend the Ankole Dioceses’ conference on education in Church of Uganda secondary schools. Kosam (the Director of Education for the diocese and district) was giving a paper and we had a chance to meet the Bishop; a great ‘down to earth’ and humble man, who kept us entertained with his speech on time management (which was not upheld during the day!).

Home Sweet Home

Claire and I are slowly, slowly (mpora, mpora) settling into our new life in our own (rented) house. We arrived here on Monday (9th Feb.) for our first night. We slowly received our furnishings… all our furniture has been hand-made from local eucalyptus wood (except our plastic dining chairs – much cheaper and more comfy). The house is just beautiful… beyond what we need, but undoubtedly a gift from God. It is situated only 15 mins walk from NMS (Nyakatukura Memorial School) and within a small compound shared by three other houses.

We've made friends with many of the locals – most especially with a Muslim called Rafiki (who has a bakery business that also makes unbelievably good doughnuts!).  I have been in my element DIYing around the house – fixing up our solar showers (which have been a real luxury), mending doors that are too stiff to open and attending to a simple washing line. ...it's amazing just how much work can be done using a simple Leatherman multitool pen-knife!!! The outside of the house has yet to be fully completed and we are still awaiting some good quality 'top soil' to begin our vegetable patch.

It has been SO useful to have Betty to help around the house. She lives with us in one of the spare rooms and has been attending to our needs wonderfully and although she thinks our food combinations are a little strange (chapatti with honey and sugar – just like a pancake really!). She also happens to make the best matoke in Uganda! ...I think she's enjoying being here with us.