The team were able to get access to email today so have each sent an update, and also some pictures of the trip so far:
Mike is having a wonderful time, though the country is very different to what he is used to. He is missing his home comforts like soft bed, nice food, running water, indoor loo, electricity, which is more or less everything we take for granted!! Hopes every one at St Stephen’s is okay. The highlight has been to meet his compassion child!
Gareth is enjoying the heat, and meeting people, he enjoyed teaching some physics in a secondary school, and is trying to fix people’s solar panels which don’t seem to work, even though they are pretty much indestructible. He is missing Claire and his kids very much, but is talking regularly by text. The food is crunchy in an interesting way, but he is dying for a pizza or something normal to eat.
Stephen is really excited at how much change he has seen since he visited with Mark Barker last Jan. Even though the drought is worse than he imagined CCMP is having a dramatic and positive effect on people and communities far in excess of expectations. He didn’t like the spider in the house last night, and is looking forward to coming home at end October for a hot bath!
Sylvie says it was wonderful to be reunited with her case, not only to change her four-day old clothes but to have all the gifts for Compassion children, church and pastor to give out. We have given out most of the gifts you and others gave us, 500+ bras, 30 football/rugby balls etc. I learned to pummel groundnuts yesterday for dinner for the bean stew. I have done the washing, walked to get the water, women’s work!!! I can confirm that there are no snakes in Africa, which is quite a relief. Ha ha
Love from us all. Our driver is Yusuf and is great fun. Rev Boniface from the Diocese and Rev Canon William from CCT are accompanying us most of the time. They are great fun, and there is much laughter, but also great need, but God is so good. The sunsets are wonderful.
