Dear Friends and Family
Greetings are really important in East Africa and some time I am so focussed on what I have come to do that I forget to first greet the person in front of me, and somehow transactions cannot start until greetings are completed. So at the beginning of 2018 let me not forgot to thank everyone for their support in many ways through the past year(s); my prayer is that 2018 will be a year of advance in every area of our lives, with Holy Spirit ever drawing us closer to Jesus ushering us into our Father’s presence. May each one of you experience more and more of his goodness this year of 2018. (EX 33:19 “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and I will call out my name, Yahweh, before you…”
My December update concluded with three of the four IRIS Harvest School missioners spending time with us here at home, so I continue on 20th December when eight of my boys went to IRIS Lowero, driven by Malik (no room for me, but a quiet day was welcome), to play the next generation of IRIS SS boys at football. The older generation beat the next generation 3-0. After that match they combined into one team and played a big team from Lowero and beat them 3-0 also.
22nd December all the boys home except Edward. Emma, our football star managed to do a selfie with us all in the frame.
23rd Dec. table set for 11; Ali in the kitchen preparing supper; chef Ali serving food; Edward has arrived, first time in a year we are all together, eyes on the TV, must have been live football, the only time TV is allowed at supper time. Supper is the time for family conversation, no phones, no TV.
Christmas Eve Day we all went to IRIS, Lowero, four by taxi, eight in the car; for Christmas celebrations and present distribution. Carolyn and her team worked so hard toward this day and on the day. Start of the day worship with Carolyn preaching on changing our stony heart to a heart of flesh; followed by ministry. Then I said a few words of encouragement to hold onto the healing received.
Time with everyone whilst waiting for lunch to be served:
Queuing for lunch
Enjoying lunch: chicken and pork, chips, rice & veg.
Presents being distributed every child got several presents
Christmas Day at Oasis Church (Our new registered name fka Agape Love Church
Christmas Day lunch at Big Mamas for 12 and Nawab Indian for two:
New Year’s Eve we celebrated Communion and welcomed in 2018 at Oasis Church.
Today (Wednesday 10th Jan) lots of shopping for school items and taken Emma back to Vienna College.Anthony will go back to Numb University next Wednesday. This semester he will be staying in a nice hostel with his own bedroom. The one on campus last semester was really poor.
Pray for the students awaiting their various exam results hoping that they have graduated to next level of education.
The engine of our Hiace van is undergoing major surgery; an unexpected non-budgeted expense.
Someone, sorry I can’t find the message, asked me how the two toilet projects were progressing. With the money raised by the Well Church and some funding by the Church itself topped up from my general mission fund we have almost completed the toilet block shared by the Church and Nursery school. No funds are available for the much needed toilet at pastor Emma’s home, which continues to be a major health risk, particularly in the rainy season. We are currently in the dry season, but a week last Sunday we had a severe tropical storm and pastors small compound was far from being a homely pretty sight.For this situation to change it will need special funding, as it is outside of my funding ability.
Love & Blessings
David T Atkinson