For health and strength and daily food

After living in Edison's glorious electric light for two weeks, I thought yesterday that we had been plunged back into perpetual darkness. No power all day, and someone smelt burning, so Brent (MAF) came round and said the wire connecting us to the main was burnt. I thought we would disappear into a bureaucratic maze to get it fixed, but we all got up this morning to working switches and things. It turned out someone had come really early this morning to fix it - very impressive!

Also impressive - I received a letter from the UK just over a week after it had been written. Sadly, I know from your EMAILs that one or two letters posted three or four weeks ago and which I am looking forward to receiving are still in transit.

Some points for prayer.

First, health - I've been feeling under the weather the past couple of days: tiredness, cough, sore throat - how I always feel as I'm burning out, which seems a little strange as I do get time to relax here. I was very thirsty walking down to send this, so I bought a Coke in the street. I discovered it had something floating in it. It doesn't any more, so no prizes for guessing where the floaty bit went ...

Second, strength - Becky got her documents back on Wednesday, and now I will quite often chat to the policemen as I walk past them. I always get a salute - nice. Perhaps an open door? Perhaps. A string of EMAILs from GAP team members around the world reminds me that we are almost half way through our time here. Tom and I have built relationships with others. Pray with me that these relationships will be or become strong enough that God can use them as He wants in the second half of our stay.

Third, daily food - the rains have arrived and the reservoirs are filling. Dad tells me that the weather forecast for Lubango makes interesting reading - one night had 80mm (over three inches) of rainfall predicted three days ahead, although the prediction had fallen to a mere (!) 60mm by the time the day arrived. But the rains have arrived too late for much of this harvest. Already I have the impression that food prices are starting to move upwards in the city, and not very far from the city there are signs of hunger.

Snippets from that string of EMAILs from around the world:

• Hannah and Connie seem to have established particularly strong relationships with teaching colleagues and pupils alike - although how they have found the energy to maintain the latter astounds me; seems to be open house even after school is officially over for the day, colouring, playing "ring-a-roses" or marching around the place
  
• news from Helen and Zara - they have just finished helping with a children's club which went extremely well and they too are growing relationships both with younger children and people their own age
• Avril and Philippa are hoping to borrow an apartment for a month and are making plans to invite lots of people round for meals - always easier to chat over food
  

so much to give thanks for!