Back to school in Lubango

I mentioned the church at Lalula briefly in the last blog. Too late I realised that I hadn't given any background information - so here it is.

Marcela has been here for over 3 months now, and her ministry learning medicine from Steve has ended. For her last few weeks here she is teaching English at a smaller church towards the outskirts of the city, in a bairro called Lalula. I have gone along once or twice to give her what help I could.

On one of these occasions I spent the second teaching period talking to some guys of around my age. Their English is considerably more advanced, mostly because they have spent time in Namibia. At least one of them was asking all sorts of questions about what it's like to be a Christian, and what you get out of it, that kind of thing. They were also stressing their desire for someone to provide English tuition at their more advanced level.

I'm sure you can guess what's coming next. Actually, I'm just at the thinking-about-it stage, considering doing something with these guys two or three nights a week. My plan is forming around John R. Cross's The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus, which essentially sets out to explain the Bible and its message. I have got my hands on a copy of the book (I think it's Steve and Peggy's) in English, and Becky has a Study Guide, also in English.

Please ask God to give me wisdom about what to do, how to plan it, which bits of the book to use (I don't think we will have time to do it all) and so on. Wisdom would be especially appreciated on how many and which nights to go to Lalula in terms of time- and health-management!

Marcela and I have also been enlisted along with Becky to help run an English festival in one of the Government schools on June 24th. Most of our involvement will be at the preparation stage as we teach various poems, fables, songs, games and so on. Our contact, Pastor Mauricio, also said something about rhythmic gymnastics. None of us has any ability in such an area, and with an expected turnout of around 400 people we are hoping that this might slip off the agenda! Meanwhile, please pray for us as we get stuck into planning the event and that God will be with us in our communications and meetings (two so far, both in Portuguese) with Pastor Mauricio, so that we can all understand one another clearly and be heading for the same goal.

You may have been aware for a while that there have been news reports of cholera in Angola. I now understand that the first cases in Lubango have been reported. Whilst prayers for our spritual and physical health are always much appreciated and very important, we are in the fortunate position of having ready access to both filtered water and medical advice. We therefore have little to worry about - it's basically being sure to wash hands and food thoroughly and frequently. Cholera is also easily treated if caught early and we have all been well informed of the symptoms. But please pray for those around the city who either do not have the literacy to know about the precautions or do not have the facilities to take them - and for those who are already ill or grieving the loss of a loved one to this disease.

After three post-less weeks, I have been inundated with letters and parcels this week. So much to reply to now! Thank you very much to all who have written over the last few months. In the light of experience I strongly suggest that anything which has not been put in the post box by June 10th should be addressed to me at my home address, or at Wetheringsett, rather than here in Lubango. Even then, it might not get here until after I have left ...