Today seems an appropriate day to break the blogging silence. It's been so long that it's not worth me commenting on all that has passed except to mention that today is, as well as being my birthday, the four month 'un-iversary' of the start of my relationship with Lesley. That perhaps goes some way to explaining the demise of my blogging (or at least the initial cessation).
The rains started here on Friday and it's rained again today. The smell is great, it reminds me of the start of the year and makes me want to stay on longer here. I am at peace about coming home though. It has been great to be here but I know it's right now for me to go back to the UK and begin the next phase of my life (whatever that may be). I'll be based, initially at least, at home with my family in Rothwell. I don't know yet what's in store but I know I'll need some kind of employment soonish to tide me over. As for the longer term I don't want to start anything new until October so that I can take proper time out to recover and process all that God has been doing these past two years.
My birthday celebrations have been great. I started the day with the sunrise in the pavillion (a gazebo type structure built as the result of a yr8 DT project). This was followed by bacon, eggs & beans cooked for me by Lesley. It has been a normal school day and so I was teaching this morning but it was quite fun, especially when it started raining at about nine o'clock. BCS birthdays are celebrated after siesta with a cake and an opportunity for people to give gifts and cards. As usual the collection of gifts was quite random but it's the thought that counts and many of the thoughts were very encouraging as they confirmed the quality of some of my relationships with the kids. It'll be very hard to say goodbye at the end of the year.
This evening I'm celebrating privately by hosting a three course meal for selected friends from the staff team. Lesley and I went shopping in Saly on Saturday both for inspiration and ingredients. I need to go home now and continue cooking and preparing the house.
Please pester me if this post is becoming lonely.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Friday, January 11, 2008
WEC Senegal Field Conference 2008
Sorry for not blogging much over Christmas and New Year. My evenings
have been filled with socialising so I've not had time.
Term starts on Tuesday and the kids arrive back on Monday afternoon. I'm
feeling incredibly unprepared having not realised how little time there
was between the end of conference and the start of term and not being as
productive as I'd hoped during my time set aside for lesson prep.
Conference has been great. I've been able to get to much more of the
sessions this year (although I've still had to miss some in order to do
school work). It's been a real privilege to lead the field in sung
worship and God has been at work amongst us. The first few days were
focussed on prayer and listening to God after which we moved into
business and the formal side of things. One thing which has been
constant throughout the week has been the sharing of short testimonies
from each field member at the start of meetings. Across the week we've
heard two minutes from each person about what God has been doing in
their life over the past year. It's been very interesting to listen to
all the stories. One thing which struck me through these testimony times
was a common theme of brokenness, disappointment, weariness and
weakness. But, at the same time, there was also a sense of faith and
perseverance and many people spoke of God's faithfulness in provision of
needs: spiritual, emotional and physical.
Over the week we've been seeking, as a field, to hear God's voice; in
particular regarding our vision and direction for the future. His
response has been a difficult one for a field in such dire personnel
difficulty and with ministries considering shutting down: 'Keep praying,
keep seeking my face...'. We have to trust in his promise that one day
Senegalese believers from every people group and language will stand
before the throne of God in heaven, made right with him through the
blood of Jesus. (Revelation 7:9-10)
There was also much encouragement. As a field we were blessed to hear
feedback from the 'Alliance d'Eglises Evangelique au Senegal', the group
of churches that has been already planted by various WEC missionaries
and is now growing and beginning to take up the baton of sharing the
good news with their own people. We have also, after much recent
anticipation, seen the conversion, this week, of one of our guards here
at the school from the local village. After many conversations with
staff here and having listened to some cassettes in Wolof explaining the
history of Jesus and God's people in the bible we were able to introduce
him to one of our Senegalese AEES pastors who was representing the
church at conference who was able to really challenge him about what he
had been hearing. On Monday night this man accepted Jesus as his lord
and saviour and gave his life to him. This was a real joy for all of us
to hear and very exciting. He is the first convert from our neighbouring
village and maybe also from his people group (although I'm not sure
about that one).
I've also been encouraged personally by comments of others, spending
time in the 24/7 prayer room and by our guest speaker, Young-Choon Lee,
who's been speaking on the four pillars of WEC: holiness, faith,
fellowship and sacrifice.
Unfortunately there's been some illness going around this week and after
fighting it off for two days my body's finally given in. I've spent this
morning in bed and am writing from there. I'm disappointed to miss the
last two meetings, especially as I was supposed to lead worship in them
both, but I've been able to hear much of the singing from my room which
has been nice. I was hoping someone would come and visit so I could
request to take part in our closing communion ceremony by long distance
but no-one's come yet and they didn't think to bring the bread and wine
to the sick people. I've not taken part in communion since the start of
last term as it's not done here during term time due to the complication
of the many denominational backgrounds of families using the school.
The lunch bell went a few minutes ago, later than I thought it would, I
think my only meal today will be a packet of biscuits this evening if
I'm up to getting up and moving about by then.
have been filled with socialising so I've not had time.
Term starts on Tuesday and the kids arrive back on Monday afternoon. I'm
feeling incredibly unprepared having not realised how little time there
was between the end of conference and the start of term and not being as
productive as I'd hoped during my time set aside for lesson prep.
Conference has been great. I've been able to get to much more of the
sessions this year (although I've still had to miss some in order to do
school work). It's been a real privilege to lead the field in sung
worship and God has been at work amongst us. The first few days were
focussed on prayer and listening to God after which we moved into
business and the formal side of things. One thing which has been
constant throughout the week has been the sharing of short testimonies
from each field member at the start of meetings. Across the week we've
heard two minutes from each person about what God has been doing in
their life over the past year. It's been very interesting to listen to
all the stories. One thing which struck me through these testimony times
was a common theme of brokenness, disappointment, weariness and
weakness. But, at the same time, there was also a sense of faith and
perseverance and many people spoke of God's faithfulness in provision of
needs: spiritual, emotional and physical.
Over the week we've been seeking, as a field, to hear God's voice; in
particular regarding our vision and direction for the future. His
response has been a difficult one for a field in such dire personnel
difficulty and with ministries considering shutting down: 'Keep praying,
keep seeking my face...'. We have to trust in his promise that one day
Senegalese believers from every people group and language will stand
before the throne of God in heaven, made right with him through the
blood of Jesus. (Revelation 7:9-10)
There was also much encouragement. As a field we were blessed to hear
feedback from the 'Alliance d'Eglises Evangelique au Senegal', the group
of churches that has been already planted by various WEC missionaries
and is now growing and beginning to take up the baton of sharing the
good news with their own people. We have also, after much recent
anticipation, seen the conversion, this week, of one of our guards here
at the school from the local village. After many conversations with
staff here and having listened to some cassettes in Wolof explaining the
history of Jesus and God's people in the bible we were able to introduce
him to one of our Senegalese AEES pastors who was representing the
church at conference who was able to really challenge him about what he
had been hearing. On Monday night this man accepted Jesus as his lord
and saviour and gave his life to him. This was a real joy for all of us
to hear and very exciting. He is the first convert from our neighbouring
village and maybe also from his people group (although I'm not sure
about that one).
I've also been encouraged personally by comments of others, spending
time in the 24/7 prayer room and by our guest speaker, Young-Choon Lee,
who's been speaking on the four pillars of WEC: holiness, faith,
fellowship and sacrifice.
Unfortunately there's been some illness going around this week and after
fighting it off for two days my body's finally given in. I've spent this
morning in bed and am writing from there. I'm disappointed to miss the
last two meetings, especially as I was supposed to lead worship in them
both, but I've been able to hear much of the singing from my room which
has been nice. I was hoping someone would come and visit so I could
request to take part in our closing communion ceremony by long distance
but no-one's come yet and they didn't think to bring the bread and wine
to the sick people. I've not taken part in communion since the start of
last term as it's not done here during term time due to the complication
of the many denominational backgrounds of families using the school.
The lunch bell went a few minutes ago, later than I thought it would, I
think my only meal today will be a packet of biscuits this evening if
I'm up to getting up and moving about by then.
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