NEWS mid March 2004

As I write, I am now in the KIST Acting Principal's office, and soon to be in the Interim Dean's office, fulfilling both for the month of April. Prayer valued for this responsibility that I am taking on.

Some suspect that the recent spate of thefts at my home village is related to hunger that is striking early this year, due to a break in the rains at a critical time in the September to December growing season last year. The price of maize is already very high for this time of year. Others talk of people having been made redundant by new government laws reducing the number of people working in the transport sector, who are now stuck for an income.

Pray for peace in our villages. A night patrol of young people has been initiated by our Chief. (Thieves successfully stole a cow from a neighbouring home on 7.03.04 despite the above patrol.)

I am discovering that my old house, that I lived in from 1997 to 1998 in Ulumbi village, is being increasingly used by visitors to the church and also people praying and fasting. Give thanks for such good use being made of this resource.

Give thanks also that the children of my home were able to present a short musical drama portraying the story of the Prodigal son at my home church on a recent Sunday. It was very well received, and the children also came home content with how it went!

I have been given another YTC class to teach this term on Tuesdays, that is further away from home than any class that I have taught since 1994. I stopped overnight at the home of one of our students last Monday (the Monday and Tuesday classes are relatively close to one another). Please pray that, should that be God's plan, that our students be able to arrange a place for me to stop at overnight. Pray for my teaching at and travelling to and fro from this class. The teaching here has so far gone very well.

Pray for more of our churches to gain interest in learning God's word through our classes. Many of the churches are too prosperity oriented to be able to accept teaching that doesn't come either with demonstration of spiritual power, or a lot of money and handouts. Pray that people find a true love for the word of God.

Give thanks that teaching at the Coptic Orthodox church has continued, despite it having run aground for a couple of weeks due to a shortage of students.

Jim