Netball!

Yes, many of you know that this is a passion of mine and I am praying that here it will be a tool of outreach. I have started coaching the girls netball teams, who previously had no coach. There is one teacher in charge of sport at school and he is the only one taking care of the hour of sport every afternoon which is a challenge when there are 350 students! So naturally, this being Africa, he coaches the boys soccer team and the rest are left to sort themselves out.

The girls have been very welcoming and my first afternoon was rather amusing. They have clearly read the rules, but having never had a coach or seen the game played (as far as I can gather) the application was a little interesting. My first task has therefore been to re-teach them how to play the game. It's been fun, especially trying to communicate with some of the form ones who barely know English as they have just started at secondary school.

There are only about 14-21 girls who show up for practices and I have decided not to go chasing after the others. This gives me the opportunity to get to know a smaller group well. I've begun praying with them and they have welcomed me to spend time at the dorms, which is really encouraging. Hopefully more will join as they see a bond forming with myself and the teams. Please pray that I will have much opportunity to input into the lives of these girls.

Some may wonder, why at a Christian school, I place so much value on this as a ministry. The thing is, from my observations, Christianity really is a label here. Everyone has a label of some sort, Catholic, Seventh Day Adventist, Simply Christian, or they may define it to protestant or baptist and then of course there is some Islam in the community also. This, however, is often where it ends. They probably attend church most Sundays, but in daily life there isn't much more thought given to the subject. There doesn't seem to be much teaching about living a godly life in response to the gift of Jesus Christ. So, I hope to give these girls an example in my own small way and the encouragement and love they need to build up a living faith. Eventually I hope to do Bible studies and topical discussions that relate to their lives and how they may be servants also. So I ask that you please pray for this area of my work that I may get to know these girls, their concerns, their joys and their desires and so, that I may love them and encourage them in their faith.

The next big task that lies ahead is actually choosig a team to represent the school in the interschool competition which will start...well...I don't know when exactly. Communication isn't big on the list of things to do here so I'll just have to make sure I'm prepared. I would guess early March.

I hope to have a few photos added to this site soon, but please be patient as the connection is slow and intermittent.

In His service,
Marlene

From broken mast to school opening

A few photo's with comments of happenings as quoted from Margaret's newsletter - Margaret is the wife of missionary Andy Andersen in Kahunda

Broken mast

Margaret wrote: This last Sunday, while sailing home from the new church plant at Burongero, our mast tang snapped up on top of the mast which caused the entire mast to lose its balance in the wind. The mast, sail and boom came crashing down on the four on board! Our new volunteer, Marlene, was on the side where the mast and boom landed! We PRAISE GOD that she was not hurt at all as the mast and boom landed on either side of her—she was only pinned down by the sail which came to rest on top of her. Thank you, God, for this miracle in protecting her life and that all of us were safe as we limped home! This was Marlene's first time out with us on the lake, but being a good New Zealander she, took it all in stride! The catamaran will now be out of operation as a sailboat until we can get replacement parts, but Andy will continue to use the hull with the 3 hp engine to power out to the islands.
















Opening of school/kindergarten.




Quoting Margaret again:
Thank you to those who prayed for the launching of Lake Victoria Christian School! Classes began on January 11th with 40 students enrolled, ages 4–8. We now have 46 Kindergartners enrolled in this first class and 42 more on a waiting list for a second class which hopefully will open later this year. With classes this large, a lot of the focus has been classroom management and learning routine this last week, as well as learning the kids' names! None of the students speak English, yet the parents want this to be an English medium school, so the challenges are great, but they are learning quickly!

Kahunda

Monkeys outside my my room (the photo is fuzzy from the mozzy screen on the window)
My room - I'm making new curtains!

This is our house. I share this with Kim, a health worker from USA

Kahunda Village

Arriving in Tanzania

Selling fruit as the bus passes through
Mwanza Granite Rocks
Mwanza city centre as seen from the ferry

First there was a stop at the gate of the Serengeti after which we went on to Mwanza and the next day from Mwanza to Kahunda.

From Nairobi to Kahunda

A sugar cane truck
The coutryside outside Kisii
Tea Coutry with huts everywhere
This is the Rift Valley, coming down from Nairobi to the border of Tanzania.
These are the first photo's . As the computer is very slooooow, they will come in drips and drabs.

The New Adventure

Hi Everyone, so in preparation for my new adventure I've udated my blog and will use it again while away this time round...
The count down has started. In 16 days I will fly out (Lord willing) to SA to catch up with family and friends before heading to Nairobi for orientation on the 4th of Jan. It will definately be a whole new adventure as I assume it will be a fair bit different from southern Africa. Anyway, I'll keep you posted.

Blessings!

PHOTOS!

At Last! A long time promised and now finally here. Enjoy!

Dipuo enjoys the sprinklers on one of the hottest days.

Nkamo and Dipuo

Nkamo and Ariel after playing in the nice cool water.

Santie painting faces.

Shelaine helped too!

This little lady liked her face painted.

Nkamo and I with his artworkon my face! :)

Neme and her son with his face all painted.

Seeing all those faces being painted was thirsty work!

We returned tothe compound to find that the men had caught a snake when moving an old tent. It was still alive when we arrived, but here it's clearly seen better days.

It's a puff adder for those who are wondering. :)

Before this particular group arrived they prayed for rain on the dry world around us. Whilethey were there we were blessed with 39mm of rain. God is good and does answer prayer, so keep on praying!

(P.S. I do know the names of the children that aren't named in this update, but my relationship with them isn't such that I feel I can go publish it on the net. :)