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At Kayanza 

Letter No. 1,                                                                                                         February 7th 2009

Dear Family and Friends,

Thank you to all those who have sent us e-mails.

We had a quiet weekend with Steve and Anne at Kayanza although Pat preached on Sunday with Pastor Deo leading the Holy Communion service. The church now has a keyboard and Deo accompanied the hymns.

Bishop Sixbert and the diocesan team welcomed us at Ngozi on Monday morning before we were taken to Buye which is about 20 minutes up the road. Deo is driving us from Kayanza each morning in the bishop’s former Toyota land cruiser which is quite comfortable. We were all introduced to the 13 students in the Theological College of whom 7 are being trained as deacons and 6 are studying for the 1st Readers’ Certificate. Joan Botterill and I left Pat to talk to his students whilst we went off and discussed the programme for the next 2 weeks with Bibiane, Desiderata and Clothilde – all ladies with whom I worked last year. We are to see parishes in 3 of the 4 archdeaconries. There is still unrest in the 4th and it is considered unsafe for us to visit.

We’ve now been to 2 parishes about 45 minutes from Ngozi. Pastor Jean is the Diocesan Secretary and Development Officer and he has 2 other parishes and numerous church plants with Readers in charge. The church building is the third to be built on the site – each one better than the previous one. It is nearly finished and just lacks cement on the floor. Archdeacon Leonidas also has 2 other parishes and is the Diocesan treasurer and his church lacks cement on the floor, but the bricks are laid ready.

In both churches the pastor led a short service and then the M.U. leader told us of the work of the group and how they hoped to extend their work. The groups have a good influence in the parish and are a wonderful encouragement to the women in their rather drab, routine lives. In the second parish they looked so poor and gaunt and almost cowered as they sat on the benches listening to the archdeacon.

The last parish visit was to the furthest archdeaconry beyond Muyinga. We stopped at a church plant and saw a diocesan co-operative which is in improving the standard of cultivation. En route we had driven through valleys where rice is being grown by households. There are no ‘farmers’ here, but each household plants around their home and some have land in the valleys. There is very little land left for grazing. The rolling hill and steep slopes are heavily cultivated with banana trees and the seasonal crops. Each household hopes to cultivate enough for their needs and perhaps some to sell, but the rains have so often spoilt the crops – or been lacking altogether – so that there is severe famine in some parts.

We hold a specs’ clinic at the end of the time in each parish with many adults crowding round to be tested for the differing strengths. We need good organisation to prevent a scrum! So many people cannot see to read and so they give up. Receiving a pair of specs enables them to dig out their Bibles and start again with the help of children and grandchildren.

This morning (Saturday) we are free – for letter writing! – but this afternoon there is a Kayanza parish M.U. meeting which is an open invitation for any lady to attend. This is a new parish and so they are hoping that a lot of women will attend from the town and surrounding area and be drawn to the church. Pat and Joan are the guest speakers – and then there will be a Spec’s clinic!

Next week we shall be busy each day in a different parish, which is how I like it. However, it does involve sacrifice on the part of the M.U. leaders and pastor Deo who drives us – sometimes for 3 hours!

Thank you for praying for us. We appreciate your support. We are all keeping well – although I had 2 jiggers dug out of my toes this morning! 

With our love, 

Pat and Pam