Guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life. Proverbs 4:23

As we prepare to return to the UK in a few days we are all three feeling very weary and exhausted. It is not just a physical tiredness but it is actually a lot more than that. Doing the work that we do drains us spiritually, emotionally and all the rest!

A couple of days ago we were invited to breakfast with Bishop Louis and Pastor Winnie at the Hotel Gorillas in town. It was a rare treat to have some downtime with the two of them.

Since our huge avocado tree was cut down we had an ugly stump and a badly stained wall in our back garden. But the stump is slowly being covered in ivy and Susan has been repainting the wall to create a lovely sun-trap in the corner. We got some plant pots in town and raided the gardens of various friends for plants to put in them. The place is looking brighter already.

A few days ago we visited a vocational training centre in Gikondo, near the centre of Kigali. It was a bit of an inspiration to see such a well run, busy institution catering for around 200 young people. The pastor in charge was so welcoming and helpful and it gave us a lot to think about with respect to the Mango Tree sewing workshop.

 Another surprise visit was to the Mango Tree Church chicken project. We set off in the diocesan pickup truck to go miles up country with Rev Anastase. It is a big project with a lot of hens and while we were there we bought some fabulous new laid eggs to bring home for our tea!

 

Winnie and Louis visit the OEW ministry centre.

The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars. Psalm 29:5

On Sunday after church we wanted to visit the grave of Mama Godanse, a dear deaf lady of 82, who died a couple of months ago. We wanted to leave some flowers and and pay our respects to the family. We set off in the diocesan pick-up with  Pastor Anastase to travel the relatively short distance involved. We were nearly there when the most almighty storm struck - thunder and lightening, big hailstones and gallons and gallons of water from on high. We had to stop and turn round as there was no point trying to continue.

As we headed back down the mud road the water got deeper and deeper and we had to force our way through the branches of a fallen tree across the road until we came to a halt because there were two or three very big trees down across the complete width of the road. Looking back we saw that a following lorry had toppled over into a drainage ditch thereby blocking our retreat the way we had come. Snookered! We had to sit there and watch the flood water rising up the vehicle. The military camp was nearby and we hoped they might come and help - but no! They were more concerned with their own problem - a tree that had gone through the roof of a building on the camp.

We sat for a couple of hours, getting reports from passers-by (picking their way gingerly through the mud and flood water) about the number of trees down between us and the main road - not good! Eventually the rain stopped and the water level went down a bit - so Pastor Anastase ventured out on foot up towards the village. He returned with a machete in his hand which he gave to a wee man to use on the fallen tree behind us. He did a good job - hacking off big branches, bit by bit until there was a way through. Boniface the driver turned the pick-up round and eventually we found our way through back tracks to the main road. What an adventure - I was so relieved I had not volunteered to drive us to Mama's grave myself! We were really thankful that we were not killed by falling trees. It seems that the earth tremors we have been experiencing during last week may have loosened the trees at the roots. That is what people are saying anyway!

Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and obey it. Luke 11:28

This mission trip the focus is on the deaf - particularly those who come to the Mango Tree Church in Kanombe. One thing I have been learning since working alongside Ruth and Susan of Open Hands is the plight of many deaf people in Rwanda. I suppose I am like many hearing people, both here and in the UK, in failing to really understand just how isolated and difficult it is when you cannot communicate.

In Rwanda, the deaf are on the whole regarded as very low down the pecking order of society and many hearing people think that the deaf are not able to learn or be educated, or even hold down a job of work. Many are very poor and quite often the parents feel ashamed about their deaf offspring and they tend to have low expectations for the future. It is often impossible for them to get jobs - especially in the rural areas. In Kigali city they do have more and better opportunities. But for many the only option is to beg on the streets and many are very vulnerable to exploitation because they cannot complain or express their feelings and views very easily. They really have very little voice to say what they need.

As for schooling, few can access the education suitable to their needs. Some attend mainstream schools but they face many difficulties because there are no interpreters and they have to lip-read, which means they miss a lot of what the teachers say. The few who make it to secondary education or university also struggle because of lack of interpreters to help them.

Many churches are not aware of the numbers of deaf people who live in their parishes. They are often 'invisible' for reasons stated above. Deaf people tend to be excluded from society as a whole - not deliberately but because most people simply do not understand.

This week we are holding a Special Week for the Deaf at the Mango Tree Church. It is a wonderful opportunity for the deaf who attend the church and their deaf friends from around the area to come together for fellowship as 'Deaf'. It is very important work because most of them are very lonely at home. While with us this week they will learn about Jesus and the Bible. Many of them cannot read or understand the Bible and they like to be taught with the use of pictures or sign language. As well as the Bible they can learn to do different craft activities while relaxing and enjoying themselves. They play games and have fun together as there is generally very little fun in their lives.We provide good food for them as well meaning that they have a sociable time and are also well nourished while they are with us.

In addition to the group activities, time is set aside for one to one ministry, listening to their problems and concerns and praying with them. They receive clothes, shoes and toys for the children during the week. These deaf children and hearing children of deaf mothers need the toys to help with their learning and development. We teach them games like skipping, frisbee, volleyball and badminton that they can then play after we go.

The members of the Mango Tree Church are well integrated with this group and some help us during the week with child-minding, cooking and serving the deaf. We also get contact with the parents and siblings of the deaf children. Another thing we can do is to encourage them to pray, sing, do drama and give testimony in sign language.

In the four years that Open Hands has been developing this work at the Mango Tree Church we have seen lives changed for the better and confidence increasing. The contact with hearing people in the church has increased - they are now much less wary of the deaf than they were. Two of our deaf young adults are now serving as stewards/ushers in the church on a Sunday morning. Others have been baptised and confirmed having accepted Jesus into their lives and who have begun developing into more mature Christians.

Because of sponsorship from friends in the UK some have been able to go to school - some to mainstream schools and others to deaf schools. Others in the group can now communicate in sign language - where they were unable to so so before.We as a team have benefited hugely from their friendship and love for us. It is through their encouragement to us that we keep on going! The MTC deaf group as a whole has grown from 17 to 50 in four years which is both remarkable and very rewarding.

As iron sharpens iron. Proverbs 27:17

I have now been in Rwanda for a week but the internet connection has not been all that good this time, hence my long silence. The first week was mainly settling back in and renewing contacts and seeing old friends.

At the weekend I was invited to the formal betrothal ceremony of the daughter of Robert and mama Peace in an enormous festive marquee in their garden round the corner from here. There were many from the Mango Tree Church present so I was among friends. It was very colourful, with a lot of formal speeches and banter from the men of each family. Then the girl and boy were brought in and presented to the families for formal approval of the match. Finally traditional dancers performed and then everyone queued up for food. I left at that point because I wanted to get home before it got dark.

The Alpha Community Academy is on holiday for the long end of year vacation - so it is extremely quiet on the campus. One or two staff are around but otherwise I have been on my own. Due to a generous gift from a friend of the school I was able to go and buy 4 computers for the school and we took delivery of them the next day.

Last evening Ruth and Susan arrived from Wales. Their plane was very late due to freezing fog in Amsterdam but their welcome meal was outside on the balcony where it was a very warm and pleasant change from chilly Britain. Now the work starts in earnest. The team is assembled and ready to go. Today we have been reviewing the whole scope of the work with the deaf group at the Mango Tree church and tomorrow we will put together the programme for next week's Bible Week at the church. I have been able to communicate much better than before with Susan now that I have a rudimentary degree of sign language to work with. She is very patient with me.

I would ask for prayer for the deaf group, that they would come and really benefit from hearing God's word during this week. Pray for us that we can communicate clearly. This is by no means simple because we will be working in two spoken languages, two sign languages and lip-speaking in Kinyarwanda - all at the same time with a number of interpreters. I am amazed that it is even possible! Pray for our energy levels to be maintained and for God's name to be glorified.

....fellow worker in the gospel of Christ... 1 Thess 3:2

Tomorrow I set off on another 'exploit for the Lord' and today I have time to reflect and prepare myself mentally and physically. Sitting here in my little house, looking out over the water towards the mountains I really give thanks for the beauty of creation.

My reading from Oswald Chambers this morning reminds me that my own perception of my purpose in life is not what matters. What does matter is that I belong to God and that he has moved me into his purposes throughout the world, through the Holy Spirit. All he asks of me is that I trust him and step out wherever he leads me.

This is both sobering and comforting. What 'I' want is neither here nor there, but allowing God to work through me takes absolute faith in him and his goodness.

I will ponder these thoughts today as I potter about tidying up loose ends and finishing my packing. 

Getting ready for Rwanda once more...

In about four weeks the early morning flight to Kigali will take off with me on board and a week after that it will bring Ruth and Susan over from South Wales to join me in the ministry centre at Kanombe.

Together we will be working with the deaf folk at the Mango Tree Church, which is a short distance from the ministry centre. We were all there seven months ago in April so we are eager to see how the sewing workshop is doing. We left them with quite a challenging task to try and build up their customer base for the crafts and baby clothes they are making at the church. Hopefully, while we are there, we will be able to see the workshop moved upstairs into a bigger work space as we have heard that the outside staircases now have safety handrails in place.

The main event is going to be a week of bible teaching, arts and crafts, games and good food for around fifty deaf young people to be held in the church. For me this is going to be a new challenge of communication as I have been taking British Sign Language classes at Donaldson's School for the Deaf in Linlithgow. Even though I am very much a beginner it will be fun to communicate in sign to our deaf friends. Many Rwandese signs are quite different but with Susan and Ruth's help and the confidence I have gained by going to these classes I am really looking forward to joining in with the teaching and the fun!

The Lord takes delight in his people

Just back from an amazing day at the leprosy village! We set off in convoy this morning - the ambulance, the car we travel in and the old work-horse of a jeep with hot food for lunch for 125 people on board. Julie and I had prayed specifically that the railway crossing gates would raise as we drove up to them (these gates are just by the village and last two times we had to wait between 20 and 25 minutes before they let us through).

The gates raise as we drive towards them!

On arrival in Vetapalam we were greeted with the sight of the whole village gathered in their groups, each with their group leader in a white sari, soaking their feet and chatting animatedly. There was a terrific buzz going on, faces were shining and we were very touched by the greeting we had - flower garlands and flower petals scattered on our heads - it was wonderful.

We had a time of singing and we all spoke to the people. Julie encouraged them to continue with the group soaking and oiling of feet and she thanked them all for their participation. Certificates were presented to each group leader and small gift given in recognition of the hard work and effort they had put in.

The Magnificent Seven!

The doctor set up his consulting table under the awning and was assisted by Kanna, a nursing graduate who will be working full-time with the mobile clinic and assisting the doctor, All the nasty ulcers and infected wounds were cleaned and dressed. Julie and I were thrilled to see the feet of one man who had two horrible infected sores on his feet 9 days ago - when he showed us them today the sores had dried up and shrunk significantly - due to the soaking and oiling regime. He was delighted!

The doctor and the nurse / medical assistant

The orthotist shoemaker had brought ten pairs of custom made shoes that he has made since last week. So after those people had their feet dressed and bandaged the shoe-maker fitted them with their new shoes.

Each pair is made-to-measure

There was much excitement as people received their own brand new, made-to-measure shoes.

After all this the team set up trestle tables under the awning and lunch was served to the whole community. It has been a fantastic day.

Though it linger, wait for it

Then the Lord replied:

"Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it.

For the revelation awaits an appointed time; It speaks of the end and it will not prove false.

Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and not delay."

I had a clear revelation that we would have an ambulance / mobile clinic for the leprosy work when I was in the shower one morning in India two Christmases ago. It was as clear as day that this was the vision for OEW for 2011. At the time it seemed an impossible dream for such a small ministry to undertake

However, I returned to Scotland and made up a special PowerPoint presentation and I then told my church and several other churches, individuals and groups about this vision.

One of many ambulances considered but rejected.

Gradually the funding came in, then groups of folk held fund-raising events such as a highly successful bag and scarf sale in Larkhall, a wonderful Golden Oldies night of songs and music in our church building, and most recently a superb Multi-Media Quiz night in Linlithgow. People caught the vision and wanted to help.

Jim and Cis who organised the Golden Oldies Night

But still we did not have enough. We prayed about it and continued the communication efforts to all and sundry. A little more came in but still not enough.

Mark - our fantastic Quiz Master!

For all these events many volunteers helped, selling tickets, making jars of home made marmalade to sell on the stalls, baking cakes for the refreshments, shifting furniture, setting up the sound systems and computer links etc.

Almost 100 people came to the quiz

Well,  I arrived in India three weeks ago and still no ambulance purchased. It takes time to source and negotiate for the right one. In the meantime REAP India were building a large vehicle shed / garage on land at the back of their HQ. Of course they need somewhere to keep it safe when it is not on the road. But Julie and I kept praying that it would come before we leave at the weekend.

Then yesterday evening at the end of the EARE/REAP India pastors' meeting our ambulance arrived from Bangalore. We were all so joyful to see it come around the corner with blue light flashing and the siren singing out praises to God! (Well that is what it seemed like to us!)

Everyone cheering our first sight of it!!

The eagle has landed!

Dedication of the new ambulance

                               Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and not delay.

The birds of the air, and the fish of the sea

Over the past couple of years On Eagles Wings has been supporting Reap India in some income generating and community projects. I want to give a brief update report for our supporters who helped us to finance these initiatives.

The poultry farm which was purchased last year is now well established. There are two new full-time farm workers in charge of the chicken production and the first 5,000 chickens have been raised from chick to table size in a large airy barn with open mesh sides and freedom to move about to feed, drink and 'socialise'. The second batch are almost ready to go to market. Baby chicks are being started off in another barn next door ready to move into the main unit when they have been sold.

Our new baby chicks

 There is still a little work to be finished - reflooring the main shed, new roofs for the workers' houses and, in due course, the construction of a second rearing shed. Reap India plans to do all this by re-investing the proceeds of the sale of the chickens. I noted many improvements from my first visit last December.

The main rearing shed

 The second income generating project that OEW helped to get going was a fish farming venture. We were able to grant enough money for the first year's lease on two large fish-ponds and the yield so far has been excellent. They have produced several tons of high quality fish which fetch very good prices from the wholesalers.

This one was deemed 'rather small'!

Yesterday we were hoping to witness the 'big catch'. For days now the water has been pumped out of the pond into local irrigation canals to lower the water level and make the catch easier. The weather is unsettled at the moment and if it rains heavily the fish start jumping and cannot be so easily caught. It has been a waiting game for the past few days.



Pumping out the pond water

Last evening we were taken to the pond to see fish being caught by a local fisherman using a circular net. However this is not how they finished the job - it was eventually done between midnight and 03.00 with 25 men and huge nets and mechanical lifting equipment. They caught two tons but the rain started heavily and a further ton jumped out of the nets. They will return and expect at least another two tons. Last night's catch was in the fish market in Vijayawada this morning.


It is so encouraging to see these ventures taking off so well. They are providing local employment but more importantly they are generating income to run the ministry and feed the orphans cared for by Reap India.

A final report back about the housing project in the dalit village, Inavolu, which OEW helped with in 2009/2010. At that time the village people were desperate for proper housing as part of a government sponsored scheme. The Indian government promised to pay half if the recipients would pay the other half - but of course, the dalits had nothing but their labour to offer. OEW provided the means to purchase the building materials and Reap India supervised the building work done by the villagers themselves.

Housing in Inavolu in 2009

We went on a visit to the village and the people were very excited to see us and we spent time with them in the church building. It was lovely to see all the new houses and one or two more still under construction. They are very happy with their houses.
With the help and generosity of UK donors Reap India were able to construct more than 20 houses

One of the new concrete houses in Inavolu

A very big thank you to all the friends and supporters who donated towards these worthwhile projects.

And as they went they were cleansed

On Monday we set out with the team to make the two hour (normally) drive to Vetapalam, near Chirala. The roads were very busy and we had several  hold-ups en route. Road travel in India is very dangerous, with traffic doing what it pleases - this includes going the wrong way along dual carriage ways if it will shave off a little distance, no-one looking when coming out of side turnings and people overtaking on both sides of the vehicle. Couple that with no seatbelts and drivers who insist on long conversations on their mobile phones and you will get the picture! At one point the road disappeared completely and our "short-cut" delayed us an extra 45 minutes onto the journey.

Everyone was waiting expectantly when we eventually arrived - our group leaders in their white saris and the one man in a white jacket all looked very smart and their faces were shining.

We got down to business, distributing plastic bowls to all the adults and explaining what we were going to do. Each leader gathered their group members and sat in a small circle soaking and oiling the feet and hands. We got water from the pump and each leader was given a couple of small pots of petroleum jelly - we will bring more next week so that each person will have their own pot of jelly to go with their own bowl.

It was an amazing sight to see the whole village soaking their feet and hands together. Julie told me that in all her experience in Nepal and Sudan she had never encountered such a well motivated group and had never seen so many people (around 77) willing to co-operate and go through this process. Praise the Lord!

While the feet were soaking we checked the eyes of each person for signs of nerve damage and lack of blink reflex. We gave these folk sunglasses, and an eye mask for use at night.

We then inspected everyone's feet to assess who needed custom made shoes to protect them from injury. Some of their feet were very deformed and could not use normal sandals at all. One lady only had rags tied round her toe-less feet, other people were barefoot with infected sores on their soles. 

We identified 25 urgent cases which were immediately referred to the specialist orthotist shoemaker, who was with us. He will measure up each person and make individual patterns for them. Then he will custom make each pair with English leather uppers, MCR insoles and hard-wearing soles. 

Each pair will cost around £20.00, which is a fraction of what they would cost in UK. When I worked in the orthotics field in the early 1980s such shoes would cost more than £200!

When I get home I am going to ask if people would consider sponsoring a pair of shoes for one of these folk. 

Donations can be made directly via our website which is www.oewcompassion.org.uk.

The Final Day of Training

They came again – all seven from the village

Rising at 4.00 am to make the trip

Struggling to climb into the train’s dark carriage

No strength or feeling in their hands to grip.

Each day they came to learn to care for others

To teach and problem solve for friends so dear

They could not read or write to help their learning

And yet their motivation was so clear.

At last they learned and in their new gained wisdom

They travelled home with hearts and minds aglow

Their faces shone in eager expectation

Of all the things that they could share and show

God, keep these people ever in your blessing

Help them to feel your presence ever near

Help them to know and love their village neighbours

And take away all doubt and cares and fear.

By Julie Woodford

Therefore strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees

Our final day of classroom teaching for our seven delegates was on Friday, then it is out to the village on Monday to assess them as group leaders for real. They have been fantastic! Not one of them can read or write but they have learned what we have shared with them really well. We have six women and one man and the ages range from 18 to 70. Each morning they have got up at 4am to catch the train to Tenali. Sudheer and his team collect them from the station in a vehicle and give them all breakfast as soon as they get here. Then they have a cooked lunch at 12.15 with a final teaching session from 1pm to 2pm - then it is time to get he train back to Vetapalam, their village.

Every morning the first thing they do is inspect their feet for cracks, new sores or infections. Then they soak their feet and hands in cool water to soften the skin, before rubbing in petroleum jelly. This retains the water in the skin and helps to soften it.

Topics covered in the training include care of eyes - leprosy patients lose feeling in the face and eyes can easily be infected because some cannot close their eyes or blink. Eye masks in bed and sunglasses by day help a lot to protect the cornea.

On Friday the class was held in the open air on someone's porch across the road. Our usual training room was the place for the weekly prayer and fasting meeting by the EARE Ministries prayer warriors. It was much cooler under the canopy and trees and it was a welcome break from routine for all of us.

A comic skit was performed by yours truly - to demonstrate all the wrong things in a comical way and they had to spot the deliberate mistakes - we were trying to vary our teaching style to make the learning points memorable for people who had no means of taking written notes.

Lifting a metal cooking pot off the fire with bare hands!!! Not good!

Carrying rough sticks for the fire the correct way - wrapped in a protective cloth

We finished the day with an oral test with each person answering a set of prepared questions. Everyone passed their oral test and we concluded by presenting the women with a white sari and the man with a white shirt and dhoti  (their 'badge of office' as group leaders.

Our group photo, including the specialist shoemaker (left) who joined us for the day

Tomorrow (Monday) we go out to the village to oversee the practicals - where each leader will teach their group and we will check out how they get on. We are very happy with how well they have done. Praise the Lord!