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.