Meeting together

Time together with friends, old and new, can be a chance for real refreshment. Have that time overlooking the Indian Ocean on a beautiful (if seaweed strewn!) beach and you know you are lucky!

We have just got back from our annual branch conference in Kenya which saw nearly 100 members come together from all over Tanzania and Uganda to share, learn, have fun times together, hear a teaching series from an invited speaker and of course do some business. We arrived a few days early so that Matt could be at the ‘entity committee’ (in short the policy monitoring body for the branch membership) meeting. He was not a seated (i.e. voting) member for this meeting, but as ‘1st Alternate’ he was asked to attend to ensure continuity for future meetings should he need to be ‘seated’. It was a good learning experience and a good time for us both to get some rest before the other 80-odd members arrived!

Although the large part of our time was spent in a conference room, not on the beach, it was a lovely time to relax a little away from the everyday stresses and strains of living as a ‘foreigner’ here. (Of course, still being in Africa some normal struggles were able to catch up with us and Liz spent two days out of conference in bed with a tummy bug!) We also had a good chance to catch up with some of our friends from language school who work in different parts of the country and to meet some of the new members who have joined the branch since last year. It is exciting to learn about the work others are doing and to know we are part of a bigger whole working towards one larger goal.

Now we are back in Mbeya we have just two weeks before Matt’s family come out to visit! We are really looking forward to that but have much to do before they arrive. Work wise we have application forms to assess, a Sunday School Teacher’s Workshop to teach, more basic literacy materials to produce, and branch wide literacy/Scripture Use discussions to try to promote! Practically as well, at home we have pictures and mosquito nets to hang and taps and a toilet that need fixing! Lots to pack into 10 days!