Today we travelled to Kikore which is a village we had visited in 2014. It is also the village where the Rev John Bei (who visited Whangaparaoa in November 2017) grew up and we met his mother, brother and cousin.
The steep, rocky road we used last time is now completely impassable because of winter flooding, so we had to go the long way around. Fortunately the Chinese-built tarmac road is very smooth and has taken a lot of time from the overall length of the trip. Unfortunately, the Chinese presence in the country has opened up a problem in that they are buying many donkeys to send to China to be eaten. Now the donkey population of Tanzania is 30% of what it was a few years ago. The government has not yet placed any protection on donkeys so the significant place they hold in agriculture, haulage of water and transport is in danger.
I had a conversation with Lilian Gaula on the way to the guest house we are staying in tonight. She says that despite the years of basic education and then theological education and ordination training she has received, she still did not know how to deal with curses until we came to Tanzania to help them. Curses are very common here, so this practical teaching has been very important in her pastoral care practice.
Also, Bishop Given told Ian that when we come with our teams, there is significant subsequent growth in the parishes we visit. How encouraging! ...Today Ian taught on how to receive forgiveness for sin and how to forgive those who have hurt us this gaining freedom from bitterness and the knock-on health problems which seem to follow our harbouring a chronic, unforgiving attitude. Tomorrow and Saturday we return to Kikore for further teaching sessions then go back to attend the Sunday Cathedral morning service.
The steep, rocky road we used last time is now completely impassable because of winter flooding, so we had to go the long way around. Fortunately the Chinese-built tarmac road is very smooth and has taken a lot of time from the overall length of the trip. Unfortunately, the Chinese presence in the country has opened up a problem in that they are buying many donkeys to send to China to be eaten. Now the donkey population of Tanzania is 30% of what it was a few years ago. The government has not yet placed any protection on donkeys so the significant place they hold in agriculture, haulage of water and transport is in danger.
I had a conversation with Lilian Gaula on the way to the guest house we are staying in tonight. She says that despite the years of basic education and then theological education and ordination training she has received, she still did not know how to deal with curses until we came to Tanzania to help them. Curses are very common here, so this practical teaching has been very important in her pastoral care practice.
Also, Bishop Given told Ian that when we come with our teams, there is significant subsequent growth in the parishes we visit. How encouraging! ...Today Ian taught on how to receive forgiveness for sin and how to forgive those who have hurt us this gaining freedom from bitterness and the knock-on health problems which seem to follow our harbouring a chronic, unforgiving attitude. Tomorrow and Saturday we return to Kikore for further teaching sessions then go back to attend the Sunday Cathedral morning service.
Some of the team from Whangaparaoa and Rangiora next to Lilian Gaula: Ian, Andrew Allan-Johns, John Mock, Diane Carss.
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