Bible school students

This is me in full teaching mode - Riziki is standing next to me and she is head of the Bible School. I asked the students to write their names out in the same order as in the photo so I could try to learn them. I've been teaching them Old Testament, Theology and English - the last is not my favourite, but we muddle through.

I'm still doing my weekly commute to Kilolo for the teaching at both schools - two days at the Secondary, and a day at the BS. The rest of my time is spent travelling, lesson prep and having fun with friends!

Doors and windows

This is the latest view of the house in Kilolo. It has doors and windows, but no ceiling yet, or washing facilities. The Academic Dean is on the right in the picture, and another teacher has the keys in his hand. They will be my neighbours when I move into the new house. It may be a month or two yet.

I am happy where I am living outside Iringa. It means I can visit old friends more easily, and I also have electricity, access to the internet and other luxuries which won't be available so easily in Kilolo.

back on my bike again

I've been silent for a while because I had malaria or something! Was laid flat for a few days, so went to stay with my good friends David and Elizabeth Phillips on a nearby farm. They looked after me and got me back into working order. I managed to get to Kilolo to teach in the Bible School as usual, and met up with a visiting building team from Tearfund. They were fun to spend time with. Now they've gone, but more teams are on their way. I'm off to Kilolo today on the bus, but when I'm in town it's the bike I like...

getting to the other side

This morning I woke up in a beautiful campsite after a fun evening with the people learning language there. I had to get to town early, and that involved a 20 minute walk along the river to a pulley crossing (you can see the rope and the seat - above my head in the picture - it's quite safe, just a bit scary to look at)...then a climb up the hill on the other side to my friends' house where a car goes in to town to take the kids to school. It was an early start, so I had to have a rest when I got back to my house! Then I cycled back in to town, and now I'm relaxing again...

The secondary school has exams, so I am teaching at the bible school only for a month. Nice to have time to catch my tail. Why do I keep going round in circles? (only joking.)

fresh corn!

The season for roasted corn has arrived, so after a long day of teaching, I enjoyed this amazing refresher from Hope's garden (shamba). It helps keep the hunger away until the evening meal!

Hey, my house in Kilolo is coming on - the people there were putting in the floor when I visited them last week! This is my teaching gear...

Still going three days a week and staying with Hope who lives in the village in a rented house. Very kind of her. I'm finding the teaching great - didn't expect to enjoy it so much, but I guess I have a God who knows and loves me more than ever.

The mango season is over, but I'm eating mulberries given to me by Elizabeth and David, grown on their farm, where I go at weekends for a break.

Hey I visited the new house last week and this is what I saw... No worries, as I have a very comfortable house just outside Iringa at the school for deaf children run by the Diocese. I am teaching two days a week at the moment, so go and stay with friends each week. Hope is Secretary to the headmaster of St Michael's school, and Riziki is head of the Bible School, so I take it in turns with each of them.

I'm loving it, and at last getting used to the altitude - felt quite tired at first.