Getting on with the Work

This morning we were all to start the conference for youth leaders. We were going to start at 9:30. We were going to break at 10:30 for five minutes, then at 11 for tea, then at 1 for lunch.

That's not what happened.

It's just as well, because we didn't have a well-thought-out coordinated plan for who would do what. As it turned out, Jim got to go to the hospital and do rounds and meet with the two doctors there. So Mary and I were going to go. But then, about 9:25, Mary, Vasco, Stephen, Gordon, and I started talking about funding priorities. At 9:35 or a bit later, I said, 'Either we have to discuss this later, or Mary needs to go start the youth conference and I'll stay to talk these things over with you.' So they decided Mary could do the youth conference just fine without me.

And of course she did. She went and implemented our plan for eliciting key topics from the youth, and a bit later Jim joined her and they talked about HIV/AIDS and other medical and sociomedical issues for the rest of the day. The youth apparently were active participants and enjoyed the conference, which continues tomorrow. I felt a bit like I was throwing Mary to the wolves, but I hoped -- and I was right -- that having the group to herself would actually allow her to make a more coherent thing of the conference than it would have been if it had started out as a three-person juggling show.

Along the way, the break and tea didn't ever happen, and lunch was about half an hour late.

Meanwhile, I spent the day discussing the donations our diocese is holding for Lui and how they can best be put to use here. We discussed microfinance, which they are very keen to get into. We discussed the need for continuing support for Lunjini teachers. We discussed the bigger projects and the Big Picture. Working with Gordon, Stephen, and Vasco is a real pleasure -- we are very much all on the same wavelength as far as our shared goals go.

We also talked about the experience from January when the Baptists came while Dan, Deb, and I were still here, and it turns out that Vasco and Gordon shared our perspective on that.

Major update: Sumadhura is here. However, they cannot drill any of the wells we want to drill during the rainy season because their equipment just gets stuck on the muddy, rutted roads. I have expressed my concerns about their not drilling early this year after we sent them the money in January. But it's a moot point now. Gordon and I agreed that it's better to wait till February or March and get wells where we want them rather than drill now in only places where their equipment can reach. In fact, SUDRA has given them money for a well at the new location of the diocesan headquarters (aka office). So Sumadhura is drilling that one now and ours next year. We think the money Waters of Hope is raising might be best used for a water tower, but that's still to be discussed further. We didn't decide where to put the new wells; all the places we chose in December have already had wells put in by Oxfam or Hope International Canada or Scopas...

I'm sure there's more I should say, but I can't think what it is for now. Remember I'll be glad to try to find things out if you want to send me questions. Oh, by the way, about preaching: Jim and Mary are going to Buwagi Sunday, and Mary will preach. I will go on to Mideh and preach there (God help them). And then we all go to Lui Parish for Pentecost, and Jim will preach. Feel free to send us preaching pointers :)