Friday 23 August 2013

A Week of Amazing Emotions

My last post was last weekend. Since then I've had one of the most amazing weeks.

Monday is "Crash Out" day in the Hutchinson household which is exactly what I did.

Early Tuesday morning (like 7 a.m.) and we were off to one of the fifteen primary schools in Kagiso Township (pronounced ka-chee-so - the ch as the Welsh or Scottish "ch" in bach or loch). The township is still growing and currently has a population of around half a million with properties ranging from "matchsticks" (what we would call little boxes) to shanty homes built from anything people can lay their hands on. In fact later in the week, when we went to Soweto, I asked why there were virtually no road signs - even major town direction signs - then I was shown one of the shanty areas, Yes, they use anything! 

In this photo taken at the school you can see that it is definitely winter here. The children were well wrapped up but shivering during their outdoor assembly - and they weren't the only ones!

 Here's Pastor Obed evangelising to the kids....

We then went to another township school which predominantly caters for immigrant children (Zambia/Zimbabwe/Botswana/etc.).

From here we did a very sensible thing for winter - we went home for PORRIDGE (British, not African!). Then straight out to "Discipleship" at Joy Centre.

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Wednesday saw Joy Centre filming a series of 30-minute chat show episodes for their TV channel which was fascinating. The leadership team at the church will take on absolutely anything. 

Here are Pastor Michael Nkome and Prophet Vaughn Hutchinson being interviewed by Paballo Matabane

Then the following day Paballo had the honour of interviewing economist Joe Dillamore from Chester


As usual Wednesday evening was "Leadership Team" at Joy Centre

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Thursday was a day I'll never forget. Don't get me wrong, every day so far has been memorable but for anyone old enough to be able to remember 16th June 1976 to be able to stand in the middle of Soweto, visit the Hector Pieterson Memorial Museum (he was the first child shot on that terrible day) with all its imagery and atmosphere and then go on to the former home of Madiba, Nelson Mandela, to stand in his kitchen, living room and bedroom was almost indescribable. Add to this the fact that Vilakazi Street is the only street in the world to have had two residents who have received the Nobel Peace Prize - Nelson Mandela and archbishop emeritus Desmond Tutu.

Here's 8115 Vilakazi Street (now Mandela House)





....and here's a painting of Madiba

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It's now Friday and this morning Joe Dillamore and I headed north to what we would call a Young Offenders' Institute with eight of Joy Centre's leadership team. We ministered at Mogale Leseding Child and Youth Care Centre in Randfontein. We split into two groups (one mzungu or "pinkie" in each). I preached for a very short time in the middle of the recreation area, then we took a short service in one of the rooms. We then joined the rest of the team and witnessed about two dozen young men give their lives to Jesus. Of course, for security reasons, there was no photography allowed in the secured area but this is the front of what is a surprisingly modern and clean facility.


What next? 10 p.m. tonight we'll be at Joy Centre for their all-night prayer meeting with communion at midnight.

Stay safe everyone and please keep in touch. 

Tlhôla sentle 

Mike




Sunday 18 August 2013

The First Few Days in Krugersdorp

Well, a very different slice of scenery now! This is northern South Africa heading towards the end of winter but with temperatures as low as three degrees celsius at night. However the sun has shone continually, although I haven't been able to see it at night, of course, since I got here last Wednesday.

The flight from Entebbe to Johannesburg with SAA was really smooth apart from a little turbulence somewhere over Zimbabwe. Dr Vaughn Hutchinson, whom I met at the Iron Sharpens Iron conference in Chester earlier this year was at the airport to meet me with the church combi.

The journey to Vaughn and Chiana's home was about 50 minutes. They live in Krugersdorp, one of the western cities of Gauteng which is the province in which both Jo'burg and Pretoria are situated. On arrival at their home the greeting was not "welcome to our home" but "be home". The family became enlarged by another one on Thursday when Joe Dillamore arrived from Chester to spend three weeks here.

The Hutchinsons are a wonderfully ordinary/extraordinary family and one becomes part of the family from the moment you enter. It's a family that includes three sons all beginning with D, a daughter-in-law, Chiana's mum, four cats, a parrot, a cockatoo and what seems more dogs than 101 Dalmatians! Here's Chiana with a selection of the dogs (by no means all of them!).

Joy Centre Church is situated on Jacobs Street in Chamdor, a southern suburb of Krugersdorp. I was there on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evenings for (in order) a Leaders' Meeting, a University Lecture and a Worship Meeting. Then back there this morning for their Sunday Meeting that starts around 10-30 and goes through to 2-30. However these four hours weren't filled out with the formalities of Ugandan meetings - this was a time devoted to worshipping in Spirit and Truth. Here's Joe outside Joy Centre:
....and here's a couple of photos taken this morning.... 


Yesterday (Saturday) we went to Spirit Word Ministries in Stilfontein, about two hours away. This was for the last of a series of meetings with Prophet Undi Williams from Zimbabwe and hosted by Kobus van Rensberg. An amazing evening. This is a photo of the Spirit Word building.

Tomorrow is another day and I have no idea what it will bring but you can be assured of one thing. You'll probably find out about it through this BLOG.

Blessings

Mike




Tuesday 13 August 2013

Greetings from Sunset Entebbe

Thought I might just let you see a bit of today...

On the ship coming over from the island to Nakiwogo I met this couple. Oma is a lecturer in tourism and leisure in Kampala and Sarah is a teacher from near Cambridge. They met and fell in love in the UK, she's been here several times and they're planning to get married. Visas are causing a problem but I really hope it will all come together for them.

Downloading's just slowed on the internet here so I'll just put a couple more photos up. One of the lounge area and one of the front.

Next update will be from South Africa - where it's WINTER!

Cheers!



The First Week Back in Uganda

Hi all


I'm now at the Sunset Entebbe guesthouse having come back over from Kalangala on this morning's sailing of MV Kalangala. Tomorrow morning (actually the middle of the night as I have a 4-30 a.m. call) I'm off to spend two weeks as a guest of Vaughn and Chiana Hutchinson at Joy Centre Church in Krugersdorp near Johannesburg, South Africa.

The last week has been a great time of renewing acquaintances (and finding new ones), visiting the Maranatha Gateway Project, Bridge of Hope School, GIOP Church and the Pigs for Prosperity Project at St Dunstan's Secondary School.

Here are a few photos to help you imagine life here:

This is the Landing Site at Lutoboka with Eeyore the Donkey here to greet us!

My "bedside table" at Water World, Kalangala

Not always sunshine - A tropical storm over the Water World compound

 Kaben and Florence with little Enock at Maranatha Gateway

Pigs and ducks at Maranatha Gateway

The first classroom/dormitory with builder Lawrence

The front of our accommodation block

Lakeside at Beri's Place, Mweena

Bridge of Hope School director Lawrence Lweera by the nursery block being built

My "bedside table" at Water World

The 8 new piglets at St Dunstan's Secondary School Pigs for Prosperity Project

8 piglets piggin' out!

Teacher Grace with the new pig pen at St Dunstan's

The view across Main Road Kalangala to Lake Victoria

Sunset Entebbe Motel - a little comfort before flying to South Africa

So, that's the end of week one. Let's see what surprises are in store in South Africa.

Please stay in touch

Mike




Saturday 10 August 2013

Here at last

Well, I'm here - at Water World, Kalangala, Ssese Islands, Uganda!

Although home seems so far away it only seems hours, rather than days, since the goodbye's at Manchester Airport. Saying goodbye is so hard and I never thought there would be someone so special to have to say goodbye to.

Already it has been an eventful time. Even coming over on the plane from Heathrow to Entebbe I sat next to a guy from Dallas Texas who is a dollar millionaire  CEO of several companies and who is a personal friend of Richard Branson. He was travelling with a pastor from Texas who has projects in Uganda. During their visit they were due to meet with both the Kabaka (King of Buganda) and the Ugandan Prime Minister.

I was met at Entebbe by David, a Canadian who lives on the island but who flew out today to Cuba via Canada for a few months working on a project. We had breakfast then I went to a FOREX (Foreign Exchange) where I was asked by the owner (who turned out to be a pastor) if I was Omulokole (Born Again) and, as I affirmed it, he has invited me to speak at his church in the autumn.

The sailing over to the island was good and we now have our truck here. I tried to sleep on the ship as I hadn't slept on the flight but I didn't manage it.

Yesterday I visited the Maranatha Gateway Project site at Sozi where Kaben, Florence and their 18-month-old Enoch are living. Kaben's down with malaria at the moment. There are now pigs, goats, ducks and a hen on the land.

On the way back I popped to Beri's Place in Mweena - an orphanage for 40 girls between 8 and 22 who have mostly come from backgrounds of abuse. Then on to Bridge of Hope School in Kalangala to see Lawrence Lweera the school's director. As I was talking with him in the staff room we were joined by Racheal who I sponsor. Racheal had a bad headache she'd had for some time - I laid hands on her for healing and the headache totally went.

On each of the three evenings I've been here I've eaten at Mama Aisha's just down the road from Water World. Breakfast here was egg sandwiches yesterday and chapatti with boiled egg and banana this morning - washed down with Nescafe! I haven't had any Pineapple yet!

I spent a short time with Pastor Fred Assimwe this afternoon (Friday) and I'll see him again tomorrow then again at GIOP (God Is Our Provider) Church on Sunday. Then I'll be off on the 8 a.m. ship Monday morning, overnighting in Entebbe, before flying to spend two weeks with Vaughn and Chiana Hutchinson near Johannesburg.

Sorry no photos. Did try but the bandwidth here wouldn't take them.