The
Right Hand Trust, a Christian charity based in the
UK, used to send young people to live and work with the Church
in Africa. Below
are two letters from former RHT volunteers in Africa:
Foreword
by Mike Freeman, Director Right Hand Trust
Many people when they first enquire with our Trust have
great reservations about fund raising. We dispel
that immediately, over the ten years the Trust has been
operating, not one of the 300 'Missioners' has failed
to reach their target, in fact most exceed it, this
year one person by over £2,000. Practical application
of the kind of support you can expect from a 'Gap Year'
with structure and purpose. Furthermore if after
genuinely putting our advice into practice, someone
does not achieve the financial target, we have a 'Bursary
fund' that would make the amount up in total.
Well here's extracts from letters from just two of our
33 people now in Africa...
Tim Rounding, Uganda
We've been in Uganda for about two months now. We're
really starting to feel at home and thoroughly enjoying
ourselves, thanks in part to the benevolent nature and
generosity of spirit of the local people. Their kindness
really bowls you over: inviting us to their homes for
meals when we arrived and bringing us supplies of the
fresh produce that they have grown. It is quite a marathon
keeping up with the number of bananas that appear on
our doorstep each day!
Situated in the hills, the scenery around where we are
living is absolutely stunning: lush and green, banana
plantations surround our house and the weather (up until
the last week) has been glorious. The past few days
have been miserable and overcast and we're presuming
that the rainy season must be imminent. We've heard
different accounts from different people as to exactly
when the rains begin and end (ranging from the beginning
of March to the end of June), so we're not quite sure
exactly what to expect and when . . .
Random
and bizarre things seem to happen all the time and no
two days are ever the same. It would be impossible for
me to detail everything that has happened to us so far,
but here are just a few escapades that particularly spring
to mind . . .
We do most of our weekly shopping at the auction that
is held after the Church service each week. Observing
that we had bought eggs on three consecutive Sundays,
one local gentleman offered to place an order for us at
the primary school. We asked him if he could possibly
order six eggs and paid him for the latter. Two days later,
no less than five dozen eggs were brought to the door.
The gentleman apologised for the huge quantity, but explained
that he couldn't ask the children to take the eggs home
again. No prizes for guessing what we ate for every meal
for the next week! Needless to say, I'm now an expert
omelette-maker! Alex told one of the students in our class
at the secondary school that he was fond of rabbit. The
following day he was presented with a live rabbit. It
gallivanted around the house for two days before the Reverend
Nathan was persuaded to do the necessary business . .
.
The visiting preachers to the church never fail to astound
us. After sitting through a Rukiga (local language) sermon
of an hour and a half (not understanding a single word),
we enquired as to what it was all about It transpired
that the preacher was, in fact, an ex-transvestite who
had been 'on the run' from partner-to-partner under the
name 'Margaret'. He subsequently 'found faith' and trained
as a lay preacher. Need I say more!?
On a more serious note, Alex and I are both teaching at
the local secondary school. After just one week of teaching,
and no professional teaching qualifications, we were both
promoted to Head of Maths and English respectively! Assemblies
in the Primary School have begun and are going well and
our two slots of Pastoral Visiting each week have also
got going. The Scripture Union at the Secondary School
is starting next week, so we're managing to find plenty
to keep us occupied and the days simply fly by. Many thanks
to all who have supported me through your letters and
e-mails. All are very gratefully received and I really
enjoy hearing from you all. I promise to direct some sort
of personal missive to everyone in the course of time
. . .
Hope that you're all well. With very best wishes
Tim Rounding (Nyakasheni, West Uganda)
Helen and Verity, Malawi
To everyone in rainy England, Hope you aren't too
cold while we're slapping on the suncream.We've adjusted
well to Malawian culture, shocking the locals with our
liking for nshima (a playdough-like squish eaten with
everything) and competence at chitenji (sarong-esque skirts)
tying. They still find it hilarious watching our poor
attempts at carrying things on our heads though!
The children next door take great delight in showing us
the flies they catch and in demonstrating their nutritious
value! We spend many evening hours playing piggy-in-the-middle
with them.The football is also extensively used by the
youth of the church. They are currently in training for
the interdenominational football tournament we are organising.
It is part of a bigger plan to encourage communication
between the 30 or so different local churches. We are
also understanding confusing chiche?a lessons (learning
words that don't exist?!) to aid our pastoral visits.
We have started a Bible study / discussion program for
the youth, which is going well and the Mothers' Union
hope to start their kneeler-making project soon.
As well as work in the church, we went to a "local" secondary
school we had heard were short of teachers. When we arrived,
the headmaster declared repeatedly, "Our prayers have
been answered" - we are now heads of the maths and biology
departments at Bandawe Girls' secondary school. Travel
to and from Bandawe involves hair knotting pick-up journeys
- the record so far is 21 people squished in the back
along with much baggage and real live chickens. Helen
has now got a bike - yes it's possible to cycle in a long
skirt, be it a very frumpy one. All in all we are busy,
but having fun.
Love and mangoes, Aaron and Verrit (aka Helen and Verity
in Malawi)
PS: Helen initiated a small community project last weekend.
She had just finished going to the long-drop (hole in
the ground toilet) when she had a funny turn - she thought
the floor was moving - no wait. the floor was moving!
The mud floor collapsed but luckily due to an athletic
leap she avoided the dubious depths below. The weekend
was consequently spent with our neighbours, building a
new "toilet" for us all to use.
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