From busy Juba

Sorry about the delay! Many people have been wanting things since we got back to work - not least the Church Times if you read it, and a new column beginning in October in the Sarum Link.

... And life has been much busier here of late now the college is finally wound up and we can begin the new venture. We have been sorting piles of dusty files going back decades and the building needs to be put back into good repair. Not that we have got any money yet, of course. We are owed thousands of dollars in rent from the houses that are leased out - but that doesn't mean the occupants want to cough up. It's all very frustrating but, as always, patience is the name of the game.

We hope to decorate one of the biggest rooms and reinstate the library. None of it has been painted since the early 80s. We shall to be using the Library of Congress classification system so Tina will have her work cut out cleaning, sorting out, and cataloguing. Nothing of this has been done for many years if ever. When we decide what we will be teaching next year we will order the books we need and get folk to bring them out. This is one of the many things we need to do in the next month or so, too.

The new site is going to take time to establish. Please keep of it in your prayers. We know we shall be in the same building for at least the next twelve months and may be longer but even if everything else falls into place immediately, putting up buildings and fences will take much money. It will all come when we need it. We have all we need for now. We will crawl, then walk before we can run. Of course, some of the local people have very high hopes than we can come in with millions and present a working university within a few years. But that doesn't happen anywhere in the world, and it is not the way Creation works either. Nevertheless you can understand the frustration of Africans when they see what is happening in other continents. The message is, if you want to invest in something really worthwhile take a look at the plans for theological education here.
Last week Trevor spent 4 days in Limuru near Nairobi, Kenya to visit a university there that we will affiliate to. We received a wonderful welcome. The place is very attractive being sited in the highlands north west of the capital - about an hour's drive. They have about 900 students, and 300 in affiliated colleges doing the diploma courses.

The region was the first region of Kenya to grow tea, and there was a visit to the original tea estate where we were treated to an explanation of how to grow tea and walked around a bit of forest as well as the tea. Then followed a wonderful lunch on the lawn of a lovely house built in the European tradition with all kinds of flowers and shrubs (including fuchsias!). At 7000 feet, though, it was all quite cool (15C). Many layers required - and a hot water bottle at night. Glad to be back in warm Juba (28C).

Next week Tina is off to visit two more local primary schools. Watch this space....

Thanks for your prayers.