Phase Three is About to Begin

Just a few hours ago, we said goodbye to most or our team that has been here in the Central African Republic for the last two weeks. As I write this, Laura Gibson, Tim, Jeana, Valerie & Zac Harley, and Rob Miller are on their way to Paris on the first leg of their trip back to the U.S, Three of us remain here for another week -- Barb Teach, myself (Pastor Tom) and J.P. Peters.

I hope you’ve been able to follow the blog over these weeks. I want to take this opportunity to thank Laura for doing such a great job at keeping the blog current. She’s done an awesome service to the team, as well as to our church to keep you informed as to how to pray for us on this trip.

Jeana deserves a lot of thanks also because much of the planning of our meals, she has coordinated. And many of the breakfasts she’s cooked herself. She’s been getting more & more Sango vocabulary, too, as she interacted with the guys who were helping us these weeks, Ossé and André. Thanks so much, Jeana!

Tim has done a great job of leading our team time every morning. It’s been great to see how God has been equipping Tim over the years to fit into the role that he had on the team. Thanks, Tim, for keeping us grounded in the Word and helping us start each day on the right track!

Rob has become known to us as the "Ice Man!" He kept the water filters going as well as equipping us every meal with ice so that the drinks can help quench our thirst in the heat we’ve experienced these two weeks. He also has been great at developing a bond with Gustav, our one driver that has helped us just about every day. Great job, Ice Man!

So what’s next for those who are left behind? It will still be a busy week for us coming up! Barb is going to be moving over to the Grace Brethren Guest House today so she is closer to Dr. Y’s clinic. She and another lady (Betty) are going to be going out every day to the clinic to help with the pharmacy in the mornings, and thereby keeping up the relationship that has been built with Mrs. Y.

Then in the afternoons, Dr. Y will be around so that Barb can help with some of the patient care and put her nursing skills to good use! So I know that she will be kept busy and I’m also sure that she will be great at sowing more seeds of the Gospel and the love of Christ in the lives of those she will interact with.

For J.P. and I, we will be traveling north this week. This morning, we will be going north about 40 kilometers (25 miles) to be with the family of David Zokwe, ICDI’s representative & government contact here in the C.A.R. Yesterday, his younger brother passed away, so the burial will be tomorrow and the wake will begin. So J.P. and I will go to be with the family for part of the day. Then our plan is to head up to Yaloké this afternoon to spend the night there. This will be a great experience for J.P., because he used to live there when he was from one to three years old. Not that he remembers much about life there, but there will be a lot of people who will be thrilled to see him after these many years. Not the least of which will be Leontine, who used to work for us. It will be great to see her reaction to seeing J.P. for the first time in over a decade!

Then on Monday, J.P. and I will be going to Pama, a village about 35 kilometers from Yaloké. This is the village that our Wooster Grace has partnered with to see both community development and spiritual development happen. The Grace Brethren pastor there, Gaston Tolozombo, will meet us at Yaloké and then show us what is happening in his region. He’s been doing a great job of revitalizing church in the area, so pray with us that we will be an encouragement to him in his work.

Because of this trip, you may not hear from us for a few days, unless Barb gets brave and tries to send something for the blog! We should return to Bangui on Wednesday, so we hope to have something to post on the blog shortly after that.

Thanks again so much for all your prayers and interest in what God is doing through our team! Keep up the prayers this week for good contacts for Barb, and safety and an effective time for J.P. and I as we travel!

With you for the nations, - Pastor Tom
Sunday, March 4