The Greatest Escape - September 2012

Some time ago we were speaking to someone from Britain who had been working as a volunteer in Kisoro for several weeks and preparing to return home. He said something that surprised us. He said he was looking forward to no longer being a prisoner in the town. When we asked what he meant we realised that even though most visitors had adapted to the poor roads and chaotic traffic and at least tolerated the culture, he had become so worried that he had refused to travel any further than the boundaries of what the travel guides describe as ' a scruffy town', keeping as much as possible within the project he was helping at. Having flown 4,000 miles to work here, he had never travelled further than a mile from that project. This meant he had had no experience of the stunning scenery that surrounds Kisoro; the panoramic views that caused Churchill to declare that Uganda must be the 'Pearl of Africa', the picturesque lakes within a short distance of Kisoro, or experienced the vitality of native churches and life in the local villages. He had made himself a prisoner in Kisoro.

Many of the locals may also feel themselves to be prisoners, but not of their own choosing. They were born in Uganda, maybe to poor, peasant farmers who struggle to find enough food to feed the family, let alone to pay their children’s school fees. They therefore grew up with little education, restricted health care, limited life expectancy, have little hope of advancement and are trapped in poverty. They can only dream of the lifestyle that we all enjoy in the west and which they glimpse in newspapers or on TV. They are prisoners of their circumstances.

And then there are the other prisoners we often see in Kisoro. The work gangs in chains and their distinctive yellow overalls, who have been allowed out of jail to carry out some hard labour clearing rubbish or digging fields. They have become prisoners because of some crime or sin they had committed.

We all may be prisoners within our own lives. Maybe because of our low self esteem, or because of our background and circumstances, or because of some unresolved sin in our lives. For all of us Jesus came 'to set the prisoners free'. (Luke 4:18). This may not mean He will change our circumstances, but if we turn to Him:

-         He is able to set us free from the insecurities that may restrict our lives.

-         He is able to help us rejoice in our circumstances and realise that He loves and cares for us in all situations

-         He will forgive us our sins and to free us from guilt that may remain

It is our last month in Kisoro before our return to the UK on 19th October.

Please thank God for:

-         His faithfulness in caring for us here, and our families in the UK

-         The work that we have been able to do, both at the Diocese, and at Potter’s Village child crisis centre and Kisiizi Hopital

Please pray for;

-         a safe return to the UK and that we settle back to our bungalow in Boston

-         wisdom and discernment as we think about what we might, or might not do in the future, including possible future placements abroad

-         Evasta, who Emmanuel church is sponsoring for work experience for the next two years. That she will settle into her role at the Vocational Training Centre when she finishes her computer course in December

-         those we leave behind, such as the CMS Mission partner, Jenny Green.  That they will continue to be encouraged by God.

To read our weekly blog search for ‘Malcolm and Irene Crawford’ or go to:

http://malcolmandirenecrawford.blogspot.com

Eruptions and Disruptions (June 2012)

As I write this I am looking out of the office window at a grey cloudy sky with the wind blowing through the trees. The last few weeks the sky has been unusually grey, due it is thought, to the ash from an erupting volcano at the end of the chain of volcanoes which starts here with Muhabura. The erupting volcano is in the Congo and fortunately the lava is flowing through forest so human life has been spared; I doubt that the animals are very happy though!

The closeness of Kisoro to the Congo has also been highlighted by the amount of Congolese refugees we have seen in the town during the last few days. Kisoro has a transit refugee camp on the edge of town and it is becoming steadily busier. Reasons for this vary; rebels in the Congo are known to come out of hiding when a harvest is due to raid the crops of local peasant farmers; many of the local men send their wives and children out of the country for protection whilst they stay to try and protect their homes; there are also rumours of dissatisfaction with the Congolese government and talk of the rebels trying to reform into an army to fight for their rights. Whatever the reason many thousands of lives are being disrupted.

Co-incidentally (we think) we were invited to a meeting held by the British High Commission and amongst other general information we were given notes on their emergency evacuation procedures! However we are not too alarmed as local people here are used to these intermittent “flare ups” and do not feel we are likely to be affected by the trouble.

We are now fully back into work with the normal one step forward two steps back procedure. The missing computers from the Vocational Training School mysteriously returned and Malcolm managed to repair the broken one. A part time computer teacher has been appointed to teach registered computer students, but now Irene has been asked to give basic word processing lessons to all the other students instead! New computers with Internet access which were promised before we even arrived are still “on their way” and dormitory accommodation is still a big problem. On the plus side the centre is going to be able to provide an accredited computer course module from next year and the current students are being allowed to sit for the exam at a nearby centre.

Malcolm has been busily occupied at the Potters Village Home for Vulnerable Children helping with their book-keeping and making a video for the CMS Mission Partner, Jenny Green, to show at her supporting churches when she returns to England in early June. He has also been developing new finance procedures for the Vocational Training Centre

Plans are being made for a large celebration taking place in August as it will be 100 years since the first missionary arrived in Kisoro. He was actually a Ugandan from a evangelism training school set up by the first CMS Missionaries about 150 miles away. Sadly he was killed with a spear by a local tribesman. However, he must have made an impact as the area is now predominately Christian with many growing churches. When you realise that Christianity has only been in the area for 100 years it is easy to see why there is still some confusion in outlying areas about the Christian faith, some still adding it as an “extra“  to pagan beliefs. Others don’t realise it applies to everyday living, its as if it’s a ritual just  for Sunday and is taken off with their Sunday best clothes until next week They are pleased to hail Jesus as Saviour but it has no effect on their normal lives. In England we have 17 centuries of examples of good Christian living, years of teaching and bible exposition but how much does it affect our daily living? (The first martyr in England, St Albans, was  killed about 300AD.)

I was recently very challenged by a sermon given by Jenny Green. She said that many people come to know and love Jesus as Saviour but how many go on to know Him as Lord? Recently I found the definition of Lord as “A name we call God or Jesus when we do what they say”. Makes you think, doesn’t it?

Prayer requests:

Thank God that:

- we continue to enjoy good health

- the adoption of Jojo, Jenny Green’s son, has been approved

Please pray:

- that the visa for Jojo will arrive in time for him to travel with her to England in early June

- that problems in the Congo will be settled peacefully and people will be able to return safely to their homes

-  for Irene's mum, that she will settle into a palliative Care Home following  the operation to remove her bowel

- for our friend Bea, who has cancer, and has just returned to Germany for 3 months where she will receive further treatment

 - for guidance about what we do after we leave Kisoro in October

-  for continuity at the Potters Village babies home whilst Jenny Green returns to the UK and when the African administrator Ezra, who has worked there since it opened 5 years ago, leaves in October

The Return (March 2012)

So here we are back in Kisoro. We have spent a large part of the first week trying to turn our house back into a home after having packed most things away so that it could be used by others during our time in England. Irene has been busy ironing clothes which had been packed in a cupboard for three months and Malcolm has been replacing our string washing line with a “real plastic coated” one, and hanging up our new pin board. We still haven’t quite found all the bits and bobs we stowed in the spare bedroom but we did manage to humanely catch the little mouse which has lived there for some time, and set it free at the far side of the playing field behind us!

We have observed a few changes. The African apple trees planted last year as 1 foot high “twigs” are actually bearing fruit; it is an amazingly fertile area. The fir tree in front of our house has almost doubled in size and a breach in the wall surrounding the diocese complex has been repaired. New shops are evident in town and we are told that a smart new hotel has opened.

As yet we have not formally started back to work although Malcolm has spent a couple of days helping to set up the budget for Potters Village and Irene has been chatting with staff members at the Vocational Training School. There is good news and not so good news. The V.T.S. has more students than ever before with over 70 enrolling this year. 22 girls and 15 boys are boarding which has presented accommodation difficulties resolved be turning one of the classrooms into a dormitory! Unfortunately 2 of the computers upgraded last year by our son have disappeared and a third has a broken on /off button leaving only 1 working computer and still no official computer teacher. Trying to trace the p.c. whereabouts and encourage the “powers that be” to employ a proper computer teacher (rather than rely on her limited knowledge) will be Irene’s first task next week.

Having spent so long in the luxury of England with shops which sell almost anything you desire, carpeted floors, dishwashers, washing machines, baths etc. we did wonder why on earth we were returning to Uganda with its concrete floors and limited food choices. Leaving behind friends, family and good churches. Then it struck us. Look what Jesus did for us. He left behind Heaven! He left wonders we can only guess at. He left behind angels worshiping and he left His father, a relationship so close we cannot imagine what it must have felt like to be separated. Nor was it only for a few months; Jesus spent thirty three years living amongst people who for the most part didn’t appreciate His presence or his work. Then at the end He was betrayed and deserted by his closest friends and killed by a brutal regime. If He can do all that for us then surely we should be prepared to do whatever it is He calls us to whether in our own country or another.

Prayer requests;

Thank God for the generosity of family and friends:

-  providing us with beds, hospitality and transport during our 4 months in England

- giving many items for the tailoring students

Please pray that:

- Irene’s mum coming to terms with the death of her son and a move into a nursing home.

-  we may be able to settle back into Kisoro life quickly and easily, and come to terms with any minor ‘challenges’

-  we will be able to continue the work we have started and been willing to do the tasks God wants us to do.

- our Swiss friend, Bea, who has been diagnosed with cancer and her husband, may find healing and peace as they continue to work in Kisoro.

Time flies - and so do we (February 2012)

In some ways the past three months in the UK has flown by; however, an awful lot has happened.

-         we’ve celebrated 4 family birthdays and Christmas

-         we’ve driven over 7,000 miles visiting family and friends, with just one breakdown (with smoke coming from the front brakes)!

-         we’ve attended 2 Church Mission Society (CMS) Conferences

-         we’ve slept in umpteen beds, and several Travelodges, receiving generous hospitality from many people, some of whom we hadn’t previously met

-         we’ve put on several kilograms of unwelcome weight (but the ‘African Diet’ should sort that out)

-         we’ve worshipped at many churches and talked about our work in Kisoro to 4 groups

-         we were fortunate to attend the commissioning as CMS Mission Partner in Manchester of our friend , Dr Corrie, prior to her departure for 7 years to Kiwoko Hospital in Uganda, and the consecration at St Paul’s Cathedral of Tim Dakin as the new Bishop of Winchester

-         we’ve visited doctors, dentists and opticians for check-ups and treatment

-         we’ve seen snow - in Cyprus

-         we’ve packed our bags for our flights on 6^th February, including gifts for students at the Vocational Training Centre in Kisoro and items, such as a decent saucepan and books, requested by friends there

-         we have discussed with our CMS manager our future work in Kisoro and beyond

We thank all those people who have been so kind and loving to us in the last 3 months for their prayers and generosity and we take many happy memories with us

Prayer requests

Please thank God for:

-         our time in England, our safety and for all those who have blessed us

-         the news we have had from Potters Village Baby Crisis Centre about the building developments that have been completed and the work carried out by a team of volunteers from High Wycombe

-         for our meetings with CMS as we consider our future work

Please pray for:

- our safe return to Kisoro, and that we quickly re-acclimatise to the altitude, weather and culture

- our discussions with Bishop Cranmer about our future roles in Kisoro, Potters Village and Kisiizi Hospital that we will have a unity of mind and spirit

- the trustees of the Church Mission Society as they interview and select a new General Secretary to replace Tim Dakin, designated Bishop of Winchester

- guidance as we consider what we might do after the completion of our assignment in Kisoro in October 2012

- Irene’s mother still in hospital after major emergency surgery and keen to get home!

To read our weekly blog search for ‘Malcolm and Irene Crawford’ or go to:

http://malcolmandirenecrawford.blogspot.com