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ASAM Intensive Training School October 2019




Top of runway in Chimio 

As seems to be the pattern, in October we traveled to the SBF school in Mozambique, where we spent 13 days, before going home to England to meet our family and supporters. The mission had gathered 70 pastors and students from central Mozambique to spend the week together, that we may learn and worship God together. 

Pastor Greg and Pastor Matty visiting from Canada
On this trip I had the privilege of working with and watching two Canadian Pastors who were visiting a missionary couple they support on the base.

Church on Sunday
My teaching role had three aspects. The first was to teach a class of 8 students about the work of the Holy Spirit. I have taught this before and get excited telling people what God has done and can do under the power of his Holy Spirit. It is a joy to watch people grow in the faith and experience of God. I always approach this class as practical and informational. So we begin each lesson together praying for the Holy Spirit to come and fill us.  This leads us towards the end of the week when we gather in a circle to pray and receive from God his Holy Spirit. It is always a moving time as we wait upon God.
My Class 
My second role was to teach the same 8 students about The Journeys of St Paul. This was the first time I had taught this material. I was reminded of how much you learn when teaching others, it requires you to go back to the source to explore and learn afresh. Once again my aim was for it to be informative and practical. So I was always asking the question how can the life of St Paul and his journeys and all he faced help us to be better students and pastors of our churches. Most of my students had at least three church congregations to care for (some had seven)! At the end of the week each student had an exam and was graded. It was a great personal reward for me at the certificate awards evening to see so much joy as students received their grade and a certificate. Many of the students would not have had the opportunity to finish school so this course is a great personal reward and opportunity for each student to flourish.

Administration at school 
My third role was to deliver a session to the whole of the student body, looking at the role of counselling and caring for the bereaved and their families. It was a chance for us to start a conversation and gain some understanding of the issues around death in a very different culture to mine. We were exploring how the school can better equip these pastors for their role in the community they return to. All this could only be carried because of my interpreter Celestino, who did an amazing job. 

Celestino my amazing translator 
Trying to start Back Ho (digger to you and me)




















Then there was the normal mission stuff: trying to get a JCB digger to start; helping to tow a broken down vehicle in the bush back to the farm; trying and failing to fix a fuel leak on a mission vehicle; loading a number of tons of seed into vehicles for distribution to those areas still suffering from Cyclone Idai; visiting a local village community where one of the ASAM team was showing the Jesus film; then almost finally how to fill a plane with fuel, so we can go home to see the family.

Loading seeds for the feeding program
We left with the words Blessed, Privileged and Tired.

Comments

  1. Prison Educator2 March 2020 at 06:20

    And lovely it was to see you both and hear the story xxGod Bless you all.

    ReplyDelete

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