Birthday Musings

Wow - time goes by. Life is but a vapour. I've just celebrated my 78th birthday. I remember one day when I was much much younger. Its amazing how we remember some things; little points if life that stay in our mind and pop up from time to time. Well I was standing outside my small mud-brick house at Kipushya, in Congo one day - I must have been about 23 - and I remember thinking -I wonder where I'll be when I'm 70! Or - will I ever be 70!? That's a fact. I remember thinking that. Well here I am - 8 years this side of 70 and just thanking the Lord for His goodness.
I had a great day. 17th. December to be precise. God has promised that 'as our years are - so will our strength be'. 'They that wait on the Lord will renew their strength'. It has been a great year.
Our Fellowship has grown (New Life Family Church, that is) The main hall has been extended and refurbished. New seating, lighting and sound system. I spent 5 weeks in Congo, ministering at a Pastors spiritual Conference. Lost 5 kilos! Very good for my health! O, by the way - I was the 'Father Christmas' in The Lion, The Witch and the Ward-robe'. This was out fellowship Production this year. Two performances to a packed house each time. We'll have a film of the show up here as soon as I can get hold of the music track. But in the meantime here is a short movie put together from footage I shot about three years ago.
Enjoy!

Walk around Kipushya market with Eddie and Lloyd. This is a typical central African village Marketplace. Usually held on a Sunday morning the folks walk in from surrounding villages with their wares. Church starts at around 10 a.m. so they come all ready for that. Many of them started their day as early as 4:30, an hour or so before dawn. Church will continue to well into the afternoon. The goods for sale in the Market have in the main been brought from the small town of Kabinda, 80 miles away, and carried by bicycle. Or even further from the large diamond centre of Bujimai, about 150 miles.
By the way; if you'd like to contribute to the distribution of the new complete Bible in Kisongye, go to www.camafrica.org and you'll find details of how you may do that.