End of a Chapter, but not the Book.
Hello from Eswatini. Feb is our shortest month of the year and even though it went by in a flash, so much was packed into this smallest month.
The “Peters Team” arrived for the month and wasted no time jumping into service. Each member of the team offering valuable skills to benefit everyone on the grounds here. The team was comprised of 5 family members. Frank and Leslie Peters, Dave and Cheri Peters and their grandson Ben Bond.
All 5 arrived with a servants heart willing to do anything and everything. The ladies Leslie and Cheri made themselves useful at the school in many ways. Leslie continued her work in the library where she had begun last year. This involved more reorganizing, unpacking, sorting and setting up so that this valuable resource is accessible to all the teachers and students. Without her efforts it would still be a room full of boxes of books and just that. Now it sits waiting to be of great value to PCA.
Cheri spent her days in the various classrooms working with the students one on one as well as reading to them, helping to encourage and foster a love of books. She also spent many afternoons conducting classes on knitting and crocheting for the kids. Not a hobby reserved for just older ladies, in case you are thinking that as you read! Many of the children engaged in these classes and quickly caught on, excited to show off head bands and other treasures they had made.
The 3 Peters men quickly jumped into action to continue with the PC bike program. Within the first week they had assembled the 40 new bikes they had raised funds for, purchased, and had shipped ready for assembly.
My veranda was transformed overnight into a bike assembly plant and the rate of assembly in the African summer heat was mind blowing, with all 40 bikes assembled in the first 3 days.
Not only did they assemble the bikes; they also began work on phase two of the bike track program. Many days were spent picking and throwing rocks out of the way, clearing and leveling the base to make a perfect oval track around the soccer pitch. This now gives the kids a BMX and an oval track to practice their riding skills on, as well as challenge their peers to races.
Another aspect of the biking program is having someone qualified on the grounds to keep all these bikes running. Frank spent many hours working with one of our local staff training him on bike maintenance and repair, helping him to be set for success in keeping the kids in the saddle and riding for many hours to come.
While Frank was busy with the finishing touches on the bike program, Dave switched gears and moved to heavy equipment and working with our Lusito students.
Dave was able to put his expertise to good use as he spent a good few days on various pieces of heavy duty equipment, helping move massive mounds of earth at the entrance to the property for the installation of new water pipes being brought on property. His talent was greatly appreciated in this area.
In addition to working the dozer and other massive machinery Dave also spent time with our Lusito students in a way that had them all excited to come to school and learn. He instructed them on the overall daily maintenance of the various machines, as well as how to spot problems arising before they become total breakdowns. They listened intently to everything he had to say, eager to learn all they could. The highlight for the students, though, was the chance to sit in the dozer and learn how to actually operate the machine. Dave patiently took time with each student, giving them opportunity to practice their newly acquired skills. He was definitely their hero that week.
Thank you to Frank, Leslie, Dave, Cheri and Ben. Thank you for all you did for the kids here at PC and thank you for gracing me with your presence and time. It was a real blessing and delight for me to host you. Wonderful memories for sure.
Some of you may already be aware that after 15 years of serving in Africa, Mercy Tech Mission will be folding the ministry at the end of June, with any remaining funds being donated to another like-minded ministry.
The goal of setting up a fully functioning work shop and training facility has been accomplished here at Project Canaan, and it has been such a blessing and an honor to see and work with all the volunteers who have come alongside our founder, Rick Cogbill, as they shared their knowledge and skills to impact many lives overseas. Ross wholeheartedly believed in this and I’m so happy he had a chance to be a part of seeing it come to fruition before the Lord called him home.
With that, I’m sure some of you are asking what am I going to do? Truthfully I don’t have a complete answer for you. Many times we start out on a journey but don’t have the entire map in view, but rather a small portion of the highway ahead, waiting on the GPS to tell us when our next exit is or which highway to turn onto. Right now this is me, waiting for the Lord (my GPS) to give me my next instruction. For now my time at PC is coming to a close and I’ll be busy packing and preparing to leave PC by end of May at the latest.
Many times over the years I would say to Ross “you should slow down and take it easy.” His standard response to me was always “I can slow down when I’m gone. For now I’m still breathing so God must have something for me to do.”
I rest and take comfort in the famous verse from Jeremiah 29:11 “’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you, not to harm you; plans to give you hope and a future.’” I hope and believe there is a future for me and I’m anxiously waiting to walk into that future.
I will be so thankful for your prayers over the next few months as I pack and take care of the logistics of another BIG move. This is only the end of a chapter for me; not the end of the book.
Love, Laurie