The mission and Kids team have been serving in the village of Karoba about 40-45 mins drive along a marram road outside the town of Gitega. The dusty road winds through a valley which reveals a river beside which there is a patchwork of small allotment fields where busy people plant and tend their crops of beans and cabbages. This is a really rural setting, we climb from the marram road on to a potholed track which climbs up through small dwellings surrounded by plantain trees and we eventually see the church. It is built on the very top of a hill and the ground all around drops into the valley below. It has a panoramic view of the surrounding countryside. The people are already waiting, it is about 10am before we arrive, to give time for those who are walking in from some distance from the surrounding villages. The primary school lies about 1 & 1/2 miles from the church and this is where the kids ministry team are going to be based. The 'Pied Piper of Hamlyn' style troupe of kids which set of behind the Mzungu team is a sight to behold. The church is already packed to the door with about 400 adults. The pastor asks for choirs to sing and they do with great gusto after which I am called upon to preach. First sermon is to the church, the next after a break of 10-15 mins is the many who have come who are not yet believers. I preach a message based on 'Legion' the demon possessed man and 'Bartimmaeus' the blind beggar. After I am through I ask if there is anyone who wants to come to Jesus and repent, fifty or so dear people make their way to the front for prayer. All very tired with the heat, the dust and the pressing crowds we make our way back to our dwelling but not before we are provided with a huge meal for 'lunch' at about 3.30 - 5pm.
Just another day in the life of a MI mission team.
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