As mentioned in our previous blog post, on Good Friday we were able to join our community church evening service, coming together to worship, share communion and listen to bible readings. Matt went along early with the children to set up the projector and sound system, I arrived in the nick of time after returning from a long flight.
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| After the 6th and last flight of the campaign. |
On Saturday I flew again, to take the pastors back to their home town so they would be able to lead the service at their church on Easter Sunday, after 3 weeks of travelling around the country. Matt went shopping and bumped into some friends and arranged an impromptu swim and lunch at the compound. In the evening we headed over to Guinebor II hospital, where we had been invited to spend the rest of the weekend.
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| The camels are currently in town, once the rains come they will head north again. |
Staying in a hospital ground may not sound like your typical weekend away but we had a wonderfully refreshing time (even if, unlike our housing, there isn't any air conditioning and we are now into hot season). We made Easter chocolate bars with sprinkles in the evening, then after dinner we enjoyed watching 'Swallows and Amazons' with all the staff who live at the hospital at their outdoor cinema.
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Watching a film on the big screen (the adults were on chairs behind)
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On Sunday morning we melted more chocolate (not super difficult when the kitchen is 40 degrees) and put our Easter egg moulds to use. The children then all set off on an egg hunt around the grounds looking for cardboard eggs that they could then exchange for chocolate eggs. The children also gathered on a mat outside to listen to the Easter story.
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| Hunting for Easter eggs while being shot at with water pistols
 | Listening to the Easter story
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For his 30th birthday (a few years back), Matt got a guitar which travelled to Chad with us but until recently he has been unable to play. Our friend Bethan, who is a music therapist, decided a few months ago that she would help him get started and challenged him to learn to play it before he turns 40. On Easter Sunday, Matt practiced his newly learnt chords as he strummed along to worship songs with Bethan and her family.
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| Bethan and Matt playing guitar. Bethan’s husband and children joined in, playing percussion instruments |
To round off the day we were invited to join a shared meal with the staff that live or work at the hospital, 36 people from 8 different countries, all sharing together and remembering the reason we are here at this time, in this place.
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| Guinebor II staff from Chad, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Norway, Holland, Germany, UK, USA |
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