The Gambia Gazette - March 2011

"The Gambia Gazette"는 감비아 웩(WEC) 필드가 나누고 있는 소식지 입니다. 예민하고 소상한 모든 부분을 다루기는 어렵겠지만, 필드의 분위기를 느끼는데는 많은 도움이 될 것입니다.

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WEC-International team in the Gambia’s newsletter

March 2011

Dear Friends

Warm greetings to all our friends worldwide. It is amazing to think that we, here in a tiny African country, are thought of and prayed for from all over the world! We would like to give you a warm THANK YOU. May our Father in Heaven shower His Blessings over you!

It is six months since the last news letter and many things have happened in the Gambia. We want to share some of them with you.

We had a wonderful time at our annual conference in February; hearing from one another, sharing and thinking ahead. Wilf & Pat Urquhart, former missionaries in Burkina Faso, fed us spiritually. Their devotions were very refreshing and encouraging. And this is how they saw us:

“We were honoured to be asked to come to the conference to share God's Word. We are grateful for the very warm welcome. We were made to feel part of the family and at home amongst you all. Isn't WEC fellowship wonderful? We were delighted to be back in Africa and found many parallels to Burkina Faso but many differences as well - namely tourism and the fact that WEC works as an NGO here with its own blessings and challenges.

Perhaps the highlights were the visit to Chamen - which was challenging and eye opening - and to the House of Wisdom. Having prayed much over the years for MBBs it was so good to have fellowship with some of them. We were very pleased to visit Sibanor, Bwiam and Brikama and now have some idea of the ministries involved and will be able to pray more intelligently as a result.

As we said at conference, ?See that you complete the work you have received in the Lord." Col. 4:17. May we all do so by His grace! Will we miss the heat and the dust when we fly back to cold Scotland? Possibly not that much!! God bless you one and all. And thank you.” Wilf and Pat.

The world is constantly changing and so we also need to think about making changes. Before and during conference we spent time in groups praying and thinking of how to adapt our ministries and projects to meet the needs of the people. Due to Marlies retiring and Hildegard moving on, we are thinking through how to go on with the Mandinka literacy programme, which was started in 1975 by Hanna Forster. Marlies, Hildegard and Samuel are on the final proof reading of the Mandinka Bible before it is printed later this year. Their deadline is April 11. They face many challenges in these final weeks; Fadil, one of the translators, suddenly left to attend Bible school in South Africa. Samuel, the remaining Gambian worker, is not in good health. Once the Bible is ready for printing, Marlies will return to Germany after working in the Gambia for 23 years. She is rejoicing over God’s provision of a flat back home. Hildegard will move back to the village of Sibanor to do the administration for the HIV Care programme and oversee the laboratory. They would really value your prayers. Over the past 36 years, the literacy department has translated the Bible into Mandinka and thousands of adults have learned to read. They have also produced thousands of books in local languages. Although the literacy project is much smaller, the work is not finished; lots of books in local languages are in a container waiting to be distributed.

We see an urgent need to provide more assistance to private and public formal educational institutions. Kathy from the USA is a Math professor and is lecturing at the University of The Gambia; Susan from Canada, presently on Mandinka language study, is looking for a teaching post in a pre-school school in Brikama. Rosemary from Brazil has started teaching a small group of deaf people in Sibanor. Other members of the team are involved in part time teaching in schools in Bwiam, Sibanor and Chamen. There are endless opportunities for qualified teachers throughout the country.Toshiko has moved to Panchang to establish a Learning Centre for students.

Two big projects have been started near the coast. Francis Gomez, a Gambian Pastor and friend of WEC, has a big vision: “Abba International School”. He started this private school in 2008 in rented accommodation. This year there are three classes with 70 children. He now has land and ten classrooms are being built with the aim of opening in September this year. For more information or their news letter; abbainternationalschool@gmail.com

The second project is Inge’s vision. Inge is a mother at heart and has supported dozens of young Gambians through school and various trainings. Her dream of a hostel for students has developed over many years. The ECG owned hostel is under construction on church property in Wellingara. Their aim is to have the facility ready for the next academic year in September. The hostel will provide accommodation for twelve students, mainly from the rural areas, who want to complete their high school education or do further training. The hostel committee is looking for a suitable Christian couple to be house parents, who will be responsible for the spiritual and physical wellbeing of the students.

Debbie Erskine is rejoicing: “It is seven years since we started the Sibanor Christian Pre-school, meeting in the home of one of the WEC Missionaries. The church’s vision to have a Christian school then grew to having their own building. Since 2005 we have watched that vision slowly develop, little by little as God provided.

On Saturday February 5th the Pre-School gave thanks to God for His faithful provision and to all the people involved in making it possible. It was a day for bringing together all the local leaders in government and education, Muslims and Christians alike. We now have 32 children in our school, both Muslim and Christian. The school has played a part in breaking down the barriers between Muslims and Christians in Sibanor. Debbie and Jamie together with their two daughters, Abigail and Lydia are ending their time in the Gambia and move back to England in July.

Much more is happening on the various stations and in people’s lives. We all appreciate your prayers very much!

With lots of Love!

The Gambia field

Address: WEC-International, Po Box 86, Banjul, The Gambia, West Africa

Email: gamfld@gmail.com

Website: http://www.wec.gm/