I'm lying in my tent looking at the clock and it's 6.30am. I'm determined not to get out of bed until 7...that's when and I set my alarm for and I don't need to move until then. It's also really rather chilly until the sun pops up. I've had one I those nights where you don't really know if you ever went to sleep but I must have done because now it's the morning!
After 6 hours on the road yesterday (and 2 almost emergency stops to avoid cows!) we set up camp at Kalomo. People are due to arrive for our training session by 9. We're in a much less rural place than normal which has some very distinct benefits like flushing toilets, electricity, a shower and hardly any distance to drive from the tar road. However, it also means it's much noisier here than most places we camp as cars and trucks carry on through the night and people can party the night away where there's electricity! Very grateful for earplugs this morning!!
We've been made very welcome here by Julius who has organised the training. He seems like he has a heart for people in this area and is working hard to pastor them. He's also a natural entrepreneur who, having arrived here 5 years ago, has been running a church in a marquee whilst but by bit building the support facilities needed and work has now begun on a building for the church.
I've currently got that sort of apprehensive feeling in my tummy... How many people will turn up? Will they get the vision we are sharing? Will they see past our white skin and see something different to what lots of NGOs offers or will they simply expect handouts? Will they meet Jesus?
I also get really nervous when I have to do any sort of public speaking. It really isn't my comfort zone at all! Once I get going I'll be fine, but I hate the build up...eek! I've woken with a nervous energy running through me.
Julius said yesterday that everyone was very expectant. As our team member Alan reminded us, it's up to God to meet that expectation, not us. So, in 15 minutes I'm going to jump out of bed, through a cold shower, get the charcoal going so we can make a cup of tea and some brekkie then spend some time praying with the team asking God to turn up big style and be working on every heart in the marquee today.....
