Gisakura church

The first cuckoo of spring ; Gisakura Church 23 11 14

We were awakened by a dawn chorus which included a very raucous Turacao a beatiful black bird with a beatiful golden and red crest, and the very incongrous sound of a cuckoo.

A quick breakfast then off to the church with 10 squashed into the Discovery 4wd. We were off with the bishop and a host of clergy to open the new church at Gisakura.  This little church met on a piece of land given by the tea factory originally under a tarpaulin tied between two trees and a frame then in a little ramshackle wooden building and finally this beautiful purpose built church the congregation have been gathering together rocks and doing fundraising to help build it together with a few of us from Southover church the diocese providing the roof. So the people feel it is very much their building. There was a ceremonial cutting of the ribbon with the pastor a community representative and four of us muzungus all holding the scissors.  So their were many speaches and thank yous  plus the normal service. One of the muzungus was asked to preach and I drew the short straw, so the story of the wise and foolish builders seemed to be the logical text to preach from.

Outside Gisacura church with Aquafilter which we presented to new church

Welcome banner welcoming us to Gisakura church 

There was much singing and dancing includingsome amazing dramatic dancing telling the story of David dancing while he was bringing back the ark to Jerusalem and a very cross wife. We were presented with the most wonderfully wrapped gifts. Then everyone piled down the road to a little area near a new guesthouse, which was being built, to partake in an enormous feast accompanied by the obligatory Fanta. Finally after some final speaches and the bishop’s blessing we all crammed back into our cars and up the very  steep unmade drive before it started to rain. Finally home Rob John and Peter spent some time mending some of the filters that had suffered damage in the field trials so there was a very stong smell of glue. So a light supper and to bed.