So on Sunday (Aug. 12) we decided to have a day of adventure and try one more time to get to this village area about 45 minutes from my home. Those participating in the day were Jean, Becca, Nicole and me. The day before going, I had made arrangements with Pastor Wilson, who is in charge of our AGC Katale church. He told us that Sunday would be "Women's Day" at Nakigalala, but we would be welcome. He also set up for us to meet the Nakigalala pastor, Dennis, at a fuel station along the way. Wilson was afraid we'd be lost without Dennis' direction, because the roads had apparently been improved and changed since our last visit nearly 3 (!) years ago.
After picking up Pastor Dennis, we proceeded to the church. The roads hadn't changed much, and the drive itself is really beautiful as you pass through a tea estate, past the greenhouses where thousands of roses are blooming (for export to Tesco's or some such store in UK). We still passed through a small market area, also seeing village homes, goats, and families along the way.
Once we arrived, we found a timber & mabate (ma-bah-tee) church (this is corrugated metal), decorated with bed sheets and many flower arrangements, in honor of the women's day activities the church was celebrating.
I was delighted to see Maria at church (pictured above). She is disabled and in this culture, life can be much more difficult for people with "broken bodies". But Maria's soul is nowhere near broken. In fact, despite the difficult life she has had, she is deeply committed to Jesus and to her church. Every Saturday night, she has a kind neighbor carry her to the church building where she sits under a mosquito net all night, praying for the services on Sunday. Before the net was there, she would knowingly subject herself to many, many mosquito bites and malaria, but she wanted to seek the Lord and intercede for the church. What a blessing she is! the church, which is in an impoverished area, took 3 months to save up the $11 to buy a mosquito net so Maria could at least sit more comfortably as she prayed through the nights.
Look at the fabulous colors and outfits of these church folk as they worship and fellowship together! (above)
Below: this little girl was "cheeky" and so adorable!
Kids are just so adorable and fun!
Above: Jean (left) & Nicole (right) greeting the Sunday school children.
Below: Becca hanging out with more kids.
Worship time nearly always includes a variety of African drums.
Below; as the women's choral group did a special number, I also was admiring their local dress style, called the Gomezi.
