Week five update

I can't believe over half our time at Amano is now done - it barely seems like we've arrived!

This past week was a really busy one, with Matt starting his teaching duties on top of all the dorm duties, and both Matt involved in helping to run a primary sports' event - called the primary 10 steps.  Amano hosted four other schools from around the Copperbelt and, considering the fact that Amano was far and away the smallest school represented, Amano did very well.  Lou helped by manning the shuttle run event, and Matt lent his and somewhat questionable taste in music to running the PA system.

Perhaps the reason that Amano did so well is that the school is absolutely sports mad. The secondary students have PE three times a week (including the cross-country which Matt did in week one and which almost killed him), and will then regularly go out on the sports fields to play football, volleyball, rugby, or go cycling just for fun.  For us who aren't used to the 1500m altitude, keeping up with them is a near impossible task.

In many ways, this week has been quite a trying week, as the non-stop pace of life working in this school is starting to catch up to us.  We're trusting that God will give us strength to continue to serve here as effectively as possible, but we'd appreciate your prayers on this matter also.  But even as we are tired, we are made more aware of the great need for more staff to work in all areas of the school, but especially the dorm.  With so few staff, and such odd hours of work, it is very easy to get tired very quickly.  So we are seeing even more how important it is for us to be here even for this very short time, as it has (hopefully) given a break to those who've been working in the dorms for several years now.

Thank you all for your prayers and support this week.  You are a continual encouragement to us.

Matt and Lou