Webers' Wanderings

Greetings Family and Friends,

A brief update since our return to Chad. First we want to thank the Lord for those who have given extra to help with our immenent financial short-fall. While our monthly support has not changed we have received about 10% in one-time gifts of the total that would meet this shortfall for the next anticipated 3-4 yrs of ministry.

Since returning ministry has looked somewhat different than expected. We have often shown you pictures of large teacher trainings Kathryn has held. While these have a very broad effect into numerous villages, her first few weeks of training which began a week after we arrived was to a very small group of 3. These teachers however will be teaching in a small village in the far north. They will be carrying their faith and “cup of water” to a government school where there is no witness. Pray that as they teach, not only will the children receive a superior education but also that they will have many opportunities to influence them for the Kingdom.

We chose then to come home and setup quickly before taking her back and leaving her in the capital for the training. I then in the first month made 3 trips between N’Djamena and Koutou racking up some 2300kms. Fortunately a company has recently been granted a maintenance contract for the road and so much of the paved road has had its holes repaired and the 60km stretch that usually took a huge toll on driver and car is mostly gravel/washboard and is passable in about an hour instead of the previous 2+ hrs.

The night before heading back to the capital I was informed that 3 sections of wall had fallen along the main road. I am thankful I was able to arrange for security for the next 3 days while some of our faithful workers rebuilt it in my absence. It was a good trial run for a young fellow to manage the work, who I hope to give more responsibility in the near future. I also managed to get one of the jobs done that I have been putting off during this time… yes missionaries also have a hard time throwing things out. Over the past 30 some years this warehouse has collected many antiques… relics. Much of it went to our workers for scrap steel and the like. Nothing gets wasted in Chad. This included an old kerosene fridge and wringer washer we used when we arrived 25yrs ago.

At the moment, daily life brings numerous people to our door that are looking for financial help to register their children in school. With most harvests only beginning to be done, this is a particularly hard time. It typically goes like this…
“Do you need any vegetables?” “Not really, we have plenty at the moment” “I need 10 – $80 to register my child(ren) in school” “What do you have?” “I have $10… I can bring you tomatoes/peanuts to pay you back.”
When the first one comes, it is easy to help. We usually either pay a premium for the produce or forgive a portion of the debt but after the 10+ person comes to see you, how many tomatoes or peanuts can one eat 🙂 ” Discernment from Him is something we depend on daily.

This next week should bring some interesting experiences as we being a busy schedule of trainings in the surrounding area as this year has seen much flooding. The first place we are going, Bongor, has the entire centre of the city flooded to the point where they are using dug-out canoes to get places. The local coordinator wrote us and said that the school property had been pumped out but her guest lodging was inaccessible. Also it was impossible to get to the school except by a combination of moto, pirogue (dug-out canoe) and the last 500m on foot. So we responded with “so we are rescheduling?” She responded “Oh no! Just don’t plan on starting on time and by the way we have some others joining us so, instead of the 10 teachers from last year, we’ll have an additional 10 new ones.”

Finally, I mentioned flooding. Many areas, especially east and north have seen rain like never before. While this is a normal scene in some places the rains that usually taper off in September are continuing heavily. Bongor received over 40mm last night alone. By now rains are light and weekly at most, yet in some places continue several times weekly.

The rains have also reached as far as Bardai in the far north creating flash flood that the elderly say they have never seen. Like this church many houses have been destroyed and people lost everything. Roads built for year round travel have been cut in many areas leaving locals and missionaries alike stranded. On one of our trips we were able to leave a cooler of supplies with a local merchant who handed it off to a fellow sent on moto to fetch it for our missionaries. It took 24hrs for it to reach them as the moto had to cross numerous washouts and make repairs along the way.
https://youtu.be/GbcX6JmnQ60

Your prayers are vital for our continued ministry to the people of Chad where God has called us. Pray for wisdom as to how to manage our very different ministries. Pray that God would enable Kathryn to pass on what God has given her in effective literacy learning and the Bible story teaching. While the church may be large in numbers the depth of their personal relationship with Christ remains very low as does the level of literacy in the country. Pray for improved health as Kathryn manages her gut health and rehabilitation of her foot injury with travels and days of teaching on her feet. Also while I, Paul, have experienced healing for my heart it seems to have been for a time. That I would know best how to manage some episodes that have returned.
We are grateful for your partnership in ministry, being His hands and feet here in Chad.
Paul & Kathryn

Good documentary of Chad and of 2024 flooding