St Luke's Church Eccleshill - Articles from "The Link"

Chris and Sophie Jelley are our Link Missionaries in Uganda Christian University. Extracts from their letter last month...

African time

Dear Friends,

It’s Christmas! How strange to send you Christmas greetings on a warm tropical night with crickets chirping in the background. Even stranger to find ourselves pining for British wintertime and the cold!

We have been here for just over three months and have experienced moments of joy, frustration, tears, confusion and laughter. But we do feel we are beginning to discover a pattern of life here, so things are beginning to get easier.

Time is a rather different concept here in Africa. It only has to rain and the students don’t turn up for lectures, they simply wait until it stops raining. So you can never quite plan - the “flexible timetable” of the university is frustrating! Please pray we can appreciate this difference and so contribute to life in an appropriate way.

Over 1200 students arrived and registered in October. Chris became “Director of University Computer Services”. He established a new computer lab with new desks, chairs and computers in a section of the library. He is responsible for all staff computer needs and Audio-Visual equipment. He lectures a few hours each day (including two evenings). By the end of the academic year he will have taught every first-year student, and hopes to have the university connected to the internet by then and to have developed a small campus network.

The unstable and irregular power supply has made Chris’s job very challenging indeed. He is also much in demand as the “Technology expert” on campus. Please pray that he has the resources to deal with both job and demands.

Sophie is teaching two tutorials a week (Writing and Study skills, and Introduction to the Old Testament) and will be a fellowship group tutor for ministers in training. She preaches occasionally at University services, is involved with the chapel Sunday school, and takes part in the women’s bible study group which meets fortnightly.

Oscar continues to delight in his new teeth and mobility skills, and practices his new words on anyone who will listen. He has made lots of friends here including Ivan (a three- year old) who loves to show Oscar what’s what. He loves our student helpers Betty and Clare, and stays with either them or Daddy while Mummy does her teaching.

We pray you will have a safe and happy Christmas and New Year. With love,

Chris & Sophie Jelley

	*St Luke's Church, Eccleshill - The Link* magazine** The Link is published monthly at 40p (Senior Citizens 35p), and we deliver free within the parish and post copies (at the reader's expense) to those who request it. Please contact us if you would like a free copy for a trial period. January 2002, Page 4.
Home Page. Index of articles. Missionaries: index, Jelley Baby, African Time, Shifting. CMS, UCU. In this issue: (January 2002) Vicar's Letter, On the web, Jelleys, Electoral Roll, Question, Question.	Chris and Sophie Jelley are our Link Missionaries in Uganda Christian University. Extracts from their letter last month... African time Dear Friends, It’s Christmas! How strange to send you Christmas greetings on a warm tropical night with crickets chirping in the background. Even stranger to find ourselves pining for British wintertime and the cold! We have been here for just over three months and have experienced moments of joy, frustration, tears, confusion and laughter. But we do feel we are beginning to discover a pattern of life here, so things are beginning to get easier. Time is a rather different concept here in Africa. It only has to rain and the students don’t turn up for lectures, they simply wait until it stops raining. So you can never quite plan - the “flexible timetable” of the university is frustrating! Please pray we can appreciate this difference and so contribute to life in an appropriate way. Over 1200 students arrived and registered in October. Chris became “Director of University Computer Services”. He established a new computer lab with new desks, chairs and computers in a section of the library. He is responsible for all staff computer needs and Audio-Visual equipment. He lectures a few hours each day (including two evenings). By the end of the academic year he will have taught every first-year student, and hopes to have the university connected to the internet by then and to have developed a small campus network. The unstable and irregular power supply has made Chris’s job very challenging indeed. He is also much in demand as the “Technology expert” on campus. Please pray that he has the resources to deal with both job and demands. Sophie is teaching two tutorials a week (Writing and Study skills, and Introduction to the Old Testament) and will be a fellowship group tutor for ministers in training. She preaches occasionally at University services, is involved with the chapel Sunday school, and takes part in the women’s bible study group which meets fortnightly. Oscar continues to delight in his new teeth and mobility skills, and practices his new words on anyone who will listen. He has made lots of friends here including Ivan (a three- year old) who loves to show Oscar what’s what. He loves our student helpers Betty and Clare, and stays with either them or Daddy while Mummy does her teaching. We pray you will have a safe and happy Christmas and New Year. With love, Chris & Sophie Jelley
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