"Long time - no see"

After a long gap, we are back blogging again. Well, its actually
mostly me, Sandra, who is blogging.
Since 2009 much has happened in our lives that has contributed to a
lack of blogging, not least some changes to our blog provider's
systems, my Dad's Melanoma Cancer and subsequent homecall to heaven
which meant an extended visit for me back to Australia, and then my
own subsequent (and ongoing) major health issues of POTS/Dysautonomia
since returning to Botswana.
Living and serving the Lord cross-culturally continues to bring its
challenges and joys, as does now living with mobility/disability
issues in a developing nation. I look forward to sharing with you
some more of the highs and lows, the joys and sorrows, and the fun and
frustrations of our lives. Hopefully in it all you will continue to
be more enabled to partner with us, pray for us and rejoice with us in
our God's faithfulness to us and to His work in this land of Botswana.
Just to set the scene afresh and provide a quick update, we are
entering our 12th year of serving the Lord in Botswana. This year has
begun with quite a change to our ministry though, as the structure
under which our sending arrangements are, has changed. Although now
still sent by our home church, Hertford St Baptist in Brisbane,
Australia, we are sent under the oversight of and as a member of a
newly established not-for-profit organisation called LogosLife
International which is managed by a Committee of seven members to whom
we are accountable. We are really excited with this new development
and praise the Lord for His timing in it's establishment.
Despite my mobility issues and the resulting 'limitations', God is
doing great things in our small corner on the edge of the Kalahari
Desert. We truly believe God has had us strategically placed these
past years to observe, and experience life here in such a way as to
have our eyes opened very widely to the reality of the African
cultural dynamic of Honour/Shame. Coming from a primarily guilt based
western culture, we have come to realise in a new way, not only the
cultural differences that become more easily understandable, but how
much the Honour/Shame dynamic impacts the African understanding and
application of the gospel.....and sadly how much we as 'western guilt-
based' missionaries have been missing the mark. We look forward to
sharing more on this in later blogs as we work alongside Africans to
research, develop and produce evangelism and discipleship materials
that are more appropriately contextualised.
So till next time.....
Sala Sentle (that's Setswana for 'stay well' - a local way of saying
goodbye)