Sundays are important teaching days for the kids of the HATS orphanage. Church is a huge part of their culture and they are joined for fellowship by other school children, teachers and neighbours from the community. Everyone is dressed in their finest clothes and it is amazing how clean they all are arriving, considering some will walk several kilometers on the dusty roads to come to church.

Heading to church.

Joan was the special speaker this morning. She shared with the congregation about God’s promises in Ephesians 6: 11-17. Nice job, well received and a good challenge for all in attendance. Great band of timbrels and drums this morning – Rocking!!

Joan with her translator, Karen

The kids from HATS presented 2 musical numbers; Mache and Loue bon Dieu. Carol and Joan taught the children these numbers and they performed very well.

HATS musical group.

During the service there is a short fellowship time and some of the babies have a nap at the back of the church.

Church nursery

The Sunday tradition is for all the volunteers and kids to pile into the truck and head to Luckner’s store for a visit and a treat of cookies and soft drink. Seat belts are clearly optional for otherwise it would take 5 trips each way to ferry the 19 of us to the party.

Load ‘er up

Load ‘er up some more

Full house

Big selection and hard decisions

Magdala getting her first driving lesson from Msta Keif

The rest of the afternoon was read and rest time or temps de tranquille…………until the big soccer game at the church. The boys have done a wonderful job of cleaning up the yard there so it is safe for games.

Soccer in the church yard.

~Keith