Welcome to Ibba

Rev Dennis Christie recounts their first few days in Ibba.

What a welcome we received when we landed at Ibba Air Strip on Tuesday. Choir members from Ibba Downey Secondary School were singing a beautiful "Welcome to Ibba" song for us.

We were welcomed again with song when we arrived at Ibba Diocese Headquarters, where members of the Mother's Union sang for us on arrival. The Bishop, all his staff team, and Rev Quill and his wife Joanne were our welcome committee. Our first day in Ibba was for new introductions and in some cases renewing friendships from over a decade ago. Our wee team, from Ahoghill & Portglenone, have been truly humbled by the genuine joyful welcome we have received. We can't help but notice our hosts have much greater struggles and challenges in their everyday lives than we, and yet there is a genuine peace and contentment that is so very clear to us.

We enjoyed the 7am morning service together on Wednesday morning in Ibba Cathedral. The service was held in Zande (the local language) with the occasional sections read in English (my bits). I was invited to preach (the first of 10 scheduled sermons) and I was translated for all to understand. They will be as tired of my voice as back home are before we are out. Niall reckoned that the Bishop was only trying to get his "monies worth" from me whilst I was here, whilst Stephen suggested "that would be a first if he managed it!" On a serious note the prayer book service, even in another language, was familiar enough to follow along and a great way to start our day with our Ibba church family.

After meeting the Commissioner of Ibba for our final clearance with the local officials, we were given a full tour of the Diocese facilties includng the staff offices, the BLC and the VTC (Vocational Training Centre). We presented the Bishop with some laptops, which were donated to us from home, for use in their IT training and admin offices. Stephen got stuck in straight away with the training for welding at the VTC, with a number of local students and tutors watching on.

Another busy and humbling day in fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ from Ibba.