End of Month May News 2020
Dear Friends,
I assume the mood to be of rejoicing, as the President of Kenya announced last night, that he would soon be relaxing restrictions on corona virus, such as curfew, lock-down, and non-travel between different regions of the country. We hope that churches will soon be able to function, as also schools . . . This also looks though like it will be an admission of defeat at having contained the virus, so covid-19 will go on free reign.
I have continued to take available opportunities to make pastoral visits to people. The problem I have come up against – is that often my Kenyan colleagues want to go INTO the houses we visit, whereas to avoid risk of sharing coronavirus infection, I consider it wise to stay outside. It’s strange if my colleagues go in and leave me in the doorway . . . At the end of the day, looks like I’ll have to ditch my Western science-oriented caution and just do things local-style . . .
Give thanks for the bible studies we are having here at the Coptic mission. Although typically we might have more people, covid-19 has stopped us having visitors. Often we are just three of us; myself a Brit, an Egyptian, and a Tanzanian, having a bible study. Something I am very used to now; in true Coptic church style, we sit on the floor (on cushions) in the small chapel here on the compound.
Give thanks for good fellowship at home, with 12 children. Give thanks for good relationships with Egyptian missionary colleagues. Give thanks for the hard work going on around me, resulting in a new guesthouse having been constructed here on the compound in the last few months. Give thanks for opportunities to visit church-folks. Give thanks for opportunities to write and engage with people, especially on concerns related to covid-19. Give thanks for a lot of enjoyable cycling from place to place.
Yours,
Jim --
Coronavirus Covid 19 in Africa