News for Middle of November 2003
* Gunshots echoed through the
air as I watched people scampering to the back of the shop. People were
running up and down on the street outside. A car sped by. The bank I had
emerged from 15 minutes earlier, had been robbed. Amongst other things
taken by the thieves was the cheque I had written to get some local currency.
Fortunately we have managed to cancel it.
Pray for Kisumu town where this took place, where unrest seems to be on
the rise. Give thanks that I was away from the bank by the time this happened!
* Cycling by the Yala hospital a few days ago, the mother to a friend
flagged me down and informed me that one of her sons was sick in that
hospital. I agreed to go and pray for George. I found him lying on his
back unable to talk or do anything except move one eye slightly. He looked
to be aged around 25 or 30. I put my hand onto his shoulder and talked
to him. We assume that he could hear what was being said, although it
was hard to be certain. I prayed for him. I went on to pray for another
old man in the same ward with whom I often fellowship in my local Anglican
church.
Another reminder about the vulnerability of mankind. A strong and fit
young fellow, suddenly rendered into this helpless state. (It is probably
due to malaria, I do not know an official diagnosis.) Tomorrow that could
be I. Suddenly, no opportunity again to say hello, to say 'I love you'
to your relative, to chat or to discuss life. Just a staring into space
... who is man that he should ever be proud? (George died 2 days later.)
* I was hoping to spend a couple of weeks in Uganda over the December
vacation holding seminars with churches etc. This week I heard that my
Ugandan colleague with whom I was to travel, Rev. James Ngabo, has been
involved in an accident with a motorcycle-taxi and is in hospital anticipating
having to have an eye removed surgically. Please pray for him. My trip
to Uganda is thus called off. (I may just cross the border for a few days).
* Give thanks for the key meetings held so far in and about Y.T.C. We
have 2 (and more) kinds of churches in Yala. They do not all see eye to
eye. This means that being linked with one group has limited opportunities
of working with the other group, even though the same teaching would benefit
both. Pray with us that we be able to overcome this difficulty.
* Pray for our Government's moving against corruption. This is proving
2-edged. Much that works in Kenya has been operating by the 'corrupt'
system. Undercutting the corrupt-sector can bring a lot of activities
to a halt. This could bring greater and greater dependence on direct management
and control of what goes on here from the outside, i.e. Europe and America
Jim