|
There were representatives from all these groups-our Mekane Yesus
Church group, the Education Bureau Curriculum Development Department,
and the Catholic Church, plus four men from the Sudan who wanted
to find out what we are doing here in translation and language
development. After five days together we had not solved all the
questions, but I felt it was a good start toward more serious
thinking about the development of the language, and we hope to
continue informal sessions from time to time.
The two clinics continue to function well, and are able to provide
curative services for many people. Just a year ago the synod was
able to find a place for one of our health assistants in a course
for upgrading to the status of nurse. Kiro has been in the course
for the whole year and will be finishing soon, so we are looking
forward to his returning with renewed vision and enthusiasm, and
hope to be able to send another of our health assistants if there
is a place available in a future course. This is following the
present government policy, which is not supporting the category
of health assistant any more. Hopefully the next one to go for
training will be Onyegi, the HA who is now at Gilo Clinic, and
who has been living the last three years under the threat of being
killed in revenge for his brother's having murdered someone. Under
their system, they are not satisfied to kill the murderer, but
choose the best one of his relatives to kill in revenge, and so
he was singled out. There is a possibility of paying compensation
for the death, but the price the family has asked is so high that
they despair of being able to raise it. So perhaps it will be
good for him to be out of the area for a time.
In other news, I had the pleasure and privilege last February
of attending the conference of the Christian Medical Dental Association
near Nairobi, Kenya. It is a two-week continuing education offering
for missionary physicians and dentists, and includes Africans
as well, and I was invited to attend by the International Health
Ministries Office of the PC(USA). The conference has been going
on for years, and is a real help to doctors and dentists serving
overseas who cannot get the continuing education credits they
need in any other way. It was my first time to attend, and I enjoyed
it very much and found it quite helpful and inspiring. There was
also a spiritual emphasis which was very uplifting.
My other trip out of the country in 2002 was two weeks of vacation
in April and May with my good friends Jim and Ellie Jewell in
South Africa and Namibia, a part of Africa which I had not visited
before. It was fun to see a different part of the continent and
enjoy the beauty of it. One highlight was a dolphin and seal safari
out of Walvis Bay, Namibia, by motor launch during which a seal
repeatedly came on board to be fed fish by the skipper. Also at
the same place, we observed the strange sight of the sun setting
over the Atlantic Ocean!
Back in Ethiopia again, I would appreciate your prayers for our
translation team at this time. We have been having such a lot
of sickness among our team members, and that causes delays in
the progress of the translation. We know that our Enemy is not
pleased with the prospect of having the Bible completed in Anuak,
but with the help of the Lord he can be overcome. Along with that,
there has been a great deal of unrest in the Gambela area during
this last year, between the two main ethnic groups there, and
even now the situation continues to be tense. This is a great
cause for concern for our team members, as they have family there.
Tomorrow (January 7) I expect to meet with the Anuak community
here in Addis for a special Christmas worship service, followed
by a meal which may be attended by up to 80 or so, coming from
different parts of the city. As you receive this letter, though
it will be long after this event is past, would you please pray
for the Anuak people who are living here in Addis Ababa, many
of whom are rather adrift on a sea of uncertainty about their
futures, that they will come to really know and trust the only
One who knows and controls the future.
As we go into 2003, may the peace and joy of Christ be real to
each one of you. This also brings my thanks and appreciation for
your friendship and support, both in prayer and financially. You
are an important part of this work!
Sincerely in Christ's Service,
Marie Lusted
Extra Commitment Opportunity account numbers:
- Anuak Bible Translation: ECO #863117
- Pokwo and Gilo Clinics: ECO #862141
The 2003 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 43
|
