At Gilo Clinic the nurse Kiro
who just finished the upgrading course earlier in the year also
quit (both of them went to work in the government health care
system for higher pay), which left only the one health assistant.
My trip to Pokwo was interesting, being made by outboard motor
boat, as the road was not yet open after the rainy season. This
is the time of year when it is always hard to travel to Pokwo—the
river is falling rapidly, and there are many sandbars that block
progress. There is a channel, but it is not always easy to find
(no channel-marking buoys here). But we did make it OK with our
load of medicines. Again, I did not find the nurse there, and
understood that he too had quit. I wondered about the future for
these two clinics. I didn’t have long to wait.
Back in Addis again, we began hearing reports of Anuak people
being abducted and killed in several different locations, but
on December 13 we were shocked and dismayed to hear that there
was what seemed like a full-scale massacre of Anuaks going on
in Gambela, with educated young and older men being the targets.
This went on for three days until the Federal Police were dispatched
from Addis Ababa to quiet things down. Besides the killings, houses
were looted and many burned all over the town, and the frightened
survivors fled to take refuge in our church compound, until there
were about five thousand sheltering there. Others fled to the
compound of the Catholic Church and found shelter there. These
folks were without food for those three days—mercifully,
there is a well on our compound, so at least they had water. Similar
attacks took place in the other towns in the area, Abobo and Pinyudo,
as well as some villages down river from Gambela, including Pokwo,
where they looted the clinic of medicines and money and beat up
one of the clinic workers. At some villages young girls were raped
also. At Pinyudo the clinic was looted and all medicines and equipment
was taken. None of the workers were harmed, however. The total
number of those who perished is not really known, as many died
out in the bush, and all those who died in the towns were buried
in mass graves. But the list of names of those known dead reaches
to over four hundred.
In the aftermath of all this, there are attempts at giving aid
to those who survived, and here in Addis we are daily listening
to the stories related by survivors who have come here for a little
respite. I have sent a small supply of medicines to be used by
the clinics if they are able to operate. We need wisdom to know
how to proceed and how to help. Many people have fled to the Sudan
or to Kenya. The crisis is not over yet, and many feel that if
given a chance there could be a repeat which could be even worse
than the first wave.
But as we meet for worship with the Anuak group each Sunday and
some other times as well, I am overwhelmed by their trust in the
mighty power of the Lord to help them and to bring help to their
people. In simple faith, their attitude is, God is in control
of everything that happens to us, so we have to praise Him, and
He will save us. Truly that is their only hope, as they are not
armed and they are not many.
In the midst of this turmoil, we are trying to make progress
on the last book of the Old Testament, which happens to be Job,
and I have to commend the translators for being able to keep on
concentrating (though with much difficulty I am sure). The Lord
willing, we hope to finish up the book in the next couple of months,
which will mean that the whole Old Testament is complete. Then
will come the rechecking of all the books for consistency and
any updated expressions. When that is finished, perhaps next year,
we need also to do a minor revision of the New Testament, and
then will be the publishing of the complete Bible. That goal has
been before us for many years, but now it seems to be just about
within our grasp. We depend on you, our prayer partners, to continue
to uphold this project in your prayers until the end.
At the end of June my present term of service is to end, and
I have decided to officially retire, and then, hopefully, return
as a volunteer with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to be here
till the Bible is completed. Pray also that those plans will be
guided by the Lord.
I plan to be in the States during July, August, and September,
and will be available for speaking in churches during that time.
If you would like me to come to speak in your church, you may
contact me at the above address, either by email or snail mail,
until June. I look forward to visiting as many as possible of
the churches who have supported me and the Anuak Translation Project
through the years.
One of the Anuak hymns we sang this morning says, in part: “The
ground of my life is You, O Lord,” and another one: “He
does not sleep, and He does not doze off.” That is a wonderful
assurance for them and for all of us, whatever our circumstances.
Yours in Christ’s service,
Marie Lusted
The 2004 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p.
51
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