 Dear Everyone,
Greetings from an amazingly green and soggy Kenya! We are having the most incredible rainy season – the rainiest for many years. Travelling is a challenge - when we returned to Marsabit two weeks ago, the roads were cluttered with over 20 Lorries stuck in the mud. Our land rover however continued steadfastly through, skirting round them, or up on the verge! On another journey we grounded the Landrover and spent two hours digging ourselves out! Coming south last Tuesday the sides of the roads were carpets of white, yellow and purple flowers, set against green grass. Incredible to think they had laid dormant under the brown and seemingly barren earth – what an amazing God! Our water tank is bursting and we have removed the feeder pipes from the gutters. The livestock, which survived, are getting stronger, and the farmers’ fields are green with new shoots. There is an air of hope after the long drought, though it will take time to recover, especially for the farmers. Our famine relief project continues into its third and final month, though transport is problematic to waterlogged areas or to villages whence people have fled. Then rehabilitation will begin.
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Bishop Stephen pumping up clean water!
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The downside is that water can be destructive. Houses have been washed away; in our Northern area floods have forced people away from their homes onto higher ground; bridges have been destroyed and roads become impassable. We had to cancel our visit to Moyale in the North, because there was no road, and I have postponed the evangelists’ course until next February, as travel is so difficult. Another major problem is that security has significantly worsened. The Isiolo area is now calm after weeks of attack and counter attack, but it is an uneasy peace. Further North towards Marsabit, the bandits have returned and shootings becoming more frequent. We travelled down on Tuesday,(after two nasty attacks on the Monday) and had wanted to travel with a tourist bus which had an armed escort, but lost contact, so hurtled through the danger area on the heels of our other church land rover, with whom we had agreed to do the journey – safety in numbers!
But despite the problems, we do thank God for the answer to our prayers, for the rain.
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Rob recycling water and trying to stop the house flooding!
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Now we are a full Diocese, we have been restored to the group of Dioceses, which make up the old Mt. Kenya East Diocese, which has been partnered with the UK Diocese of Chelmsford for thirty years. A large team came out from Chelmsford, headed by Bishop Stephen, and they visited all 5 Dioceses; signed a new agreement between themselves and all of us; and then some visited our Southern area of Isiolo. They have been very generous to us, giving their “Lent Appeal” to our new Diocese, for our development plans, so we took Bishop Stephen to some of the places that have benefited from their support: Atir, a church which used to meet under a not very leafy tree and which now has anew church building where the vicar Rev Ekai led us in a thanksgiving service; Ngaremara church compound, nearby, where a borehole has been dug and where the children enjoyed washing their hair as Bishop Stephen pumped up the clean water! The following day Rev. Ekai’s new motorcycle arrived. All over the Diocese, we have been able to build semi permanent churches where there is a derelict one or just a tree; provide water harvesting resources; help complete a vicarage; pay for training; buy three other motorcycles - thanks to their support. Some of the team also observed famine relief distribution, (though the waterlogged ground caused problems), and visited Archers Post, where many families had fled the clashes and were taking refuge in the church. We thank God for their partnership in the gospel with us.
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Amanda and Abigail
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In two weeks time, we fly back to UK for a wedding and then for Christmas with the family. While back, Rob plans to visit our partners in Germany, as well as Chelmsford, and we hope to see some of you, although this is a family visit, not an official one. Our main visit will be in September/ October 2012, when we look forward to meeting all our partner churches and many individuals. Our UK mobiles are: Sue 07968701244; Rob 07807623140, if you can spare time for a chat!
Some of you have asked about our plans for a charity, “Friends of Marsabit”, to help support the long term development of the new Diocese. Please be patient! Other more pressing matters have taken the time recently - setting up the Diocesan structures, looking at priorities and producing a 5 year plan. During the first Board meetings in October, we chose the committees and subcommittees, which will now look at the details of our mission, finances, schools, training centres and training, and communications.....
However “Friends of Marsabit” is a key part of our strategy of enabling the Diocese to be financially stable after Rob retires, so please pray for a committed team to be willing to get involved.
For those of you sponsoring a youngster’s education, please don’t forget! Either send to Crosslinks for Gift Aid or, if not, send a cheque payable to us to our son Andrew at 33 Kennedy Gardens, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN13 3UG. Thanks so much
Christmas is just a month away – as I’m sure you in the West know very well with the media bombarding you with things to buy, things to do, new clothes to wear, places to go....but nothing about Jesus.Here, there will be no sign of Christmas till three or four days before, if that, but in the churches, the Advent readings will begin to prepare us for his coming, and people will eventually make sure they have enough sodas to drink and goat and chapatis to eat, on that special day!
We pray we will all stay focussed on the Lord, and know his peace and joy this Christmas and in the New Year!
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