Perspective

Today at the women’s Bible Study group several of the women shared the issues they were facing in their lives right now. Just hearing these helps us to put our own minor problems and frustrations into perspective.
• A’s daughter was having a baby and haemorrhaged so badly that she lost her life, although the baby was saved. She probably would have been OK if she had been in a hospital in Britain. Who will now feed and take care of the baby?
• M went away to her granddaughter’s funeral and on her return home found that her 17-year-old son had just taken his belongings and disappeared. Where has he gone and why?
• Another lady was pressured by her husband into getting a loan from a women’s co-operative. The loan is due to be repaid but her husband has probably spent the money on drink. She was asking him for money but he has chased her away with a machete and she has not gone back home today.

Apart from these, other church members are struggling with ill health in themselves or their families, with poverty and hunger, and with mistreatment by husbands. Others are HIV positive but most cannot bring themselves to admit it openly. Life here in Kenya can be harsh but people know that church is a place where they can receive some care and compassion. How much we need to see this community changed by people finding a real relationship with God and putting his ways into practice!

On a lighter note, our senior school girls did us proud by going to the provincial round of the Kenyan Schools Music Festival and being placed a very commendable 12th out of around 75 presentations for their traditional dance/song. They nearly didn’t make it to the festival at all as the bus which was due to pick them up at 6.00am allegedly broke down on its way here and they didn’t get away until after 9.30.

Two of our teenage visitors are starting their journey home tomorrow having spent a couple of weeks playing football and touch rugby with our kids and improving our sports field with new paths, new goalposts, netball pitch and volleyball court. A big improvement - and they’ve been a big hit with the children.