Sunset in Africa

There is a beautiful sunset over Nairobi tonight. In about 30 minutes it will set over Akot. And in about 7 hours it will ride over the western horizon for many of you. We're approximately 7,433 miles apart for those of you in the northeast U.S. At times it seems as if we're a world apart and then other times I ask myself, what's so different?

I mean, when you can see Lucy the Elephant in Akot ~ you can't be that far from home! (for those of you who don't hail from South Jersey Lucy is a revered National Landmark)

Whether at the beach or taking a stroll through the market in Akot nothing beats a cold soda on a hot day. (from L to R: Joseah and Reuben)
Don't you help pump gas when the tank is empty? Although maybe not a drum at a time.
Mothers almost always pass their babies over to strangers when someone wants to love on them.

Don't we all need a little push sometimes to get to the second floor?

I don't know if I've ever enjoyed a mango quite like I did this mango. Messy, but well worth it!

These are a few additional glimpses from the Cataract Team's trip to Akot. But on a serious note things have not been good in Akot since our leaving 2 weeks ago.

A mandatory de-armament exercise is going on throughout South Sudan. The army has been given the job of collecting all guns and ammunition belonging to civilians. I don't think anyone in the world gives up their guns easily, but when the threat of war is hanging over you . . . . you can imagine the hesitancy on the part of the people here with elections coming in less than a month. And so the army has resorted to using a heavy hand. Friends of ours have been detained, interrogated, and beaten in the search for guns.

Today the army entered the hospital compound where Reuben and Joseah are based and they searched for guns. I thank the Lord it was an uneventful visit. Many of you were praying ~ thank you!

The exercise continues. Please continue to pray for Akot. Pray for justice and mercy. Pray for healing of relationships, not the opening up and infliction of new wounds. Sudan has suffered. She has suffered enough. The Sudanese are our neighbors regardless of the time and distance that separate us. Let us sacrifice our time and get on our knees to ask the God of all creation to protect the innocent and that righteousness will prevail in these tenuous times.

"and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday." Isaiah 58:10

There's just a sliver of a moon over Nairobi tonight ~ what's it like where you are?

Joy