Seeking God's Peace in Africa

The photos:

1.      Every day Lami brings a “snack” to the cows (handfuls of green grass which are only found under our solar water heater because everywhere else is too dry these days).

2.      The Davis Family acrobatic troupe, choreographed and directed by Tovah.

3.      “Obama” the goat, who belongs to Naomi and her family.  Naomi has been working in our house in the mornings.  She is to the right in the picture.   She has completed high school and is waiting for her exam results.  She is aspiring to be a doctor.

 

 

Dear Friends, Family, and others who are on our mailing list for no apparent reason,

 

It’s been a long time since we wrote, and a lot has happened in the world!  I’m not sure about the US, but the biggest news in Kenya has been President Obama.  Views in the US maybe rather polarized, but in Kenya everyone is thrilled.  For the last week the papers have been headlined and filled with pictures and articles about him, Obama bumper stickers are multiplying on cars, hospitals are full of new babies christened “Obama” (both boys and girls), and on Tuesday night (Tuesday morning in the US) every hotel, club, bar, and restaurant held parties with entrance being charged at 1000 Shillings and up!!!  (1000 Shillings is about 14 dollars, or about 20% of a monthly working class salary.)

 

Tuesday night was also men’s fellowship here, so we gathered at 8:00pm, our usual time (and the same time as the oath of office), to find our host had a feast for us of chips (French fries) and fried goat meat.  After the ceremony the TV was shut off, we resumed our meeting, and ended in prayer.  In the prayer we were reminded, “God, the world places it’s hope in many things—in money, in medicine, and in men like Bwana Barack.  But we have our confidence in You.  We know economies fail, medical knowledge lacks, and great leaders fall…”

 

Regardless of your opinion of Obama, we are praying for good leadership and reminded that our hope is anchored in a God.

 

Enough politics.

 

How are you?  Are you surviving winter?  Can we be praying for you?  We’d love to hear your news—thank you for the Christmas cards some have sent!

 

We are well!  I never know what we are doing tomorrow, but today is always full.  Yesterday I spent all day working on spreadsheets to record our operations on our demonstration farm here in Ilula.  We now have record sheets for 10 projects:  Rabbits, Goats, Chickens, Layers, Broilers, Fish, Honey, Mushrooms, Forestry, and Vegetables!  We also visited a neighbor’s home (where we met Obama the goat), and then visited my mother who has malaria. 

 

Jen has been building relationships with the women here and homeschooling the girls (while we are in Kenya).  Tovah is busy making known her political opinions “Do you know that being president is like being the daddy of a country?” and reading a selection of words that end in “at” and “am”; Lami is excelling at coloring pictures and providing tender mothering for her perpetually needy doll.

 

As for Congo….  We are looking forward to meeting with the ELI international director, and the ELI Congo director next week.  We continue to pray for God’s timing in moving to Bukavu, for wisdom in moving our household there, and for preparation and peace in the meantime.  The Tutsi rebel insurgency has taken an odd twist with the DRC government now combining forces with Rwandan forces to attack and disarm the Hutu rebels—the very enemies of the rebels.  Put very simply two months ago:   A was supported by B to fight C who was supported by D.  Today C has joined with B to fight D, the enemies of A. 

 

Key:

A – Congolese Tutsi rebels (who live in Congo)

B – the Rwandan Army

C – the national Congolese army

D – Rwandan Hutu rebels (who live in Congo)

 

Meanwhile the Ugandan army is back in Congo chasing Ugandan rebels, the LRA who are now retreating north through Congo and into Central African Republic leaving a wake of death and destruction, and taking hundreds of slaves for child soldiers and “wives”.

 

Sorry if I’ve confused you, but I hope you are praying.  Bukavu has remained relatively calm.

 

So that’s our news.  Thank you for your prayers, news and support.  We know the economy is struggling, but we have still been getting our full support!  Thank you for your faithfulness in giving!

 

God bless,

Davis