01 October 2017

CLIFFS OF EAST BOURNE                          

SEASON OF CREATION

     We have been celebrating the Season of Creation since September 1st.  It will end on the feast of St. Francis on October 4th.  The Global Catholic Climate Movement has been asking for pictures of the beauty of creation to post on their website and I was enjoying looking at them the other day.  This picture of huge cliffs overlooking the sea with tiny people standing on top caught my eye.  I find great pleasure in the beauty of nature.  The size of the people in contrast to the size of the other features of the picture helped to remind me of the place we humans occupy in the vastness of nature.  It helps me to come closer to God and keep the difficulties of life in perspective.

   

KILIMAJARO IN TANZANIA

So I spent some time looking through various pictures of nature that I have taken in East Africa over the years.  I thought I would share some of them with you too.  Credit for the picture of the full moon goes to Mary Oldham who took this picture on her last night in Mombasa a few years ago.  If you look closely you will see that there is a small boat in the water!!!!

LILY SOUTH SUDAN

     Politics in Kenya continue to disrupt our lives daily.  The nurses have been striking since June 5th.  The Clinical Officers (Physician Assistants) have been striking since the beginning of September.  Last Monday the Lab technologists started striking too.  Hardly anyone is working in the government health facilities.

FULL MOON OVER INDIAN OCEAN KENYA

     All of our health units in the Archdiocese are trying to keep up with the extra needs of so many sick people who have no money for private care.  The government health workers have legitimate grievances but the government isn't functioning.  No one will address the issue of the strikes until the government starts to function again.

     I have asked so many people what they think will happen this month.  At the moment elections are scheduled on October 26th.  One person said that he doesn't think the elections will be held and the presidency will go to the Speaker of the Parliament.  One person said that the best thing for the country would be a transitional government...whatever that means.  Other people say that there will be elections on the 26th.  Some say they will be peaceful and others say there will be violence.  Yet another said he didn't really know what will happen.

     So, I have scheduled my last clinic for Oct 25th and have started to stock up on food, fuel and phone credit.  I plan to just stay in my house and work on medical and financial reports while we see what unfolds.  There's no use trying to guess what will happen.  No one really knows.

     Last night Heidi got the best news of all...she passed the Illinois State Bar exam!!!  I am now living with a fully qualified lawyer.  We celebrated with a half a chocolate bar left in the fridge.  But tonight we went out for dinner and to a music concert.  At times like these, when there is so much uncertainty, it's essential to deal with what is absolutely certain.

MAY THE PEACE OF THE CERTAINTY OF GOD WITH US

BE WITH YOU