My subconscious must be working overtime trying to process some of the potential risks; the outcome was a rather dramatic, horrible dream. In the nightmare, I was trying to shepherd my children away from drunken soldiers in dark army uniforms. They were shooting randomly and shouting incoherently. I was most relieved to wake up safely in my bed and to see that my family was safe!
We have heard from friends that there is very little on the British news about events within SS. However, this does not mean that the suffering and turmoil have gone away. On the contrary, unrest continues, but it has become "old news". It seems it is no longer sensational enough to make headlines in England, as with so many countries where problems persist but are no longer reported. Ongoing issues can lose their "novelty value" as international news stories.
As we wait in Nairobi for our move to our next MAF programme, we receive daily updates via a United Nations information forum based in SS. These updates can make unsettling reading! On the plus side, Juba itself has been calm and the MAF team there have been operating as normal. This is reassuring.
The issue of security is one which we are also very conscious of in Nairobi. When we arrived here, I felt overwhelmed by the security briefings I was given. There are so many threats to consider- a stark contrast to tranquil Dodoma! Recent events and current affairs in Kenya can make me feel disturbed. It is strange to live in a city where appealing shopping centres and tourist attractions become places to avoid at weekends and peak times, due to possible threats of large-scale violence.
In our Nairobi home, the burglar bars on our windows and heavy-duty security doors serve as visual reminders to be vigilant against all-too-frequent crime.
The fact that we live in a street enclosed behind a large gate, complete with sharp spikes, is a further reminder of the risks in a potentially volatile city. Guards are on duty 24/7, opening the gates carefully to those they recognise. When friends visit or a taxi is ordered, we have to remember to alert the guards in advance, so that they let the visitors in to our street!
Hopefully, there will be no more nightmares, but I would rather have a bad dream than an actual real-life crisis! Recently, our attention has been drawn to Psalm 121- a great passage to reassure and to spur us on with our journey as we work with MAF, wherever that journey may take us.
This could make disturbing reading if we didn't know that you are all in God's hands. PS 91 is another great reassuring passage. We pray for you all daily Lots of love nana x x x x x
ReplyDeleteYes, good that your dream wasn't true. Here the opposite happened when two masked men leaped over the stable door in our Post office and Sue thought it was someone playing a trick and she was dreaming, until she realised it was only too true. Fortunately, although badly shocked and shaken, she was not harmed phyisically. Proud of you all Love granddad x
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