Aden News

Dear Friends

Today has been an emotional day with the arrival at last in Aden of the Burmese (Myanmar) Chief Officer of the ‘Marian IV’, which sank ten weeks ago off Socotra. He had actually seen the German naval helicopter lift his fellow crew members off the island on 6th July but was too weak and far away to get the pilot’s attention. A few days late islanders living on Abd al Kuri found him and a week ago a small fishing dhow took him to Socotra and from there he was flown to Aden.

Abd al Kuri Island is seventy kilometres long and seven wide. The population of six hundred live in six hamlets in shacks made of driftwood. ‘Sunny’, as the Chief Officer likes to be known, said the people were very, very kind. For eight months they fish; for four, when the seas and winds are terrific they hunker down, tell stories, eat dried fish and chew qat. Tonight he phone home from the office here and we hope in a few days will fly home to his wife and children.

Yesterday was the second evening of our new ‘Ramadan schedule’ for the English classes. These have got off to a good start with thirty two students enrolled, nearly all from our immediate area, with more on a waiting list. Classes run between 8 and 11 pm! There’s a happy buzz among students in the courtyard waiting for classes to start and it’s good to see them here.

Tomorrow in the late afternoon we have the third of our Alpha course evenings – a good mix of people and the beginnings of rapport and freedom among them. We are glad.

We have both found the last six weeks or so a hard slog and at times a real effort to keep going. But that said, it’s made us all the more grateful for the encouragement and support we know we have from you who read this and from all the staff here – local, and now expatriate – Philippa, Simon and Nancy (plus Sara and Stefan) and William and Jeanette who are great.

In a week’s time we take off for a fortnight’s break to Beirut (these crazy Crooks!). It is much calmer there now and we will be staying with long standing friends, Tom and Annie Hoglind, in the mountains above Beirut. We’re looking forward to it eagerly.

Our love and warmest best wishes in Christ

Peter and Nancy

Rev’d. Peter Crooks
Christ Church
P.O. Box 1319, Tawahi, Aden
Republic of Yemen
Phone/Fax: +967 2 201204
Email: chrchu@y.net.ye