-November News

Dear Friends,

Life in Aden throws up some delicious moments… Ramadan was drawing to its close when Mansour, our administrator came into the office with a sturdy white polythene bag in his hand. It looked heavy. ‘It is for you,’ he said, turning to Peter, clearly trying to suppress a giggle. ‘It’s from the mosque. A friend I pray with there each night gave it to me. I’ve checked it’s not a bomb.’ He also explained slightly apologetically that the bag was turned inside out because it had a person’s face on it – ‘and in our religion,’ he said, ‘it is not good.’

The bag contained a formidable number of tracts, all nicely printed and produced in English, commending Islam. Amongst them was ‘The true message of Jesus Christ,’ by one Dr Bilal Philips, printed in Parsons Green, London, and a copy of the Koran in English. Both were stamped inside with the name of the Cultural Center for Foreigners, Aden Branch.

Peter thanked Mansour for the books and after a moment’s reflection asked if he might not in turn send some reading material to his praying friend. The suggestion was received with a warm hearted chuckle and the words, ‘as you like.’

Ramadan seems a remote memory now. We have never found it an easy month, and next year we will consider closing the clinics for the final two weeks. Next year it will be earlier and the weather even hotter. Staff struggle as it is to keep going, while the number of patients dwindles significantly.

The Eid (feast), when it is announced to mark the end of Ramadan, is a joyous affair, heralded by fireworks. Homes are cleaned, new furnishings bought when possible and children dressed in new clothes

Little boys are buttoned into dark three piece suits, while young girls sport proudly and prominently their first handbags – large, often pink and plastic – and hope to receive something to put in them!

Every year on the first day of the feast we have been invited to the home of Fowzia, our assistant pharmacist. Her family are from Somalia. They live in two rooms on a steep hillside fifteen minutes’ walk from the church. It has taken us time to memorise the route – Lost on a previous visit, no less than fifteen young boys led us with drum accompaniment to the family’s door!

Our Eid host

Normally Aden is bursting at the seams in the Eid. Last year it was estimated that half a million visitors, many from Saudia and Sanaa, came to enjoy the city and its beaches. This year numbers were down and the hotels half full, due possibly, to the political situation, which is probably best described as “fragile”. There are weekly anti government demonstrations across the country, occasional travel restrictions and a growing apprehension among thoughtful people for the future. A few months ago a friend and foreign diplomat with a warm affection for Yemen commented that, ‘a serious political miscalculation on behalf of the president, coinciding with acute economic hardship in the country could spell disaster (or words to that effect). The acute economic hardship is present already and widespread, and the blowing up recently by disgruntled tribesmen of a major oil pipeline will not have helped. Oil revenues this year are already half last year’s (despite the current price of oil) due to the country’s fast shrinking oil resources. Still, the all too recent memory of civil wars here and the all too nearby chaos across the narrow sea in Somalia probably remain serious deterrents to violent, major political upheaval. We hope so.

The ‘situation’ did not, however, deter foreign friends from coming from Taiz and Sanaa in large numbers to enjoy our guest rooms, the garden, beaches, the Ching Sing restaurant or the Pizza Hut. It seemed that at any moment we were likely to spot a small figure, mostly blonde, around a metre high, preparing for or returning from the sea. Later we found ‘beached’ crabs in the bathrooms.

On Friday, most of our guests were still with us and joined us for worship. The story of leprosy-smitten, General Naaman was one of the main readings for the day and we built the service around it. A ‘Naaman’ was recruited, suitably dressed and smitten (with goops of sun lotion), an entourage accompanied him with barrows of ‘gold’ and ‘fine linen’ and later in the service he bathed in the garden fountain and was washed clean. It was all a bit chaotic but we think that the message of hope in a God who heals came through.

A month ago, some of those visitors were back, with others, to attend our second mini retreat. We had invited good friends, Bill and Hilary Musk from the UK, to come and help us. About thirty five people attended. (Some will know Bill from the books he has written). Some who attended asked why we had not asked him to bring some of his books with him. We had to admit that when he and Hilary had asked what they could bring we had replied ‘cheese’. The books are now on order.

Acting General Naaman

Bill spoke from the book of Acts to the theme, ‘That’s the Spirit!’ Their visit, though brief, was an enormous encouragement to many and we managed a couple of days sightseeing with them at the beginning of their stay.

They were, we think, stunned, as people often are, at the beauty of this country with precipitous, terraced valleys, desert wilderness and extraordinary architecture. We meandered our way south from Sanaa, stopping frequently for photo expeditions and meals at little roadside cafes/shacks, at one of which Hilary left her bag containing passport, wallet and cameras. The owner ran out to the car with it as we were about to drive away. We covered a lot of ground and used fifty litres of diesel that cost the equivalent of ten American dollars.

At the moment we are away again, this time in Ibb, a hill town of some 50,000, three and a half hours drive from Aden. We are staying with Gunnel and Alya, nurse/midwives from Sweden and the Netherlands respectively. We have been here two days and return home this afternoon. It’s been great. They are generous hosts and good tour guides. They have reminded us that child brides are still common in Yemen, and that in this part of it the average mother will have ten pregnancies before she reaches thirty. Today Gunnel has gone off to her clinic. The journey of twenty five kilometres takes an hour and a half in a substantial 4x4 vehicle. (Country Roads!)
Tomorrow she and Alya come down to us for a break. It has been good to get a glimpse of their life, as well as to relax.

Ibb

View over Ibb

On another occasion we’ll write more fully of the clinics and other aspects of the work in Aden, but briefly: Dr Shada has left the medical clinic to do further studies, which is excellent for her if sad for us. She is bright and has much to give. It leaves us with a space for a good paediatrician. Offers very welcome and a willingness to learn Arabic highly desirable.

Dr Amal is settling back into the eye clinic, operating at present alongside Dr Jan Tynovsky. Today there are seventeen cataract patients. There is great need for an additional optician in the eye clinic. The loan of someone for a month to train local staff in refraction would be a really wonderful gift! (And just now the weather is pleasant and kind and the sea is lovely.)

In the last few days we have helped host a large group of British ex-military personnel and last week celebrated Remembrance Day. It was well attended and poignant. In a few weeks we’ll welcome Peter Welby, our new volunteer from Coventry.

We have enjoyed our break away though nights have been surprisingly noisy.

Last night the handsome white cockerel at the back door was carrying on a long exchange with another cockerel across the hillside. Their dialogue was then interrupted and completely drowned out by the call to prayer from several nearby mosques, and at that point, Snoopy, the resident, faintly white, shaggy haired dog took to barking. It was terrific! And with the prospect of immediate return to sleep difficult, we did our best to heed the call to pray.

Thank you so much for your prayers, support and encouragement.

Our love and very best wishes in Christ

Peter and Nancy