Good-Bye Again
Do you ever say good-bye to someone and think you'll never see them again? This happens quite a bit with me as I travel to many different countries and live on a ship with constant turn-over. I recently had a pleasant surprise in catching up with 2 special people I worked alongside with for two months of my life in the year 2000. And when I said good-bye to them over 5 years ago, I thought I wouldn't see them again this side of heaven . This past weekend I went with a friend to Port Elizabeth(PE) about 3 hours from East London here in South Africa. Five years ago I did a ministry related outreach with a team of 15 for 2 months in PE. We lived in a home and worked with a wonderful ministry called Jerusalem Ministries. The couple that runs this ministry are 2 incredible people.
For the past 10 years Derrick and Diane have opened up their home to drug addicts, alcoholics, criminals under house arrest and destitute/homeless men. They provide full board and lodging and a biblically based rehabilitative program to these men as well as helping them integrate back into society with job skills.
In 10 years they have helped over 1200 men. When we stayed with them there were 19 men living in their home. I was amazed how this family has opened up their home to these men. But not only do they open up their home, they become their friend and to some, their family. They live in the same house, eat dinner together, and fellowship together. As I watched them I saw the love of Jesus for these men, sometimes tough love, but love. This is not just a project for them; it's been their way of life over the last 10 years. What an example of Jesus this was for me as well as a challenge in how I "do" ministry.
By the way, they also oversee a children's center for children who are orphaned through Aids, a training program for adults to help them run their own business, many feeding schemes in Walmer Township where 32,000 meals are provided each month through local creches (pre-schools), a poultry project and are starting some new ministries. May God bless you and sustain you Derrick and Diane! Good-bye for now or until we meet again!
May the Best Man Win
Campaigning has started for Liberia's first general elections since the end of a 14-year civil war. Please pray for this time leading up to the election on October 11th, that God's man would win and He would receive glory.
Read more here.
Call to Surrender and Justice
Charles Taylor is the former president of
Liberia who 2 years ago yesterday fled Liberia to exile in Nigeria in order that peace could come to Liberia. Liberia had been in a 14 year civil war and the year 2003 is when many in the US heard about this war for the first time. I remember being home on leave and reading about the war in Liberia on the front page of the paper. There was a call from international leaders for Taylor to step down so peace could finally come to Liberia. He finally agreed and has been living in Nigeria ever since.
Besides being a large part of the instability in Liberia, Charles Taylor has been accused of crimes against humanity and war crimes committed during Sierra Leone's civil war. He also claims that he is misunderstood and says, "Jesus Christ was also accused of being a murderer in his time."
Yesterday there was yet another call for Nigeria to surrender Taylor to the Special Court for Sierra Leone:
The Campaign Against Impunity, a coalition made up of some 300 African and international civil society groups was formed to ensure Nigeria's surrender of Charles Taylor to the Special Court for Sierra Leone. Taylor has been accused of 17 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity against the people of Sierra Leone by the Special Court. The crimes include killings, mutilations, rape and other forms of sexual violence, sexual slavery, the recruitment and use of child soldiers, abduction, and the use of forced labor by Sierra Leonean armed opposition groups.
But Nigeria has refused to turn over Taylor.
Despite mounting international pressure from African countries, the United Nations, the European Union and the United States, Nigeria continues to resist surrendering indicted war criminal Charles Taylor to the Special Court for Sierra Leone.
Surrendering Taylor to the Special Court is crucial not only to ensure justice is done for crimes committed during the Sierra Leone conflict, but also to ensure stability in West Africa, the Campaign Against Impunity said. There are consistent reports of Taylor's interference in Liberian politics, despite the terms of the agreement granting him asylum, which prohibits any such meddling.
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan stated that Taylor is reportedly in regular contact with former business, military and political associates in Liberia and is suspected of supporting candidates in Liberia's October presidential election.
The official presedential election campaign in Liberia begins Monday. If Taylor is involved in the elections (which according to his exile agreement he is forbidden to have anything to do with the election or have contact with any potential canidates) it could cause great instability in an already fragile nation.
"The moment for Taylor's surrender to the Special Court is now," said James Paul Allen, a Sierra Leonean human rights activist involved in the campaign. "The indictment for Charles Taylor on war crimes and crimes against humanity must be honored. The victims in Sierra Leone who suffered grave crimes under international law should not be forced to wait any longer."
My $.02: Taylor needs to stand trial. I worked in Sierra Leone over a period of 3 years and just recently in Liberia, I have heard a few of the thousands of horrific stories from innocent people. We serve a God of justice. May justice be realized.
More Background: CNN-Turmoil in Liberia 2003, Timeline: Liberia, Douglas Farah Blog
Updates
- The Anastasis is out of dry dock (yipee!) but the work continues in renovations of this old vessel. The ship will be in shipyard until September 5th here in East London.
- I am currently hosting a team of 21 people from a church in California who arrived Wednesday. This is the second time this church has sent a team to help with shipyard projects. I've been in communication and planning with them since December 2004 so it's been good to put some faces with the names and get to know them. They will be here for 2 weeks and have already started full force in renovations.
- I had an opportunity to visit a game reserve and had a wonderful time with friends. I've posted a few photos on Flickr.
