Shining like stars

A few weeks ago a BBC reporter interviewed a Kikuyu refugee from the Eldoret area in Kenya. Anthony was out in the fields when he heard the roar. He rushed towards his village to see a 700 strong Kalenjin mob, many who were his own neighbours, surrounding the church and setting it on fire. In the church were his elderly father, his wife and baby son. As flames engulfed the building, his father died. His wife, seeing there was no way out for her, hurled her two-week old son through a window to save him. She suffered 75% burns but survived. Anthony found his son, buried his father hastily that night and took his wife and family and fled. The reporter asked him, "What will you do to your neighbours if you see them again?" Antony left the reporter lost for words by responding, "If I see them and they ask me to forgive them, I will forgive them because I am a Christian." His words were in stark contrast to the rest of the report, full of angry, hate filled voices calling for violent revenge. Anthony offered forgiveness to those who had so horribly wronged him. Paul writes, "that you may become children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life." As a family, we have been powerfully challenged in the past few weeks by Anthony, a child of God, who has held out the word of life.*

The first orientation course of 2008 has started and we welcomed 23 new workers on 14th Feb. Some arrived apprehensive, weary and sad after many goodbyes but also looking forward to seeing what God will do as they to go on to "hold out the word of life" to peoples across Asia. We are glad to have them.

The design for expanded and upgraded facilities for our creaking and overburdened 2 Cluny Road site has been agreed! The architect, David Gould, has done a fine job in creating a cohesive, attractive design - light and airy spaces conducive to work, teaching and welcoming. Please pray as we put together a project team to actually carry out the renovations.

Work on the International Personnel System to help us effectively handle our people continues at breakneck pace. Permits for a New Zealand IT expert and 2 Cambodian programmers have been granted and all three have arrived! Two more workers will be joining us in early March. The IT project team hope to have completed the first draft of the blue-print for the system by 22nd February. Jon Watts, the project manager, is doing a fine job but is under a huge amount of pressure. He and Steve spend hours on the phone each week talking to personnel in several different OMF centres across the world.

In OMF we have more than 700 third culture kids (TCKs). There are issues unique to spending your formative years in a different culture. There are also challenges in schooling children – either in down-town Tokyo or the Mongolian steppes! Our International Co-ordinator for TCK Care and Education, Barry McKessar, is stepping down after more than 14 years in the role. Please pray for the search for his replacement who we hope will be based here in Singapore.

Joshua is working hard and playing hard - three days a week he puts in a 12 hour day - partly due to long rugby practices! He just played his second full match and was delighted to score a try! Aimee is hoping to follow her brother to ASC International next January - last week she enjoyed participating in the school play "The Phantom Tollbooth" which the kids put on at a community centre theatre here. She and her friends did a great job!

With our love,
Steve, Anna, Joshua & Aimée

* When we expressed our concern for Anthony in an email to the BBC, to our surprise, we were put in touch with Anthony via the reporter. Pray especially for his wife who will undergo skin grafting on her burns from 18th February.