food or adequate clothing. I think of how much good
that money could do in the world, and it makes me sad
that anyone would actually throw away their money on
items that they don’t even need, or
if they do, could be found at very
reasonable prices in other stores.
Beyond a doubt, people really do
spend that kind of money on
“stuff,” otherwise these stores
would not be able to stay open.
They have been there at least the
three-and-a-half years that I’ve
lived in the area, so I know people
are buying.
I’ve heard that the “average”
family around here makes one million dollars a year. I
suppose those are the people with the wineries. Wine is
a big seller, and it is a consumable item, so people are
always buying more. What a way to make money if
you’re not a Christian! Around here you find wine ev-
ery where, even in banks. You see it on the shelves of
grocery stores, it’s sold in almost all restaurants, it’s
found in novelty stores; in all kinds of stores. It’s so sad,
really, that people drink away and/or throw away their
money on needless, even harmful extravagances, when
there are so many in the world who long for just a mor-
sel on a daily basis.
Well, that was our trip to St.
Helena, in a nutshell. We chose
to go home and make our own
lunch at a much more reasonable
price. Not that groceries aren’t
expensive, but eating out in a
cute little tourist trap can cost as
much as half a week’s groceries
at a “cheap” place, maybe two
weeks’ groceries at a more fancy
place.
We came home and made our
favorite stir-fry Top Raman noodle dish—very yummy
and nourishing made by my daughter Christina’s rec-
ipe. To say nothing of inexpensive!
?
[Sue is a homemaker living in Angwin, California. She was
a frequent contributor to the Hearth to Hearth magazine and we
are happy that she is also willing for her material to be used in
Spotlight on Orphans. She, her husband Eddie, and their three
daughters, Melissa, Christina and Jenna, also sponsor two of
our children at Hope for Children Center.]
-7-
Refugees - Nairobi
By Esther McDaniel
There is a group of approximately 100 refugees
(including children) living in a refugee camp in Nairobi,
who have been helped by Pastor Nyamora and the
workers from the Glory Children’s Center.
This group has been referred to several
times in the course of reporting the work
that is going on at that Center. Now that the
Glory Center is moved out of Nairobi, I am
sure the refugees greatly miss them.
Most of these refugees are from
Congo but a few of them are from
Rwanda. Among them are many orphans.
I was privileged to meet these dear people
on both of my visits to Africa—in October
of 2003 and again in November of 2004. I
can understand why the hearts of Moses
and Prisca ache for these people. Their life is very hard
as they are so far away from their homeland and cannot
work in the country to which they have fled from
tremendous dangers in their own countries. During the
flight, many loved ones were killed or died of other
causes and others were separated from loved ones with
no knowledge of what has become of them. They must
work hard just to pay the rent on their small shelters.
When they become ill, there is little they can do unless
they know someone who can help them.
Pastor Bushiri Pierre Songolo is one of the refugees
that I met. He and his family are refugees from Congo
and he has been cooperating with Pastor Moses in
caring for the refugees. Pastor Songolo has
a medical problem for which we request
your prayers. He has had three surgeries,
beginning in 2003, for a urinary tract
problem. In January, he is scheduled for
one more surgery in which he will receive
an iliostomy. Needless to say, he is not
looking forward to this surgery and would
like to have it performed abroad as he feels
it may not be done properly there in
Africa. This dear brother has been near
death on more than one occasion due to his
problem of urine blockage.
As I write this, the children at Bowman Hills SDA
School, in east Tennessee, are considering the needs of
these refugees and how they can help. Isn’t it wonderful
that God has touched their hearts at just the right time to
encourage these needy people! Please remember to
pray for Pastor Songolo.
?
Bushiri Pierre Songolo
