A letter from Marie Lusted in Ethiopia
January 6, 2003
Dear Friends,
In past years it was my goal to write a newsletter during the period between the two Christmases, that is, Western Christmas on December 25 and Ethiopian Christmas on January 6 or 7 (depending on Leap Year). Lately I have not managed to accomplish it, but this year I am again going to try. It has been a long time since I sent a letter by the regular way, but there is one interim letter posted on my Web page with the PC(USA), for those of you who have Internet access. You can find it at: www.pcusa.org/missionconnections/profiles/lustedm.htm.
The year that has just finished has been different from all the former years, but our faithful Lord has not changed, and I am thankful that He has been with us in all that has gone on this year. "Jesus Christ is the same-yesterday, and today and forever!" The main thing that made it different was that at the end of August, I suddenly developed a medical problem which made it necessary for me to return to the United States and have surgery on what turned out to be a benign cyst. While in the United States I stayed with my good friends Dan and Jane Reynold in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, and was treated at Cleveland Clinic. I couldn't have asked for better hospitality and care than I received from all. Even the surgeon expressed his happiness for the good outcome, and I thank the Lord for his goodness.
"Would you please pray for the Anuak people who are living here in Addis Ababa, many of whom are rather adrift on a sea of uncertainty about their futures, that they will come to really know and trust the only One who knows and controls the future?"
— Marie Lusted
We were making good progress on the Bible translation, having completed the first half of Ezekiel in August, and were looking forward to finishing the whole book by the end of the year, but that was delayed by my absence. During the time I was away, however, the two translators nearly completed the drafting of the book, and now we are working through the drafts chapter by chapter. When this book is completed, there will remain only Job and Song of Solomon to finish the Old Testament.
Soon after I returned to Ethiopia in November, we were able to arrange a workshop in Gambela during the first week in December to discuss the orthography (spelling) of the Anuak language, which has become a concern with several different groups publishing materials in the Anuak language.
There were representatives from all these groups-our Mekane Yesus Church group, the Education Bureau Curriculum Development Department, and the Catholic Church, plus four men from the Sudan who wanted to find out what we are doing here in translation and language development. After five days together we had not solved all the questions, but I felt it was a good start toward more serious thinking about the development of the language, and we hope to continue informal sessions from time to time.
The two clinics continue to function well, and are able to provide curative services for many people. Just a year ago the synod was able to find a place for one of our health assistants in a course for upgrading to the status of nurse. Kiro has been in the course for the whole year and will be finishing soon, so we are looking forward to his returning with renewed vision and enthusiasm, and hope to be able to send another of our health assistants if there is a place available in a future course. This is following the present government policy, which is not supporting the category of health assistant any more. Hopefully the next one to go for training will be Onyegi, the HA who is now at Gilo Clinic, and who has been living the last three years under the threat of being killed in revenge for his brother's having murdered someone. Under their system, they are not satisfied to kill the murderer, but choose the best one of his relatives to kill in revenge, and so he was singled out. There is a possibility of paying compensation for the death, but the price the family has asked is so high that they despair of being able to raise it. So perhaps it will be good for him to be out of the area for a time.
In other news, I had the pleasure and privilege last February of attending the conference of the Christian Medical Dental Association near Nairobi, Kenya. It is a two-week continuing education offering for missionary physicians and dentists, and includes Africans as well, and I was invited to attend by the International Health Ministries Office of the PC(USA). The conference has been going on for years, and is a real help to doctors and dentists serving overseas who cannot get the continuing education credits they need in any other way. It was my first time to attend, and I enjoyed it very much and found it quite helpful and inspiring. There was also a spiritual emphasis which was very uplifting.
My other trip out of the country in 2002 was two weeks of vacation in April and May with my good friends Jim and Ellie Jewell in South Africa and Namibia, a part of Africa which I had not visited before. It was fun to see a different part of the continent and enjoy the beauty of it. One highlight was a dolphin and seal safari out of Walvis Bay, Namibia, by motor launch during which a seal repeatedly came on board to be fed fish by the skipper. Also at the same place, we observed the strange sight of the sun setting over the Atlantic Ocean!
Back in Ethiopia again, I would appreciate your prayers for our translation team at this time. We have been having such a lot of sickness among our team members, and that causes delays in the progress of the translation. We know that our Enemy is not pleased with the prospect of having the Bible completed in Anuak, but with the help of the Lord he can be overcome. Along with that, there has been a great deal of unrest in the Gambela area during this last year, between the two main ethnic groups there, and even now the situation continues to be tense. This is a great cause for concern for our team members, as they have family there.
Tomorrow (January 7) I expect to meet with the Anuak community here in Addis for a special Christmas worship service, followed by a meal which may be attended by up to 80 or so, coming from different parts of the city. As you receive this letter, though it will be long after this event is past, would you please pray for the Anuak people who are living here in Addis Ababa, many of whom are rather adrift on a sea of uncertainty about their futures, that they will come to really know and trust the only One who knows and controls the future.
As we go into 2003, may the peace and joy of Christ be real to each one of you. This also brings my thanks and appreciation for your friendship and support, both in prayer and financially. You are an important part of this work!
Sincerely in Christ's Service,
Marie Lusted
Extra Commitment Opportunity account numbers:
- Anuak Bible Translation: ECO #863117
- Pokwo and Gilo Clinics: ECO #862141
The 2003 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 43
