It has been interesting, although sad, to read a letter written by Mr Vermeulen describing conditions in Malawi and Kenya. In the Thyolo District of Malawi there are many refugees from Mozambique. Four Dutch nurses, who attend our services there, have been telling Mr Vermeulen something of the conditions in the hospital wards where they work. There are very few beds and when there are no mattresses available the patients lie on the bare floor. There are mothers with sick children, brothers, sisters and relatives strewn on the floors and it is sometimes difficult to tell which are the patients.
In many cases Mothers do not take their children to hospital until they are very seriously ill, and being already under-nourished, they have little hope of recovery. The death-rate of children from birth to five years of age is very high. In Kenya, Kisii District, the Dispensary at Sengera is now ready for use. All that is now required is a doctor or nurse. We trust the Lord will open the heart of some Christian doctor to undertake this worthwhile work. Mr Vermeulen has been taking patients as far as Kisii Hospital. The nearest dispensary is R.C. and can deal only with uncomplicated cases. It is a long way to take seriously ill patients all the way to Kisii.
An interesting project is underway of opening what are known as Nazereth Schools, for pre-school children. The school opens at 8 a.m. with prayer and Bible reading, and finishes at noon. Lessons in Bible are given, in reading, writing and arithmetic. Some Bible stories have been translated into Kisii. Mr Vermeulen hopes to continue opening these schools at the various preaching stations. Two of the preachers have long distances to travel to reach their congregations. Mesech took three hours on foot each way. Paul also had a long way to go. Mr Vermeulen decided to buy them second-hand bicycles, but finished up buying them new bicycles. One can imagine the pleasure of the men!
Three deputies from Zimbabwe have visited Malawi and Kenya. They are the Revs. B. B. Dube, Z. Mazvabo, and Mr Neil Murray.
We look forward to hearing of their experiences.
J.N.
Notes and Comments
Death of Irish Nun
In a landmine explosion in the Armagh area of Northern Ireland, three policemen died when their vehicle was blown up by the IRA. A nun who was passing in her car at the time was also killed. Dr. Cahal Daly, the Roman Catholic bishop of Down and Connor spoke of the bombing as a ruthless and irresponsible act. The Roman Catholic nun was the first nun to die at the hands of the IRA during the troubles in the last 20 years in Northern Ireland. The Times had a heading covering the event: “Northern Ireland expresses anger and grief at IRA killing of nun.” Perhaps this sad event, in which three policemen as well as the nun died, will bring home upon the R.C. Church that it should give no countenance whatsoever to the men of violence in their murderous campaign for a united Ireland. When the Lord’s time comes for Ireland to be united it will not be by bomb or bullet but by the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ preached with the power of the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven.
Murder of British MP
Mr Ian Gow, a strong opponent of the IRA, was murdered through a bomb placed under his car. He was not the first MP to die at the hands of the men of violence. It shows that the IRA will stop at nothing in their futile attempt to gain their own ends. This was seen also some years ago in the murder of Mr Airey Neave and also in the attempt made on the lives of the Prime Minister and her Cabinet. So far the Government has failed to achieve a political settlement in Northern Ireland, partly because of its insistence on giving the Southern Irish Government a say in the negotiations. Perhaps this sad event will give further impetus to the Government’s expressed desire for a lasting settlement and make the Government see the futility of making the Eire Government a party in any way to these negotiations.
The Methodists and Homosexuals in the Ministry
The Methodist Conference delayed for a year a decision on the question of homosexuals in the ministry, overwhelmingly rejecting demands that practising homosexuals should not be considered for ordination. A report submitted to the Conference admitted that the burden of biblical evidence was to reject homosexuality yet maintained that no one should be excluded from the ordained ministry simply on the ground of their sexuality. How far the Methodists have moved away from their early beginnings! Surely the judgments on Sodom and Gomorrah should be sufficient to make plain to all men God’s attitude to the sin of sodomy.
A Kenyan bishop, Alexander Muge, when on a visit to the U.S.A. in May of this year was prevented from preaching in an Episcopal Church in California when he insisted on condemning homosexuality in his sermon. He was accused of holding the views of a typical 19th Century Evangelical. Bishop Muge declared: “We have to make it plain and clear that Scripture condemns all sorts of immorality,” and pointed out that God calls upon sinners to repent and be put right with Him. “We need,” he stated, “to go to the foot of the Cross for the salvation of Christ.” He urged Christians to pray for the reviving of the Spirit in order to restore the integrity of the Church. Ordaining homosexuals, he said, is signing the death certificates of our churches. It takes, it would seem, a voice from one of the Churches of Africa to warn a backslidden Church in America.