Dear Friends,
As promised in my recent New Year's message,
the following is an update of my last few weeks. What a
blessing it is for me to share with you accounts of my travels
and teachings. Your support brings hope for peace and your
warm thoughts help to spread inspiration throughout the world—especially
in places that really do need it.
Sudan, in Africa,
is one of those places. I actually started this year with
a challenging and difficult trip to Southern Sudan on January
2nd. Sudan, which achieved independence in 1956, has been
badly affected by serious neglect and a lack of infrastructure
ever since. Over the past few decades, there has been major
destruction, including the displacement of Sudan 's people.
More than 2 million people have died and more than 4 million
have been internally displaced or have become refugees
as a result of the civil war and war-related impacts. The
region has also been struck by occasional famine. A 1998
famine killed hundreds of thousands and more recently, a
food emergency was declared in mid-2005. The people there
need help.
Although the purpose of my trip to Sudan was to do a needs
assessment and prepare necessary groundwork for some projects
to be tackled during a later visit, we took some wheelchairs
and medical equipment with us and donated them to the most
needy people.
We were safe in Sudan and I give thanks for this. You
see, Southern Sudan remains a somewhat dangerous place.
Some frightening moments and unbelievably sad sights and
unusual sounds remain in my mind as some of the most impactfull
experiences in my life—and I thought I had seen the worst.
For most of us, it is hard to imagine how bad things can
get for some people in some parts of our world but the
reality is that many people are in need of the most basic
of things required for survival such as food, health care,
education, clothing and so on. I hope to return to Sudan
in March and to participate in some projects that will
make a difference.
The week leading up to my January trip to Sudan I spent
in Sri Lanka participating in tsunami-related relief efforts,
which still continue. To date, we have built two villages
consisting of a total of 80 new homes for tsunami survivors.
This success helps us to move that much closer to rounding
out the chapter of tsunami relief work as we are called
in the direction of other areas and other projects. .
As you know, December 26th of 2006 was the second anniversary
of the 2004 tsunami. To commemorate the event, I went back
to where we had our refugee camps. We were happy to dedicate
10 more permanent homes to ten families who had lost their
homes. We can all be happy that we have done everything
in our power to help those who were affected by the tsunami.
Thank you so much for all of you who help us.
I am off to South America this month and will be going
on a teaching tour in the US in February. I hope some of
you can join me. Please go to our Website for updates to
the schedule. In the meantime, may you all be well and
happy. May you be present in each moment of this year and
along your paths.
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We have the opportunity to build a school for these orphans of war. |
