Sacrificial Power (May 2011)

“ a human sacrifice would take place when a small group of people needed to obtain supernatural powers to be successful in areas such as business or politics” (BBC News website 28 Jan 2002).

This was what the Metropolitan Police were advised by an expert during the investigation into the torso of a young, African boy, named Adam, found in the Thames 10 years ago, and which has been in the news recently.

The idea of human sacrifice is unthinkable in modern Britain. In Uganda, where paganism was the main religion less than 100 years ago, it is still, unfortunately, more common. One of the Priests working at the Diocese here is sheltering a young girl who had been selected for sacrifice, and had fled to his home for safety. Maybe, if she had been taken to the shrine, rather than being killed the witch doctor would just have taken her to add to his 20 or so existing wives. Apparently, other children are not so lucky. Last year it is thought that in Uganda about 29 children were sacrificed for black magic and to use their body parts for healing. Worried parents resort to circumcising their children, or having their ears pierced so that their physical imperfections make them unacceptable for sacrifice.

For us as Christians human sacrifice is just an evil counterfeit of the only sacrifice that ever made a difference to anyone and brings God’s supernatural power. – that of Jesus Christ 2,000 years ago.
During this Easter season we are reminded of the death of Jesus. A perfect human sacrifice was required but for once only . As Peter wrote ‘For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.’ (1 Peter 1;18-19). And by His ‘one sacrifice He has made perfect for ever those who are being made holy’. (Hebrews 10:14).

Let us be thank God that we have access to His power through Jesus Christ.
We are both well, and looking forward to the end of the rainy season, which seemed to have started the day we arrived last August. The term has ended at the Vocational Training Centre and Irene has been busy introducing a basic computer skills course and ‘examining’ her 3 students. Malcolm has been touring the Diocese visiting all 37 Parishes to check what financial records they keep. On May 2nd to 4th he is visiting Kisiizi hospital run by a neighbouring Diocese to find out what help\they need.

Its been a sad time at Potter’s Village as a baby died. Moses was 9 months old and had been weak and blind since birth. On the day he was diagnosed with a hole in heart he died. When he was taken to his village to be buried with his mother there was a difficult time as his grandparents wanted the Christian Burial to include pagan rites. Many people who claim to be Christians also hold onto the traditional customs, which sometimes makes the witness of the church confusing to non-believers.

In your prayers please:

- give thanks that Malcolm had enjoyable, and safe journeys to visit the various parishes in March and April, and ask for wisdom for preparing a manual and training course for Treasurers later this year
- pray for guidance as we visit Kisiizi Hospital to find out how we can help them, whilst continuing to work in Kisoro
- seek God’s will for a specialist computer teacher and syllabus to continue the basic computer skills course
- pray for the babies at Potters Village, that they will be protected from illness, and that a full-time nurse will be appointed to help care for them
- pray for the church here, that it will be able to proclaim clearly the good news of Easter, and many will accept Christ and give up their old ways

To read our weekly blog search for ‘Malcolm and Irene Crawford’ or go to:
http://malcolmandirenecrawford.blogspot.com/

If only........(April 2011)

Before we went out to Kisoro we had been warned that our accommodation would be very “basic” and had no plumbing at all! When we arrived we were thankful to see that a shower and western style toilet had been provided for us; what a relief. Now if only we had some electric sockets in the kitchen it would be perfect. A few weeks further on and Malcolm put in electric sockets in the lounge and kitchen; excellent. Now if only we had some hot water it would be perfect. Two months later we obtained a water heater; wonderful, hot showers. Now if only we had some water plumbed into the kitchen it would be perfect.

Four months on and we are thinking, now if only we had a kitchen cupboard it would be perfect; but would it? It seems that the more we get the more we feel we need to have before things are “perfect”. Irene would like a chest of drawers and a soft rug to cover the concrete floor by the bed. Malcolm would really like a T.V (with English programmes), and how about a fence round the garden to keep people out, or a comfortable suite, or a car?

‘Those who love money never have enough; those who love wealth are never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless. As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to their owners except to feast their eyes on them?’ Ecclesiastes 5:10,11

It’s natural to want to strive to improve our surroundings to have a comfortable home where we are pleased to invite others, but do we strive in that same way to improve our relationship with God. Are we unsatisfied with the way things are, do we want more and more of the things He has to offer; a desire to get closer to Him, to give Him a home in our hearts where He would be pleased to stay. Have we the same yearning to improve our relationship with Him that we have to improve our level of comfort and material possessions?

If only we’d let you know what to pray for.

The last month has been busy. Irene has been immersing herself in the Vocational Training Centre. In addition to preparing a Business Studies course she has been asked to be the ‘matron’ keeping a motherly eye on the 14 young women who board with the Diocese. She has also been trying to help organise for a new, basic computer awareness course that has been offered for the first time. At the Cathedral she has recently preached at one of the quarterly Fellowship meetings held on a Saturday.

Malcolm is part way through visiting all 37 parishes to carry out a basic audit of their financial records, and to find out the needs for a training course for church treasurers proposed for later this year. Although some treasurers have a reasonable education, many are simple peasant farmers with limited training in dealing with numbers and money, let alone book-keeping. He has also received a request from Kisiizi Hospital, managed by a neighbouring Diocese, to help them on an occasional basis with auditing their financial systems which would require a difficult journey each time he visits and time away from Kisoro .

Please:
- Thank God for the work we are doing and for the opportunity to serve Him in many diverse ways
- Pray that
o we would have wisdom in recognising the work He wants us to do rather than just keeping ourselves busy
o Irene will be able to be sensitive to the needs of the young women that board here
o a suitable teacher will be appointed for the computer training course
o Malcolm would have wisdom in planning relevant, comprehensive but simple training for church Treasurers
o we are able to discern God’s will for us as we find out more about the needs of Kisiizi Hospital

To find out more about what we are doing then read our weekly blog by searching on the Internet for ‘Malcolm Irene Crawford’.

If only we all had a computer!
-