Winding down

My time here is nearly up -- and I'm not quite sure how I feel about that! I'm very excited about getting home to see everyone -- family and friends etc. I am planning to visit McDonald's quite soon after my arrival -- can you imagine, I haven't had any fast food for nearly a year! Very healthy of course but I'm rather looking forward to a burger and French Fries and a caramel sundae! I watched some of the World Cup games for the first time in my life, and the ad for McDonald's kept popping up on the boundaries of the pitch (i don't know what you call that). It will be good to be able to understand every word of every meeting I'm in -- especially the prayermeetings. I've really missed the prayermeetings in Ballymena!
But I'm going to miss the people here so much! Especially the kids and young people I've been working with and teaching. Just pray that God will keep His hand of protection upon them all -- there are so many dangers around (physical, emotional, mental, moral, spiritual, etc). There are still several young people whom I'm concerned for spiritually. Of course, there are many who are not saved, and all of those who are saved have needs and problems, but there a few who have been upon my heart especially and we're still waiting upon God to answer and move. The good news is that I don't have to be in the country for Him to work in these lives! So I'll be eagerly awaiting word that He has answered prayer, even from NI or Liberia or wherever I'll be.
The end of term exams are starting next week -- then the kids will be going home for their August holiday in a few weeks' time.
Please keep the political situation in prayer. Kenya has had a new constitution proposed, including several amendments that believers here are concerned about. One relates to abortion -- it leaves a loophole that could be taken advantage of by those who wish to perform abortions. Of course, "back-street" abortions are performed here all the time, but this would be a legal loophole. Another change from the old constitution concern the clause about freedom of religion. The former constitution gives freedom to "manifest and propagate" your religion. But the amended clause only says "manifest"; so the right to propagate is no longer protected. Another issue is that the new constitution allows for the Islamic population to hold "kadhi courts", which some fear is only the first step for Islamic law to gain a foothold here. Kenya is still nominally a "Christian" nation, but Islam is certainly on the rise!
So pray that when this constitution is voted on on August 4th, it will be overturned. Pray also that peace will prevail -- some fear that the post-election violence from a couple years ago will be repeated.
Well, I don't know if I'll manage to get another post on here before I leave, so if not, remember me on August 12th as I fly, and maybe I'll be seeing some of you in Ulster before too long.
God bless.