Feb

26

World Vision and the Gospel

Blog Archive / Stories / Travels

 

Occasionally people ask me if World Vision is really a “Christian organization.” For some feeding the poor and caring for orphans and widows isn”t enough… they want to be sure the Gospel is being preached as well. I understand the concern. While World Vision”s primary mission is to address the root causes of poverty, as a Christian organization, it might encourage you to know they are also pro-active in spreading the Gospel in other ways as well.

This email came in from one of World Vision”s church relations team members traveling in Ethiopia, and I thought you”d really enjoy hearing it, too:

We visited a community that over 10 years ago was holding a 40-day prayer vigil. On day 37, they received a “word from the Lord” that an organization was coming to their area to help them preach the Gospel and save lives. Within a few months, World Vision began work in a village near where they prayed. When WV arrived in the village there were three Christians meeting underground because of persecution. They had been beaten and even jailed for their faith. World Vision began its work with the poor in the name of Jesus living out the Gospel and pointing people to Christ. Today, there are four churches in this village with over 1,000 in attendance. The surrounding community where the church met to pray has grown from four churches to over 70 and there are 30,000 Believers. The lead pastor over these churches told me it was WV that was responsible for teaching them how to spread the Gospel. He said that it”s easy to preach the Gospel, but it”s hard to live it and that”s what World Vision does. Last year, World Vision partnered with the local churches to hold an evangelistic outreach to the entire community. They trained hundreds of volunteers to go from house to house sharing the Gospel and 850 people accepted Christ. World Vision provided funding and leadership for this campaign – it”s a modern day revival.”

I think this is pretty cool! You can be a part of this great work by sponsoring a child!

 

Chuck Neighbors

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Jan

22

Uganda Part 2 – A Chicken Story

Blog Archive / Travels

I think we Americans take chickens for granted. We eat their eggs, make a pillow out of their feathers and eat them deep fried, baked and stewed. We don’t get to know our chickens and very few of us have held one and even fewer have actually raised a chicken.

In Uganda a chicken is not only food, but is lifeline, not taken for granted. A bird of great value that is given as gifts and used as currency. This the story of one such chicken.

We visited a grandmother who is caring for her four orphaned grandsons. A grandmother raising four young boys would be tremendous task in our own country and for this grandmother it is monumental and amazing that she is able to do it, because this grandmother is in poor heath herself and nearly blind. In our own country we would be caring for her, but in Uganda she must push on for the sake of her grandsons. The family lives on one meal a day. The boys spend a good portion of that day walking to find water and carry it back to the village for their daily use.

World Vision has just recently discovered this family and is scrambling to their aid. Soon the boys will  have each of their faces on one of those picture folders. An opportunity for one of us to be Jesus to one of “the least of these.”

After visiting the grandmother we journeyed on to meet Olivia, the sponsored child of one of our team members, Mark Anzelon, who was unable to make this trip at the last minute. While this family is poor by anyone’s standards the contrast between this family and the grandmother’s is striking. They have a home with more than one hut (once a boy reaches age 15-17 they usually build their own hut). This family has 8 kids, 5 girls and 3 boys. And extended families often cluster together so we are in a spot in the bush what has about 4 or 5 huts. The children are dressed up in beautiful dresses, some shirt and ties are seen on the older boys and men. They have more stuff in contrast to the grandmother’s stark living conditions…and they have chickens, several in fact.

A beautiful visit. The girls sing for us. Olivia is given gifts sent by Mark, and not only gifts for her but gifts for everyone in the family as well. There was love all around. There was pride on the part of the father and smiles and hope exuded from each family member. Then Olivia tracks down a chicken, a good size one. The feet are bound with duct tape and the chicken is presented to Matthew Paul Turner on our team who is acting on behalf of Mark. On the practical side of things I think we are all thinking: “What in the world are we gonna do with a chicken… don’t think we can clear customs with that!.” But yet we know we have no choice but to accept the chicken to refuse it would be an insult. So we say our goodbyes and leave with live chicken in hand.

A decision is made.

We journey back to the grandmother. We find her napping alone in the shade outside her hut. She seems a bit confused that we have returned. Sam, the 13 year-old son of team member, David Konstantopoulos, is elected to present her with the gift. At first she doesn’t understand. Takes the chicken from us and possibly thinking we just wanted to show-off the gift we received tries to give it back. Then she understands that we are giving her the chicken… a smile… a big smile. She is so very happy.

I think the boys will be too… that chicken stew will be one of the healthiest meals they have had in a long time!

“I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room, I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit, I was in prison and you came to me.’
“Then those ‘sheep’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?’ Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.” The Message, Eugene Peterson

Sponsor a Child in Uganda

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Jan

20

Uganda Part 1 – Children of War Rehabilitation Centre

Blog Archive / Travels

It is hard to know where to begin in describing my experiences here in Uganda. We began the trip with some casual sight-seeing, and while I enjoyed that, the real reason I am here is to experience the work of World Vision in this country devastated by 20 years of war with The Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA)–that on top of a country struggling with poverty and disease… it is hard to fathom from my recliner at home… Seeing it first hand is mind boggling.

We visited the Children of War Rehabilitation Center (a project of World Vision). Over the years over 14,000 abducted children have come through the gates of this facility to receive health treatment for physical wounds and emotional and spiritual treatment for the psychological damage inflicted upon them. Imagine being attacked in the night your adult family members beaten and murdered. The children abducted and along with other children tied together in a human chain. As the rebels take off with the children the army attempts to rescue but the children become a human shield and many are killed or wounded in a failed attempt. These children are then forced to become soldiers themselves and even attack their own people to survive. Unthinkable. Yet it was the reality in Northern Uganda. While the LRA has moved on the after effects are long lasting.

We walked into one room where the events I described above are told in paintings on the wall. We view the dorms which at times have housed hundreds of rescued children at a time. In World Visions work to rehabilitate this children they have them draw pictures to describe the things they remember. On a table we view hundreds of these pictures. It is heart breaking to say the least. (On my Facebook Photo album I have shared a few of these pictures).

Samuel and Grace are two formerly abducted children we are privileged to meet. Samuel was one of those who was shot in the stomach in the crossfire. He is doing quite well today. Grace was abducted when she was 13, managed to escape when she was 18. Last year Grace was named Woman Achiever of the Year in Uganda.

Currently there are only about 20-30 formerly abducted children in the Center. LRA is still active but they have taken their terror to other countries–at least for now. We asked one of the directors of the center if this work was being phased out. Her answer: “Not until the last child is returned home.”

“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep”
Luke 15: 4-6

Sponsor a Child in Uganda!

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Nov

09

Thoughts on Lima, Peru

Blog Archive / Travels

By Lorie Neighbors

November 9, 2008

On November 2 my husband, Chuck and I met a team of 7 other people in Lima, Peru for a 4-day learning experience. Most of us are Artist Associates with World Vision, the Christian international relief, development and advocacy organization; others are staff facilitating this event. As performing artists (actors and singers) we talk to our audiences in the U.S. about child sponsorship and how they can impact a child in this simple yet life-changing way. We were invited to see firsthand what World Vision is doing in the inner-city slums of Lima. Bob Pierce founded World Vision by praying a simple prayer: “Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God.” Mission accomplished.

Peru is a beautiful country and Lima boasts some breathtaking beauty! Our hotel was just a few blocks from the Pacific Ocean, which was similar in some ways to the Oregon coast-pounding waves and except for a few designated areas, not very swimmable (they do have great surfing, though). Palm trees, cacti and aloe, but vegetation is sparse. The coastal area is a desert, which is odd since it is very humid and the temperature is moderate.

It was fascinating to learn that in some areas, if land belongs to someone but is vacant for 10 years, anyone has a right to it. So, slums are erected on empty land (so-called “invasions”) and it’s not unusual for 5,000 dwellings to spring up literally OVERNIGHT. The government provides electricity relatively soon, but it takes years for water and sewer. (The usual time from “invasion” until a community becomes self-supporting is 25-30 years.) The slums are built into hilly, unstable areas. No paved roads; just myriad dusty paths and roadways barely drivable. The further away from the city center we drove, heading to the slums, the more apparent it became that we were in a desert. Sand and dust everywhere and virtually no vegetation. A stark contrast.

Each day after breakfast at our hotel, we boarded a bus and drove to a different Area Development Project (ADP) where we were enthusiastically met by staff and volunteers eager to share what World Vision is doing in their area. It was exciting to see World Vision Peru partnering with the local people to enhance their lives and help enact sustainable solutions for the future of their communities. We were shown homes in three phases: before, during and after World Vision’s help. They augment or rebuild, depending on what is needed-giving the homes sturdy foundations and walls of brick, mortar and rebar; flooring and glass windows; plumbing, a toilet. It was also encouraging to visit marketplaces and see micro-enterprise made possible by low interest loans from World Vision. One woman had a produce stand; another an upholstery business.

The main component is child sponsorship. Once an area is chosen for an ADP, families are visited to determine children eligible for sponsorship. We met many sponsored children and were proudly shown letters and photos that their sponsors in America and Canada had sent to them (other countries have sponsorship programs, but we only saw U.S. and Canadian projects on this trip). World Vision helps all of the families in an ADP by offering classes on nutrition and child development to mothers of children under 5. We were told that anemia is the main health issue for children in these slums-almost 40% of children here are anemic. Each day families are offered iron-rich food to supplement their diets. Two ADP’s made a spread with chicken blood, powdered milk, sugar and water, which is boiled, then cooled and served on crackers. A few brave souls (yours truly included) ate some. I actually thought it was good, and had 3, to be extra polite! (I became ill that evening . . . hmmmm, could I have had one too many chicken blood pate crackers?)

We were told that, sadly, these children grow up not knowing how to play. World Vision believes that the future of any country lies in its children, so its focus begins there. Two of the ADP’s had “toy libraries.” These brightly painted buildings were divided into focused learning areas: there were puzzles, books, musical instruments, a little “store,” a “house” (each had a definite educational purpose). Kids could earn the right to come to the toy library for 2 hours each day by minding their parents, doing chores, getting good grades in school. Wonderful teenage volunteers help out-we were so impressed by the teens we met! All of them were respectful and fiercely loyal and loving toward their families even with difficult upbringings. All were committed to going to college, even though it is very expensive and we were told there are no scholarships or student loans. They give many hours each day mentoring younger children in good values and non-violence. Abuse and domestic violence are critical issues in the slums of Lima. However, Peruvians are private people and normally don’t report domestic violence.

(Side note: We were told that Peruvians believe that expressing personal feelings is rude and don’t tell their problems to anyone. Someone could be dying and no one would know! Our translator told us it is shocking to see the changes in a Peruvian who goes to live in America then returns-they talk too much about themselves [“we don’t have to know about every ache and pain you have!”].)

The highlight of the trip for Chuck and me was getting to meet the little boy that we sponsor, Enrique, and his mother, Patty. Words cannot describe the feelings we had as they walked into the room and we hugged her and got to hold this precious child that we have been helping to support through our prayers and finances. Thanks to sponsorship, he is healthy and happy. His mother loves him so much but she is poor, lives with her parents and cannot support him alone. She was so appreciative that a family in America would care enough to help them have a better life. A very moving experience for us all.

A lovely Peruvian woman we met asked me to tell people in America that art is not commonly seen among the poor, and they believe they have no right to access art. They struggle for the children to understand that LIFE IS ART! They want to incorporate drama, art, painting, as it helps children’s spiritual and cultural enrichment. Some people believe there are no artists among the poor. “We are a repressed people and any contact with art helps us glimpse reality.”

I believe we helped with that in a small way last week. Everywhere we visited, we shared our art with them. We sang, played instruments, did a simple improv game. The children sang for us, performed authentic dances in traditional dress and proudly showed us their artwork. I believe there are artists among them. I believe that with World Vision’s help they are learning to play and love and glimpse a future that holds out hope for them.

If you would like to sponsor a child like Enrique and bring help and hope to a community like the ones we visited in Peru you can do that now by clicking the World Vision logo below!

Blessings to you!

Lorie Neighbors

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Mar

01

World Vision Trip to Lesotho, Africa

Blog Archive / Travels

The first week of March, Steve Wilent and I had the privilege to travel to the country of Lesotho, Africa. We went with a group of other artists, mostly musicians, to observe the work of World Vision, the Christian humanitarian relief organization. Master’s Image Productions is pleased to represent World Vision as partners in this ministry. This trip would focus on the work being done to bring help and hope to those suffering as a result of the HIV/AIDS pandemic that is sweeping many of the countries in Africa. What follows are my journal entries for the time we were there. If after reading this you feel you would like to know more or would be interested in sponsoring a child through World Vision, I invite you to give me a call or send me an email at chuck@mastersimage.com. I would be delighted help you get involved!

Feb. 28th to Mar. 1, 2004

The flight over was a test of endurance. Cramped airline seats for 15 hours from Atlanta to Johannesburg, South Africa. Got in at 9 AM (10 hours ahead of Oregon time). A 6-hour layover then off on a small plane to Maseru, Lesotho. Greeted warmly by World Vision staff and taken to the Lesotho Sun Hotel, which is VERY nice and is a sharp contrast to the rest of the area–very western, modern and even has TV with a half dozen channels. Two restaurants, a casino, health club and more. It also has an internet-equipped business office, but it doesn’t open until 8AM and it closes at 8 PM so at this time I am doubtful I can use it.

We were ridiculously tired on the first night but met at about 8 PM for dinner. Food was good but took way too long to be served. We Americans are used to quicker service and our impatience around the table proved this. Sleep well but awoke every two hours for some reason. Bed was comfortable and even came with good pillows.

March. 2

Up at 6:30 AM. Actually went down to the health club for a short workout this morning–what is wrong with me?! Good breakfast buffet but find I am more at ease trying to stick with more western foods–I like bacon and eggs.

On the road by 8:00. Our first stop is the World Vision Headquarters for Lesotho. Cramped office but we arrive in time to join in for devotions. They had asked us to perform something this morning and so Junko, Andy Allen, Jason Gay, and Steve Wilent are nominated. When we arrive for chapel we crowd into a very small room with a huge table in it for board meetings. Devotions are great but the room is not conducive to performing, although we manage. However, since we are running late we cut our program, which means, of course, they cut the drama. (You can tell that musicians are running the show 🙂 So Steve doesn’t get to perform, but no problem really, as there was standing room only in the space.

After we sing a few choruses and we are totally blown away by the World Vision Staff who jump to their feet and sing for us. Very good! We sing together a familiar song and then they sing in Sesotho and it is stunningly beautiful. We are very welcomed and this time of worship together was very cool.

Next it is time to go to visit a project. We load up in the vehicles. Mostly Toyota 4-wheel drive pickups with four doors and back seats. A driver and 3 or 4 passengers. A little cramped but doable. Our driver is Chris and he is very knowledgeable and fun to be around. Jenny, Steve, Junko and me in our vehicle.

We drive about an hour in some very beautiful country. Think Utah for a comparison. Flat-top mountains, canyons and at this time of year, green. Also the day is marked by a constant change in weather from clouds to sun to wind to rain, which repeats over and over. We arrive at the project headquarters, a fairly modern building with offices and a large meeting room. We all sit in a large circle in the meeting room- about 20 people representing staff, volunteers and committee members. This is kind of an awkward meeting. Introductions and then we decide to sing for them, only as Andy is pulling out the guitar to start, they immediately start singing at the same time. I think it was a missed signal. But they are great and I sort of feel like they out-shone us artists. Language is more of a barrier than I expected. Like Kenya, this country is bilingual, but it is clear that English is a second language for them. Most of the Africans are speaking to us through an interpreter.

Next stop is a World Vision school. This was AWESOME. There were riders on horseback that escorted us from the highway to the school (about two miles). Halfway there they were joined by people from the village: school children, dancers and singers. It turned into a huge parade and it was so humbling to see the outpouring of good will and excitement from the people just because we were there. The whole village sang for us and then we sat at school desks and girls from the school performed several dances for us. The people are beautiful and have the most awesome smiles. Like Kenya, the kids love to touch you. We were told that many Africans in this part of the country think of white people as having no fault and that to be white is a blessing. Touching a white person brings them luck.

We had lunch after the performance. They prepared a rather interesting porridge for us–traditional–it was edible but not something I wanted the recipe for. Fried Chicken and French fries for lunch.

Next stop was a meeting with caregivers for HIV/AIDS patients. Now we are getting into the more serious stuff. These people are nurses that visit the sick daily and help with caring for them. Nursing tasks, cleaning and cooking are just a few of the things they do. All volunteer. This is not an easy task. Most people who are sick live in denial that they have the disease. World Vision is doing all it can to educate and care for them but it is hard when the people don’t want to admit they are sick or at risk, and won’t get tested. This meeting turned emotional. They, too, sang for us and we prayed for them.

Then we visited some HIV/AIDS patients. First was a young teenage girl, living with her parents. She has “TB” but it is mostly what they feel comfortable calling the disease because TB has some hope of a cure where AIDS does not. Her father is also infected. Then we visited a woman who is quite sick (more visibly with the sores and all). She has a beautiful daughter who is 7 and is feared that she, too, is sick. This woman, even with this more advanced stage, doesn’t want to admit she is sick with AIDS. So sad.

We have one more visit to make and this one is a bit of a drive up a mountain road–although to call it a road is a bit of joke. It is a good thing we are in a four-wheel drive. Here we meet grandparents who are caring for a one-year-old whose mother died from the disease just a month or so after the baby was born, and the baby is also infected and will not live long. Very moving.

At the same time the people of the village are with us as we visit this child, and the mood is strange. They are all in hyper-celebration mode with us there but at the same time we are confronting a very sad situation. The women make a high-pitched screaming noise to communicate their happiness and welcome to us.

We return very tired to another late night meal and rest before we start up again for another full day beginning at 7:30 AM.

Wed. March 3

After a good breakfast we load up at 7:30 for an hour and half drive to another ADP. Our day begins with a meeting of healthcare workers and volunteers that make up the support group for HIV/AIDS patients. We begin with devotions and more singing. These villagers love to sing and so far every meeting includes them singing for us. Singing seems to be almost a form of gift giving and both sides are appreciative of what the other has brought. The meetings consist of introductions and Q&A.

We also visited a plant nursery where young men in the 20-30 age range are learning to grow trees and vegetables for the village and also for micro-enterprise. These young men are very industrious and it is pointed out that this job is in addition to other responsibilities in the family and village. When questioned about their dreams for the future their answers are in sharp contrast to the values in our own country. They want to help develop their country. They want to help make their village better so they can be proud of it. Try getting that kind of answer out most of our youth in America.

The “highlight” this day is a visit to the home of a couple of AIDS orphans. Relebhile, 14-year-old girl and her 7-year-old brother, Tsepang live on their own after losing both parents. We see their former home: a broken down brick building, windows broken, holes in the thatch roof. It is one room with a cowhide for a bed and a little fireplace for cooking and heat. World Vision has built them a new home, and latrine. While certainly no palace, the new home is two-room, cinder block and has food storage, a bed and a more modern cook stove. Keep in mind that NONE of these homes has electricity and all the villagers live a very primitive lifestyle. The children are pulled from school to come and visit us. The girl is happy and, while I think overwhelmed by us, she is happy to share her home circumstances with us. Several on our team are quite moved by this situation. Even though their situation is improved they are still quite vulnerable–their grandfather has taken their house key and comes whenever he wants, basically stealing their provisions. World Vision is aware of this and the project manager is working on a solution.

Andy and Pam Allen on our team are moved by these two precious children, and notice that the bed the children share is not very impressive and offer to buy them a new bed. While this gesture is appreciated, it makes for a difficult situation because to help them also singles them out from others in the village, and we come to understand the reality of trying to help one child and not all the others in the village. This is something that World Vision is very aware of and I am even more appreciative of their sponsorship model of helping the entire project not just the sponsored child. A solution is reached: we shall buy the bed for the children but also buy each of the 8 surrounding families some pots and pans. All of us are going to chip in for this.

We visit a couple of other AIDS patients and this proves difficult for all of us. We feel awkward staring at what one might call “living dead.” The entire team seems unsettled by these visits.

An hour and a half drive back to town and pizza for dinner! A good time!

When I look in the mirror I am surprised by the red glow coming off my face and regret that I did not cover myself in sunscreen.

Thursday, March 4

After another good breakfast we are on the road again. This time to visit beautiful preschool children. They are unbelievably cute, as they, of course, sing for us and we for them. It is photo opportunity time as we each get pictures taken for our use in promoting World Vision. I am drawn to one little boy and spend time trying to communicate with him. I decided before leaving on this trip that sponsoring another child is a possibility. I ask if the little boy is sponsored and am told he is not. We are not certain if he is in the World Vision program so they are going to check that out for me. His name is Masilo Nbabeni and he is only 2 or 3. Very adorable–I think Lorie will approve.

Next we meet with another support group for HIV/AIDS patients. This meeting is better than the one yesterday, at least for me. After the sing-off we ask questions. The numbers here start to hit home as they share with charting how many have the disease and how many have died in the past month–over 40, both male and female, adults and children. During this meeting a shift seems to take place among our entire team, as we start to realize that these people need something from us. Something more than us telling them we are going to tell their story when we get home. We stand and give them words of encouragement. We express our gratitude for them being the hands and feet of God. These are people who regularly visit and care for these sick people. They have a difficult job and yet seem to do it with a good attitude. I share with the group a few insights from my own recent experience with the death of my mother in-law: the idea that sharing Christ becomes the most important thing in what remains of their time on earth. It strikes us all that these people are God’s hands in caring for the suffering. We are in awe of them.

We visit a young woman who is dying of AIDS. She is actually a sponsored child and though now in her 20s, her sponsor family is still supporting her. While this is not normal, World Vision is keeping her in the program to keep her health care coming.

Off to town to buy a bed for the orphans we met yesterday, then back to the hotel for dinner and a emotional time of sharing our impacts for the week so far. We leave at 7 AM tomorrow for a few more visits.

Friday, March 5

One thing we won’t be able to say is, “I miss the rain down in Africa” because it is pouring today. Rain is considered a blessing here. The fact that it rained on the day we arrived and on our last day here is considered by the local people to be a very good thing.

Last night we bought a bed for the orphans and today we are off to deliver the bed, as well as purchase some pots and mealy meal for the local neighbors to the orphans so they won’t feel neglected when we bring gifts for the children. This outing proves to be a bit of an adventure as we somehow miscommunicated our meeting place with our main host, “Lucky” (we can’t pronounce his name but it means “Lucky” so we call him that). After our purchase we go to the home of the orphans and deliver the goods. This was so neat. The kids are grateful, if a little unsure quite how to respond. The phase “too many chiefs” comes to mind as we deliver the bed. The adults in the village want us to leave the plastic covering on the bed to protect it. However, we think it should be removed to keep it from mildew and to allow it to breath (even though wrapped in plastic, it is wet from the rain that has found its way inside from the trip to the village). We compromise and slit the plastic to remove the bed so it can dry but leave it for them to put back in later.

The gift of the pots to the villagers prompted more songs from them and then back from us. Music has become our common language. The pots immediately go up on their heads creating a great photo opportunity. We leave the village with a good feeling of having done something significant to help.

Next we go to a primary school for kids in more the junior high age. More singing and finally some DRAMA. These kids put on a play about HIV/AIDS that is excellent. Even though we can’t understand the words we get the message and understand the story. Steve and I are very encouraged to see our art form used in such a way. Once again we share a Q&A with an HIV/AIDS support group and feel we were an encouragement to them. Steve takes the opportunity to perform a portion of The Gospel of John before our closing prayer and it seems to connect with them. So now Steve is an international performer.

It is time for goodbyes as we go back to the project headquarters for a final meal in the field and farewell speeches. The World Vision staff here give us gifts, each of a traditional Lesotho straw hat. Nice, but I don’t know how I am going to pack it. Maybe I’ll just wear it home…NOT. We get into party mode and join them in trying to do some of their dances. Lots of laughs, more pictures, more singing.

On the way back to the city we take a detour in the country to drive by the king’s palace. We can’t get too close but the view is incredible. A fun bit of trivia: Prince Harry arrived while we were here. He has apparently been bad (partying and such) and so the Queen has sent him to Lesotho for some character building time, supposedly 2 months. He is to help the poor while he is here. I have no idea what that means for him. Anyway, our hotel was overrun on Wed. with the British foreign press who were following the story. When we get to our hotel tonight, who is there but Prince Harry! I am not sure, but assume he came there to play in the casino–such discipline!

A bit of a surprise when I get to my room: my key won’t open the door! The hotel master key also will not unlock it. I am thinking the worst–that someone got into the room through the window and stole my stuff and bolted the door from the inside. But fortunately this is not the case. They have to break the lock to get the door open and I am moved to a new room.

Off to the Italian restaurant we ate at a couple nights ago. Many of the World Vision national staff are there to join us. Good time around the table.

Tomorrow we leave. We will finally get a few hours in the morning to do some shopping. I am ready to endure the long ride home. I miss my family. I miss my wife.

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