post on Friday

Hi there,
Oh my, it has been months since I have written. I really want to apologize to those who check my blog on a regular basis and don't find any update in such a long time.
What happens is that I am working on my masters thesis and spend so much time at the computer doing research and writing that I hardly find any time to do the important things like keeping our friends updated.
Actually what I am researching on is the effect the mission hospital I am working at is having on our wonderful people from the other side of the border. We have a daily influx of Som s in our hospital of up to 80 - 100 a day that is patients plus their friends and relatives who usually come along. The fact is that in most cases there is at least one person who comes along with the one who is sick, sometimes there are three who give the moral support. Many come multiple times because they have established the trust and wouldn't want to be seen by any other medical health care centre. For us here it is a wonderful opportunity to take time with them, sit under a tree and share about life in general, the war in Somalia, the current events in the places they immediately come from. And all those things usually very naturally lead to a discussion about the ultimate maker of all things, that is God which we all agree on. Sometimes heated discussions develop from there but almost always lead to a better understanding of one another and the appreciation of the other despite the differences we may be having.
As the war on the other side keeps on taking people's lives and leaves families torn apart and loved ones missing or being taken to other parts of the world, many people look at their situation and ask questions. They ask very serious questions, will there ever be peace again in Somalia, has God cursed that nation and will I ever get out of Africa so that I can build my life again?
The only thing we can point people at over and over again is the symbol for peace and reconciliation. There is only one person who will ever be able to reconcile the warring fractions of that land and only one person who can ever fill that empty spot in those individuals lives.
Thank you for being interested in my blog, see you next time, Thomas

Hallo,

vor kurzem war ich mit Doerte auf einer Hochzeit die so farbenfroh war, dass ich dachte ihr solltet auch einen kleinen Geschmack davon bekommen. Fuer uns war es eine klasse Zeit mit Tanzen und froehlichem Zusammensein.

Fuer heute erst mal viele Gruesse, bis spaeter, Thomas