Accreditation

So, I am accredited now. Yup, I can work in the Christian and Missionary Alliance.... They don't know what they're getting themselves into.... JUST KIDDING.

That's pretty much all my news. Im really tired.

Ouch

So, today was an interesting day off. Last time my tooth started hurting and I had to go get Orajel hoping that would help me to sleep. I slept a little bit during the night, but not much. I looked at myself in the mirror when I woke up and saw that not only was their discomfort in my mouth, it must have swelled up. I look like I have hiding a gumball away in one cheek. It is kinda ridiculous but was enough to make me laugh even when I was in pain. The dentist says to call him at home on times like these when the office isn't open. I didn't want to disturb him, and did have an appointment set for tomorrow, but I figured I should atleast make sure it will be ok until tomorrow. So I called and he told me to meet him at his office at 11:00. But my mom and Barry were coming to see me today. So I Called and told my mom and I left for the dentist. He ended up giving me a prescription and said see ya tomorrow morning. Then I went for lunch with my mom and Barry and that was a bit of a gong show. I ordered a cup of soup and by the time we left it didn't really look like I had eaten any. (I did eat a few spoons of it - but I had to ask for a teaspoon) and I couldn't eat the crackers, I ate a quarter of one and then decided it just wasn't worth it. I drank the gingerale though.
I came home took the antibiotics, visited for a bit, and then went to bed when they left and slept for four hours. So much for having a productive day.... and I still look like a squarrel with little nuts in my cheeks.. I hate teeth.

More Good News

Our International workers got out of the country and our safe. There was only one in the CMA who in Canadian and was in the guest house. She could not get onto the plane that came to get the American's. Fortunately there was a commercial plane that came and she was able to get on it with another couple. It was flying to somewhere other than Senegal, but they will meet up with the rest of them in Senegal. This was good to hear, although I still worry for those whose whom is there. They cannot escape.

I confess, I laughed when I read a seudo news article today. It was sort of like a journal of the reporters experience. One instance that made me laugh was when he was talking about looters. He said they were running by him panting with air conditioners and such, which wasn't what made me laugh. What made me laugh was the man that came out with a light bulb --- was looting really worth a light bulb?
The Second thing that made me laugh was an indian man who walked up to the reporter in the hotel, still thinking of ways out of the coutry he askes "What do you think if we could find a speed boat?" I wonder how far they would get.... I wonder if he got on one of the commercial planes that decided to make a trip in....

Winter

So I decided to weigh out the good and bad point of winter and came to the conclusion that I would like to live in a warm warm place with the ability to go to a wintery place for a weeks vacation while it is about -5 and not -30. OR Live in this cold place during the warm summer months and somewhere else during the colder months. Then from this other place I could look at pictures of winter but not experience the ice, the cold, the unhappy, sun-deprived people, the blowing snow, and having to brush snow off the car 5 times in one day. I could just see the pretty trees and look forward to the day when I can go sledding or skiing and then go back to the warm :)

In Conclusion, I am tired of winter.... maybe if we start a petition to bring summer back it will arrive. Who is with me?!

good news

Good news from Africa: Those who were stuck at home away from the others are now at the guesthouse with everyone house. The acting director went with a military man and they escorted the family back to the guest house during the time when people were allowed to move around the country. There may be flights later this week that may be able to take them out of the country.

If you want to see a clip from Monday you can go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YaFhFUCfm8. You can browse a bit there and will find many clips from the nationals there and some from visitors. There are many videos from before this trouble started so they aren't all bad some are kind of fun to watch and there are some music videos (Not necessarily of the best quality, you may stumble across some that just aren't worth watching due to their content). I watched some and found some unfortuate videos to watch on current events as well as some that brought back general memories.

More News and Thoughts

I am still trying to continue to read all day long every day so that I can get everything done. But this is really quite difficult since my mind is on Africa.

The latest news I have is that the president called a martial law so the Army can do pretty much whatever they want in order to restore peace. The President says this is for the people safety to prevent civil war. He also implimented a curfew so people can only go outside of their homes between 4pm and 8pm every day. Outside of those times there is to be no movement in the country. The Army can arrest or kill people in violation of this.

The President is trying to restore peace after three hours of violence and says this violence meant that this kind of action could be done. However, in different news bulletins I read that Military and Police were not really doing anything to stop the violence in the first place, other than the police who were stationed at banks and other important places, there seemed to be no authority around and people were really going nuts and causing all kinds of trouble. Perhaps peace could have been maintained to a point to begin with.

Well the American's are landing a plane to get some people out since no other international flights are landing in Guinea. This is not an evacuation plane but some of our people will be able to get on since they fit the requirments. (A young family, and a lady with a bit of a disability - along with some from another orginization). The France Embassy and American Embassy have the most people in Guinea and so they are watching the situation carefully. The Canadian Embassy is in Dakar not Guinea, so not really sure about the Canadians. One of the couples with their small child is still stuck in their home and unable to be with the rest. They have internet at the guest house for now, but that could be taken by the military leaving them still safe, but without communication like they have had.

It seems that since this martial law was implimented there has been more news coverage on Guinea. I now see that it is covered by ABC, NBC, CBS, and Globe and Mail. Before I was mostly finding news from European reporters.

This is home to many people. I can only imagine how this has escalated their suffering. I pray that the national Christians will feel God and see Him and work in this time. And that they may continue to act in such a way that they will be a light at this time. I pray for their safety, some are like family to me, and I pray that there would be improvement for the entire country.

This Curfew and Military Law is supposed to last until Next Friday. Please pray with me.

Guinea.. again.. so you can pray

I talked to Giunea again last night, someone else this time. I learned that they were staying inside for the time being because the President had nominated (or appointed, im not sure) a new Prime Minister. Praise God! ... right? ... no. Apparently he did not follow the guidlines that had been negotiated with the union leaders and signed by himself and the union. He was supposed to put forward the nominee to the union so they could say yay or nay. Also he was supposed to choose someone who was outside of the governement and this guy apparently was not. Now these guidlines I read from a news article online and thus may be slightly inaccurate I can't say. What my friend said was that this foristeire guy was a part of the same party (and seems that he worked quite closely with Conte before). Because of this the people are not happy. I do not get the sense that the strike will be called off. Pray that things will not errupt there in Guinea and that the President would appoint someone who will bring positive change in Guinea... better yet, pray that GOD would appoint someone. THANKS!!! The Guineans really appreciate your prayers!

Here is part of an Article posted 2 hours ago:

CONAKRY (Reuters) - Protests erupted in towns across Guinea on Saturday, killing at least three people, as union leaders vowed to resume a crippling general strike after President Lansana Conte named an old ally as prime minister.
Conte's opponents said Eugene Camara, a senior member of his ruling party whom he named premier late on Friday, was too close to the ruling clan to be a trustworthy head of government.

Updates can usually be found at: http://www.topix.net/world/guinea
But remember that often times things are exaggerated in the news. This is the word I get from people who are there and saying it is not as bad as they make it sound, but it is worse than it should be.

Update

So, it's been almost two weeks. You would think I would have something interesting to say about what has been going on. But basically, I don't.

I talked to Guinea today (that's my way of cutting out the words "someone in"). I hear that the strike as begun in two places in the country. It hasn't started in the capital, but union leaders have said that if Conte does not appoint a new Prime minister to have power under him to change leadership and such then they will begin the strike again on Monday. So I was pretty surprised to hear strikes had started since I just assumed they would all start on Monday. With all the news I have read and such it doesn't sound like people are too confident that he is actually planning on following through anytime soon. If the strike starts again on Monday I imagine it will be worse than last time, but being here I don't really know what the atmosphere is like there. But the country does still need much prayer. I pray that God uses this to make many positive changes in the country and that the international workers I know and pray for will not be forced out by a change in government or anything, they do nothing but good there.

As for my own life, I have been reading, made supper one night, went out one night, celebrated my beautiful roomate's birthday, read some more and study for my exam which I wrote yesterday... so really my days have not been filled with excitement... Im tired.