Tragedy in Nalerigu

I just wanted to share about what is going on here and ask you all for your continued prayers. On Thursday night, Alando, the hospital's pharmacist and respected political leader in the community, was shot and killed while he was walking home from work. This man has worked at BMC for 20 years and his death came as a shock to all here. It is thought that his murder is connected with a longtime tribal conflict between the Mamprusi and Kusasi tribes. 

I share this with you not for you to be afraid for us, but so that you will pray more specifically during this time. I do not feel there is any danger and have been told that even if more fighting were to occur, that no one would hurt the “white people”. So please, don't worry about me. The people in the community, however, are living in fear. Crime doesn't happen in Nalerigu and everyone is freaked out. We couldn't have clinic on Friday and had to cancel surgeries because many of the workers refused to come to work. We've had to discharge as many people as we can because we only have a skeleton staff in the wards. We don't even know if we'll be able to have clinic this week. How do you convince people who are consumed by fear, even if it's mostly an unfounded fear, to go on with life as usual? And like someone said, yes, it was a tragedy that Alando died, but it would be cruel to allow other people to die. I have shared how much physical need there is and how much this hospital helps the people of this country. 

I ask you to pray most of all for peace, that God's peace and comfort would replace the fear and anger. I ask you to pray for wisdom for Dr. Hewitt and the other leaders as they have many decisions to make. There will be a staff meeting on Monday morning to determine if and when the BMC workers will be willing to return to work (why they have the power to say whether or not they will work I don't understand, but that's how it is). So please pray especially for this meeting tomorrow. And pray for those of us here, that we would know how to minister, to show God's love and peace in a time and place that so desperately needs it.