Feb. 26, 2019

     Well, the meeting in Rome, called by Pope Francis has ended and everyone has gone home. No one really expected and hard decisions to be taken, but the hope is that the bishops will go back to their respective dioceses and set policies in motion that address the problem of the removal of priests or bishops or even Cardinals from ministry who are found guilty of child or sexual abuse. I feel that there should have been, and should always be, lots of lay people present at these meetings (not just clergy) since they are the ones who are the suffering and hurting victims. Decisions are made that affect them without their opportunity to give their input. Bad procedure.

    As for me, I keep on keeping on with 3 services a week at the hospital, the usual Sunday service at Savannah Park, and some odd trips and things here and there. I can feel that my left knee is deteriorating, probably because I don’t lie in bed all day to make sure that it is OK. My knee might be better off but my spirit would suffer terribly, ha. After all, I am a saggitarian, and we love to move, as you know.

    My friend in LA just made the bookings for the trip out west to catch my cousins and friends on that side of America. I can’t wait to get this operation (and the following recuperation period where you learn to exercise and use that new knee, as painful as that may be at the beginning) over with. I get on the plane for the beginning of my home leave on May 31^st (God willing!!!). It is almost exactly 3 months from the date of the operation (March 14^th). Just the right amount of time to allow flying, etc. If all goes well after the operation, the home leave is on go. Pray that all will go well, please.

     Next week , my grand niece, Katrina, who has been volunteering (again) in the biggest slum on the continent of Africa, Kibera in Nairobi, will be stopping here for a few days (in south Africa) before she heads back home to he U.S. I am looking forward to this sooooooo much.

   The next week, a friend from LA, Steve Askin is bringing a group of home schoolers here for a visit and we have planned two days of adventures for them to get a picture of life here in south ‘africa. Their last day here, March 13^th (they continue their adventurous journey on the 14^th) is the day I am supposed to report to the hospital so I will have to say goodbye to them in the morning since we have organized a full day’s activities for them the rest of the day.

     What with Trump holding the rest of the world hostage with his threats to apply or remove sanctions, the violence in Venezuela ( I don’t think I would want any goodies with the stamp…produce of USA on it either, although I don’t support Maduro.  The US has a very bad track record (huge injustices…read “Cry of the People” by Penny Lernoux) in South and Central America…Brexit and how it will affect the EU and the rest of the world’s economies…China militarizing the South China Sea…The right wingers taking over more and more (Germany, France, Holland, Greece, Austria, etc….Our own right wingers in America (Trumps supporters), etc. there is enough to keep us on our toes for the next 200 yrs. I think. Ha.

   From a religious point of view, “whatever you do to one of these, the least of my brothers and sisters, you do to me.” Makes for religious activists a very busy time. But that holds true for anyone who is serious about making this a better world and eliminating injustice, poverty, racism, patriarchalism, etc.. Lot of work to do. I am not ready to throw in the towel yet, but I have slowed down a lot.

   Hey, I will catch you again before I go back to the hospital. At least , this time, I think I will be able to sit (here at the computer) and catch you up on things.

    We have a president here in SA, Cyril Ramaphosa, who seems promising, but, like Pope Francis, his aim to clean up the corruption threatens the old, entrenched hard liners (young ones too) so he has to be careful not to move too quickly or he will be tossed out. He has his faults, but they are less grievous than any one else around. I am an optimist, but in the long run. When I compare our problems here in Africa with the history of Europe or even America, I say that we are the new kids on the block. Give us a break. You guys in the so-called developed world took centuries to get where you are (and you still have gobs of problems) and we are just starting. Get real. Love and Peace, Cas.