PRAYER UPDATE for Bishop Edmund and Kebbi DioceseBishop Edmund was able to join our June Synod meeting over Zoom and shared how the people of his diocese of Kebbi have been suffering increasing attacks on mainly rural villages by Fulani tribesmen, coming over its borders with Niger and Benin, looting villages, burning down churches and schools and massacring or kidnapping inhabitants. Villagers of whatever faith have suffered and ransoms have been demanded for the return of captives. As a result, many rural people have fled into towns (where the Diocese is caring for some in school buildings) or migrated further south into central and southern Nigeria. Nearly a year after his prostate cancer diagnosis, delayed by Covid lockdowns, visa requirements and vaccination availability, +Edmund was finally able to travel to England on 27 June for treatment sadly not available in Nigeria. He is staying with our Lay Chair, Keith, and after self-isolating for ten days, has been attending three different Guildford hospitals for various tests, scans and consultations with specialist urologists introduced through Keith’s hospital networks. Good news is that the cancer tumour remains very localised and robotic surgery to remove it is planned for this coming Thursday morning, 29 July. Please join in praying for God’s continued care and provision particularly that day. It will take some time after discharge from hospital this coming weekend for his body to heal and +Edmund has been advised not to travel on a long flight home until six weeks afterwards. So he now expects to be with us until Friday 10 September. Once he's well enough after his operation, we hope Edmund will be able to visit some of our churches for worship and/or we can arrange an outdoor gathering for members to meet with him.
|
