Feb. 23-Homeless in Houston-The Final Week

Nigeria ’Not Certain’ Who Attacked Equatorial Guinea (Update1)

By Dulue Mbachu and Antoine Lawson

Feb. 19 (Bloomberg) -- Nigeria is unable to ascertain the identity of gunmen who attacked Equatorial Guinea on Feb. 17, Foreign Minister Ojo Maduekwe said.
Equatorial Guinea’s Information Minister Jeronimo Osa Ekoro blamed rebels from Nigeria’s Niger Delta region for the attack near the presidential palace in the capital, Malabo. Nigeria’s renegade Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta has denied it was involved.
“The authorities in Equatorial Guinea themselves are not certain about the identities of those people,” Maduekwe said in remarks broadcast on state-owned Nigerian Television Authority today. “But whoever they are, whether they are militants from the Niger Delta or they are mercenaries from outside Africa, this kind of act should be condemned.”

Equatorial Guinea, a former Spanish colony, was the target of a failed coup d’etat by foreign mercenaries in 2004. It vies with Sudan as the third-biggest oil producer in sub-Saharan Africa, after Nigeria and Angola. The country has been ruled by President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo since he seized power in a 1979 coup.

Equatorial Guinea’s embassy in Libreville, capital of neighboring Gabon, said today that 15 people captured after the attack are being interrogated by the police. The assault was staged by fighters traveling in an unspecified number of boats and were repelled by Equatorial Guinean forces using helicopters, the embassy said.

African Union Condemnation
African Union Commission Chairman Jean Ping “strongly and unequivocally” condemns this week’s attack, the Addis Ababa-based organization said in an e-mailed statement today.
Ping “is concerned about these unprovoked and unwarranted attacks by unknown persons and groups, and calls on those behind them to stop the attacks immediately.”
This week’s attack underscores the need for countries in the Gulf of Guinea, which holds one of the world’s richest hydrocarbon reserves, to increase their security cooperation “in order to confront non-state actors who wish to destabilize the region,” said Maduekwe.

In recent months attacks have increased off the coasts of Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea, threatening shipping and oil operations in the Gulf of Guinea, according to Bergen Risk Solutions, a Fantoft, Norway-based security advisory company that works in the Niger delta.
To contact the reporters on this story: Dulue Mbachu in Lagos at dmbachu@bloomberg.net; Antoine Lawson in Libreville via Johannesburg at pmrichardson@bloomberg.net. Last Updated: February 19, 2009 06:10 EST

Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah-more insanity from the "Dark Continent." Wonder why it so deservedly got that moniker??? Anyway, last night, we had a pleasant dinner with Brian and Debbie Hodgsen from Marathon. He is a chemical engineer; Debbie is his lovely wife whom I sponsored when she came to Malabo on her Advanced Trip. We ate at a wonderful Latin American Restaurant and shared stories. As Jim was relating our experiences to them, I realized he is much more bothered by this than he is letting on to me. I know he wants to keep me from worrying about our situation, and I know he has a strong faith. But last night, I realize as he was sharing that he is bothered, he is hurt, and I just cannot stand to see him that way. He is such a very good man, an honest person with so much integrity. He does not deserve this.

I woke this morning with a heavy burden to keep him in my prayers all day. As low as he gets, Jim gets up, goes to work, works out, and promises to love me. I wouldn't take anything for being with him, and I want to help him through this mess. Deep down in my soul, I know things are going to work out in a surprising way. But in the natural, I cannot see how. We have blessings-at least if there is no job with Marathon, we have some savings, Marathon has offered some type of severance, and we can make it for awhile. I think what I'm dreading most is just living out of these damned suitcases and in motels and with family and friends for an undetermined amount of time. But, Jim remains positive about our many blessings, all the people (including Brian and Debbie who offered us their home for a week), Janet and Charles, perfect strangers who have made our lives so much easier introducing us to a great church, Bible Study, and even Spanish classes, the wonderful staff here at the Hilton Garden Inn, Stacey, the gentleman who gave us an entire free month's pass for the 24 hour fitness gym next door prior to his resigning, and on and on, John & Angel letting us come up just to get out of the hotel. I even have to thank Paul Michele, the President of AMPCO, who has generously taken care of all of our needs both in housing, food, and transport until Saturday. This has been a constant balance of good and bad-good, the people; bad, the situation.

Nevertheless, here we are on Monday, Feb. 23rd. On Saturday, the 28th, things come to a close and we must move forward. As Jim says, we have Plan A and Plan B and a half of Plan C. So, we will be going SOMEWHERE, just not sure which direction.

My Bible Study lesson is from Numbers and it's all about the Children of Israel complaining, angering God, and wanting to return to Egypt. Remembering the past good food, but forgetting the slavery they found themselves in. One of the questions asked in the Bible study for his week is:

What is our response when things are hard or you do not get your way? DUH, and Ugh. I probably don't handle it really well based on this latest challenge. But I know that the Bible teaches that in whatever circumstance to be content-in much or in little. In difficult circumstances I am comanded to:

1. Praise the Lord-Psalm 16:6
2. Be still before the Lord, wait patiently, fret not for evildoers-Psalm 37:7
3. Keep a happy heart (is that possible when things are going south)-Poverbs 15:13
4. Be content in all circumstances-Phillipians 4:11-12

My daughter, Missy, reminded me that I have asked for patience and now am in the classroom. Thanks, daughter, but I am aware and most certainly will think twice before asking for this again. Getting close to God is a heavy requirement, and I am seeing how easy it is to trust when we are in the sunshine. It's those murky, damp, dark places when we cannot see beyond our noses that it is the most difficult to believe and to trust. I am thankful that I have Jim to lean on and that he is truly leaning on God much more than I am, otherwise, I'm not sure I could make it.

Feb.22nd-Homeless in Houston-The Final Week

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God."
Matthew 5:9

"...You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God."
James 4:2

"Go ahead and be anry. You do well to be angry-but don't use your anger as fuel for revenge. An don't tay angry. Don't go to bed andgry. Don't give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life."
Ephesians 4:26-27

"But now, put off all such things as anger, rage, malice, slander, abusive language fom your mouth."
Col. 3:8

"Where do yo think all these appaling wars and quarrels come frm? Do you think they just happen? Think again. They come about because you want your own way, and fight for it deeep inside yourselves."
James 4:1

These are just a few of the scripture references from Pastor Kerry Shook and his wife, Chris, at the Fellowship of the Woodlands Church today. Jim and I needed to hear this, since last night, we let the "Devil shove us" as Chris so aptly put it, and we fell into some anger and stress. We did resolve the issue before the "sun went down on our wrath..." but the sermon today really spoke to both of us. We must remain focused on our relationship to God first, each other second, and the path God is setting before us third.

Just when we think we have God's path figured out He throws us a curve ball. This morning we woke up to yet another of these curves on this rollercoaster ride we've been on this past month. I told Jim living with him was like "whiplash." I won't go into detail just yet, but it's another opportunity back in Africa-no, not Equatorial Guinea, that's for sure; nevertheless it would mean returning to Africa. So, the stars are lining up, but here we are less than one week out, and we still do not know where we will be this time next week. God is the only one who knows. I do know that one thing I'm having to learn is that we will be living out of five suitcases for at least 6 more months in the best of circumstances, and much much longer in the worst of circumstances. So, is the lesson, stuff doesn't matter? Just when I think I've learned this lesson, I'll see someone on a bike, a Total Gym commercial on tv, see a bag of Splenda, and think about some of the clothes that the Guineans have (as well as Jim's Marine Mess Dress Uniform), and I get sad thinking that we will probably never see them again. I'm not angry, just sad about the loss.

I'll swear, if I didn't have faith that God was in this mess, I would literally lose it! Jim says that God is trying to teach us patience. Duh! This is definitely a classroom, just not one of the elective courses I would have chosen. I guess this is one of those "required" courses for the spiritual Ph.D in Patience!

Anyway, it's a gloriously beautiful day here in Houston. A storm came in yesterday and cooled things off-it had been in the late 60's. We are planning to meet Debbie and Brian Hodgeson, the lady I sponsored in Equatorial Guinea, for dinner this evening at a restaurant halfway between the Refugee Camp and their home. We are looking forward to seeing them, since they are scheduled to return to Malabo in March/April.

This week should prove to be interesting. I'll try to stay busy finishing up taxes, doing the final pedicure, micro dermibrasion, and hair do before leaving for??????? Wherever??????? If I go, I need to go looking as good as I can for this next leg of the journey-I guess "Vanity, thy name is Beth....."

Feb. 21st-Homeless in Houston-the final week

" So, do not fear, for I am with you. Do not e dismayed, for I am your God. I will stenghten yo and hep you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. All who rage against you will be surely ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish."
Isaiah 41: 10-11

My cousin, Gerry Perry Lindler sent me this as one of her favorites. That surely is neat! Do you just suppose God might eventually bring down that tyrant over in EQ who not only screwed up our lives, but think of all the helpless people that have to live under his despotic rule.

At least we had a chance to get out and create another life. I think of the poor people that passed throughout my life during our short time in Equatorial Guinea: Elena, the maid, the men who came an worked on our house (I called them our little "fairies" as all I had to do was pick up a phone and call and things were miraculousy fixed); the bus drivers who were so friendly and willing to take me into town and speak Spanish and French to me so that I could practice; Fernando Modu, the extremely patient transportation coordinator; and who could forget Ike my wonderful Nigerian hairdresser and the lovely ladies at the salon on Calle Nigeria. Our Spanish teacher at the Spanish Cultural Center, The Lebanese owners of the pastry shoppe!! Ouch, I miss those poor people and feel bad for their situation. They have to live it daily. So very sad witnessing man's inhumanity to man up close and personal like this. Now I've been in three African nations and seen pretty much the same brutality in each one-despotic leaders from Ben Ali in Tunisia, to Conte in Guinea, to Obiang in Equatorial Guinea-all they care about is keeping their powers at the expense of their people, taking away from their people to feather their own nests-kind of sounds like Congress, doesn't it? Oh, well, I'll try to refrain from ranting about the US politics as it cannot (as of yet) hold a candle to African politics.

Anyway, back to the homeless. We met with Marathon Oil HR yesterday and finally have some direction. Oh, everything isn't 100% clear as of yet, but we did get some commitments in writing and they finally acknowledged that we had been screwed and they owed us something. Stay tuned.....got to go to the eye doctor and use our benefits in case Jim doesn't keep his employment with them. I'll relate the details later.

Basically, Marathon has offered Jim a severance package or a job in Findlay, Ohio. Do I relish livng in Finday? NOT. But we'll take it, because it's a job. But if they don't offer it, at least we have a pretty good severance package until Jim finds something else. My emotions are on this continual roller coaster-I am really tired of uncertaintly. But at least they did offer us in the sevrance package enough to sustain us for awhile. We are putting this decision in God's hands as Jim has done all he can to make things happen. He has pushed Marathon to make a decision, he has interviewed for a job, and now, it's truly out of our control. So, if Marathon offers him the job, we take it; if not, God must want Jim to look elsewhere.en

Our Angels, Charles and Janet Hall are going to let us keep our stuff at their house when we fly to CA to get our car. Then we'll drive back and pick it up on our way to either Florida or Ohio. The thing I'm having to get used to is that no matter what, we will be living out of these same suitcases for at least six more months-but probably longer as we are not counting on ever seeing our stuff from EQ again. YUK!