update on the strike

for you who have prayed, thank you.
the update is from a few days ago, so i welcome comments with any more recent information.

the strike had not yet happened as of Monday. the details are: it boils down to money, and that the government had recently given a raise to healthcare workers at gov't facilities due to the 'contact with hazardous substances'.... a compensation of sorts for the risk. well, Galmi is not a gov't hospital, pays better anyway! and already compensates the employees with free testing/treatment and a workers' comp type of insurance.
Concurrently, SIM had already been planning to offer the hospital employees a raise (about 1/2 the government's raise) to help with cost of living expenses. Unfortunately, this was rejected by the employees representatives due to the rising demands and threatened strike. there is a long history of mistrust between the local community and SIM/hospital administration.

the prayer requests sent to me by the Krauses (2 family docs i worked with, great people!) are:

• see their work as ministry, and care about the patients (not just money)
• see that they are taken care of, even beyond that of the gov't employees, and be thankful
• have eyes to see that SIM/Hospital are not being "stingy"
• seek truth in the situation, and critically evaluate what the leaders (employee representatives) are saying
• to NOT STRIKE, but to seek God and do what is right; not to bow to social pressure, which is very very strong in the Galmi community

thanks again for praying! i was thinking and praying today about this situation, and the following came to mind:

The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
on them has light shined.
Isaiah 9:7

May it be... for Galmi and for each of us.
thanks be to God.