Well, it is back to Kenya, partly to celebrate long-standing relationships and to explore new ones.
On Saturday, May 24, the Presbyterian University of East Africa will celebrate its first term as a University. FPC Marietta became a partner back in 2000 when the Presbyterian Pastoral Institute, a certificate-level program for pastors, moved to become the Presbyterian College, a baccalaureate level theology center. FPC Marietta committed in 2001to build a faculty home (3BR, 2BA, Study for $33,000) and provide for a permanent scholarship endowment ($30,000). Over the following years, FPC Marietta contributed thousands of books to the library, helped renovate classroom space in the library, and helped fund faculty apartments. In 2003, I officiated with Moderator Jesse Kamau at the dedication of the Marietta House
Our investment is paying off with Lyle and Terry Dykstra, PCUSA missionaries, who joined the faculty and live in the Marietta House; Lyle teaches pastoral care and Terry leads the development office. They and other faculty have led the College to become a University, offering theological education and, with this term, a liberal arts baccalaureate. A group of American, Irish, Scottish, German, and Hungarian partners will meet several days with the Board of Trustees to map out the next steps to launch the University’s strategic plan (business, pharmacy, nursing, and computing science in five years).On Friday, May 16, I will meet with Mundara Muturi of Bible Translation and Literacy, the 25-year Kenya partner with Wycliffe Bible Translators. Our Wycliffe missionaries, Steve and Kathy Womack, have just completed a two year assignment in Kenya and have returned to the U.S. The work of providing God’s Word in the heart language, the native tongue, to all Kenyans is not done; 16 of the 42 language groups do not have the Bible in their own native tongue. To have the Word come in one’s own indigenous language is, as one tribal leader stated, “It feels like Jesus is now walking among us.” Another leader said, “I am committing my life to Jesus; he speaks our language because he spoke to me.” We will explore partnership opportunities in the translation of God’s Word among the small, remote tribes in Kenya.
I will meet with the staff of Habitat for Humanity Kenya. The Cobb Presbyterian Coalition involves nine congregations, including FPC Marietta, to build homes, one or two each year in Cobb County and several in Kenya. In 2008, one home will be built in Cobb County and SEVEN homes in Kenya; this will fulfill this year’s theme, “Eight in 2008.” Leadership from the Cobb Coalition have been planning a trip to Kenya to help build several of the Kenyan homes; perhaps some of the “Nine in 2009” will have FPC Marietta fingerprints on them there. The country director, Mark Wooding, is a marvelous Christian gentleman, who also happens to be an architect and planner; I will carry several of the “Eight in 2008” shirts to the Kenyan staff and be encouraged by the possibilities available to FPC Marietta.
Another important FPC Marietta partnership is with the Board of Social Responsibility (BSR), Presbyterian Church of East Africa. In 2006, an FPC family donated the majority of the costs for a deep well drilling rig; the multiyear drought has not been broken but access to the deep water tables have changed lives. The political upheaval this year has caused further suffering to the people by the disruption of normal life, to include planting this year’s crops. Food shortages are, and will be, severe. The PCUSA is coordinating a response to this tragedy with the BSR; FPC Marietta has committed $5,000 from the Gift Trust Fund in partnership with other PCUSA congregations. I plan to meet several times with the BSR leaders to learn how our partnership can be further strengthened.
On the two Sundays I will be away from you, I will preach at two different congregations, one in the tea growing region of Mount Kenya and one in the Nairobi suburb of Loresho. Our 2006 youth Spring Break Mission team led worship at Loresho; they are still warmly remembered. I will be taking several other sermon outlines with me because sermons are not just for Sunday in Kenya; when people gather around a partner visit, a time for worship, to include a sermon from the visitor, will likely happen. Bwana Asifwe (Praise the Lord)!
My intent is to send back reports via the blogcast, to include some pictures of the people and projects visited. I will be praying for you with each blogcast. With each that you read, please pray for me.
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