NEWS MID JANUARY 2011

Dear Friends,

Apologies to those who received an email purporting to be from me in Malaysia asking for money. A hacker broke into my system - a situation that I am trusting is now resolved as I am using a different password.

Give thanks for the arrival of our new Principal Rod Dormer at KIST. He already has long-term experience in Brazil and Indonesia. We are all looking forward to experiencing new direction at KIST. Pray for me in my 'small' role at KIST to be of value and assistance to our new administration. Rod is about to leave to do language study, and is also working on a PhD.

A shocking set of incidents occurred within about 24 hours in my home village last week: Up to a score of young people attending a disco held in memory of someone recently deceased were attacked by machete wielding thugs. Three local men were killed in a head-on motorcycle collision. (At the funeral yesterday we were told that one of the motorcyclists' headlights weren't working.) An indigenous church leader well known to me is said to have murdered his wife.

Give thanks for contacts with an old friend Roger Sharland from Nairobi who visited me at KIST this week and for new contacts with some anthropologists doing research about one hour's walk from my home. A recent spate of weddings the other-day culminated in my attending a ceremony for the paying of bride-wealth by a good friend of mine for his wife.

Classes have opened slowly in Siaya Theological Centre, and are due to begin in Yala tomorrow. Give thanks for encouragements to date. Pray for me as I take up a more regular routine that includes pastoral visiting as well as teaching.

Yours,

Jim