NEWS END OF JANUARY 2013

Dear Friends,

There has been violence in Kenya following recent voting for party nominations for positions to be contested in our general election that is due to be held on 4th March. Pray for the levels of tension in the country as we approach the elections and all. Many will remember that we had a lot of difficulties, anarchy and bloodshed 5 years ago.

My arrival in Tanzania was mostly uneventful – although travelling took two days instead of the anticipated one day due to bus-problems. I shared a house with American Mennonite missionaries. Meals I had in the home of the Principal, a Luo from Kenya , who was once my student at Kima. I was at the Mennonite Theological College for East Africa.

While there I taught an intensive class on New Testament Survey to 9 students on the certificate programme. That is a two-year programme for pastors taught in Swahili. I had three classes daily over 3 weeks to cover the syllabus of this course. The class went very well. Due to insufficient advance provision having been made for me to have the correct immigration status with the Tanzanian government for me to teach, I had to leave half way through the course and am now back in Kenya!

I am due to begin a course today on ‘how to teach theology over the internet’. This should last 6 weeks. I plan then to set up some kind of theological education programme in Swahili. Technical problems seem to be delaying the initiation of the course.

UK conference on vulnerable mission, starring guest speaker Jean Jonson from the USA , is to be in Norwich 14th to 16th November 2013. Jean had long experience of church planting in Cambodia . Her recent book is called “We are not the Hero”. We are looking for people to can contribute papers or lead seminars for the conference. More details.

AVM is on twitter! Twitter fans welcome to follow us!

Yours,

Jim