NEWS FOR MID MAY 2007

Dear Friends,

Returning to Africa following some months in the West, somehow one expects things to have changed. Of course things are always changing, but not very quickly! Much remains much as it always was. The Western people's invention of Africa, is not what one meets on the ground!

Pray for troubles at Mt. Elgon, not too far from here. I understand that the government sold ancestral land without the knowledge of the residents. Many of them are now in the forest, trying to get their land back, against anyone allied to the government. Many people are being killed. Some of our KIST graduates are living in this area.

Jadak onge gi duol maduong' e piny, kendo ok onyal bedo wuon gweng', koruake e bura. Ok onyal bedo Ruoth. Ji dewe kuom dimbruokne, pithne, kata kuom yomne gi duol mamit.

Those are the directions given to a visitor to a Luo community in a book of ancient Luo customs. It says: 'an outsider living in a village has no voice in the community, also he can't be the head of the village, even should he be invited onto the village council. He cannot become chief. People respect him for his honesty and truthfulness, his many animals, and especially his sensitivity and soft voice.' Pray that I be able to fulfill these conditions (except perhaps the animals, as all I have is just four sheep) and through them testify to what Christ did on the cross!

We are still looking to develop a sufficient administrative base so as to formally launch the 'Alliance for Vulnerable Mission'. Volunteers willing to provide time please get in touch.

Jim

Vulnerable Mission

Kima International School of Theology

PO Box 75

Maseno

Kenya