NEWS FOR END OF JULY 2008

"People do wonder why you don't have a vehicle like other Whites", I was reminded recently. I must be the 'poor White man' to many. Many people despise poverty. They seem to worship 'success' (money). Yes, that does get me at times. Local people can seem to mock me: "Silly White man. What good does he think he'll do by using our language and living as we do? Doesn't he realise that we want out"!

I console myself as I think 'that's how they looked at Jesus': "He can't be God our Saviour. Look how he lives - born in Nazareth, and refuses to take political office .". There is no room for pride in God's Kingdom: 'lower lower for servants, . higher higher for God'. It's the way of Christ.

The Director of one of our theological teaching programmes makes his living selling bananas. Many people lay out their bananas on the side of the road and wait for customers, but he puts them in a basket on his head and walks between houses saying 'bananas bananas'. Some tell him that for an old man to sell bananas on his head is shameful (it's women's work). He ignores such comments, he tells me, as he can sell bananas much more quickly by moving around with them, and the money he makes is enough to give him time to direct our theological teaching programme. Give thanks! Let's never be ashamed of poverty, when combined with the wealth of knowing God.

Pray for our 'closing' activities for this term. KIST graduation is on the 27th July. We anticipate having two visitors from Tanzania to help us close YTC and STC staying with me for 2 weeks. Pray for meeting of YTC planning next term's teaching on 2nd August.

Jim