NEWS END OF AUGUST 2015

Dear Friends,

"There's no water" has been one common cry on this trip. "The electricity has gone" has been another. I must admit though, that everywhere I've gone I've been well received and warmly welcomed.

"Everything we did was beyond the radar screen of western scholarship."

I reflected on a three day seminar I held for pastors and their wives. None of the topics would have been on the curriculum of western seminaries, and really none of the discussion would have made sense to westerners, even had we used English. Yet the pastors who attended the seminar were captivated.

Actually, that makes sense. Despite western education being dutifuly disseminated in Africa for decades, many of Africa's unique problems remain. Simply applying western solutions is not going to solve unfamiliar problems! This implies that the content of theological education to be relevant for Africa must of necessity not make sense to westerners, even should they understand the language being used! (The language we actually used in the above seminars was Swahili.) Hmm. If for teachings to be of value to African contents they must not make sense to Westeners, what does this further imply?

I am due to return to Kenya from Tanzania tomorrow. I am to spend 5 days with believers in Migori before heading home, God willing, Monday 31st.

Written on my phone. Thanks for your prayers.

Jim

For information on my latest book see: here.