News for End of November 2005

Dear Friends,

I handed in my completed PhD thesis on 24th November 2005. It has been difficult to lay down a document on which I have been working for three years. I await a call from the university to a meeting to discuss the thesis in an oral examination sometime after mid January. This will mean my having to return to the UK for two weeks.

Pressure of work for this thesis being off, has given me opportunity to meet with a variety of people to discuss the Andover missions consultation.
I want to say this with all appropriate humility: speaking to people has made me more aware of the importance of this consultation. I wish there could be other ways of helping those who are engaging in mission (or
development) work in Africa. Many very serious people do not seem to be ready to listen to Africans in their rush to apply their solutions to the Continent's problems. (People do not realise the limitations of speaking to someone in English and in England, without taking the trouble of getting to know them in their own culture and talk to them in their own language.)

Vacancies remain for the Consultation. Please contact Jenny Greenwood at office@andoverbaptist.org.uk for details.

I did send out an email about a book on Africa by David Maranz, but I am not sure that it went out to everyone. I highly recommend this book, obtainable over the internet, for those who want to work in Sub-Saharan
Africa: Maranz, David, 2001, African Friends and Money Matters, published by SIL. David explains clearly many facets of friendship and understanding of money by African people.

My final church visits are to Wantage over the weekend of the 27th November, Alresford on Sunday 4th December, and Andover 11th December. The Consultation is to be on 9th to 10th December. My flight to Kenya is on 13th December.

The school nurse Rebecca Pierce has accepted the Acting Principal position of Kima International School of Theology from December 2005 to September
2006 when the Principal will be in the USA. Please pray for her in this difficult role.

Best wishes,

Jim