NEWS FOR MIDDLE OF DECEMBER 2008

Dear friends,

Back in UK, during a cold snap, after an uneventful trip, I am at 'home from home'. As usual, I guess what helps me to take this vast cultural leap in my stride is the fact that I am somewhat familiar with both ends. Not that there aren't also shocks in the system, of which the cold weather is just one .

The conferences are looming up, and at the same time my anticipated 'travel companion' has dropped out, so I am looking for someone else who could do the rounds especially in the US (8th Jan to 4th Feb. 2009). Volunteers please get in touch! Responses to the conferences are coming in slowly - although that is not surprising. I have pushed on other 'publishing projects', and await word on various articles that I have written. One thing that is strange, is seeing how people from 'here' (in UK) perceive 'Africa'. Not very accurate on my reckoning, but deeply entrenched nevertheless.

I have had a very warm welcome from Andover Baptist Church. I now have wheels, although most of the time I am cycling around (with thick gloves on).

It has been great to find a new pastor here at my home church; who I hope will in due course come to visit me in Kenya. He has spoken of the incarnation. Jesus coming as a man, is the incredible thing that we remember at Christmas-time. Many folks in the UK though, I guess, have 'written off' the church. Strange how that can happen. The church is blamed for things, but not given credit for things, it seems. We'll see if we can change that .

Best wishes,

Jim