Prayers and Support for Refugees from South Sudan

By Sara and Anthony:

There is still widespread violence in South Sudan, which is deeply affecting many communities there.  It has also impacted the work of World Renew in Uganda because many refugees have fled from South Sudan into Uganda. (World Renew also works in South Sudan and you can read more about that here).  Joseph Mutebi, our friend who is a Program Consultant in Uganda, shared the following information and pictures with us. He has been working with the refugees who are now in northern Uganda.

The Ugandan government has graciously provided several sites for the South Sudanese refugees to set up temporary canvas dwellings, including a site in Bidibidi (in northern Uganda). That site is supposed to accommodate 100,000 people. With so many people living in a camp like that, there is a huge need for, among other things, clean water and sanitation facilities.  Below you can see people carrying branches and trees to use for building temporary living structures.

World Renew is working through an organization called Here is Life (HIL) to help care for these refugees. At this point, they have mainly been helping to build temporary pit latrines and bathing shelters. So far, 170 pit latrines, which include a bathing structure, have been completed (which is enough for about 3,000 people - each one has more than one "seat").  But they plan to build another 700 latrines to have enough for everyone.  Here are some pictures of people digging latrines:

It's a huge task, to try to assist so many people who have fled their homes and country.  Please pray for peace in South Sudan!  The world pays attention for at most a few weeks, and then the news goes on to other things, but in the meantime people are suffering, and there is desperate need for more support to those working in these camps. Please consider supporting World Renew's efforts as they try to help with the refugees who are in Uganda.  You can do that on this page.  Although the relief mentioned above has been to meet physical needs, World Renew would also like to start addressing the high level of trauma they have seen among the refugees, which is another urgent need.  This would mean starting some activities for trauma healing, both in the Bidibidi camp and also in another refugee camp called Rhino Camp.  Your support would help provide the necessary materials for this.

Even here at Berea College, we can see the effect of the conflict; we have one theology student from South Sudan. His name is William. His home was completely destroyed during the recent fighting in South Sudan and he and his family had to flee to Uganda. Now his family is staying in one of the refugee camps while he is here at school (someone in South Sudan is financially supporting him with his school fees). He tells us that there is not enough food for everyone in the camps, so his family and most others are starting to grow very thin.  Please pray for them, but overall keep praying for South Sudan.

World Renew Team Meeting

By Sara:

We recently had a week at a World Renew East Africa team meeting here in Kenya, somewhere a little north of Nairobi. Fellow colleagues from Uganda, Tanzania, and South Sudan were there with those of us from Kenya. This was the first time we were able to see our friends from Uganda since we left there in January. We love these people so much!





Even though it was a long, tiring week of meetings, we really appreciated the opportunity to hear about the work that is going on in these countries and to together think through what we're doing well and what we can improve. Anthony and I had the opportunity to share with the group about Timothy Leadership Training and When Helping Hurts and how they can be (and have been - in Uganda) beneficial in the work of World Renew.



There was also a day when we went to visit some of the farmers that World Renew is working with in that area. There is one lady (wearing pink in the photo below) who is brand new to trying conservation agriculture, but she was very enthusiastic about it. She's done a beautiful job of preparing the land to be ready to plant immediately when it starts raining.



Then another lady who has taken up conservation agriculture and is teaching her neighbors about what she does and how it has helped her family. Below is the area where she has planted tomatoes - it hasn't rained since she transplanted them, but they are thriving and the mulch is keeping the soil moist.



But back to the World Renew meetings. We want to mention the situation in South Sudan because you may not be hearing about it in the news any more.  There is still unrest in the country, but one way World Renew is still doing work there is through a radio program for farmers which they're able to broadcast to farmers who are in rural areas. This is a situation that is also affecting Uganda because many refugees from South Sudan are living in camps in northwestern Uganda. Please pray for peace and for wisdom and creativity for the people who are trying to help the refugees. They want to do as much as possible with the little money they have and also want to do more than just give relief. They want to help the refugees be involved in the work in the camps and find meaningful things to do while they are there.

Photos From Life

By Sara:

Here are some interesting pictures from our life lately.

First, our colleague at Berea College, Charles, who teaches the computer classes.  He is also our neighbor and our friend and is coming over to our house one evening each week to help us learn and practice Swahili.  One week, it was his birthday, so I baked cupcakes and we put a candle in one for him!

Recently, one tree that was along our fence fell onto Charles' house on a really windy day, so the college decided to cut a bunch of them down to protect the houses (and keep their residents from having heart attacks if a tree fell on their house while they were inside sleeping!).  The pictures of the fallen tree aren't that clear, but maybe you can pick out what happened in the picture below.

There was also a bee hive on the top of one of the trees that they wanted to cut down.  When that happened, someone climbed up the tree, tied a rope to it so people could pull it down in the right direction.  Then, when they cut it, everyone ran like mad to escape the bees.  Later, another guy who has a bee suit, checked to see if there was honey and then set the comb on fire so the bees would go away.  The good news is that no one was hurt in the process!  Here's the bee hive:

And a video of trees being cut down (we've been hearing lots of chain saw noises outside nearly every day):  

Then, here's the inside of the college kitchen so you can see the equipment that the cooks have to work with (excluding the oven I shared before which is outside):

A public toilet that has stairs leading up to it, like a throne!

And finally, check out the fancy pizza you can get at fast food restaurants in Kenya:

Cake Baking With Modular Students

By Sara:

As you know, Anthony has been teaching students this August, who come for one-month long courses.  This is a modular term.  The principal (and the students) hoped that I would be able to teach them something during their short time here, so we hurriedly put together an afternoon where they could learn the cake-steaming method.  We collected all the students on a Saturday, borrowed a charcoal stove and large pots from the kitchen, and made a banana cake.

Everyone had to be involved in measuring ingredients and mixing things together so they could learn through experience.

After we mixed everything together, we agreed to come back in *exactly* 20 minutes to see if the cake was ready.  I told them that they needed to be on time to make sure they got to taste it...but not all of them made it back in time.  I actually felt bad because the maybe 10 or so students who were there on time ate most of the cake and some of the students who went off and didn't come back right away didn't get to taste any.  But hopefully they'll practice making cakes at home and get to enjoy their own.  At least the students who actually got cake really enjoyed this one as you can see below!

Should We Send "Ordinary Christians" as Missionaries?

By Anthony:

Should we send "ordinary Christians" as missionaries?  That is the question that came to my mind when I recently read an intriguing tweet from Chuck Swindoll:

“Missions aren’t just for superstars. A missionary is just like you.  Ordinary folks through whom God does the extraordinary.”

On the one hand, I agree with this statement.  I know my own sins and weaknesses.  I am regularly astounded at how God has used me.  It is his grace at work in me, an ordinary person.  A major biblical theme is that God likes to use weak people, sinful people, and people who we would not expect for his Kingdom work.   

But on the other hand, Swindoll's comment brought to mind what Ugandan church leaders have told me about missionaries during my When Helping Hurts discussions with them.  I get the feeling that Ugandans are frustrated with "ordinary missionaries."  Ugandan leaders told me to tell the North American church that we should stop sending missionaries who aren't prepared.  And above all, they want missionaries who are theologically trained and strong in faith and character.  One Ugandan asked, "are the donors back home actually strong in faith but they are just sending us middle-men?"  Another said, "if they are not trained and not able to teach, then why are they sent to work here?"  They are confused when North American churches and mission organizations emphasize the importance of Bible college and seminary education, and yet some of the missionaries they send, who are trying to teach pastors, have not had these types of education themselves.

This reminds me of a quote I read in a book.  It's from a conference in 1926 in Le Zoute, Belgium - “Surely the day has gone when the best men could be picked out for India and China and the rest sent to Africa, as if any man or woman were good enough for Africa.  The time for amateurs has passed – if it ever existed.  Nothing is too good for Africa.”

How do we synthesize all of these comments, from Swindoll and from the Ugandan leaders?  They all seem to be true and important.  Should we send ordinary Christians as missionaries?  My answer is a qualified "yes."  Missionaries are indeed ordinary people, but they should be trained and well-prepared ordinary people.  God can use anybody for his work, even if they are ordinary, and in fact even if they are not prepared or if they are weak or sinful.  But we should never use this as an excuse to be unprepared, weak, or sinful.  

I'd like to elaborate in this post about the Ugandans' perspective for two reasons: 

1.  It's important for you to hear about the point of view of the people we are actually sending missionaries to, and I think there are surely similarities between the Ugandans' perspectives on missionaries and the national people of many other countries as well.   

2.  I think a historical shift has taken place in the North American Church.  I'm referring broadly to different evangelical denominations in North America, not just the Christian Reformed Church of which I am a part.  In the recent past, I'm sure that emphasizing this theme of Swindoll's was helpful, in that it was a corrective to churches that idealized missionaries too much.  At times in the longer ago past, missionaries were not really looked at as ordinary people, but more as abnormal super spiritual Christians.  They were the legendary Christian heroes.  People could not possibly hope to live up to their examples.  I am truly glad that this attitude has changed in accordance with quotes like Swindoll's above.  The attitude change helps people to get over their fears of inadequacy, and trust God to use them despite their weaknesses.  But it seems the pendulum has shifted to the other extreme side.  I'm troubled that the North American Church might be emphasizing this idea too much today in regards to mission work, or at least not emphasizing it with enough nuance.  We don't view missionaries as elite Christians anymore, but now we view them as a little bit too ordinary.  This is causing some people to regard the missionary calling less seriously.  I'd like to further explain this in what follows, and at the same time I hope my explanation will help you to understand what the Ugandan leaders were getting at.

The consequences of this historical shift

Some very good things have resulted from this historical shift.  People like me were encouraged that despite our weaknesses God could use even us.  Our fears were largely taken away.  This shift has also helped church members in sending countries to better relate to, understand, and befriend missionaries because they realize that we are actually not extraordinary people, but just regular ordinary folks.  

But there have been some serious negative consequences from this historical shift as well:

• While before some people were too afraid to go to the mission field out of fear and feelings of inadequacy, now it seems that people do not have enough fear and enough feelings of humble inadequacy.
• Some missionaries are not being adequately prepared and trained before going to other countries.  They are told God can use them just as they are, in their weaknesses.  So they rush off to try to change the world with scant theological and mission education, very little reading of theology and mission books, and little practical ministry experience.
• Perhaps some people are becoming missionaries because they are told repeatedly, "anyone can be a missionary" but they are not truly called by God to do it.  In some cases, perhaps their callings are not adequately tested and confirmed by sending churches.
• Many missionaries have had to go home because of falling into sin, having mental breakdowns, or having unfruitful ministries.  Stories are common of such tragic missionary stories from many different denominations and mission organizations and in countries all over the world.  Many of these unfortunate stories resulted because missionaries were not adequately prepared or counseled before going overseas.
• Many missionaries in developing countries are doing as much harm as good as they try to reach out to the poor (see the book “When Helping Hurts”).  Many missionaries jump in the airplane and go without ever having read any books on poverty alleviation.  If all you have is a compassionate heart and you haven't been taught about how to effectively help the poor, or how to counsel alcoholics, or how to work with the homeless, or how to work against corruption, (you name the issue), then you can't really expect to make much of a positive impact. 
• Since the message is that "any ordinary person can be a missionary overseas," churches have severely downplayed some biblical passages:
• Passages about each person having different gifts and abilities, and therefore different roles.  Not everyone is supposed to be a missionary in another country just like not everyone is supposed to be a pastor or elder (or doctor or businessperson).
• Passages about the importance of teaching, being taught, and training up new leaders.  We need to be prepared.  1 Peter 3:15 - But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.
• Passages about special qualifications and ordination to positions such as Acts 6:1-7, 1 Timothy 3, and the powerful James 3:1 - "Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness." 1 Timothy 5:22 - "Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, and do not share in the sins of others."
          Logically and biblically, those we ordain as leaders, such as elders, deacons, or pastors, should be people of excellent character, knowledge, and leadership skills.  They should be the best of the best.  Why would we think it would be any different for those we ordain as missionaries?  Wouldn't we send our best?  I think about the army.  Those we send first are the marines, "The few, the proud, the Marines."  They are the best of the best. If we are to choose "the best" as elders and overseers of the church, why wouldn't we also choose "the best" to be sent out to new cultures to start new churches, as representatives of the churches that send them?

Questions for Reflection and Discussion
I admit that these are not easy issues, and I don't want to be legalistic about the following items.  I can apply these tough questions as easily to myself as to other missionaries and not fully get a passing grade.  But it's good for us to be thoughtful and at least consider these tough questions.  We should try to get prepared as we can be, even if we cannot get perfect preparation.

• Why do some denominations have vigorous standards for ordination to pastoral ministry, but not for missionaries?  In the Christian Reformed Church, for a person to become ordained as a pastor, it takes years of education, training, psychological evaluations, internships, difficult exams, and a local church affirming your calling.  I think this is good and fitting for the difficult calling that being a pastor is.  Why don't mission agencies and denominations have vigorous standards for people to become missionaries, as they do similar work but in a foreign culture? 
• Why is it that we send people to start new churches, who have not pastored a church in the US first?
• Why is it that we send missionaries to preach who have never preached in the US?
• Why do we send people overseas to help the poor if they have not done any poverty alleviation work in the US first?
• Why do we send people to evangelize who have never led someone to Christ in the US?
• Why is it that we send people to teach others theology who have not had theological education themselves first?
• If you would not be comfortable with your missionary leading at your own church as an elder or pastor, then should you really be comfortable with them representing your church to a new culture in another country?

My Story

I believe my own testimony brings together a good synthesis of these two themes, being ordinary yet being prepared (though as I mentioned I also could have used even more preparation).  Besides the sins I have struggled with like everyone else, I grew up being very shy and socially awkward.  I could hardly speak to relatives, let alone evangelize to non-Christians.  I was sheltered due to my own shyness.  I wasn't particularly spiritually mature.  Yet for some reason, God called me to overseas mission work when I was only in tenth grade.  Because of the great encouragements and positive affirmations about how God can use anyone as a missionary, even ordinary people like me, I was ready to rush off for a quick 1 or 2 year missions training program after high school and then go overseas and change the world.  It is only God's grace, wisdom, and direction that kept me from doing this.  Over the years, at times I was really frustrated that I could not get overseas sooner, and at times I resented having to do more things in the US first.

But looking back, I am extremely grateful that God made me get more preparation and training first.  I seriously cannot imagine how I could do any of the ministry that I do if not for how God prepared me.  I would have been a disaster and a train-wreck waiting to happen if I had rushed off right after high school.  But I ended up getting 9 years of emotional preparation between my calling and the first time I went to another country for ministry.  In that time, I grew so much in my social awareness, emotional maturity, character, confidence, wisdom, and spiritual life.  I faced the hardest questions against the Christian faith during my college years, and nearly surrendered to my doubts, but came out much stronger for having faced those hard issues.  I was able to experience many types of practical ministry, from counseling college students, to jail ministry, to church internships, to leading Bible studies.  I was able to have many diverse experiences of sharing my faith with non-Christians.  I had the privilege (largely due to scholarships from generous Christians) to get 7 years of formal theological education.  I was able to meet my wife Sara, who is a great partner to me as we both build each other up and complement each other in so many ways.  I was able to get training through missions programs, was able to read many theology and missions books, practice living simply, and get personal counseling and marriage counseling.  I was blessed to be able to pastor a church for two years and I don't know how I would have been able to teach pastors were it not for that crucial experience.

I am so blessed and grateful for these experiences.  It is knowing how extremely important all of these types of preparation were for me, that causes me to want to speak more and more about this topic so that others can also get the preparation they need before going to the mission field.  I want more ordinary people to become missionaries, but as ordinary prepared missionaries.

Let’s make sure whatever missionaries we send are thoroughly prepared, experienced, counseled, discipled, and trained before they go.  Let's embrace humility, remembering that missionaries are ordinary people, and it is God who works in and through us.  But remember, we are dealing with the Great Commission, the Good News, the Gospel.  It is important.  Let us take the missionary calling seriously.  

Conservation Agriculture in Solai

By Sara:

Hopefully you remember that when Anthony and I were in Uganda, I was doing a lot of work regarding conservation agriculture (CA) with our Ugandan development organization partners.  I have been looking forward to being part of similar work here in Kenya.

The Anglican Development Service (ADS) is part of a big conservation agriculture project that is spanning Kenya, Tanzania, and Ethiopia.  One of their project sites, in a place called Solai, is quite close to where we live (though it takes a while to get there because there's not a direct road) so I'm going to be heading there pretty often with the ADS staff to check on the project and work with their participating farmers.

There are two agricultural staff from ADS and four community mobilizers who live in Solai, who are overseeing the project.  You can see them all below.  From left to right: me, Mary (from ADS), Stephen (from ADS), Mbogo, Kabasia, John, Lizpah. 

Stephen always likes to participate in whatever farmers are doing when he goes to the field (which is a great trait - to teach and encourage by example), so you can see him below taking a turn planting beans.  He's using a machete to poke holes in the soil, then dropping the seed in a hole.  This is one way you can follow one of the important practices of CA: disturb the soil as little as possible.

The farmers I got to visit with ADS so far, are trying out some cover crops (lablab, pigeon peas, and cowpeas) and mulching to follow the practice of keeping the soil covered.  It's cool to see how they are trying different materials for mulch.  For now, they are even putting mulch alongside their cover crops (like below, with lablab), in order to keep the weeds down, to improve the quality of the soil faster, and to reduce the amount of work they will need to do weeding.

All four community mobilizers are practicing CA at home so they can be an example to the farmers they're working with and demonstrate the benefits to whoever comes by.  Below is Kabasia in part of his home CA plot.

Sometimes, farmers are resistant to using crop residue as mulch because they usually use it as animal feed.  Below, Mary is sharing with one of the participating farmers how, once maize is fully developed, you can cut off the top of the plant, above the cob, and either use that immediately as mulch or feed it to animals and leave the bottom part to put down as mulch after harvesting the maize.  This also helps the maize to dry faster and allows more sunlight to the soil so you can plant another crop between the maize before you actually harvest it.

Below is some maize with the tops chopped off.

And here is the result - this farmer put the tops down immediately for mulch.  She already has another crop growing there - maize in between where the other maize had grown and beans along the lines of this season's maize.

Baking Bread

 By Sara:

I recently had a great time baking bread with the staff of the Berea College kitchen.  They have a firewood-powered oven, but they haven't used it much lately.  They told me that they had tried baking bread before, but didn't have good results.  I'm guessing that they were baking bread based on recipes meant for lower altitudes, since their main problems were from the bread falling or not rising and ending up short and hard. 

Since I brought high-altitude baking cookbooks with me, I offered to teach them how to make some of the bread recipes from the books so they can try again with baking bread.

We made three different kinds of bread: a plain white bread, French bread, and English muffin bread.  They have a scale, so we measured the ingredients using my measuring cups and spoons, then wrote down the weights for them so they can continue making the same recipes using the tools that they have.

The bread turned out beautifully and everyone who passed by the kitchen was very interested in tasting it.   We calculated the cost of the materials and determined that they would be able to sell this bread and make a profit.  Above is the head chef, Simon, shaping dough into bread pans.

I love teaching hands-on skills like this because the students are the ones who do the work and get the credit.  These guys (Mulai - left, and John - right) are the ones who made this beautiful bread, not me!