Tuesday, June 2

Growing up in Kenya, we had a little saying TIA – This is Africa.  It was just kind of our way of laughing at the inconveniences and headaches we had.  I will be looking for some of those stories or pictures to share with you to make you smile.

One little event reminded me of TIA today – My mother in law went to town – about 20 minutes to go to the store “Shop-Rite”.  When she got there the electricity was off so it was closed.  She had to make the 20 minute trip back without her groceries.  The nice part of Africa is the community that is formed here.  She had told someone about her trip and they were in town later and called to tell her “The electricity is on.  Shop-Rite is open.” Not exactly a 24 hour Walmart with backup power!!

Classes went well today – the students seem interested and engaged.  The number of obstacles they face is astounding…makes our lives look so simple.

In Chapel today I spoke on the Prayer of examen – a prayer that we can pray everyday that is an examination of both our consciousness and our conscience.  I highly recommend it for each of us!  The first part is a prayerful review of our day to think about how God may have been present in our day and the ways that we saw God as well as the ways we missed God moments.  The second part is an invitation to God to search our hearts and conscience with us and point out the ways we need to grow and things that God needs to heal and cleanse us from.  It’s a great exercise each evening before going to bed.

7 Deadly sins – Pride was the topic of the day – the original Original sin.  Adam and Eve in the garden. The snake saying, “Come on – eat it you can be like God!!”  And we are unwilling like them for settling with our humanity.

Christian Leadership – This was the class where they had mentioned the need for resources.  So today I handed out the commentaries and spent the class going over how to use them.  They seemed very happy and extremely grateful.  I had unfortunately miscalculated how many English speaking pastors there were.  I had thought that 26 of the 28 were English but it was only 20.  I took the extra commentaries to give to one of the teachers who speaks English.  He is delighted and will make them available to the students while they are here.  I will give the other 8 students the money to buy a commentary in their native tongue when they are published.

4 gospels – we hit the gospel of Mark today – written to the church in Rome just after the persecution of Nero following the fire of Rome.  Peter seems to be the source of Mark’s story.  Mark warns that there is a cost in discipleship.  The church in Rome was finding that out.