.jpg)
We’re puttering along in the midst of the third and last term of the academic year at the Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School of Theology (NEGST). I (Stephanie) am teaching Gospel of Luke and Greek Exegesis, while Bill continues the core Systematic Theology sequence and a new-to-him course on Apologetics. Bill says apologetics courses tend to be about giving answers (primarily Western answers, at that) to questions no one is really asking, so he’s been trying to reorganize this course around an exploration of different religious worldviews and how we as (African) Christians might interact with them effectively. The first hurdle he faced was when he realized that none of his students had ever dealt with the concept of ‘worldview’ before, and that the preliminary step was to show them that each of them have one—i.e. a set of interconnected assumptions about reality, truth, God, etc., that shape the way we perceive the world—and that other people may have different ones that make perfect sense to them. This past Thursday Bill was able to invite a Buddhist lama to speak to his class about Buddhism, not so much so that the students could engage in Christian-Buddhist détente, but so that they could practice listening to someone else’s perspective in terms of that person’s own worldview. This ended up being a helpfully revealing exercise, as most of the students felt the lama made little sense and that he was just confused. Afterwards Bill tried to explain patiently that it was in fact a very clear and well-organized presentation on Buddhism—as long as you were willing to listen to it in terms of a Buddhist’s own basic assumptions. The whole point being, how can we present Christ to someone unless we understand the questions they’re asking from their own starting point? The students’ major class assignment for the term is to choose a specific religious and/or cultural community in Nairobi to explore what that community’s worldview is and what sort of faith questions they might be asking. Stay tuned—we’ll see how they do!
The big news in Nairobi at the moment is that Kenyans are about to vote on a new national constitution. There’s one item in the proposed constitution that some people feel pits the interests of Muslims against the interests of Christians, and there’s another item dealing with the legality of abortion. Some Christians want to jettison the whole draft constitution because of these two provisions, while others are advising that Christians make finer distinctions in their response. (It’s an all-or-nothing vote in the referendum coming up this month.) I’ve found it fascinating to listen in as the Kenyans in the NEGST community debate the approach they should take. It’s reminiscent of Christian political debates in my home country, but a process I rarely get to see in Africa, since Kenya is somewhat more open on these issues and—at least in this vote—more genuinely participative than many other African political systems. All in all, I’ve been quite impressed with the insight and theological sensitivity shown in the rather lively conservations I’ve overheard on campus. I feel like I’m watching the future unfold since, given that the numerical centre of gravity of world Christianity has shifted to the southern hemisphere, especially Africa, Christianity’s interaction with larger society will more and more be focused here.
Before the term started and we launched into our current courses, we had a lovely Easter break with our friends Mark and Barbara Phippen visiting from the UK. Since I’ve just about completely lost my eye for what’s unique about living overseas, I always ask our visitors to share some of their impressions as new arrivals. Here’s what Barbara noticed:
- Once I got off the plane and arrived at the airport, I knew that I was in Africa. There was the slower pace and slight chaos of administration as we were obtaining our visas. Then there was the initiation into African roads and transport. Road users of every description filled the muddy and deeply rutted highway—cars, vans, minibus ‘matatus’, lorries belching black and smelly fumes, animals and people, people walking everywhere! Stalls selling anything from furniture to mangoes lined the roadside.
- For the first couple of days I felt disoriented by the lack of clear signs on the roads and in shopping/market districts. I couldn’t understand how life was organised or where anything was. Just lots of people milling about.
- I was disturbed by the huge contrast between the skyscrapers of the city centre and the tin roofed huts of the nearby slums of Kibera.
- Easter Sunday worship at the Anglican Cathedral was a surprise to me. Although the congregation was mostly Kenyan, the service itself was more English than in England. Of course, we had chosen to go to an English-speaking service. However, unlike in England, the place was packed and the worship genuine.
- The life of mission workers like Bill and Stephanie was another area of contrasts. On the one hand—glamorous and exotic, on the other hand—hard work and totally relying on God to provide.
- I felt that Nairobi was a vibrant and colourful place—its people, the scenery, animals, birds, flowers and trees—and I had the feeling of being very much alive—excited and terrified all at the same time.
And here are Mark’s observations:
- First impressions? We’ve landed in paradise—a wonderful climate, colourful birds, exotic flowers and trees!
- Then we encounter the traffic—bouncing and swerving erratically, trying to avoid the potholes and ruts, the people and animals, and the other cars. Or just being stationary for indeterminate periods for no obvious reason.
- The people mostly smile, are open, friendly and welcoming, though some of those loitering beside the road feel more threatening—but I cannot tell if this is just my fear of the unknown, or reasonable caution.
- The NEGST campus is impressive, a mixture of old and new buildings. There’s a big vision for growth but currently limited by insufficient funds. And the faculty members we met seemed like an assortment of ordinary people held together by a common commitment to doing extraordinary things with God.
- Other impressions—the washbasin has two cold taps, the cistern doesn’t flush reliably and the electricity goes off unpredictably. Of greater significance—the huge slums are filled with mud and people trying to scratch out a living somehow. No, it’s not paradise. But it is a place where God is working.
- We came wanting to bring encouragement and blessing to Bill and Stephanie, but we leave with a greater sense of the immense need for mission work, and feeling that it is us who have been blessed.
Our thanks to Mark & Barbara for coming all that way to visit. We did feel blessed. And the four of us had a great time exploring Nairobi and the surrounding area, since it’s easy for Bill and me to become so absorbed in what we’re doing at NEGST that we forget to look up and around at this fascinating country. The photos at the end of this letter are a sample of Mark’s beautiful photography.
That’s our news and here’s a list of our current prayer needs—which I notice are almost identical to last month’s…
- Prayer for our classes at the Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School of Theology (NEGST): Greek Exegesis and Exposition of Luke for Stephanie, and Systematic Theology and Apologetics for Bill.
- Prayer for Stephanie’s work as Accreditation Officer for the Accrediting Council for Theological Education in Africa (ACTEA)—trying to finalize revisions and updates to ACTEA’s standards for accreditation across the continent.
- Prayer for summer plans for Linnea (21) and Caroline (19). Linnea will be a short-term missionary with Africa Inland Mission (AIM) as part of her concentration in global public health at the University of Virginia, but in the past few days she’s been asked to change her assignment from Kenya to Senegal—a big shift for all of us! Caroline (19) is trying to find a summer job and to decide whether to stay in Virginia or live with Bill’s folks in South Carolina for the summer (depends largely on job prospects). She’ll spend a month with us here in July-August, including a short visit to her ‘roots’ in Ethiopia.
- Prayer that we will finally be able to sell Stephanie’s parents’ house in Virginia—we’re having lots of showings, but unfortunately no offers yet.
So that’s what’s happening in our corner of the vineyard. We pray that God is equally blessing and equipping you for whatever part he’s asked you to play in his Kingdom!
blessings,
Stephanie
for Bill, Linnea and Caroline Black
Safari Snapshots (courtesy of Mark Phippen)
Our house on the NEGST campus. (If you think ‘cottage’ rather than ‘house’ it sort of works better…)
Barbara at our front door on Easter morning. No, she doesn’t always dress like this, but I’m impressed that she’s achieved the ‘out of Africa’ look here!
Bill and me (Stephanie) at the original ‘Out of Africa’ house, Karen Blixen’s former home a few miles from ours.
Nairobi National Park on a wet early morning
Bill as game park safari driver (note mud on car)
Me contemplating a giraffe
Sykes monkey—these are the kind that come into our garden and gleefully torment our dogs
Ostriches always look at you sort of just like this.
Cuteness factor: orphaned baby elephants at the Sheldrick Trust elephant rescue centre
Mark & Barbara being very brave near cape buffalo (On a walking safari at a private game reserve where we stayed in Naivasha, in the Rift Valley about 1½ hours from Nairobi)
Zebra in Naivasha. Don’t know why, but the zebra are always my favorite.
Night sky over our camp in Naivasha. Can you pick out the Southern Cross?
Hell’s Gate National Park, near Naivasha
Hiking the Ol Njorowa Gorge in Hell’s Gate
I confess that Barbara and I needed a bit of extra help at key points. That’s me in the background after the guys hauled my 50-year-old self up that ascent—wondering how I’m ever going to get back down…
We made it! Relaxing in ‘Heaven’, at the top of Hell’s Gate
(Thank you, Mark & Barbara, for the special getaway to Naivasha—and for the photos!)
