Saturday, December 20, 2014

"In all, we bless the Lord"

On Wednesday morning Othy and Archip crowded onto a bus in Kampala to start the day's journey to Beni. The 8+ hour bus ride between Kampala and the DRC border is a wild jazz drive. People and packages fill every seat, nook, and cranny of the bus. Drivers disregard speed limits and accidents are common. Passengers change at frequent and fast stops. Food vendors jump on with trays of roasted corn, screwers of meat and packages of peanuts, filling the aisle at one stop to make a sale, then jumping off the next to catch a returning bus. And then there is the border crossing and the 2 hour (plus) ride to Beni.

Archip and Othy were loaded with several bags and boxes, mostly equipment and electronic items for UCBC, and a few gifts. Somewhere en route someone snatched Archip's bag. The bag contained some of the tech equipment and gifts. It also contained Archip's passport. Jon emailed the news:
Archip and Othy were traveling back to Beni today and somehow Archip's bag was stolen. In it was the GIS computer, money for the primary school, gifts and money from Mary, Archip's passport and other valuables. At a check point it was discovered that Archip did not have his documents and he was arrested. He is now being taken to the border to verify that he entered the country legally. He sounds confident he will be allowed to return to Congo. Please be praying for him.
Later that day Othy informed Jon that he had made it through the border where he explained Archip's situation. Border agents assured Othy that Archip was safe and would be processed into Congo the next morning, Thursday. Othy spent the night in Kasindi, the border town on the DRC side, waiting for Archip to cross the border.

When Archip joined Othy the next morning, we learned that our friend had not been safe. The police had left him sitting in the rain for several hours after arresting him, then beat him and threw him into prison where other detainees continued to abuse him through the night.

Yesterday, Friday, Archip went to the hospital in Beni for treatment to his wounds. He wrote,
I'm safe and I"m home now. I'm feeling sick because I was beaten seriously by the [Ugandan police] and the others arrested guys in prison all the night. But God is
good and he protected me. And thank you for the prayer and your love for me. I'm already going to the hospital for treatment. I'm sorry for the goods that we lost... I'm really sorry... I could not imagine if that can happen... 
Othy wrote yesterday,
...This is a very hard time for us and we don't know what to do neither what to think about the things that are now lost. 
In all, we bless the Lord, our God for what happened and moreover,  we are asking him to help us through what happened.
I cannot imagine why any of this happened or what to think, either. These is no sense to it. There is no good reason. Besides, understanding the why doesn't solve the now, nor does it direct how we should live in the face of the why.

But then we are not called to imagine the why of the worst. We are called to imagine another reality. We are called to imagine the hope of a redeemed and reconciled world. That's what this time of Advent reminds us.
The spirit of the Lord God...has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; to comfort all who mourn;... 
to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit... (Isaiah 61:1-4) 
The wolf shall live with the lamb; the leopard shall lie down with the kid; the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them.
The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 
The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder's den. 
They will not hurt or destroy on all my hold mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. (Isaiah 11:6-9)
We are also called to "thank God, no matter what happens" (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

No, we do not understand why this happened. We do not understand why the injustice and cruelty Archip endured are echoed across the globe. And to contemplate the why of darkness and evil only sends us to our own private place of darkness and grief.

So we hold to the hope and the promise. We respond in a radical and ridiculous way. In doing so, we usher in something of the Kingdom of God today. We chisel a crack in the darkness so the light can shine through. "In all, we bless the Lord."

Thanks be to God.

Thursday, December 11, 2014

Another lesson in humility

Word arrived yesterday that the door to return to Beni is closed to me right now. My colleagues at UCBC have decided to postpone the General Assembly (Congolese board of CI-UCBC) which had been scheduled for next week. Continued insecurity thwarts human plans. It has been deemed unsafe for members of the board who live outside of Beni to travel to the city.

I confess disappointment and sadness. I confess selfishness. In the midst of other's suffering, and as the stories of fear, death, atrocities continue to mount, I think about my own disappointment. I want to be in Beni. I want to see and talk to and work, side-by-side, with my friends, colleagues, and family there. But, the story is not about me.

Last night as our CI-UCBC diaspora met for evening prayer (we are now 1 Canadian, 2 Congolese, and 5 Americans), we lamented the atrocities continuing around Beni and across DRC. Othy and Archip recounted Congo's recent history, punctuating the story of corruption and greed with claims of hope. "This evil will not last. We are a new generation. God will prevail. This is only a transition to something new." We also spoke of Congo's beauty and promise, of the love and creativity and joy of its people. We prayed and lamented the current atrocities, pleading with God for deliverance and protection for each and every person, for the country.

We concluded our prayer, and Archip apologized for his tears. He shared a story from his childhood--an experience that no 8-year-old should have, but an experience that too many children across Congo and the world share. Othy took his friend's hand. For the next 15 minutes we sat as Archip relived his memories, and Othy spoke words of promise and hope. "Yes, we suffer now. But God is with us. God has not forgotten us." Othy reminded us of the story of the Israelites who suffered Pharaoh's oppression until the time God ordained their release. Kate reminded us of the story of Paul who persecuted Christians only to be touched by God and transformed as one of the first great teachers of The Way.

Then the Psalm for this morning, Psalm 37 with its reminders:
Do not fret because of the wicked; do not be envious of wrongdoers, for they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb. 
Trust in the Lord, and do good; so you will live in the land and enjoy security.
Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 
Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. 
He will make your vindication shine like the light, and the justice of your cause like the noonday.
Kaswera (L) and Rebecca (R)
Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him; do not fret over those who prosper in their way, over those who carry out evil devices. 
Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath.  
Do not fret--it leads only to evil.... (vs. 1-8)
Our steps are made firm by the Lord, when he delights in our way; though we stumble, we shall not fall headlong, for the Lord holds us by the hand.... (vs. 23-24)
Victor (front) and Ndjabu (behind)
Depart from evil, and do good; so you shall abide forever;
For the Lord loves justice; he will not forsake his faithful ones.... (vs. 27-28)
The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; he is their refuge in the time of trouble;
The Lord helps them and rescues them; he rescues them from the wicked, and saves them, because they take refuge in him. (vs. 39-40)
Archip
My thoughts turned to Othy and Archip--two intelligent, eager young men who are examples of hope. They are examples of living a life of faith and hope even when everything around them demands despair.

Then the faces of so many Congolese sisters, brothers, daughters, and sons came to mind: David, Daniel, Kavira, Manassé, Honoré, Decky, Kaswera, Sifa Jolie, Faden, Rebecca, Nellie, Victor. The list is long.

Decky
In spite of challenges, even in spite of horrors, they continue to trust in the Lord and "do good." They "depart from evil and do
good." They are living witnesses to another Way.

Thanks be to God.





Friday, December 5, 2014

Hope

The Advent Hymn O Come, O Come, Emmanuel calls us to remember the hope of God’s promise to restore the world—all creation, all humanity, all relationships.

Oh, come, our Dayspring from on high,
And cheer us by your drawing nigh,
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death's dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!

This hope is not empty. The hope is fulfilled in large and small ways. Just this week Othy Vitswamba and Archip Lobo, UCBC graduates and current staff members, were examples of that hope. They put on "the armor of light" and "put to flight" dark shadows.

Othy and Archip were traveling from Beni to join the CI-UCBC International Staff in Kampala for a week of training with UCBC visiting researcher, Lise vanOverbeeke. At the border the DRC immigration officer demanded $20 to stamp Archip's brand new passport, even though there is no regulation on the books that a fee should be charged for this purpose. Othy and Archip recounted the story.
We spent twenty minutes explaining to the official that we were not going to pay the bribe. We told her, "No. This is wrong. There is no such law." She insisted, "This is how it always is." 
So we said, “And this is why our country is the way it is, because of corruption, because people do not want to do their jobs correctly. You are stealing from our people, from our country. 
The officer challenged us. “Ah! But this is how it is. This is how it was even before you were born. Do you think you can change that? Do you think you are the ones who can change this country? 
We told her, “Yes! We are the ones who will change this country! Our generation will change things." 
She said, “You have money. You are traveling to Uganda. You are with a university. You can pay. I have to do such things so I can get money and my children can go to school.” 
“If we continue like this and you do not do your job properly, then your kids will never have money. They will never be able to go to school. But if we change and do things differently, then you will profit and your kids will profit.” We saw a change in her eyes. She let us go! “OK,  we will see if you can change this country.” 
At the next office, the medical officer demanded $70 to verify our vaccinations.  We told him “No,” and explained that we were going to Kampala for training to help our country, so he should help us. He asked, “If you think you can change this country then you live in a fantasy!” 
We told him, “No, this is a reality. We are leaders of this country. Nothing will take this hope from us.” 
Then he stood up to shake our hands. “We never meet people who speak like you. We will encourage you. Did you train in social science?”
We laughed. “No! I am a computer engineer and my friend here studied communications!”
Othy (L) and Archip (R)
After relaying their story, Archip commented, “I was shocked that all these people have lost hope. They are the ones who should show us the good way. They should be setting a good example for us. Congo is the way it is because most people have lost hope. There were other workers in those offices, and they all heard us. Five people heard our message of hope. We have already done part of the work. If each one of us from UCBC shares this message with just five people, can you imagine what we will do?”

Yes, even in the midst of darkness, God's promise to restore an redeem shines. Our "Dayspring from on high" attends even now.

Thanks be to God.

Sunday, November 23, 2014

Christ the King Sunday


I stayed home from church today.  It’s Christ the King Sunday, a feast day in the Roman Catholic Church and an unofficial day of celebration in the Episcopal Church. This is the day to remember and celebrate Jesus’ lordship over all—all of creation, all of us, all of our efforts and institutions and systems. We Episcopalians should get on board with the Catholics here and make this a feast day.

My heart has been heavy. Death, sickness, poverty, cruelty, and selfishness persist. Syria. Ukraine. Libya. Israel. The US Congress.

Sad news from Beni continues to roll in. Friends, family, and colleagues in Beni soldier on. Our tiny band of international staff waits, prays, and works in Uganda. CI leadership wrestles with the normal challenges of organizational life and leadership in a not-so-normal environment. What does Stephen Covey have to say about insecurity and unrest in Seven Habits?

Today I needed to sit with prayer, scripture, and God. 

The collect for the day (Episcopal BCP, p. 236):
Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to restore all things in your well-beloved Son, the King of kings and lord of lords; Mercifully grant that the peoples of the earth, divided and enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought together under his most gracious rule; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The readings for today reference a kingly God and a God of power:
  • Worship the Lord…come into his presence...
  • Enter his gates with thanksgiving
  • ….immeasurable greatness of his power…
  • God put this power to work in Christ…and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places far above all rule and authority and power and dominion… 
Ezekiel references God as a shepherd (a rather lowly occupation in the day) of an unruly and doltish flock (adjectives mine, not Ezekiel's). 

Then there is the Matthew 25 passage. Jesus, God made flesh, Emmanuel, was and is hungry, thirsty, naked, sick, imprisoned. He was and is a stranger—someone from somewhere else. Jesus the King is broken and in need. King Jesus, broken and in need, asks us for help. King Jesus asks us for some food, a cup of water, clothing and shelter, care and presence, and a warm welcome.

This is where my heart opened up. Something inside said, "Love." I don't know how or why or where that word came from. The word love isn't in today's readings, per se. But it is implied in the actions. God loves us. God doesn't reign imperially and imperiously. God reigns with love and gentleness. God's desire is for our complete restoration—a healthy planet, healthy families, good relationships, people at peace. 

I do not love the people wreaking havoc in Beni and other places in the world. But God does. And while I am not physically able to give the cup of water, I can pray for that cup of water. I can pray that God's love would pour down on each one, just as today's rainstorm drenched us here in Kampala. 

Dear God, King of All, yes, please restore all things and bring all people together—all of us separated and divided and hating and hurting each other. Bring us each and all to freedom and peace. May we do our part. May we love each other across those divides and separations. Help me to pray your love on those whom I do not want to love.

Friday, November 21, 2014

A new story

There are no simple explanations for the recent outbreaks of violence in and around Beni. The region owns a complex history of proxy wars, rebel groups with ill-defined agendas and fluid memberships, political maneuvering, and shifting regional alliances.  Add to the mix human capacity for violence and selfish ambition, and the various narratives soon tangle on themselves.

Since early October outbreaks of violence have battered the city of Beni and its surrounding region. Rebel groups are blamed for random attacks and the murder of more than 120 people. Several thousand civilians have fled their homes in outlying areas to seek refuge in town. Households have tripled and quadrupled in size as families seek safety in numbers. A 6-hour gunfight on November 2 held the town hostage, and residents of one quartier were evacuated after the discovery of two bombs on November 6. Angry mobs have destroyed private and public property. Flyers announcing imminent attacks have fueled fear, and rapid-fire rumors wrestle with the truth. Shambas (small-hold farms) sit unattended as farmers fear leaving town to cultivate their fields. Food prices are rising.

But there’s a better story—a  story of light and life, a story of faith and hope.

UCBC classes were scheduled to begin on October 30. But beginning on October 28, and for the next 8 days, violence and tensions increased. These events prompted UCBC staff and leadership to take precautionary, practical, and prayerful measures. Staff and leadership decided to delay the opening of classes by a few days so things could settle down. They also decided to shorten the school day so students and staff could return home well before dark. A local business formed by recent UCBC graduates began work with UCBC staff to develop an SMS (short message service—i.e., text message) app so university administration could send news, info, and updates to the entire student body. And the community continued to pray. 

An email from Daniel Masumbuko (UCBC Chaplain and Finance Administrator) on November 3 recalled the new story.
Let us hold strong our holy Hope—Christ in us, the Hope of glory! He will never fail us with regards to His Kingdom that's among us, with us, in us and through us. He's been faithful. He usually lays His head for rest on the storm amidst a highly troubled sea. What's happening may actually be a continuation of the devil's anger against the light shining from Beni…, bringing back Shekinah in DRC by contributing to the renewal of His Church…. I think of Psalm 2: "Why do the nations conspire... kings of the earth rise up... AGAINST HIS ANOINTED...let us break their chains and throw off their shackles...THE ONE ENTHRONED IN HEAVEN LAUGHS..." Let us remember that with all that happening and all the emerging universities in Beni, 150 new students enrolled at UCBC!
The next day Honoré Bunduki Kwany (UCBC Academic Dean and Acting Interim Rector ) confirmed,
I am very much encouraged by the attitude of our staff. Despite the situation, all are strong and continue to serve. … Our biggest challenge is that we are a bit far from the center town. But this should not bring us to let the enemy dishearten us. For in Isaiah 41:10 the Lord tells us five things. (1) He is with us, so we should not fear, (2) He is our God, so we should not be dismayed. (3) He promises to  strengthen us, (4) to help us and (5) to hold us with the right hand of his righteousness. He is more than able and he proved it for Israel, Elisha and his Servant when they were surrounded by their enemies (2 Kings 6:8-23).
On Wednesday, November 5, UCBC launched the academic year with a community-wide chapel service and orientation sessions. That the year began a week later than originally planned does not matter. What does matter is that—
Students at work
  • 150 new students have enrolled at UCBC, despite the current, local insecurity
  • faculty, staff, and students have pulled together to assist with security and communication an committed to abiding by safety guidelines
  • student groups such as Women’s Voices and Creation Care Volunteers are meeting, planning the year’s activities, and getting to work
  • Service Learning is in full swing with three projects underway
  • UCBC's Climate Action Fellows, Sifa Jolie and Faden Sibamtaki, lead students in implementing action plans
  • 300 students attend the two primary schools under the auspices of UCBC 

We thank God for this new story, and are reminded of UCBC's guiding verse (Isaiah 43:18-19):
Thus says the Lord,…”Do not remember the former  things; or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”
Thanks be to God.

A new story: UCBC
Aerial view of campus (red roofs on L), 2010

Saturday, November 15, 2014

Still waiting in Uganda

The CI-UCBC International Staff received word this week that we are to delay our return to Beni for another several days, perhaps a week. The situation in Beni is stabilizing. The 6:30pm – 6:00am curfew remains in place and the city has been spared large-scale events. A few days ago an attack on a village just north of the UCBC campus was repulsed without casualties. Two arrests were made the following day. They resulted in the confession of an a FARDC (DRC army) soldier to complicity in that and previous attacks. The resulting investigations have given citizens some assurance that authorities are taking action. CI-UCBC leadership and staff remain in close and consistent contact with a variety of security sources, local government, and NGOs. 

But the verdict for us is, “Wait.”

Waiting is work. It isn’t easy work. We Americans like to do. We like outcomes and evidence. We like completed reports and PowerPoint presentations, painted fences and repaired plumbing, the kitchen cleaned and the trash emptied. But sometimes the work we are called to do is to wait, to sit in the middle of our powerlessness. We are, after all, powerless over people, places, and circumstances. The only real power any of us has is power over ourselves and our responses to people, places, and circumstances. The rest is illusion.

Waiting is an opportunity to sit in the silences, to listen, to feel breath and heartbeat. Waiting is time to open our eyes and see what we miss when we are busy with our doing.

So what are some of the things my eyes have opened to during waiting time? Here are a few: 
  • My character defects. In spite of my best efforts to be self-aware, my impatience and desire to be in charge slip in through the cracks in the day. 
  • Memories in need of healing. Some very old and not-so-old memories have stepped out of the closet and into my heart. This waiting time gave them permission to reveal themselves. This waiting time offered space for them to breathe and heal. 
  • Smiling. I want to smile more. I will smile more.
  • Answers to prayer. God continues to strengthen, heal, and protect loved ones in Beni, in the US, and elsewhere. Two UCBC staff members are brand new parents, and we rejoice in the safe deliveries of their babies. People who were sick are now well. Loved ones who have been struggling know respite.
  • Young leaders at UCBC living into their responsibilities. Service learning interns have been meeting with faculty to advise on curriculum. The YECA Fellows and Creation Care Committee have introduced their plans to the UCBC community and welcomed new members into their ranks. 

O God of peace, who has taught us that in returning and rest we shall be saved, in quietness and in confidence shall be our strength; By the might of your Spirit lift us, we pray, to your presence, where we may be still and know that you are God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
BCP, Prayer for Quiet Confidence, p. 832

Saturday, November 8, 2014

Waiting in Uganda: A summary update

On October 22, upon the counsel of CI leadership, the International Staff team of Jon and Kate Shaw, Jessica Shewan, Lise vanOverbeeke, and Lauren Haylo, along with Jon and Kate’s two boys, moved from Beni to Ft. Portal, Uganda for a brief hiatus. During the previous two weeks, tensions had been building in the region as armed rebels attacked innocent civilians during night-time raids in areas just north of Beni. In the following days, the violence seemed to subside. I was to join the team upon my arrival from the US, en route to DRC. We planned to travel to Beni together on October 28.

But new attacks occurred, this time closer to Beni. We were asked to delay our trip by two days. As things heated up, CI leadership asked us to delay our return for two weeks. The situation in Beni was so dynamic that predictions about security were untenable. UCBC staff and leadership already had their hands full addressing safety of local staff and students, opening the academic year, and caring for their own families.

We stayed at the Golf Course View Guesthouse in Ft. Portal, Uganda, where the team had already set up temporary home. I’m not sure where the golf course was. The staff were kind and attentive. We had a safe place to stay, running water (even hot!), good food, and easy access to markets and affordable restaurants. Knowing that we would be gone from Beni for at least one more week, we decided to research alternative, more relaxed and affordable housing. Two bathrooms served us and the other 2-3 nightly guests. Also, Jon, Kate and their two boys shared one room; and Jessica, Lise, and Lauren shared another. I was the fortunate one with my own room.

Those with Ugandan and Kenyan connections reached out to their networks. By midweek we found a place in Port Bell, Kampala, Uganda. Yesterday, Friday, November 7, we traveled east to Kampala to settle into a pleasant house in a lush, quiet neighborhood.

We are pleased to have more room, including a separate little guesthouse for Kate, Jon, and their boys; a well-equipped kitchen; three bedrooms and four beds for the rest of us. And all of it for about the quarter of the cost of our lodgings in Ft. Portal.


L-R (front): Jessica, Lise;
(back): Lauren, guesthouse staff Charles and Charles,
Jon and Graham, Kate, guesthouse manager Paul with Eliot, me

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Names

Billy Graham, George Beverly Shea, and Ethel Waters visited my childhood home through the "magic" of televised broadcasts of the Billy Graham Crusades. Ethel Waters singing "His Eye is on the Sparrow" punctuate my memory with her alto voice and deep pauses. The gospel song references Jesus' words in Matthew:
God's eye is on the weaverbird
Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father [and Mother] feed them. Are you not of more value than they? (Matt. 6:26)
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father's [and Mother's] will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. (Matt. 10:29-31) 
Yes, I am comforted by the knowledge that God cares for the birds He and She have created. I am comforted that God knows me so well as to know how many hairs are on my head.

But lately I have found comfort in the lists of people. Today's reading (September 9) in The One Year Chronological Bible listed the names of the families returning to Jerusalem from the exile. The book of Ezra boasts fifty-five verses of names: "The family of Parosh; The family of Shephatiah; The family or Arah..."

That took me back to Genesis 10 and 11 and listing of Noah's descendants ("The descendants of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal..."). After the escape from Egypt, Moses directs a census of the people. Names and numbers of family members spill across the pages of the book of Numbers, beginning in chapter 1: "...From Reuben, Elizur the son of Shedeur; from Simeon, Shelumiel, the son of Zurishaddai...." God instructs Moses to take a second census (Numbers 26), and names march across the next 63 verses.

Names fill the first nine chapters of 1 Chronicles. The writer records name upon name with only an occasional hint of story ("Achar, the troubler of Israel, who transgressed in the matter of the devoted thing," and "Caleb the son of Hezron had children by his wife Azubah, and by Jerioth; and these were her sons..."). Priests and musicians each get their own chapters in 2 Chronicles while the gatekeepers and civil servants share chapters 26 and 27.

Names. Name upon name. There are plenty of historical, anthropological, and theological explanations for these lists. But I find it comforting that God considers each of these specific families and each of the these names to be so important. God considers each of these people to be so important to inspire human beings to include these names in holy scriptures.

I used to skim over these lists of names whenever I came upon them. Now I discipline myself to read each name as an individual, as if I were reading names of my own parents and grandparents, family members and friends. Each name breathes into our shared story. Each name confirms that God's eye is on the sparrow.

God's eye is on "Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah, "the daughters of Zeolphehad, the son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh" (Numbers 27: 1:1). And God's eye is on Ann, Anneli, Amy,... Ben, Brian, Butoto,... Calvin, Carl, Corin,...  Darrah, Dick, Donna,... Elsa, Eric, Esther,... Faustin, Faden, Frank,...  Jensi, Jon, Josias,... Heather, Henry, Heretier,... Jensi, Jessica, Jolie,...  Katsongo, Kavira, Kinangani,... Lindsday, Lisa, Louann,... Manassé, Meredith, Molly, ... and me.

Thanks be to God.



Video from 1957 Billy Graham Crusade. Ethel Waters introduced and begins singing at 9:21.

Ethel Waters sings "His Eye is on the Sparrow" in 1975.



Saturday, July 19, 2014

“…so said all the disciples."

Today’s gospel reading is Matthew 26:26-35. The last supper,  Jesus’ prophesy that the disciples will “all become deserters,” and Peter’s declaration (v. 34), “Even though I must die with you, I will not deny you.”

Then verse 35, “And so said all the disciples.” 

Peter gets the bad rap. He’s the one quoted in the gospels. But, “So said all the disciples”! They all promised fidelity. And then they all panicked and ran for cover.

Growing up, I heard the stories from the Bible as stories happening to other people. The Israelites crossed the Red Sea, wandered in the wilderness, disobeyed God, and complained when manna became a boring staple. Samson became proud and arrogant. The disciples tripped over each other, argued, and missed the point many times. Then there were the Pharisees and Sadducees. Terrible ones, they. Sure, there were stories about people doing the right thing—Miriam hiding her baby brother, Ruth sticking by Naomi, Rahab protecting the spies, John the Baptist prophesying, even the disciples managing, on occasion, to figure things out.

But always I saw these as stories about other people in other times. Sure we were to learn from their examples, but the stories were about the other. They were someone else’s stories.

Chalk it up to ignorance, immaturity, “seeing through a glass darkly.”

I don’t know that I’m any smarter or mature (aged, yes). And my eyesight continues to deteriorate with the passage of time. But God in Her and His graciousness helped me to see that these are my stories also.

So when Peter and the disciples promise that they will stick by Jesus no matter what, I am there. It’s not just that I make those promises, then run for cover when exhaustion, pride, frustration, and life challenge me to a “double-dog-dare.” I am there with that group of brothers in the middle of the night. I stand with the whole lot and promise, “I will not deny you.” I am implicated. Those are my words, too.

But that doesn’t keep Jesus from loving me, from coming back and extending grace and love. Even days later, when I don’t recognize Him, Jesus walks with me on the road.








Tuesday, July 15, 2014

A few reminders

God, Karma, the Holy Spirit, the alignment of stars? Who knows. But over the last few weeks (while I’ve been chasing my tale in a mad frenzy to stay “on top of things”), I’ve tripped over a few reminders about two things that are important: mindfulness and listening.

Thanks to OnBeing interviews with social psychologist Ellen Langer and StoryCorps creator David Isay for shaking me awake (or settling me down?).

Langer describes mindfulness as “the very simple process of actively noticing new things.” It’s paying attention and looking at a person or event or situation with eyes open to something completely new. It’s leaving behind expectations (or “unplanned resentments”).  Isay talks about the sacred spaces of listening and how most people (most of us) simply want that—to be listened to. Listening in this way is mindfulness. It’s being open and awake to the other person and to her or his story. It’s honoring the holiness of that person, a child of God.

From Langer and Isay I headed over to Parker Palmer and the Center for Courage and Renewal and references to sacred listening. These forays reminded me of experiences with spiritual directors and counselors who provided sacred space for listening and opened doors to whispers of truth.

Another stopover: Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s “Advice to Christians.”   Something we Christians should take to heart in our dealings with each other, as much as in our relationships with those who do not profess a faith in Christ! Echoes the quotation attributed to St. Francis of Assisi, “Preach the gospel always, and if necessary, use words.”

We waste so much time trying to convince others of our points of view. We argue and posture and defend. How many times would we be better served, would we better serve the other person, if we just listened?

The best bit comes from David Isay's story about Dan Rather's interview with Mother Theresa.
He asked her what she said during her prayers. And she said, “I listen.” Rather then said, “Well, then what does God say to you?” And she said, “He listens.”

Saturday, June 14, 2014

Brief Witness

We are here to abet Creation and to witness it, to notice each thing so each thing gets noticed . . . so that Creation need not play to an empty house.  Annie Dillard
 A reminder to sit, observe, and be.

As I sat in the quiet of the early morning onThursday, I noticed a spot of red against the green wall of cassava that edges the property. I tip-toed cautiously through the wet grass (the previous night's dinner discussion focused on East Africa's snakes) and came upon a lone blossom.

It leaned like a wounded warrior in the no-man's land between shamba (veggie garden) and lawn.

Today, three days later, even as Jackson cuts the grass to submission, the flower still stands and greets from afar. 


Friday, June 13, 2014

Campus Conversations: Day 3. Exposé and Work Program

Elikia presents in French (L)
as Pacifique translates (R) 
Following Wednesday’s English classes (May 21), the student body and staff gathered for and Exposé entitled, “Community Engagement for Creation Care: Case Studies from the Region.” Elikia presented information about DRC’s forests and the role of agro-forestry. Joel talked about his work in community waste management in Goma. Both men captured the attention of students. As Congolese, Joel and Elikia know first-hand the opportunities and challenges of capturing the imagination of their countrymen and women to engage in environmental stewardship. 

In addition to attending English classes and Exposé each Wednesday, students conduct their work program activities on Wednesday. Every student spends two hours in manual work (cleaning, sweeping, cutting grass, trimming shrubbery, emptying trash) each week, as part of his or her tuition commitment. Work program also reminds students of their responsibility to serve and continue in physical work, regardless of their diploma, degree, or community position.

Rachel meets with students
Work program during Campus Conversations gave students a break from their labors. Each work program team met with one of the visiting guests to explore specific topics related to the week’s theme. One group met with Rachel to examine the shelter, sanitary, water, and farming needs of the local neighborhood. Another group met with Ben and UCBC’s construction and mechanical engineer to discuss renewable energy solutions. Kahi gathered another group to talk about the role of art in teaching and cultivating an appreciation for nature.

Grace, Ben, Saraphin (L to R)
As happened throughout the week, there were surprises and unexpected outcomes. Among them: Creation Care Volunteers. This volunteer group formed to organize education and waste clean-up activities in town and on campus. Saraphin and Grace, two applied sciences students, started developing a Creation Care website to post information and resources (as of this writing, they are looking for the best place and way to host the site).

Then there were the rolling conversations and impromptu meetings as students, staff, and faculty came forward with ideas, concerns, and stories of activities-in-progress:
Ben meets with a faculty
member and students
Joel offers advice to a student
  • A team exploring how to develop a business around safe disposal of technological waste.
  • A teacher who has been trying to educate his family about protecting nature.
  • A local group of students and community members who, since 2007, have been helping a local market area to manage its trash, at the same time educating people about the importance of keeping water clean. The group also supports local youth athletic teams. Oh, and they do this all out of their own, personal funds.
  • UCBC’s own efforts to commit to a solar solution for power needs.
Before the week of Campus Conversations began, several people asked how I was feeling about the week—if I felt that our plans were secure and in place. I answered, “Our planning team has done its best. It’s in God’s hands now. Will the week go the way Mary wants it to go? No. It will go the way it’s supposed to go. The week will be what it needs to be.”

And it did. And it was. (But there’s still more to share!)



Creation Care Volunteers begins to organize itself

Thursday, June 12, 2014

Campus Conversations: Day 3 - English classes

Nono Ilyempo
Because UCBC's English classes meet every Wednesday and Saturday, they provided opportunity for all students to engage in conversations with our guest experts and facilitators. Nono Ilyempo and Kambere Kahindo (Kahi) joined the team of experts and facilitators on this day. Nono, a UCBC graduate in communications, hosts a local radio program on environmental matters. Kahi is a local artist with a passion to employ art to cultivate appreciation for the natural world and teach about our responsibility to care for it.
Discussions ranged widely across the six English classes. One class considered personal responsibility towards creation and came to the realization that human welfare and the environment are inextricably linked. In a beginning level class, students developed a list of new English words (e.g., sustainability, pollution, climate change). Their teacher later explained, "The new vocabulary helped students during the week. They had direct experience with new words and phrases to help them in other activities. On Scientific Day [held on Friday], students had could follow the presentations because they knew the vocabulary." Another class discussed the significance of communication to sensitize a community to issues of climate change, pollution, and personal responsibility. 

Virunga Park extends along the border
between DRC and Rwanda (Goma)
and DRC and Uganda (north of Beni)
One of the advanced English classes explored the intersection of population growth, economic development, and protection of natural resources. This particular hot button popped up several times during the week, as conflicts in and around Virunga National Park flare from time to time. Virunga, just outside Beni territory, extends along North Kivu’s east border. The park is Africa’s oldest national park. Many people trace landholdings back before there was a national park. Livelihoods depend on access to land for farming. Conservation and human survival often clash with dire consequences. Modern technology and oil-based economies add to the pressures, as deep-pocket businesses maneuver for drilling rights in the park. With these conflicts just next door, many people in the UCBC community are keenly aware of the challenges. Many have been directly affected.

English classes provided space for teachers to question, ponder, and critique alongside their students. One teacher commented, "It was captivating. I never thought about my responsibility from a biblical perspective." Another stated, "I want to organize a conference in our church. I want the youth to know God beyond the walls of the 'temple.' The Creator is in His nature and sees us in His creation."

New vocabulary words

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Campus Conversations: Day 2

Tuesday’s activities (May 20) centered around workshops with non-teaching staff. Approximately 25 technical staff (mechanics, carpenters, and ground crew) met with Joel, Elikia, and Ben for sessions on workplace safety, water protection, and managing waste. Faculty and administrative staff often partake of workshops and professional development events, but technical staff have fewer opportunities. One of the strengths of Campus Conversations  was a range of activities to include the entire UCBC community.

Musabao, UCBC driver/mechanic
As educators, we pay attention to “unexpected outcomes”—those nuggets of new knowledge or ideas that pop up and surprise. Several unexpected outcomes popped up from this workshop.

For one thing the grounds crew expressed a desire for a snake guide to help identify venomous snakes. Generally, crew members kill any snakes they encounter. But Elikia and Ben explained the role snakes play in the eco-system, keeping rodents and other “critters” in check.

The team wanted to understand other workplace risks—basic safety matters that generally go unexplained. They were concerned about the dangers of chain-saws, hoes, and machetes, and identified the need to take appropriate steps for protection. Was this creation care? At first I didn't think so. It seemed to me that safe use of tools stands in a category separate from environmental stewardship. But, if creation care is about caring for all creation, then providing physical protection for people who work out in nature is no less important than addressing the human consequences of climate change (e.g., extreme weather changes, flooding, typhoons).
Joel discusses water pollution
The crew expressed interest in serving as ambassadors and managing  the campus as a teaching tool. They discussed the possibility of leading a native tree planting project and making labels to name and describe tree species and their use for medicinal, nutritional, or other purposes.

In the afternoon, Ben, Rachel, and Joel met with administrative and support/office staff to discuss responsible use of resources in the office workplace. Among the topics was how to better manage printing and copying needs to reduce waste and save money. The group also discussed the reality that sometimes doing the right thing is cost efficient. Sometimes it costs more. Environmental stewardship enjoys no respite from the tension between expediency and ethics.

Management of electronic waste also generated discussion. The group did not identify action steps; however, what did bubble up is that there are some students and faculty on campus interested in figuring out solutions. The group did not develop concrete action plans on this matter, but at least that had conversations

Monday, June 9, 2014

Campus Conversations: Day 1

After six months of preparation and planning, Creation Care: Campus Conversations launched officially with a special chapel on Monday, May 19. Special for several reasons.

Rachel, Elikia, Joel, Ben (L to R)
First, the entire UCBC community joined together. Usually, only students and faculty attend Monday and Friday chapel services. The technical staffs of grounds crew, mechanics, and construction workers have their own prayer and Bible study time on Saturdays. Second, chapel was conducted in Swahili and English, rather than French and English. Third, we had special guests in attendance. In addition to Jay and Jessica Shewan (brother and sister-in-law of one of our international staff), four experts and practitioners in environmental stewardship rounded out the gathering.  Joel Vwira Tembo (Goma Business Services), Elikia Amani Zahinda (Congolese Foresters Network), Rachel Lamb (Young Evangelicals for Climate Action) and Ben Lowe (Evangelical Environmental Network and Young Evangelicals for Climate Action) had come to join us as teachers and facilitators for the week. 

Honoré set the stage for the week, welcoming our special guests and also UCBC’s technical crew. He reminded us all that we are ONE community. Each of us has a role, a job, a set of responsibilities, talents and gifts. None of these outshines any other. We are all members of one body. To be honest, that message was one that I had hoped would be communicated. UCBC requires students to do manual labor each week. Work Program is one way we teach and remind students that manual labor is a responsibility and its own reward. A university diploma is not “ticket out.” It is a “commitment to.” It’s a commitment to honor and respect those who labor physically and a commitment to share in the physical burdens of all who make up our communities.

Ben teaches, Katsongo interprets
It's too easy to get caught up in one's own concerns and spin daily activities in our own sphere. I know I regularly fail to recognize those whose labors, whether intellectual or physical, spin at the outer edges of my own.
Research and agribusiness meeting
Elikia Amani Zahinda (L) and
Joel Vwira Tembo (R) flank Jon Shaw

After singing, introductions, and an outline of the week's activities, Honoré welcomed Ben to the podium. Katsongo, Theology Faculty Coordinator, translated as Ben gave a brief teaching entitled, "Creation Care: Discipleship and Faithful Witness." 
English teachers
(L to R) Mashauri,  John, Josias

In the afternoon, Ben, Rachel, Elikia, and Joel met with the team heading up UCBC’s initiative to strengthen research capacity through an examination of agri-business education. The purpose of the meeting was to establish professional connections and push the conversation about agri-business, sustainability, environmental stewardship, and agro-forestry. Afterwards, the visiting team and English teachers gathered at my house for afternoon tea.


(L to R) Joel, Rachel, Ben,
Kinangani (director of RTB), and me

Sunday, June 1, 2014

A day of rest

Quiet morning with a bit of fog from last night’s rain. After church I met two students, then came home to enjoy a quiet day of rest. A little writing. A little reading. A little French studying.

Collected orange and yellow cosmos from the garden to set in a jar of water.
Watched the sun dance in the curtains.
Talked to my kids on the phone.

Now Mdogo (father of the kittens) purrs contentedly beside me.


A power surge fried my laptop power cable this evening.

I refuse to let that inconvenience and the required replacement purchase dim the day.

Monday, March 17, 2014

St. Patrick's Breastplate

Today's is St. Patrick's Day. I'll wear something green in solidarity with my Irish friends. I hope they'll forgive me for allowing myself to be captivated by a hymn rather than a pub song, however. It's the hymn attributed to St. Patrick, I bind unto myself today (see The Hymnal 1982, #370)

The hymn speaks of God's expansive presence and all-embracing love.

Thanks be to God.

Enjoy an arrangement sung by St. Peter's Singers of Leeds.

1 I bind unto myself today
the strong name of the Trinity
by invocation of the same,
the Three in One and One in Three.
2 I bind this day to me forever,
by power of faith, Christ’s incarnation,
his baptism in the Jordan river,
his death on cross for my salvation,
his bursting from the spiced tomb,
his riding up the heavenly way,
his coming at the day of doom,
I bind unto myself today.
3 I bind unto myself today
the virtues of the starlit heaven,
the glorious sun’s life-giving ray,
the whiteness of the moon at even,
the flashing of the lightning free,
the whirling wind’s tempestuous shocks,
the stable earth, the deep salt sea
around the old eternal rocks.
4 I bind unto myself today
the power of God to hold and lead,
God’s eye to watch, God’s might to stay,
God’s ear to hearken to my need,
the wisdom of my God to teach,
God’s hand to guide, God’s shield to ward,
the word of God to give me speech,
God’s heavenly host to be my guard.
5 Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.
6 I bind unto myself the name,
the strong name of the Trinity
by invocation of the same,
the Three in One and One in Three,
of whom all nature has creation,
eternal Father, Spirit, Word.
Praise to the Lord of my salvation;
salvation is of Christ the Lord!