amahoro-africa.org update
My friends Claude and Kelley Nikondeha sent out this newsletter regarding our recent time together in East Africa.
Amahoro Africa gathered over 180 leaders from 15 countries for a focused discussion on The Gospel of Reconciliation in Kigali, Rwanda.
The discussion took on a very concrete nature given our context, as we listened to both Hutu and Tutsi tell their stories of survival after the 1994 genocide that took place in this very city and surrounding hills. Our hearts were broken, our heads overwhelmed trying to understand how this could happen here, and yet there was a sadness knowing that genocidal tendencies are being made manifest across Africa and beyond.
Our Kenyan friends shared of their too-recent experiences in the post-election violence, and how there is a need for deep reconciliation between the tribes before another outburst erupts and threatens more lives.
Our South African friends struggle through the current outbreak of xenophobia in their country, knowing that healing needs to go still deeper in the townships and urgent work needs to be done to quell hatred and potential violence. It was evident to all of us gathered together that reconciliation is not merely theoretical discussion, it must move to practical steps we can take home with us to Kenya, South Africa, Burundi and beyond. Forgiveness, justice, pre-emptive peace-making are not mere words, they are now imperatives. It is also clear that this is just the beginning of a discussion, not the last word.
You can read the rest of their newsletter below ... of special interest to me is Claude's burden for the Batwa ... I hope some of you will consider making a financial contribution to this good work.
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Africa photos
I've been a bit sick for the last couple days - but feeling better today than yesterday.
Several folks on facebook have posted photos of our time in Africa. Here are some links:
This is one especially for all my critics ... maybe you think this is the closest I'll get?!
I'm standing at the entrance to a new "fair trade" restaurant in Kigali, Rwanda - with me is Annemie Bosch - missiologist/theologian David Bosch was her husband. What a delightful lady - she added so much to our time in Rwanda. Thanks, Mike, for posting these.
This one is in Burundi. We had visited the beautiful orphanage run by Freddie and the Jeunesse pour Christ team in Gitega. The kids were clean, well-cared for, so happy ... As we left, directly across the street was this little group of guys. I tried out one of my very few Kirundi lines - "My name is Brian. What's yours?" And the guys started introducing themselves to me one by one. It's an amazing thing to connect with people - however simple the connection may be.
Aussie friend Fuzz Kitto - who among his many talents is a professional photographer/artist - posted his shots on flickr.
A big part of my heart is still in East Africa! I'll add other links as I learn of them.
Next year, amahoro-africa will meet in South Africa May 5-12, and then another gathering will take place in Burundi May 12-18.
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a poem from africa
One of the highlights of our trip to Africa was a quick visit to a Batwa village in Bubumba, Burundi. We had hoped to bring the whole group there - I wish we could have - but the road to Bubumba passes through an area where the last Burundian rebel group had been active (with gunshots fired the previous night), and we felt that a bus full of mazungus (whites) might have been too big a temptation for them. So just a handful of us went.
I tried to capture the experience in this poem ...
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Back from Africa – 5 quick updates
Grace and I are back home from our amazing trip with amahoro-africa.org - I'll post more on the trip later, but for a preview, see #3 below ...
Some quick updates:
1. Have you heard about Envision 08: The Gospel, Politics, and The Future? It's happening at Princeton University June 8-10. I'll be participating, as will a number of good friends. Good news! Because of some generous donors, the conference is now being offered for only $99. And if you're coming from out of town, you can get on-campus housing for three nights at a sharply discounted rate. I hope you'll go to www.ev08.org and sign up today ...
2. Want to make a difference for the environment? Our friends at ECI have created a convenient way to support an important upcoming vote in Congress. Check it out here.
3. My friend Tim Keel blogged our amahoro-africa.org gathering last week. You can read his postings here and get a flavor for the time we shared in Kigali.
4. Someone recently sent this provocative quote from Buckminster Fuller: "You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change things build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete."
5. My friend Byron Borger, the wisest bookseller in the nation, offered some kind words about Finding Our Way Again here.
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off to africa
I'm not sure how much email access I'll have in the next few weeks, but I'll be with many good friends - old and new - at the amahoro-africa.org gathering in Rwanda between now and the end of the month.
Quite a few folks from the emergent network here in the US will be coming along. My guess is that several people will be blogging.
Grace will be staying in Rwanda, and I'll be going down to Burundi, political unrest permitting. Just fyi - here's where I stay abreast of African news.
Our friend Jen Lemen is traveling with us - you can read about her parallel adventure here.
If you'd like to support the good work of amahoro - here's a link where you can donate.
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