Greetings from East Africa!

The amahoro gathering in mombasa, kenya is off to a wonderful start. the caliber of people here is amazing and inspiring.
last night, claude and kelley nikondeha gave a brilliant presentation on Christ, Creation, and Community … one of the best talks i’ve heard in ages, and far beyond most of what i hear in the u.s. in depth and insight.
this morning, i heard the story of a ugandan fellow who became a child soldier at 8 … then just a few minutes ago, i was talking with a sudanese fellow who started training as a child soldier at 8 as well … he has been a soldier for 27 years, but left the army recently, feeling God had something better for him. his brother, also a soldier, recently died, leaving 3 wives and 9 children in this young man’s care – incredible pressure, as you can imagine.
in between, there have been fascinating conversations with young burundians seeking to start social enterprises … congolese seeking to stop pollution and deforestation … a south african engaging in politics to fight against corruption and incompetence … church leaders seeking to embed a more holistic theology in their congregations and facing angry opposition … young christians who see little in the church beyond self-seeking pastors and an institution preoccupied with its own prosperity … people eager to expand their faith to engage with rather than escape from contemporary social, scientific, economic, and political realities … and this is only the first day.
at every turn, i see how important the ten questions are that i raised in my newest book … just as much here, if not more so, than back home.
as you can imagine, i feel incredibly blessed to be with these wonderful people, even as i miss friends and family at home. i am blessed indeed!