Reflections

I am sitting in seat 30J of a Boeing 767 somewhere over the north Atlantic on the way home after 3 weeks in Kenya and Tanzania. A full, but rich time. I met with 10 Mennonite bishops individually and several other leaders to hear their vision for training pastors and talk about ways to meet the need. Probably fewer than half of the present pastors have had any kind of specific training to equip them for church leadership. Most of the bishops have aggressive goals to start new churches in their region, but they lack leaders with preparation. It has been inspiring for me to hear them share their vision that they are committed to work towards in spite of limited resources.
It has also felt good just to be back in Africa again. Africa has a kind of wildness, not in a bad way, but in a way that experiences life without frills, where the beautiful and the ugly, the hope and despair, exist together in a rich way. Not much is "sugar-coated" in Africa, you take life as it comes and deal with it, no point in complaining.
Part of the beauty is the richness of relationships. Sometimes it feels like manipulation, that may be part of the ugly, but that is not unique to Africa. But more often, there is the love and acceptance of genuine respect, not because of our accomplishments, but because we are children of the same Father. And the deep spirituality that flavors all aspects of life, not as an add-on, but central to everything they are and do.
So l am returning with a lot of hope, for the future of the African church and for the future of leadership development in Kenya and Tanzania Mennonite Churches. It is personally gratifying for me to be part of this effort and I am looking forward to being involved. I am also grateful for the many who have stated support for this effort. It means much.

Joe Bontrager