In Transit - Once Again

Hey friends...

I am blogging while on layover at Heathrow Airport in London. We left Nairobi late last night and will arrive back in Kansas City early evening today.

I really look forward to describing something of the quite amazing experience our team (in partnership with a team from City Harvest Church) had in West Pokot.

A few quick and cursory observations:

• City Harvest Church and the life and ministry of their founding pastor Edward Simiyu is a gift to the church at large and we were overwhelmed to be able to join with them for even a short time...
• West Pokot is even more environmentally devastated than I expected. The systemic issues the people there face as a result of that devastation are profound and any attempt to help the community begins with clean and accessible water...
• I had no idea I would learn so much about "pastoral" communities. I don't mean communities with pastors, but rather societies that survive through the domestication and herding of animals (mainly goats and cows). It is not a culture where women are highly valued. In fact a good portion of Bible was written out of a pastoral context. I learned how radically different such a context is from our own and that perspective has helped to enliven the background of the Bible we often read and miss, divorced as we are from that setting and worldview...
• We need more leaders to think systemically and holistically about the gospel, the world in which it is being incarnated, the structures/narratives/metaphors that frame it, and the long-term impact and implications of the life that is being shaped by our current way of locating ourselves in both our world and our reading of God's story.
• Americans need to get their news from a (true) global news provider...
• 14 days is a long time to be away from my family and community.

Looking forward to seeing many of you soon.

Comments

[suhr]

Tim,

First, it's been great to follow your trip as it's happened. Thanks for putting in the extra effort to keep us up to date.

And second, I absolutely agree with your point RE: global news. I've signed a few petitions to have BBC World carried on our local cable systems in the KC area, but such petitions just don't get the traction necessary to make it happen. We have the Golf Channel but no truly respectable news...

I will note that BBC America shows BBC World News a few times a day, but until it's a 24/7 channel, there's no way it'll get even close to the same exposure as CNN or Fox.

[jonah]

hello,
i just love the reports that u have a about africa, and kenya in particular, i hope your layover was great, and u will say when u arrive home that u will want to be back again in africa.have a great day.

[Tim]

Thanks, Josh. Obviously I agree with your news comments, and since I have been home it has only been magnified.

[Tim]

Hey Jonah - nice to see you here, friend. Sorry we missed you in Nairobi there at the end. Our time grew quite hectic and by the time I saw your follow up text it was too late to connect. Thanks for the good time and hospitality in Kericho. Blessings, bro.

[Jonah]

oh no problem..i think i will connect with you guys soon again......
have a great great time there in KC.
Hoping to see you soon again.