Sunday 17 June 2007

I'm off to Kenya

I still can't work out exactly how this came about (or believe it's happening), but it looks like I am off to Kenya for the second week in July, where I will be speaking to an audience of Kenyan Anglican bishops.

The occasion is "A Workshop on Micro Enterprise Development (MED) and Small and Medium Enterprises(SME) and the Role of the Church" - something about which I must admit to knowing absolutely nothing. But the audience will be Archbishop Benjamin Nzimbi and a number of this fellow bishops, and as I'm doing the daily Bible readings, at least that is within my competence!

I should be leaving here on the 8th July and getting back on the 13th. There is still a certain amount of preparation to do - not just the talks, but getting various injections, etc. I would certainly appreciate people's prayers.

I'ver often wondered about going out to Africa, so we will have to see what comes of it in the long term. I hope to have the talks available on this blog on my return.

8 comments:

  1. Well, Graham Kings has noticed - and is inviting comments on 'Fulcrum'!
    Can't you see what is happening, John? Following his triumphant takeover through Bill Atwood, Nzimbi is going to consecrate you Bishop of Ugley and other realms 'in partibus infidelium'!
    Or .... maybe he wants you to deliver a letter to John Gladwin after his little local difficulties ...
    Tread carefully, brother. :)
    LT

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  2. I'll try stick to the motto of the Earls Mareschal of Scotland: "They say; what say they ? Let them say."

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  3. Have a great time in Kenya John. To really experience the country, make sure you try ugali- most Kenyans eat it by the ton. I know some people claim it's like eating semi-congealed polyfilla, but with a bit of gravy, I think it's delicious.

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  4. The comment about ugali looked like a wind up. I could just see the Kenyan jokes in a few months time, "An Englishman goes into a restaurant and asks for a plate of ugali. Then he says, 'Can I have gravy on that?'" Kenyan audience collapses laughing.

    However, on Wikipedia, it says, "Ugali ... is a staple starch component of many African meals, especially in southern and east Africa. It is generally made from maize flour (or ground maize) and water, and varies in consistency from porridge to a dough-like substance."

    Yummy!

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  5. So he Vicar from Ugley will be eating Ugaley.

    Great, I'm glad we sorted that out.

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  6. The vicar from Ugley will be taking industrial strength Immodium (just to be on the safe side). Hadn't spotted the pun about ugali/Ugley - did Steve, I wonder?

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  7. Ihadn't spotted it, but I wish I had!

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  8. Well John,

    Looks like Mr Kings considers you worthy of making conspiracy theories about! You must be even more interesting than I first thought!

    Hope the trip goes well and looking fwd to seeing the talks

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