Dear Cherished Interested’s, October 10th 2024
Carried gear for a returning theology student, with her, to
her new rooming assignment on campus yesterday afternoon. The weekend before, while filling hopefully
one of the last commitments made by my huge hearted wife, had taken the stupid
little truck, the two precious editor-translators and myself about 3 to 4 hours
away, nearly Kenya again. There we were
close to this theologian’s home and church servicing so that we were able to
pack her gear back here in the truck for her.
Being on campus is something I avoid in the light of day, in
respect of the disreputable who happen to have power and engender tremendous
fear among those they are trusted to serve, with, among and to. Large back-pack on, but only one strap of a
large duffle because I am an elder who can’t carry anything, you know. The other strap was being carried by the
theologian herself. Another large sack
was in the capable hands of a daughter of the University Chaplain. Shhhh..
Few were on campus but they are gathering. I was greeted in Meru by the guard on duty
and amazed by the students walking up to this outcast to shake my free hand
with such earnest grace. Those roots are
being loosened all the time but nutrition is still lovingly getting through.
I walked myself home greeting people, working people not
authority people, who want Hilda to be greeted.
The church world around needs its butt kicked. Since Constantine converted to Christianity
and shared authority structures from outside the church into the church, those
authority structures are a double edged sword too often blunted on the side of
those wielding power through them.
Fear lets them.
Desperation lets them. However,
are those structures from Roman antiquity the authority that saves anyone of
anything, ever? Tired and self-oppressed
beloved North America, what is our excuse?
More than the church world round needs its butt kicked, I
need a good kick or two too.
So, pray for me please..
I don’t have that huge hearted wife with me here to share some of the
oppression with. The oppression born of
that fear and desperation. I look like
the colonizers that were thrown out. But
seemingly everyone avoids the desert with God on the journey from enslavement
to freedom; there is still addiction to desperation and fear and what
colonizers used to bring that was beneficial.
And as we have abused ourselves at home with our choice of
leadership over the many years, the destructive consequence to our personal
authorities and responsibilities manifest over those same many years; our
diminishment at home has taken and continues to take lives here. Who and how we are either serves the world we
are part of or leaves it bereft of us and what life can build with us where we
aren’t even aware. 70 times 7
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Two weekends ago, was a trip to the mountain country almost
due east of here. There three days. Day one travel, celebrate with a bride her
send-off into marriage. Day three,
gather at the church for the wedding.
Day two was insane.
Beautiful but insane. I did all
the driving. From remote volcanic
hot-springs to power damn to sunset canoe ride on waters between TZ and Kenya
in sight of Hippopotamus plural. Then
goat trail in the dark up extremely steep and abusively washed out track to the
one of the highest peaks, senseless drama at the top but eventually sleep.
All the way, God was using those travelling with me to
facilitate and challenge those allegedly serving us.
I am forever proud of the Godly editor-translators who had
this journey too.
The region had lost both their hugely beloved hands-on
Lutheran bishop and their Catholic bishop on the same day to two separate car
accidents. The Lutheran bishop leaves a
young family at home and a larger one through the church. Desperation and fear.. Shutting up and listening can help, even if that
is not what some may want.
Here in these more remote places I am still introduced as
pastor. Back in Usa river, I am now
introduced as Evangelist by the desperate, fearful, and politically
connected. This is like being identified
as Deacon or Elder or Trustee to keep one in their place. Those roots are loosening but nutrition is
lovingly getting out to some spiritual mycelial web in places.
Your Prayers have protected along every step which was also
prepared in response to your prayers.
I can’t take credit for Guards securing vital power
infrastructure asking for and getting prayer from me. Nor can I take credit for spontaneous bush
walks given freely by one of their number.
Or a young Maasai Shepherd deciding to walk alongside me for most of
that bush walk, just to speak a little Swahili with something he has never seen
before, get a fist bump and run off smiling huge.
Not one asked for money or gift. Only prayer..
they can call me anything they want.
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Landlord’s wall seems fully erected, final pointing and
coating with mortar underway. The
craftsmen wave and smile freely, enough interaction has occurred for them to
know my hands have gotten dirty and striven like their own.
Your prayer does things like this too. Thank you.
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Last messages are now within the capable efforts of the
editor-translators. Hoping to have the
help of some of those desperate and fearful with regards printing house that
supports servants of God’s people. We’ll
see.
Also need help here with some other issues regarding funds
owed this tyrant who trusted. Hoping to
turn those debts over to a more remote mountain church near to and related to
the borrowers. That church is striving
to do entrepreneurial enterprise to feed widows, shut-ins, and support
educations.
Please pray, I can’t take credit for success but must
strive. You do your part please, it is
amazing how willing God is to hear you.
Thank you.
Closing Africa house and returning to Hilda I pray will be
easy, no matter how impossibly hard. Deserting the loved ones there/here is
extremely painful. Perhaps, with today’s
tech, it won’t be as complete a desertion as it was in the past. We’ll see if there is interest here for connection
in the face of perceived rejection.
Long way to go, still..
Your prayer deeply sought for this work too. Thank You.
------------------------------------
Keep our feet to the fire, please. Thank You!
We may live dangerously, but we are alive. Thank you for praying us the courage to live
this way, if dangerously. We don’t see
it that way.
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You who read and pray and suffer
along with us. Please believe what we
get to see. Thank you for praying our
strength and guidance for each moment with each face. Folks
like you are beyond precious.
Really blessed while deeply
under attack.. all of it is
spiritual.. I wish I could teach that to
everyone so they could truly know it. I
didn’t know it for far too long.
Please keep crumpling us up and
throwing us at God. That is where we
need to be. God will sort us out.
One day at a time.
Just like how you each live. Just
one day at a time.
Thank you, each of you.
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What to Pray for:
Our armed forces families, our leadership, our people, whole
world round, all of Gods kids -
All the tough and blessing expressed above –
The love of folks –
Whatever is on your hearts and minds for us –
For our children and grand-children who miss us?..
For Makumira Secondary School looking to share stories and
partner in some way with a foreign school, Great leaders, teachers, students,
programs, strong backs, minds, and hearts –
For our health to stay ahead of whatever is before us –
For each and every one of you –
Each and every one of your prayers, your precious
conversations with God –
Prayers, Your Prayer, Even your groaning prayers makes all
the difference..
Vern W
May life be as Music to your Heart – May Music be as Heart to your Life –
May Heart be as Life to your Music
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