Multiply Trip East Africa 2015 - Retrospect

Two weeks since landing back, so time for some reflection.

Hilary and Janet were quickly out of the starting gate in proposing a return visit to the Nairobi sewing project and Richard's Children's Home.  They have in mind a couple of weeks in December that squeeze in from the end of Janet's term and before the New Year.   Huw's happy.  I must remind them to take some clothes  pegs for their stay at Sundowner.  If the extra fund-raising goes well enough they'll take a couple of other younger women with them. 

Meanwhile, sadly, Phibian's had to suspend the project for a couple of weeks because Four Square's hall was needed for something else.  But it's a good outcome, because they're finding replacement premises, and they've tapped into some micro-finance to keep going.  Hilary's fund-raising Gala Dinner is Thursday 12 November, and we have some planning to nail down, including video stuff, etc.

A green shoot - cheesy, but I don't care

Janet stole the show at the national celibates and singles event, relating how on the Sunday in Kampala, Pastor Philip was unsure whether to introduce her as Pastor, Bishop or Apostle. 

My enduring memories of Uganda proved to be the amazing bird-life, the abundance of pineapples, and the second-hand European clothes that change hands in preference to new Chinese stuff on quality grounds.  I also failed to mention the rice and tea fields that line the main trunk roads.  Len commented that the place is so fertile that if you stand still for too long, you'll grow roots.  I also recalled a couple of pastors asserting that the country was the site of the Garden of Eden, with the third (unidentified) river being the Nile.  Hmmm.

Cornelius continued his extensive correspondence to Trevor.  I remembered a comment in his garden, after the two-hour evening round of exchanges.  "Milton Obote once took eight hours over a broadcast presidential speech.  His sign off was: 'And with these few words...'."

I went to thank Ali for lending us Len while the Brighton saints endured an arson attack at home.  She confided that she'd been given an unexpected gift, and told to, "Go and have a good holiday yourself."  So a return visit to the literacy project in Zambia is in her sights - apparently with or without Len!  To add to the to-ings and fro-ings, it appears that 42 of the RAW-ites have signed up to go to India next November.  And Andy and Eva have posted photos of Kathmandu on their Facebook.

Because having the use of the minibus was so helpful, I've re-written the draft budget for our trip to Rwanda next March, allowing for hiring one for the duration out there.  On the journey across Kenya I forgot to mention the green and yellow agave cactus that grows by the roadside.  They have just one specimen in the glasshouses at Sheffield Botanical Gardens, and it looks creepy. 

Fatigue hit me about three days after we came home, and I must have been a poor advertisement at the Bank Holiday Festival.  Back at the gym, my body felt like rubber, but I managed a five-mile run round the Memorial Park while staying in Coventry last weekend.   At the last count, Viv had 47 outstanding IT service tickets.

Most worrying, I can't find the Jesus Centre credit card that I put 'somewhere safe' at home rather than risking taking it on the trip.  A confession to the Accounts bods is impending if Mary's 'finding angel' doesn't come up with the goods. I may have said 'apostolic irritation' if Nathan hadn't deflated me with an aside in India, "Don't you think these things happen to anyone?"

Multiply Zambia/Kenya 2014 Day Seventeen - Friday

First thing, I text Gregory to say, "Suggest you leave coming here 'til lunchtime."  It's a grey day, and the mud roads will be impossible.  In Nairobi I've taken to wearing both a tee-shirt and shirt.  The locals are going around wrapped in a blankets and sporting wellington boots.

A couple of hours on the computer quickly pass by.  I phone home and explain my revised arrangement for Monday to Mary.  Gregory arrives at 11.30am, and we spend another two hours sharing about future possibilities for Multiply.  He's very clear thinking, and realistic, too.  He explains that - unaware of commercial realities - some MILC invitees may expect to come back with their pockets stuffed full of preaching fees.  It seems that it would be sensible for us to download the High Commission visa application forms to see exactly what hurdles delegates face, then produce an information sheet that will help them to successfully apply.

Gregory also suggests we should draft a 'Setting up Multiply in another country' guidelines.  There's clearly been differences between his approach in Uganda, Rukundo's in Congo, and Steven's in Malawi, plus where we've got to in Tanzania and also what I know of Bangalore.  "The real thing for Multiply is the local networks," he observes, "UK conference are great, but not what we should focus on for most pastors."  He goes on to make some good suggestions about pilot/scalable income earning projects starting with just four lap-tops and one person training.  I guess this is all something I shall need to initiate between getting home and MILC in mid-May.  Later he adds that a minibus would be a versatile resource for each of the three main guys here in East Africa.  "Doing some outreach mission is close to leaders'hearts, because it grows their churches."

We head to JMB's again, and Gregory presents me with a huge pile of chips for what was just meant to be a light lunch.  We sit outside, and if we'd collected the flies we were plagued with, we'd have doubled our meat portions.  Today Joseph is busy with a legal case involving the division of 'Four Square' and disputes about property ownership.  All told it's been running 15 years, and he just wants to see an end to it.  We move on to Gregory's home, and another George drops by.  He's very keen to come to UK, and a good prospect for being Gregory's Timothy in Multiply matters.  As we discuss MILC, there's another thunderstorm.

Gregory has to be in Kimusu over Saturday and Sunday for the ordination of one of his leaders there.  He's desperately trying to get someone to share the driving, but may end up having to go solo by bus.  Kenya has banned some night-driving because of the accident rates, and they've halved as a result.  Joseph will keep an eye on me tomorrow, and then George will pick me up at 8.30am for local church.  Meanwhile Gregory's set up a four-hour leadership training workshop for me there, starting at 2.00pm on Sunday afternoon. 

Johnstone and Oscar join us in the car for the slippery drive back to the apartment.  Driving is really on the limit.  Eventually arriving, all the lights are out: there's a power cut.  The caretaker presents me with an LED lamp and I grope my way round the kitchen and bedroom.  Judith's thoughtfully packed me up some of their evening meal in an insulated container.  I've opted to eat it here so we don't leave negotiating the mud roads til they're totally impassable. 

Within and hour the power comes back on.  An hour after that, Gregory texts to say they've arrived back safely!  There's been no air circulating around the apartment, and the bedroom is stuffy.  I drift off to sleep with rain falling all night.  Crumbs, will I make it out of here?  I came wanting to experience and understand local life better, but the final 48 hours may hold more challenge than I bargained for!