Forgiveness, Peacemaking and Reconciliation

Two weeks ago, Amisadai and I (Tim) travelled on the 16 hour bus journey through the night to Nairobi. Amisadai took the empty first class seat in front of our seats and settled in for the trip, only woken up twice by officials wanting to check our passports. We arrived at our accommodation at Pan Africa Christian University at around 7:30am and went straight to bed for a couple of hours!

Once up and showered we strolled off to Artcaffe for our first good Kenyan coffee as we began our father-and-daughter time. What better way to start it!

Our main reason for going to Nairobi was to attend the Africa Society of Evangelical Theology conference on 'Forgiveness, Peacemaking and Reconciliation.' This is a much needed conference for war and trouble-torn Africa and also particularly for the African church. Today, 7 April, as I write this blog, Rwanda is remembering 25 years since the genocide, where sadly at that time the church generally failed to stand up against the atrocities although there were some notable exceptions. The conference covered many topics from A Christian response to Religious Terrorism in Northern Nigeria, Pastoral Care and Counselling for Victims of Violence against Women, The Role of the Church in Reducing Civil Wars in Africa, to Jesus the Peacemaker.

In Tanzania, proud to be a peace-loving country, we have our own issues, not least with the way people with albinism are exploited and attacked. I was able to present a paper on 'The Role of the Church in bringing Peace and Reconciliation with People with Albinism.' Our prayer is that the church will be spurred on to take its role seriously in seeing these people finding new life, protection and hope in the family of God.

We enjoyed a number of the other sessions. Unfortunately, there were too many parallel sessions so we had difficult choices. I particularly appreciated one on what the church can do among refugees, the presenter himself a refugee. He has spent all but the first 2 years of his life outside his country, DR Congo. And yet we could see a man full of life and energy and seeking to convey that refugees are often people of hope, which can be fulfilled if the barriers and obstacles can be cleared so they can access the opportunities in their new country.

Different approaches among refugees

It was great to see Nyambura Kamau, a friend from many years ago when we both studied at Regent College, Vancouver. Nyambura was organising the conference, but found time one evening to have a meal with us. Where have those 20 years gone? It was also good to catch up with friends at Deliverance Church Umoja on the Sunday and talk about the role of the Church in community transformation with Pastor Oscar on the Monday.

With Nyambura

Amisadai, who was the youngest delegate at the conference by far, found it all very stimulating, and went off to sessions on her own, whether biblical papers, or papers dealing with social issues concerning women or those unpacking the honour and shamed-based nature of African cultures. And of course she found the bookstore and picked up the book, 'From Genocide to Generosity,' which looks through the eyes of young people at how the nation of Rwanda can be healed.

Amisadai's purchase

So we are back and inspired. It is the gospel of Christ, in which God shattered the wall of hostility between Jew and Gentile and indeed between rival tribes and peoples, that is Africa's hope for a new beginning. And may this gospel go deep in this continent so that Africa's potential can be realised.