Africa Upper Room Ministries





	Africa Upper Room Ministries Summary of Meeting, April 28-29, 2006 Scripture: John 21. Personally, I found this scripture to be particularly pertinent to the project right now. We're fishing, but without making that BIG catch. I am always slightly conflicted with this topic mainly because of my need for success and my own personal phobia with regards to failure. In the eyes of God, what constitutes a "failure"? If one considers the amazing strides that aurm has made over the past 5 years, one could hardly consider aurm to be a failure! But, through the scripture Jesus challenges us to bigger fish and even greater dreams. In any event, the thought of us, as called disciples, casting our nets on the other side is perhaps what the formulation and invitation of this group is really all about. It is about Collective Leadership. Of one thing we can be certain -- the net is not about to break. This is His promise to us. We need to take heart and courage from that statement of fact. In formulating this document, I found it helpful to again enunciate the vision and calling of AURM: To afford every African the opportunity to spend time with God every day. We determined to divide up the whole AURM cake into three more manageable (digestible?) slices, namely Africa, South Africa, and Anathoth. Africa: The vivid reminder of the banner "that we might leave Africa, but that Africa never leaves us" seemed to encapsulate so much of what each individual felt. We seem almost like moths drawn to the flame in this regard. Somewhere, somehow, mysteriously, God has spoken to each of us with regards a calling to return to Africa. In a sense one felt that this meeting was a real cathartic moment for people who had a real need to express their longing to return to Africa. We need to continue to be open to calls from Africa for resources. How we fund these is a question that continues to haunt us. We do need to say boldly that "every copy costs" but that this should not deter the ecumenical African Christian constituency but rather energize them to find creative methods of assisting us in funding these requirements. There are very definite possibilities with regards to small entrepreneurial, empowerment start up projects if one takes a resource such as the Daily Devotional as an example. The success/failure of any empowerment items does rest with the recipient country. Our only hope is to explain what has worked/not worked in Africa from our own experience. In every case, the Christian leaders hold the keys to the success or otherwise of any start-up venture. The Africa Collaborative Team (ACT) (a combined UMC agency/Africa leadership initiative to identify and develop culturally specific faith development resources that will be used to build healthy United Methodist congregations, strong leaders and faithful disciples of Jesus Christ for the African continental initiative) effort is ongoing, and will continue into its next phase when African Conferences and their people begin to access, translate, contextualize and print the resources that the GBOD and other UMC agencies make available over the internet. Africa is a big land mass, and we will definitely need to divide up the territory into Southern, Eastern, Central, Western and Northern segments. In time, as progress is made, a permanent local presence will need to be established. Centres of excellence in translation and editorial work, printing, marketing and distribution in each of the regional areas will, of necessity, need to be established. This is a long term priority. Someone whom God will send, someone who will be in touch with the ecumenical needs of the Christian community in those countries. From an almost zero beginning, AURM now sends the devotional magazine to no fewer than 18 different African countries. Yet another opportunity to become a presence in another African country has arrived. We have a possibility of distributing the Daily Devotional in Ghana. From the inception of AURM, this is precisely how it has always been. God provides the opportunity for us to walk through doors (cast nets on the other side?). It becomes our decision as to whether we accept that opportunity or not. It is essential to continue, even expand the vehicle whereby we give Africans a voice. Writer workshops are critical in this regard. We seem to have, in the writer workshop, a truly unique structural gift whereby Africans will feel safe and free to tell their stories. It will be our ability and sensitivity to listen to the stories that will determine whether this vehicle becomes ever more meaningful in the future. At the present time, the GBOD is faced with the scenario of being able to provide less and less dollar funding for Africans. Subsidies have been cut to all African editors. However, the agency still has an enormously rich resource capability. Africans are going to need to translate and substitute their demands from dollars into the perceived and required spiritual resource needs of their people. It is the stated objective of AURM that it will be self funded by the year 2008. In this manner AURM hopes to relieve the financial burden it imposes upon The Upper Room. There is a distinct possibility that the South African operation will be self funding, even though the majority of African countries will still require varying levels of financial support. Distribution of any resource remains a critical factor in Africa. Creative methods need to be employed to overcome the constraints of distance, uncertain communications, and time. One method of improved distribution that has evolved has been the utilization of Africa-based Christian radio stations as a means of communicating the Daily Devotional to remote rural areas of Africa. A wonderful idea was that Africans be invited, after listening to the radio Devotional, to send in their meditation for possible broadcast. A challenge to make whatever resources we have available much more contextual in an African setting remains. Only with the commitment and involvement of local communities will this become more evident. Two factors might assist us in this regard. Firstly, the ever increasing use of electronic communications media on the African continent, and secondly the possibility of ecumenical pooling and sharing of resources such as hymnals, basic Sunday school curriculum, etc. South Africa: South Africa, as having been the geographical continental entry point for an initial partnership between the UMC and other Wesleyan structures, remains a viable model, with localized adaptation, of what can be achieved in other areas of Africa with regards to the work of AURM, The Upper Room and Discipleship Resources, both essentially resource divisions within the umbrella of the GBOD. Rev. Ike Moloabi eloquently led the discussion by offering a brown and a green leaf to depict the new paradigm offered: autumn to spring -- from dying to life. Ike reminded us that seeds had been provided to a school along with the Devotional Guide. The idea was to provide a holistic form of food for the soul as well as food for the body. The children of the school had taken home many bundles of fresh vegetables for the use of their families. We need to revisit this model in the future. There is a real need for patience. One does not stand bent-over waiting and watching for seeds to grow. There is an element of complete faith in the one who sows that seed who ultimately relies entirely on God to bring the seed to eventual bloom and then harvest. We can learn from this as we continue our work which we have been called to. Various new ideas related to many different aspects of the work have taken root in South Africa. Amongst these have been: The formation of a marketing structure utilizing the services of previously retired clergy known as supernumery persons. Hence the advent of the term "The Super Project." These persons find new life in being able to market the Devotional magazine to previously known congregations, making a small profit in the process. Writer workshops could become yet another rich area of exploring the possibilities of allowing Africans an opportunity to tell their stories. Training in the conducting of these workshops will again be given at the bi-annual 3rd African Editors' Conference to be held in October at Anathoth House. An emphasis should be placed on greater ecumenism in the Super Project if the net is to be cast wider on the other side of the boat. Books as well as magazines are able to be distributed by supernumery agents. Some distributors have been employed informally to assist the supernumery agents with the distribution of the magazine, and there was every reason to believe that UR/DR resource books could also be distributed by this method. Distribution of "remainder" books within Africa. Use of a simple mail order catalogue will be used in this regard. South Africa gives expression to Upper Room Ministries in Africa. For example: Emmaus has been operating exceptionally well for the past 15 years in SA. Sedibeng, a contextualized African form of The Academy for Spiritual Formation, has found root in SA in recent years. A real question to be answered in the future is how best to facilitate the publication of the voices of Africa. Trevor Hudson and Peter Storey being prime examples. There are definitely others within the African context that need a vehicle to publish, print and distribute their thinking on African spirituality. Emmaus offers a possibly rich area of storytelling. Every pilgrim really does have a story to tell. Other possibilities include more writer workshops, the possible use of the local theological seminary, John Wesley College for writer workshops. Perhaps a fundamental course on journaling might be both instructive and fruitful. More emphasis should perhaps be placed on the editorial aspect associated with each Devotional Guide. Various luminaries in the Christian world could be approached for an editorial piece at specific times in the Christian calendar. It was perhaps at this juncture of the conversation that the art of listening became very apparent to all of us. It is imperative that we sharpen our listening skills, failing which the stories of the people may become lost forever; especially given the propensity to neglect the African oral tradition in an electronic post-modern world. An entirely challenging thought! There is a possibility of collecting stories that would translate into something similar to the Pocket Prayer series. African Prayers for Hope, Courage, and Strength etc could easily be published and distributed in a small pocket sized format. These stories could be termed "Beams of Light." Work needs to begin with a few people, in a modest fashion. From the small seeds we plant, God will create an incredible harvest. Anathoth: As we gazed at the photographic aerial view of the property we were again struck by the amazing synchronicity and serendipitous events that led to the purchase of the property now known as Anathoth. Associated with this wonder is the very real question: What does God want us to establish on the property? The potential to create something of lasting value to the local Eikenhof community shines through any of our thoughts. Any project begun will need to have a long term sustainability built into it. In Zanele we seem to have been given by God the ultimate model. She is 5 years old, so is AURM. She came to us on June 16th, Youth Day in South Africa. The day the Soweto pupils rejected the notion of being taught in Afrikaans by the apartheid regime. She is vulnerable, she is HIV+. Can it be that a day care centre is our first priority for the children of the area? Whatever we eventually build first, Anathoth will always be a place of shelter, hospitality and safety. This is who we are. This is fundamentally what we stand for as Christians. This is our picture of the church in the world. Our partnerships and relationships with influential people, and churches such as St Andrews Methodist church will be exceptionally helpful, in fact critical, in any work we embark upon in the future at Anathoth. We do not do this work in isolation but rather in partnership with others who have had practical experience and gained important knowledge during their own establishment of mission based outreach programs and projects. Anathoth is yet another example of needing to slice up the cake in order to retain some semblance of intentionality, order and priority. It is important that every "mini project" within the property have some basic fundamentals: A champion who felt called by God, would take on the managing of that specific project. A basic business plan of the project. Projections as to "how" the project would be sustainable in the long term from a personnel, financial, and functional point of view. Projects formally to the Board of Members of AURM, but especially the directors of the board of the GBOD. There was lively discussion about what structure should be built first. A chapel? A skills development centre? A day care centre? A group of rondavels for writers? Whilst no finality was reached on the topic, there was a real sense of "togetherness" in all of the talk. An important feature of any building process would be the thoughtful application of environmentally sound building methods wherever possible. Every effort should be made to provide the property with self sufficient sources of water and electricity. At the very least, our dependency upon public utilities to provide basic services to the property should be kept as low as possible. Some thought was given to the creation of an organic vegetable garden on the property. This would form the basis of some informal work as well as providing wholesome food for visitors and giving further extension to Ike's dream of seed for Spirit and soul as well as body. We explored many ways in which Anathoth, and the building thereon, would become a place of empowerment and the learning of new skills. Learning to make bricks, learning to lay bricks, learning to build a structure, the laying of electrical cables, installation of plumbing, erecting eves and roofing, thatching of the roofs. The important question about TUR having been historically about the printing of resources was raised. How did the vision for Anathoth become a part of what TUR is about? Is Anathoth a diversion? In short, how would one personalize this work within the construct that is TUR at this point in time? It could run the danger of being an impersonal, disembodied ministry to members of staff. The real answers to these questions lies in the fact that TUR and in fact GBOD staff must become involved. For example: Nashville Emmaus staff would need to personally come and participate in and actually see the benefit of having a low cost Emmaus Weekend event held on the property. Writers of spiritual resources for the Agency, be they authors or editors would need to come for a few weeks and, after being immersed in the local Eikenhof community and their day to day challenges, write of their experiences for the benefit of the rest of the world. Creating a community dynamic whereby writers could capture the stories of the people of Eikenhof by engaging with the community. There is a need to teach the children to swim. Who would undertake to be a part of that team that teaches a life skill? The emphasis on learnership and tuition around Anathoth should be youth based as so many of the local population are young adults. The GBOD has only recently established a Youth Desk. They would gain from involvement with local youth. At present in South Africa, there is a very real need for a place of security and safety for incoming youth groups and mission teams. What better way to build bridges than to fulfill a need of the local church? As a team arrive or depart from Africa, most always via Johannesburg International Airport, a safe place for debriefing, reflection and spiritual direction could be created in the Anathoth setting. In this way we serve the wider church community as well as the local community. It is entirely plausible that Anathoth and her neighbour Common Ground will again work together in the future. We need to begin tentative preliminary discussions with a view to uncovering any prospect of working together as a joint team in the future. Anathoth becomes a physical expression for core beliefs. A way forward towards being alongside community in a very authentic sense and setting. A place of fermentation, a place of safety. An ongoing, although unspoken question, remained the very real need to raise finances for the projects at hand. How we do this is critical to the success of the entire venture. Perhaps the secret lies in the mobilization of myriad small projects as opposed to viewing one overarching large project. There seemed to be a general consensus of God raising up competent, innovative people to champion and staff the various mini-projects. What we need to do as a collective is provide adequate structures for the people whom God sends. As one participant so aptly put it: This feels like Kairos time! Without doubt, Anathoth is the epicenter of TUR operations on the African continent. As the various projects around Anathoth take tangible form and substance, there is no doubt that they will become a living symbol of who we are, what we stand for as followers of Jesus Christ and our very real determination to be amongst the people, serving the people, alongside the people. A living manifestation of the phrase: "A Christ healed Africa for the Healing of the Nations". She is mine She is yours She is the child of Africa She belongs to God. Dale Rust Waymack/Roland Rink 8th May 2006