My last and most important stop was in Livingston, Zambia. For one week, I conducted, what we have dubbed, "Seminary in the Bush". This class is the forerunner of the courses we will conduct at the aboved mentioned center. Twenty pastors from various locations in East Africa met with me in a campground outside of Livingston. I taught them the book of Galatians and gave some training in healing and servant leadership. Two things came as a surprise revelation to them -- the nature of grace and the idea that a church leader should be a servant.

While there, I became friends with the man who owns and operates the campground. He is a Mennonite from Holland and is a strong Christian. He has adopted 3 young boys who were orphaned by the AIDS epidemic. AIDS consumes 70% of the population in mnay areas and in some cases has wiped out entire villages. These three boys lost not only their parents, but their entire extended family as well. The man said he could take one more child, but didn't have the money for his schooling. I said that my friends and I would provide the funds, if he could find the child. He will soon bring a fourth son home and we will enjoy the privilege of providing for him.

By the time you receive this letter, I will be in South Korea to conduct conferences and teach some seminary classes. This is my first visit to Korea, so I don't know what to expect. They asked if I was concerned about SARS. I replied that I had just returned from a place where people regularly die of malaria and where Muslim leaders exhort followers to kill Americans and Christian missionaries. SARS seems almost trivial in that perspective.

Thank you for supporting me in this most interesting adventure.

Peace and all good,
Ken

Africa

On this most recent trip to Africa, I first reconneted with churches in England to do some teaching and training. This stopover is worth mentioning because these church groups are doing some amazing work throughout the British Isles. They sponsor the New Wine Festival each summer, which I was honored to teach at last summer. Each year, about 16,000 people attend during the two weeks of teaching and training. Out of this festival grew a youth movement called Soul Survivor. It sponsors the usual youth events -- worship conferences, camping experiences, etc. In addition, it has become a force for urban renewal in some of the more blighted city neighborhoods in England. At various times, usually during the summer, hundreds of Christian kids descend on rundown neighborhoods to clean, paint, repair and haul away trash. Our 26 year old son, Emmet, will be providing leadership for them this summer. In July of 2004, more of our family hopes to join this group as they move into downtown London to clean, paint, worship and evangelize. Does that sound like fun or what?

SEMINARY IN THE AFRICAN BUSH

From London, I flew to South Africa to lead conferences and meet with the people who run our Kyamandi Bead Project. While there, I stayed with the only white family living in the Kyamandi Township. Despite the dangers and difficulties of working in this Township, we plan to start an interracial church there. Before leaving South Africa, I met with the business people whom I am partnering with to establish a training center in Zambia. The plan is that they buy or build the center and I recruit the teachers. They are looking at two properties right now.