… they are the reason I wrote SENT. Oh it’s true, I hope that many might benefit from its writing, especially those within impoverished settings, where resources are scant; but the 170 pastors of Nkhoma Synod, Malawi, were my initial audience. Given that initial audience, I also hope that many within the US might benefit from my “meditations,” particularly in combination with the Greek text and the several inductive questions provided. Even so, the 170 were and remain my focus.
If I may and briefly, I would like to share my Malawian experience with you: In August of 2013, Mary, my wife, and I were invited to teach at the Josophat Mwale Theological Institute of Nkhoma, approximately an hour’s drive southeast of Lilongwe, the nation’s governmental capitol. Prior to our first visit, we knew that Malawi ranked among the world’s ten poorest nations; that this small, landlocked nation was subject to periodic drought and famine; that the AIDS pandemic had decimated nearly an entire generation; and that of its 14million inhabitants, approximately 3.6million were Presbyterian.
These facts we knew. What we had not anticipated was this: Malawi is a land without paper. Of course I write with hyperbole, but when compared to the US, where paper abounds, Malawi has virtually none. For example: as I write, I can look upon the many volumes shelved about me; pictures and tissues; binders filled with photocopied material; post-its and cardboard boxes—and then I think of what we recycle bi-weekly—but not so in Malawi. One evening, as we dined with a high-ranking, governmental official, we were dumbfounded: for nearly 10minutes, our host’s wife searched about their home for a scrap of paper, in order to write a phone number. When she returned, she held a scrap, already written upon one side. Our hosts were people who had cell phones, iPads, platinum screen TVs, but no paper … and if they had no paper, what of the average pastor, who, if blessed, might have a bicycle, by which he seeks to shepherd the 6800 congregants (on average) under his care?
I wrote SENT, with the hope that, as the average pastor peddles from congregation to congregation, prayer house to prayer house, he might carry SENT in his knapsack; that he might jot a thought or underline a phrase within it; that he might share a question from it, which might spark insight and discussion. For the 170, I wrote … but of course, I trust that you might benefit as well.
Well, I hope soon to share more with you, but until then, feel free to leave a comment below, and/or connect with me on Facebook or Twitter.
Stan