We began the week celebrating the First Sunday of Advent at Lutherans in Africa's chapel in Karen, just outside of Nairobi, Kenya. The grounds of the chapel also serve as the current administration site for Rev. James May and the staff of LIA.
After celebrating the Divine Service, we wound our way back, up, down and around the Ngong Hills to Lutherans in Africa's School of Theology.
The rules of the road are ...
... well there really aren't that many rules other than "watch out".
It's every Matatu (mayhem on wheels), Piki Piki (motor bike with as many people as you can fit on the back) and Land Rover for themselves. Just don't hit the cows.
Every Matatu has its own graphic theme. My favorite is the one painted with all of the characters from "The Godfather Trilogy" on it. The one pictured below is themed around the "Brooklyn Nets", although, no one really knows, or cares, who the Brooklyn Nets are.
Sadly, many deaths and accidents occur because of the reckless driving of the Matatus. On the way back up to Nairobi, Jason Stephens, the architect and project manager for the LST site, saw a nun thrown from one of the Matatus pulling out in front of him. Praise be to God, she survived but was badly scraped and shaken.
The last bit of "civilization" before the Lutheran School of Theology site is Ngong Town.
On the way down to the LST, we wound our way around the Ngong Hills. On the Nairobi side you can see the full profile of the wind mills.
This week, Gideon, the Night Watchmen at the LST, took me to the escarpment of the Rift Valley. It was about a 45 minute walk from the School of Theology and six of us made the journey.
When a Masai says, "it's not very far" or "it's an easy walk" be prepared for a long and exhausting hike.
Halfway down the escarpment, Gideon showed me the "holy man's cave". Masai stay in the cave and fast for a week at a time hoping to receive the "spirit of God".
Shortly coming out of Ngong Town, the road becomes a bit more difficult to traverse.
A Land Rover is indispensable and a necessary investment for Rev. May and the LIA mission staff.
Even with the Land Rover, the road during the rainy season can be impassible and treacherous. In Kenya, the red soil is good but the black soil is slick and slippery when wet. Pictured below is a culvert that LIA built to divert the water so that the seasonal rivers don't wash out the road.
At the entrance to the Lutheran School of Theology, a sign is posted: "Hakuna Njia Hapa - No way here!"
Here's a short video of our ride down to the Lutheran School of Theology with Jason Stephens, the architect and project manager at LIA.
When we arrived at the Lutheran School of Theology on Sunday afternoon, the students were "practicing" what Rev. May had taught them the previous week about the liturgy of the Divine Service.
For Advent 2, the students wanted to make a processional cross for the Service of the Word. And so ... they searched the LST site and found some planks. They planed and sanded two pieces.
They did most of the work by hand. But when needed, they brought out the power tools. The electrical cords are probably not up to code in the States but it got the job done.
With the cross leading the way, we enter into the Holy Place. The name of the Triune God is placed upon us. We are washed clean by the waters of Baptism.
We listed the Propers for Advent 2. All of the elements of the service are taken from the Scriptures and reflect the theme for the day.
As the students come to the Banda, and before the Service of the Word begins, they prepare themselves for the hearing of God's Word. They read the Scripture lessons for the day, the Hymn of the Day, the Psalm, Introit, Gradual, Verse and the Prayer (Collect) for the day.
The cross has been planed, sanded and varnished. Amon, one of the elder statesmen, is chosen to be the cross bearer. He is followed by the Bible and the Officiants of the Day.
The Verse for Advent 2: "Alleluia. Alleluia. Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him; all mankind will see God's salvation. Alleluia." (Luke 3:4,6)
The first two classes of the Lutheran School of Theology's Fall semester (Eschatology and Pastoral Theology) were held in the newly constructed ground floor of the library. The second floor is "in process" (Africa time).
Some finishing work had to be done and sealant placed on the ground floor of the library before we could use the massive space for the seminar.
African time in Kenya is non-specific. "The floors will be done on Monday" doesn't necessarily meaning "next Monday".
And so, while we waited for the floors to be finished, we moved to "Plan B" (the "Banda") and taught the first week of the seminar on the Psalms in the shelter.
Here are the core assignments that I'm teaching the students for the study of each Psalm ...
Assignment 1: How is the Psalm referenced in the rest of the Scriptures, specifically in the New Testament? Use the key interpreting principle: the Holy Spirit uses the Scriptures to interpret the Scriptures.
Assignment 2: Identify the “shadows” or “images” in the Psalm that point to the person and work of Jesus.
Assignment 3: Identify the speaker (the “voice”) of the Psalm.
- Is Jesus (“the Spirit of Christ”) praying TO His Father FOR and ON BEHALF OF His Church?
- Is Jesus praying WITH and THROUGH His Church?
- Is the Church praying TO or ABOUT the Triune God?
Assignment 4: Identify what part of the Christian life is described in the Psalm.
Assignment 5: Identify what parts of the Catechism help explain the Psalm.
- The Ten Commandments.
- The Creed.
- The Lord's Prayer.
- The Forgiveness of Sins in Baptism, Confession, the Sacrament of the Altar.
Assignment 6: Identify the “A, B, C, D’s” of the Psalm.
- A = “Ask” (Prayer) – What is the Psalm asking/inviting me to pray for?
- B = “Believe” (Instruction) – What is the Psalm asking me to learn and believe about the Triune God?
- C = “Confess” (Repentance) – How is this Psalm convicting me of my sin? For what do I need forgiveness?
- D = “Do” (Response) – How should I praise, thank and act?
Assignment 7: Acknowledge the emotions of daily life but bring them, through prayer, into conversation with the Word of God. Let God's Word be the last word.
But there's also daily work to be done. And Chep, the caretaker of the site, makes sure everything is done right.
The shoes need a good dusting and washing every once in awhile.
Americans trouble themselves with hanging and pinning their clothes on a line.
The African students just find a bush.
I'm guessing chicken and goat for dinner.
Some video of the giraffes just before sunset.
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Credits:
Paul Arndt and LIA