Update from Marta Bennett in Nairobi, Kenya:
December 2016
HostingaWedding:
SnowinSeattle!?!HereinNairobiwehavemovedoutofthemudseason,movingintothe
dustseason…AsIbeginwritingthisletter,itisJamhuriDayweekend(Kenya’s
IndependenceDay),andweareawaitingthebride-to-beandherbridesmaidswhowill
spendthenightatourhouseonSunday,andthenbeupearlytodress,domake-up,and
eventuallybecollectedbytheauntiesandotherrelativesofthegroom,tobetakentothe
churchfortheweddingonMonday,12thDecember,theJamhuriDayholiday.Milkah,the
bride,istheyoungestsisterofMaggie(Margaret)Gitau,whomIhavewrittenaboutbefore.
MaggielivedwithuswhileshewasaministryinternatNairobiChapelandthenatother
timesoffandon,andMilkaheventuallyevolvedintoourfamilyaswell.Sincetheirmother
passedawaynotlongago,andgivenotherfamilydynamics,Milkahcametheprevious
monthtoaskifthiscouldbeherhomefromwhichshewouldbecollected.Unfortunately,
hersisterMaggiewasnotabletobeheretobepartofthecelebrations,sincesheisintheUS
onapost-doctorategrant…
…MilkahandbridesmaidsarrivedasIwaswritingtheabove
paragraph,sonowletmefinishthestoryfromtheothersideof
thewedding.Whataspecialtimeitwas!Thesoon-to-bebride
andherfourbridesmaidsandsister-in-lawallarrivedatourplace
havingspentthedaygettinghairdone.Aftereatingrice,beefstew
andchapatis(tortilla-likebread,originallyfromIndia,butnow
consideredanessentialKenyanfood),talking,laughing,ironing
newlymadedressesandtryingontheirnewshoes,they
eventuallysettleddownforafewhours’sleeponsofasand
mattressesspreadacrossthelivingroomfloor.Thebridehadher
ownroomupstairs,andthenextmorningwasservedbreakfastinbed,withtwoofus
joininghertopraywithherandtogiveblessingsoverthedayandtheup-comingmarriage.
Themake-upartistarrivedaround7:00a.m.ontheweddingday,bywhichtimeeveryone
wasup,showered,dressedandhavingbreakfast.By10:00a.m.,aunties,uncles,nieces,
nephews,pastors,friends,neighbors,beganarrivingby
matatu-fulls(matatusare14-seaterpublicvans,hiredfor
thisoccasion),tosing,danceandescorthertothecarand
thenontothechurch.Bytradition,thewomenallsingand
danceastheycallthebrideoutofthehouse,andthen
cannotallowherfeettotouchtheground,toremainpure.
Theyeitherbringlessos(lengthsofprintedfabric)tolay
outbeforehertowalkon,orasinthiscase,havingbrought
nolessos,theycarryhertotheawaitingvehicle.Despitea
bitofconfusioninthisprocess,eventuallythebridewas
settledintothedecoratedvehicle,andthecaravan
departedforthechurch.Milkahandherteamweresoveryorganized,thatthewedding
partyarrivedatthechurchwellaheadoftheappointedtime.Theweddingcommenced
withworshipmusic,thenafterthegroomandhisbestmanenteredthefront,the
bridesmaidsandflowergirlsescortedinthebridedowntheblossom-strewncarpetgracing
theconcretebrickfloorofthelargeworshiptent.Afteraffirmations,vows,rings,signingof
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themarriagelicense,messageandprayers,thebridalcoupleandpartydancedtheirway
backdownthecarpetouttothegrassofthechurchcompound.Photosweretaken,then
everyonereenteredthetent,ate,enjoyedthefood,fellowship,music,speechesand
presentationofgiftsbythefamilies,andmoredancing.Awonderfultimewashadbyall,
withjoyandblessingspouredoutonthenewcouple.(CheckoutmyFacebookpagefor
morephotos).
Nigeria:
AhugethanksforprayersformytwoweeksinLagos,NigeriainNovember.Hot,humid,
withconstanttrafficjamsandpowerfluctuations,whininggenerators
anddeliciousspicyjollofrice,Lagosisapulsatingcityfullofcolorand
life,fromdaytonightanddayagain.Itaughtaoneweekintensive
MasterscourseattheAfricaCentreforTheologicalStudies(ACTS),a
sisterschoolofInternationalLeadershipUniversityinKenya.The
eightstudentsandIenjoyeddynamicdiscussionsandinteractions
throughout,alldayeveryday,allweeklong.Thefollowingweek,
anotherprofessor,Prof.MikeWicker,flewinfromtheUS,tojoin
myselfandtwodifferentNigeriancolleagues,toformapanelto
examinefiveofourNigerianILUPhDstudentsontheirdissertation
proposals,relatedtochurchgrowth,youthrestiveness,andpastoral
andyouthentrepreneurship.ThetimeconcludedwiththeACTS
graduationonSaturday,12thNovember.Itwasanimportanttimeto
alsodiscusstherelationshipbetweenourtwoschools,inthemidstofchangingnational
accreditationpolicies,whiletheschoolsmaintainasimilarvisionandmissionfortraining
upChristianleadersfortransformationalleadership,discipleshipandmissionofthechurch
intheworld.
Myclass,minusouronefemale,Bridget(picturedwithmeaboveright);YemiHamid-Okedefending
hisproposal;ACTSGraduation,with(LtoR)IbrahimDikkoandYemi(2ofourILUPhDstudents),
myself,AmbroseMassaquoi(ACTSprincipal),andProf.MikeWicker.
ILU(InternationalLeadershipUniversity,Nairobi,Kenya:
ThefirsttrimesteroftheacademicyearcametoacloseonSaturday,December10th,and
nowIambusymarkingpapersandexams,aswellasworkingwithateamonthePhD
programcurriculumforresubmissionforaccreditation.Onegreatjoy
lastweekwastowelcomebackoneofourgraduatesfromtwoyears
ago,whowasbackvisitinginNairobi.OriginallyfromDRC,nowliving
inCamerounwhereherhusbandhasbeenassigned,Ghislainecould
notsayenoughaboutwhatGodisdoinginhernewlocation,andhow
sheisapplyingsomuchofwhatshelearnedasastudentatILU.Sheis
activelydisciplingoneofthepastorsandtheleaders,challengingthe
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churchtobethechurch,todisciplebelieversandtoreachouttothesurrounding
communitytomeetneedsandtosharetheloveofGodinwordanddeed.Shewasbubbling
overwithenthusiasmandconvictionasshedescribedthechanginglivesandfocusofthe
churchasaresult.
Family:
Letmeconcludewithanattemptedpoem,preparedforaChristmasgatheringoffriendsin
Seattle,whichdescribesourfamilyasweheadintoChristmas:
Unusualisthewordthisyear,
AsChristmasfestivetimesdrawnear.
SonJustinatPennStatefaraway,
Willvisitfriends,andwiththemstay.
SonSteven’scowsneedhimcloseathand,
OnhissmallplotofKenyanland
OffontheshoresofVictoria’sLake,
Hisworkersreleasedtoholidaytake.
ImaniandI,hereinthebigcity,
Allcalmandquietwithasmallbitofpity,
Noboysaroundtocreatetheclatter,
Lessfuss,andmess,andnoiseforthatmatter.
Butthat’snofun–weneedChristmascheer
Whensofarawayfromthoseweholddear,
SoFridaywewelcomedanewfriendtostay-
ElynefromRwandaneededaplaceaway.
Sohereweare,threegirls&threedogs,
ForChristmastospendandburntheyulelogs,
Wewishallofyou,ourfriendsfarandnear,
MerryChristmastoall,andaHappyNewYear!
Joytoyou,
Marta
NOTE:Istillhavequiteawaystogotoraiseourneededmonthlysupport.Wouldyou
considerjoininginpartnership,tohelpmakethisministrypossible?
WAYS TO GIVE TO MARTA BENNETT, WITH THE ANTIOCH PARTNERS
Personal Check:
Please make checks payable to “The Antioch Partners” and note “Bennett Support” on memo
line. Please mail checks to:
The Antioch Partners
7132 Portland Ave, Suite 136
3
Richfield, MN 55423
Phone: 713-490-9571
e-Giving:
If you would like to make contributions on a recurring basis directly from your bank account you
can download and complete the Electronic Giving Request form found on TAP’s website
www.theantiochpartners.org. Click on “Giving” to locate the form.
Online Giving:
TAP accepts Visa, Master Card, Discover, or American Express card (or e-check)
1. Go to www.theantiochpartners.org
2. Hover over the “Giving” tab and click on “Donate Online” from the drop down menu.
3. Fill out the form completely.
Important Note: In the Donation Information section under the category labeled “Please
direct my donation to:” select “Partner Support”.
Then under the category labeled “Select partner of your choice” select “Bennett, Marta.”
TAP will be notified after your gift is received.
ThroughUniversityPresbyterianChurch,Seattle.
ForthoseofyouwhowouldchoosetogivethroughmyhomechurchintheUS,you
maywriteacheckorgiveon-line.Gotowww.upc.org,thenclickon“Menu”,then
“Serve”,then“GivetoUPC”.Onceyouselectthe“formofgiving,”youcanindicate
thatyourgivingtypeis“other”andintheMemo,write:“ForMartaBennett,Kenya”.
Justin,Steven,ImaniandMartaBennett,NairobiKenya
P.O.Box21008NgongRoad,Nairobi00505Kenya
[email protected];
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