Mid-month news July 2025
Jimoharries@gmail.com
Travel Plans – Tanzania / Uganda
I am, God willing, to travel to Tanzania 25th July, to attend a graduation ceremony on 26th July, then to teach on ‘how to preach’ at the Mennonite Bible college from 4th – 16th August. I may on my way back, pass through Kampala to visit some friends.
Praising God using Dholuo in Tanzania
See https://youtu.be/8culG1hVO8E for a short video recording of Jim’s leading a song praising God at a Luo church fellowship in Tanzania, June 2025.
Does this shocking circumstance explain why I was investigated?
A man called John Smythe abusing children in Africa, apparently resulted in the recent resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury. Perhaps this also affected my plight? But this man was known to have a history of child abuse …
Murder
A spate of murders of women has troubled my small home town of Yala. The latest of a spate of four murders occurred within 200 metres of my new home, of a woman whose naked body was then thrown into the Yala river. … Thankfully the police have a suspect. It remains for him to be caught and tried. Meanwhile a lot of people, especially women, walk around fearfully.
Positive Developments!
Please pray that these positive developments continue … !
I have, since 1996, had an office in a mission station in the vicinity of my home. First that was with Church of God (Kima International School of theology), later with the Coptic Orthodox Church. Recent developments, mean that I no longer have such residential status at a mission station.
I have as a result, made a daring move! I have for all those years thought, that were I to acquire an office other-than on a mission station, under the direction of fellow missionaries, that I would be at risk of false suspicions as to what I was doing for hours and hours by myself in an office. I have taken the plunge, renting a room in a university student hostel in my home (small) town of Yala.
Amazingly, I am finding that, rather than people being ‘suspicious’ of what I am doing, they are rather very understanding! Partly I realized this, when I learned that some, perhaps many, local people are aware of and appreciative of my academic work. (My work orients to helping African people to comprehend the nature of the global system that in some respects ‘dominates them’. It seeks for resolution, i.e., freedom for Africa, with prosperity, through understanding, through Christ.) I have not publicized my academic work locally at all. News of it has obviously spread, amongst the more educated sectors of this community, by the grapevine.
Having an office in Yala, if the office remains secure and I am not troubled by local residents, does have many advantages! Basically, these are geographic. Up to April this year, going to work in my office on my laptop was a 7-mile cycle with a lot of uphill, often through the hot sun or rain and at times mud and dirt. If I wanted to go on to do ministry, as I do on most days, that required a subsequent up to 10 to 15 miles cycle, involving many rough roads, then back home. Now by having an office within Yala, distances are slashed! This means I can get more office work done, and more conveniently do more outreach.
My New Home Situation
Following the dissolution of my previous home in early April, I have now re-established myself in a house I built in 1996/7, right alongside my home church. The intention is especially to be available to older-children (i.e., those more than 18 years old, who are now adults and no longer children) who want to stay with us. We currently have two, one man and one woman, who are attending local schools. One of my children, now aged 27, plus baby, has taken responsibility for running my home. The previous housemother is also with us.
Being next to the church opens many doors to hospitality-ministry. About 10 people came to sleep in my house at 3am the other night, following a late-night prayer meeting. My house fills with visitors every Sunday, at a recent wedding, and so on. A few days ago, we brought a tearful teenager home for the night, giving him water to wash with, clean clothes, a meal, and a bed for the night. He came to sit crying in the door of the church after harsh words from his grandmother had upset him. Many folks come for cups of tea and chats. (Much of this happens when I am away working.) Neighbours tend to flock to visit us, mostly due to the reputation for empathy, love and care, African style, of those I live with
Teaching Luo
A German missionary colleague recently spent three days at my home, for me to help him to learn the Luo language. Give thanks for a good time together. Here we are sitting outside my new (old) house.
Give Thanks – for Church Visits
Give thanks for my ongoing practice of visiting a variety of churches and fellowships, often four or more times weekly. This almost invariably gives me opportunity to share God’s word with whoever is the gathered crowd. I am aware that many leaders and prominent missions’ scholars are very concerned that Africa receives appropriate theological education. It is an enormous privilege to be able to be a small part of bringing correction here in a very simple way.
German speakers – here’s a very frank article presenting a massive difficulty faced by theological instructors, like myself, in Kenya and Tanzania. I love how she clearly lays it out! See article by Gabrielle Mayer.
Stomach Parasites
Please pray for diarrhea, that has troubled me for a couple of weeks now. A stool test revealed many nasties, including ‘hook worms’ in the system. Please pray for recovery! (Hook worms enter one’s body through the skin, typically the sole of one’s feet, so I assume I picked them up when attending a local church that insists that one removes shoes.)
Jim