Mid-month news September 2026
Dear Friends,
Find my news below.
VDM Page
BTW here’s my page for the VDM, German mission agency I have now joined: https://www.vdm.org/jharries I spoke to their administrator yesterday. He told me I needed to raise my income by 2000 euros per month.
To donate to Jim in Euros (for tax exemption):
Recipient: Vereinigte Deutsche Missionshilfe e -V.
IBAN: DE53 3506 0190 1011 8300 10
BIC: GENODED 1 DKD (KIYBank)
Memo: Name of Missionary AC671000 + the donor’s own address (for the 1st Donation)
(To donate in sterling, write to Steve Cresswell, at: steve.cresswell.123@gmail.com I am VERY GRATEFUL INDEED for Steve Cresswell’s taking over management of my finances from Peter Stagg, who had done so for many years. Thanks to Peter for his help over many years!)
English in Africa
I want to state categorically – that it seems to me; use of English is a BIG PROBLEM in Africa. If there is a major reason for Africa’s ongoing poverty, corruption, inefficiency, and so on, widespread use of English is probably it.
All-told it is very difficult to see a way out of the current dilemma. African governments ought to ban use of English (and other non-local languages) for official purposes in their respective countries. Yet at the same time, English is African countries’ lifeline!
The only exception to the ‘rule of domination by European languages’ on the sub-continent, is possibly Somalia. The latter is so in the grip of Islamic vitriol, that it’s hardly a shining example. I am not aware of any Christian African people who haven’t been raised on the prop of European tongues. Therefore, we just can’t know – were Christian people to have been left free to do their own thing without foreign linguistic domination, would we have thriving economies in Africa today? I think the answer is probably yes.
Yet – while English is a big handicap, it takes more than doing away with English, for a people to thrive.
The above complexity is a part of the root of the AVMs (Alliance for Vulnerable Mission’s) advocacy. Let us not (as Westerners) pretend that Africa’s problems are easy to solve. But – let’s have some ‘boots on the ground’ to help at least to understand what is going on. That is – let’s have some Westerners participate in African life. A Westerner can do this, by using entirely local languages and resources in their relating to local African people.
Read your Bible to save your Bible
I sat in a restaurant. I pulled my (paper) bible out of my bag to read it, then left it on the table, my bag staying on the floor. A window cleaner came. He washed the windows by throwing water onto them from outside. I took little notice. A little later … someone noticed; ‘Jim, sorry! Your bag is all wet, water came in when the window cleaner came!’ Because I had taken my bible out to read it, my bible was saved from a soaking!
Mum
My father, sister, and brother, continue to make frequent visits to my mother, in her nursing home in Fareham in Hampshire. My mother (aged 84) continues to say very few words, perhaps 1, 2 or zero in a day. Latest reports, are that she is very strong, and likes to walk around from chair to chair in between her times sleeping. Give thanks, that she eats well.
Submitting to local leadership
I was one of the panel, in a recent AVM (Alliance for Vulnerable Mission) webinar entitled ‘submitting to local leadership. The question addressed, was whether, how, and how much, foreign missionaries like myself, ought to (can) submit to local leaders on the field. Go here for a published account of the key issues discussed during that webinar.
November: Digitaler Donnerstag zu Verletzlicher Mission – Webinar series in November in German
The German Mennonite Mission Committee (Deutsches Mennonitisches Missionskomitee – DMMK) have invited the AVM to run a webinar series on each of the four Thursdays in November 2026. Topics will include “Mission as accompaniment in the Argentine Chaco”, “Incarnational mission among unchurched working-class people in Germany” (both with Ute and Frank Paul), “Rethinking mission in the Buddhist world” (Deborah Bernhard) as well as “Considering reconciliation through mission in South Africa” (Marcus Grohmann).
More information here.
Looking Ahead
After a lot of travelling in recent months, I am now to be in Kenya up to February next year, except for a 2-week trip to Tanzania in November. This is opening doors to close involvement with some of the many local churches I relate to in the vicinity of my home. I am also to do some teaching at Trellis college (previously Kima International School of Theology). I plan to be in Germany for a week, then in the UK, from March to April of 2027.
Key Information
I have perhaps been including too little information in my regular news-shots? Here is some key information on my ministry. I will attempt to include this in future newsletters.
One of Jim’s positions: Chair of the Governing Board, Alliance for Vulnerable Mission
Koordinator des Erweiterten Vorstands, Allianz für Verletzliche Mission
Jim’s Research output
Jim’s Personal website
Jim’s You tube channel
Jim’s Partnership with Stewardship Services, UK
Jim’s Membership of VDM (Vereinigte Deutsche Missionshilfe)
Novel Read
“Ps. I finished the book! Very good!! 😁” – was a report I just received from a friend who has read my first novel. Kindle copy can be acquired for just £5.00.
Yours,
Jim