Who we're visiting

It's Sunday afternoon. Laundry is in the machine, the suitcase is out with a few things thrown in to get started. Geordie-the-wonder-dog is looking askance at the luggage, as he knows what that means: the pack leader is disappearing again!

Instead of fretting how everything that needs to get done before Thursday evening gets done, I thought it might be a good time to do some homework for this trip, and get to know a bit about the organizations and partners I'll be seeing.

Wendy, as I mentioned before, is in the driver's seat for this trip. She's familiar with the people, the country, and the partners. My role is as an observer and learner. I'll be meeting the partners, listening and sharing stories about how the work is being done, and sharing some of what we're doing in communications and resource production in the United Church that may be helpful. And, perhaps most importantly, bringing back some of the stories of the struggles and successes in Kenya and Sudan to the church in Canada. We talk a lot about story-telling, and this is where some of that can happen.

I'll share more about the partners, their projects, and places we visit when I'm actually there, but here's a brief overview:

• PROCMURA is Programme for Christian Muslim Relations in Africa.
• NCCK is the National Council of Churches of Kenya.
• KAACR is the Kenya Alliance for the Advancement of Children.
• OAIC is the Organization of African Instituted Churches.
  
• SCC is the Sudan Council of Churches.

Like church alliances at home in Canada, these tend to focus either on a particular issue (say interfaith relations or children) across a broad base, or bring together diverse groups to seek common ground (say, independent 'instituted' churches). The recurrent theme seems to be building relationships and working together.

Each one of these programs is a partner with The United Church of Canada, and receives funding through the M&S Fund.