Home Again

“…and bring me safely home again, you will be my God.”   Genesis 28:21

I’ve not seen the 2017 movie “Home Again,” so cannot comment on it. But I’m familiar with the title, and this week it came to mind in a most meaningful way.

The hospitality of Kenyans is legendary. I can see why. As previous TPC Kenya travelers have conveyed to us, it is truly extraordinary! Now we travelers, too, feel its warm welcoming kindness, sincerity, and unceasing generosity.

In traveling to several parts of the world, I have been the blessed recipient of welcoming and consideration in many places; Kenya exceeds them all. These people of God live their faith in a genuine manner, conveying hospitality and love to the stranger, as Jesus taught us to do.

About midway through our time here, it hit me: we are not strangers, rather brothers and sisters to our Kenyan partners, totally comfortable and accepted, surrounded by love—I am home again!

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Rev Timothy Njoya

On Thursday afternoon we went to meet the Rev Timothy Njoya at the Karinyo Rock Garden he has created over the last 18 years. The Rev Njoya is an internationally known theologian, activist and a friend to Rod Frohman since their days at Princeton Seminary together.

Rev Timothy Njoya

The Rev Njoya had built the buildings and the rock garden with his own hands and they demonstrate his eclectic personality.

Buildings containing Rev Njoya’s office

Next to the buildings is the rock garden built to demonstrate the Law of Love, with a section displaying the path of life, a stone crucification and many other sculptures.

Rev Njoya explained that the wind chime sculptures created with discarded items hanging outside his office which gives the items the opportunity to play the music for god when the wind blows.

There is also a Jacob’s ladder to remind us of the angels ascending and descending.

Rev Njoya has been an activist since his days as a student at Princeton demonstrating against the Vietnam War, being defrocked as a priest by PCEA three time and then being reinstated, arrested and beaten by the Kenyan police and being left for dead when protesting corruption. He has felt a strong call from God to be an advocate for human rights despite the personal cost.

His current focus of activism is women’s rights and equality, in particularly campaigning against female circumcision.

Rev Njoya has written several books including his auto biography, his latest book which has just been published is “The Divinity of the Clitoris” about female circumcision.

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Radical hospitality…

‘When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.” [Leviticus 19: 33-34]

This is what all of us travelers have received from our Kihumu Parish hosts and everyone else we have met. Every evening, we are hosted for dinner at one of the Elder’s houses and gather with about 20 people in total.  It is a wonderful time to learn more about each of our new friends and how they live out their faith in their daily lives.

Before our meal our hosts go around the room with a pitcher of hot water, soap, and a bowl. Then they pour out the water so that we can wash our hands prior to eating. It is a very personal experience and reminds us of Jesus washing the feet of his Disciples.

Then, at the end of our evening visits, one person is chosen at random to offer a formal word of thanks to the hosts and another Is chosen to offer a closing prayer.

Radical Hospitality….we have been surrounded in it this week.

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Let the Children Come

““Teach these words to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise.” (Deuteronomy 6:7)

Today our group of travelers visited the Kihumo School, where we met the teachers and students, and had the absolute joy of watching a presentation they had prepared for us. They sang, danced, twirled hula-hoops, and even put on a fashion show!

Then we watched as Rev. Kibaara talked with them about the Bible and what the verses in today’s lesson about the burning bush meant to them. The children eagerly raised their hands and told us that God wants them to obey their parents and to be kind to one another.

After lunch they celebrated the birthday of a classmate and served us cake. When it was time to leave they showered us with hugs and high fives, and asked us to give their greetings to our families and friends.

How marvelous to see these pre-schoolers being raised according to God’s Word, and being taught to love one another just as God loves them. These children are our future, and the future of the Church. The world needs the unconditional love they showed us – the love that will create the Kingdom of God right here on earth.

One of the classrooms
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Covenant and Fellowship

Baraka Church

“What a fellowship, what a joy divine…” The exuberant choir at Baraka church sang this on Sunday and Rev Kibarra preached on covenant. Our days are full of examples of covenant and fellowship from the people of Kihumo parish, not only of the covenant God has made with them, and they with God, but also the strong covenant they have made to care for and proclaim God’s love to each other. Members support each other and know each other well in these congregations, and have welcomed us with such warmth and friendship.

Worship at Baraka is so joyful! We may have been singing some familiar hymns, but we had trouble keeping up with the dancing! When friends greet one another, they will exclaim “Jesus is my Lord and Savior” or “I love God!” Their faith is always evident and prayer is an important part of fellowship, family and even their work lives. We have also learned the fist bumps, hand claps, shoulder bumps and hugs which make each greeting joyful!

What would our lives look like if every new encounter begin with a statement of faith? Would we treat each other with caring and respect if we prayed together and greeted each other as children of God? Could we make our world a better place if our faith journey was the most important part of ourselves?

Men’s Fellowship group
Dinner at Francis and Esther’s home
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Community in Communion

On Saturday our Kenya Group began our official itinerary by meeting with the Session of the Kihumo Church. We spent a little time introducing ourselves, but the majority of the morning was spent getting to know our Kenyan partners. 

Our meeting started with tea. Pastor Kibaara explained that there is a deeper meaning to the act of having tea together. In Kenya, sharing a cup of tea is an act of community. If someone invites you to have a cup of tea with them, it doesn’t mean they’re thirsty. They want to spend time talking with you. As Pastor Kibaara put it, having tea is “community in communion.”

The concept of community is also very deep in Kenya. Your community defines you, and is very broad. Your community is not just your immediate family. It includes aunts, uncles, cousins, friends and their families. Life events involve the whole community. Weddings, birthdays, funerals and such include the whole community. Everyone helps each other when there is a need, everyone grieves when there is sorrow, and everyone rejoices together when they are blessed. 

The philosophy is, “I am because we are, and we are because I am.” What a wonderful way to think about how we are all children of God, and we are all one in Christ!

The exterior of Kihumo Church

Meeting with the leadership of the Kihumo Parish
Children excited to take a selfie with Gregg
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Third Church group arrive in Kenya

Late on Thursday our group of travelers from Third Church arrived in Kenya to a very warm welcome from our Kenyan hosts.

The welcoming party

After meeting up with everyone our hosts took us to Corat Africa, a christian multi- denominational conference and learning center for a day to recover from jet lag.

The beds have mosquito netting to keep them away from you while you sleep.

It has been very pleasant sitting outside with the temperature in the mid 70F.

Tomorrow we will be meeting with the Kihumo Session and seeing the fruits of our support for the goat project.

Gregg Hamberger, Jeanne Fisher, Brad Sparks, Dianna Daunton & Clive Daunton

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Team from Third Church to visit Kihumo Parish in Nairobi, Kenya

At the beginning of October a team of five people from Third Church will be visiting the Kihumo Parish of PCEA in Nairobi Kenya. Third Church has been partnering with Kihumo for almost 10 years with exchanges being made approximately every 2 years. Some of our friends from Kihumo visited Rochester in the fall of 2017 when many of us were able to meet them.

A project that Third Church is currently helping with is to finish construction of the school building for the older children. We are looking forward to be able to do some hands on work to help with this.

As we get ready to travel to Kenya we look forward to sharing more information and will be blogging as we are in Kenya.

The members of the team are: Brad Sparks, Gregg Hamberger, Jeanne Fisher, Dianna Daunton and Clive Daunton

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Arts & Enrichment

child feeding a goatThis year Arts and Enrichment is working with Wilson Commencement Park/Sojourner Home. Following the launch of Wilson Wondercamp Summer Sizzle, Fall 2018 launched in mid October with three afterschool arts programs:

  • Capoeira
  • Improvisation
  • Dance

This will end with a performance to be scheduled for the family and community in December. The date and time will be announced shortly.

We are looking for people who might want to adopt one or more children give a few small gifts to the children so each performer has a little gift following their hard work. An alternative is to donate gift cards, so the Director of Children’s Programming, Ms. Gloria Martin can shop for what the children need.

This year, the Director, Melanie Jones’s goals of strengthening families through shared activities began with a family trip to Stokoe Farms on Sunday, October 28th. 30 residents attended and were treated to an animal farm, picking pumpkins, an anti-bullying theme corn maize, food and rides. Much thanks to the staff for hosting us at a reduced rate! Pictures capturing the moments are below.

Through Fill the Bus, these trips are able to happen. We welcome your continued support.


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Connecting Pittsford Community with Rochester Students

by Deb Bishop

Student writing award recipients, teacher, and tutors

(front row) Four of the student writing award recipients with (back row) Ann VanBork, tutor, Kimberly Brown, teacher and Jeanne Whitney, tutor

I love watching a connection bloom into life-changing possibilities! It happens more than we might think at Third Church’s tutor program.

Tutor Ann VanBork made such a connection during this school year at Nathaniel Rochester Community School #3 (NRCS). In addition to tutoring Ann is a member of the Women’s Club of Pittsford (WCOP). WCOP serves the community in many ways including educational programs. For several years WCOP Continue reading

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