Last October Ed Hunt, a Jesus Fellowship senior leader, experienced Africa for
the first time as he attended Multiply East Africa conferences in Nairobi and Mombasa. Also in the party were Iain Gorrie, Multiply Coordinator, and Alan Mortimer. Here are excerpts from Ed's account.
Day 1: Wednesday 1 October
After a bit of unpacking we're ready for some exploration. It's distinctly warm although it's only 9.30am.
The shopping centre, like everything else, is in a secure compound with guards on the gate. Inside it is very pleasant and well-maintained, unlike outside, which is rather rough. After a look around we have some brunch
- omelette and toast for about 160 shillings.
We come across some interesting roadside stalls - fruit and veg, bike repairs, firewood and charcoal. Killian comes back triumphant with half a dozen excellent bananas for 40 shillings (about 30p).
Back to the hotel for some rest. At 3pm we meet Gregory Wafula, our Multiply apostolic man in Kenya, Lawrence White, George Obinchu and Joseph Micheka and spend the next hour and a half planning the conference.
Joseph heads a church of some 300 people and is responsible for overseeing a further 300 churches. I feel
quite small. We end with a hearty time of prayer.
Day 2: Thursday 2 October
Today they're taking us to the Nairobi National Park. It's quite an experience being this close to the lions and leopards. I chat to a volunteer. He has some amazing lion stories to tell, with the scars to prove it. Tip of the day: if a lion knocks you down, get up fast and punch it on the nose hard.
The real benefit of the day is getting to know the Multiply hosts. I establish quite a rapport with Lawrence.
He runs his own little transport business, and as well as pastoring a 200-strong church, has a network of several hundred churches, and runs, and I assume funds, a children's home.
After lunch we head back into Nairobi. Lawrence points out the biggest slums - just a mass of corrugated huts with no space between them. Several hundred thousand people in Nairobi live in these conditions.
Even a black man doesn't dare go in there with anything valuable; a white man is unlikely to come out alive.
Lawrence has a church there I'm pleased to hear.
Street lighting is only just being installed and is nonexistent on side roads and the suburbs so it's quite dangerous to go out at night, even for locals. Quite a problem then to organise mid-week meetings.
Day 3: Friday 3 October
Off to the Rift Valley. Getting started was African style. "I'll collect you 9am, UK time," Lawrence assured us. He turned up around 10.45am!
En route we stopped at a tea plantation. You pick just the top three leaves of the tea plant - hence 'PG tips'.
Apart from the lucky few, everything travels on a cart pulled by a donkey. If you haven't got a donkey you pull it yourself! Some donkeys were grazing by the roadside. I asked if they got stolen.
"No," Lawrence said. "Unless the donkey knows you he will bite you and kick you." Today's most useful piece of information!
Finally we reach Naivasha. On every corner are lines of young men with motorcycles - motorcycle taxis, explained Lawrence. Apparently the cheapest form of transport available and the reason for the motorcycle business we are involved in. I am heartened we are helping the local economy - and most of the lads have crash helmets!
Back in Nairobi, we stop at the hall booked for the conference centre. It's a hut-type structure with a corrugated iron roof - but at least there is a concrete floor, which a few ladies are mopping with an improvised squeegee.
My event management ministry quickly gets the better of me. Can you show me the power points, I ask. The first is broken, and the second badly scorched, but it works!
Already the delegates are starting to arrive. One has travelled by road for four days from Sudan, and others from Rwanda and Uganda. How humbling.
Day 4: Saturday 4 October - Nairobi Conference Day
9.30am, and Gregory is keen to get underway. Only 25 delegates have turned up, but we get started and more progressively fill up the hall - up to 200 for some part of the day.
Joseph ably MCs the proceedings, Iain gives a very informative presentation, and Gregory shares from time to time - he has truly seen the vision of servant leadership. An excellent lunch prepared by ladies from Gregory's church follows.
The afternoon starts with some great worship - these guys should teach us a thing or two. Shortly Gregory
introduces me. I try out my basic Swahili 'Jambo' (hello) and 'Bwana asifi we' (praise the Lord). There is a very genuine response at the end to my tough challenge.
Day 5: Sunday 5 October
We have got used to African timekeeping now so are not too worried when John, the pastor whose church Alan and I are attending today, says he'll pick us up at 8:30am. At 8:15am we are still enjoying our bacon and eggs when my phone goes. John is in reception!
It's about an hour's drive to his church in the poor Eastern outskirts. It's a humble building with a dirt floor and the inevitable tin roof. John apologises that it leaks badly when it rains. There is, at least, power and they have a fairly credible PA system. A significant proportion of the congregation come from the slum.
The worship is truly amazing and they have a young people's dance group which progress around the room - a good match for our London Day dance team.
The Multiply and London Day videos go down well. An offering is taken, as normal, but to our dismay John requests another offering as a gift to us. He explains they always do when someone comes to address them.
I quietly object. He tells me publicly that unless I allow them to give they will not be blessed because it is better to give than to receive. I am embarrassed beyond measure. Poverty-stricken people come and place the equivalent of pennies on the table. Little children do the same. They collect nearly 900 Kenyan shillings (approximately £7).
Never before have I been privileged to see the widow's mite in action. Our attempts to donate the money for roof repairs are brushed aside.
Day 6: Monday 6 October
Off to Mombasa. While we waited to board Lawrence explained why he hadn't met us on Sunday afternoon. One of his Pastors had lost his leg in a nasty road accident and Lawrence had had to sort out arrangements at the hospital.
Everything has to be paid for in Kenya - even the ambulance. The pastor will become unemployable, he has a wife and three small children, and there is no form of Social Security. It graphically illustrates the vulnerability of Kenyan life. Fortunately (if that's the right word) Lawrence will be able to find him some administrative work connected with his church and business responsibilities.
The aircraft approaches Mombasa and the captain advises the temperature on the ground is 27 degrees; as we step out onto the tarmac we are inclined to think that is something of an understatement. First impression is that things look a little more cared for, probably because it is a tourist destination.
We have a few hours before dinner and can't resist the unbelievably warm Indian Ocean. Iain has brought some goggles which allow you to see the bottom as you swim along. Once you get about 100 metres out you can see the fish but you must watch out for the sea urchins with their poisonous spikes. As you emerge, omnipresent hawkers try to sell you every type of souvenir even though you obviously have no money on you.
Dinner at 7pm is ridiculously opulent. My spirit protests strongly at the inequality.
Day 7: Tuesday 7 October - Mombasa Conference
I slip quietly out at 5:30am to watch the beautiful sunrise over the ocean, read my Bible and pray. As I wander back I almost stumble over a wild monkey sitting on one of the chairs!
The venue in Mombasa is the local Pentecostal Church, a pleasant hall with a marble-type floor with good seating, ventilation, ceiling fans and a PA system many UK churches would be proud of.
Much like the conference in Nairobi there are only about 40 people present when we begin, but it builds up to about 120. The audience is very moved by all of the presentations.
Perhaps 40 seriously commit themselves to building the kingdom at any price. We pray with them, anoint them with oil and give them a red cross. They all seem very blessed.
Perhaps the best bit is that Gregory and his team become visibly more committed to each other and gained
a real understanding of what it means to bring the kingdom of God into being in their situation and a real determination to do it.
David humbly says that when we next come he wants us to be able to stay in the first community house in Mombasa!
It's Tuesday of course so this week we have our covenant meal using a bread roll and some passion fruit in
an extremely posh dining room accompanied by a live band playing 60s music. I'm not sure what people on the next table made of us at all!
All in all, it's been fascinating, fruitful and quite busy but my own church calls, and that's my place. And anyway - I've had enough of the unrighteous inequality of this hotel where locals earn a pittance to make sure everything is perfect for you.