2017.02.12: An amazing first day!

My flight was rather uneventful. It is a direct flight from Stockholm (Arlanda airport) to Addis Ababa, with a 1 hour stop in Rome. However, we don’t get off the plane, and so there is less chance of luggage going astray (and it showed up just fine). From Stockholm, the plane was about 1/5^th full, but then every seat was taken from Rome to Addis.

I didn’t watch any movies, but I read in preparation for one of two guest lectures I was invited to give (but then the Monday lecture was cancelled because of my host’s prior arrangement to meet a seminary president, but later, a different Tuesday guest lecture was added, and then it seemed the Wednesday lecture was cancelled for a while, but then it was back on. This is Africa.). As this is an overnight flight, the trick is to get as much sleep as possible on the airplane. Not easily done next to a chubby Italian man who was a bit commanding of the arm rest. (He didn’t speak English, but as it was sleep mode, it wasn’t a problem.)

I’m familiar with 3 different stops to buy a visa in an airport in Africa, but it is a little strange to be separated from your passport as you walk around to the back side of the booths. Visas are only $50 in Ethiopia, half that of Tanzania.

I waited a bit for Staffan to find me at the end of the airport ramp. I figured I should not start wandering around looking for him in a big, busy parking lot, wheeling my rolling duffle bag behind me. The guards (some with machine guns), kept things orderly, but didn’t want people hanging around the exit ramp waiting for loved ones to appear.

Staffan drove to the guest house. It used to be owned by a Norwegian mission agency, but like the Swedes, they turned over all their properties to the local church. (The Danes haven’t. FYI, the Danes have the nicest guest house in the area.) The place is simple but adequate. And it is important to not live a high-end lifestyle where many have so little.

We headed off to the Mekane Jesus church. It started at 10, but we arrived at about 10:15 intentionally, and it was only half full.

They started with a baptism teaching and a couple baptisms. Then the worship music got rolling. The music varied, but let me describe it as soulful, a bit jazzy with a touch of Arabic music (I’m told, as I’m not an expert on Arabic music, but I can recognize jazz after three years in a jazz band.) There is a praise music core with Pentecostal influences. The music was very good. I can’t tell you about the theology, as I don’t know Amharic. Though I can understand one word, Hallelujah! We were standing for much of the singing, which kept me awake. I was really tired after a bad night of sleep on the plane.

The preacher was a laywoman, who was very enthusiastic. Staffan gave me bits of translation. He is a homiletics (preaching) professor, so he had a few comments on her skipping from text to text with little context or connection, some repetition, and not a good method of using the microphone. Sometimes it was low, when speaking low, and close to her mouth when shouting. This would seem the opposite of what actually was needed. I don’t like to be shouted at, but it probably kept me awake! I was SO tired, that I could not keep my eyes open. I don’t think I slept, but I was half asleep–until the next shout. However, she seemed to be very effective and connecting with most of the people around me. And, amidst all the male leadership, I was pleased to see a women preacher.

After communion, we ducked out (after almost 3 hours). We joined the EGST seminary president and three staff, including two women, for lunch.

In addition, there was a Swede, Erik, who works for the Church of Sweden in support of their work with theological education in the developing world. I had never met Erik before, though he lives in Uppsala. We had to come to Ethiopia to meet. We have similar interests, as my question right now is, “Instead of doing theological education cross-culturally in Africa, how do we do cross-cultural theological education.” In other words, how do we contextualize the content and the delivery to best equip these church leaders? I know that my alma maters, Fuller Seminary’s main campus in Pasadena and VID Specialized University in Norway, have experience with a very diverse student body. I stimulated the conversation last week at Johannelund while Knut was visiting from VID, and I picked up a book while in the USA written by a couple Fuller profs on Theology without Borders. I even started rereading Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Friere. Recently, I find myself compelled by this question.

Pause to sleep. But come back for my completion of this day. The best part is yet to come!