A letter from Marta Bennett in Kenya
July 2013
Life, Death and Life
Victor exuberantly graduated from International Leadership University (ILU) on June 8, 2013, with his Diploma in Christian Ministries. All grins, he proudly walked across that platform, accepting recognition for the highest academic performance in his program. Just a few days before, he had come to meet with school officials to discuss how he might manage to clear his remaining fees in order to be permitted to graduate. He explained how he had been born into a complicated family situation, eked his way through high school with little outside help or family support, and had made a commitment to Christ in high school, becoming actively involved in the Christian Union there.
High school was followed by six or seven years of mere survival, during which he found no means to continue school and no options for employment. Living in Kibera (one of the large slums of Nairobi), staying with a rotating assortment of people, he finally managed to get accepted at ILU, and for the last two years, while still living in Kibera, he has worked at the university’s reception, at the library, and any other work/study opportunities he could muster while he was studying, including on the school farm outside of Nairobi. On the side he also served as the ILU student sports coordinator and was actively involved in student missions. On listening to his story and appeal early last month, the finance committee agreed that if he would continue working on the farm for the two months following graduation, his last two payments would be considered cleared. With a huge smile of thanks, and with handshakes all around, he eagerly agreed, and did indeed participate in graduation on the 8th.
On the Monday following graduation I saw Victor on campus and congratulated him once again on his successful performance and completion of his program, and thanked him for his speech at the graduation dinner. Again he grinned and announced with confidence that this was only the beginning—he would be back to pursue his undergraduate degree next, trusting the Lord to somehow provide. I marveled at his faith and wondered how we could help him.
Two Fridays after graduation Victor and another ILU student headed across town to meet with students from Kenyatta University (a large public university) to be the speakers at an all-night prayer and outreach event on campus. About midnight Victor stood up to give the message, passionately challenging students to get serious about God, to follow the Lord with all their hearts, and to use their lives and their education to make a difference in society and for eternity. As he finished his message, he noted that he did not feel very well, and he barely made it over to the side before he collapsed. After attempts to revive him, an ambulance was called, and Victor was rushed to the hospital. Tragically, he did not make it. He was dead on arrival.
“'Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.' ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘they will rest from their labors, for their deeds will follow them' " (Revelation 14:13). This was the message preached at the chapel service the following Wednesday. The various branches of Victor’s extended family gathered at their request at ILU, along with students and faculty, to celebrate the gift of Victor’s life and to bid their adieus to him before going upcountry for the burial. One of our lecturers, Dr. Komi Hiagbe from Ghana, had spent Victor’s last day with him, travelling together out to the farm to work on a project for the day. At the service Dr. Komi shared just a bit of the significant conversation they had had that day, sharing quite deeply about life and faith. He also noted that Victor had hinted that he had had a severe headache that day, and that he had also learned for the first time that Victor had suffered with ulcers since high school, but that he did not have access to foods, let alone medicines, that would have eased his condition. Victor was one of a number of students for whom too often the only nourishment they receive many days is the Kenyan tea (brewed with milk) served twice a day on campus as a time of fellowship and break between classes.
The school has discussed cutting those complimentary tea times for budgetary reasons, but we always come back to continuing them, especially for the sake of those like Victor who may not be able to buy for themselves. At home in the evenings he would have had the traditional ugali (a white corn flour dish) and sukuma wiki (kale, cooked with onions and tomatoes), very nutritious and economical, but very rough on someone with ulcers and hard to digest for those with weak stomachs. What was the actual cause of Victor’s death? We may never know. Autopsies are expensive, and the extended family was more concerned to raise funds for transport of his body and for the burial, which would include feeding all the many who would come for several days to support the bereaved. The ILU community contributed generously and grieved what seems such an unnecessary loss. With his big grins and huge heart to serve, we never knew some of those challenges Victor was suffering.
ILU’s mission statement includes the phrase “developing leaders of integrity, spearheading holistic transformation in Africa and beyond.” In every program, students are challenged to integrate their faith and academics with practical hands-on application related to pressing issues, poverty being one key focus. Throughout each year, and as part of their internships, students work at the grass-roots level in urban slums and rural communities as well as in government policy-making, church-based community development strategies, and professional attachments. One professor presented a vision to see one particular entire slum eliminated by engaging and empowering key residents as entrepreneurs to develop streams of income-generation and employment that would eventually move every family in that location out into sustainable livelihoods, able to educate their children, have access to medical care, and contribute toward the development and ongoing welfare of their communities. Young leaders like Victor would be promoted and enabled to make their impact and mobilize others toward the vision of Isaiah 65—a place where no one need die young and each could dwell in peace and eat from their own labors.
Life and death: both are ever present with us here. Allow me to share one more story. I had the privilege of speaking at the graduation party of one of our students from South Sudan, along with some South Sudanese graduates from Daystar University. It was a wonderful event, attended by the Episcopal Bishop of South Sudan and a large number of the Dinka community. (The Dinka, or jieng as they call themselves, are the largest ethnic group in South Sudan, numbering over 4 million people, or about 18 percent of the South Sudanese population, according to the 2008 census.) As part of the event filled with food and speeches the women performed a beautiful dance with singing, giving thanks to God for what he has done. What was striking to me were the three antiphonal groups: one group was dressed in red satin dresses, another in army camouflage carrying wooden replicas of AK47s, while the third group wore white gowns covered by light blue flowing garments. As they sang and danced, I leaned over to the church leader next to me at the high table, asking for a translation and interpretation. He explained that those in red symbolized the blood of all those who have died in the conflicts and war; the women in fatigue uniforms represented the SPLA (Sudanese Peoples’ Liberation Army), while those in white and blue were the church—they had chosen to wear the blue which is the color of the Presbyterian Church of South Sudan, perhaps symbolic of the Holy Spirit and Living Water. They were singing of God’s hope, gift of life, and faithfulness in the midst of suffering and loss.
Out of Victor’s death others found new life in Christ; out of war and death in South Sudan, people of faith are joining together to forge their new nation. We grieve the losses, yet know with confidence that death does not have the last word. This is our trust: Despite ongoing conflict and challenges, “death has been swallowed up in victory” (1 Corinthians 15:54). Claiming this hope, each of us remaining behind are charged to live fully in the days we have been granted, making each day count not only for the here and now but for eternity as well.
This has been a rather long and somber letter; thanks for reading. Let me also summarize some of the highlights the kids and I have experienced in the last few months (see the photos):
Summary of highlights April-July 2013:
1. In April the kids and I visited the Dimmocks (PC(USA) mission co-workers) in Lesotho, along with the McGills (PC(USA) mission co-workers in Malawi) and then proceeded on together to a fruitful gathering of PC(USA) Africa mission personnel in Kleinmond, South Africa.
2. I settled into my new role as head of all of the Academic Division, which includes oversight of a new Ph.D. program as well as all other academic faculty and programs. I am seeing God's faithfulness in the midst of great challenges and am grateful for a wonderful team.
3. I attended the first graduation of the newly launched ILU-Burundi at the end of March. It was a thrill to celebrate with the students I had taught in a course two years ago there when they were just beginning their Master's in Organizational Leadership and Master's in Governance programs.
4. The ILU Kenya graduation on June 8 was again a celebration worth remembering.
On the home front:
5. Justin (age 15) participated in Kenya's President’s Award program this year, which included climbing Mt. Kenya and volunteering at New Life Home, the very home for abandoned infants from which he had been adopted 15 years ago!
6. Imani (age 14) performed in a recorder ensemble & drama/dance team at the end-of-year Speech Day event.
7. Steven (foster son, age 26) finished his Advanced Diploma in IT and is awaiting results in order to proceed to complete his bachelor's degree.
8. We have enjoyed many visitors coming through, including the Director of Urban & Global Missions (Ken Kierstead) at our home church in Seattle, several from Presbyterian churches in the U.S., and former colleagues in Kenya.
9. As a family and with some friends we have just returned from a renewing two weeks of leave time at the Kenyan Coast. I am so grateful for a time of refreshment and fun together.
Thank you so much for all your support, through prayers, correspondence and finances. Your support and giving make possible the training of these many leaders, who in turn are being used by God to bring healing and transformation. To give financially, please contribute through my PC(USA) mission account E200312 (you can give online using the link below). Every contribution makes a difference as we partner together.
With gratitude, in God’s service,
Marta Bennett
The 2013 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 109
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