Footprints in the World imprints of churches on the Way. Footprints in the World Imprints of churches on the Way Romans 10:14-17 fdfsdfsd

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1 Footprints in the World Imprints of churches on the Way Romans 10:14-17 fdfsdfsd [Footprints in the World No. 01/ January 2018] Relay Trust is a UK based international Christian charity organization cooperating with churches in challenged countries. Relay Trust is working in collaboration with different church denominations in the global south. Relay Trust aims at supporting the churches through training programmes for future church leaders on all levels. Thereby Relay Trust wants to contribute to the formation of future church leaders who are able to carry the baton of good news to the next generation of Christians. Happy New Year Footprints in the world imprints of churches on the Way is Relay Trust s English newsletter, where we are sharing our experiences from the work in the global south. Everyone can receive the newsletter, which is published four times every year. You can subscribe by sending an to: abk@relaytrust.org. Dear All. Find more information on our web-page: steps into the new year and see what The next newsletter will be published in March introduce our new logo. It has been We hope that you all had a merry Christmas and a blessed beginning of the new year. In this edition of Footsteps in the World we wish to share some of our experiences from our journey to Guinea and Sierra Leone last October/November. We will share updates on the development of some of the projects and try to take a few cautious lies ahead. Moreover, we are pleased to developed in collaboration with Orla F. Relay Trust Mette & Alex Bjergbæk Klausen Østerbro 74, 3.tv., 9000 Aalborg, Denmark relay@relaytrust.org Tel Møller from Kommunik8. The hands of the logo reflect the relationship between people, organizations and churches. Through our commitment we want to be part of the great race to pass on the baton of Good News, a race that runs across cultures and generations. It is a race with many different participants from many different parts of the world. As an Relay Trust - 1 -

2 Support Relay Trust It is now possible to support Relay Trust. We are collaborating with LMF (The Danish Teachers Mission Association) and they will handle donations for Relay Trust. Donations can be transferred directly to their bank account: Danske Bank Holmens Kanal Copenhagen K Denmark Account number: IBAN: DK BIC: DABADKKK Remember to indicate that the donation is intended for Relay Trust. The Danish Teachers Mission Association will use 10% of the donation for administration. The remaining 90% is used in Africa, as Relay Trust s administration is covered from other sources. We are grateful for all gifts, as they will enable us to do more in Africa. Please contact us directly if you or your church would like to sponsor a specific project. We are always ready to answer your questions. abk@relaytrust.org organization we are nothing in ourselves, we only exist through relationships and as part of the worldwide Christian community. We feel privileged that we can be a part of the great race and we hope many others will join us. As something new we want to integrate audio and video in this edition of Footsteps in the World. The media sequences can only be activated when you read the newsletter online. You will activate the files by clicking on the or icon. All media files are available on our YouTube channel. We have also decided to increase the number of annual newsletters from the current four to six editions. A lot of things are happening in Relay Trust and we want to share as much as possible. Thank you for your prayers and participation during the past year. We are looking forward to sharing even more with you in this new year. Enjoy your reading! God bless! Mette and Alex Disciples and not just members [Written by Alex Bjergbæk Klausen] "I want to bury disciples and not just members" the bishop of Panama and Costa Rica exclaims. He is Bishop Julio E. Murray Thompson is preaching in the church on Kassa Island just outside of Conakry delivering his sermon in a small church on Kassa Island outside of Guinea's capital, Conakry. The bishop was invited to preach during the formal consecration of the new parish church. His words are provoking, and they are keeping us awake in the fully packed, overheated church. Can you really refuse to bury members? And what's the difference between a disciple and a member? Relay Trust - 2 -

3 Mette and bishop Julio are waiting for the ferry back to Conakry. No, you cannot refuse to bury members! After all they have paid their church tax, their tithes, they may have contributed when asked and may also have attended a service from time to time. All churches have members. They do not necessarily participate in the active life of the church, but they are somewhere in the background. Maybe they are members because of tradition, because the family has belonged to the same church for generations. They remain members of a church because it gives a sense of identity, a sense of belonging. Maybe it has nothing to do with faith and Christian identity. You can easily be a member of a church without believing, - or without your life being transformed. In other words, you can belong without believing or without any transformation taking place in your way of life. On several occasions when we have visited churches in Sierra Leone, the pastor or priest in charge has apologized for the number of people turning up for service, claiming that it is just a cross-section of the actual congregation. But it is the same cross-section of the congregation that is turning up Sunday after Sunday so can you really call it a cross-section? We are also distinguishing between the corecongregation and the occasional-congregation in the Danish Lutheran Church. The occasional-congregation may show up a few times a year, and more especially during Christmas. But the strength of a church is not found in occasional-congregation. It is found in the core-congregation. When the bishop of Panama and Costa Rica wants disciples rather than members, he wants a church that is characterized by people who have decided to follow the gospel, people who have been formed by and are living according to the gospel. Ideally, all members of a church are also disciples. It is all about listening to the gospel and living according to it, allowing the words of the gospel to transform us and recreate us. You can easily be a member of a church without believing In Relay Trust we are focusing on Christian formation rather than theological education. This is not because we do not see theological education as important. It is important to train future church leaders, - also on higher levels. But the formation process must come before education and it continues throughout our lives. It is Christian formation that produces skilled church leaders, not theological education. In theological education we acquire knowledge, but it is the formation that enables us to live out our faith and thus inspire others. In many African villages, the congregations do not need highly educated theologians, but people who Relay Trust - 3 -

4 Christiana Kamara is a strong evangelist and a role-model for her congregation even though she can t read and write. On this photo she is receiving her teaching materials from Rev. Steven Jengo in the church in Kenema, Sierra Leone. she is following her calling as prayer-leader in a local church in Kenema. dare to be Christian role models and who are showing the way. There may be people who are illiterate but who have a living faith that influences the entire local community. Throughout our time in Sierra Leone we have met many church leaders with poor or no education, who are playing a very important role in the life and growth of their churches. One of the most significant examples is Christiana Kamara, who is illiterate, but lives in a way that is inspiring to others. She is the first illiterate lay-reader we have trained, and today Our focus on the relationship between formation and education forms the basis of a new training- and retreat centre, which we hope to setup in collaboration with the Anglican Diocese of Freetown. The new centre will define our mission in Relay Trust. Together with churches in West Africa we will use this pilot project to rethink the concepts of formation and education of future church leaders. In this edition of Footsteps in the World we will share more about the visions behind this project and how we hope it will ultimately strengthen the Anglican province of West Africa. Relay Trust - 4 -

5 A giant leap for a small church [Written by Alex Bjergbæk Klausen] (Click here to activate video-file ) On October 16 th seven new priests were ordained in Guinea. We participated in the preparations leading to the ordination. "Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound". With still voices seven ordinands are singing the famous song written by John Newton. There are many prominent guests present, including the Papal Apostolic Nuncio of Guinea and Mali, the former president's wife, a representative of the current president, the Anglican archbishop and primate of the province of West Africa, just to mention a few. The police has blocked the streets around the cathedral, so all traffic is being redirected. This is a special day of celebration. The ordinands have solemnly signed their vows, prostrated on the church floor as a symbol of submission, and symbolically carried the cross up the church aisle and much more. This is the first time we participate in an ordination in an Anglo-Catholic church, and many of the rituals are strange to us. Theology and practices in Guinea are very different from neighbouring Sierra Leone, although both are Anglican churches and both are part of the great Anglican community. Therefore, we must observe and learn. This is the real bells and We are reminded that there are many ways to be a church even within the same church tradition. smells of the Anglican high church. We are reminded that there are many ways to be a church - even within the same church tradition. The breadth of the Anglican Church is exciting but also a challenge, as it is sometimes difficult to embrace everything within the same church tradition. Relay Trust - 5 -

6 The Anglican Church in Guinea is old, at least seen from an African perspective. It is a church that has passed through many challenges, which has prevented it from growing, and therefore it is a rather small Anglican church, which is mainly found in the capital of Conakry and on two islands about half an hour from the city. One of the most obvious factors that has prevented the church from growing, is the fact that it is an Anglican church in a French-speaking country. Historically the Anglican Church has been associated with the former English colonies, and there is a hierarchical connection to the Archbishop of Canterbury. The network is primarily English, and the language barrier is an obvious problem for the French speaking Anglicans. Bishop Jacques Boston wants all his priests to learn English, so that they can communicate with the Anglican church around the world. Without English skills it is difficult to maintain the good partnership relations that are necessary for church growth and development. Bishop Jacques Boston celebrated his five-year anniversary for his consecration as bishop. He was 39 years old when he was elected. The Anglican church in Guinea has been sleeping for many years. There are several untapped potentials in the church waiting for rain, so they can begin to germinate. With Bishop Jacques Boston new visions have come into the church. He represents a new generation, - a young and visionary bishop. He is aware that the church stands and falls with good leadership, and therefore education of new church leaders has been his primary focus since he entered office five years ago. Now we see the first results of his efforts. It is quite an achievement to ordain seven new priests at the same time. This has never happened before during the 150 years the church has existed in Guinea. But the seven new priests are necessary. Many of the other priests in the church are becoming old, and several of them are tired and suffer from various health issues. The ordination is a much-needed As part of the ordination ceremony the ordinands carry crosses up the church aisle. saltwater injection. The seven new priests are only going to help the church maintain status quo. There is a need for more trained church Relay Trust - 6 -

7 leaders and evangelists if the church is going to expand. When we asked the bishop what he needed over the next ten years, he responded, "I need 50 new church leaders" and after a short break, he said "no, let's say 70!". It is a big task waiting ahead of us. Some will be trained for ordained ministry, others will act as evangelists, catechists, and missionaries. If we are to succeed, it is important to learn enough French to communicate and teach on their premises. When you are thrown into the ocean, you are suddenly motivated to learn swimming skills. We were thrown into the ocean. Upon our arrival in Guinea, we were told that they expected us to oversee the ordination retreat. It was a bit of a surprise as we had not prepared ourselves or brought any materials. But we were overwhelmed by their confidence in us and accepted the challenge. After all it was a unique opportunity to get to know the new priests in the church. Africa is always full of surprises! Mette is teaching the ordinands in their room. The ordination retreat took place in a guesthouse where the ordinands were secluded from the outside world for seven days. They shared a single room and were only allowed to leave during their meals. All other activities took place in the small room (approximately 20 square meters). Initially, they were struggling to accept the conditions, but gradually they got used to the concept. We decided to use the time for spirituality and individual faith rather than traditional theological disciplines. They can always obtain more teaching in theology. It was far more important that they were made ready for the practical tasks of a priest. The retreat focused on meditation, case studies on practical and pastoral challenges, prayer life, etc. We enjoyed the opportunity to be with the ordinands, and it also gave us an opportunity for a lot of informal conversations. There was an obvious language barrier, as only two of the ordinands understand English. Our French is pretty scarce. Mette has French from high school, and Alex is in the process of learning. Fortunately, one of the ordinands has been educated in Ghana and knows enough English to serve as interpreter. Even though the ordinands are now real priests in the church, they have not yet completed their formation and education. The bishop has asked us to prepare a retreat for all his priests and to consider them as part of the new education project we are going to begin in Sierra Leone. The retreat has not yet been planned, but we expect it to take place sometime in Relay Trust - 7 -

8 Rio Pongo Agricultural Project [Written by Anders Bjørnkjær-Nielsen, project consultant] Anders Bjørnkjær-Nielsen is employed as project consultant in Relay Trust. His job is to help identify and develop incomegenerating activities with our partner churches in Africa. In this article he tells about his visit to Guinea in the beginning of October last year. In the autumn of 2017, I was so privileged to visit the Anglican Church in Guinea together with Relay Trust. The church wanted an initial assessment of the potential for intensive cultivation of three areas called Fallanghia, Tintima and Sangouya - together approx. 200 ha - and all three located relatively close to the Atlantic Ocean. Prior to the visit I had examined which species of trees and crops prevail in the (Click to activate video-file ) different regions of Guinea. There should be species like shea, parkia, Ethiopian pepper, Guinea plum, goto boro, cashew, tamarind, oil palm, bananas, sweet potato and others. I knew most of the species and felt reasonably prepared with an assessment form, so growth parameters and commercial value could be assessed for the species we found, combined with results from soil samples. The first area we visited was Tintima. The area of 5-8 ha borders a huge mangrove area. The salty farming conditions and the desire to protect the mangrove is a challenge for the poor families living in the area and for whom it is easiest to choose oil palm farming. Here is an obvious challenge. We need to identify a naturally resident "cash crop", i.e. a crop that can be sold, and fits well with mangroves. Tintima is also a historically exciting place, as this was where the first Anders is collecting soil-samples for analyses to find out what nutrients are available and what nutrients to add. missionaries from the Anglican church disembarked in Guinea. Relay Trust - 8 -

9 The areas Sangouya and Fallanghia are similar and constitute about 150 hectares. They are overgrown with 2-5 m high impassable bush and tree vegetation consisting of few shea trees, oil palms, banana palms and much more. We took soil samples to get to know the nutrient content. The church is strongly focused on finding out what a complete conversion of the areas to high-productivity agricultural production can provide economically. However, my reflection after the visit is that intensive farming would rely on a West African ethnobotanist to lead and educate the people of the church using existing bushes and trees. Cleansing and freeing of the most profitable shrubs and trees, coupled with sub plantation, similar to a concept we see in Farming Gods Way, is an obvious option. In a later newsletter, I would like to tell you more about the progress of the project. The church lacks resources and professional skills to inspire in this field. Farming God's Way is a cultivation method that was originally developed in Zimbabwe. Since then, the concept has spread to large parts of Africa. The cultivation method is based on the Bible's principles of sustainability and human responsibility towards nature. In Relay Trust we are investigating possible collaboration with Farming4Life in Denmark, an association that has been working with the principles behind Farming God's Way over the past eight years. About Anders Bjørnkjær-Nielsen Anders is married to Kari-Anne and together they have 3 children; Jakob, Stine and Rasmus. He is a graduate and holds an HD in accounting. He has been interested in Africa since the age of 18, when he travelled across the continent on a lorry. He was supposed to have been in kibbutz, but the plans were suddenly changed, so God must have had a plan. He has lived in Africa with his family, and today they run a small socio-economic company called B4Trees, where they are distributing cosmetic oils such as shea and other oils from Sahel trees. He is also giving consultancy in forestry. Relay Trust - 9 -

10 Political chaos and a journey from Guinea to Sierra Leone [Written by Alex Bjergbæk Klausen] Although Guinea and Sierra Leone are neighbouring countries, there are no airplanes flying between the two countries. It is only possible to fly from Sierra Leone to Guinea - but not the other way. If you insist on a flight, you will have to spend a night in Côte d'ivoire. We did not intend to. Therefore, we decided to cross the border by vehicle, which can be done in just eight hours. After fourteen intensive days in Guinea we were tired when we left Conakry early Monday morning. In front of us was a long drive, first to Sierra Leone's border and then to Freetown. A policeman accompanied us to the border, so that we could pass the different checkpoints without problems. Foreigners tend to attract unfavourable attention, especially if they are white. A journey can easily be delayed for several hours because of arguments and harassment from authorities. With a policeman in the vehicle we avoided all these problems. Bishop Jacques Boston dispatched us and we reached the border control ahead of time. On Sierra Leone's side of the border, Bishop Thomas Wilson's driver, Mr. Jalloh, was waiting for us. He brought us the rest of the way to Freetown. The journey to Freetown turned out to be quite an experience. In some places the road was blocked by cheering and dancing people dressed in red. Election is approaching in Sierra Leone, and there is occasional chaos on the roads. The government party APC (All People's Congress) has chosen red as their party colour. The opposition party SLPP (Sierra Leone's People's Party) has green. The colours red and green have nothing to do with either communism, socialism or ecology and sustainability. The Relay Trust

11 It becomes a dangerous cocktail when the struggle for power and position flares up. colours seem rather random. To add to the colour confusion a newly established party has chosen yellow. So, this year s election in Sierra Leone is a campaign between the red, the green and the yellow ones. It is not about political ideologies, but a battle between politicians on a more personal level. Which presidential candidate can deliver a more prosperous future for Sierra Leone - or just for one's local community? The political rallies have temporarily put society on a standstill. The presidential candidates pay unemployed youth to cheer in the streets and show the flags and colours of the parties. Alcohol and drugs are consumed in large amounts. It becomes a dangerous cocktail when the struggle for power and position flares up. Innocent people are in danger of becoming victims of random violence. Mr. Jalloh had dressed partly in red as he knew the "reds" were blocking the roads. He complained that we were driving a green jeep as it could cause problems. Fortunately, we managed to get through the masses. Mr. Jalloh was angry with the school children who had chosen to block roads rather than going to school. "Think of your future!", he shouted. Today they are dressed in red. Tomorrow some of the same people will probably be dressed in green or yellow colours. Loyalty follows the money, and there is a lot of money at stake when the various presidential candidates are fighting for power. There is always a risk that the election will turn violent. No politicians like to lose, because they have invested a lot of money in their campaigns and rallies. We hope and pray that the elections in March will be peaceful, but are grateful that many of our foreign friends have decided to leave the country during the election. Mr. Jalloh in the vehicle with Mette and Alex The general election in Sierra Leone takes place on March 7th. It is a choice between the red, the yellow and the green Relay Trust

12 The Mount Zion Project [Written by Alex Bjergbæk Klausen] We did not come to Sierra Leone to discuss elections. The purpose of our journey was to look at the projects we have helped fund through Relay Trust, but also take the first steps towards a new training project, which we hope to begin in Sierra Leone. There is a need for new church leaders There is a great need to train new church leaders if the church is to grow. Especially for the rural areas, so the mission can spread to new villages, new territories. These church leaders do not necessarily need a long and academically heavy education, but they do need good Christian formation that will enable them to deliver the good news in a vibrant and inspiring way. At the same time it is always a challenge take local The Anglican Diocese of Freetown owns a small piece of land in the mountains outside Freetown. It was given to the diocese by the president as compensation for a small plot of land, which the government expropriated during the Ebola crisis, when one of the hospitals needed extra space for treatment and isolation of Ebola patients. The area that has been given to the church is beyond the city's traffic and noise. Here the air is fresh and there is a clear view down to the river and the mangrove resource persons away from their communities to forests. An uncommonly beautiful place, receive training. They are usually the ones taking the lead and being involved in everything, and their absence would be a great challenge for the community. surrounded by forests and mountains, - and yet close enough to the city so that there is no problem with communication and infrastructure. Even before our arrival in Sierra Leone the bishop had suggested that we visit the place and consider if it could be a possible place to build an intended retreat and education centre. This is definitely a Relay Trust

13 perfect place. Here, there is peace of mind; you can escape from many distractions in the city, and not least the vibrant nightlife that can attract young people. Bishop Jacques Boston from Guinea also passed by while we were in Freetown. He visited the area and was just as enthusiastic as we were. Here you can isolate students during periods of education and create a spiritual powerhouse outside the city. Right now we are in dialogue with the diocese in Freetown about the development of the centre. First and foremost we need to create a good physical frame for the formation and education of future church leaders. A small closed community is to be established - a kind of "mini-monastery", where daily life follows a solid rhythm of devotions, studies, and practical tasks. The training of future Church leaders in both Guinea and Sierra Leone will be coordinated from the new centre. During our visit to Freetown we had a meeting with the group, responsible for all theological education in the diocese, and we had initial discussions about the development of the new centre. Training of new priests in Makeni [Written by Alex Bjergbæk Klausen] In collaboration with the Freetown Diocese we support the training of nine candidates for ordination in Makeni (northern Sierra Leone). The students come from all over the country and travel to Makeni approx. twice a month to receive teaching. Two of the students come all the way from the island of Bonth (in the far south) and must spend two full days of travelling. The teaching is coordinated from Freetown, where the teachers also come from. It is a good, but also a slightly troublesome solution. Travelling is expensive, and the teachers have many other obligations to attend to as well; several of them are priests in leading positions and at the same time teachers at other institutions. It is also a vulnerable set up because disease easily can delay the training programme. Where it is easy to change classes at a training institution, it is immensely more difficult when it comes to students travelling from all over the country. It is not possible to contact all students by phone because some of them live outside the coverage areas. Therefore you cannot just cancel a course, even if one or more of the teachers have fallen ill. It is always Relay Trust

14 necessary to find alternative solutions, - to have a plan b ready. During our stay in the Freetown Diocese we visited the education project in Makeni together with the bishop. This gave us the opportunity to meet with the students and see some of the challenges with our own eyes. It was great to experience the training initiative, which in many ways resembles the way we have previously taught in the Bo Diocese. The church was used as a classroom with the students sitting on the pews. Although it may not be super comfortable (church benches rarely are) it works fine. We were invited to teach for a couple of hours, using books focusing on personal formation, - the Christian journey through life. We could easily have spent several hours with the students, but we enjoyed experiencing this highly successful project. We are now looking forward to the ordination of the students, which will probably take place later this year. With the help of mobile technology we hope to overcome some of the challenges associated with transporting teachers to the students. In the future a project like this in Makeni will be coordinated from the future Freetown Centre. At least that is the dream. With the help of mobile technology we hope to overcome some of the challenges associated with transporting teachers to the students. Together with the church we want to make some of the teaching electronically available in the form of e-learning. This way students can access a library of materials, listen to recordings of their teachers, and, in some cases, see them on video. It is a longer process, which will take much of our time during the next years. The development of the project is supervised by our programmer, Lars Gunnarsson. He has many years of experience in using mobile technology in evangelisation. But in Relay Trust we will take the step further and apply mobile technology to e-learning. The students are working in groups. Relay Trust

15 [Written by Lars Gunnarsson, programmer] From ConnectBox to The Online Well Lars is employed by Relay Trust to develop the digital teaching platform. Between Christmas and New Year we had a joint meeting in Aalborg, Denmark, where we discussed the next steps in the development. This year we will change our focus from "ConnectBox" to a new product, which we call "The Online Well". Below Lars is sharing some information on his progress. Several Christian organizations use a device called the BibleBox, an electronical unit which can deliver media to mobile units (i.e. smartphones, tablets, etc.). This device has now existed for several years and I am now working on the next version of it, called the ConnectBox. Our team-members come from many different organisations from all over the world. In the next few weeks the first units will be tested, providing Christian digital media resources for learners. While internet access in many communities is unreliable or unaffordable, the ConnectBox delivers important Christian media resources without any additional costs; the users connect directly through the devices they already have. The box functions as a small closed WIFI system. The Connectbox is an IT solution that is not depending on the internet. A small minicomputer, about the size of a soap box, can provide data that can be downloaded to any mobile device that uses smart technology (i.e. smartphones, tablets, etc.). These minicomputers are easy to transport and they even have an integrated battery, so they are not depending on a stable power supply. With this system, quality education can be delivered to even the most difficult accessible areas of Africa. There are a lot of mobile phones in Africa, and the development is moving fast. It makes a lot of sense to use the technology already available for evangelisation, formation and education. Relay Trust

16 During this current phase of the development (the last few months and first quarter 2018) it is exciting for me to experience the blessing The Online Well refers to the well as a physical place where people meet. It was also by the well Jesus met the Samaritan woman (John 4: 1-42), a meeting which changed the life of that woman. of working together with so many other Christian computer professionals by using internet collaboration tools. However, I am even more excited about the next phase of the project. We are going to build some Relay Trust specific technology on top of the ConnectBox features. From a technologically standpoint it is an improved and adapted ConnectBox. The name we use for this new product is The Online Well. The standard ConnectBox is just meant for media streaming and download, but if the technology is to be used for e- learning as well, there is a need for a way to handle two way communication. So this year my main focus will change from the more general ConnectBox to building this additional technology for The Online Well. Thank you for using my voice [Written by Alex Bjergbæk Klausen] The purpose of "The Online Well" is to facilitate access to learning and inspire students. We want to deliver some of our materials in audio book format, so students struggling to read and write will still be able to join in. During our visit to Sierra Leone, one of our tasks was to find the right voice for the audiobooks. It turned out to belong to Rev. Shirlene. (Click to activate audio-file ) Relay Trust

17 Rev. Shirlene has been up early in the morning to reach the diocesan headquarter before eight o'clock. The traffic through Freetown is hopeless, and you will often get stuck in hour-long queues in the morning, where everyone is going to work or school. She arrives with a smile, tea mug in her hand, and we sit down in the living room of the guesthouse, next to the diocesan headquarter where she works. When we asked the bishop whether he knew someone in the diocese who had a good voice we could use for recordings, he immediately pointed to Rev. Shirlene. In addition to overseeing the administration of the diocese, she is also a priest in the church - and a brave, strongminded woman. We do not have expensive recording equipment at our disposal, as we want to find affordable solutions that can deliver a satisfying quality. It is important that we do not create unnecessary expenses for the churches. Our IT solutions must be both user-friendly and low-cost. Rev. Shirlene is blessed with a lovely voice. She has lived and worked in England and is fluent in English. But she also has the African accent, which is so important when we are to communicate a message in English in an African context. Recognition is important - and therefore the voice that we use must be rooted in the local context. The audiobooks are primarily intended for the lower levels of the formation process. Initially, we work with audio recordings in English, so users can keep up with the books, and listen to the reading on their mobile phones. The next project will be oral translations into the local tribal languages, first and foremost Krio, but later also Mende, Temne and Soussou, all common oral languages which are not widely used in writing. Through audio recordings, we hope to be able to bridge the gap to local cultures, where most people are illiterate in their own native language. If we are to touch people's hearts, then it is important to use their mother tongue, their heart language. With modern technology we can do something which was impossible ten years ago. We can convey materials orally to cultures that do not have an active written language. We spend a couple of hours on recordings with Rev. Shirlene. Then the voice begins to fail. A professional can record for approx. four hours, so two hours of recording is beyond expectations for an unprofessional. "Thank you for using my voice," she says, and takes joy in knowing that she also can contribute to God s mission in this way. We have all received our gifts of grace - and Rev. Shirlene has been blessed with a pleasant soul and a wonderful voice. Through audio recordings, we hope to bridge the gap to local cultures, where most people are illiterate in their own native language. Relay Trust

18 A friend in need update from Bo Diocese [Written by Alex Bjergbæk Klausen] Finally we got the opportunity to visit Bo, where we have lived and worked for four years. It was exciting to be back and to see many of the people we have been training, who are now our friends, our family. Bishop Thomas Wilson joined us on our journey to Bo, so we could visit the different projects that have been supported by Relay Trust in We arrived in Bo with mixed feelings. It was almost a year since our last visit, yet it did not feel that long. Since the corruption scandal, we have been in close contact with various people from the diocese, almost daily. We have shared their frustrations and concerns - and so the Diocese of Bo - especially our friends - have been in our minds every single day was a difficult year for the diocese. Some church members have left the church in frustration. Many foreign partners have suspended their financial support, and various projects have stopped. Relay Trust transferred funds for two major projects in January, just before the crisis. Subsequently, we made an agreement with the Freetown Diocese, which is now handling the administrational responsibility for Bo, to continue the financial support for clergy salaries and contribute towards house rent, transportation, etc. for the vicar general, the priest in charge. Thus, our support in 2017 remained unchanged. We have assessed that it was important to continue the support for salaries through the administration in Freetown. Without salaries for the priests, one problem can easily multiply. Mette, Mattia Bockarie, little Alex, big Alex and Janet (little Alex mother). Relay Trust

19 The congregation in Baiima is happy with the new tractor. It is exactly the one, they had hoped for. We arrived in Bo, and drove down the bumpy, dirt road to the house that used to be our home. Neighbours, whom we have not seen for a very long time, stopped their activities, when they recognized us it was a joyful reunion. It was strange to arrive at the house that had been our home for four years. It looked the same, but with a few changes. A brand-new satellite dish was attached to the roof, and the furniture in the living room had been moved around. There was a large flat screen TV on the wall instead of pictures. Our former home has been taken over by the new Vicar General, Rev. Canon Ajayi Nicol. It was a strange feeling to see our cups, plates, and glasses in the cabinets, our Easter decorations, furniture, and office supplies - things we have collected over several years, now used by the vicar general. We had the initial meeting in our old living room. The bishop said that the main reason for coming with us to Bo was to express his gratitude to Relay Trust. The financial support for the diocese had been paramount - and he was not sure that the diocese could have existed today if it had not been for this support. He ended up saying "a friend in need is a friend indeed". It was a moving speech. The words came directly from his heart. The vicar general agreed with the bishop. It was the right decision to continue the support for the diocese despite the challenges. A friend in need is a friend indeed During our stay in Bo Diocese we were able to visit six out of the seven parishes and we enjoyed happy reunions with many of our former lay-reader students. We also saw that the two major projects, supported by Relay Trust, had been fully completed. The church in Baiima has received a tractor, and in Gobaru there is a nice multipurpose hall (activity centre) ready to host many different activities in the parish. Although our visit to Bo was first and foremost work-related, there was also time to see friends and our Sierra Leonean family. One of our Sierra Leonean family members is Mattia Bockarie, who is like a son to us. He was silent when we saw him by the house of the vicar general. There was something he wanted to share Relay Trust

20 with us, something he could not tell by phone, or messenger, - he was waiting for the right moment. "I am a father", he told us. It came as a great surprise, and the surprise was even greater, when he told us that the little boy was named after Alex. This is the tradition in Sierra Leone. You name children after parents or grandparents to strengthen the family relation. Now we have our first grandchild. Of course that is something you cannot share over a bad phone connection, it is something you need to experience and feel. Relay Trust Mette Bjergbæk Klausen International relations mbk@relaytrust.org Since we left Bo the situation in the diocese has improved. A delegation from the Anglican Province of West Africa, led by the Archbishop, has been on visitation to meet with Bishop Tucker, all priests, lay readers, and key-members of the congregations. The message was clear. Bishop Tucker must resign as bishop, and he seems to have consented. We expect his official resignation as bishop by the end of February There will be a vacancy period, during which the diocese will probably be led by the current vicar general, Rev. Canon Ajayi Nicol, in collaboration with the bishop of Freetown. It may take a long time before a new bishop will be elected, but it is also important to have time for a proper process, and above all the diocese needs time to heal. In Relay Trust we look forward to seeing the end of this long and difficult journey, so we can continue to support the diocese with new exciting projects. Alex Bjergbæk Klausen Administrator and PR abk@relaytrust.org Lars Gunnarsson Programmer and IT lg@relaytrust.org The journey to West Africa is still lingering in us, and this year more exciting tasks are waiting ahead of us. We look forward to sharing our experiences in the next newsletters, which will be shorter, but issued more frequently. God Bless! Kenneth Bork Damsgaard Web-master kbd@relaytrust.org Anders Bjørnkjær- Nielsen Project consultant abn@relaytrust.org Relay Trust