Ruth Mirembe Jenkins' Harambee to Judson University News

Dear Family and Friends,

We’ve heard two concerns expressed recently as those who are close to us observe our ministry.   

One is, “If your work with the Diaspora is so important, why don’t the Diaspora financially support it?”    Another concern is “Your ministry looks so much like a church but doesn’t form like a church.   Why?”

In true missionary fashion let us tell some stories.   

Our family and ministry are supported by Diaspora in much the same way that Diaspora support one another.   Most African Diaspora who come to the United States come along three paths.   Some come as refugees.   Some come having won a green card lottery (or diversity visa.)   Some come as university students.   It is very rare for them to enter the United States illegally.  However,  some get caught in an awkward moment when they can’t keep up with documentation requirements.    African Diaspora are one of the most educated groups of immigrants in the USA.    Yet, they typically start as low income earners.    Many times, you’ll even find a medical doctor driving a cab or a lawyer working as a home health care aid.   Over time most reach middle class viability.   As they do that they send large amounts of their income back to their home nation to do things such as build homes, start businesses and schools, run scholarship programs, and care for sick relatives.   The income they send home in many nations combines to be the largest source of foreign income.   While living in the USA many of them stay connected to other Diaspora from their home nation.   

Though they may become middle class in America, with their immense social responsibility they tend to not be large givers at local churches.   One area that they generally do give graciously is to help fellow Diaspora grieve, celebrate, and make the most of opportunities that the American experience presents.   For instance, if there is a death in the community all rally to the grieving family.   They are rarely alone for weeks.   Food is brought to their home and house work done.    In order, for the extended family of the deceased to fully grieve they need to see the body.   Funds are raised to return the body home.    Similarly, they will rally for a wedding.   The expenses of a large function are met by many bringing food and contributing financially.    You also see this sense of shared generosity in the East African Harambee (pull together) culture.  When an opportunity arises that requires more resources than an individual can muster the community throws a party, and people contribute resources to overcome the obstacle.    

As our family spent so many years serving with Africans we many times contributed to the community needs.   Then as we became more African in culture our relationships and generosity also became quite reciprocal.    

One way this happened was that as our kids graduated from high school and began college we never had enough money saved to pay their bills.    With each graduation we hosted a graduation harambee party.   Each time we were surprised at the generosity of our community.   We never took in enough to pay all the bills, but our community “gave us a push” to get through the first year.   With just a little push each child found a way to keep at it until they graduated. (To get some more answers about our harambee culture please read https://misionarytonorthamerica.blogspot.com/2018/06/frequently-asked-questions-about-ruths.html. )   

This year; our daughter, Ruth graduated from high school.  She was accepted to Judson University in Elgin, Illinois.   Judson is a small Christian liberal arts university with an exceptional photography program.    The total yearly cost is about $42,000.  Ruth through scholarships, grants, and loans had assembled about $34,000.   Thus, we need to discover about $8,000 more to pay for Ruth’s first year at Judson.  Ruth is working two jobs this summer to put together more resources (usually about 55 hours per week as a lead janitor at Wheaton College and sales representative at Furry Babies.)    

We hosted a harambee graduation party for Ruth on June 23.    Dave, Caleb, and Ethan grilled a goat and 200 chicken legs.    About 80 friends attended.    Acholi dancers from northern Uganda / southern Sudan performed.    Several of us made speeches to bless Ruth.    We prayed for her future.    At the end of the harambee our community had raised over $2,600 to get Ruth started at her university this fall.   (If you would like to also contribute to Ruth’s harambee we've set up a Go Fund Me account where you can contribute at https://www.gofundme.com/ruth-mirembe-jenkins-harambehttps://www.gofundme.com/ruth-mirembe-jenkins-harambe.) 

You see the African Diaspora who we serve with do contribute to our family and ministry financially.   

The majority of those who contributed and attended were African immigrants.   Yet, a portion were native born European-Americans.   Some of them remarked that though the function was not a church it shared many church like characteristics.    We concur.    We ate together.   We spoke words of blessing to Ruth.   God’s Word was read.    Songs of worship were sung.    We prayed for Ruth’s future.

You see in our African Diaspora communities our Christian faith is very vibrant and part of life.   Its’ very rare to gather and not have conversations shaped by God’s Word.   It’s very rare to gather and not pray for God’s guidance.   It’s very rare to gather and not praise God for His goodness.   It’s very rare to gather and not try to help one another.   These are the intuitive traits of our Diaspora communities.   You see them when we gather in secular community organizations.    You see them as we visit in one anothers' homes.    You’ll even see them as we gather in cookouts and soccer games through the summer.

Yes, our gatherings look much like a church.   Yet, we’ve found it is almost impossible to get our gatherings into a church like weekly rhythms.    Our community is too spread out geographically to all be together weekly.   Also, the nature of our living and work keeps us busy and scattered.    We’re students.   Many of us are working 2 to 4 jobs.    We never quite know what will arise in a week’s time.   We can come late and stay long for events of great importance.   Yet, to get us all together for only a little over an hour weekly is almost impossible.

Thus, we’re concluding that as America became a Post-Christian nation our ministry agenda must be to primarily provide pastoral care for African immigrants so that they can well adjust and serve as humble missionaries to America.    We thank you for sharing in that journey,

Mungu akubariki (May God bless you,)

Dave and Jana 

P.S. Contributions may be sent to:

Ignite Church Planting
P.O. Box 189
Schererville, IN 46375 

Online contributions can be made at http://www.ignitechurchplanting.com/donate.html
By clicking the "Donate" button you will be taken to a secure site where you can give your donation.  Select "Giving Type" and designate your gift for "Nations Chapel."

Frequently Asked Questions About Ruth's Harambee

What is a Harambee?

 

A Harambee is an East African tradition of a community pulling together in a party with a purpose to turn what some would consider a crisis into an opportunity.   Harambees are probably most frequently held in Kenya though they represent the deep sense of community that characterizes African culture.

What is the history of Harambee?

 

The Harambee tradition largely goes back to the early days of Kenya’s independence.   Prior to independence from the United Kingdom Kenya was experiencing the violent Mau Mau crisis.   Fear reigned.   Mzee (wise elder statesman) Jomo Kenyatta was imprisoned, but released shortly before independence.

Kenya's founding President, Mzee Jomo Kenyata

 In 1963 as Kenya gained independence Mzee Jomo Kenyatta brought immediate calm from the Mau Mau crisis, healed wounds, and gathered the humble to build. His message was Harambee (http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,875094,00.html.). We must organize together. Kenyatta was aware of his own failings, but confident in the strength of his united people. He said, "There is no society of angels, black, brown or white. We are human beings and as such we are bound to make mistakes. If I have done a mistake to you, it is for you to forgive me. If you have done a mistake to me, it is for me to forgive you." 

As a community faced a challenge that required capital he made a donation and asked for others to join in sharing their resources. With Kenyatta’s Harambee culture schools, hospitals, and infrastructure were developed. Among the humble Harambee economics provided realistic hope. 

Why are you hosting a Harambee for Ruth?   

Because it is both our African community tradition and our family tradition to celebrate and labor in community.   

Our daughter, Mary Ruth Mirembe Jenkins graduated from high school and plans to go to Judson University in Elgin, Illinois.   Judson is Christian liberal arts university.   One of Judson's academic strengths is her photography and communications programs.   Those of you who spend time with Ruthie know these too are her strengths.   Through scholarships, grants, and student loans Ruth has put together close to $33,900 of the $41,900 of estimated yearly costs (tuition, books, room and board.)   Ruth is also working 2 jobs this summer to raise more money (group leader for a janitorial crew at Wheaton College and a sales representative for Furry Babies.)   She is working between 50 and 60 hours each week this summer.  We hope to raise $8,000 at her Harambe party on Saturday, June 23.  

What typically happens at a Harambee?

 

A shared good meal, speeches, song, dance, and financial and practical contributions. 

Is there a Biblical base for the culture of Harambee?

 

I think there is a tremendous Biblical base for the Harambee culture.    One of the first ones to come to mind is the Year of Jubilee in Leviticus 25.    Most of us are too cowardly to embrace the implications, but they are still very relevant.   Sometimes the only way we can get our messed up world straight is to use the strength of our community and her institutions to practice grace and compassion (One of my most read blogs discusses this at   http://jenkinsinrwanda.blogspot.com/2011/03/audacious-forgiveness-must-be.html.)

 Besides the Old Testament Jubilee teaching there is New Testament teaching of the early church sharing their possessions so that there were no unmet needs in the community (Acts 2:42-47; 4:32-36,) and of master missionary Paul taking a collection among Diaspora Christians to be used to care for the poor in Jerusalem (2 Corinthians 8-9.)

 These are missionary texts.    When Diaspora come to America one thing we frequently notice is how prevalent syncretism is in North American Christianity.    Individualism and materialism mingle so freely in North American Christian thought that many are unable to recognize raw paganism masquerading as Christianity.   Yet, instead of having escalating confrontation why not graciously practice Harambee that teaches and lives out the reality that Christianity is a religion based upon trust in an unseen God's care lived out in community.  

I’ve heard about corruption and Harambees.  What happened?

 

Until the Lord returns to this earth the best of God’s intent wrestles with human depravity.  Sadly, there have been times when the Harambee tradition has been corrupted.  At times morally bankrupt politicians have used Harambees to bribe voters in a district.  At times the poor have been excluded from elite Harambee functions. 

The worst desecration of our Harambee tradition happened in Rwanda during the Genocide in 1994 when the community work of the Interhamwe (note similar grammar to Harambee) was to murder innocent men, women, and children. 

Yet, God made us in His image.   We all by simply being human have Agaciro (Kinyarwanda for dignity.)     Harambee is a way to display that though an individual may be at loss together we can overcome.   Our children can have hope.   One way we display this divine dignity is to come together as a community to overcome all obstacles.

Have you ever contributed at a Harambee before?

 

Yes.   Many times.   In fact, as our family spent 29 years in total in Africa our parents, Gaston and Jan Tarbet were the first ones to contribute to Harambees.   

We’re thankful to have been part of building schools, churches, roads, and other community infra-structure through Harambees.   We’re thankful to have helped couples marry through Harambee.   We’re thankful to have sent young people to school through Harambee.   We’re thankful to have helped those were sick become well through Harambee.   

Have you ever hosted a Harambee before?

Yes, we’ve hosted three Harambes.   First, when our oldest daughter, Sophia was accepted to Wheaton College in 2011 we applied for all the financial aid we could and still were about $22,000 short.   We hosted a Harambee in Rwanda.   Our Rwandan community raised $5,300.  Others in the USA made some contributions.   We barely had enough, but with Harambee Sophia got through her first semester at Wheaton. 

We didn’t know what would happen her second semester, and then we got a surprise.   Sophia received an unexpected grant, and her college bill was paid. Our African friends were confident that a Harambee was a step of communal proactive faith that God would honor.   They were right.  (To read more about Sophia's Harambee see http://jenkinsinrwanda.blogspot.com/2011/08/harambee-economics.html.)   

 Second, when our son, Caleb was also accepted to Wheaton College.   The anticipated total cost was $42,390 in 2013-2014.   Caleb has done well with scholarships and only lacked $5,600 to pay for his freshman year.   

The gifts the Lord abundantly gave us in Africa were friends and experiences.   Yet, we had no savings or property.  We threw a Harambee to give Caleb a blessing and a push.   Our community raised over $1,000 and the push got Caleb moving to get through his next two years. 

Third, we hosted a Harambe when our son, Ethan begin at Wheaton College in January, 2015.   Our community raised over $2,600 of the needed $2,993 to get Ethan through his first semester at Wheaton College.   Some other gifts came in.   Ethan shoveled snow and worked in a small transport ride sharing busines with his brother, Caleb to raise the rest of his needed resources.   

What should I wear and bring?

 

Dress casual.  Bring a little food.  Bring a little money.  Bring some encouragement.    If you have some musical skill we’d enjoy a song and dance.

If you are considered an mzee (wise elder statesman) bring a short speech to bless Ruth.

We’ll provide kuku ne mbuzi muchomo (grilled chicken and goat.) 

We’ll take cash in Shillings, Francs, Pounds, Pesos, Euros, and both Canadian and American Dollars.  We’ll have a money trader nearby if you need some exchange.  Also, we’ll trust your check is good (and even hold it for a season if you want to make a pledge.) 

If you have something that you think would bless Ruth as a college freshman please also feel free to bring it. 

What if I’m broke?

 

Show up anyway.   Your presence is the greatest value.  Harambee is about Agaciro (dignity.)  You are made in God’s image.   All you need to bring is what God has given you.  God will take your presence and use it to bless our community.

Karibu sana (You are most welcome.)

What if I’m on a safari (journey) and unable to attend?

 

Safari salaama (Journey in peace.)   If you would like to send a contribution by mail send it to:

Ruth Jenkins

395 Executive Drive, Apartment 101

Carol Stream, IL 60188

Also, we've set up a Go Fund Me account for which you can contribute at https://www.gofundme.com/ruth-mirembe-jenkins-harambe

Asante sana.   Webale nyo.   Murakoze cyane (Thank you very much.)