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.)

Don't commit church planting incest

There are some tough questions that people of faith in our contemporary times must wrestle.    Here are two that boggle my mind:

1.   How did America become a Post-Christian nation?

2.   Why are some neighborhoods and suburbs in America's global cities described by the secular media as church deserts?

There are probably at least 30 good answers to these questions.    The questions are complex.    Here is one answer.    Many church planting organizations in North America practice incest.   As a consequence over generations the health of the church planting organizations are on a rapid and steep decline.

Now these organizations have clear rules about relationships.   No one is marrying their siblings.    Yet most also have a clear social expectation that they express through tribalism.     That social expectation is actually just the raw prejudice of denominational protectionism.    It usually is expressed when a newbie tries to cross the unwritten social taboos of the organization.   The newbie is told, "We're a tribe.   You can only be part of one tribe."    (The "tribe" refers to the denomination.   The translation is you have to choose a denomination and only give certain intimacies and loyalties to that denomination."

Then the tribe is described.   The one giving the illustration many times is native born European-American denominational administrator.   The one receiving the tribal instructions many times is a Diaspora from the Global South.    Many from the Global South come from communal or clan based societies.   As he listens to the description of tribe he hears not discussion of tribe but a description of clan or extended family.      What the administrator is communicating is you and your family must marry only your cousins if you want to be part of our church planting organization.  

For those not familiar with the the distinctions between nation, tribe, and clan let me elaborate.

A nation is a political state.   It has clear boundaries that usually require documentation to cross.   It has a clear government structure.   It has laws.  It collects taxes.    It goes to war.  It negotiates peace.

A tribe is an ethnic grouping.   It usually shares a common land.   It shares a common language and culture.    Many times it has a common purpose.   Some nations have many tribes within them and sometimes the nation has a common expectation for the behavior and attitudes of a specific tribe.  

A clan is a large extended family.    It shares great nuances and history.    It is the points where one gathers to grief and celebrate.    It is the social substance of birth, marriage, and death.   It is the social substance of graduations.   It has traditions.   It many times has an economic function of small family run business.  

For many church planting missionaries when one takes the groupings of nation, tribe, and clan there are distinct expectations.

Our Lord called us to His Kingdom.    Our national passports are only temporary documents.   We dare not pledge an eternal allegiance to a temporary nation-state.   For church planting missionary types our nation is our Kingdom.   Our Lord is our King.   We follow His commands and learn them through the teaching in His Word enhanced by the whispers of His Spirit.    At times we are on a journey that is like war.    Yet, we pray for peace and do all we can to be at peace with all.

Tribe is the place where we feel at home yet not quite in the intimacies of our clan.   A denomination makes almost no sense as a tribe.  A denomination as a tribe is too big numerically but too small in purpose for us.    The kingdom tells us missionary church planter to go.   We are the scouts and soldiers of an expanding Kingdom.   We missionary church planters are our own tribe.   We get one another outside of the boundaries of denominational loyalty.    We speak a common language of expansion while giggling at our failings.   

Within clan is our denomination.   Here is the nuance that most outsider can't easily get.   It is the point where we gather in grief and celebration.    Within our clans we solemnize birth, marriage, and death.   We have our traditions within our clans.   If we're going to start a family run business we'll turn to our clan mates first.    Yet, when our business needs to become global we'll look for our tribe mates.

Why has America become a Post-Christian nation?   Why do our American global cities have such large church deserts?

Of the many valid answers church planting incest is one.    Many North American church planting organizations are too denominationally loyal to allow the different church planting clans to intermarry.   

Allow me to poke fun at a fellow church planting missionary friend.   Many years ago, he served in a

nation where security was a concern.   He bought a sibling pair of beautiful German Shepherds.   The were strong and fit.    They were both kind and protective.    They inspired awe as they moved around the edges of our church planter's home compound.    My church planting missionary friend had an idea.   Why should he neuter or spay this fine pair of siblings?   If he let them reproduce he could sell the puppies for profit and put the profits back into his church plant.   Or in his most benevolent moments he could give away the puppies and improve the security of his neighborhood.

His incestuous puppy business began and at the first generation things just didn't seem quite right.   The puppies were a bit smaller and not quite as bright as their parents.  Yet, maybe the issue was nutrition or just bad luck?   He let the experiment go on.   It didn't get any better.   He let it continue and it got much worse.   With each generation the dogs became smaller, weaker, dumber, and many times meaner.   They never inspired awe.   Finally, he had a home full of sick and mangy animals.   The only solution was euthanizing the lot.  

If you closely watch church planting organizations that are struggling you'll notice quite a similar pattern to my friend's puppy business.   The founders are awe inspiring.   Then health declines in each generation.   There is little new blood.   The conversations go in circles.    The foundation relationships have become incestuous.     When the organization is in trouble it looks for a super star celebrity (that looks like a pure bred and expensive dog.)

True, if you look you can find well bred, handsome, and productive dogs with pedigrees.

However, you don't often find good church planters that look like pedigree dogs. 

 Instead, most good church planters look like mixed breed farm dog.    They have features from several lots.   They can
guard, hunt, and herd.   When they are described in detail they phrase most say is, "They're good kid dogs."   Day and in and day out you find these dogs with children.    They intuitively follow the relationships.    They intuitively make the most out of the relationships.    Everything else of hunting, herding, and guarding is just the gravy of their life.   We need church planters with diverse gifts and backgrounds who just intuitively follow and enhance the relationships of their communities. 

In a post-Christian nation no clan has the strength or wisdom to go it alone.   No clan can adequately address the church deserts of North America global cities.    There are strengths to each clan that must be brought to bear.   When that happens there will be sharing of ideas, personnel, institutional capacity, and even financial resources.    The church planting tribe must expand the Kingdom.

Incest among single clans can no longer be our mantra.   So help us God.   

Providence in Poverty

Dear family and friends,

Many missionary newsletters have predictable rhythms and themes.    This newsletter will not be one.   One common missionary newsletter is the one of God’s providence.   The missionary expresses a need and supporters respond.   God is glorified.   The ministry moves forward.   Yet, what if the need is unmet for years?   

Delivering toys in our new used pickup

This morning there are 3 vehicles in our parking lot.  We have ideal vehicles for our ministry responsibilities in a 2003 Chevrolet S-10 pickup, a 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier, and a 2005 Chrysler Town and Country minivan.   A few months ago it was one 2006 Chrysler Town and Country minivan with 205,000 miles and our bicycles.  

Today we did some quick work at Jubilee Village that required a pickup.   Jana then went to her administrative assistant job at Interaction International.   I went to my office at Cornerstone Christian Church to write.   Then as needs arrive to transport people for Nations Chapel Christian Church we can use the minivan for our community.   We’re thankful to have these markers of God’s favor.   Yet, what if someone is watching, and they are living through a season where it seems God and His people are silent?   What if they are living in poverty that is enduring with little hope in sight of new opportunities?   Could our good fortune actually wound and even drive people away from God and His Church?

Dave on Giving Tuesday, 2016

Allow us to tell our story.   In some ways it starts with Dave’s mom who grew up “kitty corner from the town dump and across the street from the rendering plant.”   Sometimes poverty is a deep part of our being in which little makes sense other than getting up each day and trying our best to find good to do.

Our family in 2013 and 2014 had more bills than we could pay most months. In 2015 and 2016 we had enough resources to pay our bills for a majority of months, but still had some times where we couldn't pay the bills and received threatening letters and phone calls.    We’ve tried time after time to start conversations about funding a new church plant and the fund discovery has gone slow.   We’ve looked for other work and struggled to find jobs.   We see a great need for our missionary gifting in America but few options exist where we can turn it into a viable income.   We’re now doing 3 jobs plus Jana in college as we try to reboot in America. 

On Giving Tuesday 2016 we really didn’t know what to do.   We felt we should be loyal so we made a small gift to Ignite Church Planting and posted their appeal on our social media.    Later in the day Dave biked home from work in the cold and didn’t know how much longer he could keep biking in Chicago winters.    He thought maybe he heard a whisper from God to have our daughter Ruth take a photo and post it on Facebook and ask for help with a car.

Dave and Elisee Rugambarara with our new used minivan

Friends remarked that they see us as happy and healthy which is true.   Then several friends started helping.   One connected us with Orland Park Church Car Ministry.   They are a great ministry but we were unsure if we’d qualify as we already had one car.   We decided to fill out their application and just be honest.   We also followed the counsel of our son, Timothy who thought our ministry needed a better minivan.   Shortly after the conversations started we received a 2005 Chrysler Town and County with just 133,000 miles on it from the Car Ministry.

Another family friend called and asked if we could still use a smaller car to get Jana back and forth from work efficiently.   Then he wrote a check for $3,000.    At about the same time a 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier with just 33,000 miles was donated to Jubilee Cars (one of the business wings of Outreach Community that funds Jubilee Village) that they were willing to sell to us for $2,500.   Other family friends made a few more donations and we were able to get both new cars registered and some needed winter repairs.   Jana at 49 years old now has her first car.  

Our son, Ethan had a 2003 Chevrolet S-10 pickup but he really preferred our old minivan as he runs a

Jana's first car ever at 49 years old

small ridesharing enterprise.   We traded our old minivan for his pickup as frequently we need to move things in our various work roles.

Our lot now feels like well-equipped but simple missionary compound.   When it warms up we’ll start biking to work again and save fuel and keep ourselves healthy.    We’re very thankful to our past supporters and the new ones of the last few months.   God has provided.   Yet, what about those years where the physical providence was so thin?   We see those also as God’s providence as He shaped us into better missionaries to America.  Here are a few ways:

One, God walks with us and does not leave us alone when we are poor. In poverty we know deep intimacy with God.

Two, poverty teaches empathy. The number of people living in poverty is increasing in the USA and if we are called as missionaries to America we must walk with the poor as the poor for long seasons.

Three, the past wealth of the USA was created by a combination of both good luck (2 coasts and abundant natural resources) and good faithful community choices (education, integrity in business, and hard work.) The economy is changing and there are spiritual issues that should be addressed. Poverty of many is a natural outcome when America became a Post-Christian nation. Personal poverty reminds us that there is a corporate poverty in America and the Gospel sets in motion many mechanisms that address corporate poverty.  In our prayers for God's providence in economic answers He whispered for us to be the answer to bigger problems than just your own.

Thank you for sharing this journey with us.    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."