Off to Kumbya

Tomorrow we leave to go to a place called Kumbya. It's on a lake. And I'm looking forward to it.

About 60 years ago there was a revival in East Africa. As part of that revival, the missionaries in Burundi and Rwanda (ALL missionaries, not just Friends) decided they should have an annual conference/retreat. They bought a piece of property on Lake Kivu (the lake that borders Rwanda and the DRC) and met there every year until the war started in the early 1990s.

In the late '90s, the missionaries decided to return to Kumbya and reestablish the tradition of meeting there every summer. Each mission owns a small cabin, and everyone goes there for the annual conference, as well as periodic personal retreat/vacations.

Kumbya is now THE ONLY piece of property on the entire lake (and it is a huge lake) that is covered with natural forest. Everything else has been cut down and used for firewood or construction. It is a prime piece of property.

The Rwandan government is now eyeing that property and has told the missionaries that they must either begin using it "productively" (i.e. make some money off of it), or hand it over.

The missionaries have decided to explore the idea of making it into a retreat center/ecotourism destination. An engineering team is coming out from the States to assess what they would need to do to make it work as a commercial property.

I think the story of Kumbya is a great example of people doing ministry together well. Valuing things like community more than doctrinal differences or competition. It is also great to see that followers of Christ have been the one setting the example by taking care of creation well.

Now that you've read (another) novel, I meant to simply get on here and let you all know that we will be in Kumbya for the next week and we won't be able to blog, facebook, or twitter as usual. Hopefully it will be a great time to unplug and relax.

Have a great week.