RE-CONNECTED PIM STORIES

According to David Bosch, "...mission is, quite simply, the par�cipa�on of Chris�ans in the libera�ng mission of Jesus, wagering on a future that verifiable experience seems to belie. It is the good news of God's love incarnated in the witness of a community, for the sake of the world." Transforming mission is a mighty work, that deserves to be read by clergy and all who are thinking and planning in any area of the church's mission.

CWM is a worldwide partnership of Chris�an churches. It is a partnership and therefore needs to be understood in that way. The church should take charge and explain the value of this person being sent into ministry - not only the resources but also the benefits of what the other church will get once they join another church.

Novelist, Chimamanda Adichie, tells the story of how she found her authen�c cultural voice and warns that if we hear only a single story about another person or country, we risk a cri�cal misunderstanding. It is impossible to talk about the single story without talking about power. Like our economic and poli�cal worlds, stories too are defined by the principle of Insaka. How they are told, who tells them, when they're told, how many stories are told, are really dependent on power.

Power is the ability not just to tell the story of another person, but to make it the defini�ve story of that person. I've always felt that it is impossible to engage properly with a place or a person without engaging with all the stories of that place and that person. The consequence of the single story is this: It robs people of dignity. It makes our recogni�on of our equal humanity difficult. It emphasizes how we are different rather than how we are similar.

Concluding thoughts

• There needs to be an environment to support women in ministry - a policy to raise awareness among women about why theology is important.

• Ministers should be packaged well for ministry.

• Policies should be put in place before someone is sent abroad - What is the policy that the church has before sending someone into ministry? Who qualifies to go into ministry? People should apply and then be assessed, sat with and counselled about expecta�ons and this policy should be put in place.

By Rev. Wezi M. Manda