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On November 22, 2024, the eighty-second graduation ceremony at Friends Theological College was a resounding success. During the 2023–2024 academic year, a total of 139 students graduated across various programs: Certificate in Pastoral Ministry, Diploma in Theology, Advanced Certificate in Chaplaincy, and Bachelor of Theology. This milestone is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our students and the entire FTC community, who worked tirelessly to make this event a memorable one. The ceremony was well attended by distinguished guests from diverse sectors, including churches, Yearly Meetings, the corporate world, other academic institutions, and representatives from the national government. Our guest speaker, Hon. Meshack Onzere Mulongo, the Vihiga County County Executive Committee Member for Environment, Water, Energy, Natural Resources, and Climate Change, graced the occasion by delivering an inspiring address. He encouraged the graduates to take up the mantle of leadership and become problem-solvers within their churches and communities.
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One way I monitor the ongoing health of my soul is by paying attention to the first thought that comes to mind when I awake. When my life is on (or at least near!) the right track, what arises within me is “Thank you!” There is an immediate sense of gratitude for the new day and all it will bring. That initial blast of gratitude often carries with me throughout the day and helps me stay thankful, even when things may not always be as I prefer. Most days, I wake up grateful. Except for those brief bouts of grumpiness, occasional illness, and now momentary detours into despair over the state of the world, I am more often spellbound by all the things there are to be grateful for in this life.
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“In the tender compassion of our Godthe dawn from on high shall break upon us,to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,and to guide our feet into the way of peace.” Luke 1:78–79 In this season of physical, liturgical, and (for many) spiritual darkness, where are you (yes, we mean YOU, dear reader) finding hope these days? Where are you finding joy, comfort, beauty, love, or hope? Help us all out—share some of those images with us. Whether your comfort is in the smile of a friend, the appearance of light in the darkness, the wonder of a child, your community gathered with one another—help us to see your Light.Post your pictures of Light to our FUM Facebook page, in the comments section below this post, and we will share them with other Friends, through our social media and through the enews, to remind us all that Light has come into the world and the darkness did not—will not—overcome it. Hashtag: #FUMlight
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On December 4, Western Yearly Meeting is sending Bob and Hope Carter (medical missionaries serving in Africa for over thirty years), Shawn and Katrina McConaughey (Western Yearly Meeting General Superintendent, and former Friends United Meeting Field Staff), along with Michael Sherman (FUM Coordinator of North American and Caribbean Ministries) to Belize for the explicit purpose of seeing and being seen. This fall, FUM’s North American Ministries has offered a book study of David Brooks’ book, How to Know a Person; The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen. Brooks writes in the opening chapter of his book, “There is one skill that lies at the heart of any healthy person, family, school, community organization, or society: the ability to see someone else deeply and make them feel seen—to accurately know another person and to let them feel valued, heard, and understood.” Oscar and Miriam Mmbali, FUM Field Staff, are working and living in Belize with their daughter, Noa. It can be lovely living and working in a country which is not your own. It can also be lonely living and working in a country which is not your own.
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We have all experienced those sleepless nights. We lay quietly while others sleep. We twist around with one foot tangled in the covers. We hear our heartbeat as we lay face up and then face down on the wadded pillow. We worry about our health, our children and grandchildren, our finances, our jobs, and our careers, what will we have for breakfast, and what kind of rush will tomorrow bring? Anxiety abounds in our lives. Don’t get me wrong. For many, there will be a true need for professional help or medication. I strongly advocate for seeking professional help if it's needed. For many of us, the anxious nerves can be calmed by just “counting our blessings.” That’s right! Our peace can be increased and decreased through our gratitude or lack thereof.
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Once again we thank God for Ambwere Sustainability Farm’s second season, which began with planting in March, 2024, and finalized with harvesting in November. This was another season where we again focused on planting commercial maize on the 800 acres of arable land. For this season, we started harvesting on 7 October 2024, which allowed us to carry out harvesting while the maize had a low moisture percentage—unlike last season where we started harvesting a month early, when the moisture content was quite high. We used one combine harvester for this harvesting season and took six weeks to complete harvesting. With less machinery, we were able to do good monitoring and reduce the wastage that we experienced in season one. As part of the harvesting phase, we also utilized human labor to aid in collection of the leftover maize on the farm. This was really ideal so as to maximize our output for season two.The biggest challenge we had was inadequate security, since we did not employ the services of the Kenya Police Reservists like we did last season. This was because of their disarmament by the government following cases of gun violence within the region. However, we were fortunate to utilize the services of the Kenya Administration Police, who were provided to us by the police service. This 2024 season we realized an output of 12,600 bags of wet maize, out of which forty bags were left at the farm to help with food for the next season, and the rest transported to the silos for drying and storage. Last season, we realized 15,000 bags post-harvest, but lost a good number of bags as a result of moisture loss and broken maize. This season we have reduced the moisture loss by more than 30% and controlled the harvesting, which saved us having broken maize. We realized that machinery had contributed to a good amount of the broken maize percentage last season.
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