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Working here is different from working in Thailand—not just
the nature of my work but how I work. Here, my office is at home
(when I am home). I enjoy going to work in my pajamas but do miss
the folks I used to work with in the office and all the people
who would drop by for one reason or another. Another difference
has to do with work budgets. In the past, my work budget primarily
came out of the Christian Church in Thailand's AIDS ministry budget,
as that was where I was assigned. Here, because of the nature
of the work, the work budget comes out of what is known in the
PC(USA) as an Extra Commitment Opportunity (ECO) account. It is
frustrating because I don't know how to plan my work schedule,
which includes a lot of traveling, quite an expensive proposition
here.
Be that as it may, the show must go on. People have asked how
much traveling I plan to do. At this point it looks like about
half, if not more, of my time will be spent on the road. Good
thing that I enjoy traveling and meeting people.
In August and September I was in Malawi for about a month, being
introduced to the HIV/AIDS work of the Church of Central Africa
Presbyterian (CCAP). All the Synods have AIDS programs going.
Orphan care is a common element in their programs, as are education,
scholarships for orphans and vulnerable children, and home-based
care. When doing home visits with a team in Blantyre Synod, I
at first had a sense of coming home. This was the type of work
I used to do with our team in Thailand. Then it struck me as to
how different my role is now. Where as before, I was part of the
hosting team, showing the visitors around and introducing them
to our friends living with HIV/AIDS, now I was the visitor and,
for the foreseeable future, that will be my role wherever I go.
The challenge will be in becoming not simply the visitor but the
friend coming to visit.
The first two weeks of October found me in Kenya, first to do
a brief orientation and introduction to a few leaders in the Presbyterian
Church of Eastern Africa (PCEA), and then to join up with the
members of the Presbyterian Women's Global Exchange (from the
U.S.) to visit several areas and be introduced to various issues
of concern. That turned out to be a good way to meet people, both
Kenyan and American. I was impressed again at the interest and
commitment of people in the churches to make a difference in their
communities. In one area, before joining the Global Exchange delegation,
I met with the women's guild of a church that had started a clinic
and then started a preschool program for orphan children. In another
area people were very concerned about such issues as education
for the girl child and female genital mutilation (also known as
female circumcision). These are such sensitive issues that need
to be addressed and are addressed best by people who share the
culture and traditions (although they may not practice them now).
Last month, after getting back from Kenya, it was off to the
U.S. for a planning meeting and a consultation. The planning meeting
was for a workshop that we will be having in Malawi in February
with a couple of people from each of the partner churches that
we will be focusing on to start out. For me it will be Malawi
and Ethiopia (and possibly also South Africa). For Caryl Weinberg,
my colleague in Central and West Africa, it will be Cameroon and
the Democratic Republic of Congo. The workshop will be a two-week
affair and will cover a wide range of topics from how to do participatory
community surveys to find out what the needs of a community are,
to reviewing what the strengths of churches are in responding
to the HIV crisis.
Looking ahead: Wednesday I am off to Ethiopia for a couple of
weeks to meet the folks there and to have an orientation to the
church and the AIDS work that is going on. Looking even farther
ahead, in mid-May of 2003 I will be coming back to the U.S. for
about two months to attend some meetings, including the Presbyterian
Women's Gathering in July, so should have time to visit some churches
if any are interested. It would be best to contact me through
my e-mail address below. Also, as I will be doing a lot of traveling
the first quarter of next year, please be patient if you do not
receive an answer right away.
In talking with the interim general secretary of the All Africa
Conference of Churches (based in Kenya) he told me "you have
left home to come home." That comment really struck me because
he put into words what I have been feeling. In some mysterious
way, in the bounty of God's grace, I do feel very strongly that
yes, I have left home but at the same time, I have also come home.
As I will not get another letter out before Christmas, let me
take this opportunity to wish you the very best for a Christmas
filled with joy and peace as we celebrate the coming of the Prince
of Peace. And may you find that wherever you are, that is home.
Blessings,
Janet Guyer
#45 Wyvenhoe Gardens
Sunny Road
Lakefield
Benoni 1501
South Africa
jguyer@pobox.com
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