Why then do we mention those holy
nomads winding their way through the pages of the Bible? We are
in fact facing a transition again, and their stories have been
a comfort to us as we contemplate the next step in our ministry.
We know we belong here in Egypt for the long haul, but in order
to stay, we will have to leave for a while. The seminary here
needs strong teachers to give leaders of the church thoughtful,
effective training. They have asked us to pursue doctoral studies
so we can deepen the contribution we can make to our students’
lives. That means spending several years away from the seminary.
It means another goodbye and another place to pitch our tent.
We are excited about this next step. The past five years have
helped us to learn about the church in Egypt and the contexts
our students minister in.
We have sounded the depths of the education we have, and pinpointed
our strengths and weaknesses. We know now what questions we want
to ask and what areas of scholarship will help the seminary here
the most. We are poised to spend time in serious study that will
help build up the church in Egypt. In many ways, it is an ideal
time to leave. In other ways, we don’t want to leave at
all. We have made friends, made a home, and made a life here in
Cairo. None of these are easy to leave. As we feel our roots being
torn up—albeit temporarily—we have clung to the examples
in Scripture of those who experienced God’s blessing as
they journeyed onward, and onward again. As we placed this plan
before the Lord in prayer over the past year, we experienced remarkable
clarity and peace at each point in our decision-making. We found
practical details falling into place with surprising speed. We’re
glad to report Darren’s acceptance to the doctoral program
in systematic theology at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland,
and the award of a full-tuition scholarship from the British government.
His program begins this fall and will take three years. Elisabeth
will begin studies in Christian education soon afterward. Our
plans for study involve a radical change in ministry focus over
the next three years. We will be moving to Scotland for that time
period, although we will stay closely connected with the seminary
in Cairo and hope to teach shorter intensive courses here as time
allows. We will be back at the seminary to stay by fall of 2007.
Already we feel how much we will miss our home here in Cairo,
the community we have become a part of, and the ministry that
the Lord has blessed so richly. Yet we are confident of God’s
call to us for this next step, and we know that He will be faithful
in preparing us for greater contributions to His kingdom in Egypt
in future years.
The PC(USA) is keeping us on as full-time missionaries during
this time period. We will continue to update you on our news as
well as developments at the seminary in Cairo. Your prayers and
support will be vital for us as we prepare ourselves for longer,
deeper, and fuller service in Egypt. We are excited to continue
sharing with you along each step of this marvelous journey. Please
stay in contact with us via our new address:
18/3 Blacket Avenue
Edinburgh EH9 1RS
United Kingdom
Rejoice with us! “The Lord has done great things for us,
and we are glad” (Ps. 126:3).
Yours in Christ’s enduring love,
Elisabeth, Darren, Calvin, and Samuel Kennedy
The 2004 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p.
318 |
