HAPPENINGS AROUND THE WORLD n HAPPENINGS AROUND THE WORLD n HAPPENINGS AROUND THE WORLD n H AFRICAN Concerns and Mission Continued

by Duro Ayanrinola

USA conducted a 10-day intensive Training of Conflict Transformation Trainers (TCTT) in Ede, Nigeria. There were 26 participants from 10 African countries. The focus was on topics such as conflict

analysis, conflict resolution and personal conflict styles, dealing with diversity in conflict, power issues, nonviolent practical issues for peacemaking and others. Following the training, participants did the following, utilizing tools gained during the training: In Central African Republic (CAR), a series of training for pastors, relating to trauma healing, was held with funding from BWAid. One participant led peace- building

training for young men that

included those still in militias, some of whom came to the workshops with their automatic weapons!

From the work in the CAR a Muslim imam contacted the trainer to ask for

training in the Muslim community as well. Plans for that are underway. Participants from Sierra Leone used their skills gained in experiential education to design public health training in response to the Ebola crisis.

Participants from Sierra Leone

also held workshops for youth in conflict transformation and reconciliation. A participant from Uganda organized

training in northern Uganda for youth, working with two graduates from the 2013 TCTT in Kenya (one from Uganda and one from Zimbabwe). Zambian Baptists hosted conflict transformation training for youth in the Copper Belt region with co-facilitation from two of their trained members and the TCTT co-facilitator from Zimbabwe. Other participants have gone through Bible studies, written articles and preached sermons on Christian peace- making themes relating to this training.

I n the past two years, we have

redoubled our effort toward combating “nominalism” and spiritual apathy by producing Sunday School lessons and daily devotional readings. God has blessed our efforts. By the grace of God, we have been able to produce literature in the following languages: French, English, Swahili and Amharic.

The ultimate goal of the Christian

Educators Conference (CEC) we conduct each year is to produce African writers who will be able to write literature in their indigenous and cultural settings. We are not there yet, but we shall be soon. Meanwhile, we are adopting some work of the Nigerian Baptist Convention (NBC), reworking and reproducing them. We hope by 2017, some regions will be able to produce their own literature.

Two days of a community conference drew opinion leaders, community leaders, church leaders, landlords, chiefs, elders, and government officials to bring peace and reconciliation between Moyo in Uganda and Kajokeji in South Sudan. Last September 15-20, there was a

LETTER from the Baptist Convention of SOUTH SUDAN zation,

serious border fight between the two sister communities that have lived together for generations and generations. In that fight, properties worth millions and lives were lost.

The conference was facilitated by Safe Hope, a local nongovernmental organi-

in collaboration with UNMISS (United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan). As chairman

of the

interfaith

committee, I appealed to the participants to reconcile to God and men (2 Corinth 5:20), because Christ preached peace to

Right: An assembly hosted by the Baptist Convention of South Sudan

14 BAPTIST WORLD MAGAZINE