Cow thief baptised

I remember singing in Sunday School about the man who bought a wife and married a cow (or was it the other way round?) and so had no time for God's kingdom - see Luke 14:19,20 - but this week I heard about a man who spent 12 years in prison for stealing a cow and then last month was baptised - in a prison bucket. The story comes from a Nepali colleague who conducted the baptism, of eleven prisoners in total, in Tansen prison two weeks ago.

The ironic thing is that if the man had been baptised twelve years ago (instead of stealing the cow!) he would not have been facing a prison sentence. No worse, he and my friend who baptised him would have been facing the death penalty! Praise God, a lot has changed in twelve years in Nepal. From a closed Hindu kingdom in which baptism was illegal it has become an open 'secular' state where prison governers welcome Christian ministry and the church growth rate is one of the fastest in the world. Wow, what a change. Through the Faith2Share network we are now seeing Nepalis popping up all over the place in world mission. And they are great people to work with!

When Youthwork means youth work

Great news from Church Army Africa - a Faith2Share movement - this week. More Kenyan youth now find themselves with employment and hope following the establishment of dozens of new micro-enterprises around the country.

Church youth work is always a challenge - who will do it? - what shall we do? - what do young people want anyway? - what relevance does faith have for the socially engaged teenager or the depressed 20 something? Young people in Kenya represent 75% of the population and many of them face a host of social and economic challenges including unemployment, crime, corruption, tribalism and HIV/AIDS, not to mention their youthful struggle with identity. Working with CMS Africa, Church Army Africa recently started a Youth for Work programme which recognises that when you are young in Kenya gospel = work, a opportunity to contribute to society, to be valued, to have dignity and to know yourself as a daughter or son of the creative God. Sounds like a great mission venture to me. Well done Church Army Africa.