Reflections on my Africa experience
By Tom Yaccino

Over the last couple of weeks we experienced some intense Kingdom connections during a gathering of the Amahoro Africa network, a sister network to the Red del Camino in Latin America.  Both networks share a common passion that we believe is God’s dream for all of creation, which is to bring about the total redemption and restoration of all things.

We also had a powerful experience in Burundi, where we connected with Dallas church, Community of Faith and local Christ-followers from the Batwa tribe.  Our time in Burundi reminded us again about the power and possibility of God’s vision for a restored creation.

Kingdom Reconciliation in South Africa

RdC Network leaders have been invited to be a part of the African network gathering since it started three years ago.   This year, Robert Guerrero and I traveled to South Africa to participate in the network’s annual gathering, “The African Reformation”.

The beauty of these moments of connection within the global Kingdom community is that as we share stories of how God makes himself known and felt in the midst of the suffering that is so prevalent in the world, we experience reconciliation and hope.

Our South African brothers and sisters opened our eyes and hearts to a country whose history is marked by divisions and has suffered decades of hatred, systemic discrimination, violence, and oppression.    Even in the darkest times of South Africa’s Apartheid, hope broke through the darkness through faithful followers of Christ who refused to conform to the “anti-kingdom” present in the form of governmental institutionalization of racism.   Leaders like Nelson Mandela continue to inspire the world with their perseverance and commitment to justice.    As a nation that still struggles with the scars caused by that horrible system, to this day it continues to move forward seeking reconciliation and equality.

During the Amahoro gathering we witnessed the mystery and power of God’s grace and love.   A white senior official of the South African national police force, who became a follower of Christ several years ago, shared his story together with his former black maid, two black clergy, and a former white anti-terrorist task force member who later became a pastor and now serves as an international consultant for development and reconciliation initiatives.

After hearing the police supervisor’s testimony, a new friend of ours, Sean, who still struggles with guilt and shame for the dark actions he committed under order from the Police authorities during the apartheid years, confessed to the ex-official that he still harbors resentment and hatred toward him.   He publicly asked for forgiveness.  In turn, the ex-official pleaded for forgiveness from him. Both, now under the Divine directive that promotes life and wholeness, symbolized their act of reconciliation by washing one another’s feet.    It was a Holy Moment–a sign of hope rising up from the ruins left by systemic injustice.

Signs of Hope in Burundi

After we shared a week with our family members from all over Africa who participated in the Amahoro gathering, we then traveled to Burundi where we experienced another powerful Kingdom connection between God’s people from the Batwa tribe and fellow Kingdom citizens from Community of Faith, a local church from Houston, Texas.

During our time with the Batwa, we were once again exposed to a people group who have been experiencing the by-products of marginalization and discrimination since before the time of Colonization.    The systemic oppression that this ethnic group has suffered at the hands of the dominant tribes (and afterward, the colonizers) has left them landless and left out of the potential benefits of the educational, health, and economic systems of the nation.   Their struggles only intensified during the 15-year period of civil war and political unrest.

As we heard their stories and were confronted by the conditions they live with, what surprised us most were the signs of hope.   These humble and marginalized people, many of whom have put their trust in Christ, shared their dreams for their communities that are in alignment with God’s powerful dream of restoration.

Against all odds, Batwa young and old, are sharing their story and participating in God’s plans to make all things new.

The Transformative Power of Suffering

These experiences reminded us once again that even in dire circumstances there is hope because of the One who lived among us as a suffering servant - Jesus, who gives life through his suffering, death and resurrection.

(more…)

By guest blogger,  Roger Peer

Note: Roger wrote this reflection after a trip to the Dominican Republic where he served with ICC, a Network church in the capital city of Santo Domingo.

Micah 6:8 says:  Do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with your God.

My definition of justice had always been some sort of “righteousness or consequence” idea.  In leadership my definition was a sense of keeping things going in the right direction, “the rules of community”, or something like that.  I think my evangelical background tied justice to God’s perfect justice which was overcome by Christ’s sacrifice of perfect love for us.

But the linkage between justice and mercy in this verse never made sense to me.

But here, at ICC in the Dominican Republic , I saw clearly for the first time that justice was about each of us having the same rights, the same reception, the same love, the same presence with Father God.

We all are sons and daughters of the same King.  And if my brother or sister is in trouble, I am to love them with Mercy. I saw it with you, my new Dominican brothers and sisters.  I saw you live it in your ministry to the homeless, I sense it in your love for each other.  I feel it in your love and acceptance of us, of me, into your community.

When I see your justice practiced with such love and mercy, it is a true gift to me.  It humbled me to be with you.  I walk humbly with my God, home to Chicago , more rightly motivated to live DOING justice.