YeKengalé

Dispersion was the secret ingredient that led to the widespread and rapid propagation of the gospel in the beginning and the same is true today, perhaps now more than ever before. This was decidedly expressed in the recent Lausanne document on world evangelism: The State of the Great Commission, a monumental work of intellect and passion unparalelled in my opinion as equipment for anyone in Christian missions. All of Paul’s epistles were written to metropolitan centres as flooded with migrant communities as are London, New York, Berlin or Toronto. These ethnic communities on the move both took to the gospel and took the gospel with them when they went on the move again.

This is the third Christian Diaspora conference I’m attending. Each time, Diaspora has been defined differently. First there was the Jamaican diaspora bringing together Jamaicans at home and abroad. But then there was a greater realization that what was true of Jamaica was true of all the Caribbean and that Haitians, and Trinidadians and Bajans and Dominicans and Kittians etc were all bonded together in common history and socialization and all had their diasporas in the Americas and the UK, Europe and every corner of the earth. Seeds were planted in that second conference that has directly led to this conference, a collaboration of OSJ that sponsored the first 2 and AFREG, who have decided to host their 5th Christian Diaspora conference in Jamaica. The focus is now Global Africa and all her Diasporas.

In the second conference Ambassador Josephine Ojiambo, permanent Kenyan representative to the UN, set out a clear intellectual framework to justify the natural progression and the authenticity of the process in a way that those Caribbeans who querry being identified as anyone else’s 6th (or whatever figure) region might understand. She also made very concrete suggestions for exploration of trade opportunities. I should say thanks to the African continental community for establishing a new identity: The Caribbeans. For us in the Caribbean, we use the word ‘Caribbean’ as an adjective and if we refer to it as a noun we are referring to the geographical region. Almost never do we refer to ourselves as such. But of course it makes perfect sense. Russia – Russians. America – Americans. Caribbean – Caribbeans. I love it. This may also just help us as we are ourselves (as Africans the world over) struggling with identity. Thank you. I am indeed a Caribbean.

These conferences of course above all offer opportunities of networking and expanding relationship beyond geographical boundaries. Hopefully more thought can be given in the future to modalities of encouraging deeper and more meaningful connections. Western systems of social intercourse minimalize deep personal bonding and maximize the transactional. It would be tragic if as Africans we throw away the deep technologies of spirit learned in our indigenous rituals of social intercourse and embrace the spiritless exhibitionism of Europe and claim their shallow Christ who would have had a better heritage long before white missionaries invaded our lands.

I couldnt help but think, after listening to the passionate presentation this morning of Tsitsi Masiyiwa from Zimbabwe, a massively successful and passionate businessman and philanthropist, of the very tragic circumstances of not one but two previous Christian conferences where a key organizer or presenter, people of like considerable accomplishment and notable generosity but were dead within a year or two from suicide. Those were gut-wrenching blows to the Christian community and I’m not the type to look the other way and pretend. We love to emphasize, and should never ever stop, that ‘little’ people matter, that the poor are important to Jesus and to us and that practical Christianity builds bridges not walls between social classes and levels of wealth attainment. However the rich and successful are people with problems too and worthy of someone who will talk them through the night and as Jesus did with Nicodemus, give them the time and attention, confidentiality and mutual respect to express their agonies as well.

This is clearly no judgment of the fact that the conference demonstrates a massive amount of expenditure both of thought and planning as well as financial investment in a premium experience that all who are participating are certain to enjoy, nor is it to bemoan the many that will be excluded because of the cost of access. We say in Jamaica, “Money mek fi spen”. And people pay for what they value and value what they pay for. I certainly appreciate excellence in all its forms. However, sufficient thought must also be invested in the spiritual condition, profile and needs of all the people we cater for, collaborate with and interact – rich, poor and in between. Christ is an exploiter of no man/no woman.

We must be careful in a world of show and exhibition, that the who, what and how of our exhibitions, productions and gatherings is Christ indeed, in spirit and truth. For if we leave our spiritual conferences empty spiritually, then they were not spiritual conferences at all, or if they were, they certainly were not Christian. Now Jesus himself had his own suicide story among his disciples, and yet could pray with clear conscience “All that you gave me have I kept except …” Can we say that however? That we have been our brother’s and sister’s and followers’ keeper? I only ask that in our approach whether to worship services, councils, conferences etc that we be careful to do all we do in the name of Christ in truth.

The conversation thus far in fact has been all about making that distinction – what is really done in Christ’s name and what only uses his name but denies or quenches His Spirit. Lest we forget, Christ and the Bible were central to the whole project of colonization, the subjugation and anhillation of whole people groups, and for all of the talk of reparations from predatory States implicated in past crimes against humanity, the church of Jesus Christ, whole swaths of it, has still not unknotted itself from association with that project and, let us not deny, with similiar crimes against humanity taking place right now, profaning religion and Christ’s Holy Name, yet some still have the audacity to preach repentance to others.

‘Where two or three are gathered together in my name’. We need to remember, consider and honor the depths of meaning in that statement and be fully present ourselves when we gather and fully available to see, hear, and speak to each other within the knowledge of the Represented Christ in us. Or then how are we different from the Christianity of Columbus or Cromwell which infected our shores with its offensive epistle and infernal designs purportedley in the Name of Christ and His church?

The conference has gotten off to a wonderful start. And I look forward to every opportunity to truly meet and interact with God’s wonderful people.