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On Faith Grace Imathiu |
Conversation, not
conversion, is themeLast night, my sleep was disturbed by the sound of the snowplow outside my window: flashing orange light, a persistent "beep-beep-beep" as the vehicle reversed, and the jarring sound of the metal blade scraping on asphalt. Even in the middle of the night, I was reminded that I live in snowy, subzero Wisconsin.
As a Kenyan pastor living in the Midwest, it has taken me time to learn the stories and jokes that go with living in a cold part of the world. Garrison Keillor's tales of Minnesota have helped me along the way, as has my admittedly incomplete knowledge of football, specifically the Green Bay Packers and the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field.
In a few days, my family and I will fly to Hawaii, a part of the world I have never visited before. It makes me contemplate the enormous possibilities and challenges of being an international speaker and preacher.
It is a privilege to be invited to speak at the annual Britt Lectures in Honolulu. I value the gift of being welcomed into people's lives and sharing their spiritual journeys. I am encouraged by the opportunity to speak across boundaries and barriers of race, gender, age and culture. It is clear to me that my task is to build bridges, strengthen community and encourage dialogue.
These are ambitious objectives. How do they translate in reality? How can I possibly have anything of lasting value to say in an hour to people who don't know me? My driving force is the desire to speak in a way that resonates with people, connects with their lives and goes beyond platitudes and team pep talks.
I am helped by my background as an African woman. I come from a country with a troubled and often violent colonial past, and I am aware of the many obstacles preventing communication and cooperation.
I know all about mistrust that groups of people can have for each other.
I am suspicious of solutions imposed from above. I am weary of quick-fix answers from abroad that are not rooted in how local people speak and behave.
All of this enables me to avoid the pitfalls of parachuting into an unknown location and proposing grand, easy solutions to age-old problems.
As a mother of a 2-year-old son, Erik, I realize that the people who mean the most to us -- whether we like it or not -- are our nearest and dearest, our immediate network of friends and family. These are the people whose opinions we really value. These are the people who can disappoint us or send us into a rage. Family and close friends know our every strength and weakness.
So when I arrive in Honolulu, welcoming the sun and warmth and ready to speak, I will say I am Grace, I am your sister. Yes, I am a woman. Yes, I am from Africa. Yes, I am a Methodist Bible scholar and pastor. But most of all I am your sister. Let us speak and listen to each other as sister to sister, sister to brother.
My deeply felt wish is to reach way beyond formalities and pleasantries and to connect and communicate. I hope that we can plan projects of cooperation and begin the concrete task of transformation and healing, of working together, building a meaningful long-term relationship.
My theme is the overwhelming need and desire for conversation in our world.
As a pastor, I can honestly and fearlessly say we need to think much less about conversion and more about conversation. I am your sister, let's start talking.
The Rev. Grace Imathiu, pastor of United Methodist Church in Brown Deer, Wis., will speak at the annual Britt Lectures next weekend at First United Methodist Church, 1020 S. Beretania St. They are free and open to the public.
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