Cooking on gas: Archbishop Rowan sees how clean-fuel cookers are replacing smoky indoor wood fires(Photo: © CMS Africa)"This is how to relate to the world around us," said Dr Rowan Williams of a CMS-backed project in Kenya last week. Oscar Sang of CMS Africa reports
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, toured a community biogas project in Machakos Anglican diocese as part of his pastoral trip to Kenya, and witnessed how raw cow dung is processed into methane gas for cooking and its by-product: the slurry, refined into fertilizer for farming.
He lauded the work of partners: Machakos diocese, CMS Africa, CMS and the diocesan development arm, Ukamba Christian Community Services (UCCS), praising their efforts in helping the Kenyan rural folk create their own renewable and sustainable green energy technologies.
“Today, I have witnessed something new known as Farming God’s Way,” remarked Dr Williams.
“This is a clear example of how we need to relate to the world around us,” he said.
Gift exchange: Archbishop Rowan swaps gifts with Dennis Tongoi, executive director of CMS Africa (Photo: © CMS)
The project has met CMS and CMS Africa’s goals of transforming communities; renewing their mindsets by seeing beneficiaries go through
VISION Conferences and training in
Farming God’s Way, a technology from Zimbabwe that ensures farms are not tilled and crops are heavily mulched.
According to Francis Ngui, a farmer and beneficiary of the project whom the archbishop visited, it was a day he will never forget.
“As a farmer and as an Anglican,” he said, “it is such a great honour to have you in my home, Your Grace.
"This project has really been a blessing to my family. Look! I now grow tomatoes for sale using the slurry from this project.
"My wife no longer struggles to buy charcoal or to collect firewood for cooking. With it, our forests and trees are preserved,” he said with great excitement.
Later, the Archbishop of Canterbury and his host Dr Eliud Wabukhala, the Kenyan Anglican Church Primate, toured several other initiatives within the diocese including overseeing the opening of UCCS offices in Wamunyu and a newly constructed Anglican Church Cathedral in Machakos town.
In his message to the Kenyan faithful, Dr Williams urged the church to ‘feed’ the Kenyan nation with fruits of the Holy Spirit.
“In my tour to this diocese, I have seen a lot of fruits; mangoes and oranges. I urge you therefore, to feed this nation with the fruits of the Holy Spirit as described by St Paul in the Bible.”
From Kenya, Dr Williams went on to tour the church in DR Congo, especially the diocese of Boga in the Eastern part of the country, where Church Mission Society (CMS) mission partner Judy Acheson has featured prominently with her work among the youth.