SCCs in Africa

AFRICA : Small Christian communities - The following excerpt is from this longer article, The role of small Christian communities (SCCs) in the implementation of reconciliation, justice and peace in Africa, by Maryknoll Father Joe Healey for the AMECEA Consultation held Sept. 15 in Nairobi, on the Second African Synod. - There are now over 90,000 SCCs in the eight AMECEA (Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa) countries. Kenya alone has over 35,000 SCCs. There are many examples and case studies of SCCs that are involved in social and mission outreach and in promoting justice, reconciliation, and peace in Africa. In January 2008, Kenya plunged into a wave of riots and violence. Much of the unrest was fueled by tribalism and negative ethnicity. This dramatically affected the thousands of SCCs too. But some communities and people rose above the crisis. Some SCCs in Kenya became effective local tribunals to mediate tribal and ethnic conflicts. A three member mediation team of the St. Augustine SCC in St. Joseph the Worker Parish, Kangemi, Nairobi visited other SCCs to promote the healing of their ethnic tensions and promote reconciliation and peace. They especially encouraged the SCC members to talk about their problems and feelings. On a regular basis there have been peacebuilding seminars for the SCC leaders of Christ the King Catholic Parish in Kibera, Nairobi. For example, on March 7, there were 32 participants from the SCCs -- 20 women and 12 men representing the larger ethnic groups in Kenya such as the Kikuyu, Luo, Kamba, Luyia and Kalenjin. They used two role plays on the causes of instability in the Kibera slums and problems facing the SCCs in the parish. Decisions and suggestions were made on how to implement what was discussed in the SCC. People should be honest about the difficulty with paying debts and not to betray trust by hiding. Also people should ask for forgiveness, be responsible, organised, open and reconcile with others. In Kenya there were many inspiring, uplifting and positive witness and testimony stories. It is important to tell our African stories of justice, forgiveness, reconciliation and peacemaking. To be valuable these stories must be real, that is, having a sacrifice/struggle/vulnerability/overcoming adversity and odds "reality edge" to them (hali halisi stories as we say in Swahili). Searching in the "African Story Database" on the African Proverbs, Sayings and Stories website by theme and sub-theme one finds 38 stories on SCCs. - http://www.maryknollogc.org/

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