A Message From (Prophet) Oriah

by Jane Hines

On January 13, 2003, the very day that he was killed in a car wreck near Gallatin, Tennessee, Ibrahim Oriah Ofwang had planned to meet with the session of Second Presbyterian Church in Nashville to ask for an extension of his stay in living quarters on church property, which the church had provided for the past two months. Oriah was a young student from Kenya who was planning to go home with an RN degree and help to combat the raging AIDS epidemic in his native land.

He had written a letter to the session and had planned to present it personally at their meeting; instead the elders read his letter silently after they received the news of Oriah’s tragic death. This is the letter:

Dear brothers and sisters in the Lord’s vineyard,

Greetings, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Having attended a nursing school, I learned of a mental condition called schizophrenia. In schizophrenia, the connection between the mind and the emotions is fragmented. The result is a bizarre inability for the schizophrenic to engage in meaningful relationships. The spark that makes love and intimacy appealing and desirable is absent. There is something missing. Emotionally and mentally, the schizophrenic is an island unto him or herself, even though a community of family and support people are nearby.

In today’s world, nations and institutions make decisions as if they are islands unto themselves; as if there is no world community. At a time in history when television, radio, print media and the internet offer technological solutions to separateness and can unite people on separate ends of the globe, we are further away from one another than ever before. Advances to the world’s technological mind have out-paced the human need for connectedness. On a global scale, intellect is detached from the emotions, in other words, schizophrenic. This pathology results in a deep and abiding lack of community sense in the world. Experiences of alienation and loneliness are common and felt so intensely that people are going insane. Rates of suicide are skyrocketing. The world seems to be defined by a prevalence of poor and perverted relationships.

We have great desire to buy material things we do not need, with money we do not have, for people we do not like. We are spectators in the game of love. The world seems to be convinced that might is found in war, in armies but not in the everlasting warm love of Jesus Christ.

Having been raised in a Seventh Day Adventist family, although the Presbyterian church has followers in Kenya, I never was interested in finding out about this family of believers. The other day I decided to find out what this name “presbyterian” means. I discovered that it comes from the word “presbuteros” or “presbyter” or “elder.” In my culture, an elder is one advanced in life, experience and wisdom. In other words, a senior accorded all the respect, wise in decision and vision and sensitive to human needs.

Here I have found a church, warm and elderly. A real participant in the game of love. The decision this Session made to house me touched the very bottom part of my heart. The Session took me from danger into safety. I therefore wish to volunteer help in whatever area of the church ministries that has need.

I am, however, aware that this accommodation is temporary. I have not been able to establish an alternative accommodation. I therefore kindly place two requests before this Session and the church: 1) if there is any church member who wishes to rent out part of his/her home to a student, I am interested, and 2) I kindly wish to request an extension of my accommodation as I prayerfully search for an alternate living arrangement.

Again, thanks for offering me the best Christmas gift ever. With all my appreciation,

Sincerely,

Oriah Ibrahim

Conference for Historians is May 5-9

The Presbyterian Historical Society is pleased to announce the dates for the 25th annual Seminar on Local Church History.

On May 5-9, 2003 the Presbyterian Historical Society office in Montreat, North Carolina will hold the Seminar for persons interested in the collection, preservation and writing of Presbyterian history. Workshops Workshops on writing, researching, and publishing a history will be featured, as well as a two-day writing workshop especially for Presbyterian Women historians. Anniversary celebration committees and Archives or Heritage room committees will be interested in our workshops on the preservation of church records and library books, disaster preparedness, oral history, exhibiting church treasures and using new digital technologies, photograph preservation, and ideas for celebrating a congregation’s anniversary.

For more information and an application, contact Diana Ruby-Sanderson, Presbyterian Historical Society, P.O. Box 849, Montreat, NC 28757 or call 828/669-7061 or e-mail dsanderson at history.pcusa.org.

Two Sisters Lead MSARC Fall Event

The Midsouth Association of Resource Centers and the MidSouth Association of Presbyterian Church Educators met together for their annual event at Scarritt Bennett Center in Nashville November 4-6. The theme for the event was “Outside the Box: A Creative Exploration of Worship and Education.” The Rev. Elizabeth Caldwell, Professor of Pastoral Theology at McCormick Theological Seminary, was the keynote speaker. She and her sister, Cathy Caldwell Hoop, DCE at Second Presbyterian in Nashville, facilitated creative approaches to worship planning and a rich and diverse worship experience.

Cathy Hoop and Elizabeth Caldwell