Cambridge, International Politics, and Yale: Kings Family CMS link letter 18, July 1992
by Graham Kings
Date added: 30/01/2026
Culture shock in reverse:
- Ancient buildings in Cambridge.
- People walking on the sunny side of the street.
- Hurrying to get to the bank before 1 o’clock, then realising it is open later.
- People eating all the time – even while walking around.
- Missing profoundly our friends at Kabare, who taught us so much about Christ.
We returned to England at the beginning of November 1991, after nearly seven years in Kenya, and have found that adjustment to life here is taking some time. Graduation Day was just before we left and the British High Commissioner was the Guest of Honour: he opened the new archive centre in the (almost completed) new library complex. Bishop Gitari gave me a surprise farewell gift – he made me a Canon (Emeritus) of Kerugoya Pro-Cathedral.
Last Sunday (19 July) Bishop John Waine of Chelmsford officially opened the new library and chapel at Kabare and three women were ordained deacon for the first time, including Pam Wilding, our CMS colleague – previously they had been deaconesses. The Diocese of Chelmsford had given a magnificent grant of £75,000 for the new building.
Our time in Kenya overlapped almost exactly with Gorbachev’s Presidency of the former USSR and the world has changed considerably during that period.
In 1985, in the USA, the Strategic Defence Initiative (Star Wars) was being deployed against the ‘Evil Empire’; in Prague, Vaclav Havel was in and out of prison; in East Berlin, Erick Honecker prophesied that the Wall would stand for 100 years; in Kenya, the exchange rate was 19 Kenya Shillings to one Pound sterling and President Moi was firmly in power in the one party state – L’état, c’est Moi.
At the end of 1991, the USSR had imploded and Star Wars was shelved; Walesa and Havel were in power, and the Berlin Wall was down; the Kenyan exchange rate was 51 shillings to one Pound (it has since risen to 60!); and President Moi was forced, through international aid being frozen, to allow other political parties to register. Après Moi, le déluge ? Please pray for justice in the elections that may take place later this year.
What news of Cambridge? Well, the British High Commissioner, who came to Graduation Day, has just been appointed Master of Pembroke College! We have settled in and are delighted with the spacious house provided by the Henry Martyn Trust: it is near Midsummer Common and the boathouses on the river. Rosalind (10), Miriam (8), and Katie (5) enjoy their schools and have made friends. Alison has started exploring drawing again and I have been setting up my new post and lecturing in mission studies in the Federation of four theological colleges. We all feel at home at Holy Trinity Church, where I am an Honorary Curate.
My study is at Ridley Hall, right at the top of the tower and opposite the room I had as an ordinand in the late 70s. Both Ludwig Krapf, the pioneer missionary to Kenya in 1844, and Henry Martyn, who translated the New Testament into Urdu, Persian and Arabic and died tragically in 1812, are commemorated in stained glass windows in Ridley Hall Chapel. An interesting link.
‘A sabbatical after only two terms?’ Well…yes, but it had been arranged before I was appointed and fits in with developing the new course. From mid-August to mid-December, our whole family will be in New Haven, USA. I will combine a Research Fellowship at Yale Divinity School, with some lecturing at the Overseas Ministries Study Center. Our address will be:
Overseas Ministries Study Center,
490 Prospect Street,
New Haven, CT 06511 USA
This is our final link letter, and we have now completed our visits to link parishes: thank you for your prayers and financial support to CMS over these years. Don’t forget us, for we would greatly value your prayers as we are uprooted again after such a short time, particularly for the girls’ schooling. Please remember also the severe problems of famine and refugees in the north of Kenya, Bishop Gitari, the Principal at Kabare, Moses Njoroge, and our successors, Ben and Glenys Knighton with Rachel.
May the Lord preserve your going out and your coming in, from this time forth and for evermore. Amen.
PS. How do you make God smile? Tell him your plans…
