Move Over, Andrew Zimmern!

            Marty and I just returned from eating supper with Dr. Soko and his wife.  They live right across the road from our house.  Here is their picture.

 

          They are a delightful couple.  Dr. Soko has been on the faculty at JMTUC for a couple of years.  He teaches what might be called Practical Theology:  Christian Education, preaching, worship, church administration, financial management, Christian ethics.

 

           We were welcomed to a table full of food:  salad, boiled potatoes, rice, chicken, beef, Zambian collard greens (that what they looked and tasted like), macaroni, nshemi (the national dish that is very much like grits) and (drumroll please) -- fried caterpillars!  Dr. Soko said a little voice (that would be Dustin) told him that I would like to eat some insects.  I won't say they tasted like chicken, because they didn't.  They were crunchy and had a distinct fried flavor.  I thought they were good. (Marty didn't eat any of them.)

 

          After supper, we spent another hour talking in the living room (during which time the power came back on).  Dr. Soko asked us many questions about the church in the United States and what it is like to be a pastor in the church in the PCUSA.  I, in turn, asked him many questions about the placement/call system for the graduates of JMTUC.  Dr. Soko is a member of the Reformed Church of Zambia (referred to around here as RCZed).  He explained the placement/call system in his denomination -- it's sort of a combination of the Methodist placement and Presbyterian call system.  A pastor can stay as long as he/she wants if the relationship with the congregation is good.  A pastor can also request a transfer from the synod.  If another church extends a call to a pastor, he/she is free to accept or not.  However, if the synod reassigns a pastor, he/she must accept the new assignment.

 

          It was another interesting evening.  We left around 9:00 p.m.  Marty has to teach for three hours in the morning.  My Friday class meets in the afternoon from 2-4 p.m.  We commented to Dr. Soko that we all had to get up early for chapel in the morning. I asked him if he knew who was preaching.  He grinned and said yes.  I asked, "Who?"  He said, "I am."  I'm sure it will be a good sermon.