Couple Takes Valuable Marriage Lessons on the Road

Approximately a year ago, we introduced you to Fielden and Janet Allison, a remarkable missionary couple who agreed to start recording lessons on marriage for the Africa Service. At that time, we had three episodes of their “Path to a Happy Home.” Now we have thirty-five.

The Allisons have a very heavy annual schedule of activities that includes teaching a semester at African Christian College in Swaziland, traveling to the U.S. to touch base with their supporters, friends and family (one new grandchild arrived this summer) and hitting the road to take their Marriage and Family Workshop to a number of African nations. This last activity is taking place now.

They’ve traveled an astounding 3,200 miles so far on this year’s trip! That is 1/8 the distance around the world, and that in one direction on poorly maintained African roads! They write, “We decided to drive the shortest route through Tanzania which meant we were on rough roads for hundreds of miles.  We-e-e   ma-a-d-e-e   i-i-i-t   fi-i-i-n-a-a-l-l-l-y  but rather shaken up. It was so dusty.”

Fielden and Janet drove from Swaziland to Kenya, making many stops along the way. Two weeks ago they crossed the border into Kenya.  They bypassed Nairobi to avoid traffic jams and went straight to Kalyet, their first teaching appointment in that country.  They were warmly welcomed by their friends, Richard and Alice Chepkwony.  They were given the son’s small house for accommodations and were fed a delicious meal in the traditional style. They taught eight couples their four-day Marriage and Family Workshop and taught twenty-five people their one-day Conflict Resolution Seminar.  Leaving there, they went to Sagas Sagik where they will hold another workshop.

Most people think of tropical heat when they think of Africa.  In Kenya the Allisons became quite cold as they ascended to altitudes of 7300 and 8000+ feet.  They will do what it takes to minister to husbands, wives and families in their very special way.

Having practical experiences in Africa, interacting with a cross-section of the continent’s people, learning the way African people think and act today, not from textbooks, but from face-to-face encounters, applying God’s word to improve life’s most intimate relationships – this is what makes the lessons of Fielden and Janet Allison so valuable, so worthy to take on the road, so worthy to broadcast to all our African listeners!