Eden and James Grace are members of New England Yearly Meeting, and have been serving FUM in Kenya since 2004. Eden has a Masters of Divinity and has served in numerous leadership roles with New England Yearly Meeting and Friends United Meeting. Eden is very much an international Friend serving as FUM’s representative on the World Council of Churches from 1998 to 2006. James brings many years of business management and leadership experience from the computer software field as well as the clerking of Monthly and Quarterly Meetings. He has served on NEYM’s Ministry and Counsel Commmittee and has studied Quakerism at Earlham School of Religion.
Eden and James are living with their family of two boys, Isaiah and Jesse in Kisumu, Kenya. Eden works in FUM’s Africa Ministries office alongside John Muhanji, the Africa Ministries Representative, as FUM seeks to enhance its ministries of evangelism, leadership training, communication and global partnership in the African context.
The Christian ministry of reconciliation is a significant part of their faithfulness to God’s call in their lives. They are inspired by FUM’s commitment to global partnership, and seek to be instruments of partnership among Freinds world-wide. Eden and James are committed to a model of parenting that honors the spiritual, emotional and moral development of their children and are excited about the growth they are experiencing together as a family in Kenya.
“Receiving short-term mission teams is always a highlight of my work, and this year I coordinated the non-African delegates to the pan-African Quaker youth triennial conference. As much as hosting team visits is demanding, I always feel energized by the interaction with people who are experiencing Africa for the first time, and feel a deep assurance that God is using my gifts to help visitors have the best experience possible. Like all of the field staff, my stipend and expenses are covered by designated contributions toward my ministry account. As I have been in Kenya over five years, support has fallen off (people always want to give to a new thing — it’s hard to keep up sustained support over time!). I am so grateful to the households who have set up automatic monthly contributions toward my support. If another two dozen households could do the same, my ministry account could be stabilized! Please continue to pray for me and my family as we seek to live in accordance with God’s will and minister in the African context.”