Back to Africa
January 16, 2010
by Erik Hersman
Most of you know me as "Rinnie's Husband," due to my line of work taking me all over the world and being absent from so many church functions. I'd still like to take this opportunity to thank the UPC community as we leave after 7 years, it's truly a privilege. We'd like to say thank you as we've been the beneficiaries of being led by a wonderful worship team, excellent teaching and a children's ministry that truly cares for our three girls. Most of all though, to say thank you to the community; our small group, friends and family... you seated with us each week.
Rinnie and I both grew up as children of missionaries in East Africa. That background took us to my current occupation, which, for a number of years has been working in the African tech space. Two years ago I co-founded a startup called "Ushahidi" (which means "testimony" in Swahili), with a number of other Kenyans. We create free and open source software for use in crisis and disaster zones that take advantage of mobile phones and the internet. We've been greatly blessed in this work which is the reason we're going back to Kenya. While there, I'll be working with local software developers, web designers and the tech community on Ushahidi and will also start setting up an innovation hub.
While we are not going back to Africa in the same profession as our parents before us, we do carry forward the same banner and the same mission. That is, our first calling is always to be witnesses and to be a living testimony for Christ. This is all the more compelling as the individuals that I work with are in the tech community, traditionally a place where the gospel isn't widely or highly spoken of.
It's hard, as we're leaving one home to go back to a place we also call home. Leaving friends and family, setting up new business initiatives, the stress that comes with a major move and the girls all adjusting to life in a new culture are ways that we would appreciate your thoughts and prayers. We'll keep you in our prayers too, thanking God for the impact you've had on our lives and praying that he continues that good work within the East Orlando community through you in the future.
Erik, for the Hersman family