Germany is really "out of Africa" – it lost its colonies there following World War I. Otherwise I might be writing from Togo or Southwest Africa (today’s Namibia) or traveling from Europe to Africa and racking up lots of frequent flier miles.

Some Africans still seem to have a special interest in Germany, though. Or maybe their sense of geography isn’t so good. We usually notice that a couple of times a month.

In yesterday’s mail here in Bonn we had another letter from Africa. They usually come from the northern half of the continent, but sometimes are from the southern half, too. Nearly all of them are written in English. (Believe it or not, we have received a couple of letters in German from Africa!)

Some request literature, and some want financial help. I don’t think they write to us because of any special interest in the German-language region. Instead, they have probably seen a copy of "The Good News" in English and looked at all of the mailing address for the various offices, etc. And they see Germany listed among those addresses and think that we are nearby, so they write to us.

But then again, there are contact addresses listed in Africa, sometimes in the very same country as the letter of origin. So perhaps it is the desire to have contact with someone in Europe, someone who might be able to help them with their personal lot in life. Like the letters we often received in Manila – almost daily – when I worked there.

However, Italy is actually closer to Africa than we are. So perhaps these letter writers don’t know European geography very well, like some folks from America. 🙂

I will have to ask my friend Carmelo how much African mail he receives in Bergamo when I see him next month in Cincinnati.