His mission is to train those with a mission

When Greg Snell volunteered to join a group of fellow members at Colonial Church of Edina on a mission trip to Africa in 1982, he never realized that it was going to change his life.

"I tried to come home and resume my normal life, but it was one of those cases where God intervenes and makes it clear that he has other plans," he said.

Those plans included having Snell enroll in seminary to get a master of divinity degree and then, 13 years ago, having him and his wife, Deb, move to Africa to work for International Christian Ministries (ICM). They're called missionaries, but ICM doesn't embrace the traditional paradigm of missionary work.

"Of the 100 employees of ICM in Africa, only four of us are Westerners," he said. "We're not there to impose. We're focused on working with the people there. The Africans run the ministry. The Western influence is entirely supportive."

One of their main functions is to educate pastors.

"That's what they kept telling us they needed," he said. "They said, 'We have people. We have resources. What we lack is training.' Eighty percent of the pastors in Africa have no formal training."

ICM tailors the training to the local customs of the 12 countries in which it works.

"We shrug those things off," Snell said. "When we get to the pearly gates, I think God's going to ask, 'Why did you make such big deals out of the small things?'"

The Snells come back to the Twin Cities about this time every year to visit their children and grandchildren. But this year's trip is special. Snell talked his bosses into holding ICM's international council in the Twin Cities.

As part of that, Colonial Church is hosting a fundraiser open house Tuesday. There's a dinner at 6 p.m. ($75; reservations required), followed at 8 p.m. by a program (free; no reservation needed).

"I'm very excited about the chance to introduce some of the people I work with to the people here," Snell said. "We've made it very clear to them: We don't want to hear reports about your work; we want to hear stories about life in Africa.

"These are special people from a special land," he added. "I know that those who come to hear them won't be disappointed."

Soon it will be home There will be a groundbreaking Sunday for Creekside Commons, a residential community aimed at working-class families that have been squeezed out of many neighborhoods.

The 30-unit complex is being built adjacent to Mayflower United Church of Christ in south Minneapolis on land the church donated. The construction is a joint project between the church and the Plymouth Church Neighborhood Foundation.

The site is at 54th St. and Stevens Av. S. "It's an affluent neighborhood," said Lee Blons, executive director of the foundation. "By partnering with Mayflower and working with the people in the neighborhood, we are going to be able to provide some well constructed and affordable housing."

There will be a light lunch available starting at 12:30 p.m., with a ceremony (including a blessing of the land) at 1 p.m. in the parking lot at Mayflower, 106 E. Diamond Lake Rd.

Sacred art tour A collection of sacred Buddhist relics is on display this weekend in northeast Minneapolis.

The exhibit is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. today and Sunday. Admission is free.