So another chunk of time, full of experiences and beautiful people, is just about coming to a close ... We have been in western Kenya in the Nyanza province, in Migori district working with CMA (Christian Mission Aid) and a local pastor, Bishop Daniel ( who is an amazing man! ). Our main focus has been on the Water Project, helping to build water purification tables and educating people on how to use them and the help they will be to the community! It's been great for all of us to get our hands dirty and to work together with such great people! We've also been able to meet so many beautiful widowed ladies and orphans and have had opportunities to provide mattresses, food, and Bibles to many of these people! God is so good to provide, and we feel so priviledged that He has allowed us to be such a part of His giving! We have also been able to provide about 100 kids who are orphans, with uniforms so that they can go to school. It's a significant thing here to have a school uniform, it unfortunately affects the level of education a child can receive. God has just been so faithful and we are excited to be following him and learning from him! This area is just so lush and beautiful! So many fields rich with sugar cane, fruit, and maize! The people are so friendly and thankful for any help given! We've been danced for and sang to on many occassions throughout our stay here and also have had many opportunities to return the favor :)
On Monday we will be wrapping up in this area and heading to Kakamega and Lodwar to work with Rev. William Kubundo. We're excited about what the Lord has in store and continually are understanding more and appreciating the power of prayer! So please keep praying for us as a team and for the people of Kenya! For safety and health and for no opportunities to pass by that Jesus wants us to grab onto! Pray for Fear of the Lord in our lives as we use our gifts to serve...
We love you all!!!
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Friday, November 9, 2007
What's happening now!
God is so faithful! This journey has had so many unknowns, and each day seems to bring a new challenge and God has just been so faithful within each adventure. I think all of us could talk for days on how much God is teaching, changing, and growing each of us through every experience. It's hard not to think about and learn from almost anything you see here. Yet, its no more about keeping your ears and eyes open to God's voice and work here than it is at home. This is a challenge for me already and i know will be on my heart when i'm back as well.
Our time at the YWAM base in Mombasa was amazing. Such a time of rest and being able to seek God in what He has for us next. We were also able to tag along with some of the staff to their various ministries and participate a bit too! One of the highlights for a few of us was a saturday afternoon youth group time. Kids from age 11 to into their twenties get together and play sports like bball, soccer, badminton, ping pong, frisbee, etc in a bit of a compound for the first little bit. Then they come together and do presentations. THis is so great! These kids get up in front of their peers and dance, rap, act, all to tell eachother about jesus or praise Him! I just can't get over the way they can move....i am so dance deprived :) after presentations a message is given about relevant youth issues and then an opportunity to accept Jesus, which kids did! I was so blessed by how the ywam staff are so involved in the community and so intentional with people. Again a challenge....
From mombasa time was spent along the coast in melindi and Lamu resting and seeing some beautiful places, then back up to Nairobi. From Nairobi six of us werre able to go on a two night safari. It was just so amazing to be able to see God's creatures so wild and close and in such a beautiful setting! I took it as such a gift.
We are now in Nairobi and have connected with Christian mission Aid who we are travelling up to Kisumu with as we start work with the water school. They have given us a bit of orientation to the area we will be in which sounds a bit different than mkwachunyi, although the culture and ways of the people will be similar. We are so looking forward to all that God has for us while we are there.
Today was a new experience again....we went to two of Nairobi's slums. The first one had 4-5 thousand people living in a two acre area. wrap your head around that for a moment......the second one 15 thousand people with one water tap that they have to pay to use. The second slum was called mitumba and in it we did some home visits. I can't explain fully what i felt, but i know it brought me to tears as i saw and talked to the people. I think there is a general feeling of helplessness among us, because even if we give a little money, it is still a fish, not a fishing line. The hope that is there is an organization called REM (rural evangelical mission) a wonderful org. that has started a church and school in the slum. All of the people are volunteers and they have no full time supporters, just basically trust God to provide when needed, but they have been there for five years and God has always provided! Even when these slums seem like hopeless places God gives hope and is changing lives starting with the children. There is many needs though...one for example is the library. We went in and were asked what we thought the room was, there was a cabbage on the shelf so i said the kitchen. Nope, it was the library...with no books for the children. crazy.
There is just so much to process for all of us. This is a journey in so many ways...
Our time at the YWAM base in Mombasa was amazing. Such a time of rest and being able to seek God in what He has for us next. We were also able to tag along with some of the staff to their various ministries and participate a bit too! One of the highlights for a few of us was a saturday afternoon youth group time. Kids from age 11 to into their twenties get together and play sports like bball, soccer, badminton, ping pong, frisbee, etc in a bit of a compound for the first little bit. Then they come together and do presentations. THis is so great! These kids get up in front of their peers and dance, rap, act, all to tell eachother about jesus or praise Him! I just can't get over the way they can move....i am so dance deprived :) after presentations a message is given about relevant youth issues and then an opportunity to accept Jesus, which kids did! I was so blessed by how the ywam staff are so involved in the community and so intentional with people. Again a challenge....
From mombasa time was spent along the coast in melindi and Lamu resting and seeing some beautiful places, then back up to Nairobi. From Nairobi six of us werre able to go on a two night safari. It was just so amazing to be able to see God's creatures so wild and close and in such a beautiful setting! I took it as such a gift.
We are now in Nairobi and have connected with Christian mission Aid who we are travelling up to Kisumu with as we start work with the water school. They have given us a bit of orientation to the area we will be in which sounds a bit different than mkwachunyi, although the culture and ways of the people will be similar. We are so looking forward to all that God has for us while we are there.
Today was a new experience again....we went to two of Nairobi's slums. The first one had 4-5 thousand people living in a two acre area. wrap your head around that for a moment......the second one 15 thousand people with one water tap that they have to pay to use. The second slum was called mitumba and in it we did some home visits. I can't explain fully what i felt, but i know it brought me to tears as i saw and talked to the people. I think there is a general feeling of helplessness among us, because even if we give a little money, it is still a fish, not a fishing line. The hope that is there is an organization called REM (rural evangelical mission) a wonderful org. that has started a church and school in the slum. All of the people are volunteers and they have no full time supporters, just basically trust God to provide when needed, but they have been there for five years and God has always provided! Even when these slums seem like hopeless places God gives hope and is changing lives starting with the children. There is many needs though...one for example is the library. We went in and were asked what we thought the room was, there was a cabbage on the shelf so i said the kitchen. Nope, it was the library...with no books for the children. crazy.
There is just so much to process for all of us. This is a journey in so many ways...
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