Jambo Sana!
So far, my work in Kisumu has been primarily in the Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) ministry. Last week the team visited 3 nursery schools and 2 Saturday ministry care points. At each place, we have the opportunity to teach a Bible lesson, sing songs, color, and play games. My favorite "new" game that we played was "Simba, Simba, PUMBA!"... more commonly known to us as "Duck, Duck, GOOSE!" As the week progressed, I couldn't help but realize more and more how kids, no matter what culture they are a part of, are kids. Their giggles, smiles, and love are the same no matter where in the world they may be.
Working with children here is of course also very different then my previous children ministry in the U.S... and in particular, ~The Language Barrier~
Even though most people here speak enough English to communicate, their primary languages are their tribal language (mostly Luo here)... and then Kiswahili. Some children speak English pretty well, but a lot of them speak very very little. The first school we went to was quite the experience! The kids immediately rushed our Tuk-Tuk (3 wheeled golf cart vehicle) yelling "Mzungu!" and each swarmed us for a handshake and greeting. They fooled me when they said, "Hi. How are you? I am fine" which led me to think that they spoke a descent amount of English. But, with this group, I quickly realized that this phrase was nearly the extent of their English. There was a breakthrough with this group tho when one of the boys came up to me stomping and saying "Feet! Feet!" I jumped on the opportunity to teach them more words and even taught some of them ♫Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes♫. To me, the most precious moment of the visit was when I was sitting on the porch stoop surrounded by between 10-15 children and we were going over colors. One of the boys pointed to someone's collar and said "white"... and then a little girl crawled on my lap and ran her little hands from my forehead to my chin and said in the softest most little voice "...white..." I'm not exactly sure why, but it just really struck a chord with me. Children are so eager to learn about others and are curious about what is different. In the same way, they are so eager to hear about God and curious to understand His ways. *Lord, Give me a childlike heart!*
On Saturday, most of the team went to the ministry care points. These are the programs run by Christ's Hope (most of the places OVC goes are existing schools). These places have a slightly different feel than the others. We have the opportunity to really invest in the lives of the children we meet every Saturday. And these "kid loaded" days are full of joy! Playing with the children and teaching them the love of God and sharing a meal with them is so special! One little girl, Christine, really captured my attention. In the beginning of the day, she was shyly sitting under a tree alone with a ball. I went over and began to play catch with her... which turned into bouncing the ball... which turned into me making goofy faces when I dropped it... which eventually turned into a smile from her. When we played with animal finger puppets, she stood back and let the others play while she watched, and when I gave her a butterfly puppet, she held it and looked dazed until I showed her how to play with it. By the end of the day, this shy little girl who wouldn't smile was laughing and running around with the other children and even caught on to my keep away game I was playing with a lot of kids... when she caught the ball, she would giggle and run from me until I could catch her and scoop her up in my arms to get the ball back. This is not an uncommon story. Many children have a difficult time letting go and laughing and running freely and being the kids they are supposed to be. In a culture plagued by HIV, many of these children are left with a single parent, or are living with relatives or neighbors or are being raised by older siblings. To give these children a safe place for them to feel loved, valued, and cared for is so meaningful... even if it is only for a few hours each week.
This is exactly the work I came here to do... and little Christine's smile spoke into my passion for this ministry so much.
Mungu Aku Bariki,
Mary
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Falling in Love
Okay, so many people joke about the idea of me coming home with a little African baby in my suitcase. I know deep down that behind the jokes most people realize I am quite serious with the matter.
A few days ago we had what they call ministry care point. It is a ministry they do on Saturday's with the children of the HIV Patients.
As we got there, we brought our bag of goodies out (Balls, puppets, frisby's etc.) and the kids went to town. It wasn't long before we were all playing soccer in the yard with most the little boys. The boys here are so good and can run for endless moments with bare feet.
We went on to teach the lesson and eat lunch with the kids. I had my camera out and a little boy names Emmanuel would follow me around just begging for his picture. I couldn't help but wonder what his story was as I continued to capture his face in my memory and on camera.
After Lunch I spent some time with all the kids when Emmanuel kicked a ball right at my ankles from about 10 feet away. I turned to look and saw in his face the anticipation that I would kick it back. Not even fazing me that I was in a skirt, I kicked the ball at him and without surprise the ball was right back in my direction. I ran the ball passed him and once again he was beside me kicking the ball away from me. We battled for the ball back and forth on the field at least for 15 minutes falling over each other and laughing. I finally kicked it passed him and yelled with my arms wide in the air... "GOAL!" He fell to the ground in hysterics from how funny he thought I looked.
When we were done and ready for the trip back, we piled some kids in the van with us to take them closer to their homes. One of the boys was Emanuel and his brother and sister. Esther (his sister) is 3 and was sitting in a single seat. I instantly took the opportunity to scoop her into my arms and sit with her which now will continue to be an image I will never forget. By they time we were about 10 minutes down the road Esther was fast asleep in my arms. I was in love with this family... and still had not known their story...
Their Story: Emmanuel's older brother is thought to have HIV. Their father is passed and their mother is in stage 3 of HIV refusing to eat in order to keep her children fed. Since their mother refuses to be given the her late husbands brother as a second or third wife, she is considered a curse as well as her children. A family will not take in children when they are in this position... I asked what would happen to the children, the response was far from what I wanted to hear.
"Esther might be taken in by a neighbor because she is cute, but most likely be sold as a house servant. The boys would most likely end up street kids (Homeless beggars)."
I instantly asked how we could help and what we can do, they truth is our hands are completely tied. I am in continual prayer for this family and in an instant would scoop them up and take them home. I have to remember that God's will is at play and these kids can be cycle breakers. Continue to pray for them and the other children who are in their position.
A few days ago we had what they call ministry care point. It is a ministry they do on Saturday's with the children of the HIV Patients.
As we got there, we brought our bag of goodies out (Balls, puppets, frisby's etc.) and the kids went to town. It wasn't long before we were all playing soccer in the yard with most the little boys. The boys here are so good and can run for endless moments with bare feet.
We went on to teach the lesson and eat lunch with the kids. I had my camera out and a little boy names Emmanuel would follow me around just begging for his picture. I couldn't help but wonder what his story was as I continued to capture his face in my memory and on camera.
After Lunch I spent some time with all the kids when Emmanuel kicked a ball right at my ankles from about 10 feet away. I turned to look and saw in his face the anticipation that I would kick it back. Not even fazing me that I was in a skirt, I kicked the ball at him and without surprise the ball was right back in my direction. I ran the ball passed him and once again he was beside me kicking the ball away from me. We battled for the ball back and forth on the field at least for 15 minutes falling over each other and laughing. I finally kicked it passed him and yelled with my arms wide in the air... "GOAL!" He fell to the ground in hysterics from how funny he thought I looked.
When we were done and ready for the trip back, we piled some kids in the van with us to take them closer to their homes. One of the boys was Emanuel and his brother and sister. Esther (his sister) is 3 and was sitting in a single seat. I instantly took the opportunity to scoop her into my arms and sit with her which now will continue to be an image I will never forget. By they time we were about 10 minutes down the road Esther was fast asleep in my arms. I was in love with this family... and still had not known their story...
Their Story: Emmanuel's older brother is thought to have HIV. Their father is passed and their mother is in stage 3 of HIV refusing to eat in order to keep her children fed. Since their mother refuses to be given the her late husbands brother as a second or third wife, she is considered a curse as well as her children. A family will not take in children when they are in this position... I asked what would happen to the children, the response was far from what I wanted to hear.
"Esther might be taken in by a neighbor because she is cute, but most likely be sold as a house servant. The boys would most likely end up street kids (Homeless beggars)."
I instantly asked how we could help and what we can do, they truth is our hands are completely tied. I am in continual prayer for this family and in an instant would scoop them up and take them home. I have to remember that God's will is at play and these kids can be cycle breakers. Continue to pray for them and the other children who are in their position.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
The Past Three Days -- Posted by Laura
So much has happened in the past three days...
|--Jane--|
I was able to share the hope of Jesus with Jane, a young woman from Russia Hospital.
It's hard to find words to explain the transformation that takes place in the life of someone who is lost and separated from God... who has been abandoned by all family and friends... who is ill and knowing that their time here on earth will soon be over.
Lying (often alone) in bed, day after day, week after week, sometimes longer. The pain, physical, emotional, mental...
Once strong and able bodies, now frail and deteriorating... beyond help. And in this place, dying with very little dignity... or value... or honor... and certainly without any legacy at all. Just gone and forgotten.
I shared with Jane that I was here at this very moment in time to be with her and to let her know about Jesus... that she was not alone... that she was not forgotten... that it's never to late to put her trust in Him.
Jane gave her life to Christ and will soon experience the things we talked about at her bedside.
|--Death--|
Dying is something we'll all face one day... but, to experience it this way? I can't even imagine!
After I'm with those (like Jane) who are in an extreme condition, I sometimes wonder what time must be like for them? Being at the end... knowing that they're at the end... and just waiting for it to happen.
Most often they have no one to "process" with or to "remember the good things in life" with. These outcast and abandoned ones have no one to even help them get through the fear of death.
So, I wonder... what's it like for them to be in this situation? Dying for sure... completely alone... with seconds, minutes, hours, days... all passing by with no activity but their own thoughts.
And then I wonder... what will it be like for me, and for those I love, when we are at that place? Will we be at peace? Will we reflect on how we've lived-out our time here? Will we be afraid?
|--Are We Ready?--|
On the way home from the Hospital today we saw three accidents. One likely fatal. A pair of dark blue, warn flip flops lying in the middle of the road and a windshield smashed.
I wonder... Are we ready? Are we ready today to meet our Maker? Whatever it is we believe, that day will come. Just as we are all born, we will all surly die.
Romans 3:23 says "For all have sinned (blown it) and fall short of the glory of God."
Romans 6:23 says "For the wages of sin (blowing it) are death, but the FREE GIFT OF GOD is eternal life with Jesus Christ our Lord."
Revelation 3:20 says "Behold, I stand at the door and knock, if any man hears My voice, and opens the door, I will come into him and stay with him and he with Me."
If we're trying to fill ourselves with anything other than God---sex, porn, drinking, over-eating, drugs... and even "less obvious" ones like success, wealth, fame, admiration, self-sufficiency---in the end... we will always find ourselves coming up empty.
I wonder... could it be that the thing that would fill us, fill us to overflowing, would be the Maker that made us?
John 3:16 says "For God so love the world that He have his one and only son, that whoever believes in him would not perish but would have eternal life with Him."
1 John 1:9 says "If we confess our sins (wrong doings), he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Yesterday, I was able to share this good news, the news that God is waiting for each and every one of us with open arms... That he loves us... that we are valuable... that he knows our name... and that we are never alone.
The message of Jesus is that it doesn't matter what mistakes, or even horrible things we've done in our past... there is hope for all of us... everyone. Everyone can have a place... everyone can belong. When we tell God that we're sorry, God takes our mistakes, and puts them behind us. He tells us that "today is a new day, and our mistakes are forgiven" ... and we move on... Thank you God for your grace and mercy!
|--Arthur--|
Yesterday I was able to share the message of Jesus with a young man named Arthur. Arthur is also in the hospital... in pain... alone... and will be soon coming to his end.
Again, it's hard to describe seeing hopelessness turn into hope... darkness to light... lost to found... but, it happens in an instant!
|--Feebe and Zeddidiah--|
For those of you who know me, you know that I love to meet new people! (Surprise, surprise).
Well... yesterday... I had the great joy of "finding" a woman named Feebe, and her child Zeddidiah in the hospital. Feebe is 30, her son is three... although he looks like he's two (at most)... his legs are bowed... he can't walk or stand because of severe malnutrition... his little ears and nose were oozing from illness... and he was sitting naked on the hospital bed in a puddle of his own urine. I found out later that he is incontinent (never potty trained). The children will often sit for days or longer on the beds of their mothers as they are ill.
His mother is very ill with AIDS and soon Zeddidiah will be an orphan.
I spent some good time with Zeddidiah. We went outside to be in the sun. George (a fantastic local worker here) pumped some water from the well for us and we sat out on the grass in the sun... he in a small basin of water. He seemed to really enjoy the sun, the water, and the crazy mazungu (white person) laughing and playing with him! In a place like this I didn't know I could actually beam with joy...but, if there were such a thing, I think I was "beaming"... after a while I brought him back inside... it was hard to put him back there on that bed... his little naked body... and his mama so ill...
|--The Slums--|
I have seen many, many other patients in the past three days... in hospitals, mud huts, and slums. Wow, the slums!
Our final stop last night was to a slum area where a bulldozer had gone through an area and had knocked down home after home, "business" after business... levelled it all and left the rubble behind. As if it were a playground, children were climbing in, around, and through the piles. I was told that all these structures where knocked down because they were not in the building zone. I don't know about all that, I just wonder how that has impacted so many lively-hoods and lives.
I was thankful to be able to buy clothes for some children in the slums in a mud home that we visited... the need is great, as it is in so much of this area of Kenya.
For the next couple of days the Team is going to get "out of town" to a retreat center... we'll process how we're all doing, rejuvenate a bit, and get back to it when we come back to Kisumu.
xoxo Laura
|--Jane--|
I was able to share the hope of Jesus with Jane, a young woman from Russia Hospital.
It's hard to find words to explain the transformation that takes place in the life of someone who is lost and separated from God... who has been abandoned by all family and friends... who is ill and knowing that their time here on earth will soon be over.
Lying (often alone) in bed, day after day, week after week, sometimes longer. The pain, physical, emotional, mental...
Once strong and able bodies, now frail and deteriorating... beyond help. And in this place, dying with very little dignity... or value... or honor... and certainly without any legacy at all. Just gone and forgotten.
I shared with Jane that I was here at this very moment in time to be with her and to let her know about Jesus... that she was not alone... that she was not forgotten... that it's never to late to put her trust in Him.
Jane gave her life to Christ and will soon experience the things we talked about at her bedside.
|--Death--|
Dying is something we'll all face one day... but, to experience it this way? I can't even imagine!
After I'm with those (like Jane) who are in an extreme condition, I sometimes wonder what time must be like for them? Being at the end... knowing that they're at the end... and just waiting for it to happen.
Most often they have no one to "process" with or to "remember the good things in life" with. These outcast and abandoned ones have no one to even help them get through the fear of death.
So, I wonder... what's it like for them to be in this situation? Dying for sure... completely alone... with seconds, minutes, hours, days... all passing by with no activity but their own thoughts.
And then I wonder... what will it be like for me, and for those I love, when we are at that place? Will we be at peace? Will we reflect on how we've lived-out our time here? Will we be afraid?
|--Are We Ready?--|
On the way home from the Hospital today we saw three accidents. One likely fatal. A pair of dark blue, warn flip flops lying in the middle of the road and a windshield smashed.
I wonder... Are we ready? Are we ready today to meet our Maker? Whatever it is we believe, that day will come. Just as we are all born, we will all surly die.
Romans 3:23 says "For all have sinned (blown it) and fall short of the glory of God."
Romans 6:23 says "For the wages of sin (blowing it) are death, but the FREE GIFT OF GOD is eternal life with Jesus Christ our Lord."
Revelation 3:20 says "Behold, I stand at the door and knock, if any man hears My voice, and opens the door, I will come into him and stay with him and he with Me."
If we're trying to fill ourselves with anything other than God---sex, porn, drinking, over-eating, drugs... and even "less obvious" ones like success, wealth, fame, admiration, self-sufficiency---in the end... we will always find ourselves coming up empty.
I wonder... could it be that the thing that would fill us, fill us to overflowing, would be the Maker that made us?
John 3:16 says "For God so love the world that He have his one and only son, that whoever believes in him would not perish but would have eternal life with Him."
1 John 1:9 says "If we confess our sins (wrong doings), he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Yesterday, I was able to share this good news, the news that God is waiting for each and every one of us with open arms... That he loves us... that we are valuable... that he knows our name... and that we are never alone.
The message of Jesus is that it doesn't matter what mistakes, or even horrible things we've done in our past... there is hope for all of us... everyone. Everyone can have a place... everyone can belong. When we tell God that we're sorry, God takes our mistakes, and puts them behind us. He tells us that "today is a new day, and our mistakes are forgiven" ... and we move on... Thank you God for your grace and mercy!
|--Arthur--|
Yesterday I was able to share the message of Jesus with a young man named Arthur. Arthur is also in the hospital... in pain... alone... and will be soon coming to his end.
Again, it's hard to describe seeing hopelessness turn into hope... darkness to light... lost to found... but, it happens in an instant!
|--Feebe and Zeddidiah--|
For those of you who know me, you know that I love to meet new people! (Surprise, surprise).
Well... yesterday... I had the great joy of "finding" a woman named Feebe, and her child Zeddidiah in the hospital. Feebe is 30, her son is three... although he looks like he's two (at most)... his legs are bowed... he can't walk or stand because of severe malnutrition... his little ears and nose were oozing from illness... and he was sitting naked on the hospital bed in a puddle of his own urine. I found out later that he is incontinent (never potty trained). The children will often sit for days or longer on the beds of their mothers as they are ill.
His mother is very ill with AIDS and soon Zeddidiah will be an orphan.
I spent some good time with Zeddidiah. We went outside to be in the sun. George (a fantastic local worker here) pumped some water from the well for us and we sat out on the grass in the sun... he in a small basin of water. He seemed to really enjoy the sun, the water, and the crazy mazungu (white person) laughing and playing with him! In a place like this I didn't know I could actually beam with joy...but, if there were such a thing, I think I was "beaming"... after a while I brought him back inside... it was hard to put him back there on that bed... his little naked body... and his mama so ill...
|--The Slums--|
I have seen many, many other patients in the past three days... in hospitals, mud huts, and slums. Wow, the slums!
Our final stop last night was to a slum area where a bulldozer had gone through an area and had knocked down home after home, "business" after business... levelled it all and left the rubble behind. As if it were a playground, children were climbing in, around, and through the piles. I was told that all these structures where knocked down because they were not in the building zone. I don't know about all that, I just wonder how that has impacted so many lively-hoods and lives.
I was thankful to be able to buy clothes for some children in the slums in a mud home that we visited... the need is great, as it is in so much of this area of Kenya.
For the next couple of days the Team is going to get "out of town" to a retreat center... we'll process how we're all doing, rejuvenate a bit, and get back to it when we come back to Kisumu.
xoxo Laura
Friday, June 11, 2010
Building Relationships
Hello to all!
Just a quick update on the way God is blessing our team. I have been privileged to go to the Russia Hospital and Maseno Hospital several times this week. The first time out was a bit awkward but now when I go to the hospital I see the people I have seen before and they know me. I love the way we are building relationships with these people.
There is a little girl named Mildred, who on my first visit was very "down". She was having a difficult time breathing and could hardly speak or eat. Today when I went to see her she was sitting up in bed eating rice and beans! She smiled when she saw us coming and it was great to be with her.
The same is true with Christine, who's daughter is Lucy. I continue to see her whenever I visit Russia Hospital and I am always blessed by our time together.
I can clearly see how the long term volunteers here love the work they are doing. It is a blessing and a privilege to be with each of these precious people.
Until next time,
Pamela
Just a quick update on the way God is blessing our team. I have been privileged to go to the Russia Hospital and Maseno Hospital several times this week. The first time out was a bit awkward but now when I go to the hospital I see the people I have seen before and they know me. I love the way we are building relationships with these people.
There is a little girl named Mildred, who on my first visit was very "down". She was having a difficult time breathing and could hardly speak or eat. Today when I went to see her she was sitting up in bed eating rice and beans! She smiled when she saw us coming and it was great to be with her.
The same is true with Christine, who's daughter is Lucy. I continue to see her whenever I visit Russia Hospital and I am always blessed by our time together.
I can clearly see how the long term volunteers here love the work they are doing. It is a blessing and a privilege to be with each of these precious people.
Until next time,
Pamela
Care and Compassion
Greetings from Kisumu, Kenya
To the church of God in Carmichael, together with all the saints, family and friends following our journey.
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
The God of All Comfort
So begins the second letter of Paul to the Corinthians.
It is Friday here in the Yellow House on Ring Road. Lots of activity after a wonderful time of praise, worship and prayer. Teams going out for ministry, people preparing the needed supplies for the patients that will be visited, anticipation for bringing Robert here to live in Desmond's cottage, housekeeping chores, and a quiet moment and an open block of time to share my heart with all of you!
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort that we ourselves have received from God."
These words have always been precious to me. After the last three days they have become more alive, more vibrant, stunning and very, very sweet. I would like to tell you all of the details. However, I realize that you are very busy and as you check in here I want to share just a few stories. I pray that they whet your appetite to hear more when I see you face to face.
I have been blessed to be assigned to go out the last three days to participate in the Care and Compassion ministry of Christ's Hope. I will tell you three stories.
Tuesday Desmond, a new volunteer named George and I, went to Nyahera up in the hills above Kisumu. There are several patients that Desmond visits every Tuesday. He also checks on new contacts to see about their medical needs.
So this particular day Desmond had two "newbies" with him! Can you imagine! Well, the Lord is gracious and has been preparing George and myself all of our lives to meet each other and to partner with Desmond and Christ.
A patient named Joseph was our first contact of the day. He had been paralyzed from a stroke and was very "down" (sick). He lives with his mama Millicent and a sister. When we walked up to his home he was walking with assistance from his "stick" (three-pronged cane) and is doing very well! We sat outside his home with mama under a huge avocado tree in the cooling shade. We visited and talked about his family and how far he has come. I was privileged to read Scripture and George translated. Desmond prayed and we were off to find the next patient. Not finding her close by we walked back by Joseph's home and he gifted us with two of the biggest avocados I have ever seen! George told me that was a very unusual thing. Remind me to tell you about George someday. Besides being a wonderful man of God and very articulate he is also a farmer! We talked and talked and talked of God's creation and provision and blessing.
Wednesday brought us again to the hospital in Maseno. We had been there the previous day dropping off new patients and checking on others. I want to tell you about a patient named R. I cannot give you her full name as you will see her picture in this posting.
R. is in the hospice room of the hospital. She was all alone Tuesday evening. Her family has abandoned her. This particular morning, Wednesday, Marieke and I were assigned to the Maseno Hospital to care for patients. I will tell you about the care of R.
When we arrived in R's room she looked much better than she had the previous evening. R needed a bath, wound care and help with medicine and her meal. Three hours after beginning that process, R was resting quietly on clean bedding, with a catheter installed and clean dressings for her wound. I will spare you the details as I am still amazed how God worked during that time. I will tell you that time stood still.
And God is good and He is faithful!
Yesterday was another day of C and C ministry. Desmond, another George, Laura and I went in another direction out of Kisumu to check on patients. We were also trying to locate R's husband, Juma. Family has the responsibility of burial when someone dies here. Usually the body is buried somewhere near the home on family land. As Juma and the rest of the family has abandoned R I would ask you to pray that God changes Juma's heart and that Juma would do the right thing for his wife. A miracle is needed!
2 Corinthians 1:5-11 talks about what I am experiencing here as I come along side the patients in Care and Compassion. I want you to know that I know that God ordained this time long before I was born. He knew who I would meet. He knows each of us intimately and He longs for us to know Him.
I would encourage each of you to look for your own "divine appointments" as you live and work and breathe. You don't have to come to Africa. Just keep the eyes of your heart open and ask Him to give you ears to hear and the words to say.
God is good. God is faithful.
"May the Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace." Numbers 6:24-26
I love you all dearly!
Pat
To the church of God in Carmichael, together with all the saints, family and friends following our journey.
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
The God of All Comfort
So begins the second letter of Paul to the Corinthians.
It is Friday here in the Yellow House on Ring Road. Lots of activity after a wonderful time of praise, worship and prayer. Teams going out for ministry, people preparing the needed supplies for the patients that will be visited, anticipation for bringing Robert here to live in Desmond's cottage, housekeeping chores, and a quiet moment and an open block of time to share my heart with all of you!
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort that we ourselves have received from God."
These words have always been precious to me. After the last three days they have become more alive, more vibrant, stunning and very, very sweet. I would like to tell you all of the details. However, I realize that you are very busy and as you check in here I want to share just a few stories. I pray that they whet your appetite to hear more when I see you face to face.
I have been blessed to be assigned to go out the last three days to participate in the Care and Compassion ministry of Christ's Hope. I will tell you three stories.
Tuesday Desmond, a new volunteer named George and I, went to Nyahera up in the hills above Kisumu. There are several patients that Desmond visits every Tuesday. He also checks on new contacts to see about their medical needs.
So this particular day Desmond had two "newbies" with him! Can you imagine! Well, the Lord is gracious and has been preparing George and myself all of our lives to meet each other and to partner with Desmond and Christ.
A patient named Joseph was our first contact of the day. He had been paralyzed from a stroke and was very "down" (sick). He lives with his mama Millicent and a sister. When we walked up to his home he was walking with assistance from his "stick" (three-pronged cane) and is doing very well! We sat outside his home with mama under a huge avocado tree in the cooling shade. We visited and talked about his family and how far he has come. I was privileged to read Scripture and George translated. Desmond prayed and we were off to find the next patient. Not finding her close by we walked back by Joseph's home and he gifted us with two of the biggest avocados I have ever seen! George told me that was a very unusual thing. Remind me to tell you about George someday. Besides being a wonderful man of God and very articulate he is also a farmer! We talked and talked and talked of God's creation and provision and blessing.
Wednesday brought us again to the hospital in Maseno. We had been there the previous day dropping off new patients and checking on others. I want to tell you about a patient named R. I cannot give you her full name as you will see her picture in this posting.
R. is in the hospice room of the hospital. She was all alone Tuesday evening. Her family has abandoned her. This particular morning, Wednesday, Marieke and I were assigned to the Maseno Hospital to care for patients. I will tell you about the care of R.
When we arrived in R's room she looked much better than she had the previous evening. R needed a bath, wound care and help with medicine and her meal. Three hours after beginning that process, R was resting quietly on clean bedding, with a catheter installed and clean dressings for her wound. I will spare you the details as I am still amazed how God worked during that time. I will tell you that time stood still.
And God is good and He is faithful!
Yesterday was another day of C and C ministry. Desmond, another George, Laura and I went in another direction out of Kisumu to check on patients. We were also trying to locate R's husband, Juma. Family has the responsibility of burial when someone dies here. Usually the body is buried somewhere near the home on family land. As Juma and the rest of the family has abandoned R I would ask you to pray that God changes Juma's heart and that Juma would do the right thing for his wife. A miracle is needed!
2 Corinthians 1:5-11 talks about what I am experiencing here as I come along side the patients in Care and Compassion. I want you to know that I know that God ordained this time long before I was born. He knew who I would meet. He knows each of us intimately and He longs for us to know Him.
I would encourage each of you to look for your own "divine appointments" as you live and work and breathe. You don't have to come to Africa. Just keep the eyes of your heart open and ask Him to give you ears to hear and the words to say.
God is good. God is faithful.
"May the Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace." Numbers 6:24-26
I love you all dearly!
Pat
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Great Teams! -- Posted by Laura
Hi All! This blog-entry is from Laura... and it's a long one... sorry!
First off... I just have to share with you how dearly I love our Teams--our Team coming from America and our Team here in Kisumu. WOW! I am blessed by these two great Teams.
Okay… let me get right to it and share with you some of what’s been happening...
Mud Hut
Monday I met in a home (small mud hut, very small, with a short opening for a door). We went there with two men who smelled very strong like they had been drinking. They brought us to meet with three women, Elizabeth, Mary, Pamela and a guy named David. They didn’t know the Lord. They all seemed to be HIV positive, but all needed to be tested before CHI (Christ’s Hope International) can come along side them.
After we had talked with them about CHI, I went over to them and sat on the dirt floor at their feet. They were all sitting, lined up on a broken-down bed. I shared with them that God loves them and knows them… and that he has a plan for their life…. that the hurting place inside of them that they were trying to fill with alcohol, could be filled with something that would last forever: the Lord Jesus Christ.
The three women asked Jesus into their hearts. I stood up and did a little dance, shaking my skirt from side to side and told them that right now there was a party going on in heaven. (I don't know how culturally appropriate this was, but I couldn’t hold my joy inside!)
David had a harder time. He had accepted the Lord into his life ten years earlier but had fallen back into a life filled with sex and drinking. He said that the people in his life made it difficult to live with the Lord. I told him that God loves him and forgives him, and wants him to come home again. I told him I wanted to give him something very valuable to me. The most precious material thing to me in this world. I gave him my Bible and told him that I believed in him.
That Bible I gave David is, for sure, precious to me. Along with being God’s Word, it has all my notes from Africa from when I was here last year and those I’ve entered from this year. But, I wanted him to understand that even though this Bible was precious to me… it was important to me that he would use it to find his way back home to God…. and that God was waiting for him with open arms.
I believe this is true for all of us…. God is waiting… expectantly… patiently.
I shared John 3:16 with them: “For God so loved the world that he gave His only son. That who ever believes in him would not perish but have eternal life.” … and Revelation 3:20: “Behold I stand at the door and knock, if any one hears my voice and opens the door I will come into him and dine with him and he with me.”
As you can imagine, it was a very rich morning, filled with blessing...
Morris' Home
We went from there to the home of another woman, also named Pamela. I remembered the home from last year… Morris was a young man (early 20’s) that we were ministering to who has since passed away from AIDS. Pamela is his sister. When we got there we could see that she was in a lot of pain, so much that we needed to get her more help than we could provide… we needed to get her to a hospital. Morris' mother was also there, and also in a great deal of pain.
We ended up having both of them laying down in the back of our van… both of them holding onto my arms and legs… crying out in excruciating pain.
On the way to the hospital we picked up a young man who had broken his elbow. He had a cast on his arm, but they didn’t “set it” before they put it in a cast. Now he has to have surgery. (Flashback: This is the same hospital that I struggled with so much last year because of their poor conditions and lack of care and compassion for the patients)... After a one hour, very bumpy, tear-filled van ride, we finally got everyone to the hospital.
We had two patients that we were caring for already at the hospital, Rosemary and Robert. Robert is a young man dying of AIDS. Rosemary is also very ill. (I believe Pamela (from our Team) wrote about them earlier today on our BLOG).
School
On Tuesday, Tanea (from our Team) and I went to a school to teach “Choose to Wait.” Choose to Wait is about biblically-based, sexual purity. We were told ahead of time that the kids were "tuff"… They were distant and not connecting at all with their regular teachers.
Tanea and I were asked to share about our lives and about our relationship with God. The students (ages 14-25 or so) were, at first, just like we’d been told: tuff and distant... But, our time with them ended very differently… love… hugs… kisses… holding hands… even tears.
I learned that most of these "tuff" girls had no mother, no father, and had been raising their siblings by themselves for many years. Some had been raped… others enduring unwanted pregnancies. One thing they all had in common was that they were all poor and have suffered deeply in some way and were now struggling in a way far more difficult than any of us could ever begin to understand.
Tanea and I had started sharing the story of our lives with them outside, but a heavy rain came that sent us inside under a tin roof. This only filled me with more joy and a greater passion to continue to connect with these young men and women. I was shouting as loudly as I could because the chicken/rooster was very busy in the back of the room making tons of noise.
This school…with its rocky, dirt floors… and rain pounding on the tin roof… was suddenly filled with faces… and it became an amazing place! Tanea and I shared the gospel and explained to them how to receive Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.
We broke up into groups and I told the girls in my group how proud I was of each of them… how much I respect them for their courage and strength, not only to survive, but to care for their other siblings…. I told them that each one of them was deeply loved, valuable and known by God. Now… all the “tuff” walls had been broken down… culture, age, everything. And there was a connection made that I can’t explain any other way but… only God.
To see all those (40) “tuff” little faces turn so tender and soft was truly a “moment.” They just wanted to be loved… to feel safe… to be heard.
Thank You
I find myself again saying “Thank you, God.” Thank you that you are good! Thank you that you are faithful, not because of what you do or do not do for us, or because of our circumstances, but because you are God and you are good and you are faithful.
I realize that this is a long blog, but it’s so difficult for me to get to the computer this year. With ministry and leading a team I find myself struggling to get here. So, I will probably write less often this year, but longer. We’ll see how it goes.
As we were leaving the school yesterday, one of the girls came and told us that she had accepted Christ into her heart. We asked her “when?” She said, “today, as we were hearing the Word of God!
And, once again I did my "Happy Dance"... JOY!
Thank you to all of you who are praying for our team! Thank you to all of you who were so generous financially to make this trip a reality! Thanks to all of you! Know that your gifts of love, prayer, and support have touched the lives of many here, and it is only day 5!!! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Much love, Laura :)
First off... I just have to share with you how dearly I love our Teams--our Team coming from America and our Team here in Kisumu. WOW! I am blessed by these two great Teams.
Okay… let me get right to it and share with you some of what’s been happening...
Mud Hut
Monday I met in a home (small mud hut, very small, with a short opening for a door). We went there with two men who smelled very strong like they had been drinking. They brought us to meet with three women, Elizabeth, Mary, Pamela and a guy named David. They didn’t know the Lord. They all seemed to be HIV positive, but all needed to be tested before CHI (Christ’s Hope International) can come along side them.
After we had talked with them about CHI, I went over to them and sat on the dirt floor at their feet. They were all sitting, lined up on a broken-down bed. I shared with them that God loves them and knows them… and that he has a plan for their life…. that the hurting place inside of them that they were trying to fill with alcohol, could be filled with something that would last forever: the Lord Jesus Christ.
The three women asked Jesus into their hearts. I stood up and did a little dance, shaking my skirt from side to side and told them that right now there was a party going on in heaven. (I don't know how culturally appropriate this was, but I couldn’t hold my joy inside!)
David had a harder time. He had accepted the Lord into his life ten years earlier but had fallen back into a life filled with sex and drinking. He said that the people in his life made it difficult to live with the Lord. I told him that God loves him and forgives him, and wants him to come home again. I told him I wanted to give him something very valuable to me. The most precious material thing to me in this world. I gave him my Bible and told him that I believed in him.
That Bible I gave David is, for sure, precious to me. Along with being God’s Word, it has all my notes from Africa from when I was here last year and those I’ve entered from this year. But, I wanted him to understand that even though this Bible was precious to me… it was important to me that he would use it to find his way back home to God…. and that God was waiting for him with open arms.
I believe this is true for all of us…. God is waiting… expectantly… patiently.
I shared John 3:16 with them: “For God so loved the world that he gave His only son. That who ever believes in him would not perish but have eternal life.” … and Revelation 3:20: “Behold I stand at the door and knock, if any one hears my voice and opens the door I will come into him and dine with him and he with me.”
As you can imagine, it was a very rich morning, filled with blessing...
Morris' Home
We went from there to the home of another woman, also named Pamela. I remembered the home from last year… Morris was a young man (early 20’s) that we were ministering to who has since passed away from AIDS. Pamela is his sister. When we got there we could see that she was in a lot of pain, so much that we needed to get her more help than we could provide… we needed to get her to a hospital. Morris' mother was also there, and also in a great deal of pain.
We ended up having both of them laying down in the back of our van… both of them holding onto my arms and legs… crying out in excruciating pain.
On the way to the hospital we picked up a young man who had broken his elbow. He had a cast on his arm, but they didn’t “set it” before they put it in a cast. Now he has to have surgery. (Flashback: This is the same hospital that I struggled with so much last year because of their poor conditions and lack of care and compassion for the patients)... After a one hour, very bumpy, tear-filled van ride, we finally got everyone to the hospital.
We had two patients that we were caring for already at the hospital, Rosemary and Robert. Robert is a young man dying of AIDS. Rosemary is also very ill. (I believe Pamela (from our Team) wrote about them earlier today on our BLOG).
School
On Tuesday, Tanea (from our Team) and I went to a school to teach “Choose to Wait.” Choose to Wait is about biblically-based, sexual purity. We were told ahead of time that the kids were "tuff"… They were distant and not connecting at all with their regular teachers.
Tanea and I were asked to share about our lives and about our relationship with God. The students (ages 14-25 or so) were, at first, just like we’d been told: tuff and distant... But, our time with them ended very differently… love… hugs… kisses… holding hands… even tears.
I learned that most of these "tuff" girls had no mother, no father, and had been raising their siblings by themselves for many years. Some had been raped… others enduring unwanted pregnancies. One thing they all had in common was that they were all poor and have suffered deeply in some way and were now struggling in a way far more difficult than any of us could ever begin to understand.
Tanea and I had started sharing the story of our lives with them outside, but a heavy rain came that sent us inside under a tin roof. This only filled me with more joy and a greater passion to continue to connect with these young men and women. I was shouting as loudly as I could because the chicken/rooster was very busy in the back of the room making tons of noise.
This school…with its rocky, dirt floors… and rain pounding on the tin roof… was suddenly filled with faces… and it became an amazing place! Tanea and I shared the gospel and explained to them how to receive Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.
We broke up into groups and I told the girls in my group how proud I was of each of them… how much I respect them for their courage and strength, not only to survive, but to care for their other siblings…. I told them that each one of them was deeply loved, valuable and known by God. Now… all the “tuff” walls had been broken down… culture, age, everything. And there was a connection made that I can’t explain any other way but… only God.
To see all those (40) “tuff” little faces turn so tender and soft was truly a “moment.” They just wanted to be loved… to feel safe… to be heard.
Thank You
I find myself again saying “Thank you, God.” Thank you that you are good! Thank you that you are faithful, not because of what you do or do not do for us, or because of our circumstances, but because you are God and you are good and you are faithful.
I realize that this is a long blog, but it’s so difficult for me to get to the computer this year. With ministry and leading a team I find myself struggling to get here. So, I will probably write less often this year, but longer. We’ll see how it goes.
As we were leaving the school yesterday, one of the girls came and told us that she had accepted Christ into her heart. We asked her “when?” She said, “today, as we were hearing the Word of God!
And, once again I did my "Happy Dance"... JOY!
Thank you to all of you who are praying for our team! Thank you to all of you who were so generous financially to make this trip a reality! Thanks to all of you! Know that your gifts of love, prayer, and support have touched the lives of many here, and it is only day 5!!! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Much love, Laura :)
Choose to wait, and my new Bff's
Julie and Lilian are 2 girls who have intensely touched my heart while I have been going out to do ministry.
A couple days ago Julie walked into the house and it wasn't long before we knew it was her birthday. We sang to her and eventually got to go on a walk with her. She is a volunteer for Christ's Hope and she is wonderful! She has 5 kids and raises them all to fear the Lord. She was very glad to hear I had kids and instantly wanted to see pictures of them. I also learned today that she got to take a camera home so she can take picture of hers for me. This touched me to know she was thinking of me after she went home.
Yesterday a girl named Lilian came to the house before we went out to do ministry... She was very shy but after morning devotionals she prayed and brought the word of God to life. I was so excited to learn that she would be going out to Choose to Wait ministry with her and Mama Joskey (A wonderful woman!). We got on the tuk tuk and road out to the matatu (See Pat's blog for the definition). From there we had an hour long ride where Laura and I were squished in the back.
When we got to the school we were in awe of the beauty in the hills of Africa... Rich green plants in contrast with the bright red soil. We walked down a long path past mud huts tucked quietly between different type of wildlife. We were accompanied by kids walking to and from school, it was so beautiful that I couldn't even take a picture, I feel like it would ruin the perfection of God's work.
When we got to the school we were asked to share our testimonies with about 40 kids ages 16-25 although most were 16. I shared my testimony and for the first time I was living out my thoughts that I wanted to bring my story to Africa. How perfect God's timing is to know when I needed to be in this country to share my story. The speaking setting was literally under a beautiful African tree, the wind was gracefully dancing through the area between me and the students reminding me that God was with me. As I did math problems in my head (A new technique we learned to keep from crying) God let me vulnerability pass onto the children in Africa.
We were told after school was over that our story had taken one of the girls life to the Lord... We partied with the angels on the red path back to the matatu praising God and taking in the moment. The students we met were told to be the "tough" kids, but after talking to them we realized they were in need of someone like Laura and I to share our stories. We then leaned that 9 of the girls were pregnant. I can only hope my story saves those babies lives.
We road the matatu home with so much laughter with Lilian we were falling off our seats not just from the wild ride... She shared her story with us that made me realize no matter how much I fit in here, I am not in America anymore. The words with a smile, "My mother died when I was 2, and my father when I was in grade 2... but that's life."
Lilian is one of the most beautiful women I have met in and out. She told me I can post her picture so I am going to take one with her and put it up...
LOVE, Tanea
A couple days ago Julie walked into the house and it wasn't long before we knew it was her birthday. We sang to her and eventually got to go on a walk with her. She is a volunteer for Christ's Hope and she is wonderful! She has 5 kids and raises them all to fear the Lord. She was very glad to hear I had kids and instantly wanted to see pictures of them. I also learned today that she got to take a camera home so she can take picture of hers for me. This touched me to know she was thinking of me after she went home.
Yesterday a girl named Lilian came to the house before we went out to do ministry... She was very shy but after morning devotionals she prayed and brought the word of God to life. I was so excited to learn that she would be going out to Choose to Wait ministry with her and Mama Joskey (A wonderful woman!). We got on the tuk tuk and road out to the matatu (See Pat's blog for the definition). From there we had an hour long ride where Laura and I were squished in the back.
When we got to the school we were in awe of the beauty in the hills of Africa... Rich green plants in contrast with the bright red soil. We walked down a long path past mud huts tucked quietly between different type of wildlife. We were accompanied by kids walking to and from school, it was so beautiful that I couldn't even take a picture, I feel like it would ruin the perfection of God's work.
When we got to the school we were asked to share our testimonies with about 40 kids ages 16-25 although most were 16. I shared my testimony and for the first time I was living out my thoughts that I wanted to bring my story to Africa. How perfect God's timing is to know when I needed to be in this country to share my story. The speaking setting was literally under a beautiful African tree, the wind was gracefully dancing through the area between me and the students reminding me that God was with me. As I did math problems in my head (A new technique we learned to keep from crying) God let me vulnerability pass onto the children in Africa.
We were told after school was over that our story had taken one of the girls life to the Lord... We partied with the angels on the red path back to the matatu praising God and taking in the moment. The students we met were told to be the "tough" kids, but after talking to them we realized they were in need of someone like Laura and I to share our stories. We then leaned that 9 of the girls were pregnant. I can only hope my story saves those babies lives.
We road the matatu home with so much laughter with Lilian we were falling off our seats not just from the wild ride... She shared her story with us that made me realize no matter how much I fit in here, I am not in America anymore. The words with a smile, "My mother died when I was 2, and my father when I was in grade 2... but that's life."
Lilian is one of the most beautiful women I have met in and out. She told me I can post her picture so I am going to take one with her and put it up...
LOVE, Tanea
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