Dreaming of Africa

Please forgive the length of this entry.  I having been dreaming of Africa, both at night and during the day. Here are some of my reflections.  **7-30-10 Updated with a few photos**

Back from Africa and yet not all here...  I dream of Africa.  Of the faces of the children; the patients; the nurses and doctors; the heat and humidity; the lack of running water...and soap.

I dream of green grams (“dengu”), chapati and talapia;  half cakes and mandazi at the Daga Hotel; stealthy monkeys racing across tabletops to steal bread from your plate...

I dream of hippos gracefully maneuvering their enormous bodies outside the water; lion cubs and moms playfully rolling in the tall golden grass - then vigorously feasting on a newly killed wildebeest.  I dream of giraffes slowly and gracefully walking through the savannah...babies hiding in the bushes...popping just their heads out to have a look around, safely covered by the foliage.  I dream of elephants casually grazing on grass...families of them...communities.

I remember the zebras - strikingly beautiful in their contrasted stripes, wandering comfortably in the Masai Mara and then in an instant they break into a full sprint, running beside topi, wildebeest, gazelles and more.  The wildebeest on their annual migration from Tanzania to the Masai Mara where grass is plentiful...thousands and thousands of them...lines in the distance like safari ants - until you get closer.  I remember the warthogs with their babies...mom first, followed by two to three young: they march into the tall grasses where all you can see is the top of mom’s tail as it points skyward.  The hyenas...more attractive than portrayed in the Lion King...mouths bloody from a recent meal and then a smile breaks out and you see their white teeth.  It does look like they are about to laugh!  Jackals small enough to hide in your backpack (but never get through customs!)... and tree tops filled with vultures waiting and watching for their next meal.

I am drawn back to the people.  Children in white shirts with bright white teeth smiling against their dark brown skin running alongside our vehicle, pointing and smiling as they sing out, “Mzungu, mzungu - How are you?”  It is very endearing.  They are always happy to see us.  Children carrying heavy loads of sticks or grain or gallons of water on their heads...walking long distances between home or market and school...yet never complaining.  Always offering a smile and an enthusiastic greeting:  “Mzungu, mzungu, how are you?”

There are so many orphans and vulnerable children.  They don’t seem to know what they don’t have and so they are grateful for any act of kindness.  We organized a birthday party for a group of 21 children around the theme, “You are Special”.  Reading and acting out the story of the same name by Max Lucado, the children were completely attentive...not a sound was made aside from the occasional giggle when our acting seemed silly.  We distributed colorful gift bags of clothes and shoes, handpicked with each child in mind.  As the children went into a classroom and changed into their new clothes, they came out with new spirits as well as new clothes.  Their smiles were ear to ear and they walked with their heads higher and their shoulders back.  It was beautiful.  

Esther, Juliana, Geoffrey, Steven, Little George, Agnes, Anna and her sister, Asha, Bob, Charles, Daniel, Elizabeth, Emmanuel, Evans, Faith, Fred, Geoffrey O, Gloria, Ida, Jeremiah, Kristine, Marvel, Maurine, Michael, Robert, Roselyne, Timothy, Vivian, Clare... and many more. 

I go through my day...back to work at AT&T.  I am grateful for my job as I know many who are unemployed, and yet my mind wanders with the seeming irrelevance of this world.  Parallel universes...

I am constantly praying.  Thinking of those I met and loved.  The national volunteers are amazing.  These are men and women, many of whom are former patients of Care & Compassion...risen from the bed, as we often say...who are now giving back the gift of life they received.  They work very hard, for little or no compensation other than the knowledge that they are making a difference in the lives of their neighbors.  I lift them up in prayer...

Julie, Lillian, Margaret, George, Don, another George, Paul, Lydia, Washington, another George, Eunice, Ruth, and more...

I think of Desmond, driving the Land Cruiser over pot-holed dirt roads (cow trails really) to get to the homes of patients and check on their well being.  We nick-named the Land Cruiser, “Mr Toad’s Wild Ride” for good reason.

Marieke and Anne...two dear young women from Holland who stole my heart.  They came to Kisumu to volunteer for CHI about ten months ago and are still at it.  I was privileged to join Marieke, a registered nurse, on many visits to Russia Hospital and several homes in the village of Manyatta.  She is a quiet, beautiful woman, whose heart for God and those who are sick radiates all around her.

Anne is Marieke’s cousin.  Except for their love for God and passion to do His work, they are as different as night and day.  Anne is playful and outgoing.  She’s been working to add more schools to those in which CHI can minister to orphans and vulnerable children.  Anne shares her love and bright spirit everywhere she goes, whether ministering to children or adults...  We had great fun as she tried to teach us the Dutch way to say common phrases.  This inevitably led to hilarious laughter as we failed hopelessly!

I pray for the patients, all of whom are HIV positive... Robert (teetering on the brink of life and death), Arthur (Kaposi’s Sarcoma throughout his body), Joseph (suffered a stroke; risen from the bed...and getting stronger by the day), Claudia (a new believer), Mildred (a young girl who could barely breathe...risen from the bed!), Maureen (four year old orphan living with her aunt), Fiona and her son, Robert, Jane (suffering from TB and neuropathy), Pamela (bed ridden with shingles when I saw her, now risen), Lawrence, Veronica, Frederick (now home with the Lord), Samuel, Christine (and her daughter, Lucy), Beatrice, Lillian (and her 2 year old son, Timothy), Rosemary (with huge bed sores that are down to the bone...risen from the bed!), David (risen from the bed!), Anna (Pamela’s mother), Eunice (a young girl and new believer), Elizabeth (a new believer), Mary (a new believer), another Pamela (a new believer), another David, Alice, Rosalyn (now home with the Lord), another Jane (now home with the Lord), Grace (now home with the Lord), Paul (arms covered with ulcerous spots), George (a young boy at Russia Hospital), Dennis, another David (at Maseno Hospital), another Rosemary, Salome, Kennedy (severely anemic...blessed with blood donated by a CHI volunteer - and amazingly turned out to be HIV negative!), another George (father of six; deceased since I came home...), Margaret, another Lillian, Rose and Little George, Richard (with a severe skin condition - also amazingly turned out to be HIV negative!), Phoebe and her son, Zedediah, another George (a new believer with Kaposi’s Sarcoma and debilitating neuropathy), another George (from Ohero...recently had his leg amputated), Mary Jocinta, and all their families...

I cannot forget Denise, Mama Joskey, Pastor Martin, Mama Phillister, and all the staff of CHI.  Or the other new believers, like Edwin Omondi the tuk-tuk driver, or Catherine, a teenaged girl who accepted Christ after Sunday services at the Christ Church of Kisumu.  And of course our special “stars”...Mary and Jessica who are staying in Kisumu through August.  Bless and protect them all.

I love the way the names of the Luo tell something about their birth.  Here are some examples...  You will notice baby girls start with “A” and baby boys with “B”.

Amondi: Baby girl born in the morning 

Achieng: Baby girl born in the day time 

Adhiambo: Baby girl born in the evening

Atieno: Baby girl born at night

Awuor: Baby girl born to a glutton  (who would admit to that?)

Awino: Baby girl born wrapped in cord

Omondi: Baby boy born in the morning 

Ochieng: Baby boy born in the day time

Odhiambo: Baby boy born in the evening

Otieno: Baby boy born at night

Obilo: Baby boy born to craving

The children from the Manyatta Ministry Care Point...

Pamela is HIV positive and had a bad case of shingles on her leg when I saw her.  She could hardly move.  Her children are Macrine Adhiambo, Lavende Atieno, Christopher Ochieng, and Beckam Odhiambo.  Thaddeus Otieno is an orphan who lives with his Aunt Pamela in Manyatta.

Lillian is HIV positive, with osteoporosis in her hip; she needs a hip replacement that she will never get and she is grateful for the crutches CHI provided so she can move about.  Her children are Aphline Amondi and Brigit Awuor.

Jane is HIV positive and was suffering from TB when I met her.  Worse than that, the medicine she was taking for TB resulted in severe neuropathy in her feet.  Fortunately we were able to provide her with vitamin B-6, which relieved the neuropathy and the firey burning sensation in her feet.  Now she can tend to her children: Jackline Achieng, Hilda Awino, and Diona Adhiambo.

Margaret is Aunt and “Mama” to Maurine Achieng, Faith Obilo, and Neema (which means grace) Angeline.  Maurine is 4 years old and HIV positive.

Elizabeth’s children...Lamech Ochieng, and Emmanuel Ochieng.

Susan’s children... Jeremiah Otieno, and Agnes Adhiambo.  Agnes is a sweet young girl who is HIV positive and a CHI Care & Compassion patient. 

Joseph had a stroke.  The mother ran away.  The vulnerable children left behind are Stacy Atieno and George Omondi.

And Kevin Echagwe...parents / caregivers unknown.

I remember the rhythmic sound of whack, whack, whack, whack... as the gardener, folded at the waist, cut the grass each morning with a machete.  And the crunch of gravel as the guard walked around the property at night...

I am so grateful...

Maseno Hospital - Women's Ward

Here are some photos that go along with these memories:

Pamela, Nathaniel & Kennedy

George and Rosemary

Nurses at Maseno Hospital

Transporting a patient

Laundry & garden at Maseno

                        

In Christ's love,

Pamela

We are back

Hello to all!  On Saturday evening Laura, Pat, Tanea and Pamela arrived safely in Sacramento after about 33 hours of traveling.  Needless to say it is good to be home.  I know we all left part of our hearts in Kenya with our new friends... 

Please continue to pray for Jessica and Mary who remain in Kisumu through mid-August.  Pray also for Anne and Marieke, our dear friends and awesome missionaries from Holland; for Desmond, Denice, Pastor Martin, Mama Joskey and all the other regular CHI staff, along with the national volunteers, patients and children.

We love you all!

Blessings,
Pamela

Another Brother

     Last week a few of us went to a local market. I met a man named William. I bought a few crosses from him to give to patients. Him and I made a connection, so when we went back to the market a few days later I wanted to go say hi to him even though I wasn't going to buy anything. He asked me what I was doing in Kisumu. I told him about our OVC program, CTW, and the HIV patients that we work with. I proceeded to tell him that our main focus is to spread the Gospel of Jesus. I then asked him if he was saved. As many Kenyans he said he was Christian but he was very unsure of his salvation. I asked him if he would like to accept Jesus into his heart and he said yes. Just as we were about to do the prayer Tanea walked up. William accepted the Lord with Tanea and I by his side. We told him that there was a party going on in Heaven. He was so happy and full of the Holy spirit. He kept saying how happy he was that he did not have to wonder or worry anymore about what was going to happen if he died. He said he did not have to fear anything anymore. Tanea then gave him her cross that she was wearing and I gave him a pocket testament. All three of us were on a high like no other.
     The Next Friday I went to see how William was doing. I brought him a New Testamate. He pulled out his pocket testamate and said, "I want to show you something." He pointed to John chapter 11. There was nothing written there but he was showing he how far he had read. William loved reading the word and was so excited to show me how far he had gotten. I wrote some verses in the front of the New Testamate bible and he also wanted me to write something, anything in the pocket testamate so he could refer to it. Another reason for my visit was to invite him to church. At our previous meeting he said he does really go to church and doesn't know of a good church to go to. The church we have been going to here is wonderful and reminds me a lot of Christ Community. I brought the form that the church gave us the week before with the name on it. I gave it to William and told him that we would be there and would love it if he came.
    Sunday...After much prayer William showed up at church. There was no address on the form so he called the number on the paper and found out where it was. While we were there he told us that he has been telling his friends about Jesus and everything that he is reading. He said he enjoyed himself at church and would like to come back again next week. At the end of the service he wanted to find the pastor's wife, the woman he talked to on the phone. He gave her one of his crosses that he sells in his shop and another one for the pastor. God is amazing. He answered this prayer in such a huge way. William is the first person that I have met here with such little biblical knowledge and he has such a large hunger for the Lord.

Pray that William will continue to seek the Lord. Pray that he will continue reading the word and continue growing in his understanding of Jesus. The impact that he can have on the community is TREMENDOUS! More then we can even imagine. I have yet to meet someone here who is not open to the word of God.

PRAISE THE LORD GOD!

Jessica

William Tanea and I right after he accepted the Lord.

Leaving Kisumu...

It is bittersweet, writing this last blog from the living room of CHI-K in Kisumu.  We have all had such an amazing time, serving the Lord and creating deep friendships  (rafiki-ships!).  Last Friday we had a dinner for many of the patients and yesterday we hosted a lunch for the local (National) volunteers.  Here  is a photo of our lunch table...it reminds us of the great feast we will have one day in heaven with all these precious people...

This is the Care & Compassion team in front of the Land Cruiser that takes them all over the region as they serve people with HIV-AIDS in their homes.  (We've nicknamed the Land Cruiser, "Mr. Toad's Wild Ride", because it is ALWAYS a wild ride as we travel the roads of Kenya...)

And just so you know...we learned how to dress smart, which means "African".  This is what we wore to Church on Sunday!  Several of us had beautiful new dresses made here in Kisumu.  (For more details on the great day we had in Church see the blog entitled, "Another new sister in Christ".)

Here is a video of the theme song for Choose To Wait.  We LOVE this video and have lots more to share in the days and weeks to come...

Love & blessings to all from the STARS over Kisumu team!

Another new sister in Christ!

Jambo!

Yesterday we attended Christ Church of Kisumu, which was fantastic.  It has a very similar feel to CCC...very loving and welcoming; great praise and worship and solid biblical teaching.  Near the end of the service they did an altar call.  I had been looking all around at each face and praying for anyone who didn't yet call Jesus their Savior, while at the same time trying to remember the faces of all these brothers and sisters in Christ.  I noticed a young woman near the back of the Church.  She had a small baby sleeping against her chest.  I saw that she barely raised her arm (not above her head) when the pastor asked if anyone wanted to be prayed for to receive Jesus.  But she didn't go forward.  So when the service ended I made a bee-line for her!

The pastor had just reminded everyone to greet the visitors (they had us on stage earlier...) so she was very happy to meet me when I went to see her.  I drew close to her and asked her if I had correctly seen her raise her hand.   She said yes so I asked her if she wanted to give her life to Jesus.  She nodded her head, yes, so I suggested that we find a spot to sit down and talk.  It was so beautiful!  We went through a bunch of scripture in the bible...so she would see that these were God's words, not just mine.   Then she repeated after me as we asked Jesus into her heart.  I can't tell you how amazing it was!  Her name is Catherine and she was SO excited!  The Holy Spirit filled her up immediately.  She was glowing!  I asked her if she had a bible at home and she said, no, so I found the local pastor and introduced him to my new sister in Christ and asked him if he could find her a bible.  We hugged all around and I introduced Catherine to Mary and Jessica so they can follow up with her over the next 7 weeks.  Then Jessica gave her the cross from around her neck, making her smile even bigger.  God is so good.

This is so real.  Life and death.  Eternal life and death...  I feel incredibly privileged to be doing this work.  God is so good.  Mungu Aku Bariki!  (God bless you!)

My love to all...
Pamela

Jambo from Punchinello (Tanea)

Well, as I was processing most of this trip I have countlessly asked what God's purpose was for me here. I have seen his hand working constantly, but with me, I am finding my plans are not always God's.

God has been working hard in my heart. I can feel him mending heartstrings as well as tearing some apart that have been hardened by nature.

I am finding blessings here in moments I never would have thought to be where I would find them.

I knew coming here that this trip was going to be for me, but I have to humble myself and accept that God wanted me to change more than I knew.

"The grass is greener on the other side"
My heart was broken and my eyes were opened this week when talking to Omondi, the Tuk Tuk driver. He asked me if I was ready to go home. He went on to tell me about how America is next to heaven and he wishes to one day get to go to America. This broke my heart because if he could only see through my heart at that moment he would know how much I truly saw the effects of Sin on these people. The children here play on the most beautiful playgrounds (Trees, hills... etc.) The people are beyond welcoming and so beautiful that I could only think that this place is closer to heaven then anywhere I have ever been. It was then that I saw the similarities and the effect Sin has on us people... (America)

I went on to tell Omondi about homeless in america (the tenderloin, and skid row... where Jr. high at CCC ministers to) and he found it really hard to believe what I was saying.

"Ignorance is Bliss"
America believes our grass is greener, and we want to share our green grass with the dying fields. I, as an "American", had the thought that I was coming to share my green grass and I would be bringing back a clump of dry dead grass to encourage more people to come to this country to share more green grass.

I have now found that in the midst of our ignorance I will be bringing back rich lush GREEN grass.

There is nothing here that I can't have in America... There is nothing in American that someone can't have here... For HAVING is not something that is perishable... For the Lord is SO good that he has presented us ALL with the oportunity to accept Him and be presented to him in The TRUE land of Oportunity one day.... For this is the reason I love him...

I love the Lord for the people here that I have met... I can only pray that if I don't get to come back to Kenya they will be at the feast in Heaven one day... Until then, I will wait upon the Lord.

I finished my conversation with Omondi and by the end I asked Him if he was going to be focused on getting to America... His reply, "No, just Heaven..."

I invited Omondi (who would usually sit in his tuk tuk waiting) to come in and help us with VBS. I pulled out my bible and he reached for it. I asked him is He had one and he told me not an English version which he really wanted. I told him I would give him mine before I leave. He sat reading my bible the whole time and then joined us for some games with the kids.

**********************************************************************************

I wanted to touch on the "You Are Special" skit we did. I was SO blessed to get to play Punchinello. These pictures are from the rehearsal and Pam got to videotape the actual version. During practice, when ELI (Laura) propped Punchinello on the work bench to tell him that all his dot's don't matter... I thought about the idea of truly looking into my makers eyes and hearing the same words. ELI (Laura) had tears streaming down her face and I could tell that this is truly how God sees his Children. He weeps over the terrible  things we feel because of the pain others cause us. I love my maker!!!!

And here is Lillian teaching... (What she does so great!) This is my new BFF... She has told me countless times that she will cry when I leave... I think she doesn't realize how much I will miss her... She is such a beautiful woman with a heart of love for the Lord. (She calls me her mentor, but I would love to be more like her!)

Here is Julie, I told her that God put me on 2 walks with her so that she could minister to me. I dound myself on a walk through the trees with her on the way to one of the schools. She reminded me that we are blessed to be able to walk to share what we love the most, the gospel. This woman is an AMAZING woman of God. She has 5 kids and I talked about her in my other blog.

Oh, Happy, happy birthdays!

No, that was not a "typo"!

Today we all went to the Nyahera Ministry Carepoint. We celebrated birthdays with 21 children! These are the OVC (Orphans and Vulnerable Children) children that are ministered to regularly by Christ's Hope. And our Mary is twenty-one years old today!

Happy Birthday Mary!  (taken the previous Saturday when she  had her corn rows...but before Tanea got hers!)

Games were played by adults and children. Statue dodge ball is great fun! Then we gathered in one of the classrooms.

We had a wonderful time of singing led by volunteer Lillian. Introductions were made by Pastor Martin. The Stars Team acted out the story You Are Special from the book by Max Lucado read by Mary and interpreted by volunteer, Julie.

This is Tanea acting out Punchinello from the "You Are Special" story.  She did a great job!  You can also see her corn rows though here they are called, Obama Braids!

The children all received individual gifts of new clothes including shoes! They were very pleased and all of them put them on immediately! The clothes and shoes had all been selected by Mama Joskey and her helpers. And they all fit beautifully! Imagine the childrens' smiles and joy and pleasure in being made to feel special! And then we all shared a scrumptious meal of chapati, rice, kuku (chicken), pineapple and juice. This meal was also a gift to the children and was prepared on site by Mama Felista and some local women. Oh my! The smiles and full tummies were such a blessing to us! Blessed to be a blessing! Again!  Below are photos of Mama Joskey with many of the children.

And after some of the team left for another Ministry Care Point in Manyatta, a suburb of Kisumu, the rest of us stayed behind to spend some sweet time with the children. Photo opportunities galore! Mama Joskey gathered them by family unit in all their finery. She has such a huge heart for OVC!

And now for one of the most remarkable updates about how God is working...

Remember R. that we told you about early on in our visit here? Well, talk about a faith builder! You will recall that she went to stay with Paul and Lydia at their lovely home. She was very "down" at the hospital in Maseno and I had helped Marieke care for her. Please look closely at the photo here taken by Pamela just in the last day or so. "A picture is worth a thousand words."

"I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD. Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods. Many, O LORD, my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare."  Psalm 40:1-5

Mungu aku bariki

Pat