I'm sitting in Heathrow's Terminal 5 waiting for my flight home, and trying to process the burdens of my heart as I think back to the few hours we spent on Saturday at the UNHCR World Refugee Day celebration/awareness at the Kenya International Convention Center.
I've worked with International Teams Refugee Ministry in Nairobi for the past few years, spending time in fellowship each of the past two years with their Somali fellowship. This year, having the fellowship time land on World Refugee Day, we decided to take the children to the KACC where there were inflatables, clowns, face painting, etc., time for them to play and be kids. It was a lot of fun - especially having to take care of the young boy who was so frightened by the clown that I had to take him for a walk, which was interesting because he spoke absolutely no English, I can only imagine the thoughts passing through his mind.
Anyway, what really struck me was a picture gallery UNHCR had set up in one tent about the plight of refugees (and migrant workers trying to better the lives of their families) in East Africa and northward. What struck me was the decisions the parents make for the lives of their children, only in many situations to find the parents killed or separated from the children, leaving the little ones to fend for themselves. I can think of Lisa and I making this decision, something going wrong, and having Maiya and Kendyl to fend for themselves, the Lord only knows what could happen to them, and the children put in this situation.
I know there is nothing I can do about this other than pray, but like last year with the situations of sexual abuse in the Mathare slums, I pray the Lord leads me in a direction, shows me a way to help, or gives me a boat load of money so that I can help these people, providing counseling and intervention so these stories of horror and terror do not continue.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
The countdown has begun, in about 84 hours I’ll begin the journey home, I’m starting to get more homesick and ready to get back to the family, I think they are missing me a little more as well.
I picked up a little head cold on my trip back to Nairobi with Mwende the past few days. I don’t feel too bad today, but want to rest to make sure it doesn’t get worse, we have a lot to do yet in the last four days.
Speaking of Mwende, I had a great time with her and her mother and Esther in Nairobi. She was very excited, we went to the Animal Orphanage, did the Safari Walk, took her to the cinema to see “Night at the Museum,” the new one, then the National Museum and for a little boat ride in Uhuru Park.
Speaking of the cinema, it was in Westlands at a mall called Westgate which from what I’ve seen rivaled any mall I’ve been in in the world. Now, I haven’t been to the prime shopping places in Paris or Dubai or London, but this placed rivaled the Beverly Center, Water Tower in Chicago, etc. I always wondered where the rich and famous in Nairobi went to get their gear, now I know.
As for Mwende, as I said, I know she and her mother really enjoyed the time. However, one reason that I took her on this journey was to see if she was ready to come and visit us in the US and would be comfortable enough around me and in the culture that we have. As for now, I think the answer is no. It saddens me, but her English and maturity are just not there yet. I have talked to a Tumaini employee, Esther, who also accompanied us on the trip, and she said there are things we can do to get her English up to speed, but it may take a while. I think I am going to pay for her to get some English lessons and send her some books, which I am told will help. The accent seems to be the worse, but with practice she can get there. I think we are a year or two or maybe a little more away from that happening.
I also got some bad news as I took her back to her home. On the return, I was told that her mother and her younger brother are HIV positive. Mwende is not, thankfully, and both are responding well to treatment, but they are positive nonetheless.
Finally, I forgot to mention in a previous post that while last year I saw Kilimanjaro for the first time from the air, last week I got just an unbelievable view from the ground. We were traveling back from Babati to Arusha and I had fallen asleep. All of the sudden I awoke and looked out the window, and there it was. I don’t know if I’ve seen anything as impressive in my life. I can’t explain it, but the picture will be seared into my mind for the rest of my life.
I picked up a little head cold on my trip back to Nairobi with Mwende the past few days. I don’t feel too bad today, but want to rest to make sure it doesn’t get worse, we have a lot to do yet in the last four days.
Speaking of Mwende, I had a great time with her and her mother and Esther in Nairobi. She was very excited, we went to the Animal Orphanage, did the Safari Walk, took her to the cinema to see “Night at the Museum,” the new one, then the National Museum and for a little boat ride in Uhuru Park.
Speaking of the cinema, it was in Westlands at a mall called Westgate which from what I’ve seen rivaled any mall I’ve been in in the world. Now, I haven’t been to the prime shopping places in Paris or Dubai or London, but this placed rivaled the Beverly Center, Water Tower in Chicago, etc. I always wondered where the rich and famous in Nairobi went to get their gear, now I know.
As for Mwende, as I said, I know she and her mother really enjoyed the time. However, one reason that I took her on this journey was to see if she was ready to come and visit us in the US and would be comfortable enough around me and in the culture that we have. As for now, I think the answer is no. It saddens me, but her English and maturity are just not there yet. I have talked to a Tumaini employee, Esther, who also accompanied us on the trip, and she said there are things we can do to get her English up to speed, but it may take a while. I think I am going to pay for her to get some English lessons and send her some books, which I am told will help. The accent seems to be the worse, but with practice she can get there. I think we are a year or two or maybe a little more away from that happening.
I also got some bad news as I took her back to her home. On the return, I was told that her mother and her younger brother are HIV positive. Mwende is not, thankfully, and both are responding well to treatment, but they are positive nonetheless.
Finally, I forgot to mention in a previous post that while last year I saw Kilimanjaro for the first time from the air, last week I got just an unbelievable view from the ground. We were traveling back from Babati to Arusha and I had fallen asleep. All of the sudden I awoke and looked out the window, and there it was. I don’t know if I’ve seen anything as impressive in my life. I can’t explain it, but the picture will be seared into my mind for the rest of my life.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Well, I found out this morning that I am still not over my deep-seated fear of preaching. Though I probably could have prepared more for that time, I absolutely bombed it. I just don’t like to preach. Teaching for me, though many think it the same, is so different. In teaching I can get the input of those who are in attendance, we can learn from each other. We can take into account the wisdom of the group. Thankfully, John rescued me in the first service and then after I begged him again did the same in the second. Praise God!
I am so excited about tomorrow, getting to take Mwende and her mother into Nairobi to do as she wishes. We are thinking she will want to visit the animal (giraffe) orphanage, maybe the museum, eat at a nice restaurant, take her to a movie if she wants (they have the new “Night at the Museum” movie playing, as well as “Up” which I know nothing about. She’s 13 years, so “Up” may be too elementary for her, I hope she likes it. We will also hang around in a nice park in downtown, they have some nice fountains and swings, we can take a picnic basket, etc. I hope she enjoys.
It’s only been one week since we have been here, and in one week we will be gone, but if feels like we’ve been here for a few weeks, which is good, as the time has been well. We now begin to wrap up the trip, and like I said I am thankful to get home.
It was crazy, Friday morning I awoke at the house of a friend and he was on the computer. He was checking how the Lakers did the night before, but the game was still on, in overtime. That time was a little weird.
I didn’t have time to write this last night, but on our return to Arusha, TZ from Babati we arrived quite late at night. We checked into a smaller hotel but one that seemed secure, went to dinner, and were just ready to retire for the night when we heard a loud and frantic pounding on the door. I opened to see the man who was accommodating us and staying with us rushing to pull up his pants and tuck in his shirt, exclaiming that we needed to leave, immediately. Our first thoughts were, “We need to leave now, like gather our money and passport and run out the back door, or pack up your things and meet us in the lobby.” Our feeling was that he was thinking the former, so we threw our things together, grabbed our luggage, and were quite literally thrown into a van and taken to a different hotel (though we did have to pay for our short time at the other hotel). When we got into our rooms and finally found out what happened, it seemed that the man who dropped us at the first hotel was cornered as he was leaving in his SUV and some thugs tried to rob him. He got away, but he thought they were coming for us next. There was no threat, but to be sure we were safe we were taken to a different hotel. In the end, probably more care than we needed, but we were happy to see that they were looking out for our protection, as has always been the case in my trips here.
I think I’m going to give Mutuku my favorite Red Sox t-shirt. I love that guy, he works harder than anyone I know, and I don’t have anything else to give him this year. I can always buy a new one.
I am so excited about tomorrow, getting to take Mwende and her mother into Nairobi to do as she wishes. We are thinking she will want to visit the animal (giraffe) orphanage, maybe the museum, eat at a nice restaurant, take her to a movie if she wants (they have the new “Night at the Museum” movie playing, as well as “Up” which I know nothing about. She’s 13 years, so “Up” may be too elementary for her, I hope she likes it. We will also hang around in a nice park in downtown, they have some nice fountains and swings, we can take a picnic basket, etc. I hope she enjoys.
It’s only been one week since we have been here, and in one week we will be gone, but if feels like we’ve been here for a few weeks, which is good, as the time has been well. We now begin to wrap up the trip, and like I said I am thankful to get home.
It was crazy, Friday morning I awoke at the house of a friend and he was on the computer. He was checking how the Lakers did the night before, but the game was still on, in overtime. That time was a little weird.
I didn’t have time to write this last night, but on our return to Arusha, TZ from Babati we arrived quite late at night. We checked into a smaller hotel but one that seemed secure, went to dinner, and were just ready to retire for the night when we heard a loud and frantic pounding on the door. I opened to see the man who was accommodating us and staying with us rushing to pull up his pants and tuck in his shirt, exclaiming that we needed to leave, immediately. Our first thoughts were, “We need to leave now, like gather our money and passport and run out the back door, or pack up your things and meet us in the lobby.” Our feeling was that he was thinking the former, so we threw our things together, grabbed our luggage, and were quite literally thrown into a van and taken to a different hotel (though we did have to pay for our short time at the other hotel). When we got into our rooms and finally found out what happened, it seemed that the man who dropped us at the first hotel was cornered as he was leaving in his SUV and some thugs tried to rob him. He got away, but he thought they were coming for us next. There was no threat, but to be sure we were safe we were taken to a different hotel. In the end, probably more care than we needed, but we were happy to see that they were looking out for our protection, as has always been the case in my trips here.
I think I’m going to give Mutuku my favorite Red Sox t-shirt. I love that guy, he works harder than anyone I know, and I don’t have anything else to give him this year. I can always buy a new one.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Being in Kenya for the sixth time, this is the first time I’ve felt very little need to write down some of my experiences, yet I will do so for my own memories down the road:
We’ve traveled too much while in country. We got in at around 10pm on the 6th, to the hotel at around midnight, up at 5 for a 12 hour trip on the worst roads I’ve ever been on. In Babati then for two full days, left the third day at 2pm for a trip back to Arusha, got in late, went to hotel, ready to sleep…banging on the door…WE NEED TO LEAVE! We packed our stuff, ran out of the hotel to another hotel, they thought we were in trouble so they transferred us to another hotel. Once we got there we were way to awake and freaked to sleep, so we were up most of the night, another 8 hour early the next morning. We are not in Masii, and thankful we’ll be here for a few days.
This is no insult to Lisa and the girls, but I am not as homesick this time as I have been other years. It’s made the trip much easier.
As those who know me know well, when I am here I enjoy seeing where the Lord is working in this country. Once again I’ve seen great movements of God from fellow saints working here. One example: There is a severe drought in the country, no rains, people are dying. One of our friends and his wife, Curtis and Esther Reed, have taken it upon themselves to bring food to some of the villages. He said they went last week to a village, though the people in the village did not know they were coming. When they arrived, they found that the people had gathered in the church to worship the Giver, though they did not know the gifts were on their way. As the gifts arrived, words could not express the praise and glory to God. POWERFUL!
We spend today in fellowship with the new church in Masii, discussing the Kingdom of God. We felt at first like we were not communicating with them properly, but by the end of the day we were mutually edified and learned from each other. Another great day to come tomorrow.
We’ve traveled too much while in country. We got in at around 10pm on the 6th, to the hotel at around midnight, up at 5 for a 12 hour trip on the worst roads I’ve ever been on. In Babati then for two full days, left the third day at 2pm for a trip back to Arusha, got in late, went to hotel, ready to sleep…banging on the door…WE NEED TO LEAVE! We packed our stuff, ran out of the hotel to another hotel, they thought we were in trouble so they transferred us to another hotel. Once we got there we were way to awake and freaked to sleep, so we were up most of the night, another 8 hour early the next morning. We are not in Masii, and thankful we’ll be here for a few days.
This is no insult to Lisa and the girls, but I am not as homesick this time as I have been other years. It’s made the trip much easier.
As those who know me know well, when I am here I enjoy seeing where the Lord is working in this country. Once again I’ve seen great movements of God from fellow saints working here. One example: There is a severe drought in the country, no rains, people are dying. One of our friends and his wife, Curtis and Esther Reed, have taken it upon themselves to bring food to some of the villages. He said they went last week to a village, though the people in the village did not know they were coming. When they arrived, they found that the people had gathered in the church to worship the Giver, though they did not know the gifts were on their way. As the gifts arrived, words could not express the praise and glory to God. POWERFUL!
We spend today in fellowship with the new church in Masii, discussing the Kingdom of God. We felt at first like we were not communicating with them properly, but by the end of the day we were mutually edified and learned from each other. Another great day to come tomorrow.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
