Week Three & Four in Nakuru, Kenya

I just realized that 2 weeks have gone by without an update. I apologize for not keeping you up to date. It's been a busy 2 weeks for us here. A lot has happened. But in it all we have seen how God always has a purpose and how He always takes care of us.

George is always a gracious host for us but we are now moved into a house of our own. Not that we want to be exclusive because we don’t. We want to enlarge our tent pegs and invite George and Nellie and Patrick and Christine to join us in this house. We want to show those around us what the family of God looks like and how the church takes care of one another. It’s a whole new ballgame, excuse the puniness, but it really is like starting over again.

God has been so good to us here. There have been many times God has shielded us from harm and kept us safe. Even without us knowing He was doing it. Amma wrote about her purse getting stolen so I won’t write about that. If you would like to read her account on her blog, just click here.

The house God has given us has been awesome. Three houses up the street live Johnny and Kate, Kenya missionaries, with their 5 children and 7 Kenyan orphans that live with them. They are really sweet people and we love them. We need friends like them and God have given us even more than that. We have met a number of indigenous and European missionaries, pastors and their families, as well as people from all walks of life to give us hope and joy, living here in Nakuru.

Recently we have had a run of events that has hampered us but God has protected us and given us so much more than we could ask for. Circumstances always look different than what is really going on, especially when we only see in part. Spiritual things are happening all around us but we just don’t see them. But when God appears then we see clearly what reality is. We have been plagued with ATM limits, unavailable funds, and when we ask the bank about what is going on we are told, there is nothing we can do but wait or do without. So we have waited and God has added to our resources, covering the loss of what was stolen from Amma. We have used the card to purchase what we need for groceries in the mean time knowing that we must wait a few days for ATM cash to be available.

The guest house needed to be cleaned out and scrubbed after the last occupants moved out so this was started by Gideon, one of the Kingdom Hikers. We have put some repairs in on the cabin, like light bulbs, window hardware and door locks. Patrick and Gideon are now painting it so Patrick and his family can move in this weekend.

Pastor meetings on Wednesday are growing and not just in numbers. Spiritual growth is the most evident summation of what is happening. A new freedom to live and share the spiritual oneness of Christ in us has been appearing strong in those that are attending. They are hungry for the truth about how to live this life as the church and members of it. Pastors come from all around Nakuru. Some come as far 30km away. Most men walk a great distance to be there each week.

Abba is visiting several churches and teaching there. He is teaching a commitment class at ALF each Sunday morning and then during the service at ALF or another church that wants to host him. He is teaching three or four times each week plus spending time meeting pastors, missionaries, visiting other organizations, pastor conferences, schools, orphanages and other mission minded works. We have had to make him take a day for slowing down a bit and collecting his thoughts, rest and relaxation. He feels the pressure of time and wants to pack all he can into the time he has here.

 

Amma is also teaching, visiting churches, mission works, women’s conferences, ladies functions, meeting with missionaries, keeping our household in order, shopping, planning meals, etc. She works along side of Abba and keeps pace with him every day.

Zach, Suzie and Nikki are the helpers and runners for Amma and Abba. Their duties include, but are not limited to, cleaning, laundry, cooking, prepping the table. Clearing and washing dishes, opening and locking the gate (several times a day) yard work and other duties as they come up. Zach is Abba go person when he needs a quick job done. Abba and Amma want to keep him but we will have to see how that settles with his mom.

I am the guy that helps plan, follow up and assist Abba and Amma with the daily routines and run interference for the money requests and time requests. I am scheduling and charting events for us to do as well as trying to log as much as possible for reporting to MAT and the church at RCV. My primary duties here are to help make an accounting of the church finances, Georges finances and business ventures that are in progress or need to be assessed for financing. Amma and I have met with Simon, Elkana and Christine on the I-SEE training, met with Elizabeth on her business expansion, looked at Nellie's Chicken project, scheduling meetings with Simon & Tabu about a computer business, Patrick and Fred about a Piki Piki business and a motorcycle each to get started. There will be more and training for those businesses comes into play as well. We will be looking at the LEARN program closely this next week and doing interviews with the kids the week following.

A well needed appliance

Even though our time seems to slip away quicker than we can account for it, we are happy to be here and involved in the lives of the people here. Every day seems to open another door for us to touch the things of God. Every new person we meet offers us another opportunity to be involved somewhere. It seems endless and we have to really look for God in all the right places as to not be torn in multiple directions. At the end of the day a bowl of popcorn helps us to relax. We try to review the day and recall events on our calendar but some things slip past us and one day fades into another. 

The needs of many are very great here. Everywhere you look there are beggars on the street. Some are disabled, maimed, blind and/or homeless. Others are kids hooked on glue, sniffing and begging for money to get more glue. Hawkers are at every corner and parking place to plead with you to buy their product. It is virtually an endless stream of people moving up and down the streets at all hours of the day in their pattern of relentless pursuit for something; mostly money or a meal.

Simon meets his arm wrestling match

Our purpose for being here is spiritual, in that we want to share this life of the Kingdom of God with people here but also practical in that we want to help people learn how to take care of, not only themselves, but others like them. Caring and loving one another in the character of Christ is what they need and want. They tell us that we when we talk to them about the live we live in the US. It's hard for them to believe thee is this place where people are more concerned about others than themselves. They are afraid but intrigued by the possibility of such a life happening in Nakuru, Kenya. They want it but don't know how to go about getting it. So we share what we have learned about living this life with them. Some of them cry, sit in amazement or stand in disbelief. But all of them go away wondering, "Can this be so? Can this happen to me?"

We desire to see this life we now live in the US to be transferable to the nations. God has us here in Africa right now. We are working towards that end. Bringing the torch of this life to those who live here. If you are interested in helping, get a plane ticket and come quickly, or you could donate something towards the work we are doing here. Either way, "the fields are white for the harvest but the harvesters are few." Click here for a link to DONATE.