positive tribalism

My time here in Kenya is drawing to a close. I leave three weeks from today. One short-termer left this morning and I realized there were only 2 more people I would be saying goodbye to from this standpoint. So strange. I am in the process of burning dvds, backing up, documenting projects, etc.

Kenya seems to be in constant fluctuation these days…quiet, violent, quiet, violent. Kenyans and Mzungus alike are ready for it to return to “normal”. Today there is a large memorial service here in Nairobi, tomorrow there is another rally planned, and Friday there is Prayer service to remember all those who have died. Please continue to pray for the leaders, for mediation to take place, and for all those who have lost loved ones or who are displaced. According to BBC, the displacement camps are supposed to be shut down within 3 days and I hurt for those people who have no where else to go!

In church on Sunday the pastor gave a strong, bold message concerning tribalism. He gave some of the history behind the resentment between tribes, which was incredibly helpful. He also made the point that God created tribes within a nation (i.e. Israel). So we shouldn’t seek to destroy the concept. Instead we should practice positive tribalism, realizing that each group of people has different God-given gifts and abilities that can be an asset to the nation as a whole. It was interesting as he went more specifically into mentioning certain qualities of tribes here in Kenya. One is most known for its intelligence and good schooling; another for their ability to be entrepreneurs; another for their intense loyalty; another for their spiritual hearts (compared to the Levites). What a cool picture.

God made…

This past Sunday my church sent all of the sunday school teachers out to the refugee camp to teach the children there. SO, they needed people to fill in at church. Two friends and I volunteered to help with the four and five year olds. I LOVED IT! There were thirty children packed into the room, each jabbering away in swahili. They took turns holding our hands, stroking our hair, and of course asking questions.

There was a Kenyan woman who taught the Bible lesson about everything that God made. The funniest part was when she asked the children to name some of the animals God made. Now one might think a puppy or kitty would be named first. Or in Africa maybe a lion or elephant. BUT NO. A little boy jumps up and says “COCKROACHES”!!

continued unrest

Athough Kenya has not been in the headlines over the past week, trouble is far from past. Tensions are bubbling below the surface waiting for a reason to explode. None of the leaders are willing to negotiate or work with outside mediation.

Today parliament reopens and some are expecting a show-down. We’ll see what happens. Then starting Wednesday there are mass rallies planned three consecutive days all around Kenya. For more details on what is happening, please go to BBC
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7188524.stm

Please continue to pray for Kenya in the days to come!

Kenya Emergency Relief fund

An SIM project has been setup for people who want to donate funds to help with the relief efforts.
The project number is KE92601
and is titled: Kenya Emergency Relief Fund
Funds can be sent via any SIM Sending Office (www.sim.org), please reference the above project number. Donations given will normally qualify as tax deductible or similar depending on the country of the sending office.
These funds will be used to assist with food, water, medical needs, etc and will in most cases be directed through an existing local church or ministry that already has a good working relationship with SIM in Kenya. We do intend to have SIM people involved as well in many of the cases.

Feeding the 5000…

Okay…maybe it was really more like 100+ not 5000, but it sure felt like more!

Today my housemates and I had the opportunity to serve lunch to all the volunteers at a refugee camp nearby. Last night, we peeled mountains of potatoes and carrots and sorted through heaps of beans picking out the small pebbles. Then this morning we started cooking at 7:30. We borrowed huge pans called sufarias and ran back and forth between multiple houses to stir each pot. I’m pretty sure my arms will be sore tomorrow! ha. None of us had ever made either of the Kenyan dishes and especially not in such large quantities, so it was a challenge! The Kenyan housekeepers probably groaned each time they saw us coming with more questions, but they were so patient and helped us each time with a smile! At 12:30 we were finally ready with our 3 large sufarias filled with githeri (the bean/corn mixture) and a vegetable stew. It was really a joy to be able to serve the people who have donated their time to serve the refugees. Counselers, children workers, ditch diggers, etc. Each playing a part…doing what THEY can…offering their gifts and talents.

(I’ve posted pictures to the right)

Refugees and presidents

Well, I am still in nairobi, NOT at the beach as I was planning. Our trip was cancelled due to the volatile conditions of the country. If you would have told me several weeks ago that our plans would change, we would have all been so disappointed. However, it seems for the best now. We thought about rescheduling the trip, but I can’t bring myself to spend the money for leisure when so many in Nairobi and all over Kenya don’t even have food and are living in open fields. If any of you would like to join me in giving up something there is so much opportunity to be a part of something bigger. In the next few days I’ll post the link on my blog of a special project through SIMKenya to which you can donate if you feel led. SIMKenya plans to work through the Kenyan churches who are already involved with or have started humanitarian aide / Christian counseling ministries. For example, two women from my home church here in Kenya started a refugee camp for those chased from their homes or who no longer have homes to return to. Tomorrow I have been blessed with the opportunity to serve alongside the girls in my house to prepare a meal for 100 of the volunteers working at the refugee camp just on the edge of Nairobi. I feel so helpless at times since I don’t really know Swahili, and I’m not a nurse or a teacher. But this is one way that I feel I can help. And it’s amazing how much a small amount of money can make a difference. So many Kenyans live on only $1/day.

I am back to work this week, and am realizing how many projects I have to finish up this month! Currently I am documenting all the work I have done on the simkenya website in order to make sure someone can continue to update it and keep it running once I’m gone. Unfortunately I will not overlap with the short-termer coming to take my place so I need to make sure everything is well explained in writing.

Thank you so much for all of your prayers and support during the last few weeks of upheaval in Kenya. While things DO seem to be settling down, please continue to pray for the Kenyan people and for the government. Nothing has really been settled, and much of the tribal tension is just below the surface. Today I was reading in 1 Tim. 2:1-4 I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. I know that the political tragedies in Africa seems so far to many of you, but I have been convicted of the need to pray for our own president and for the upcoming elections…that God would be glorified.

A bleeding nation

Well it is 3 days into the new year…a few days only…but the lives of so many are changed forever. An estimated 70,000+ have deserted their homes for fear of their lives; BBC reports 300+ are dead including so many children. But these are just numbers. How does one express the FEAR of people living in Kibera, wanting to guard their homes and protect their families…which means not sleeping for days? How does one portray the horror of people in a burning church…and not being able to help? The Kenyan’s memories are seared with images of children lying in ditches. Many are praising God to be alive, but are camping in a field because their home is burned to the ground; others have no coal to make food (if they even have supplies to cook with). I honestly feel guilty for being safe and cozy on the compound. Why is it that I have been blessed with so much and others have so little and even that is being taken from them!? I have done nothing to deserve it! Why me? I am hurting for these beautiful people of Kenya! All of us wonder…what will still be around when we can go back to our ministries, and WHO will be missing?

I was hoping that today would give an indication as to where this nation is headed. However, the rally scheduled for today was cut short by the special security forces. Throughout the day, we heard gun fire but at some distance away. The rally has been rescheduled to take place tomorrow (Friday). So once again, we wait and we PRAY. We are still meeting daily on the compound to pray together for peace, for the people of Kenya, for SIMKenya national staff, for SIMPacters who have not been able to make it back to Nairobi yet.

But even in these times, there are so many things to praise God for:
* At this point, all of the SIMKenya staff and the SIMKenya missionaries are safe
* Everyone on the compound is handling the tension well
* We were able to get out on the more peaceful days (Mon. and Tues.) and restock supplies
* We still have electricity and internet (most of the time anyways!)…I’ve never read the news so much in my life!
* 2 SIMPacters were in a trouble area unable to get to Nairobi; They were able to make it out to Uganda safely.

PLEASE JOIN US IN PRAYING FOR PEACE IN KENYA

Prayer for a hurting nation

What a strange way to end the year…in lock down on a compound in Kenya. This is the fifth day that we have not been allowed to leave the compound for safety reasons. However, the time here has been special. All of the compound gathered on Sunday for a time of worship and prayer. Then today again we met in prayer for the nation and people of Kenya. So many are hurting. So much confusion, anger, and fear. It has just shown me again what a sinful world we live in. Please be in prayer for peace, and that God would use these circumstances for good.

If you are unsure as to what i’m talking about, you can read up about it on the bbc website: http://news.bbc.co.uk/

It has been neat to see how the body of Christ can uphold and encourage one another. The long-term missionary families have taken all of us short-termers into their homes for meals since most of us were emptying our cupboards on purpose to go on vacation to the coast! We would have been fine but meals probably would have consisted of rice, pasta, and who knows what else. I had just gotten to the point of no milk, butter, sugar, oil, fruits, vegetables, bread, eggs, or yogurt (a definite staple in our house! ) So thank God for the family of believers here around us in Kenya. Hopefully everything will calm down soon in Nairobi and Mombasa so that my housemates and I can go to the coast on Thursday as planned!

Anyways…I just wanted to let you know I am SAFE. I am taking all precautions seriously but am not living in fear. Rather, I am thanking God for his protection and His provision. God is good ALL the time…and all the time God IS good.

Merry Christmas!

Click on the link below to see my Christmas newsletter in pdf format:
dec2007_blog.pdf

Looking for a King

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Even though I’ve heard the story of Christ’s birth hundreds of times, there is always something new to ponder. Tonight I watched the Nativity for the second time. The thought I can not seem to grasp is how absolutely amazing it is that ALL of GOD became flesh in the form of a small, innocent, helpless baby. King Herod was searching for the coming Messiah, but was looking in all the wrong places. He looked for power. Jesus came to earth as a baby. Herod assumed a Messiah would be born in wealth. The Christ was born in a stable. Herod hated the Messiah because he feared losing control of his kingdom. But the lamb of God came as a sacrifice not an earthly king…He was born to die. The absolute humility of it all! Jesus’ heavenly Father COULD have provided a better place for Mary and Joseph to stay. Why did He allow his own Son to be born in a stable?

A friend sent me a song that really reminds me that that night long ago was probably not a “silent night,…all is calm, all is bright”. The stable was dirty, not beautiful as often portrayed. Mary’s labor was painful, just like any other birth. Joseph was probably so distraught that he couldn’t provide better for his expectant wife. “But the baby in her womb…he was the maker of the moon. He was the author of the faith that could make the mountains move.” (Labor of Love by Andrew Peterson) And Mary pondered these things in her heart…