Worshiping our God in Africa

Sunday brought thick white cotton clouds that blanketed the morning, while ever so often allowing the bright blue sky to peak through. We all slept in since church in the NV dining hall didn't begin until 10:20AM. The older girls (ages 11-13) led the service: singing in both English and Swahili, facilitating the drama performances the younger children presented and praying. They were so precious as they re-enacted the Good Samaritan parable and a skit about appreciating what we are given.  It was a good lesson for our American children, too!  Pastor Mark taught on the character trait of God of generosity from Genesis 15:1-7 which coordinated beautifully with the children's message.  God gives himself to Abram as an inheritance, a very great reward in Gen 15:1.  Such overwhelming generosity to imperfect, selfish, unholy people cannot be compared!  However, what a wonderful reminder it was for our team as we considered His overwhelming generosity toward us personally here in 2014.  The LORD continues to be faithful to His character today just as He was to Abram.  He touched people's heart and they gave financial gifts out of their overflow, and some out of their poverty, in order to make our very trip possible.  Others donated beautiful books, useful clothing items, headphones and hard-drives, diapers & toothbrushes.  The generosity of so many pointed us to the source of generosity.  And Pastor Mark, the spiritual formation director at Naomi's Village, brought the truth into focus for everyone that day:  Our God is Generous!

After lunch and playtime with the NV children, our team went into Maai Mahiu town to visit Rift Valley Fellowship church planted by The Village Church in Sept., 2012 and pastored by Isaac and Esther.  What a worshipful experience for the small congregation made up of Kenyans, Ugandans, and Americans.  Many on our team were moved by the joyful outward expression of worship demonstrated during both singing and preaching.  It didn't seem to matter that the Swahili songs & preaching were not 100% translated for us, although some of the words we understood since this was now our third corporate worship service in 4 days!  The human language barrier was no match for the Holy Spirit who spoke directly to our hearts and blessed us.  Pastor Isaac took his sermon from 2 Corinthians 5:11-21 on the ministry of reconciliation God has given us, as He has made us "bolozi" or ambassadors of God.  We were in Kenya as ambassadors of the LORD to deliver His message of good news to hurting men and women and children alongside these believers, members of His body.  What an encouragement being at RVF!  What a privilege is was to be with this congregation of 40+ Africans worshiping the same God in song, in opening of His word, and in spirit and in truth.  

Our Sabbath day was a precious gift from the LORD as we stood in the truth of Revelation 5:9-10 (ESV):

"...for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priest to our God..."

 

Lexie, Isaac, Charelle, Esther, Candace, and Kris after the service

Pastor Isaac, Dana, and Avery

Charelle and Esther

Our kids with some of the RVF kids

Jon in front of the entrance to Rift Valley Fellowship

Local Love

Everyone finally slept for more than five hours!  What a relief to finally wake up to the beauty of Naomi's Village, though we got a sneak peak when we arrived at midnight the night before. Avery, Josh, Ryan, Zach and Anna all seemed eager to race through the two hundred yards of gray gravel that separates the Guesthouse from the NV campus. Did they notice the field full of enormous stunningly beautiful banana trees? Or even the patches of huge cabbages, lettuces, green peppers, onions, and sweet potatoes in the garden? Did the towering stalks of maze & sugarcane catch their attention? NOPE! Our children were single minded: they ran to play with the 56 babies, toddlers, preschoolers, & elementary school aged children who call Naomi's Village home. They had crossed the Atlantic ocean, traveled 14 hours - 450 kilometers/324 miles - in a matatu and finally gotten a good night's sleep all for the joy of playing! Oh, to be a child again and see this place through their eyes.....eyes full of faith!

 The day was full of unspoken introductions on the soccer field to new friends. The universal language of soccer. Next, David, Ryan, and John joined "old friends" Paul, Dennis, & Willie on the swing sets. Most of the children all descended upon the baby room once they learned the lay of the land while the adults sat through "orientation" - very important "Dos and Dont's". Impressively, Avery and all the boys knew each of the five babies' name by the end of their first hour together.  However, once all the babies were down for the evening, our team of kiddos sat in the courtyard under the blanket of a charcoal sky watching "FROZEN" & singing every word to every song! How universal is that movie and that song, "Let it Go"!? LOL! Even the 20 year old intern, Daniel of UNT & TVC Denton, broke out in song along with Kris.

On Saturday morning, Candace, Dana, Lexie, "Big" John, and Kris all accompanied our children and NV kids to Naomi's home, a local widow who had two young children. Her land required cleaning and burning of trash, the kitchen was swept, the dishes were cleaned, and the boys, along with Anna and Avery used a "slasher" (a bladed, blunt, yard tool) to clear the brush and weeds.   It was a  really rewarding endeavor and we adults got to know some of the kids better.

The afternoon was filled with shopping and playtime in Kijabe, a missionary station established more than one hundred years ago on the side of the mountain. All involved may require a chiropractic treatment after enduring the boulder - sized craters that littered the road. Colobus monkeys, donkeys, and chickens walked along with us as we traveled to Kijabe to visited Rift Valley Academy. What a beautiful place for our children to rip line & play. Avery even sees herself moving to Kenya, living in Kijabe, going to RVA and loving it! Shopping for handcrafted artisan pieces completely energized the local economy. Great prices for beautiful items made our shopping experience fruitful. Zach and Josh both got mazes and shields made from animal hides. A hand carved sheath with dagger was the highlight of Johnny & David's purchases. While Ryan bought a beaded the jewelry set for a friend, he also acquired a lovely lion painting set in a stunning frame! Avery was lucky enough to get a masai blanket. Anna saved most of her money for another shopping day.

The day ended with a s'mores bash! 40 kids and little sticky, chocolate covered fingers were the perfect ending to a sweet day. 

 Some of our kids on our first morning at Naomi's Village.

John, Zach, Ryan, David, Avery, and Josh

 

Bob and Julie in their new Hope shirts.

 

 

Avery and Julia

 

 

Ryan, Virginia, and Zach 

 

 

Charelle with her sponsor kids, Mary and Catherine

 

 

Dana and Naomi

This morning we went with the NV kids to their Community Outreach at Naomi's home.

NV kids stripping corn cobs for Naomi and her family

 

Ryan slashing the field

 

Candace playing jump rope with the local children

 

Kijabe town

 

Journey to "Kwa Mathembo"

"Be the change you want to see in the world."  (M.Ghandi)

It was an early morning reunion for our team of 13 which meet at Heathrow. Charelle, Ryan, and John Raybuck flew from NYC & met up with the Dallas families in London for an easy and uneventful flight to Nairobi. Sweet joy!! Hugs and smiles mixed with familiar feelings of community and friendship filled  all our hearts. It wasn't hard staying together as we waited 2 hours in the immigration line to apply for our entry visas. However, Kris, Anna and David Pate switched lines and that began a domino effect. New lines were quickly opened allowing all our families to move through immigration nearly simultaneously.  What a blessing. Because there were 39 large pieces of luggage loaded down with donations, every hand was needed to retrieve them  from baggage claim. Unfortunately, 15 bags didn't make our flight, prolonging our stay in the airport another 90 minutes as we had to file claim forms with British Airways. It was worth it though. As we left the airport grounds at 12:30AM a herd of zebra and gazelles walked along the road side just long enough to welcome us to Kenya! We were all impressed by the very sight of them. Once arriving to Gracehouse, our overnight accommodations in Nairobi, we slept 4 hours before the next leg of our trip began. Even without many of personal belongings and donations,  we slept with great relief and confidence. Relief that we had finally made it to Africa safely after months of anticipation and planning. Confident that the Lord would provide for our needs even with the lost bags. 

Kwa Mathembo means "place of sacrifice".  That's exactly what this trip has been as of Day Two.  Sacrifice of sleep,  sacrifice of comfort sacrifice of time. Many of you have given to the point of sacrifice to enable us to be able to minister here in Kenya. Ultimately, God sacrificed His son and Jesus willingly gave his life to rescue us from eternal separation from God.

We found ourselves traveling through an unknown land, to an unknown location, traveling at an average of 22 miles per hour on unpaved, uncharted, previously untraveled, "roads" including one named God Help Me Road. Seriously - it was translated GOD HELP ME ROAD!!  Among the nauseous and nearly green were Candace, big John, little John, and Dana. Luckily none of the team ate for 12 hours after our 820 am morning leave time.   In the end it was well worth the sacrifice. Pastor Geoffrey of Wells of Joy church in the Lunga Lunga slums of Nairobi invited us to pray and dedicate 20 acres of land that is intended to be used to rescue the children of the slums as well as the children of Kitui.  He named the land Kwa Mathembo because undertaking this project will require a heart of sacrifice.  We were able to walk the land, pray, take the elements of communion (from Pastor Mark of Naomi's Village and chairmen of the board at Wells of Joy) and worship in song in English and Swahili - thank God for the Kenyan hymnal.  What a surreal moment to be sitting in a clearing in rural Kenya with a light breeze blowing as Americans and Kenyans sang praises of being lifted to a higher ground ...

"Lord lift me up and let me stand
By faith on heavens table land.
A higher place that I have found
Lord plant my feet on higher ground. "

At midnight, we finally arrived at Naomi's Village to a dinner of samosas and chapati. Deliciousness!!  Enough said!

The photos below show us all singing in Swahili on the land and visiting a traditional shepherd hut on the Kamba tribal land.   The last picture is of our kids, Charelle and Pastor Geoffrey and his wife, Jane.