Karibu Sana!- welcome

I got to the airport (IAH) with my mom, met up with Jenny and Garrett.  Jenny and I said our goodbyes to mom and Garrett.  We were both a little sad, and scared - not knowing what to expect, but also really excited.

Got our tickets, I had to pay extra because my suitcase was heavy; a little different then last year people were putting stuff in my suitcase because theirs' was to heavy. I was really thankful that I didn't have to carry them any more, 2 suitcases is extremely hard to maneuver!  We willingly handed them off to KLM (our airline), praying that they made it.  On to our next adventure....Security.

The line was really long and we were starting to get nervous, that we would not make it to our gate.  We got in line at 2:00 and got through it at 3:00, made it to our gate right as they were starting to board, Talk about the Lord being on our side!  We decided to use the restroom, our last time for a while to use an American toilet.

Our flights were both good, we landed in Nairobi on Monday evening, despite some slight swerving as we touched down on the runway.

It took us about an hour to get our visas. Got our luggage, all 4 bags made it, WOOHOO!! Met our driver, Harry, who took us to our hotel, Grace Guest House (reminded Jenny of the place she stayed last year in Nakuru).

Got ready for bed, during this process the power went out (very typical for Kenya).  We closed our Mosquito net curtains that surrounded our beds, I promptly went to sleep, while Jenny stayed up for the next 8 hours. Needless to say she was not bright eyed and bushy tailed the next morning...(her words not mine). 

1st full day in Kenya:

The day started off with a nice cold shower and GREAT Kenyan coffee!

Our driver, Elias, picked us up and we started our journey to Heshima, Special Needs School. On our way we saw a baboon cross the street, needless to say we got a little excited about the baboon that Elias pointed out every animal after that...such as: Chickens, dogs, and goats...as if we had never seen any of these before.

Heshima (Special Needs School):

We got there right as their day was starting; we joined in their morning circle.  They sang praise and worship songs, a little different then home but a welcomed change.  We spent the day playing with students, doing painting, feeding, play doh, and other activities.  This was their first week in their new facility, which is bigger and nicer than their past place.  They are not finished with the new place, right now they are using the medical building for all 4 groups (large instruction area, Dignity Designs, Classroom, and Physical Therapy); they will be adding several other buildings.

There is a little girl, AGI, she has Cerebral Palsy, and can't walk or talk; she understands everything you say.  She reminded me of one of my students.  She wanted to be close to you and have all your attention. She was trying to turn on a pillow that vibrates, but was having a little difficulty; by the look on her face she was bound and determined to do this.  She looked up at me, her way of asking me for help, I showed her how to do it... I held up one finger and asked her to do the same, it took her a little while but she got her finger up, then I showed her how to use her finger to turn on and off the pillow...by the end of the day she was doing it by herself.   It was great to see her determination paid off; she was smiling from ear to ear.

Another student who stood out was a boy named Johnny; he is blind and answers yes or no questions. The director of the facility, come up and asked me if I could walk about with Johnny to be his eyes, to help introduce him to his new school. We started at the door and walked outside, I had him touch the door and feel his way around telling him what he was touching.  We felt our way around posts, shoe racks, to the railing that led to the end of the side walk, at this point I told him he needed to turn around and go back up the side walk to the door.  We then went inside, showed him where the table was and restroom and the carpeted area where they do group activities.  We repeated this several times.  I was completely amazed how he was open to the change.

Quick side note....While we were eating lunch, I went and got our food out of our bags and realized when I was getting Jenny's food that she still had the key to the hotel in her purse...needless to say we aren't going back there, so we have a key to add to our adventure.

The end of the day Elias picked us up and drove us out to EDEN! We arrived safely and with all the kids waiting for us at the gate, it was a great sign to see!

Blessings,

Julie

Stay tuned our adventure is just getting started...:)

Why do we go?

      I'm sitting in my room trying desperately to check off all the things on my ridiculous to do list before we go (and yes I added things I completed just so I could have the satisfaction of checking them off). As I am trying to complete defensive driving, pack, etc. I find my mind wandering. What exactly are we going to do when we get there? How is this or that going to work? What if I have to kill a chicken? What if I can't handle the "squatty potty" toilet at church? My mind is filled with what if's and why's. I think these questions so often characterize our lives. God says "Go!" and we are held captive by the what if's and why's of going instead of the reason He said "Go!" in the first place. I've had many reactions as I've told people I'm going to Africa for the summer. They have ranged from excitement and anticipation of what God is doing, to looks and sometimes even statements of "you are doing what!?" "is that safe?" "why would you do that?"


"Why would you do that?" - It is a very good question. Let me try to explain...


The Bible says in Matthew 28:18-20 "Then Jesus came to them (the disciples that is) and said, ' All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.'"


The Bible also says in James 1:27 "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." 


So first we go because He said to. Because as believers we are called to be obedient to what He says in His word, and because I truly believe that he meant what He said. He didn't say stay and send others, or think about others, or even be a good person. He said Go! (While this can mean across the street or across the world the intention is the same.) He didn't say to be sympathetic to widows and orphans or to feel bad for them. He said to look after them. To me that means you have to physically be there, to see their suffering with your own eyes, to hear their stories with your own ears, to physically be the hands and feet of Christ- who is Love!


   Is it safe? Maybe not..but the God of Heaven who has all authority in Heaven and on Earth goes with us. He will be with us and as it says in Romans 8:31 "If God is for us, who can be against us?" And besides that, what in life is really truly safe, and worth doing? Not many things. I don't want to get to the end of my life and realize I missed out on doing something that truly mattered just because there was not an absolute guarantee of safety. 


   Secondly, we go for the Joy set before us. Hebrews 12:1-3 says " Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame,and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." 


Jesus endured the cross for us despite the pain and suffering for the Joy set before Him. Knowing that his actions would bring about the joy of salvation for all who believe and call upon his name.
So even though it may not be easy, comfortable or "fun" we go because going provides much joy in what He will do and accomplish in and through us, that we would miss out on had we stayed home. 
At Metro Live Ben Stuart said "Your soul was created to be thrilled in joining with Him to accomplish His purposes to save. His mission is a mission of rescue." you can listen to the whole message  (which I highly recommend) at http://metrolive.org/Media/  week 2 June 7th When was the last time you did something that truly thrilled you?


There is no greater joy in life that being a part of what He is doing!


Lastly we go, because how could we not?


According to UNICEF (www.unicef.org)

• 143 million children have lost one or both parents.
• 158 million children ages 5-14 are engaged in child labor.
• An estimated 1.2 million children are trafficked every year.
• At any given time over 300,000 child soldiers, some as young as 8, are exploited in armed conflicts on over 30 countries around the world. More than 2 million children are estimated to have died as a result of armed conflicts since 1990.
• 2 million children are believed to be exploited through prostitution and pornography.
• 40 million children below the age of 15 suffer from abuse and neglect and require health and social care. 

How can we know, and see,  and sit back and do nothing? 

"The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing" Edmund Burke

"The problem with the world today is not lost people acting lost, but found people not acting found." Ben Stuart


So we choose to be Hope and to be Love to these sweet children God has given us the opportunity to spend our summer with. 

I hope that answers the question of why. I find that often my brain is a lot slower than my mouth and when people ask I unfortunately don't have the words to explain. I have found that often I can express what I am thinking much better in writing. So I hope as we experience this journey, you will join us by reading and praying. 

Stay tuned for the what...

In Christ,

Jenny