Little Moments

I’ve been back in Kenya for 1 week. Just one. That is hard for me to believe when I sit and reflect on moments from the last 7 days.

I’d traveled for over 36 hours, slept maybe 3. Stood in line for almost 2 hours for my visa and then finally made it out of the airport to start the 2.5 hour drive to Nakuru. I was exhausted. I drifted in and out of consciousness as we drove. Finally we pulled through our gate and around to the side of the house to unload at the door closest to my room. All of the sudden my car door is flung open and one tiny body is jumping on top of me while two others are simultaneously trying to pull me out of the car while still buckled into my seatbelt. After I disentangle myself from small bodies and seatbelts and go inside to my room. It’s been cleaned with fresh sheets on my bed and flowers waiting for me.  Hope has found my travel neck pillow and is now wearing it on her head like a green lion mane. I make it down the hall to the babies’ playroom and peek my head in. I’m greeted with delighted squeals, Jabali, Sandra, Joy and Benji all yelling “nenny, nenny, nenny” and running toward me. I remember why I am here.

I’m sitting on a hard wooden bench in New Life preschool. It is nestled on top of a hill in a neighborhood on the edge of Kyoto, Nakuru’s trash dump. From here you can’t see it, but it isn’t very far. Each child & mom sitting in the room with us is a resident of Kyoto.  We listen as the Pastor who has come to commission this new school talks of how aptly named the school is. New life. New hope for these little ones, who come from a neighborhood where hope is hard to find. He reminds us who the giver of new life is, who it is that our hope comes from, that without God in this place, our efforts are wasted. It is He that gives the hope of a better future to come. One of the Mamas goes up to sing. Kenyan and American voices join as we sing and it is beautiful and I remember why I am here.

My face is burning with the heat from the large fire in our outside fire pit. I sit amidst a team from California as they debrief their time here in Kenya.  The air is cool, and the night is clear as the stars twinkle brightly from above reminding me of how small we are in comparison to the universe. How many millions of others have looked up at this same sky over the last hundreds of years? I am in awe of the grandness of God’s master plan taking place since time began and that even this tiny seemingly insignificant moment was included in His perfect plan. I’m humbled by the wisdom beyond their short years of some high schoolers as they share what they’ve been learning.  “ I don’t want to get to the end of my life having completed my personal bucket list of things to do. When I get to the end I want to know that I did and accomplished everything God set out for me to do.” I wish I had learned that at such a young age, and I remember why I’m here.

The sun is hot, the sky is clear. There are 7 kids piled in the back of the Sammon’s Land Rover singing hymns and worship songs as 6 adults and 1 baby are squeezed into the front. We are on our way to visit our friends from Wednesday Bible Study, Chris and Faith. Over the Christmas holidays they moved far out of the city to serve with a project their church founded. They are now house parents to at least 20 boys. We pull up in their driveway and there are several boys combatting a swarm of bees with a burning rubber boot. Chris greets us warmly “Karibuni! Welcome!” We get a tour, we meet the boys, we sit in their hall and listen and sing as one boy leads us in worship. We move into Chris and Faith’s house for Chai and snacks. There’s lots of talking and laughter. The kids go outside to play soccer with the boys, the men outside to talk business, and the women stay inside out of the searing hot sun. A wasp flies in. I run away from it back and forth in and out of the house as everyone else is sitting calmly on the couch. “ Hakuna Matata KaJenny.” Faith says. It is funny to me that this is the only time I’ve ever heard anyone use that phrase in Kenya. Everyone comes back inside and we pray for our sweet Kenyan friends and their daughter MaKenna. We pray for them to have impact on these boys, that God would give them wisdom and strength to help them. I remember why I am here.

So it is hard to believe I have been back for just 1 week. Each of these moments could easily go on my top 10 moments of my time in Kenya so far, and I look forward to many more.

Faith Lessons From a Seven Year Old

It has been a really long time since I have written on here. Most of the time I don’t know what to write, or it seems as if I write what I’m thinking it won’t come across the right way. It is so hard to put into words what it is like to be here day in and day out. Some days are great, full of laughing babies, parents coming to adopt and babies learning to walk. Other days are incredibly frustrating for many reasons or no reason at all.  So here is a glimpse into one of the good days and what God has been teaching me lately.

During Bible time we’ve been reading the Old Testament. We had recently read about the Israelites wandering in the desert for 40 years and how God provided manna and quail from heaven. We had also been praying for the girls’ dad, Troy, who had been on a short- term mission trip to South Sudan. (How’s that for a challenge? A full time missionary who goes on a short- term mission trip!) . We prayed for his safety, and a lot about snakes, and we prayed for the people of South Sudan to know Jesus. One day as the girls were praying one of them said “Jesus please let the South Sudan people have Bibles so they can know you better. Please even let Bibles fall from the sky so they can have them.” Now I have to admit I had to hold back a chuckle because it was just so cute and sweet. But as the week went on I began to wonder why I laughed. The truth is that God has shown over an over in His word that he provides every need of His people.  After all didn’t the manna fall from the sky each day? I realized how weak my faith is sometimes. I don’t pray for God to make Bibles fall from the sky because I don’t truly believe it will happen. Instead I might pray for God to send a person to bring Bibles, because that is more logical and makes more sense in today’s world. We can even justify those circumstances in our own human strength. But Bibles falling from the sky, that we can’t justify. That can only be God. In His word God says “And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” Matthew 21:22. Somewhere in South Sudan Bibles could literally be falling from the sky because a little girl prayed for it to happen believing that God would do it. I wonder if we don’t see more of these miracles from God because we don’t ask for them. Not that what we do pray for is wrong, but I know I definitely don’t pray big enough most of the time.

We have also been memorizing a verse a week, one for each letter of the Alphabet. It “just so happens” that the verse for this week is “For nothing is impossible with God” Luke 1:37 I think I need to re-learn the definition of nothing. There are a lot of things I act like are impossible for God. There are a lot of things that this world makes seem impossible, joy in the midst of suffering, a lasting faithful marriage, healing for those who are sick or hurt, families for millions of orphaned babies and children and the list goes on and on. But the more I think about these things the more I remember that there is an example of God working in almost every imaginable situation written out for us in the Bible. In each instance the people have incredible faith that God can and will do what they are asking, and God does.

So I have hope that the things I have been praying for will happen in God’s way in His timing, and I pray with more faith knowing nothing is impossible for Him.

                                                Believing there are Bibles falling in Sudan,

                                                                                    Jenny

Goldilocks and the three beds...and the human car seat.

Well it is official.. I live in Africa now! It may seem strange to you, but it actually seems normal to me.

            On Sunday I moved from Little Eden in Kinangop to His Cherished Ones in Nakuru. They are about 2 hours apart and very different. Little Eden is very rural. In that part of Kenya there are many people who live without power or running water. We’re still praying that Kenya Power will hurry up and connect the lines near the new Boy’s Dormitory and Yanga school so the boys can move in and both Yanga and Cheese Primary schools will have access to water. The wells that have been drilled cannot pump the water without electricity.  His Cherished Ones is situated on the outskirts of Nakuru, the 3^rd largest city in Kenya. The property borders an amazingly beautiful cornfield dotted every so often with the quintessential African tree.  At Eden all that you can see for miles is farmland, in Nakuru there is a mixture of suburban development, farmland and the city dump. At Eden I shared a bedroom, bathroom and kitchen with 3-12 other people. At HCO I have a huge room all to myself complete with 3 beds. Of course the first three nights I tried out each bed in turn trying to determine which was the best. One was too soft, one too hard and one just right. Included in my very important bed decision was consideration for the amount of cracks in the molding at the ceiling above each bed. Those cracks make great hideouts for all kids of spiders and other crawly things. Although in this area they are harmless I’ve been told, I’d still prefer they didn’t crawl on me while I’m sleeping.  Today I officially crowned my new bed by putting real American sheets on it!  At Eden as I laid awake in bed early in the morning there was a cacophony of noise from the multiple roosters, donkeys, birds, dogs, children heading off to school (at 6am!) and Peter trying to start the Land Rover or tractor. At HCO as I drift into consciousness I am greeted by birds, dogs and babies. Sometimes crying and being soothed by Aunties singing various children’s worship songs and sometimes laughing and saying “Auntie, Auntie!”

In both places I wake up incredibly in awe that my heavenly father would bestow this amazing gift upon me to have the privilege to spend this time here. In both places I have seen the love of Christ being lived out and displayed by both the staff and Americans living here to children who are so dearly loved. I am so thankful to be a part of it.

Since arriving in Nakuru I have had 2 pretty interesting experiences…

The first day I was here an adopting couple was able to take their new son Tate home with them. For the last 2 years I have spent weeks in Kenya working with and loving on orphans, and months at home praying for them and missing my sweet kids, but for the first time I was witnessing the completion of the adoption process.  I honestly do not even have words to describe the joy on the faces of this sweet Dutch couples face as the loaded up their son into their car and prepared to take him home as their own for the first time. All the aunties and babies and staff lined the driveway with balloons and sang as they drove off to start their new life as a family. I was trying so hard not to cry. I felt silly. I didn’t even know this baby or really know this couple at all. What gets me is that this is such a perfect tangible picture of the way God loves us. In John 14:18 the word says “ I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” In the same way these parents came for Tate, Christ comes for us. He comes to bring us into relationship with him to eventually bring us home as his sons and daughters.  As Tate will receive a new last name and become part of a family, when we join the family of God we also receive a new name. Our old identity as an “orphan” of this world is washed away and we are given a new identity. I don’t think there is anything more beautiful than this truth in life.

      My second interesting experience for the week was taking 3 babies to the hospital to get their 9-month and 18-month immunizations. Brie (an HCO intern), Susan one of the Aunties and Tracy the social worker and I loaded up the 3 babies into Brie’s car. Brie driving, every other adult served as a human car seat. We arrived at the hospital, which opens at 8 around 9:15.  We sat in the waiting area for at least 30 minutes because the Doctors or nurses had yet to open the clinics. 3 people with their babies were allowed into the room with the nurses at a time. Brie Susan and I took in 2 babies along with another mother with her son. They were weighed and measured, then back to the waiting room. Finally we were called in to a different room (still 3 at a time) where we held the babies as they got their injections. The thing that shocked me the most about this whole experience was as I was sitting in the waiting area there were sign after sign about precautions to take not to spread HIV to your partner, to your child during childbirth etc., but as the babies were getting their shots the nurse wore no gloves and never swiped them with an alcohol swab before giving their shot. I’m sure my mother who is a nurse for a pediatrician is having a panic attack as she is reading this.  All in all getting vaccinations is a huge blessing to these kids who might not get them otherwise. Hopefully it will keep them healthy and happy.  As I rode home I became a human car seat again bottle-feeding one of the babies who promptly fell asleep. I was covered in baby slobber, and have formula on my shirt, but what a peaceful feeling knowing that this one I held in my arms was safe, and cared for.

Galatians 5:6 “ The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.”

 

I am sure the days to come will hold many more interesting Kenyan experiences. I’ll try to update more often as long as the Internet cooperates. Thanks for reading!

"Bwana asifiwe" - Praise the Lord

JAMBO! Greetings from Kenya,

It has been awhile since my (Julie) last blog, internet has been touch in go.  It is not like at home, where you can get on when you want to, we have to purchase minutes to use the internet here. 

The last time we talked we had experienced some exciting things, they just keep happening. We have had a driving in Kenya experience, 2 teams, 2 hospital visits, lunch at the pastor’s house, lots of time playing with the children, both of us taught lesson on a Wednesday night, helped out with a Woman’s Conference, and we have come up with a protection plan…just in case.

DRIVING IN KENYA EXPERIENCE:
It was our first Saturday in Kenya, Mike had just gotten back from Nairobi picking up the Conroe team.  He hadn’t been to the sight of the new boys dormitory that day, he wanted to go and check on the progress; but Big Joe(the guy who drives the land rover) had already gone home for the day, so he asked us if either one of us new how to drive a stick shift.  I said no, but Jenny piped us and said that she did, little did she know that this was going to be a BIG adventure.  You see driving in Kenya is not like driving in the US, they drive on the opposite side of the road and the driver side is the passenger side in the US.  Plus the roads where we were are full of really huge potholes, ones that small humans could get lost in; oh did I mean the roads are made of dirt.  I have a stay she did a really great job, she stalled a few times only because we got stuck in the mud. 

TEAM #1:
The first team we had was a group of 7 women, from a Baptist church in the Conroe area.  It was a new experience for us (Jenny & I), 9 women and Mike, to share 1 bathroom and 1 shower; but we made it work.  The ladies had planned a couple of days of VBS (Vacation Bible School), but God intervened and had his own plan, no outside activities due to rain, so they did all their activities inside.  They performed skits, crafts, and lots of music.  They went to Yaanga and Cheese schools presenting the gospel in the form of a skit, The Good Samaritan. They had good responses at both places, meaning that several students came forward to accept Christ, so awesome to watch!

It was at our visit to Cheese school, that we had our first emergency…We were all saying our goodbyes to the students’, when we heard some commotion near the entrance to the school, we turned and saw a girl lying on the ground.  Three of us ran to her aid (Jenny, Mrs. Laura, and I).  It was pretty warm that particular day, and she was wearing 2 sweaters over her school uniform, we believed she had passed out from being over heated.  We helped take off her sweaters, elevated her feet and massaged her legs, and sprinkled water on her face and took her pulse…it was really weak…We carried her inside, because it was a little cooler out of the sun…it took her awhile to come to (about 15 min). We then tried to get some water in her…We had someone call Mike and tell him to bring the truck; we needed to get this girl to the hospital.  We had one of the teacher’s find her brother, and tell him to go home and tell his mom what had happened, and to meet us at the hospital.  When we got to the hospital, Mrs. Laura told the Dr. what had happened, he didn’t believe her, he thought that she was faking.  We told him her pulse was weak, he asked us how we took her pulse, Laura told him through her corroded artery, he then knew we weren’t playing.   To shorten the story, there ended up being something seriously wrong with the girl, Mary (we eventually got her name).  I believe that the Lord had us there for a reason; I don’t want to think about what would have happened if we weren’t there.  I really don’t think Mary would be here today.  Thank you Jesus for your timing, it is always perfect!

WOMEN’s CONFERENCE:
While they were here they hosted a Women’s Conference.  They had shipped 100 plus Bibles from the states, but Mike and AIM (African Inland Mission) were having issues getting them out of customs. Mike had some Bibles for another event, so he let them take those Bibles and he would use the Bibles that they had shipped for the other event, since it was later in the month and after they leave.   Last year the women from team #1 were saddened by the women they met who didn’t have Bibles, So this year when they told the ladies at the conference this and that they had brought Bibles with the, the women cheered…It was very moving…One of the ladies talk about how important it was to study God’s word daily, another gave a brief overview of the Bible starting with Genesis and ending with Revelation.  They performed the skit “the Good Samaritan”. Some of the women on the teams gave there testimonies, they then ended the conference asking the Kenyan women to share their testimonies and some did. 

LUNCH AT THE PASTOR’s HOUSE:
A couple of days before we (Jenny, Me and the Conroe team) had been invited to the Pastor’s house of lunch.  The Conroe team was going to Yaanga (one of the schools in the area) to share the gospel with them, and we were going to meet them there and go from there.  It was very muddy, Jenny and I slipped and slid all around in the mud, our shoes were completely covered, and thankfully neither of us fell.  They told us to be at the school around 12:00pm, we got there around 12:30; which was fine because they were just rapping up.  One thing you learn in Kenya is you never start or finish when you expect (things never start on time, therefore never finish on time).   We then started on our way to the pastor’s house, which was a good 20 to 30 minute walk from the school.  When we arrive, Jane (Pastor’s wife) and her friend Lucy had made lots of food (stew cabbage/onion salad, chicken, and mokimo – potatoes, corn, greens mixed all together).  Needless to say we ate a lot, it was all very yummy!  They asked us lots of questions, one of which was: are any of us married?…3 were, and 4 were not.  Jane said the reason she asked was because, some of us were wearing more than one ring on our hands.   Jane told us that in Kenya wearing rings on certain fingers meant certain things (on the left hand); Thumb –divorced, pointer finger –separated, middle – engaged,  ring – married, and pinkie – single.   Jenny and I both said that we needed to wear rings on our pinkies.  It was a truly blessed time, fun had by all.

PROTECTION PLAN:
Jenny and I made an American meal (pork chops, mashed potatoes, green beans) for the new team, which Mike had gone to pick up. It kept getting later and later and later, still no Mike or the team…We were starting to get a little nervous/ scared, so we made up a protection plan.  I would carry the long pointy stick that we use to poke the fire, and Jenny would use the metal pipe that is used to blow air on the fire-to give it the oxygen it needs. We decide that if someone tried to come it to our home, she hit them with the metal pipe and I would whack them with the pointy stick….that is our protection plan.  Mike and the other team finally showed up @ around 8:45. 

TEAM #2:
Is another team from the Houston area, a group made up of 4 men and 2 women.  We talked with them about education, due to the fact that some of their team had something to do with education. There primary purpose was to lead a pastor’s conference.  They included us in the team devotions, which brought on some intense discussions. 

WEDNESDAY NIGHT TEACHING:
The pastor of the church (that Mike and the children go to) and his wife, come to the orphanage on Wednesday afternoon/evenings to fellowship with the children.  He asked Jenny and I to each take a Wednesday and teach the lesson. 

Jenny did the first one, she talked about how she became a Christian; she used the verse Matthew 6:19 “Don’t collect for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in a steal.  But collect for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal.”

I did the next one; I talked about being mad at God for the loss of a loved one.  I talked about how I was mad at God for the loss of my dad.  I used the verse: James 1:20 – “for man’s anger doesn’t accomplish God’s righteousness.”  I told them that I tried to get through it on my own with the help of friends (some really wanted to help and some didn’t). I knew deep down inside that what I was doing was wrong, but I needed someone to be made at, and he seemed like the best person.  James 1:2 kept popping up in my head…”Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials.”  I realized that God was still there trying to get my attention, I just wasn’t listening.   He says in Isaiah, “I am the One who comforts you.” All along He was saying, “Julie, I am here, I never left, I am here when you are ready!”  I told them that we are to turn to God when we are hurting.  I told them that in a way I was like them, I didn’t have a dad to take care of me, But that we have a heavenly dad that won’t leave us.  

Together we did the last one: We talked about Jesus feeding the 5000.  Jenny was the narrator and I was Jesus, and we had some of the kids fill in the other parts.  They are used to being talked at, so we thought we would change it up and make it interactive.  They seemed to enjoy it.  Jenny made 2 paper fish and 5 paper loaves of bread.  I being Jesus blessed them and then tore them into pieces, showing them that Jesus provides for His people.

HOSPITAL VISIT #2:
It was a Wednesday evening and I noticed that one of little ones was not at the Wednesday night fellowship, so I went looking for him. I asked the other kids where he was they brought him to me, he wasn’t his smiley, giggly self, so I knew something was wrong.  I went and found one the staff members, and she asked him what was wrong; he told her that he didn’t feel well.  She told me that we should take him to the hospital, which just happens to be right next door to the orphanage.  The Dr. said that if he had a fever and if was high, he would have to get an injection, when Joseph heard this he clung to me even more than what he was already doing.  I tried to ut him down he just clung to me, he wanted to be held.  I am in my 30’s and when I am sick I still want my mom.  I realized that I was his mom; I was the one he wanted to take care of him.  We got the medicine the Dr. said to get, 4 kinds.  We went back to the orphanage, got a plate of food, and I fed it to him.  Then came the tough part, giving him the medicine; he took the first 3 like a champion; the last one was a little difficult, he gagged, I tried to hand him over so that I to did not get sick (throw up) , he didn’t let me go.  SO I thought oh well, if I lose it I lose this, he needs me. 

PLAYING WITH THE KIDS:
These kids are so fun; I have enjoyed trickling them, and hugging them.  They have taught me lots of things, they take care of each other, but they also get annoyed with one another too ( just like sisters and brothers do).  We have blown bubbles with them, introduced them to play doh, been peacemakers, and laughed with them.  They taught me a new game the other day; it is a cross between dodge ball, monkey in the middle and tag. There is one person at each end – these are the throwers, and the rest of the people are in the middle the object is for the throwers to hit the people in the middle with a ball (soft, they play with a roll of socks) if a person in the middle catches the ball someone that has been hit can come back in.  It was really fun.  I can’t wait to go back and play it with them later this week. 

I have really enjoyed being here; it has a way of getting to you; the country, and the people.  These kids have a special place in my heart, and if I could I would bring them all home.  The word adoption has been brought up a lot lately by different people…I think the Lord is trying to tell me something…I guess I should listen! J

Love from Kenya!
Julie

Things to pray for:
The team- that we all mesh together well.  Listen to each other and that we will put the Lord first, others second, ourselves last.

Health- the everyone (team) stays well…When we left (today/Friday/July 13) all the children were getting sick…pray for healing.

Mike- His patience are being tested daily, pray that he keeps his cool,  and that he can explain what he wants them to do without getting upset.

Hope

I feel like I want to cry and I’m not really sure why. I’m not a big crier so I refuse to let myself, because there is absolutely no where I can go where no one will see me, and if they see me then I’ll have to explain, and I don’t know how.

I’m not homesick. I miss the people I love, but the U.S. not so much. It is technically Julie’s turn to write but I have a lot on my mind, and she isn’t done with her post so I figured I’d fill you in on the last few days..then she’ll backtrack to the weeks before.

I’ve had a constant battle with the shower since we’ve been here. In 23 days (wow it feels like we’ve been gone a lot longer than that!)  I’ve had exactly 2 completely hot showers and 3 bucket baths because either there was no power, or the water heater chose not to work when it was my turn. It doesn’t matter if I go first or last I always end up with either a cold shower, or a luke warm shower that turns freezing by the end. While this really doesn’t sound horrible, and it wouldn’t be so bad at home where the temperature outside is 100 degrees and we have indoor heating, and carpet. Here the temperature is usually around 50-55. I can’t get warm to begin with. Inside it is colder because there is no heating. The fire in the bedroom and the two blankets and my sweatshirt keep me warm enough at night. There’s a small space heater in the bathroom which takes a bit of the chill out of the air, but when you are cold to begin with, you take a cold shower, step out onto a cold cement floor (or wet bathmat because nothing ever dries fully here) and put on cold clothes (sometimes I warm them up in front of the space heater before I put them on) it really is quite miserable.  This morning was one of my completely hot showers. So hot in fact it almost burned my skin. Instead of feeling excited I feel guilty. I feel guilty because I know that downstairs the kids and staff take cold showers every day and have never had a hot one in their lives. They don’t have a space heater, or a bathmat, and by rural African standards the fact that they have a shower and running water is a huge improvement. I feel guilty because I know that the majority of the people on earth don’t have hot water, let alone running water and millions of people and children die every day because they don’t even have access to clean water to drink, let alone bathe in. At home we fill fountains and waterparks with millions of gallons of clean water for amusement (not that there is anything wrong with having fun) but it seems a little excessive as we drive down the road and see children with buckets getting water from the ditches on the side of the road, or the river, which is completely brown from mud or trash or both. And so I feel guilty for how spoiled I am. For the fact that at home I never give a second thought to the water I use and that if we’re slightly uncomfortable in any way we go buy something to fix the problem. Here uncomfortable is just a fact of life.

The second thing I have been thinking about is the Land Rover. Funny I know..girls typically don’t spend a ton of time obsessing over cars, especially not this girl. To us our cars are a means for transportation for work and all the fun things we do. Not this vehicle. Technically it’s Mike’s to travel for business but it has become so much more than that. Taxi, hauler of construction equipment, ambulance, and hearse. Whenever Mike goes anywhere there is someone waiting on the side of the road wanting to hitch a ride to somewhere. Whenever there’s an emergency and someone needs to go to the hospital they call Mike and the land rover becomes an ambulance. We used it for that purpose a few weeks ago when we rushed a girl who had collapsed at Cheese school to the hospital, but Julie will talk more about that. When someone dies in the community they call Mike to drive the body to the funeral home. How often do I use my car for unselfish reasons? Not very often.

Yesterday I saw something that made my stomach turn and I really almost threw up. If you are a guy and are uncomfortable with girl issues you may want to skip to the next paragraph. We were playing with the kids after they came home from school. They are always making some kind of toy out of trash they find, whether it be a ball or something else. No one ever really throws anything away because you never know when you might find a use for it. If you walk the road you find all kinds of stuff from empty cigarette packets, socks, pants, plastic containers and even used condoms. Unfortunately that doesn’t really shock me anymore. So I wasn’t really surprised to see one of the kids playing with some plastic thing they probably found on the ground. It grossed me out when she put it in her mouth and started chewing on it and that is when I realized what it was. I took a deep breath to keep from vomiting up the granola bar I ate for lunch. It was the plastic applicator part of a tampon. They don’t even sell tampons here so who really knows where it came from or how old it is. I told her to go throw it away, but of course she didn’t listen to me. Somehow I got over my repulsion enough to cover my hand with my jacket sleeve and take it from her and put it in the trash can. I wanted to wash her mouth out with soap or peroxide or something, neither of which I had. And then I wanted to burn my jacket, but then I would be even colder. The worst part is that she probably went and got it out of the trash after we left, or it will probably end up somewhere that some other kid will find it.

On top of all these thoughts running through my head are the things that happened yesterday. We walked the 3 ish miles to Cheese school to drop off over 600 pencils for the students. We didn’t stay long because we’ve found that we are really just a distraction to the kids when we sit and observe and they really don’t need any more obstacles to being successful. On the way home the men from the construction site followed us halfway down the incredibly muddy road. When they finally stopped following us they just watched us walk and navigate the slippery mud. I’ve tried to avoid the construction site as much as possible (I haven’t been very successful ) Every time we go somewhere (especially the site) the men ask Mike or Anne if they can marry me. When we walk to pick up the nursery kids in the afternoon there are a group of men who yell things at us in Kikuyu. I am glad I can’t understand what they are saying. The one thing in English they have managed to yell is “ Hey Baby!” so I can only imagine what they are saying in Kikuyu. While I suppose some girls would be flattered I’m not. It is really only because I am small. While it is definitely not something every man does,but I have been told it is culturally acceptable, and not uncommon for men to beat their wives. The only reason I’m attractive to them is because I’m small and therefore not intimidating. In their mind I’m not a threat and I wouldn’t fight back (at least that is what Anne told me) and that makes me sick.

So to say the least I wasn’t excited that we went to the sight several times yesterday. Mike had to talk with some of the workers because apparently in the middle of the night 10 men came and tried to steal the timber the men are using to build the rafters of the boys dorm. Thankfully the two night watchmen caught them and scared them off, but we spent a good portion of the afternoon hauling timber and other materials a few miles down the road to the barn. Unfortunately in Kenya you have 24 hours to report a crime or it can’t be prosecuted, if I understand what Mike told me correctly. The 24 hours had already passed but one of the cooks brothers is the county commissioner or something important like that so Mike at least has some help in that aspect. One of the men who was involved in trying to take the lumber is apparently one of the mason’s working on the boy’s dorm. It is sad that people are willing to steal from orphans because the dorm isn’t going to benefit anyone else but the kids who will live there.

All this is pretty heavy and depressing on my heart. Thankfully we have hope. Not necessarily that life with get better or improve here- even though we could do a lot more than we are to make that happen, but that in the end this is not our home. I don’t mean Africa..I mean earth. We weren’t meant to stay here.  “ God made him who had no sin  to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” 2 Corinthians 5:21 So we who are in Christ have hope because he died for us so that one day we can be reunited with him in Heaven. We have hope! “Therefore do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18. If you don’t have that hope I pray that one day you will find it. It is only found in the person of Jesus Christ, in believing him and trusting him with you whole life. I hope that my words and my life testify to that truth.

Again another long post..thanks for sticking with it if you read this far. I hope it blesses and encourages you.

Things to pray for:

1.        Mike is worried they will run out of money before they  finish the boy’s dorm. There are still kids who aren’t sponsored (its only $30 a month) And a second vehicle would be useful once the boys dorm is complete in case of emergencies. The dorms are approximately 4 miles apart, but on Kenyan roads that is pretty far in an emergency. Pray for the Lord’s provision in all of these areas. If you want to give you can send a check to

Mike Eden Ministries

36215 FM 1488

Hempstead TX 77445

*If you want to donate to the building fund specify that J

2.       Anne (the matron)  has malaria. Apparently for Africans it is just kind of normal. Many people have it and it is kind of like Mono- once you get it you have it for life and it just keeps reoccurring. Pray for her to get well so she can return to school and take care of her two kids.

3.       Several of the girls from Eden are competing in a drama festival this week in a town several hours away. They have already won at their district level and this is a larger competition. Pray for safety and the Lord’s favor. That he may use them to make His name known.

4.       Tomorrow ( Wed evening our time/Wed morning your time) I am” preaching”  for the second time at the fellowship meeting the kids have with the pastor and his wife every week. Pray that the Lord would use me to impact those kids. It is hard to talk to a group from 4-16 years!

5.       Friday morning (Thursday night for you) Julie and I will go to Nairobi to meet up with the team. We will have most of the day by ourselves in Nairobi and will probably have to take some taxi’s. Pray for safety and safe travels for the team.

 Much Love! –Jenny-