Praise the Lord that He is good! Though we cry for what seems like too long, the Lord always answers our prayers! Earlier this week, the opposition party called for more demonstrations, which would stir up trouble. But they were called off yesterday, just one day before they were supposed to happen. Then, tonight, instead of a day of demonstrations, there was a day of peace. The two leaders have come together to sign a treaty of power sharing. Though details are vague, the news is nonetheless a huge relief. Join with me and the country of Kenya with thanksgiving!
BBC News article:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7268903.stm
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Monday, February 25, 2008
The Light at the End of the Tunnel
I have been out of work for two months. This, as one may guess, is a bit out of my plans. However, the wait may be over. I see light at the end of the tunnel.
One option is right here in Nairobi working with a church doing social service work, including an HIV department. It is nearby, a well-run organization, and I could help their HIV ministry with my prior experience.
The other option is Kijabe Hospital, about an hour outside of Nairobi. The mission hospital has an HIV unit, which includes community work like I was doing in Kibera. I visited there today, and it is a solid organization, with a lot of experience behind it and a lot of work ahead of it. However, this would require me moving and I would have to work out housing, which is tight up there.
Join with me in prayer, as I seek the Lord with what to do. My selfishness in me says that I want to live here at home for the remaining time, but that I also want to work at Kijabe to gain some more knowledge. But I am reminded that it's not ME who has to make decisions on my own, but I have an all-knowing Father who I can ask, and who will grant me all wisdom if only I ask.
One option is right here in Nairobi working with a church doing social service work, including an HIV department. It is nearby, a well-run organization, and I could help their HIV ministry with my prior experience.
The other option is Kijabe Hospital, about an hour outside of Nairobi. The mission hospital has an HIV unit, which includes community work like I was doing in Kibera. I visited there today, and it is a solid organization, with a lot of experience behind it and a lot of work ahead of it. However, this would require me moving and I would have to work out housing, which is tight up there.
Join with me in prayer, as I seek the Lord with what to do. My selfishness in me says that I want to live here at home for the remaining time, but that I also want to work at Kijabe to gain some more knowledge. But I am reminded that it's not ME who has to make decisions on my own, but I have an all-knowing Father who I can ask, and who will grant me all wisdom if only I ask.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Rob's face
I saw Rob yesterday! No, he didn't come to Kenya. But through the great technological advances of the 21st century, I saw Rob. I had a webcam/Skype session with Rob and some of my care team. It was wonderful to see everyone. Like I said to Jake yesterday, I can hear someone's voice, or read their emails, but seeing someone is different. The same thing happened when I saw my friends from Kibera for the first time. I knew they were okay; I talked to them. But seeing them was different. Now, my webcam didn't work, so they can't say the same thing, but I still got to see them. Praise the Lord!
And I'm marrying a good looking guy.
And I'm marrying a good looking guy.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Christy's Gone
My housemate since I've moved here, Christy, is gone. She left today, to go back home, as they all do. Kenya is taking on a new tone for this last leg. First, my ministry is delayed, then changing (slowly), then a whole new house set-up is coming. And since I still don't know where I'll be working next, the surprises are never-ending. And just as I get used to it, I'll be packing my bags and saying goodbye.
I've said before, and will remind myself now, that we all say goodbye at one stage. Just when you're a missionary you have the privelage to know, God willing, when you're saying it.
Miss you, Christy.
I've said before, and will remind myself now, that we all say goodbye at one stage. Just when you're a missionary you have the privelage to know, God willing, when you're saying it.
Miss you, Christy.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
A Tour Through My House, Part 1
First, you have to come in off the street through our main gate.
Now walk around the back of my townhouse.
Come through our back gate, where our washing machine and other stuff is.
This is first room through the door. It's called the Red Room where the computer (and refrigerator) stay. Our main hang out room.
Then after that, you come through to our kitchen.
Now walk around the back of my townhouse.
Come through our back gate, where our washing machine and other stuff is.
This is first room through the door. It's called the Red Room where the computer (and refrigerator) stay. Our main hang out room.
Then after that, you come through to our kitchen.
A Tour Through My House, Part 2
This is our phone/junk room. If I call you, it's from here. It used to be a prayer room...uh...
This is our cool living room (dining room to the left of where you'd be standing). Nice furniture, and if you look close, you can see our tv. Oh, and my roommates.
Go on up the stairs.
You're looking into my bathroom upstairs. Don't worry, the shower's behind the door.
The sink has two taps! Crazy!
This is our cool living room (dining room to the left of where you'd be standing). Nice furniture, and if you look close, you can see our tv. Oh, and my roommates.
Go on up the stairs.
You're looking into my bathroom upstairs. Don't worry, the shower's behind the door.
The sink has two taps! Crazy!
A Tour Through My House, Part 3
This is my (own!) room. Notice the mosquito net!
And this is my beloved desk...ah, the simple things in life.
Go onto my balcony, and if you look to the gate you'll see this.
And this is a straight view. Not much, eh? But it's Africa!
And this is my beloved desk...ah, the simple things in life.
Go onto my balcony, and if you look to the gate you'll see this.
And this is a straight view. Not much, eh? But it's Africa!
Long-winded and Incomplete
By popular demand, my trip broken down by days.
Dec 23- left at night to border town of Busia
Dec 24- arrived at Arthur's mother's around 8 and had a bonfire to celebrate. Walked up the mountain/hills in Arthur's backyard.
Dec 25- went to church, hung around
Dec 26- went to Arthur's sister's house for lunch, then his other sister's to spend the night. Long, fun day of travel. Lots of soda.
Dec 27- Election day. We were supposed to go back to A's mom's house but stayed put because it may have been unsafe to travel. Ironic. Two armed men came to find a man came into the house "for water". He had a truck of weapons, and the police arrested him. The polling station was in the same compound as our house.
Dec 28- Went to Arthur's mom's despite suspicion we may not be able to get a vehicle. Went on the most crowded matatu of my life. I was standing for most of the trip. Booked our return tickets to Nairobi for Jan 1.
Dec 29- Planned to go to Busia, border town, to stay with another sister for the night. Took a taxi at 11 am, just for it to turn around after finding out that the town was fighting. We waited around a restaurant till we tried again to go around 4. Couldn't find a vehicle going that direction, but Arthur convinced a matatu (taxi van) to go to Busia. So we hopped on, only to be dropped off at the edge of town. We then had to walk and walk and walk in the heat for more than an hour, I bet. The town was still in disarray. They had roadblocks--piles of stones, wood, garbage, turned over cars--and some were still on fire. Burnt out buildings. Gun shots behind us to our right. I never saw anything like it. People were walking around, but it could be different if you're white. Luckily, it wasn't. We stayed at a house with a gate around it and guards, who were Maasai warriors (look them up on google images). Apparently, she has them all the time. Maasai is a tribe that is still very traditional (if not just for the tourism) and so this guy had his traditional weapons: bow and arrow, knife. And he was dressed in full Maasai gear. We had pictures but...
Dec 30- Sunday. On the way to church, we saw some that weren't open. Arthur went to the border to see if it's open, and Adam and I went to church with his sister. At about 10:30, we walked to the border with Arthur, about a 30 minute walk. We got through the border. We exchanged our money and got on a matatu to Jinja, a tourist section. We took the craziest matatu ride 2 1/2 hours to a place none of us have been to. There, a mzungu picked us up in a car with air conditioning. She is Evelyn Frost, and her and her husband were our hosts for the night. They are a friend of a friend of a friend in the mission world. We had spaghetti waiting for us, and a shower. (I was taking baths out of buckets up until then.) Us three took a walk to see Lake Victoria ahead of us. We strolled around the perimeter for a while, and tried to get a ride on a fishing boat, but to no avail. We found our way to the Source of the Nile, and it made the whole day worth it. We stayed until we had to walk back before night. It was a 20 minute walk away. When we got back, we listened to news and emailed our families. Rumor had it the border wouldn't be open the next day. This is also the day I discovered I had my camera stolen. But we still had Adam's!
Dec 31- We were supposed to go back to Kenya but for some reason which I forget (i think we heard the border was closed) we stayed. So we went to Bujangali Falls, which is an area for white water rafting, and you can go bungie jumping on the Nile. So that was so nice. Evelyn offered to drive us. We also bought souvenirs, being official tourists. A nice day. Adam and I were the only ones awake for the New Year.
Jan 1- We left for Kenya. We thought things would be okay, for real. Like the story said. We get there, and surprise, no bus. We had to pay out the butt to get a taxi back to Arthur's mom's. No vehicles moving. So instead of paying 50 shillings, we paid 1000! During that time, Adam had his camera stolen. Arthur came up with an idea that he could find his friend who may be riding in the next day. He was gone for a while, but Adam and I stayed at his mom's. Then I got a text from my director saying, "DO NOT TRAVEL BY ROAD." So we called that off. My credit was getting limited on my phone (they're prepaid), and no credit was available in the town. Both guys had no credit. In contact with him about plans for tomorrow. Decided to get up early to look for ride back to Busia to go back to Uganda and fly out. Adam called his parents and had them wire money into his acct. Between us we had enough money to get us to Entebbe the next day, but not for the border. We had just $50 between us.
Jan 2- Woke up at 5 am, Arthur went looking for a ride, and we waited. We had no credit to call him, and we were just waiting. Arthur came back and said he had a guy who would drive us if he could get gas (by this time, the road had been blocked and no gas or credit for phone was getting past Kisumu). So we sent a boy out with a jug to look for gas. Odds were against us because he first had to find a gas station with anything, then the station would probably be selling it for higher, then they weren't giving gas into jugs for fear it'd be used to set things on fire. But alas, the gas came! I grabbed my stuff, only to wait for two hours, without having credit to call Arthur who took the gas to his friend's house. Then I gave up, and just wanted to stay where we were. If so much could go wrong, then why try anymore? The fact was, we weren't sure if we could get through the border, if the matatus were running on the other side (because of the gas situation) or how much that would be, and we still had to find an ATM open on our side of the border. I asked Adam to just quit, and Adam said okay, that we'd walk to a restaurant in town and read and drink Cokes and stuff. So we're on our way, all resigned of any hope, and then it happens. Arthur comes riding up in a car with a two guys. So off we go. Turns out the first guy said he didn't want to go because he feared it--after we had bought him gas, mind you. Out of the limited resources we have. This guy wanted 2,000 shillings because he rode from Busia to Arthur's mom's, and back, to 1K each way. Okay, what choice do we have? So we go, and he has to swerve around roadblock after roadblock, and we are pulled up right to the border. No ATM is working, so no extra money, but we try. We go to the same guy who yesterday stamped our exit stamp, and we ask if he could do us a favor. He said, "I told you so, $50 a piece." So much for nice people. Since we only have one $50 bill, we ask what to do. He points us to an ATM that hands out local currency which the border accepts. Hallelujah! Arthur walks through with us (for some reason, he can???) and hooks us up with his uncle, who exchanges our money and checks for the matatu ride, which is more expensive but we can do it. We say goodbye to Arthur and go to the capitol Kampala, where we catch another matatu to Entebbe. The matatu station was crazy busy, and we had to practically throw ourselves in! We ask the driver if he knows the place we're going and he says yes, but really he doesn't. So we are desperately looking out for the place she said (we know this family through the mission world, too). We find it, get off, get picked up, and taken for supper. This is a family, with four daughters and a pilot father. So we stay there till we can find a flight out. By the time we get there, it's late and we're tired, so we crash after dinner. Oh, but the mother made me coffee icecream for my birthday that she didn't know I was having.
Jan 3- We hung around, and meandered outside. Across the street, basically their front yard, is Lake Victoria. So we sit on the private beach, wishing we could swim in it (it has a bug you can catch in it...not good). We then decide to walk to the Entebbe airport, which we figure was an hour walk. We wanted to go there to check flight info, and just wanted to get out. So off we go. No, no, at almost running speed, we make it there in an hour and a half. We are dying because of the heat. The cheapest flight we find is $168. More than we were expecting. But we saw a sign for this airline that had a special for $70 to Nairobi. Their office was closed, we race home, and have another night with our host family.
Jan 4- Call the other airline, called "Royal Daisy." They have tickets and fly out on Mondays and Fridays. Jan 4 was a Friday. So we jumped on the offer. We were packed and out the door by 3. We told our director about the flight, and it left at 7, land 1:10 later. So we were at the airport, not believing we were about to go home. This is the shadiest airline. They don't have our flight number or departure time on our tickets. Of course, it may be because it was written by hand. Yeah. Weird. Then our flight wasn't even on the departure screen. They said it was "normal." Okay. Then they call our flight to board and it's the wrong flight number (we eventually got one). But still we continue. We tell our director we're on the flight, and we'll be there. He sends the taxi. Then, after in the air, then inform us (all 12 people) that we're also landing in Eldoret. You know, one of the worst areas in Kenya at that time. Yeah, so we had a bit of a detour. Finally, we get to the airport, we don't have to pay an entry visa. (That's why I'm a Kenyan resident, not no Ugandan one.) We get picked up by a taxi, and off to the compound we go. It never looked so beautiful.
Dec 23- left at night to border town of Busia
Dec 24- arrived at Arthur's mother's around 8 and had a bonfire to celebrate. Walked up the mountain/hills in Arthur's backyard.
Dec 25- went to church, hung around
Dec 26- went to Arthur's sister's house for lunch, then his other sister's to spend the night. Long, fun day of travel. Lots of soda.
Dec 27- Election day. We were supposed to go back to A's mom's house but stayed put because it may have been unsafe to travel. Ironic. Two armed men came to find a man came into the house "for water". He had a truck of weapons, and the police arrested him. The polling station was in the same compound as our house.
Dec 28- Went to Arthur's mom's despite suspicion we may not be able to get a vehicle. Went on the most crowded matatu of my life. I was standing for most of the trip. Booked our return tickets to Nairobi for Jan 1.
Dec 29- Planned to go to Busia, border town, to stay with another sister for the night. Took a taxi at 11 am, just for it to turn around after finding out that the town was fighting. We waited around a restaurant till we tried again to go around 4. Couldn't find a vehicle going that direction, but Arthur convinced a matatu (taxi van) to go to Busia. So we hopped on, only to be dropped off at the edge of town. We then had to walk and walk and walk in the heat for more than an hour, I bet. The town was still in disarray. They had roadblocks--piles of stones, wood, garbage, turned over cars--and some were still on fire. Burnt out buildings. Gun shots behind us to our right. I never saw anything like it. People were walking around, but it could be different if you're white. Luckily, it wasn't. We stayed at a house with a gate around it and guards, who were Maasai warriors (look them up on google images). Apparently, she has them all the time. Maasai is a tribe that is still very traditional (if not just for the tourism) and so this guy had his traditional weapons: bow and arrow, knife. And he was dressed in full Maasai gear. We had pictures but...
Dec 30- Sunday. On the way to church, we saw some that weren't open. Arthur went to the border to see if it's open, and Adam and I went to church with his sister. At about 10:30, we walked to the border with Arthur, about a 30 minute walk. We got through the border. We exchanged our money and got on a matatu to Jinja, a tourist section. We took the craziest matatu ride 2 1/2 hours to a place none of us have been to. There, a mzungu picked us up in a car with air conditioning. She is Evelyn Frost, and her and her husband were our hosts for the night. They are a friend of a friend of a friend in the mission world. We had spaghetti waiting for us, and a shower. (I was taking baths out of buckets up until then.) Us three took a walk to see Lake Victoria ahead of us. We strolled around the perimeter for a while, and tried to get a ride on a fishing boat, but to no avail. We found our way to the Source of the Nile, and it made the whole day worth it. We stayed until we had to walk back before night. It was a 20 minute walk away. When we got back, we listened to news and emailed our families. Rumor had it the border wouldn't be open the next day. This is also the day I discovered I had my camera stolen. But we still had Adam's!
Dec 31- We were supposed to go back to Kenya but for some reason which I forget (i think we heard the border was closed) we stayed. So we went to Bujangali Falls, which is an area for white water rafting, and you can go bungie jumping on the Nile. So that was so nice. Evelyn offered to drive us. We also bought souvenirs, being official tourists. A nice day. Adam and I were the only ones awake for the New Year.
Jan 1- We left for Kenya. We thought things would be okay, for real. Like the story said. We get there, and surprise, no bus. We had to pay out the butt to get a taxi back to Arthur's mom's. No vehicles moving. So instead of paying 50 shillings, we paid 1000! During that time, Adam had his camera stolen. Arthur came up with an idea that he could find his friend who may be riding in the next day. He was gone for a while, but Adam and I stayed at his mom's. Then I got a text from my director saying, "DO NOT TRAVEL BY ROAD." So we called that off. My credit was getting limited on my phone (they're prepaid), and no credit was available in the town. Both guys had no credit. In contact with him about plans for tomorrow. Decided to get up early to look for ride back to Busia to go back to Uganda and fly out. Adam called his parents and had them wire money into his acct. Between us we had enough money to get us to Entebbe the next day, but not for the border. We had just $50 between us.
Jan 2- Woke up at 5 am, Arthur went looking for a ride, and we waited. We had no credit to call him, and we were just waiting. Arthur came back and said he had a guy who would drive us if he could get gas (by this time, the road had been blocked and no gas or credit for phone was getting past Kisumu). So we sent a boy out with a jug to look for gas. Odds were against us because he first had to find a gas station with anything, then the station would probably be selling it for higher, then they weren't giving gas into jugs for fear it'd be used to set things on fire. But alas, the gas came! I grabbed my stuff, only to wait for two hours, without having credit to call Arthur who took the gas to his friend's house. Then I gave up, and just wanted to stay where we were. If so much could go wrong, then why try anymore? The fact was, we weren't sure if we could get through the border, if the matatus were running on the other side (because of the gas situation) or how much that would be, and we still had to find an ATM open on our side of the border. I asked Adam to just quit, and Adam said okay, that we'd walk to a restaurant in town and read and drink Cokes and stuff. So we're on our way, all resigned of any hope, and then it happens. Arthur comes riding up in a car with a two guys. So off we go. Turns out the first guy said he didn't want to go because he feared it--after we had bought him gas, mind you. Out of the limited resources we have. This guy wanted 2,000 shillings because he rode from Busia to Arthur's mom's, and back, to 1K each way. Okay, what choice do we have? So we go, and he has to swerve around roadblock after roadblock, and we are pulled up right to the border. No ATM is working, so no extra money, but we try. We go to the same guy who yesterday stamped our exit stamp, and we ask if he could do us a favor. He said, "I told you so, $50 a piece." So much for nice people. Since we only have one $50 bill, we ask what to do. He points us to an ATM that hands out local currency which the border accepts. Hallelujah! Arthur walks through with us (for some reason, he can???) and hooks us up with his uncle, who exchanges our money and checks for the matatu ride, which is more expensive but we can do it. We say goodbye to Arthur and go to the capitol Kampala, where we catch another matatu to Entebbe. The matatu station was crazy busy, and we had to practically throw ourselves in! We ask the driver if he knows the place we're going and he says yes, but really he doesn't. So we are desperately looking out for the place she said (we know this family through the mission world, too). We find it, get off, get picked up, and taken for supper. This is a family, with four daughters and a pilot father. So we stay there till we can find a flight out. By the time we get there, it's late and we're tired, so we crash after dinner. Oh, but the mother made me coffee icecream for my birthday that she didn't know I was having.
Jan 3- We hung around, and meandered outside. Across the street, basically their front yard, is Lake Victoria. So we sit on the private beach, wishing we could swim in it (it has a bug you can catch in it...not good). We then decide to walk to the Entebbe airport, which we figure was an hour walk. We wanted to go there to check flight info, and just wanted to get out. So off we go. No, no, at almost running speed, we make it there in an hour and a half. We are dying because of the heat. The cheapest flight we find is $168. More than we were expecting. But we saw a sign for this airline that had a special for $70 to Nairobi. Their office was closed, we race home, and have another night with our host family.
Jan 4- Call the other airline, called "Royal Daisy." They have tickets and fly out on Mondays and Fridays. Jan 4 was a Friday. So we jumped on the offer. We were packed and out the door by 3. We told our director about the flight, and it left at 7, land 1:10 later. So we were at the airport, not believing we were about to go home. This is the shadiest airline. They don't have our flight number or departure time on our tickets. Of course, it may be because it was written by hand. Yeah. Weird. Then our flight wasn't even on the departure screen. They said it was "normal." Okay. Then they call our flight to board and it's the wrong flight number (we eventually got one). But still we continue. We tell our director we're on the flight, and we'll be there. He sends the taxi. Then, after in the air, then inform us (all 12 people) that we're also landing in Eldoret. You know, one of the worst areas in Kenya at that time. Yeah, so we had a bit of a detour. Finally, we get to the airport, we don't have to pay an entry visa. (That's why I'm a Kenyan resident, not no Ugandan one.) We get picked up by a taxi, and off to the compound we go. It never looked so beautiful.
Monday, February 4, 2008
Next
God is doing great things, but what He is doing, I don't know. I know that I am in His hands, but where they are pushing me, I dont' know. This week, I will be looking at where to serve the rest of my time here. Though I love Kibera, I cannot wait for it to open up for service again. Violence and unrest keeps me out of it. If it's not safe for the residents, it's certainly not safe for me, a mzungu (white) outsider. Thus this week is a week of checking out other ministries. There are a handful I'll be praying over, and please join me in prayer. I'll let you know where God takes me!
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