Saturday 20 June 2009
Today we went into Kibera and led a VBS for over 100 kids. We sang songs and then read/acted out the story about Jonah and the Big Fish! The kids are on midterm break… yes the kids in Kenya go to school Monday through Saturday. They are in school for 3 months and then out of school for a month… yes parents YEAR ROUND SCHOOL! They get the months of April, August, and December off. William and I had planned on doing crafts for the kids as part of the four rotations (Bible Study Explained, Games, Songs, and Crafts) but the Lord had bigger plans for us. William and I soon learned that we would just be doing crafts with the youngest kids (2 and under for the most part) for the entire 2 hours. We had at least 50-60 kids in our room. IT WAS AMAZING! Teacher Abigail told me at the very beginning to retell the story with her translating to the little ones, which I did. None of the kids I was playing with spoke English so that was FUN! Haha. PTL for all the teachers and faculty that came out and helped us! We passed out coloring sheets for all the kids and one crayon. They LOVED it! Then we fed the kids because for some it would be the only food they would have to eat until school lunch on Monday. Lunch was butter and jelly sandwiches, which Kenyans love. Throughout the morning the kids almost doubled. It was VERY loud but so much fun! It was such a success and glory be to the Lord! Plus Pastor told us that we would be taking Monday off for a day of much needed rest!
Sunday 21 June 2009
We went back into Kibera this morning for church service. Jacob shared his testimony with the older youth Sunday school class and we sang “Amazing Grace”. Joshua gave the sermon today in church. It was on How to Be a Christian and it was very good. The best English sermon I have heard since arriving in Kenya! Haha. A little girl fell asleep on me during service. Have I mentioned there is NO such thing as personal space in Kenya? There is NO such thing as personal space in Kenya. Kids constantly want to touch you because you are white and hairy. They love to pull or touch your arm hair. It fascinates them. We are reading LOTR out loud as a team. It is so much fun and a good bonding experience.
Monday 22 June 2009
YAY for a day off! I bought orange mango juice at the Nakumatt Karen yesterday after church and I had some for breakfast this morning. It was SO good. Mangos are just awesome in Kenya. A lot of things taste so much better here. (It is because most things are made with pure sugarcane in Kenya.) I have lost my voice a few times already and am beginning to get sick again. I know it is from all the dust, smoke, and exhaust that my body is just not use to. I rested and read off and on all day.
Tuesday 23 June 2009
I didn’t sleep at all last night because my body was hurting so much from all the coughing. I went to the doctor this morning and he confirmed that is from all the dust and such. I started taking 3 medicines which included a cough syrup. Every single time I swallow it hurts. My chest is congested and I have had a fever off and on for four days now. My ears are killing me from sinus pressure and drainage. I am truly miserable but I know this is where God wants me to be. Lydia stayed behind with me today. PTL for a great mentor. I’m physically tired from the lack of sleep but rest is so hard to get when you are coughing every 5 seconds. I continue to pray that God will allow me to be content and give me peace about being sick while I am here in Kenya to serve. Some days I truly feel more like a burden to my team than a blessing but I know that is Satan whispering lies in my ears. All afternoon there was a goat outside my window that would NOT be quiet! Plus I had a rooster that apparently has NO sense of time. lol. Nothing too exciting happened today.
Wednesday 24 June 2009
So another day of me not going into Kibera with my team. I didn’t sleep again last night so I really didn’t have the energy or strength to go today. My chest doesn’t hurt as much today. My nose is running a lot and I am coughing a ton. I think my ribs are starting to bruise because of all the coughing. My body feels so limp and weak. However, I got my package from mom today and it lifted my spirits greatly. I still don’t understand why Sarah sent me cat fur… but it’s the thought that counts right??
Thursday 25 June 2009
I am finally starting to feel better, PTL! Amen. I stayed behind again today. The power was out at the convent most of the day. Lydia stayed back with me again today to keep an eye on me. I finally fell asleep around 8am and slept until 1130am. IT WAS SO AWESOME! It rained today. I am continuing to trust God throughout all of this. We have scheduled our safari for July 17-19. I thought about the Gummy Bear Song today, ask all the kids who went to Strength to Stand or my mom. At the end of the day, I am feeling much better. I am still coughing but other than that I am feeling okay.
Friday 26 June 2009
Today is the team’s day off. I’m feeling much better after a full nights rest. I am still coughing a whole lot. We rode to Mount Longonot (about a 2 hour drive). The team hiked up the mountain. It was very beautiful. It was so nice to see another part of Kenya. We finished the first LOTR movie tonight as a team. It was SO much fun! Thanks mom! The sisters even brought us popcorn and ASKED TO WATCH THE MOVIE WHEN WE WERE DONE! Haha.
Saturday 27 June 2009
THE HALFWAY POINT! Today marks four weeks of being in Kenya. I have 4 weeks and one day until I get on the airplane that takes me back to the states. Time has really flown by lately. I am really going to miss Kenya. It is so beautiful and so different from home. The people are mostly Christians and are so full of joy and helpful. I walked to the Nakumatt in the morning to buy more juice. Lydia, Josh, and I took a Matatu back and it had 25 people in it! IT WAS INSANE! When Pastor came HE BROUGHT MAIL! I received 6 letters! Thanks so much guys! Today we led a football (soccer) Bible camp for kids 12 years and older. We played soccer for an hour (well ½ the team did along with all the kids). Lauri, Joanna, and I helped Caroline and Purity make butter and jelly sandwiches. Then we sang songs. Then we split into guys and girls to have a time of Bible study. Lauri shared part of her testimony with the girls. Then it was food time for the kids. Afterwards we got everyone in a circle to pray (about 80-90 kids). After prayer some of the guys ran into the middle of the circle hitting jugs with sticks and making music with their hands. They sang “Happy Birthday” to Pastor Makuku who turned 49 years old today. It was so much fun to be with my team again.
Sunday 28 June 2009
Neema: Grace
Imani: Faith
Mungu: God
Shetani: Devil
Upendo: Love
Tumaini: Hope
Those are the words I learned in Church this morning in Kibera. I don’t know if I have mentioned this but Pastor says the way they worship is very Pentecostal but they way they preach is very Reformed and that is SO true! Joanna shared her testimony with the older youth Sunday school class. Jeffery preached today so of course I didn’t understand a single word for the most part. I know he preached from Judges 7. I had pizza for lunch and the girls switched roommates today. (We switch every 2 weeks) Nothing too much has happened. I am still feeling well but coughing a lot. Sometimes breathing takes a lot of energy. My asthma is having a rough time, but God has been giving me strength each and every day He chooses to. God willing I will not get very sick again.
Thanks again for all the many prayers that you have lifted up. Continue to pray. My team is constantly at war with Satan and his demons. George, Jacob, and Lauri have been battling colds. Joshua recently found out that his best friend’s (Kate) dad has a brain tumor and another one of his very close friends is in a coma (He is serving in Iraq) and the doctors have given him 24 hours. Jacob is planning his wedding from thousands of miles away. Joanna’s brother just had major jaw surgery a week ago but is doing well. The devil is hard at work every day. He is constantly trying to pull us down. These are some of the many prayer requests. Continue to pray that we will Stand Firm. Pray that we will focus on Christ and not stray from His path. Pray that will we not feel guilt when we are sick and can’t go out with our team. Just PRAY! I miss and love you all and can’t wait to share many stories.
God Bless!
LG
PS. If you are sending mail, please don’t send anything after the 4th of July. THANKS!
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Friday, June 19, 2009
Week 3
Saturday 13 June 2009
So today was a good day. I woke up to a monkey eating an avocado in the tree outside my room. The team went down to the Nakumatt. I got pizza from a place called Tangerine. Then I got a chocolate milkshake. They were both AWESOME! After being there for a few hours, we went to the Shuname Shelter. I helped a girl named Susan get the greens ready. In Kenya the girls make doing all the cooking… and preparing greens includes washing them and then cutting them using your left hand as a cutting board as you shred the greens with your right hand. It is very difficult to do without cutting your finger/hand. However, the girls have been very patient with me and I am trying to learn how to do this before the end of the summer. So instead of cutting, I was in charge of pulling all the leaves off the stems and washing them. It took probably 30 minutes to an hour. Then it was time for songs and prayers. My health is so much better now and I praise the Lord for that! Dinner was chapati and I have discovered that putting sugar and butter on a hot chapati is one of my new favorite Kenyan desserts. It was REALLY awesome. Chapati days are the best! The Lord has allowed our team to only grow closer and I praise Him for that. The night ended with amazing rain on tin roofs and beautiful HUGE Kenyan rainbows. It was overall one of my best days in Kenya.
Sunday 14 June 2009
Today instead of going to Kibera for church, the team went to an English speaking church. The name of the church is Nairobi chapel. It was so very different from Kibera. (and not just because the service was in English) There were lots of upbeat songs, skits that the children did about how awesome Sunday school is, and an interview session with one of the church members about how she works with the poor. Almost 2 hours later, the sermon started. Later, Martha told us that a lot of middle class and wealthy Kenyans attend that church. It helped us all understand the importance of the interview session during church because that left a lot of us really confused. The church was like this HUGE permanent white tent. It had a projection screen and sold the sermon on CD/DVD after the service… it was VERY different from Kibera. After church, we walked to the Nakumatt Junction (a different Nakumatt) to eat lunch. I ate at Wimpys, which is a hamburger joint. Then we took a bus back to Nakumatt Karen and we walked home. The rest of the day was spent in the Word, prayer, and lots of fellowship.
Monday 15 June 2009
There is a short term team here from MTW, so we (the interns) will not be working in Kibera this week. So we spent the day in a different slum, Muthiga. The slum is in the country. It is by far the smallest and “tamest” slum that MTW works in. The area is very rural and there are hills and fields in every direction. The church is actually on the top part of the hill and the slope/bottom holds the slum. The slum is very different from Kibera because most of the houses here in Muthiga are made entirely out of tin. (instead of mud, waste, and garbage) The homes are mostly freestanding one-room shacks with a fence around it and a little piece of land. The church there is the African Evangelical Presbyterian Church. The main focus in Muthiga is door to door evangelism which we haven’t done yet. The morning was spent on another piece of property that the Church has recently bought in Muthiga to build a school on. We spent the morning digging holes for trees and hedges around the fence. We also started clearing out the land using our bare hands to pull weeds and such. At one point, a huge rat came out from a plant (we had been hearing it make noises). Its back looked like that of a chipmunk. It was once of the craziest creatures I have seen so far. All the new flowers, trees, plants, and animals continue to amaze me. I get to see the Southern cross every night and I know that is something I will miss once I am back in Alabama. The stars shine so bright here and you can see so many of them here. It is truly beautiful, like Pastor Makuku would say, “It is a little piece of heaven for you.” After digging, we walked down the hill into the slum and ran a short Bible club for the younger kids. We told the story of David and the Giant. We even acted it out. Then we sang songs with them and played games. It was tons of fun! Today I got my first mosquito bite. I guess that about sums up the day.
Tuesday 16 June 2009
Another day in Muthiga. We worked on the property. Today was another day of pulling weeds, grasses, and thorns with no gloves. I’m going to have some rough hand when I get home from all the manual labor. Haha. Today was a shorter day. We didn’t do a bible club and we arrived back around 3pm. Day 2 of peanut butter sandwiches for lunch. I tried Mango for the first time today. It has intense flavor but was overall very tasty.
Wednesday 17 June 2009
Today was filled with insects. I found a praying mantis. It was so beautiful. It was green but also had stripes that held colors of the rainbow. Then I found the darkest toad I have ever seen in my life. There were tons of bright blue and neon green beetles in the dirt I was working in. There were different kinds and colors of ants and spiders as well. I am slowly becoming one with the earth. These are the things you learn when you pull up grass and such for hours… well that and mud fights. It rained last night so everything was VERY muddy today. Everyone was pretty much covered in mud by the end of the day. After working the property, we walked down the hill and ran Bible club again for the kids. The story today was Daniel and the Lions Den. We had chapati again for dinner so it was another good day.
Thursday 18 June 2009
I don’t think I have mentioned the fact that George has been reading Lord of the Rings out loud to the team every day. It has been a bonding experience for the team and a great read! I made French toast again this morning. (I have had French toast for breakfast for about 7-9 days now but I am still loving it!) Then we left to go to Muthiga again. Today we planted trees and cleared more land. I am getting to be a pro at using the machete. I found a stick bug today which was AWESOME! I also formed and popped my first blister. *sigh* Lunch for the 4th day in a room was a peanut butter sandwich. Haha. O I forgot! This morning some women stopped by the property when we first arrived and told us they were giving us some food to eat with our tea. Tea time is an every day thing in Kenya. (Hot Tea) So at tea time, we discovered what the food was. It was arrowroot. It was grayish purple in color. The best way I can think to describe it is a cold soggy French fry without salt or a cold baked potato with NOTHING on it. It really could have used some salt. Haha. We did another Bible club with the kids in Muthiga, which meant another long but fun day. I got my hair braided by I think 4-5 girls. It was intense.
Friday 19 June 2009
Have I mentioned that there are fences and gates EVERYWHERE in Kenya? Well if I haven’t there are fences and gates EVERYWHERE in Kenya. Every place has a fence… businesses, houses, churches, etc. Today was my day off again. Around lunch I went to the Nakumatt Karen. I had pineapple pizza at Tangerine that was AMAZING. Pineapple is my FAVORITE thing to eat here so far. It is just so fresh and juicy and amazing. Then later on in the afternoon around 3pm, Carol, Purity, and Wycliffe came and we walked to the Shuname Shelter. I love going there. It is just such a relaxed setting and just a time to talk, laugh, play, and learn. I practiced my cutting using my hand as a cutting board again today. Then I talked to Susan again. It is such a joy getting to know the girls there. Wycliffe has decided that I am Kalenjin, which is one of the 50 tribes in Kenya. When I asked him why Kalenjin, he told me because they are all tall and thin like me. Haha. Then he told me that tomorrow he will figure out what my new name will be. So I will post that next week. Well it is time for me to ruminate with my team and have a short bible study so I must end this.
I pray that each of you are doing well. God Bless!
Until Next Time,
LG
So today was a good day. I woke up to a monkey eating an avocado in the tree outside my room. The team went down to the Nakumatt. I got pizza from a place called Tangerine. Then I got a chocolate milkshake. They were both AWESOME! After being there for a few hours, we went to the Shuname Shelter. I helped a girl named Susan get the greens ready. In Kenya the girls make doing all the cooking… and preparing greens includes washing them and then cutting them using your left hand as a cutting board as you shred the greens with your right hand. It is very difficult to do without cutting your finger/hand. However, the girls have been very patient with me and I am trying to learn how to do this before the end of the summer. So instead of cutting, I was in charge of pulling all the leaves off the stems and washing them. It took probably 30 minutes to an hour. Then it was time for songs and prayers. My health is so much better now and I praise the Lord for that! Dinner was chapati and I have discovered that putting sugar and butter on a hot chapati is one of my new favorite Kenyan desserts. It was REALLY awesome. Chapati days are the best! The Lord has allowed our team to only grow closer and I praise Him for that. The night ended with amazing rain on tin roofs and beautiful HUGE Kenyan rainbows. It was overall one of my best days in Kenya.
Sunday 14 June 2009
Today instead of going to Kibera for church, the team went to an English speaking church. The name of the church is Nairobi chapel. It was so very different from Kibera. (and not just because the service was in English) There were lots of upbeat songs, skits that the children did about how awesome Sunday school is, and an interview session with one of the church members about how she works with the poor. Almost 2 hours later, the sermon started. Later, Martha told us that a lot of middle class and wealthy Kenyans attend that church. It helped us all understand the importance of the interview session during church because that left a lot of us really confused. The church was like this HUGE permanent white tent. It had a projection screen and sold the sermon on CD/DVD after the service… it was VERY different from Kibera. After church, we walked to the Nakumatt Junction (a different Nakumatt) to eat lunch. I ate at Wimpys, which is a hamburger joint. Then we took a bus back to Nakumatt Karen and we walked home. The rest of the day was spent in the Word, prayer, and lots of fellowship.
Monday 15 June 2009
There is a short term team here from MTW, so we (the interns) will not be working in Kibera this week. So we spent the day in a different slum, Muthiga. The slum is in the country. It is by far the smallest and “tamest” slum that MTW works in. The area is very rural and there are hills and fields in every direction. The church is actually on the top part of the hill and the slope/bottom holds the slum. The slum is very different from Kibera because most of the houses here in Muthiga are made entirely out of tin. (instead of mud, waste, and garbage) The homes are mostly freestanding one-room shacks with a fence around it and a little piece of land. The church there is the African Evangelical Presbyterian Church. The main focus in Muthiga is door to door evangelism which we haven’t done yet. The morning was spent on another piece of property that the Church has recently bought in Muthiga to build a school on. We spent the morning digging holes for trees and hedges around the fence. We also started clearing out the land using our bare hands to pull weeds and such. At one point, a huge rat came out from a plant (we had been hearing it make noises). Its back looked like that of a chipmunk. It was once of the craziest creatures I have seen so far. All the new flowers, trees, plants, and animals continue to amaze me. I get to see the Southern cross every night and I know that is something I will miss once I am back in Alabama. The stars shine so bright here and you can see so many of them here. It is truly beautiful, like Pastor Makuku would say, “It is a little piece of heaven for you.” After digging, we walked down the hill into the slum and ran a short Bible club for the younger kids. We told the story of David and the Giant. We even acted it out. Then we sang songs with them and played games. It was tons of fun! Today I got my first mosquito bite. I guess that about sums up the day.
Tuesday 16 June 2009
Another day in Muthiga. We worked on the property. Today was another day of pulling weeds, grasses, and thorns with no gloves. I’m going to have some rough hand when I get home from all the manual labor. Haha. Today was a shorter day. We didn’t do a bible club and we arrived back around 3pm. Day 2 of peanut butter sandwiches for lunch. I tried Mango for the first time today. It has intense flavor but was overall very tasty.
Wednesday 17 June 2009
Today was filled with insects. I found a praying mantis. It was so beautiful. It was green but also had stripes that held colors of the rainbow. Then I found the darkest toad I have ever seen in my life. There were tons of bright blue and neon green beetles in the dirt I was working in. There were different kinds and colors of ants and spiders as well. I am slowly becoming one with the earth. These are the things you learn when you pull up grass and such for hours… well that and mud fights. It rained last night so everything was VERY muddy today. Everyone was pretty much covered in mud by the end of the day. After working the property, we walked down the hill and ran Bible club again for the kids. The story today was Daniel and the Lions Den. We had chapati again for dinner so it was another good day.
Thursday 18 June 2009
I don’t think I have mentioned the fact that George has been reading Lord of the Rings out loud to the team every day. It has been a bonding experience for the team and a great read! I made French toast again this morning. (I have had French toast for breakfast for about 7-9 days now but I am still loving it!) Then we left to go to Muthiga again. Today we planted trees and cleared more land. I am getting to be a pro at using the machete. I found a stick bug today which was AWESOME! I also formed and popped my first blister. *sigh* Lunch for the 4th day in a room was a peanut butter sandwich. Haha. O I forgot! This morning some women stopped by the property when we first arrived and told us they were giving us some food to eat with our tea. Tea time is an every day thing in Kenya. (Hot Tea) So at tea time, we discovered what the food was. It was arrowroot. It was grayish purple in color. The best way I can think to describe it is a cold soggy French fry without salt or a cold baked potato with NOTHING on it. It really could have used some salt. Haha. We did another Bible club with the kids in Muthiga, which meant another long but fun day. I got my hair braided by I think 4-5 girls. It was intense.
Friday 19 June 2009
Have I mentioned that there are fences and gates EVERYWHERE in Kenya? Well if I haven’t there are fences and gates EVERYWHERE in Kenya. Every place has a fence… businesses, houses, churches, etc. Today was my day off again. Around lunch I went to the Nakumatt Karen. I had pineapple pizza at Tangerine that was AMAZING. Pineapple is my FAVORITE thing to eat here so far. It is just so fresh and juicy and amazing. Then later on in the afternoon around 3pm, Carol, Purity, and Wycliffe came and we walked to the Shuname Shelter. I love going there. It is just such a relaxed setting and just a time to talk, laugh, play, and learn. I practiced my cutting using my hand as a cutting board again today. Then I talked to Susan again. It is such a joy getting to know the girls there. Wycliffe has decided that I am Kalenjin, which is one of the 50 tribes in Kenya. When I asked him why Kalenjin, he told me because they are all tall and thin like me. Haha. Then he told me that tomorrow he will figure out what my new name will be. So I will post that next week. Well it is time for me to ruminate with my team and have a short bible study so I must end this.
I pray that each of you are doing well. God Bless!
Until Next Time,
LG
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Update for Week Two
Friday 5 June 2009
So it was actually Purity and Pastor Wycliffe (another pastor who works in Kibera with the Makuku’s) who took us to downtown Nairobi. We rode our first public Matatu. It was kind of crazy. I am pretty confident now that Matatus are what at least half of the vehicles are around here. We basically just walked around Nairobi and then ate at an authentic Kenyan food place for lunch. It was a time to relax and sightsee. Downtown Nairobi was VERY clean (no trash on the ground) and so is most of Kenya. Fridays are the most relaxed day because the team pretty much decides what we want to do. =)
Saturday 6 June 2009
Around 230pm Pastor Makuku and his wife took us to the Shuname Shelter. It is the girls’ (and 2-3 boys) home that is led by Caroline and Purity. (and the Makuku’s) In case you didn’t know Shuname was a resting place in the OT. We just hung out with the kids for the most part… playing football (soccer), Frisbee, and guitar/singing. At the end of our time together, we all gathered in a circle and sang different Swahili and English songs. Once we got back to the convent, we practiced our songs for church service tomorrow. That was about it. Another pretty relaxed day in Kenya.
Sunday 7 June 2009
The weather was GREAT today. We went to Kibera for church service again this Sunday. The church didn’t feel like an oven like last week, which was such a blessing. George shared his testimony during Sunday School with the older youth kids. (something all of the interns will probably do before the summer is over) The team sung for Sunday School and church service today. (No autographs please! Haha) The church in Kibera had even more energy and excitement this week than last. It was so lively and encouraging. I love the way the Kenyan people worship. It is so moving. There is singing, drums, clapping, and dancing! Pastor Makuku finished last weeks service today. It was talking about how you can spiritually murder your brother without physically harming him by being angry with him. I had the same translator as last week which was a blessing as well. The smell in Kibera gets worse every time I walk in I think, but I just try to ignore it the best I can because I know my time here is short. I also know that the Kenyans are constantly watching us as we walk in and out of Kibera. The paths we walk are their front porches… their yards. I still can’t imagine what they must be thinking while we are walking by so many of them. I can’t believe a whole week has gone by! My stomach started hurting off and on today but God is good and I know He will take care of me. We ate lunch around 3:30-4pm, which was late even in Kenya. lol.
Monday 8 June 2009
I woke up still not feeling well but I went out to the property to finish digging the holes for the fence. After the team had finished digging the fence holes… we kept digging but this time they were tree holes. (which are about twice as big) Nothing too exciting happened today. I saw a lot of donkey carts, cows, goats, sheep, chicken, etc. O yeah and Coke is HUGE over here. There are a ton of advertisements for coca cola over here… Pepsi does NOT exist. (Life is Good.)
Tuesday 9 June 2009
I am not getting better but I am continuing to trust the Lord for I know that He is good in all things. By the time we arrived in Kibera I felt horrible. Then I got to walk into Kibera which I found out use to be a lake I think… but if you can think of a lake that was turned into a landfill and then people decided to build houses on this land… that still doesn’t even begin to describe Kibera. Once we arrived at the church, I had to lie down. I listened in on the AIDS support group meeting. I had a fever so I ended up spending the rest of the afternoon resting in the office. I know God will strengthen my body when He wants me to be strong but until then I will rely on God’s strength and do the best that I can while I am sick. We left to go pick up Lydia at the airport around 6:30pm (Lydia is our mentor and my roommate for the summer). Martha told me to take tomorrow off and rest. Once we got back to the convent we tried to get Lydia all caught up and had some Kenyan tea. Then it was time for bed.
Wednesday 10 June 2009
"But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds," declares the LORD Jeremiah 30:17I took the day off like Martha told me to. Today was the worst so far as far as being sick. I started having chest pain and it took almost all my energy to just breathe sometimes. I spent the day in bed and for most of it I just slept and prayed. The spiritual warfare in Kenya is strong. I could feel the devil trying to pull my spirit down because I was not well enough to go into Kibera and serve the Lord like the rest of my team. I will be content whatever the circumstance. I feel like I have grown so much in the past week and a half and I LOVE IT! God has been so good to me and I know that He is in control. I will not lose faith.
Thursday 11 June 2009
So Lydia went with me to the doctor today. I have a chest infection. By the afternoon I was already feeling much better though I hated keeping Lydia behind and not being able to go to the property. The property and Kibera are polar opposites by the way. By nightfall, my chest was doing much better and the stomach pain wasn’t as severe. I am not going to lie, the past few days have been HARD… but that is the Christian life… the Christian walk is meant to be HARD… the Bible NEVER says it is going to be easy. This is just another trial for me. Thanks so much for all the prayers.
Friday 12 June 2009
Another day off for the team. I am almost back to my 100% feeling better self. I know God will continue to heal my body is that is what He chooses to do. Around 11am or so, Caroline, Purity, and Wycliffe came and picked us up. We took a Matatu all the way to the Village Market (which is farther than downtown). There were a ton of white people!!! It was HILARIOUS! lol. So we ate lunch. I ate some PIZZA, which was a GREAT change. Haha. My stomach can only take so much Kenyan food I think. Then we got to go bargain with the locals. It was SO much fun! O yeah and I saw a British army vehicle today with a British army guy in it! The short term (2-week) MTW team will come in tonight and then our team will have a meeting with Pastor Makuku about what all is going to be going down the next few weeks. PTL I am feeling better and have recovered so quickly! The Lord has been so gracious to me.
I miss Alabama. I miss my family. I miss my church family. I miss my friends. But do not fear, for I will see you again soon! I will continue to pray that God is working in your life as much as He has been working in mine. God Bless!
Until Next Week,
LG
So it was actually Purity and Pastor Wycliffe (another pastor who works in Kibera with the Makuku’s) who took us to downtown Nairobi. We rode our first public Matatu. It was kind of crazy. I am pretty confident now that Matatus are what at least half of the vehicles are around here. We basically just walked around Nairobi and then ate at an authentic Kenyan food place for lunch. It was a time to relax and sightsee. Downtown Nairobi was VERY clean (no trash on the ground) and so is most of Kenya. Fridays are the most relaxed day because the team pretty much decides what we want to do. =)
Saturday 6 June 2009
Around 230pm Pastor Makuku and his wife took us to the Shuname Shelter. It is the girls’ (and 2-3 boys) home that is led by Caroline and Purity. (and the Makuku’s) In case you didn’t know Shuname was a resting place in the OT. We just hung out with the kids for the most part… playing football (soccer), Frisbee, and guitar/singing. At the end of our time together, we all gathered in a circle and sang different Swahili and English songs. Once we got back to the convent, we practiced our songs for church service tomorrow. That was about it. Another pretty relaxed day in Kenya.
Sunday 7 June 2009
The weather was GREAT today. We went to Kibera for church service again this Sunday. The church didn’t feel like an oven like last week, which was such a blessing. George shared his testimony during Sunday School with the older youth kids. (something all of the interns will probably do before the summer is over) The team sung for Sunday School and church service today. (No autographs please! Haha) The church in Kibera had even more energy and excitement this week than last. It was so lively and encouraging. I love the way the Kenyan people worship. It is so moving. There is singing, drums, clapping, and dancing! Pastor Makuku finished last weeks service today. It was talking about how you can spiritually murder your brother without physically harming him by being angry with him. I had the same translator as last week which was a blessing as well. The smell in Kibera gets worse every time I walk in I think, but I just try to ignore it the best I can because I know my time here is short. I also know that the Kenyans are constantly watching us as we walk in and out of Kibera. The paths we walk are their front porches… their yards. I still can’t imagine what they must be thinking while we are walking by so many of them. I can’t believe a whole week has gone by! My stomach started hurting off and on today but God is good and I know He will take care of me. We ate lunch around 3:30-4pm, which was late even in Kenya. lol.
Monday 8 June 2009
I woke up still not feeling well but I went out to the property to finish digging the holes for the fence. After the team had finished digging the fence holes… we kept digging but this time they were tree holes. (which are about twice as big) Nothing too exciting happened today. I saw a lot of donkey carts, cows, goats, sheep, chicken, etc. O yeah and Coke is HUGE over here. There are a ton of advertisements for coca cola over here… Pepsi does NOT exist. (Life is Good.)
Tuesday 9 June 2009
I am not getting better but I am continuing to trust the Lord for I know that He is good in all things. By the time we arrived in Kibera I felt horrible. Then I got to walk into Kibera which I found out use to be a lake I think… but if you can think of a lake that was turned into a landfill and then people decided to build houses on this land… that still doesn’t even begin to describe Kibera. Once we arrived at the church, I had to lie down. I listened in on the AIDS support group meeting. I had a fever so I ended up spending the rest of the afternoon resting in the office. I know God will strengthen my body when He wants me to be strong but until then I will rely on God’s strength and do the best that I can while I am sick. We left to go pick up Lydia at the airport around 6:30pm (Lydia is our mentor and my roommate for the summer). Martha told me to take tomorrow off and rest. Once we got back to the convent we tried to get Lydia all caught up and had some Kenyan tea. Then it was time for bed.
Wednesday 10 June 2009
"But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds," declares the LORD Jeremiah 30:17I took the day off like Martha told me to. Today was the worst so far as far as being sick. I started having chest pain and it took almost all my energy to just breathe sometimes. I spent the day in bed and for most of it I just slept and prayed. The spiritual warfare in Kenya is strong. I could feel the devil trying to pull my spirit down because I was not well enough to go into Kibera and serve the Lord like the rest of my team. I will be content whatever the circumstance. I feel like I have grown so much in the past week and a half and I LOVE IT! God has been so good to me and I know that He is in control. I will not lose faith.
Thursday 11 June 2009
So Lydia went with me to the doctor today. I have a chest infection. By the afternoon I was already feeling much better though I hated keeping Lydia behind and not being able to go to the property. The property and Kibera are polar opposites by the way. By nightfall, my chest was doing much better and the stomach pain wasn’t as severe. I am not going to lie, the past few days have been HARD… but that is the Christian life… the Christian walk is meant to be HARD… the Bible NEVER says it is going to be easy. This is just another trial for me. Thanks so much for all the prayers.
Friday 12 June 2009
Another day off for the team. I am almost back to my 100% feeling better self. I know God will continue to heal my body is that is what He chooses to do. Around 11am or so, Caroline, Purity, and Wycliffe came and picked us up. We took a Matatu all the way to the Village Market (which is farther than downtown). There were a ton of white people!!! It was HILARIOUS! lol. So we ate lunch. I ate some PIZZA, which was a GREAT change. Haha. My stomach can only take so much Kenyan food I think. Then we got to go bargain with the locals. It was SO much fun! O yeah and I saw a British army vehicle today with a British army guy in it! The short term (2-week) MTW team will come in tonight and then our team will have a meeting with Pastor Makuku about what all is going to be going down the next few weeks. PTL I am feeling better and have recovered so quickly! The Lord has been so gracious to me.
I miss Alabama. I miss my family. I miss my church family. I miss my friends. But do not fear, for I will see you again soon! I will continue to pray that God is working in your life as much as He has been working in mine. God Bless!
Until Next Week,
LG
Friday, June 5, 2009
Update for Week One
30 May 2009
I finally arrived in Kenya after spending over 24 hours on planes and in airports. I rode my first double decker plane from Amsterdam to Kenya. The Kenya International Airport is bigger than I expected. The most chaotic part was trying to get your luggage. It was insane. Pastor Makuku came and picked us up and took us to the convent where we are staying. It was dark when we arrived but you could still see the many flowers and trees that are in bloom here. The guest house that I am staying in is beautiful. I didn’t think about the cars though. The driver seat is on the right side of the car and they drive on the left side of the road. A lot of things here are like they are in Britain since Kenya was once ruled by the British. The sisters had dinner ready for us when we arrived here. Dinner was rice, green beans, Bananas from Uganda (which tasted like potatoes!), and some beef. That was my first night in Kenya.
31 May 2009
“We need to emphasis what God emphasizes” –Pastor Makuku
I don’t even know where to begin. I ate breakfast around 8am which was toast and honey for me. The bread here is twice the size it is back home. Pastor had told us he would pick us up for church around 10am. After breakfast our team decided on a song to play/sing at church service. George played guitar and the rest of us sang “Trading My Sorrows”, which happens to be one of my favorite songs. Pastor had asked us the night before to have a song ready to sing at church service. Pastor and his wife Martha came and picked us up for church. Everything here looks SO different in the daylight. Most of the roads we took were nothing but clumps of dirt. Kenyan roads are not made for people who get carsick! lol. The site of Kibera is something that I can’t even begin to describe to you. Once we parked the vehicle, we starting to walk into Kibera. There was so much to see that you go into “sensory overload”. When you walk in, you have to hop across on clumps of what you are hoping is mud and have to be extremely careful not to slip and fall. I saw the biggest pig I have ever seen in my life. Kibera is a maze. The “safe” parts to walk on are the piles of garbage and mud. (well you pray it is mud) I can honestly say I have never seen anything like it in my life. After walking for a few minutes, we finally made it to the church. I found out that the MTW teams are the only white people that go into this part of Kibera. The kids practice their English by saying “How are YOU? How are YOU?” as you walk past them. It is almost a chant. The church service was around 3 hours long. Church in Kibera is so very different than church back home. Everyone pays attention here even the kids. The kids (for the most part) come by themselves, parents don’t make them. People are randomly called up to share a word of encouragement or a testimony. The service is very interactive. We had translators so we would know what was going on since the service is NOT in English. The music is INCREDIBLE here. Everyone loved our song that we sang. People were thanking us as soon as we sat down. The sermon was on “Thou shall not kill.” Deu. 5:17. Everything seems so much more relatable here. We went out to lunch at the Java Hut. When we arrived back at the convent, we decided to explore. Lauri found a chameleon. Everyone took turns holding it. That was pretty much it.
1 June 2009
Today is a holiday in Kenya. It is the day they got their independence (so it is like our 4th of July) So we didn’t have any plans until 2pm. After breakfast the team headed into town. It was about a 20-30 minute walk. My new favorite store is the Nakumatt (which is like Walmart but better) Around 3pm Pastor Makuku came and picked us up. (Time doesn’t really matter here) We went to his house, which is SO beautiful. Kenya has so many barn animals (cows, goats, sheep, donkeys pulling carts, etc.) I had my first cup of hot Kenyan tea today. It was AMAZING. We talked about the importance of prayer, our fears, and our expectations while we were at Pastor’s house. God has been so good to me. I’m so thankful for my time here in Kenya and so grateful for all the people who made this experience possible.
2 June 2009
After breakfast Pastor and his wife picked us up to go back into Kibera. We met all the staff and teachers today. Then Jeffery (the Head Master) took us around to each classroom to meet all the students. The students are so eager to learn here. After that we went to the AIDS support group. It is actually called the Neema group, which means Grace Group. The women were all so joyful and willing to help us Americans understand what was going on. Josephine picked me after lunch to work with her. Each teacher got to choose a team member to assist them with their classes. She is so very sweet and funny too. I graded a lot of math problems for her and helped her teach the Apostles Creed. After school was over, Pastor brought us back to the convent. I feel asleep early.
3 June 2009
Today was another day in Kibera. Today I helped teach Grade 1 Science. The lesson was on Food. Chapati and Ugali are Kenyan foods. Chapati is AWESOME! I have already had it 2-3 times since I have been here. Ugali is the staple food for most Kenyans and for some it is their only food. (It is like a cross between mashed potatoes and grits) I am now called Teacher Grace by most of the kids. After I assisted with Grade 1, I went into the church and listened in on the Bible Study. Then it was lunch time. The kids taught me the Chapati song. Then the whole team helped wash dishes. The art of washing dishes in Kibera: 2 buckets filled with cold water, a sponge with soap, scrub in the 1st bucket, rinse off in the 2nd bucket. That’s it. I could have gone without knowing that but the team just keeps praying the God will keep us safe from sickness. As we were leaving Kibera, I saw my first slum cat. Then at the end of the houses, there is a “stream” of sewage with a “bridge”. In the “water”, on my left was the HUGE pig that we saw on our first day in Kibera and on my right were 4 BIG baby pigs. We played Apples to Apples when we got back to the convent. We have been taking turns leading Bible Study each night. My team is super awesome and each day we are becoming closer. PTL!
4 June 2009
I don’t know if I have mentioned it or not but the statement that was made before I left about Kenyans being very modest except for men urinating publicly and women nursing is SO true! I have seen both on many occasions already. Today we went out to the Church’s new property where we dug around 80 holes with VERY simple tools. The girls removed the dirt from the holes after the guys had broken it up with their tools. O the day in the life of a mole. lol. Lunch was Peanut Butter and Plum Jam sandwiches. It was very good. I got a little sunburn, nothing too bad. It is the worst on my neck. I have learned that most Kenyans live a very simple life. A lot of the time it seems the Bible is so much more relevant here in Kenya because it’s like OT times. There are over 50 tribes in Kenya, which are all represented in Kibera. They eat to live (they don’t live to eat). Kibera Reformed Presbyterian Church’s staff is so strong ion their faith and so are their members. My prayer is that I will see and love God the way so many of these Kenyan women do! Their faith is so unshakable no matter the circumstance. It is a true blessing to be around the women here. I am learning so much. I saw the Ngong hills (which have 7 peaks) and the Hill of the Buffalos (which I thought was a mountain). You can see both from the church’s new property. The property is SO beautiful.
5 June 2009
Today is the team’s day off. Around 10am we will go sight seeing with Caroline and Purity. (two of the Kenyan women) I CAN’T WAIT!
Thanks for all the many prayers. I hope that this letter gives you a little insight on what I have been doing and seeing since I arrived in Kenya. Continue to prayer for my team and I that the Lord will strengthen us each and every day. Spiritual warfare is very alive and well in Kenya. Pray for the Kenyan people as well.
God Bless!
LG
I finally arrived in Kenya after spending over 24 hours on planes and in airports. I rode my first double decker plane from Amsterdam to Kenya. The Kenya International Airport is bigger than I expected. The most chaotic part was trying to get your luggage. It was insane. Pastor Makuku came and picked us up and took us to the convent where we are staying. It was dark when we arrived but you could still see the many flowers and trees that are in bloom here. The guest house that I am staying in is beautiful. I didn’t think about the cars though. The driver seat is on the right side of the car and they drive on the left side of the road. A lot of things here are like they are in Britain since Kenya was once ruled by the British. The sisters had dinner ready for us when we arrived here. Dinner was rice, green beans, Bananas from Uganda (which tasted like potatoes!), and some beef. That was my first night in Kenya.
31 May 2009
“We need to emphasis what God emphasizes” –Pastor Makuku
I don’t even know where to begin. I ate breakfast around 8am which was toast and honey for me. The bread here is twice the size it is back home. Pastor had told us he would pick us up for church around 10am. After breakfast our team decided on a song to play/sing at church service. George played guitar and the rest of us sang “Trading My Sorrows”, which happens to be one of my favorite songs. Pastor had asked us the night before to have a song ready to sing at church service. Pastor and his wife Martha came and picked us up for church. Everything here looks SO different in the daylight. Most of the roads we took were nothing but clumps of dirt. Kenyan roads are not made for people who get carsick! lol. The site of Kibera is something that I can’t even begin to describe to you. Once we parked the vehicle, we starting to walk into Kibera. There was so much to see that you go into “sensory overload”. When you walk in, you have to hop across on clumps of what you are hoping is mud and have to be extremely careful not to slip and fall. I saw the biggest pig I have ever seen in my life. Kibera is a maze. The “safe” parts to walk on are the piles of garbage and mud. (well you pray it is mud) I can honestly say I have never seen anything like it in my life. After walking for a few minutes, we finally made it to the church. I found out that the MTW teams are the only white people that go into this part of Kibera. The kids practice their English by saying “How are YOU? How are YOU?” as you walk past them. It is almost a chant. The church service was around 3 hours long. Church in Kibera is so very different than church back home. Everyone pays attention here even the kids. The kids (for the most part) come by themselves, parents don’t make them. People are randomly called up to share a word of encouragement or a testimony. The service is very interactive. We had translators so we would know what was going on since the service is NOT in English. The music is INCREDIBLE here. Everyone loved our song that we sang. People were thanking us as soon as we sat down. The sermon was on “Thou shall not kill.” Deu. 5:17. Everything seems so much more relatable here. We went out to lunch at the Java Hut. When we arrived back at the convent, we decided to explore. Lauri found a chameleon. Everyone took turns holding it. That was pretty much it.
1 June 2009
Today is a holiday in Kenya. It is the day they got their independence (so it is like our 4th of July) So we didn’t have any plans until 2pm. After breakfast the team headed into town. It was about a 20-30 minute walk. My new favorite store is the Nakumatt (which is like Walmart but better) Around 3pm Pastor Makuku came and picked us up. (Time doesn’t really matter here) We went to his house, which is SO beautiful. Kenya has so many barn animals (cows, goats, sheep, donkeys pulling carts, etc.) I had my first cup of hot Kenyan tea today. It was AMAZING. We talked about the importance of prayer, our fears, and our expectations while we were at Pastor’s house. God has been so good to me. I’m so thankful for my time here in Kenya and so grateful for all the people who made this experience possible.
2 June 2009
After breakfast Pastor and his wife picked us up to go back into Kibera. We met all the staff and teachers today. Then Jeffery (the Head Master) took us around to each classroom to meet all the students. The students are so eager to learn here. After that we went to the AIDS support group. It is actually called the Neema group, which means Grace Group. The women were all so joyful and willing to help us Americans understand what was going on. Josephine picked me after lunch to work with her. Each teacher got to choose a team member to assist them with their classes. She is so very sweet and funny too. I graded a lot of math problems for her and helped her teach the Apostles Creed. After school was over, Pastor brought us back to the convent. I feel asleep early.
3 June 2009
Today was another day in Kibera. Today I helped teach Grade 1 Science. The lesson was on Food. Chapati and Ugali are Kenyan foods. Chapati is AWESOME! I have already had it 2-3 times since I have been here. Ugali is the staple food for most Kenyans and for some it is their only food. (It is like a cross between mashed potatoes and grits) I am now called Teacher Grace by most of the kids. After I assisted with Grade 1, I went into the church and listened in on the Bible Study. Then it was lunch time. The kids taught me the Chapati song. Then the whole team helped wash dishes. The art of washing dishes in Kibera: 2 buckets filled with cold water, a sponge with soap, scrub in the 1st bucket, rinse off in the 2nd bucket. That’s it. I could have gone without knowing that but the team just keeps praying the God will keep us safe from sickness. As we were leaving Kibera, I saw my first slum cat. Then at the end of the houses, there is a “stream” of sewage with a “bridge”. In the “water”, on my left was the HUGE pig that we saw on our first day in Kibera and on my right were 4 BIG baby pigs. We played Apples to Apples when we got back to the convent. We have been taking turns leading Bible Study each night. My team is super awesome and each day we are becoming closer. PTL!
4 June 2009
I don’t know if I have mentioned it or not but the statement that was made before I left about Kenyans being very modest except for men urinating publicly and women nursing is SO true! I have seen both on many occasions already. Today we went out to the Church’s new property where we dug around 80 holes with VERY simple tools. The girls removed the dirt from the holes after the guys had broken it up with their tools. O the day in the life of a mole. lol. Lunch was Peanut Butter and Plum Jam sandwiches. It was very good. I got a little sunburn, nothing too bad. It is the worst on my neck. I have learned that most Kenyans live a very simple life. A lot of the time it seems the Bible is so much more relevant here in Kenya because it’s like OT times. There are over 50 tribes in Kenya, which are all represented in Kibera. They eat to live (they don’t live to eat). Kibera Reformed Presbyterian Church’s staff is so strong ion their faith and so are their members. My prayer is that I will see and love God the way so many of these Kenyan women do! Their faith is so unshakable no matter the circumstance. It is a true blessing to be around the women here. I am learning so much. I saw the Ngong hills (which have 7 peaks) and the Hill of the Buffalos (which I thought was a mountain). You can see both from the church’s new property. The property is SO beautiful.
5 June 2009
Today is the team’s day off. Around 10am we will go sight seeing with Caroline and Purity. (two of the Kenyan women) I CAN’T WAIT!
Thanks for all the many prayers. I hope that this letter gives you a little insight on what I have been doing and seeing since I arrived in Kenya. Continue to prayer for my team and I that the Lord will strengthen us each and every day. Spiritual warfare is very alive and well in Kenya. Pray for the Kenyan people as well.
God Bless!
LG
Thursday, May 14, 2009
For Those of You Who Pray
Please Pray For My:
Family and friends to be comforted while I’m away for 2 months this summer.
Attitude, that it would be Christ-like and God-honoring.
Illnesses that occur to my team or me be kept to minimum and for speedy recoveries.
Trust in God’s timing of sending our team of 8 men and women to do His work in Kenya.
Hearts of those I’ll be ministering to in Kenya.
“Now Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1
"but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!" Philippians 2:7-8
"But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds," declares the LORD Jeremiah 30:17
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6
Family and friends to be comforted while I’m away for 2 months this summer.
Attitude, that it would be Christ-like and God-honoring.
Illnesses that occur to my team or me be kept to minimum and for speedy recoveries.
Trust in God’s timing of sending our team of 8 men and women to do His work in Kenya.
Hearts of those I’ll be ministering to in Kenya.
“Now Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1
"but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!" Philippians 2:7-8
"But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds," declares the LORD Jeremiah 30:17
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6
Friday, May 8, 2009
Address =)
I just received my address for the time I will be serving in Kenya. Just a reminder NO PACKAGES please ONLY letters. I have to pay duty on any packages, and it's iffy as to whether they would even get to me (their postal system isn't very secure.) Also I will be flying out May 29th and be there until July 26th, just something to keep in mind when sending mail. =)
Grace Waldrop
C/o Rev. Imbumi Makuku
Kibera Reformed Presbyterian Church
Box 1229 Karen
Nairobi, Kenya [East Africa]
Thanks for all your prayers! God Bless! =)
Grace Waldrop
C/o Rev. Imbumi Makuku
Kibera Reformed Presbyterian Church
Box 1229 Karen
Nairobi, Kenya [East Africa]
Thanks for all your prayers! God Bless! =)
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Amazing Day.
Today is a very special day! Not only was $4000 broken but now there is less than $1000 (only about $700) left to raise!
Current Amount Raised: $4,985 (PTL!)
Amount Needed to Go to Kenya: $5, 582
Thanks to all who have supported me so far during this journey and thanks for all the prayers. Expect Thank You Cards in the upcoming weeks! =)
Some of you might be wondering why the amount needed to go to Kenya has changed from $6400 to roughly $5600. At the beginning of the process each intern is given an Excel Budget Expenses Sheet. From that Sheet, some items can change their cost. Example, Passport MTW says the cost is $100 BUT I already have a passport so I can subtract that $100. Another big item that changed was that we got our tentative flight plans. The cost was $1800 but now it is $1633. Also the cost for my 6 shots that I had done last week/this week had $500, but because my dad is in the Air Force and I got all my shots on base, that cost is now $0. When your items change... the administrative fee (15%) also changes... which is why my amount needed to go has gone down almost $1000. PTL! =) If you have any other questions about the change in cost, leave me a comment and I will get back to you! Have a Blessed Day!
Current Amount Raised: $4,985 (PTL!)
Amount Needed to Go to Kenya: $5, 582
Thanks to all who have supported me so far during this journey and thanks for all the prayers. Expect Thank You Cards in the upcoming weeks! =)
Some of you might be wondering why the amount needed to go to Kenya has changed from $6400 to roughly $5600. At the beginning of the process each intern is given an Excel Budget Expenses Sheet. From that Sheet, some items can change their cost. Example, Passport MTW says the cost is $100 BUT I already have a passport so I can subtract that $100. Another big item that changed was that we got our tentative flight plans. The cost was $1800 but now it is $1633. Also the cost for my 6 shots that I had done last week/this week had $500, but because my dad is in the Air Force and I got all my shots on base, that cost is now $0. When your items change... the administrative fee (15%) also changes... which is why my amount needed to go has gone down almost $1000. PTL! =) If you have any other questions about the change in cost, leave me a comment and I will get back to you! Have a Blessed Day!
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