Archive for March, 2008
Sunday, March 9th, 2008
Goodbye, Kenya
From Talitha:
Today is a sad day for my mom and I. Today is March 10, 2008… which means that today is our last full day in Kenya. Tonight we leave at 11:30pm for our flight to Amsterdam from Kenya. Part of me wants to stay. Part of me wants to leave and see my church, school and just be at home. I have seen so much for me to process. Some of what I saw made me angry. Some of it made me sad. Some of it made me happy. Seeing the poverty made me mad and sad. Seeing the children happy and asking us “how are you?” made me happy. We take so much for granted in “the states” and we don’t even think about other people in the world who may not have the same things that we do, or may not have it at all. I encourage you (in the states) to pray earnestly for these (broken or hurt or happy) people in Kenya. Also when you catch yourself being picky about a certain food ( don’t feel bad, I do it too) remember that there are people in the world who don’t have any food or live on less than a dollar a day so they eat what they can get for their family. One thought I definitly come away with on this trip is that there really is trees dying and a lot of us waste paper in the states and we don’t even think about that there really is trees dying. I given you a lot to think about, so process it slowly and maybe you have some thoughts.
God bless you and keep you and give you a heart(if not already) t0 be on your knees for these people in Kenya and all of Africa. May Jesus Christ’s name be hallowed forever in Africa!
Saturday, March 8th, 2008
"I Cry Every Day"
From Noel:
Today I went with Craig and Francis about 1 hour to Old Kijabe Town for a workshop with community leaders. The purpose was to promote God’s vision for his creation. At the beginning Craig and Francis asked for memories of what the land was like 30 or more years ago.
One man said “There were so many wild animals–elands, antelopes . . . . Anytime you cut across the forest, if you met a buffalo, you were safe, because the trees were so thick, he couldn’t get through to you. Today you would be dead.”
Mr. Stephen Ngungi Munga (pointing to the bare hills) said, ” I cry every day. I was born here in 1941. There were huge forests here. Today I look at it and cry because I reflect back and remember how it used to be. The land is groaning. The forest is weeping. If those who have already gone to the Father were allowed to come again, they would leave again immediately.”
There was much to ponder in Craig and Francis’s presentation. One thing I’ll pass on right now. God created everything to display his glory. That includes us and all of nature. “Apart from the scriptures, the creation is the most complete and spectacular physical evidence of God’s reality and glory.” So damaging and destroying creation insults God and hides his glory.
Friday, March 7th, 2008
MY THOUGHTS
From Talitha :
Hey Everybody! I hope everybody is safe and blessed.
ok, Some thoughts here. When I saw how the women have to walk down this steep steep hill to get firewood and back up carrying it, it struck me how hard these women work to get food for their families. They (i think ) get firewood down the steep escarpement 3 times a week. That takes a lot of muscle. The firewood they carry is a huge old pile. Some women did not have shoes. Some women did not have husbands because they were widowed. Some women had torn and dirty dresses and scarves. That is one of the reasons (I think) that they loved the scarves. We in The States take for granted the firewood we burn because we can buy firewood. And we have cars to go get it. A lot of us use cars to go get firewood, clothes and other stuff. When they have to walk maybe some miles to go get the essentials for living. Also when I saw some of the children walking to school, it struck me how sometimes they have to walk a long way to get to school. And we sit back and relax in buses. Seeing this taught me that I shouldn’t complain when my bus comes late because i should be grateful that I get to ride a bus at all. Also some kids at my school live farther away, They should be grateful that they do not have to walk the 20 or something miles. I have given you alot to think about, so process it slowly. If you have questions or something to say, give me a comment. Blessings!
Friday, March 7th, 2008
Coincidence–I mean GOD-incidents
From Noel:
God-incident #1–
Talitha and I decided to read one chapter each day from 1 and 2 Timothy. We chose those fairly randomly, simply because together they had the same number of chapters as there are days of our trip. We could do that, knowing that God would use his word, wherever we read, to give us what we need for each day. We are taking turns being the one who reads for the day and comments about what seems pertinent, especially to this trip.
On Sunday, our first morning in Kenya, where post election violence was so recent, Talitha read 1 Tim 2, and it seemed planned for that particular day. Pray for those in authority so that we may live godly lives in peace and quietness. The perfect prayer for this first day. And yes, it WAS planned, though not by us.
God-incident #2–
On Tuesday, after we returned from the trek down into the Rift Valley with the women hauling wood, we had lunch together. Pastor Kanori’s wife and some friends prepared it in the small forest that Pastor Kanori planted 10 years ago–a cool, shady place to rest after the exertion of the climb.
Before I left home, I had collected larger scarves to bring as gifts, just 13 of them. I also had a few earrings. Almost all the rural women wear scarf head ties. I was worried 13 would be enough. I shouldn’t have worried. As we ended our time together, I gave earrings to the younger women who weren’t wearing head ties. And that left exactly 13 women to receive the 13 scarves.
