Today was a day characterized by one word: emotional!
It was the last day we got to work with and play with the FOCUS kids. This day is always the worst because you leave the center feeling as if you have been to a funeral. But there is also a lot of good things that happen on this day as well so here goes!
We started off the day with breakfast and a quick run down of the day. Then we loaded the bus and headed to FOCUS where we would spend the day. About half of us would start working on various projects around the property and the other half would play with the kids. When we arrived, we noticed that there were a lot more kids there than there were supposed to be. On a normal day, most of the kids would be in school. The only kids that stay at FOCUS all day are those in the younger stages of school. However, all the kids were there when we arrived because they had been given permission to miss school so they could hang out with us all day. This was an awesome surprise as we pulled onto the property.
Once there, we divided and conquered. About mid-afternoon we were slowing down with work to be done so many of us just started playing with the kids. We knew this would be our last chance so we wanted to get in all the time we could. Another hour or two went by and then we all gathered outside.
The FOCUS workers performed a couple of dramas for us and then we gave the kids their presents from all their sponsors. It was awesome to see them receive toys to play with because it was like Christmas to them. In fact, the little girl that Mallory and I sponsor would not open her baggie to see what she got. When we asked why, she said she wanted to save it til Christmas. The kids here don't get presents very often so it is always a big deal when they do. And in America, a lot of kids complain when they don't get a toy every trip to Wal-Mart. What does that say about us as a culture?
After the toys were given out, we played with the kids and just observed the love they had for their new found toys. Then Scott brought some furniture to put in the classrooms of the newly renovated and redesigned FOCUS center. It looks incredible! Completely different than when we first got here. There was so much work done while we were there and not just by us but by the workers as well. It's amazing how a place can be transformed!
Then came the horrible goodbyes. This is the time when we have to tell everyone goodbye because we are leaving tomorrow to come back to the States. There were a lot of tears but also a lot of smiles. We did say goodbye but these relationships that have been built will last. They will not be torn by distance because we know we will see them again, on earth or in heaven one day. For the second time, I am telling these Kenyans goodbye but deep in my heart I know it is a "til next time". I love each and every one of them so much. It hurts my heart to say bye but I know our friendship will only grow stronger!
There were a lot of tears, but the awesome thing is...we are all one in the same in Christ! Until later my friends...
P.S.- I will try to update the blog tomorrow afternoon before we leave for the airport but just in case I can't, our flight leaves about 11pm and we will see you soon after! Love you all!!
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Monday-Wednesday, June 12th-15th
Well, we are back from Safari! Sorry, we haven't updated the blog in a couple of days because we have been out in the middle of the Masai Mara and let's just say there is no Wi-Fi out there! Anyway, we are back safe and sound and no one got eaten by a lion (even though we might have wanted to leave some there- just kidding).
What an incredible three days of exploring God's awesome creation! The Tea Farm is always a great precursor to what is to come on Safari because we are just dropped in the middle of the Mara and left to enjoy all that God has done. You know the excitement you get when you go to a new zoo you have never been to before and you see animals you have never seen before? No?
Well, imagine this...
You walk out of your tent at 6:25 in the morning and head to a 9-passenger van and get loaded up. Once everyone is there, you head out into this vast, expansive wilderness where your eye can see for miles. Spotted across the landscape are trees standing by themselves with nothing else around. There are zebras, gazelles, warthogs, wildebeests and other small animals grazing everywhere. The air is cool and there is a breeze as you stick your head out of the roof of the van to see everything. Then you drive up on a pride of lions just laying in the sun. That's followed by driving up to a couple of giraffes and then elephants so close you can hear them eating. That night you do the same thing. You go back out for a sunset drive. This time you see cheetahs laying in the sun and hippos swimming in the hippo pool.
This, ladies and gentlemen, is safari in the middle of the Masai Mara! What an incredible experience. I remember two years ago thinking the exact same thing. I am truly blessed to be able to see this with my own eyes. I know you are probably thinking, "That sounds so awesome! I can imagine what it must have been like." But the thoughts that you are imagining are not anywhere close to actually being here and observing it. It is indescribable. I can try using the most descriptive words I can think of but nothing will amount to the personal experience of being here!
As I took time out each night and afternoon to talk with our students who came on the trip, one thing kept coming up- this place is so different from home! What they meant by that is we can see Africa on the TV and Internet all day long but never really know how different and how much we are blessed to live in America. I have shown them pictures of our previous trips and explained things to them when I came back two years ago, but they never really understood what I was talking about. Now they do! They get it! They understand why this place is so different and how it is an amazing type of different. A type of different we love and so does our Creator.
I love what I do and I love seeing students "get it". What I mean by that is I love seeing them understand what it means to be a follower of Christ. There are so many facets of our relationship with God, and whenever a student understands and grows in one of those areas, I relish it! This trip has produced some serious fruit in not only our students but everyone on this trip.
Sorry about the tangent! Back to what I was saying before...it's just a different that shows you how amazing our God truly is. How creative He is. How joyful He is. How loving He is. How glorious He is. How extravagant He is. How merciful He is. I could go on and on but what I pray for most is that you see this in your everyday life. You don't have to come to Africa to experience this love for God! It is right in front of your nose and right in front of you every single day. You just have to open your eyes and realize that He is right there...waiting for you to notice! Will you?
What an incredible three days of exploring God's awesome creation! The Tea Farm is always a great precursor to what is to come on Safari because we are just dropped in the middle of the Mara and left to enjoy all that God has done. You know the excitement you get when you go to a new zoo you have never been to before and you see animals you have never seen before? No?
Well, imagine this...
You walk out of your tent at 6:25 in the morning and head to a 9-passenger van and get loaded up. Once everyone is there, you head out into this vast, expansive wilderness where your eye can see for miles. Spotted across the landscape are trees standing by themselves with nothing else around. There are zebras, gazelles, warthogs, wildebeests and other small animals grazing everywhere. The air is cool and there is a breeze as you stick your head out of the roof of the van to see everything. Then you drive up on a pride of lions just laying in the sun. That's followed by driving up to a couple of giraffes and then elephants so close you can hear them eating. That night you do the same thing. You go back out for a sunset drive. This time you see cheetahs laying in the sun and hippos swimming in the hippo pool.
This, ladies and gentlemen, is safari in the middle of the Masai Mara! What an incredible experience. I remember two years ago thinking the exact same thing. I am truly blessed to be able to see this with my own eyes. I know you are probably thinking, "That sounds so awesome! I can imagine what it must have been like." But the thoughts that you are imagining are not anywhere close to actually being here and observing it. It is indescribable. I can try using the most descriptive words I can think of but nothing will amount to the personal experience of being here!
As I took time out each night and afternoon to talk with our students who came on the trip, one thing kept coming up- this place is so different from home! What they meant by that is we can see Africa on the TV and Internet all day long but never really know how different and how much we are blessed to live in America. I have shown them pictures of our previous trips and explained things to them when I came back two years ago, but they never really understood what I was talking about. Now they do! They get it! They understand why this place is so different and how it is an amazing type of different. A type of different we love and so does our Creator.
I love what I do and I love seeing students "get it". What I mean by that is I love seeing them understand what it means to be a follower of Christ. There are so many facets of our relationship with God, and whenever a student understands and grows in one of those areas, I relish it! This trip has produced some serious fruit in not only our students but everyone on this trip.
Sorry about the tangent! Back to what I was saying before...it's just a different that shows you how amazing our God truly is. How creative He is. How joyful He is. How loving He is. How glorious He is. How extravagant He is. How merciful He is. I could go on and on but what I pray for most is that you see this in your everyday life. You don't have to come to Africa to experience this love for God! It is right in front of your nose and right in front of you every single day. You just have to open your eyes and realize that He is right there...waiting for you to notice! Will you?
Sunday, June 12th
It's Sunday in Kenya!! And what else would we do than go to church while we are here. This morning we had the privilege of going to a Kenyan church. It is one that Scott and Alisa worked closely with while they were missionaries here. The name of the church is Riuru Bible Baptist Church. It is an awesome experience to go to church in a different place much less a different country.
We started out with their youth service at 9:00am. One thing you have to understand about Kenyan culture is that you are a youth until you are married. So there are pretty old youth that are in their youth groups. We started with some songs and worship. We decided we are bringing back one of the songs to sing in our youth group on Wednesdays and Sundays that involves dancing and partners. It's pretty sweet!
After the worship songs, Isak, Kathleen and Julie got up and shared their testimonies with everyone. They did an awesome job of telling what God has done in their lives and what He is doing now! Then Christian Colson gave the message for the morning. He did an excellent job as well. He talked about what worship really is and used Romans 12. It was great even for us to hear because we all need to be reminded of what worship really is!
After the youth service we went to "big church" as we call it in the states. There we sang worship songs in Swahili and then Casey, Gary and TJ (Christian's student who came with him from Georgia) all gave their testimonies intermixed with Scott's message. It was an awesome message as well based on Psalm 1.
After church, we left and headed to the Tea Farm. It is a magical place that seems like it is only found on the front of postcards. It is a cottage estate surrounded by tea fields. It truly is beautiful. We had lunch there and then went on a tour of the farm. When you look out at the rolling hills covered with tea plants, you really do see God's creative essence! You see how much of an all-knowing God He really is to be able to make something so gorgeous. And the coolest thing is...we get to enjoy it.
You see, we deserve nothing. We deserve the least of anything. We should get nothing. But, because of our God and because of His love for us, we get everything. Because of His Son that was offered as a sacrifice, we get it all. Without forgiveness we would be nothing, but since we have it, we are made right with God again. When I was here at the farm two years ago, I remember thinking the same thing. How undeserving I am of any of this! How crazy I am because I take advantage of it so often!
What do you take advantage of? I know there was a pretty big storm back in New Albany last night, but how many of you take advantage of the fact that lightning is gorgeous? That rain gives us water to drink and cook with? That you even have the very breath in your lungs to breathe? Because it is all because of one final sacrifice!
We started out with their youth service at 9:00am. One thing you have to understand about Kenyan culture is that you are a youth until you are married. So there are pretty old youth that are in their youth groups. We started with some songs and worship. We decided we are bringing back one of the songs to sing in our youth group on Wednesdays and Sundays that involves dancing and partners. It's pretty sweet!
After the worship songs, Isak, Kathleen and Julie got up and shared their testimonies with everyone. They did an awesome job of telling what God has done in their lives and what He is doing now! Then Christian Colson gave the message for the morning. He did an excellent job as well. He talked about what worship really is and used Romans 12. It was great even for us to hear because we all need to be reminded of what worship really is!
After the youth service we went to "big church" as we call it in the states. There we sang worship songs in Swahili and then Casey, Gary and TJ (Christian's student who came with him from Georgia) all gave their testimonies intermixed with Scott's message. It was an awesome message as well based on Psalm 1.
After church, we left and headed to the Tea Farm. It is a magical place that seems like it is only found on the front of postcards. It is a cottage estate surrounded by tea fields. It truly is beautiful. We had lunch there and then went on a tour of the farm. When you look out at the rolling hills covered with tea plants, you really do see God's creative essence! You see how much of an all-knowing God He really is to be able to make something so gorgeous. And the coolest thing is...we get to enjoy it.
You see, we deserve nothing. We deserve the least of anything. We should get nothing. But, because of our God and because of His love for us, we get everything. Because of His Son that was offered as a sacrifice, we get it all. Without forgiveness we would be nothing, but since we have it, we are made right with God again. When I was here at the farm two years ago, I remember thinking the same thing. How undeserving I am of any of this! How crazy I am because I take advantage of it so often!
What do you take advantage of? I know there was a pretty big storm back in New Albany last night, but how many of you take advantage of the fact that lightning is gorgeous? That rain gives us water to drink and cook with? That you even have the very breath in your lungs to breathe? Because it is all because of one final sacrifice!
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Saturday, June 11th
It's Jameson again!
Today was another awesome day and very cool day. We started the morning off with meeting all the kids at the Giraffe Center (you can see pictures of this if you go to the blog entry with our schedule on it and click on the link). This is such a big deal to all the kids! Most kids will never leave the small town of Riuru outside of Nairobi. They won't ever go anywhere else until they are old enough to be done with school and they are looking for work. So for them to be able to go to the Giraffe Center is a HUGE deal. At the center, you get to feed, look at, and even "kiss" a giraffe. It is almost like a game preserve but they have about 3-4 giraffes that are there.
The kids love it and really get so excited. Plus, they get to ride in a big bus to get there (which is a thrill in and of itself). They have a program that lasts the better half of a day for the kids with information, a movie, and, of course, feeding the giraffes. They also have turtles and warthogs at the Center as well.
One of the amazing things was the simple trip that we took the kids on. Schools in the US go on field trips all the time but most of the time the students have probably been to the place they are going already (i.e. the zoo, museum, or park). Here, the kids haven't even thought about going because it is not something they can just go to. So when they find out they are going, it is a huge deal, not only to them but to their families as well. It is an amazing thing to see so many kids so excited about a field trip. It will be something they talk about for a very long time!!
When the kids went in to watch the movie, we left to head back over to FOCUS to continue working. Once we got there we started on our projects. Some of us continued painting the walls to the inside classrooms, some of us did landscaping and removed some shrubs, some of us fixed the sand box, and some of us hung a tire swing! It was awesome to see everyone pitching in to accomplish all that needed to be done!
The property that Project Lucas and FOCUS now have is amazing! It is so much more useful and suitable for the kids. I think back to two years ago when we came to their other property and I am just blown away by how much this new one is so much better. The kids really have a sanctuary to go to when their life is crazy and horrible at home. They have this place, like a refuge, to have people love on them and care for them. They have a place to come and eat a meal and learn in school. They have a "home" away from home.
I love the fact that we can be a part of it. We are changing the lives of some of these kids right now in the two weeks we are here. It seems like there is so much that needs to be done and there is only so much we can do, but at least we are doing something! As Scott says a lot, "It's a drop in the bucket." What we are doing is a drop in the bucket but at least it is a drop and it is, even more importantly, a HUGE drop for these kids!
One of the cool things with Project Lucas and FOCUS is that even if you didn't come on this trip, you can still provide that "drop" for one of these kids. It's as simple as sponsoring a child for $30 a month! My wife and I as well as our high school students and leaders sponsor children from Project Lucas. I can't tell you the blessing it is to come here and see them and hang out with them, but, even better, is knowing that our "drops" are affecting a child for the rest of their lives. What a blessing!
What can you do? What will your "drop" be? It's very simple...just do it and stop putting it off til tomorrow. There will always be tomorrows but there always won't be the chance to change a child's life!
Today was another awesome day and very cool day. We started the morning off with meeting all the kids at the Giraffe Center (you can see pictures of this if you go to the blog entry with our schedule on it and click on the link). This is such a big deal to all the kids! Most kids will never leave the small town of Riuru outside of Nairobi. They won't ever go anywhere else until they are old enough to be done with school and they are looking for work. So for them to be able to go to the Giraffe Center is a HUGE deal. At the center, you get to feed, look at, and even "kiss" a giraffe. It is almost like a game preserve but they have about 3-4 giraffes that are there.
The kids love it and really get so excited. Plus, they get to ride in a big bus to get there (which is a thrill in and of itself). They have a program that lasts the better half of a day for the kids with information, a movie, and, of course, feeding the giraffes. They also have turtles and warthogs at the Center as well.
One of the amazing things was the simple trip that we took the kids on. Schools in the US go on field trips all the time but most of the time the students have probably been to the place they are going already (i.e. the zoo, museum, or park). Here, the kids haven't even thought about going because it is not something they can just go to. So when they find out they are going, it is a huge deal, not only to them but to their families as well. It is an amazing thing to see so many kids so excited about a field trip. It will be something they talk about for a very long time!!
When the kids went in to watch the movie, we left to head back over to FOCUS to continue working. Once we got there we started on our projects. Some of us continued painting the walls to the inside classrooms, some of us did landscaping and removed some shrubs, some of us fixed the sand box, and some of us hung a tire swing! It was awesome to see everyone pitching in to accomplish all that needed to be done!
The property that Project Lucas and FOCUS now have is amazing! It is so much more useful and suitable for the kids. I think back to two years ago when we came to their other property and I am just blown away by how much this new one is so much better. The kids really have a sanctuary to go to when their life is crazy and horrible at home. They have this place, like a refuge, to have people love on them and care for them. They have a place to come and eat a meal and learn in school. They have a "home" away from home.
I love the fact that we can be a part of it. We are changing the lives of some of these kids right now in the two weeks we are here. It seems like there is so much that needs to be done and there is only so much we can do, but at least we are doing something! As Scott says a lot, "It's a drop in the bucket." What we are doing is a drop in the bucket but at least it is a drop and it is, even more importantly, a HUGE drop for these kids!
One of the cool things with Project Lucas and FOCUS is that even if you didn't come on this trip, you can still provide that "drop" for one of these kids. It's as simple as sponsoring a child for $30 a month! My wife and I as well as our high school students and leaders sponsor children from Project Lucas. I can't tell you the blessing it is to come here and see them and hang out with them, but, even better, is knowing that our "drops" are affecting a child for the rest of their lives. What a blessing!
What can you do? What will your "drop" be? It's very simple...just do it and stop putting it off til tomorrow. There will always be tomorrows but there always won't be the chance to change a child's life!
Friday, June 10
This post is by Susan Clark and Casey Mackie
What a joy to be in this great country of Africa and meet our brothers and sisters in Christ on this side of heaven. There are no words to describe what this trip has meant to me and the deep love I have for these precious children of FOCUS as well as the workers.
After a great devotion and breakfast this morning we arrived at FOCUS around 10:00 or so and began working on improvements. There is a gate as you enter the orphanage that was all rusted. We painted it a bright blue and on each side of the gate we painted the logo of Project Lucas and FOCUS. It looks amazing as you drive up to the entrance! Then, in the main building, we added walls to the school to divide the large room into two separate rooms and painted them white to bring in some much needed light. We also cleaned the windows inside and out which made a huge difference.
As we were cleaning things up and making "all things new" so to speak, it reminded me of what Jesus does with us. He takes a dirty exterior shell, adds some color, a fresh coat of paint, renovates our structure and makes something beautiful out of something dirty and unattractive. He puts "The Smile of a Child" on our face, brings joy to our hearts and makes all things new. What a great God we serve!
While some stayed and cleaned up The Focus Center others went to the coffee fields to hand out back packs to another school. They were so happy to see us and had remembered us from the last time we came. The smiles on the faces of 150 students opening their back packs reassured us of the mission we were here to accomplish. It gave them hope of another year with supplies they would need.
Scott presented the gospel to over 250 children and adults that day. Many raised their hand wanting to receive Christ as their Savior. I still get chills as I recall seeing so many hands raised as flags of mercy. Hope for the day and a friend to walk beside them for the rest of their life.. Powerful..
We served each of them two rolls and an orange drink. I prayed God would bless the food and fill them. We had found out that for most this was the only meal they would have that day. Many are not able to attend school because the parents cannot provide more than one meal a day and the children would be too weak to walk to and from school. Can you imagine? I watched as the children would reach for the crumbs that fell from the table. It reminded me of a passage in the Bible as the beggars would long for the crumbs that fell from the kings table. Starving children and parents surrounded us and my heart broke with such sadness it was all I could do to keep from crying. I remembered what a wise lady had told me here. "Don't cry," she said. "They will think they cannot make it another day. Smile and give them hope." I held it in until the night.
There is so much need here and as I have heard Scott say, the need is so big but the solutions are so simple. Your giving makes such a huge difference in the lives of so many. I am so thankful for the opportunity to be here and to be reminded of how important it is to reach out to those in need. I am not sure what God is planning in my life but I know that I will never be the same.
What a joy to be in this great country of Africa and meet our brothers and sisters in Christ on this side of heaven. There are no words to describe what this trip has meant to me and the deep love I have for these precious children of FOCUS as well as the workers.
After a great devotion and breakfast this morning we arrived at FOCUS around 10:00 or so and began working on improvements. There is a gate as you enter the orphanage that was all rusted. We painted it a bright blue and on each side of the gate we painted the logo of Project Lucas and FOCUS. It looks amazing as you drive up to the entrance! Then, in the main building, we added walls to the school to divide the large room into two separate rooms and painted them white to bring in some much needed light. We also cleaned the windows inside and out which made a huge difference.
As we were cleaning things up and making "all things new" so to speak, it reminded me of what Jesus does with us. He takes a dirty exterior shell, adds some color, a fresh coat of paint, renovates our structure and makes something beautiful out of something dirty and unattractive. He puts "The Smile of a Child" on our face, brings joy to our hearts and makes all things new. What a great God we serve!
While some stayed and cleaned up The Focus Center others went to the coffee fields to hand out back packs to another school. They were so happy to see us and had remembered us from the last time we came. The smiles on the faces of 150 students opening their back packs reassured us of the mission we were here to accomplish. It gave them hope of another year with supplies they would need.
Scott presented the gospel to over 250 children and adults that day. Many raised their hand wanting to receive Christ as their Savior. I still get chills as I recall seeing so many hands raised as flags of mercy. Hope for the day and a friend to walk beside them for the rest of their life.. Powerful..
We served each of them two rolls and an orange drink. I prayed God would bless the food and fill them. We had found out that for most this was the only meal they would have that day. Many are not able to attend school because the parents cannot provide more than one meal a day and the children would be too weak to walk to and from school. Can you imagine? I watched as the children would reach for the crumbs that fell from the table. It reminded me of a passage in the Bible as the beggars would long for the crumbs that fell from the kings table. Starving children and parents surrounded us and my heart broke with such sadness it was all I could do to keep from crying. I remembered what a wise lady had told me here. "Don't cry," she said. "They will think they cannot make it another day. Smile and give them hope." I held it in until the night.
There is so much need here and as I have heard Scott say, the need is so big but the solutions are so simple. Your giving makes such a huge difference in the lives of so many. I am so thankful for the opportunity to be here and to be reminded of how important it is to reach out to those in need. I am not sure what God is planning in my life but I know that I will never be the same.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Thursday, June 9th
I'm just going to go ahead and say for the foreseeable future, you are stuck with me writing the blogs because of the Internet haha.
Today was another tough day but for completely different reasons. We started the day with our normal breakfast and devotion time. Our devotion time consisted of mainly a share time with all of team members sharing what we have been learning and how we have been feeling about the trip. The responses ran the gamut. God is doing some awesome things in peoples' lives and really growing some! It's awesome to be able to sit back and watch it happen.
Once breakfast was over, we loaded the bus and van and headed to FOCUS. Once we got there we played with the kids for a little bit and then we set out to deliver some gifts to the families of the kids. We split into 5 or 6 different groups and went to multiple homes each. Now, you must realize that when I say home, I mean mainly a 5ft x 5ft shack. Most of the guardians of the FOCUS kids are just trying to put food on the table and pay rent where they live. That is a huge struggle for them. The second house that my group went to was the mother of 2 FOCUS kids (which she had two others of her own) and she also took care of 5 other children of her brother and sisters. So, all in all, she had 9 kids living in the space of a bedroom in the US. And in that bedroom was also the kitchen and the dining room.
When I say they are struggling to make rent and get food, most of us don't realize what that is like. We work jobs and even if we are unemployed, we still have a government that assists us for a while with money. Here, that is not the case by far. One of the groups found out that the amount of money this family needed for rent was 400ksh or 400 Kenyan Schillings. The exchange rate right now is about 85ksh to $1. That's about $4.71 for rent!! And they are struggling to earn that!! Do you see how difficult it is to see this and hear it as Americans?! $4.71 is about how much it is to buy a large coffee drink at Coffee Crossing! So for that ONE drink, you could pay a families rent for an entire month! What a perspective shift!
We had many of our team members just crumble when they heard this because we just don't realize how good off we have it in America. We are not only free to do whatever we want (within reason), but we are also not worried about the roof over our head or the food that we will eat. Before my wife and I came on this trip, we went to Olive Garden to eat dinner as our last American meal. The meal was about $35 total after tip. With that money, we could have paid a families rent for almost 7 months!
But there was something else that we learned from doing these home visits that was more indicting. As we went to their homes, we saw their joy for what they did have and their joy for a God who is protecting them. They didn't have a happiness that could be lost with their situation. They possessed a true joy in the Lord. I think in the US we get too caught up in being happy. There is a HUGE difference in being happy and being filled with joy. Joy comes from a relationship with Christ and happiness comes from a feeling. If we have no joy, I would ask where our relationship is. To see their joy reminded me of the necessity to find it within my Creator and not my circumstances. It is so pure here and it really gets you back to where you need to be when it comes to this relationship. They have no idea about how much they encourage Americans in our faith!
So, as you are sitting in your chair reading this blog and drinking your coffee or on your lunch break at work or at your computer at home after dinner, I want to ask where your joy comes from? Does it come from the fact that you have a nice house, a nice car, a huge TV on the wall? Or does it come from the fact that you have a real relationship with Christ that is based on His sacrifice for us? If you do not have that relationship, I really encourage you to think about it and pray about it! If you have never tasted true joy, then now is the time! There is none better!
After visiting the homes, we came back to FOCUS and started doing some repair work at the building. Then we loaded up and headed back shortly after that! It was an awesome day to be reminded of what, in this life, really matters- having a relationship with God the Father!!
Today was another tough day but for completely different reasons. We started the day with our normal breakfast and devotion time. Our devotion time consisted of mainly a share time with all of team members sharing what we have been learning and how we have been feeling about the trip. The responses ran the gamut. God is doing some awesome things in peoples' lives and really growing some! It's awesome to be able to sit back and watch it happen.
Once breakfast was over, we loaded the bus and van and headed to FOCUS. Once we got there we played with the kids for a little bit and then we set out to deliver some gifts to the families of the kids. We split into 5 or 6 different groups and went to multiple homes each. Now, you must realize that when I say home, I mean mainly a 5ft x 5ft shack. Most of the guardians of the FOCUS kids are just trying to put food on the table and pay rent where they live. That is a huge struggle for them. The second house that my group went to was the mother of 2 FOCUS kids (which she had two others of her own) and she also took care of 5 other children of her brother and sisters. So, all in all, she had 9 kids living in the space of a bedroom in the US. And in that bedroom was also the kitchen and the dining room.
When I say they are struggling to make rent and get food, most of us don't realize what that is like. We work jobs and even if we are unemployed, we still have a government that assists us for a while with money. Here, that is not the case by far. One of the groups found out that the amount of money this family needed for rent was 400ksh or 400 Kenyan Schillings. The exchange rate right now is about 85ksh to $1. That's about $4.71 for rent!! And they are struggling to earn that!! Do you see how difficult it is to see this and hear it as Americans?! $4.71 is about how much it is to buy a large coffee drink at Coffee Crossing! So for that ONE drink, you could pay a families rent for an entire month! What a perspective shift!
We had many of our team members just crumble when they heard this because we just don't realize how good off we have it in America. We are not only free to do whatever we want (within reason), but we are also not worried about the roof over our head or the food that we will eat. Before my wife and I came on this trip, we went to Olive Garden to eat dinner as our last American meal. The meal was about $35 total after tip. With that money, we could have paid a families rent for almost 7 months!
But there was something else that we learned from doing these home visits that was more indicting. As we went to their homes, we saw their joy for what they did have and their joy for a God who is protecting them. They didn't have a happiness that could be lost with their situation. They possessed a true joy in the Lord. I think in the US we get too caught up in being happy. There is a HUGE difference in being happy and being filled with joy. Joy comes from a relationship with Christ and happiness comes from a feeling. If we have no joy, I would ask where our relationship is. To see their joy reminded me of the necessity to find it within my Creator and not my circumstances. It is so pure here and it really gets you back to where you need to be when it comes to this relationship. They have no idea about how much they encourage Americans in our faith!
So, as you are sitting in your chair reading this blog and drinking your coffee or on your lunch break at work or at your computer at home after dinner, I want to ask where your joy comes from? Does it come from the fact that you have a nice house, a nice car, a huge TV on the wall? Or does it come from the fact that you have a real relationship with Christ that is based on His sacrifice for us? If you do not have that relationship, I really encourage you to think about it and pray about it! If you have never tasted true joy, then now is the time! There is none better!
After visiting the homes, we came back to FOCUS and started doing some repair work at the building. Then we loaded up and headed back shortly after that! It was an awesome day to be reminded of what, in this life, really matters- having a relationship with God the Father!!
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Wednesday, June 8th
It's Jameson again! Sorry you have to keep hearing from me but the Internet is always down at night so therefore, you are stuck with me in the mornings.
Today again was a very challenging yet very rewarding time for all of us. Today was one of two backpack days. We went to the FOCUS center this morning to begin the ceremonies. It is so awesome because every day we arrive, the kids come running out to greet us. Our bus and van come around the corner and there are 52 little smiling faces waiting for us! You can hear them when we turn the corner as well. They are yelling and you can tell the excitement they have to see us. What a greeting every morning!
We got off the bus and van and immediately began playing and loving on the kids. By the end of the day there would be about 800 kids at the FOCUS center to receive a backpack. The ceremony was supposed to start at 10:00am but that is American time. We actually started at about 12:30pm, which is Kenya time. There is a saying that the Kenyans have, "Kenyans have time and Americans have watches." This was a difficult two and a half hours because as more kids started arriving, they wanted to play and be loved on as well. If you can imagine 27 "Mzungus" (what they call white people) surrounded by 800 kids all starving for your attention, it got pretty intense. Plus, the sun was out and it was about 85-90 degrees as well. It was a bit overwhelming but in a very good way!
The ceremony lasted until about 3:00pm. During the ceremony, Scott presented the Gospel and did an amazing job. I am not quite sure how many responded but it was very clear and understandable (even with a translator). Government officials were there as well as TV stations and we actually made the news that night! After all the speaking had taken place we started giving out the backpacks.
All the kids came up one by one and we placed the backpacks on their backs. It was so awesome to see that we were supplying them with a years worth of school supplies and how much they appreciated it. Education here in Kenya is a big deal. It is much bigger than the US. So, giving them a backpack is really giving them hope for their future! What an amazing gift we had the chance to give! This was all because of the awesome giving body we have at Graceland Baptist Church too. Our goal was 500 backpacks and we brought 1,000 with us! That speaks volumes to who this church is!
After we gave all the backpacks out and then played with the kids a bit more, it was time to leave for the day. Exhausted was a good word to describe how we all felt (both emotionally and physically). Scott told us as we were leaving that we were going to get some gelato (Italian ice cream) on the way home as a surprise and it was really good!!
That was pretty much our day, but there is more to it than just that. Something I think we all faced yesterday was just being exhausted after the day we had. A couple of days ago in my quiet time, I learned this phrase, "The awareness of God's presence energizes us for our work." That was the summarizing statement for yesterdays events. It was sunny, hot and crazy with tons of people everywhere and tons of needs as well. But the one thing that got each of us through that afternoon was the fact that God was supplying all we needed. It was almost as if we were energized and feeling fine while with the kids and parents, and then when we got on the bus, we all realized how exhausted we were. That is the essence of God's power for His work. God really does supply us with great power and strength and energy when it comes to the things He wants us to do. He has not only supplied financially for this trip but also physically and emotionally.
I can't wait to see how He keeps on giving us what we need to step up to the challenges we will face here! But it also reminds me to have this same attitude in the States. A lot of times we can begin to do what we need to do and lose sight of what God wants us to do. Focus on what He has laid out for you (no matter how big it seems) and He will give you the power and energy to complete the task...you just have to accept it!!
With love to all our family, friends and others who are reading this!
Jameson and the team
Today again was a very challenging yet very rewarding time for all of us. Today was one of two backpack days. We went to the FOCUS center this morning to begin the ceremonies. It is so awesome because every day we arrive, the kids come running out to greet us. Our bus and van come around the corner and there are 52 little smiling faces waiting for us! You can hear them when we turn the corner as well. They are yelling and you can tell the excitement they have to see us. What a greeting every morning!
We got off the bus and van and immediately began playing and loving on the kids. By the end of the day there would be about 800 kids at the FOCUS center to receive a backpack. The ceremony was supposed to start at 10:00am but that is American time. We actually started at about 12:30pm, which is Kenya time. There is a saying that the Kenyans have, "Kenyans have time and Americans have watches." This was a difficult two and a half hours because as more kids started arriving, they wanted to play and be loved on as well. If you can imagine 27 "Mzungus" (what they call white people) surrounded by 800 kids all starving for your attention, it got pretty intense. Plus, the sun was out and it was about 85-90 degrees as well. It was a bit overwhelming but in a very good way!
The ceremony lasted until about 3:00pm. During the ceremony, Scott presented the Gospel and did an amazing job. I am not quite sure how many responded but it was very clear and understandable (even with a translator). Government officials were there as well as TV stations and we actually made the news that night! After all the speaking had taken place we started giving out the backpacks.
All the kids came up one by one and we placed the backpacks on their backs. It was so awesome to see that we were supplying them with a years worth of school supplies and how much they appreciated it. Education here in Kenya is a big deal. It is much bigger than the US. So, giving them a backpack is really giving them hope for their future! What an amazing gift we had the chance to give! This was all because of the awesome giving body we have at Graceland Baptist Church too. Our goal was 500 backpacks and we brought 1,000 with us! That speaks volumes to who this church is!
After we gave all the backpacks out and then played with the kids a bit more, it was time to leave for the day. Exhausted was a good word to describe how we all felt (both emotionally and physically). Scott told us as we were leaving that we were going to get some gelato (Italian ice cream) on the way home as a surprise and it was really good!!
That was pretty much our day, but there is more to it than just that. Something I think we all faced yesterday was just being exhausted after the day we had. A couple of days ago in my quiet time, I learned this phrase, "The awareness of God's presence energizes us for our work." That was the summarizing statement for yesterdays events. It was sunny, hot and crazy with tons of people everywhere and tons of needs as well. But the one thing that got each of us through that afternoon was the fact that God was supplying all we needed. It was almost as if we were energized and feeling fine while with the kids and parents, and then when we got on the bus, we all realized how exhausted we were. That is the essence of God's power for His work. God really does supply us with great power and strength and energy when it comes to the things He wants us to do. He has not only supplied financially for this trip but also physically and emotionally.
I can't wait to see how He keeps on giving us what we need to step up to the challenges we will face here! But it also reminds me to have this same attitude in the States. A lot of times we can begin to do what we need to do and lose sight of what God wants us to do. Focus on what He has laid out for you (no matter how big it seems) and He will give you the power and energy to complete the task...you just have to accept it!!
With love to all our family, friends and others who are reading this!
Jameson and the team
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)