Repeat the Message

Many doors have been opening for me to speak in the villages around Kitale. I love to be busy for the Lord and this week has proved to be just that, busy! Early Sunday morning the 14^th of March, "Esther" a little street girl finds me as I'm walking in town. She is hungry and we find a place that will serve her some food and tea. We leave her very happy and head for church. I hopped on a motorcycle and followed Pastor Thomas to the village of "Rafiki" which means friend in Swahili. Leaving Kitale we road down through Kipsongo slums. The waste beside the road, the small homes made of the earth, the little children wandering by themselves are all signs that we are leaving the town behind us. The dust of road rolls behind us as the African country side becomes so real. The sun is already hot. The children take great pleasure in seeing a white woman zoom by. Their little hands wave with anticipation of some type of response from me. One quick smile from me and they jump with joy.

The roads we travel get smaller and smaller. We are not alone on the road, in fact we seem to be outnumbered by the cows today. We are dropped off right at the door of "Faith Church" and the children are waiting to welcome us. Before starting the service we walk the village streets for a while and greet the people. It is a poor area without any school for the children. The people of Rafiki once lived in Mt Elgon but because of war they left the mountain in 1992. They resettled and gave their village the name of "FRIEND". It is a hard life for them here and they have very little.

The church is celebrating their third anniversary. With about 50 present we sat within the earthen walls and sang together. Many shared in verse, song and testimony before it was time for me to speak. There were also gifts given of Bibles and ties.

The lodge where I stay is a quiet place, that is unless you have a monkey in the kitchen! The air is nice in Kitale and we have a beautiful front porch with the view of the mountains. In the day time the doors are left open – not any more. We knew we had a monkey that was helping himself to any fruit that was left outside. This week he got brave and decided to take over the kitchen. He destroyed the kitchen, helped himself to some food and was jumping from shelf to shelf. He was on the top shelf when he got found out and he quickly left.

Monday morning the 15^th I received a call early in the morning from my friend Joanne. Joanne is a missionary from Canada. She was very ill and she was calling me from her bathroom floor. She was so ill she couldn't walk without help. She wanted prayer and arrangements were made to take her to the hospital. She was admitted with severe malaria. We thank you for your prayers. She is doing much better.

It had been our plan to go to "Kebegenge" together for a time of ministry with the women. The women were expecting us and Joanne had already prepared and packed 90 bags of maize so that each woman would have one. We agreed to continue with the day as planned. So with Paul driving and with Gladys to interpret we left for Kibageng. When we arrived the ladies were already singing under the big blue sky. Tarps were placed on the ground for them to sit on. They were also positioned close to the trees in order to have a little shade. Ninety women took time out of their very busy morning to join us. There were even some men sitting in the nearby bushes. Before we left each lady lined up behind the land cruiser to receive their gift from Joanne. She had prepared the exact amount needed! Ninety bags of corn were placed in the land cruiser and ninety women came to the meeting! God is good.

Within Joanne still in the hospital on Tuesday the 16^th we again traveled without her. Paul loaded in 300 individual bags of maize into the land cruiser and we headed for Moi's Bridge. We ran into one little snag before leaving town, as many places were without diesel fuel. We found enough for the day's trip and off we went. The church is big but almost too small for the number of women that come. As we drive up to the door we can see the church is full to the brim. The drums keep beat as the women sing and dance. The women have left their very busy morning to sit at the feet of Jesus for a few hours. It is a beautiful scene to see almost 300 women rejoice together in the Lord. They carry their babies along with the hurts of life and walk for miles to come today. Sitting on the floor they received the message into their hearts sometimes with laughter and with times of seriousness. The pain that so many of these women hold within is enormous. So many of them feel like they are alone and surrounded by a life of suffering. How beautiful it is to see ten women who fall to their knees in front of everyone and ask Jesus into their heart.

Food is something that is so needed by many and what some have is very meager. The women are never told in advance that they will be receiving a gift because the whole village could show up and things could get out of hand. Before we leave the women are told to make a line and as they leave they will be hand a bag of maize. The side door is closed and locked so that no one can reenter after leaving. The older women are permitted to leave first. The front door of the church jams with women as the worry of being left out takes over. No one is left out though and today we have a few bags left over.

Joanne has blessed these women many times. The land cruiser was filled with joyful chatter on our way back to Kitale. Gladys, my interpreter for the day, and I along with Paul rejoiced in what God had done in today's meeting.

Each morning as I leave the lodge in Milimani I walk for a distance to a beautiful shade tree where several boda, bodas (bicycles) are waiting to be hired. They will pedal you into the town of Kitale and surrounding areas. As I positioned myself securely on the back of the boda my eyes hit this man feet. I felt pain in my body as I saw how badly his feet were cut and swollen. This man's lively hood depended on him being able to use his feet. Here I am sitting in comfort as he pedals me with feet that should be treated, bandaged and rested for a few days. My heart broke for the pain I saw this man going through. We had a bit of a communication barrier but some Swahili words came to mind one being "duka", which means medicine. We arrived at a pharmacy in town and I motioned for him to come inside with me. With hesitation he follows and the pharmacist examines both of his feet. The medicine is bought and Philemon leaves with instructions of how to care for his feet. Philemon is just one of many that go without the care and necessitates of life.

It is now Wednesday the 17^th we leave Kitale with those that are going to teach and pick up a few pastors that are attending class along the way. The piles of dirt that have sat on the edge of the road to Endebess for two years have finally been used to help fill in the pot holes. It is dusty but a bit smoother. It is amazing how quickly the muddy roads turn to clouds of dust.

The mountain is majestic and beautiful as we drive closer and closer to it. The surrounding lands are being plowed for planting. We pass the muddy pool of water that is sometimes used for baptisms. Today as we pass by the women are gathering large containers of water from the river to take back home.

The three Bible classes are held inside a brick church without a door to close or a window to shut. It is very open and empty. The pastors carry benches and black boards from other areas so that class can be carried on here. Each class is at a different level. I'm filling in for Beverly woman's class as she is in Sudan. In the morning the women are doing Old Testament Survey and in the afternoon they have New Testament Survey. They are so eager to learn. They continually take notes throughout the class. Everything they learn is repeated higher up in the mountain when they return to their villages. Week after week the message ripples like a stone hitting the water.

Our journey home is somewhat wet but without problems J

2 Thessalonians 3:1

Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you.

Happy Hearts

March 5, 2010

It is Friday morning and the school rooms here in Tuwani empty and everyone gathers inside the church next door. It was time to sing to the Lord. The happy feet start to move in step with the music. The dirt floor breathes dust into the air around us as over one hundred children celebrate the joy in their hearts. These children are from the slums and everyone here is receiving a free education. They come to school with hungry stomachs but they receive some warm porridge before the studies of the day start. www.africaconnect.org

It is Sunday and the sun is shining bright. There has been a lot of rain and to see the sun this morning makes everyone happy. The morning is so beautiful I decide not to take a bike ride to town but to enjoy the morning and walk to the big tent, Christ Life Center. The side of the tent near the rail road tracks has been rolled up to allow a cool breeze into the tent. The cows are grazing beside the tent but they never offer to intrude on the service.

There are many people walking the tracks. The young mother sitting beside me holds her little baby girl. This little one reaches out and touches me with such a trusting heart. There is a move with the hearts of many to dance and dance some more. Up and down the aisles and around the church a train of dancing feet follow one another. Today I thought I would quietly sit in the back and enjoy the service. I did just that until I heard someone say "Today we have a friend with us, Linda would you come up here and speak to us?"

The "Kitale Gospel Band" and all of their fans, family and friends joined them at the tent as they released their first cd. The tent was overflowing with people. It was such a happy occasion and a special day for them.

The heavy rains are destroying some of the homes in Mount Elgon. The homes made of the mud of the earth are caving in. Pastor Richard's & Helen have worked 6 years with some of the people in this area. Wednesday will be a day to assess the problem and see how to help.

Because of the severe thunder storms and heavy rains there have been warnings of possible landslides issued in Mt Elgon on the Kenya side like those witnessed on the Uganda side last week.

Psalm 68:3

..may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful. Sing to God, sing praise to his name, extol him who rides on the clouds – his name is the Lord – and rejoice before him.

Hungry Hearts

The first day of March has arrived and the rains are still blessing the earth. Today I am to speak to a group of women in a village outside of Kitale. Joanne's vehicle is making some very strange and unhealthy noises so we decide to have it checked out before traveling further out of town. We did not make the morning meeting but thank the Lord that the vehicle was not miles from town when it needed repairs.

Tuesday the 2^nd of March we traveled to Moi's Bridge in the morning. The church filled with women. All the benches in the church were full but that didn't stop them from coming. One by one they would take their colorful wrap and place it on the floor to sit on. Some came with babies tied to their backs. All were hungry to learn more about Jesus. Praises to the Lord went upward as the drums led them in worship.

As I spoke the word I could feel it being pulled from me into the hearts of about 300 listeners. They continue to want more and more. It is time to pray for the needs of the women. With heads bowed the church filled with prayer.

Women were weeping openly as the presence of the Lord touched the hungry hearts. The Lord dealt with so many women that have scars of pain, suffering and deep hurts held within.

We then had time of special prayer for the sick. A long line was formed from the front to the back and one by one we laid hands upon them and prayed. As we prayed the line increased as more women stepped into the line for prayer. It became a line of never ending needs. We expect this never ending line of needs to turn into a line of marvelous reports of what the Lord has done.

At the end of the service we are approached by the Pastor of the church being used. He is concerned because the men are being left out and the women are growing spiritually more than they are! There is much work to be done in the land of Africa.

The afternoon I went with a native pastor and his wife to a piece of land that will soon have an orphanage on it. Right now Pastor Richard & Helen care for and school their orphans in town. They have over 300 children that they are looking after. A chicken farm presently in operation is to be expanded from 500 chickens to 8,000 in order to care for the children. The 15 acres of country land will also allow them to grow vegetable for the children to eat.

Sammy one of their orphans has recovered from open heart surgery in Nairobi. He will soon return to Kitale. Sammy is one of 12 people that have had this surgery in Nairobi. He is one of the 5 that have survived.

Early Wednesday morning, March 3, 2010, I met the van in town and we headed toward Mt Elgon. We travel about an hour and set up class inside a brick church that has open widows and a dirt floor. Three classes go on at the same time. Two classes are for the men. Most of the men are pastors. I will be helping Beverly with the women's class. The women are either pastor's wives or will be a leader in the church. One mother comes today with, Joshua, her new born baby. Today there are many missing as it is the planting season. It is very important that the ground is prepared for seed so that they will have food.

Jeff, a missionary here, was bit by a "Wolf" spider. The spider is poisonous and was in his bedding. The open wound would not heal and his leg swelled way above his knee. The hospital here did not know what to do and sent him to another town. It was very serious but he is back on his feet and doing much better. The area around the bite is still very visible and somewhat swollen and red. There are many kinds of wolf spiders and this one resembled a tarantula. Jeff and his wife, Karla, care for over 70 babies that have been thrown away or orphaned.

Because of the heavy rains there has been a massive mud slide on the Uganda side of Mt Elgon. It has hit the village areas of Bududa, Nametsi, and Hamlet. Eighty five bodies have been found and three hundred and fifty people are still missing.

News from Kawangware Slums….I have spoken with Fran Iris on the phone. She was in a coma and we were told she was close to death. She is still in the hospital in Nairobi but doing better. She recognizes people and is able to communicate but she has lost the use of her legs. She has been discharged as the hospital has done all that they can. She still needs our prayers. She has been discharged but she cannot leave until her bill is paid. Each day that the bill is not paid her bill gets bigger. She will remain in the hospital until complete payment is made to the hospital. She presently owes close to $425. US dollars.

Matthew 19:26

Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible but with God all things are possible."

Sheets of Rain

Sunday the 28^th of February I venture off into a new area on the outskirts of Kitale. Elvis, a young man that works at that Karibuni Lodge, invited me to join his family at their church in Liavo #8. The main road is full of people walking, bikes with passengers on the back, motorcycles, cows, and sheep. We soon leave the main roads behind and travel down a small dirt road with farm land and huts around us.

Many are working on their maize. A canvas spread out on the ground holds piles of maize. Men will fill their buckets full of maize and then spill it through the air and wind blows the lighter particles away. This is done over and over again. Then the women sit amongst the piles of maize and pick out the bad pieces so that it can be put in sacks for the market.

Elvis is the oldest of seven boys. He is married and has a little girl who was born in December. His wife and baby greet us and chai is quickly served. The family land is used to care for the whole family. It is the culture here that children do not live in the same house with their parents once they reach the age of 5 or 6 – especially the boys. Elvis' father has made a room outside the main house for his sons. The kitchen is also a separate building of its own and of course Elvis and his wife have their own home.

The Ecclesia Church is very close to the "Seed of Hope" orphanage & school http://teamkenya.bucknerconnect.com/. Elvis and his brother help with the worship and interpretation of the service. There are many at church and the front rows are filled with children. After the service we pray for the pastor's youngest daughter. While in a hospital in Germany she was given only 3 days to live because of holes in her heart. It has now been three months since that grim report was given. In the church clinic sat a young mother with her new baby. She has time here to regain her strength and be cared for before returning to her village. We pray over the mother and child and then proceed to walk down the straight road to Elvis family's home for lunch. While eating lunch the clouds rolled in from the mountain. The banana trees swayed in the strong winds. Then the clouds broke over us and sheets of rain covered the area for over two hours. Large buckets were quickly gathered and strategically placed to catch the rain water. Knowing the length of the road covered in red clay and the condition it was in when I arrived I now wondered how I would return to the lodge. Two hours of heavy rain on top of an already muddy road with large pot holes would make it almost impossible to travel on. The wind slowed down and we decide to face the weather and start to walk. We had called a taxi but never expected that he would drive in on such a road to pick us up. Up ahead we see a car coming toward us. Slowly and with precise moves he makes it to us. The front window wears the marks from someone throwing stones at his car. We happily jump inside and the car stalls because there is a problem with the battery. He adjusts the battery cables and off we go. A few miles down the road we have a flat tire. With the car right in the middle of the road he proceeds to change the tire. Then there is just one more adjustment to the battery cable and we are on our way.

After a day full of new people and visiting happy homes we made it back to the lodge safely.

Isaiah 55:10 & 11 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

Creamy & Tasty

Saturday February 27, 2010

Mount Elgon is massive and its strong slopes flow into Uganda as well as Kenya. There are areas of vast forest along with open ranges being plowed for the upcoming planting season. Bev is driving us to, Kimondo, the next to the last village before reaching the Uganda border. The road is a clay substance and the rain waters make it hard to drive in. The further we travel the more the road narrows. The road is far from flat and smooth. It has a severe crown and there is only room for one vehicle at a time. We climb up and over patches of rocks. The road curves up and around the slope bringing us into a land of natural beauty. The huts line the slope. Smiles and waves welcome us as we ride by. Children have lined the sides of the road each holding a plastic bag. The rains have brought a blessing to their diets –"termites". There are many termite holes beside the road after a heavy rain. They will put a stick down the hole to stir up the nest and then catch them as they crawl out. They are collected and fried over the fire. I've been told they are very creamy.

The area is full of color as there are many flowering trees, red, white, purple and yellow. Today's goal is to reach a school of 300 children high on one of the slopes. We see the last incline and thank the Lord for the beauty that is around us and below us. How great our God is. The last patch of road turns into a cow path,- literally. There is a hesitation- should we park and walk or push on. With the vehicle left here it would not be in our sight so we pushed on. Yes, we made it! The vehicle was brought right up to the building and parked in plain view. We all noticed the cool breeze from being in the mountain.

The large school sits high on the knoll with a beautiful view on all sides. The children, many are orphans, are split up into groups and we began to teach "Biblical Foundations". Pastor Thomas and Beth both great interpreters also came to help. Our time here was soon over and as we prepared to leave the dark clouds of the heavy rain season were over us. It was now a race to get down the slope before it pours.

After returning safely to Kitale we then traveled to Maili Saba to another school for children. Before we arrive at the school we stopped quickly to encourage a group of men, women and children having a meeting at the Circle of Light Christian Training Center, www.light4africa.org. The school children are happy to see us. We each take a group and began to teach "Lordship & Obedience". I was given boys probably 6 -8 grade age. One young boy took a liking to me. He smiled and winked at me every time we had eye to eye contact!

The school day is over and our van is full of small children from the school. We give them a ride to a nearby matatu station. It might be raining outside but not in their hearts. They sang all the way to the station.

It has been a full day, we are tired but excited to see what God has done and is doing in so many lives. We thank him for the opportunities to serve Him.

Matthew 28:19

Go and make disciples of all nations……………..