A New Church In Taito

February 29, 2012 Wednesday

What a great day to rise and serve the Lord with gladness! Today we met in a village called Taito. I have been working with the widows and ladies in this area for several months now. Many have lost their husbands due to HIV. The ladies have a desire to learn and study God’s word but didn’t have the money to travel into town to attend church. Being a widow here in Africa leaves many widows destitute. The family of their late husband will often times come and take position of everything that the man owned. They will even chase the widow and her children out of her home. They are forced to leave everything and move away. They have nothing to help them start over and establish a home in a different area.

These widows have opened up their humble homes to others who want to study and learn more about the Bible. On Sundays they have church together in a small room that belongs to Mama Rhoda. These widows are working hard to care for their children and provide them with the necessities of life. Their hearts are very big for they not only take care of their children but they also welcome orphans into their homes as well. Mama Rhoda is a widow with 4 children of her own and she is also carrying for 2 orphans.

Today we visited the property where their church will soon be built. There is much to do and everyone is willing to help. The widows will prepare a meal for all of the workers and at the end of the day serve them with a hot cup of chai. There are trees to cut and branches and bushes to burn. There is something for everyone to do, even the children!

March 1, 2012 Thursday

Everyone gathered today at the church site with willing hands and excited hearts! This is the second church to stand in the village. We were told that the other pastor in the area had a dream about a year ago that another church was coming to Taito. He would have help now and not have to work alone any longer.

The property is measured and iron rods are pounded in the red earth one by one. The men start the tedious job of removing the topsoil.

The tall blue gum trees that are needed to build are cut down and sawed in the proper lengths. The sun beats down upon us but the work went on without complaint.

March 2, 2012 Friday

The property lines have been determined and today the first corner post was placed in the ground!

March 3, 2012 Saturday

Each day is busy from early morning to when the sun goes down. The building process is much different here. The trees needed are handpicked and cut down. The wood is then carried to the sight by a donkey and cart we hired from someone in the neighborhood. It then needs to be debarked and treated with oil to prevent the insects from ruining the wood.

There are limited tools and the holes for the post are dug with a saucer. The news and search for what we need spreads throughout the village. If it is there, they will bring it! We have seen everyone working together.

There are several pastors working with us. I asked one of them, Evans, if he had a good night’s sleep. He informed me that he slept with a lot of joy in his heart. He slept for about 4 hours and the rest of the night he was singing. I asked Isaac the same question and he said he was so happy he prayed all night.

The small dirt road in Taito is only wide enough for one car to pass at a time. It is a busy road right now with people walking, bikes, donkeys and carts everyone wants to see what is happening here in Taito. The new church is the news and talk of the village.

The donkey carts that carry the cut trees are heard from a distance. The squeak of the wheel is known by all. It is a very familiar sound as the donkey carries daily loads through the village.

Festus who was born in 1924 wants a job with the guys as well. He is almost 90 and doesn’t want to be left out! The days are hot but he frequently joins us and is now part of the working team. The young and old are all interested in helping. Of course Festus is granted special privileges; he rests during the hottest part of the day!

The natives always know the short cuts so today we walked through the fields and through the cow pastures to find trees suitable for the church building. As we rested in the shade a small baby wrapped tightly in the traditional colorful cloth was placed in my arms. Little 4 pound Mercy was found near the gate of the District Hospital just a couple days earlier. She was naked and newly born. She had nothing to cover her or keep her warm; there were no loving arms to comfort her. Someone placed this tiny new born in a paper bag and walked away. Unloved for the moment, abandoned but not for long, cold and rejected but now in the arms of a caring loving widow and mother who declares this child is her gift from God.

March 4, 2012 Sunday

It is Sunday and the streets in town are quiet. The steady hustle and bustle of day to day life has quieted down; even the street boys seem to be missing. We walk quickly through town today as it is pretty much ours alone. We walk into the open market area and behind some of the permanent building structures that have become landmarks. The area ahead is unknown to me. The width of the clay like path becomes very narrow. The path is known to many as it has been well traveled. There are piles of garbage or dust bins seen here and there as we walk further in. We come to a point in the path and I’m really not sure which way to turn. Eyes are upon us and they know we are not familiar to this area.

A tall boy in very dirty clothes catches my eye and I tell him I’m looking for the Kitale Children’s Church, the church with open doors for all the street children to attend. He quickly and happily shows the way. We walk down into the valley and there in the distance is a church with walls made from ruff lumber. It was a church that could be called “Home.” It didn’t matter what you had on you would not be sent away and no one would look down on you if you entered the door with your glue bottle. Everyone was welcome and it looked like all most everyone was there! It was full. The young street children were there, the old mama’s were there, people of all ages pushed into this small little church away from the sight of so many. They sang, they danced, and they played drums. They testified of how good God was to them and quoted favorite passages of scripture. I recognized many that I had stopped to talk with and share some food and they recognized me. One of the older street boys who I did not know stood to his feet and pointed in my direction. He said "this one I know, she is good and loves us." He told them that he had watched me as I walked the streets and cared for those that were hungry. I had been watched and had a name among them but didn’t realize it until today.

The eyes of many observe us from a far. Do we carry the light of Jesus with us where ever we go? Do they see the love of Jesus in us? Do our actions tell the unloved that Jesus loves them?

John 13:34-35 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”