The T-Shirt Sermon

Monday, February 22, 2016 The sausage tree with its elongated fruit offers a nightly sweet smell as the flowers open and the sun sets but now a new day has blossomed and the views of the forest are before me. The vines wrap neatly around the massive trees like a work of art. 

The heavenly smell of the flowering vines and honeysuckle fill the air and monkeys jump happily from bush to bush.

This morning Jaffrey, my bike driver, is his happy self and can’t wait for our regular time of conversation as we roll toward the project.  He is so appreciative of the lime green T shirts that we gave the children. These T’s printed and designed by our son, Cole, say “Jesus Loves Me” and they have traveled into the village further than we have.  He goes on to tell me the impact these T’s are having in the community as they become a sermon all by themselves.  The excitement of a gift and the message of the gift has caused a lot of chitter chatter and the children are very reluctant to take them off :)

There isn’t any way of escaping the rolling waves of dust that hit us as we travel.  It is overwhelming at times and I find it necessary to protect lungs and eyes.   

 The red wrap around my head serves as a barrier from the hot sun as we travel along and from the heavy dust that continues to war against us.

The motorbikes have become a very popular mode of travel and also a great way to transport items from one spot to the other. It has become a very valued business and they seldom turn down an opportunity to make a few shillings.  You never know what you are going to meet along the way.  Their ability to travel with such bulky items never ceases to amaze me. You might find them carrying a couple sacks of charcoal or a bundle of firework even grass for the cow, stacks of eggs and a couch!  There are times you will see 4 or 5 people on one motorbike tightly squeezed together and they are just as happy as can be.

The last wall of the church is finished and the pastor is excited to see it all coming together so quickly. However, as we prepare to put the door in place we hit another boulder!  The rock chipper is happy as he has plenty of work.  While he continues to chip away at the boulder a few of the helpers work to make a walk way to the side entrance better known as the pastor’s door.  When I step inside the church I quickly realize we have a problem.  One of the workers has taken it upon himself to cut a hole in the side of the church wall to for a window.   There was no communication, no real reason as to why the window should go in at an angle, and no thought as to the placement of the other windows.  So here we are finishing up the church and now we have a hole in one side that isn’t close to being straight or even in the right place.  The sad thing is he doesn’t see that it’s a problem.  The more I work here the more I realize how different our worlds are.  We want things level, straight, neat and in order…something pleasing to the eye.  Here the goals are to have something functional without the need or concern for making the appearance pleasing or done in an excellent way.  It is a different land, a different culture but I still say a carpenter should have a level and know how to use it.  So I see the need for more training, more love and patience is a must.

“Joy Linda” and “Joy Linda” came to visit today knowing that there would be a gift for each one of them. Rosella Rice, a lady from my church, made two beautiful baby quilts which will keep them warm when the rains come! These two little girls will be told about this day many times as they grow up as the giving of gifts is rare here in Lukhumbi.

One of the little girls that we sent to the clinic has a serious case of tropical malaria and needs better care.  We tried to locate her parents to tell them but they are not easily found.  To avoid meeting with us they have gone into hiding because they don’t have the money for her treatment.  Our only desire is to inform them of their child’s health issue and to make sure they understand the need to monitor her.  Her doctor’s visit and treatment have already been paid for.

Life in the hills and distant villages produces many challenges and new customs.  The people are often uneducated and living a life that has been unchanged from the generations before them.  Each tribe carries an abundance of tribal culture, fears and a way of life that is often foreign to others around them.

Jaffrey came at the end of the day. It had been hot and humid and my energy was low. It felt good to have the wind hit my face as the bike took us closer and closer to the forest.  We needed fuel and fuel stations are few and far between.  We left the traveled road to take a little path that leads us to a small house.  There were a few barefoot kids running around and a man resting on the ground under a shade tree. There wasn’t any pump, meter or hose in sight.  There was nothing around that would indicate that this was the place to come if you needed fuel but we were in the right place.  The fuel was  ready, measured and soon brought to us in an old plastic water bottle.

As we were leaving and heading toward the road this cute little girl came running up behind the bike. She was greeting me in the usual way for someone of her age “mzungu, mzungu /white woman, white woman.” I held out my hand so she could touch me and her eyes just glowed with happiness.

Tuesday, February 23, 2016 I stopped and just listened to the sounds around me.  There was a rustling in the trees and then a swish as the monkeys jumped from tree to tree with such great confidence and ease. The birds were telling their own story as the cool morning air quickly vanished.  The massive ferns of the forest cluster around my back window and the delicate lace like moss decorate the bark of the trees nearby.  There is work to be done but I linger just a moment longer to enjoy the sounds, the smells and the beauty around me.

Today there is a little more excitement in the air as the finish line is in sight!  We have some wooden windows to put in place and a door as the rock chipper continues to pound away. 

When we arrived the children were inside the newly walled church and school had already started. It was cool inside and they all seemed happy with their new classroom.  They quickly gathered the few chairs they had and sat outside so that the work could continue.  My presence seemed to be a distraction and the teacher had to keep pulling their attention her way.  Now and then I would glance over at them and in return I was greeted with a cute smile and eyes that sparkled with delight.

Eugene, a twelve year old boy, had been such a big help carrying out the pieces of chipped rock. This morning he was waiting for me and he had something he wanted to tell me.  He wanted to go to school! After gathering some information on him I discovered this hard working young man lived with his grandfather and that he had lost both of his parents.  This scenario is repeated over and over again as there is a generation of parents that are missing.  Some because of HIV others just lack responsibility and disappear after dropping the children off at Grandma’s or Grandpa’s place. The grandfather had tried his hardest but had fallen behind on the school fees and Eugene was not permit to attend until they were paid up.  This policy was not just used on Eugene as it is used country wide. Many school children miss days upon days of school while waiting for some small miracle so their school fees will be paid.  Eugene’s miracle came today and he rushed home to get his green uniform and off he went!

The children had been given haircuts and cream was applied to the scalp of those with ring worm. The children that looked weak or sickly had been sent to the clinic and there was still one more thing to do.  They needed to be de wormed!  Worms are a big problem and take the nutrients from the food the children eat leaving them tired, weak and unhealthy.

The line got longer and longer as 70 children stood one behind the other.  They happily tipped the tasty bottle of worming medicine like it was a special treat. Today was probably the first time these children have ever been treated. The cost of a 40 cent vile would be out of reach for the families here and without it the children's health would continue downward.

It’s been very hot as Lake Victoria is not that far away and it’s been dusty but the village of Lukhumbi which means “mixed up people”  now has a church and a place for the their school children.

We met a few “big” obstacles but we worked through them. The church is 20 x 50 with four wooden windows on each side. There is plenty of light and ventilation for the 70 + school children when they gather here to learn. We even have a “pastor’s door” on the side which is very important in the land of Kenya. 

The window opens and the view of the distant mountains framing in the valley below become a wall hanging of sorts.

It’s time to leave the green fields of tea, the forest and the people of Lukhumbi and head toward the cooler air found in the heights of the mountain ranges.  As the sun sets we leave a job done, a village full of happy people and children spreading the news that “Jesus Loves Me” as they continue to wear their new lime green T shirts!

Colossians 3:23,24 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.