Happiness and a baby that's only 3 days old

I think this picture speaks for itself. Please continue to pray for Linda.

VISIBLE LOVE

Pastor Alfred invited me to speak at his church Sunday morning. Greater Love Church sits on top of a hill in Kawangware. The sounds of praise music, African style, echoed through out the different walk ways in the slums.

I spoke on "Visible Love" and in so doing I thanked everyone for the love that has been shown to me.

1. I have had many hands reach out to hold mine.
2. I've been given hand made gifts.
3. I've been invited into many homes. They have openly shared their hurts, troubles and pains with me.
4. They have offered to cook for me and fix me tea.
5. So many have thanked me for coming and spending time with them.

Their love has been expressed in so many ways. God has certainly blessed me.

After the service I spent the afternoon at Pastor Alfred's home with his wife and three daughters. We discussed the "dump babies". They are the babies that are left in the dump to die. They are unwanted and discarded, literally thrown away. Pastor Alfred explained to me the process to go through should I find one of these babies. Unfortunately many times the dogs will find the babies first.

We had several stop and visit during the afternoon. One lady who sat with us was in need of prayer. Perhaps she had AIDS or TB, maybe she had both. Her body was wasted away. Her cough was so deep and full. Each breath she took used all the energy remaining in her body. We prayed for God to perform a miracle with in her body.

Pastor Alfred, Pastor Chris and Pastor Shuls have helped me in so many ways. They have walked with me and introduced me to the ways of life here in the Nairobi slums. I have learned so much from them. I thank God for their dedication and love that is extended to the people here.

Kibera Africa's 2nd Largest Slum

Saturday I went with Pastor Alfred & Pastor Shuls to Kibera. It took several matatus to get to the other side of Nairobi. Kibera is Africa's second largest slum with a population of one million people. Walking steadily down into Kibera we are met by people coming and going. Shops & stands line both sides of the street. Pots, pans,veggies, flip flops, material, anything you might needs lines the walk way. We walk down, down, down and further into Kibera.

We find the railroad tracks and begin to walk them. We are not alone as the tracks are used for a main path with more shops, stands and homes only steps away from the rail. You will feel the ground tremble when the train gets close. There is a ditch with drainage flowing that runs parallel to the tracks. An electric wire that sparks when it rains is laid on top of the ground for miles.

Goats and chickens search for food in the mounds of garbage. There isn't one blade of grass to be seen. Rubbish covers the earth beneath my feet and is displayed around me. Strategically placed rocks are a must to cross the bubbling brooks of waste.

Children run with happy faces to reach out and touch me. They are anxious to try out their one phrase of English on me. "How are you?" comes from all sides. They are surprised and pleased to hear me answer them in Kiswahili.

We walk passed the charred and demolished homes burnt during the political uprising. We have traveled through many small and narrow alley ways. We have entered through three foot tall entrances to visit and pray with people. We spent time with a woman with HIV who cares for many orphans in Kibera.

The hot sun beats down on us and we are refreshed with soda and sweet bread.

We move on to a church in Kibera where I speaked to a HIV/AIDS group. Many in the group ask for prayer before before we leave.

Night is upon us and we find the tracks. With many others we begin the long walk. As we journey out and we find ourselves on higher ground you can look out over the roof tops of Kibera. They are so close and so many it appears that it is one massive piece of sheet metal.

I look to the other side and view the rich green grass of a golf course.

House to House

Monday I took a bus and traveled back to Kenya. My seat was directly behind the bus driver. I had a great view of the landscape of Tanzania as we traveled toward Nairobi. With bikes, people, cows and goats walking the roads it made for an exciting trip. I observed the hardships of the people; children gathering water from an algae covered pond, groups bathing in muddy water, the rush of people to the bus when it stopped in hopes that we would buy fish, bananas, cabbage or what ever they had to sell.

It was a sixteen hour bus trip and we only broke down once. The accelerator broke. They went under the bus and tied a strap to the accelerator and then pulled the strap up through the trap door in the floor. For the next few miles we had two bus drivers, one controlled the speed of the bus by pulling on the strap while the bus driver controlled the steering wheel…..only in Africa!

I have been blessed with a one room apartment here in Nairobi. It is all that I need and more. I can cook my own meals. I have access to clean water. It is gated and has a guard on duty 24/7. God is so good!

Wednesday and Thursday I have worked along side on Pastor Alfred in Kawangware slums. We have gone door to door through out the slums praying for the needs of the people. I also visited two church schools of about 50 students each. A school day runs from eight to four in the afternoon. The floors of these schools are dirt. Each morning the teachers will take water and sprinkle over the dirt to keep the dust down while the students are there. This helps them not to cough as much. They have very little to work with. The classroom contains only one black board and wooden benches for the children to sit on. Three or four classes are taught at the same time. There are no learning charts and books for the children. The children come to school hungry. We have agreed in prayer that God will bless these two schools with rice and beans so the teachers can give the children one meal a day. If we can take the pain of hunger away they will be able to concentrate better.

Proverbs 22:9

A generous man will be blessed for he shares his food with the poor.

Points of Interest

Kenya – Points of Interest www.travax.com

One drives on the left side of the road.

Police checks are common.

Coastal areas are predominantly Islamic.

Smoking in Nairobi, Nakuru, & Mombassa is illegal.

First offenders can expect a fine of 2,000 KSH (approx $30) or 6 months imprisonment.

Possession of pornographic material is forbidden.

Homosexual activity is illegal.

Photography of official buildings forbidden.

Rainy seasons are October to November & late March to mid June.

During rainy season many unpaved roads are passable only

with four wheel drive vehicles with high clearance.

Natural disasters are possible due to regional volcanic activity.

Recommended shots for traveling into Kenya;

Yellow fever, Hepatitis A, Typhoid, Hepatitis B, Rabies, Meningococcal Meningitis, Influenza / routine shots; tetanus/diphtheria, measles, polio, varicella, pneumococcal. and a Malaria preventative.

Kenya Health Issues:

Travelers Diarrhea, HIV/AIDS, Dengue Fever, African Trypanosomiasis,

Leishmaniasis, Tuberculosis (Kenya is in the highest World Health Org. risk category

The Rocks Cry Out

Who can doubt that there is a God when they view the boulders displayed through out Tanzania. Each boulder so uniquely placed in awe. Massive in size they are stacked one upon the other. It is an obvious betrayal of the laws of nature. No credit can be given to human strength. There is no logic as to how they balance so delicately.

Do not the rocks cry out, " There is a God "

Luke 19:40
If they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.

Deut 32:4
He is the Rock his works are perfect, and all his ways are just a faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.

Sunday Worship With Song & Dance

Sunday morning I spoke at Pastor Simone Masungulwa's church in Nyakato. He has a very active and growing church that loves to worship in song & dance. Nyakato is a small village about a fifteen minute ride out of Mwanza, Tanzania. In the afternoon I enjoyed lunch at the Pastor's home with his wife and children. I've been asked to return and do a week long open air crusade in the market area sometime in the future.

For the evening service I traveled to Kitangiri to Hulda Kibaba's church. A young church built with small tree trunks covered with tarps. Decorations of flowers with purple & white material hanging around the inside made it a beautiful place to worship together. Neighborhood children come running to join us as music fills the air.


The children in both churches received hand made "slipper socks" made by, my mother, Charlotte Towne. One father expressed his thanks by saying "This church has never experienced such a gift as this. You have brought the children much joy and the mamas are happy too."

I spoke on Dorcas and using what God puts in your hand. Dorcas had a needle. Moses had a rod. David had a sling. What has God placed in your hand?

The evening was spent with leaders of the church. We met together at this large chicken farm and enjoyed tea and a time of prayer together.

Bugoma Hospital

This blog post was intended to be published Friday, September 19, 2008

Friday we traveled from Mwanza to Bugoma Hospital. After climbing nine flights of stairs we reached the area where the children and women stayed. There were so many tremendous needs and our prayers were welcomed. We prayed for so many with tumors; one tumor covering the whole side of the face, a tumor the size of a grapefruit on someones neck, tumors on the roof of the mouth pushing outward so that the eye protrudes. There are 8 beds to a room and sometimes 3 sharing a bed. The air was so still in this area that I found myself feeling faint. After resting a bit I went back to praying for their needs. There were children with broken bones, head injuries, cripples. I have never prayed for anyone before with such visible needs as I have seen today. As serious as they are I still know that God is able.

As I walk the streets and see the blind & crippled begging, I find myself stopping and saying a quick prayer with them. I am reminded of Peter & John in Acts 3. They took time to pray for a cripple that so many walked by. They cared, they prayed, God performed a miracle and revival spread through out the area.

We serve a powerful God.

Welcome To Church

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Ties for pastors

I wanted to share this photo with everyone. Linda brought a bunch of ties with her to give to the pastors. It seems like they are very interested, and if I were to guess very thankful for the ties.

Please continue to pray for Linda.

Hot Sun

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This is Linda's first mobile post straight from Africa. For some reason the mobile post is not complete. As she gets the hang of it I think we will see a lot more of these in the future.

Please continue to pray for Linda.

Bus Trip to Tanzania

Tuesday evening we boarded the Abamba bus at 9:30 pm. Each one of us went through a security check as we boarded the bus. Watching the zebras and the gazelles feed beside the road helped pass the time.

The bus broke down 4 times so we arrived in Mwanza 3 hours late. We arrived in Mwanza at 3:30 Wednesday afternoon - a very long, dusty, bumpy, ride. I think I could probably ride in the rodeo now. I've learned how to hold on tight!

The bus driver did the paperwork at border of Kenya and walked into Tanzania to obtain our visas. I ran into difficulty here as they would only accept US dollars or Euro's- I had neither. They kept my passport and told me to go outside and try to fix the problem. After much prayer and communication with several people the bus driver's heart softened. The bus driver agreed to pay for my visa and take my luggage in exchange until I paid him back. I was ready to take my luggage off the bus and go back to Kenya and send Hulda to her home in Mwanza. With the Lords help, it all worked out!

On the bus trip there was a man from Germany who lost his wallet, $3,000, his camera and glasses. They had each one of us exit the bus so they could search through the luggage. I was excused from the search. They never found his items. Also someone lost their luggage at the bus station. Someone grabbed it and ran.

We were stopped several times for passport checks. The guards with spike strips in the road stopped us many times to check us over. There is a lot of security. I Arrived safely and payed the bus driver. It was hard to find a bank that would accept my card. I was very tired after the trip, but now I'm rested. I am going to pray for the sick in the hospital today at 4.

This is a day of prayer and fasting for most Christians here. When the native people of Africa fast they don't consume water or food.

If you have a chance please leave some comments on the blog.

I'm very well. Thank you for your prayers.

New Friends

Monday

I spent the afternoon & evening with Joe & Gladys Kagendo. Their ministry is with the street people of Nairobi. God has been with them in some amazing ways. He has brought them through difficult times and spared their life over and over again. We shared and they poured into me and I them. They helped me understand the roots that so many here have tied their beliefs into. It was so good to be enriched in some areas I know nothing of. There is much to learn. Still trying to get the cell phone service & text messaging working.

Busy Sunday

They had the posters everywhere!

The are so many beautiful little children running around.
I love being around them.

At 7 am on Sunday I headed to the slums of Kawangware. It was an honor to assist in the baptism for 4 new Christians. I spoke at the morning service inside Pastor Christopher Shitambasi's church, participated in the ordination of a pastor to Mombasa and prayed for many needs. A celebration was then held at Pastor's house in Kawangware. I am told I was given a meal of honor. Rose cooked a great meal of rice with a potato /carrot topping. I am so blessed to be so well taken care of. I took a short nap there as I find all of the walking, heat and so many changes making me very tired. Shortly after my nap we continued to the stage for the ending of the crusade. One man came forward for salvation. Many prayers were said over the children & the sick. I was happy to see one of the newly saved young women return for all of the services. She still asks for prayer. We gave out many slippers that my mom made to the children of the slums. Their eyes twinkled and they held them so tightly. They call them socks! They pray that my mom will be blessed with long life. We went into a new area of the slums called the "Congo." This area is used for making their brew. I walked by the stills and watch so many stagger back and forth. I told one man that Jesus loved him and he turned and spit on the pastor that was walking with me. This pastor never once moved a muscle, only love was seen in his face. What a tremendous example of the love of Jesus I have seen flow through this man. After this red eyed, staggering man, totally out of his mind spit on the pastor he then fell to his knees and asked for prayer. We arrived back at our place of rest around 7 pm

Tired Feet, Happy Heart

Saturday I met many pastors in Kawangware. Five people accepted Jesus at the afternoon crusade. Night was upon us so I left quickly. Used the Matatoo (public transportation van) it rattled all the way back. It refused to go several times stopping in the middle of the road. On hills everyone gets out so it can make it to the top. We had 20 + people in the van at one time. My prayer life is increasing. Many find my hair very beautiful and want to touch it. Sunday is going to be an extremely busy day. My body is struggling to get use to the air I breathe, the time change, the food change, not enough water to drink and walking every where. I am a happy in the midst of people with such daily hardships that we have never seen.

Suitcases have been found

All of my suitcases have been found and delivered to me! Everything was ok. Hulda, my interpreter, has arrived from Tanzania. It has been cold here in Nairobi. Everyone has extra wraps around their shoulders. Usually the 'short rains' start in October, I am told they are starting early this year. Today we will be going door to door praying for the sick in the slums of Kawangware. I will be speaking at the crusade which starts at 4 this afternoon. I am rested, healthy and ready to go !

Africa Floods In On Me

Africa floods in on me.

The sights; those crippled by polio, so many homeless sleeping on piles of garbage, cars racing by, baskets of chickens on the way to market, the common AK47 held by guards in stores and at the gates, young people sniffing bottles of glue, no hope for tomorrow, red eyes and dazed looks.

The smells; little fires smolder through out the day and night, lungs filling from the smoke of buring garbage, dark diesel fumes fill the busy streets.

The sounds; barking dogs throughout the darkness of the night, early morning song birds, prayers ringing out from the temples, beeping horns.

The tastes; warm coca cola, bread, hard boiled eggs.

The touches; little hands reaching out for mine. Oh how good it is.

Arrived Safely

I have arrived safely. My suitcases did not and I will be trying to locate them today. I have only what I carried on the plane. They think possibly my suitcases went to Tanzania. I arrived here in the missionary compound around midnight. I slept great and woke to the sound of early morning birds filling the airwaves with happy songs. What a melody they sing !

The Bird Has Landed

Hey everyone, I wanted to let you know that Linda has arrived safely in Kenya.

Wheels and Wings

The trip has officially begun. Please keep Linda in your prayers as she travels around the world to Nairobi, Kenya. When she arrives she will be greeted by her personal interpreter who will travel with her where ever she goes. Linda has brought an extra bag full of supplies and toys to give to the people and children of Africa. She will be giving these toys and supplies to the people of Kenya within hours of her arrival. Within a couple of days of her arrival she will be going to the slums of Nairobi on a prayer crusade. Thanks again for all your prayers. Please keep checking the blog for updates.

Bags are packed

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