Watering Dry Ground

January 24 – 30, 2010

Our ride ends and the walking begins into the slums of Kawangware. First we enter an area of food preparation. A skinned pig hangs at the corner. The area is dense with the heavy smoke from the charcoal grills and wood fires. There are racks of cow hooves cooking on the open fire. Cow intestines and other parts sizzle while cooking on a grill. A little further in the mounds of garbage begin to claim the road. The sack boys and animals paw through the garbage. It is Sunday and many have lost their way.

Pastor Chris is away today and I've been left in charge. The church is full and 9 new people have joined us because of door to door visitation. There is a spirit of joy that fills the hearts of the people as they begin to sing and dance. With Bibles in hand they eagerly wait for a passage and verse to be spoken. It is like watering dry ground. They long for more.

As we are walking out of the slums we walk by a man shoveling dirt. He starts hollering in Swahili and I turn around to see what is wrong. I see a man wildly swinging his arms in the air. His face was full of anger and he is looking at me. I quickly ask someone to tell me what he is saying. He is yelling "I don't want to be saved! I don't want to be saved! I don't want to be saved!"

Another area that I like to walk is on the other side of Nairobi. There are many street boys and girls that stay near the Nairobi River. We meet one such boy that has been on the streets since he was very young. He is now in his late teens. He greets Pastor Joseph with a big smile. The streets kids all love Pastor Joseph and his wife, Gladys. They have worked here for nine years now.

My heart rejoices as I hear how God is working amongst some of the most feared. The head leader of this group has accepted the Lord into his heart. He is the boss, the leader for all of Kenya. When he was released from prison he walked into a church and announced he wanted Jesus in his heart. He then came back into church with over a hundred of his followers. He announced that they had been serving the god of one tribe but now they would serve the God of the universe! Over 300 members of this group have now been water baptized. My heart is bursting with joy at what God is doing here among those that many pass by.

I see changes as I walk the river area. The river now flows as the city officials have reclaimed the river. They have removed the garbage that clogged the river way. The earth on both banks of the river is free of debris. Trees are being planted to hold the soil in place. They came in with machines to demolish some of the buildings build beside the river. These buildings housed many of the street children. It was time for a lot of them to move on. Pastor Joseph's church was in that area that the city is reclaiming. He prepared himself as he knew that soon his church would be rubble. The day came. The machines came. The work to clean up the area beside the river began. Sheet metal buildings were pushed over one by one. Then it was time for the church. With a big smile on his face Pastor Joseph tells me how the church was surrounded by street boys. They worked together, picked the church up off the ground and moved it to safe territory! They are hungry for more of God's word. There are times that Pastor Joseph hasn't had the food to share with them. As badly as he feels about these times he is told "Come whether there is food or not. We want to learn more." Pastor Joseph knows opposition very well. Some have tried to stop the preaching. Again the street boys will stand up for him. They have surrounded him and warned that no one should ever touch him. There is a hunger here for the word of God. There is newness of life sprouting up through a barren land.

Richard Roberts is holding a healing crusade here in Nairobi. Under a huge tent 1000's of pastor's and leaders gathered today for a conference. The tent was overflowing and many were standing around the outside edges. We were sitting in the middle section of the tent when unexpectedly we were escorted to the front. We were given a seat three rows from the speaker! It was a great time of worship and teaching. Before leaving he anointed each one of us with oil. Many of the top officials of Kenya have asked for him to visit and pray for them. Tomorrow he will meet with the President of Kenya.

1 Corinthians 3:7

So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.