The Name

Saturday, April 10, We gather the small TV, DVD player and a generator and head for Huruma Ghetto. It is my first visit to the Eastland's of Nairobi. We leave the center of Nairobi and soon find ourselves riding through heavy traffic with mounds of garbage piled on each side of the road. As the driver slows down in traffic, I'm told to put my window up. In this area there is a lot of crime and being white I am automatically a target. We ride through some of the Marathe slums. They are similar in style to the many other slums that I have walked through. There are stands with goods and vegetables for sale. Goats and sheep walk through the roads. The smell of burning garbage floods the air. The air filled with a haze of smoke stings the eyes. People jam the already busy path ways and roads. We are about 30 minutes outside of Nairobi now and the picture of life has changed. Huruma Ghetto breaks into the horizon with clusters of tall buildings made of cement blocks. Laundry hanging from every possible area adds a colorful décor to the outside walls. The tall buildings surround us. They have captured many and become the tell tale walls of the Ghetto. Beneath them are the one man store front shops, carts of vegetables, goods lining the streets and people coming and going. It is a home to thousands with the raw sewage rolling through the streets and by the many homes. There are the one room metal sided and roofed homes sandwiched in this midst. Dirt floors with grain bags to hold back the wind and rain turn into someone's mansion. As the taxi comes to a stop the car is surrounded by many that want to see the white visitor. A small child starts to scream as she has never seen a white person before. The taxi man is somewhat nervous and fearful at the situation but promises to return to pick us up at 4 in the afternoon. We are in an area where truck loads of sheep and goats are brought for slaughtering. I am quickly approached to see if I want to buy a goat. The price of course was higher than usual. Today for me the special price was 4,500ksh but the normal price is 1,500 ksh J It is the African way.

We jump the river of raw sewage and walk the alley way single file. There are walls of sheet metal on each side of us. Each step is carefully placed to avoid the broken glass and slipping in the areas of mud. The width of the alley becomes smaller and smaller and takes us up a slight incline.

We enter a dark room about 14 x 12 with one light bulb hanging from the mixed matched pieces of clapboard ceiling. Above they have made a room for sleeping and relaxing. Mattresses line the floor and have become the sleeping quarters for over 40 people. A piece of broken mirror is stuck to some card board on the far wall. A small window has been cut in the sheet metal wall on each side. A tattered cloth is tacked up to keep the heat of the sun out.

This is Juma's plot. He is one of Nairobi's older street boys. He has grown up on the streets of Nairobi. With the scars from many knife fights on his body he shares his desire for a different life style. He has opened his small home to those that want to leave the glue and drugs behind. Each one descends from the ladder. One by one and introduce themselves. They share their name and where they lived in Nairobi. A common response would be "I lived at the step of …., the back door way of….. the path by…, the side walk near..." Two of the younger boys smiled as they told us they had found peace here.

We all gathered upstairs in the room filled with mattresses and watched the story of Moses. The temperature of the room increased but no one wanted to leave. From time to time we would stop for questions and then return to the movie. They saw how bound and enslaved the children of Israel were but Moses came to deliver them. When they understood that Jesus came to deliver and to set them free from the bondage of sin, 12 boys/men raised their hands to accept Jesus.

We stood in a circle in the upper room as they accepted Jesus into their heart. Then each one there received personal prayer before we left. Many said it was the first time they have ever felt the presence of God.

We thank God for touching the hearts of these men and boys. It seems like they are lost in a land where no one cares but God sees them. He sees their heart and cares about each one. There is such a longing within them to be taught more of God's Word.

We also wanted to encourage them and help them with the struggles they face. So we left them with some potatoes, corn meal, tomatoes, cabbage and some greens. The water faucet outside was to be turned off soon as they could only come up with partial payment. Before leaving we made sure that their water supply would never be turned off again.

As we journey back to the center of Nairobi we stop near the church at the river. I stayed in the taxi as Pastor Joseph leaves to do an errand. The taxi driver started to laugh and asked me if I knew what people were saying around us. I did not. I have walked this area many times and talked with the street children. We have held services in this area for them also. Some have recognized me and told the taxi driver "you have the preacher in your car."

What an honor it is to have others know that you carry the name of Jesus.

Jeremiah 15:16 When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart's delight,

for I bear your name, O Lord God Almighty.

It is now April 20 and I am fully recovered from a bacterial infection caused by bad food/water. While in Nairobi I had an appointment at the Center for Tropical & Travel Medicine and received good care. Ken & Sandy have been missionaries to Kenya for many years. They took me under their wing and saw to it that I received the proper medical care. It is good to care about the needs of each other!

I left Nairobi on the 14^thand returned to the western part of Kenya at the base of Mount Elgon. The days continue to receive the blessing from above as the heavy rains hit the earth.

Thank you for remembering me in your prayers.