My husband has been with me from a far but now he stands beside me J
Manley left Boston on the 18th and arrived safely in western Kenya on Thursday the 20th. Friends of mine from Kitale were in Nairobi and met my husband. So he was able to ride with Pastor Richard, Helen and Jimmy for the last 8 – 9 hours of the road trip. God cares about every detail of our lives!
Everyone here knew his arrival date and waited along with me. Now with smiles on their faces they shared in the joy of knowing this was the day he would arrive.
Friday the 21st of May we ventured to Kitale town by boda, boda. With jet lag still lingering we walked through Kitale meeting and greeting different friends. Later in the afternoon we met with the women at Faith Church in Rafiki. Rafiki is about a 20 minute ride outside of town. We packed new wool blankets into the back of our taxi car. The nights near the mountain become very cool especially during rainy season. The ladies have been working in their garden and come into church with joy in their hearts. They show us the nursery or seed bed that has just been finished. They are so happy that God has seen their need and answered their prayer.
After a short time of singing and of sharing the Word the blankets are given out one by one. Their smiles are not hidden but increase in size. Some place their blankets on their head and thank the Lord with singing and dance.
Not everyone has the joy of the Lord. The hearts of many are troubled and lost in darkness. We are just learning of a father who sacrificed his 5 year old son on the 19th not far from here.
Saturday the 22nd of May is a day of celebration for one of the workers at the lodge. His first born, Charlene, is being dedicated today in his home village. We travel to the other side of Kitale past the busy market area and the matatu stages. The area is heavily populated with men and women selling their fruit and vegetables. Piles of clothes for sale decorate the path beside the road. We dodge the many bicycles, motorbikes, goats, cows, human drawn carts and those walking. There never seems to be order or a system of safe travel here but somehow it works.
We travel the one lane dirt road as we enjoy the rich green gardens of the country side. With the heavy rains that we have received it has made parts of the road almost impassable. Elvis is the oldest of seven boys and he greets us as we enter his home area. Today extended family and friends will come and share in this event. Many hands and lots of hours have gone into preparing food for this special day. We are taken into Elvis' parent's home and are given many choices of food to try.
The afternoon is used for boxing up Bibles and sending them to Lodwar by way of bus. We will travel to Lodwar by air on Monday and the Bibles should be there waiting for usJ When people hear that you are traveling to Lodwar they have two things to say. "If you're going to Lodwar you must really be called of God and willing to suffer. It is so hot there that it is punishment."
Sunday May 23rd our rented 4 wheel drive land cruiser is packed with blankets. The sun is out and the rain clouds are not anywhere to be seen. Today's destination is to reach the forest area in Mt Elgon. A three hour drive from Kitale into the mountain should bring us to the Ndorobo tribe. The highland tribe, also known as Mt Elgon Maasai, are bee keepers and live on milk and honey. They live by themselves 12 kilometers inside the forest.
We start out early and reach Kapsokony in good time. After we pick up Pastor Mark and tie his guitar on the rack we travel further up the mountain. The rains have caused some serious mudding of the roads.
Children gather around to see if we will make it without getting stuck. We travel over rocky areas with boulders changing the course of travel. The towns that looked big as we traveled through them are nothing but little specks now. The fields of maize and wheat are flourishing. Small potatoes are being bagged and carried by truck load to the market areas to sell. Each village we pass through becomes a little smaller than the one before it.
Pastor Moses is from the Ndorobo tribe and he is waiting outside the forest for us so that he can guide us through the last 12 kilometers. We have everyone now and continue toward the forest. We are so close and are looking forward to meeting with a group of people that continue to live life in the way that it has been passed down to them for many generations. The elephants are also attracted to this area here in the forest as they come to give birth.
We turn into a very small muddy road and begin to enter the forest. Very quickly we are stopped by guards and told to turn the vehicle around. We would not be permitted to go any further. The driver turns the vehicle around as Pastor Mark and Pastor Moses try to inform them of our intentions. In this short time children begin to gather around us. I get out to greet them and I give them each a pair of slippers made by my mother. They are so excited to have something new, colorful and warm. However I am quickly told to stop. The guards want us out of the area. We do as we are asked and travel back to the connecting road.
We have traveled far and want to encourage the Ndorobo people and give them blankets for warmth at night. Our plans for the day seem to have been defeated but we know God is in control. One of the pastor's calls a friend of his. He is a Ndorobo and also a major in the Kenyan army. We travel about an hour down the mountain, back through some really heavy duty mud holes and meet with the Major. He apologizes for the incident and encourages us not to give up. His mom still lives in the forest and he knows the people are suffering and going without. He willingly offers to show us to the head office of the person in charge of the forest.
We sit together in the head office that control this area and share with them our purpose for traveling here. We are told that because of security reasons they cannot permit us to travel into the area where the Ndorobo tribe lives. With the drums beating in the distance we are encouraged not to give up. We are told to obtain a written letter from the proper government official that will permit us to travel here. After praying for each one we start our journey back down the mountain side.
Pastor Mark has a church that is part way down the mountain. The service is almost over but we are asked to stop and greet everyone. His church sits on the side of a slope that overlooks the valley. It is a beautiful spot setting off by itself. On one side of the mud church there are bricks that have walled a new church structure. It is only the lack of a roof that is preventing services from being held here. We share in greetings and a short word from one of the Psalms then it is time to finish our travel back. The issue of a pending rain storm is before us.
We encourage the widows of the church to walk with us back to the vehicle. Each widow is given a new blanket to help her through the coldness of the nights.
The children gather around and it feels like Christmas in USA as they receive new slipper socks made by my mom, Charlotte Towne. Before leaving Pastor Mark's church in Kapsokony his wife approaches me and again I am given an encouraging word …not to give up.
The Major gave us a beautiful basket made by the Ndorobo tribe to take with us. In the evening while resting back at the lodge we received a message. Someone had delivered the news of the day's events to the Ndorobo tribe inside the forest. They sent word out to us. The Ndorobo tribe is waiting for our arrival. Two hundred members of the tribe say "welcome".
Many thanks are sent to Elaine Moesel and our home church, Milton Assembly of God in New Hampshire, for their donations. You made it possible for us to deliver Bibles and Blankets to so many in need. You have brought happiness into the lives of many :)
Thank you Mom for the many hours you have worked to give warmth to the children's feet here in Africa. Their smiles speak louder than words :)
Isaiah 52:7
How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!"
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