Thursday, April 25, 2013

Planting In Good Soil


April 14, 2013 (Sunday) A new week starts, the heavy rains continue and the day ends ushering in new challenges for the days ahead.  When storms come we stand strong knowing that God is still God. 
 
 
April 19, 2013 (Friday) While on the back of a motorbike I gave directions through the twists and turns of the small dirt roads that take me to Cornerstone Christian Fellowship. The church sits within a small open field with a small pond in the valley.  Mount Elgon stands high in the skyline beyond it and the sky although blue is sure to bring in rain clouds before the day is over.    
                                
 
Today there is an all-day youth conference and over 60 teens are waiting on the inside. We are praying that the rain will just hold off until after we are finished.  The rain is a blessing to many but for those within the church it becomes impossible to hear anyone’s voice. 
There were times of beings serious and lighter times of fun and laughter. It was a great time of getting to know each other better and of learning more of what God’s word says.   Seven teenagers came forward at the end and asked for prayer.  We thank God for the ears and hearts that were open God’s calling.

April 21, 2013 (Sunday) Rafiki is a very small village about 30 minutes outside of Kitale.  We travel through Kipsong slums toward Mt Elgon into the country land and the meager lifestyles of those who live here.  The people from Rafiki once lived in the mountain but left to regroup and live in area without tribal wars and violence.  They struggle and some remain without land to grow crops.  They try to feed their families on 50 shillings (60 cents) a day and some go without.
After church, Duncan, an agricultural officer, teaches them how to build and grow a portable garden.  This will be such a tremendous blessing to those that do not have land of their own. We have a box full of grain bags and seedlings with us.     
                                                                            
 
The children run through the yard and pick up small stones and broken pieces of red bricks.  The men grab their hoes and start to turn the soil over removing any debris that is seen.  Another couple of men find make a stake and sharper one end.  The women find a good size plastic container and will remove the bottom to make both ends open.    
 
The first portable garden is in progress and will remain here at the church to help feed the school children.   Plastic chairs and wooden benches are brought out into the open and everyone gathers close together to listen to what Duncan has to say.  They want to learn and they are ever so grateful that someone has remembered them and seen their need. 
 
The portable garden is finished and it stands firmly in the soil supported by the stake that is in the middle.  All way up the stake is a small circle of little pebbles and pieces of brick which give more strength to the stake and help in drainage.  Good mixed soil, ½ manure & ½ soil, fills the area beyond the stones. Small holes are placed in measured out places and seedlings are put in place.  The very top area is used as well and they are encouraged to plant onions here to help keep the insects away.  With this garden there is no need to buy costly pesticides and no worry about cows trampling through their hard labor. 

The lesson is over and the first bucket of water flows down into the pebbled area of the sac. There is no doubt that this garden will be watched and well cared for.
The day has come to an end and I’m walked to the car that is waiting for us.  Our goodbyes are said with hugs, handshakes and the wave of the hand. We think our day is over but soon we find ourselves stuck deep in the mud.  The wheels spin and the mud flies and the children come running.  The smiles are big and they are more than willing to help!

It was a wonderful day and so rewarding to see how happy and thankful they were to have the opportunity to learn.  I returned to my room with a happy heart.  They say life has its ups and downs and I was feeling very up but ….before I got back to my room I fell down and sprained my ankle.  It was instant swelling and pain but I am very thankful that it was not broken.
Mark 4:8
Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times."

Saturday, April 20, 2013

Holding Grandma's Hand

 

April 7, 2013 (Sunday) I traveled by motorbike to the village of Taito for the morning service. The rains have been heavy this month and the roads are suffering because of it.  Once off the main roads we traveled up into the hills and the roads began to deteriorate even more. It was evident that it would be best for me to walk the last length of road unless I wanted to take the chance of being dumped in one of the massive mud puddles.  My driver was very happy to hear of my decision! 

As I walked I carefully chose each place to step as I knew the soil beneath me was not only muddy but slippery.  In time I found some hard ground to stand on and tried to repair any damage the thirty minute motorbike ride had done to me. Out of the corner of my eye I could see someone moving quickly through the tall bushes.  One of the ladies had spotted me from a distance and was trying her best to catch me so we could walk together. The trees towered above us and provided shade from the hot sun as we continued walking together.  We could hear the voices of those worshipping within the church as they flowed out beyond the four walls into the quiet country around us.  
The service came to an end but before anyone could leave the heavens opened and the rain came down.  Here they call it “falling” instead of raining.  The wind and rains kept everyone inside the church for a long time of silence as the rains hitting the metal roof made it impossible to visit.

April 8, 2013 (Monday) We were delivered safe and sound to the door of the church in Mitume slum by motorbike. The ride can often set one into fervent prayer.  Dodging sheep, bicycles, motorbikes a child at play, a donkey & cart, swerving this way and that to avoid pot holes and the general chaos of unorganized traffic that Line Moja brings makes one know how necessary it is to ask for the Lord’s protection each and every day.  As we roll down into the slum area the lifestyle of neglect and hopelessness screams out at us from every side. 
Before the class even starts a very desperate woman enters the church with her granddaughter. She requests prayer for this little one as she has been sick. It was evident that the woman was in great need of prayer herself.
Her life story was sad.  She once attended the very church she now stood in. In fact she was one of the first members of the church.  She had wandered away being pulled down by the lifestyle of the slum and seeing no way out.  There were so many issues at hand; repeated rape, the shame of facing her family, a husband gone bad, trying to find food, facing the everyday hardships, the feeling of being tormented, sick, without medical care and using alcohol to cover the pain.  It was her little granddaughter that wanted to go to church today and she led the way holding onto her grandma’s hand.  When she arrived she was surprised to see the door open as it was a Monday!  

After an hour of talking together she asked the Lord to forgive her and help her.  With heavy sobs and her head hanging down she cried out to God for help as she forgave those that had hurt her.  We prayed over her precious little granddaughter for complete healing knowing that the Lord loves the little children.

During the class we often have little children join us or gather at the door and just wait for a smile. They are children with a variety of needs some common because of the place they live others unique because of the challenges they have faced but they are quiet and respectful as we teach.  Today we were confronted with an older boy, one we had not seen before, he insisted on interrupting our Biblical Foundation class on the Holy Spirit.  He would enter into the church, stand looking straight at me, and laugh out loud.  His interruptions were dealt with and the class continued. 
It was a day of challenges from inside and out but we saw the Holy Spirit working here changing lives and giving hope and assurance to them that they don’t walk alone.  We left rejoicing knowing that God was doing a mighty work within so many here in the slums of Mitume.

April 9, 2013 (Tuesday) On the other side of Kitale town is another slum area called Shimo.  We enter the mud walled church for our weekly class.  The drums used for Sunday service hang on a nail behind the door.  The wooden benches are pulled out of storage and the plastic chairs that are chained and locked are unlocked and put in place.   Even though it is the rainy season the morning is hot and the chicken wire at the top of the walls lets a cool breeze in.  The class is attentive and they openly share situations they are facing.  Their hearts are sensitive and the Word of God is active within them. We are so blessed to see the continued growth in each one.  Today’s class was a repeat of yesterday’s class.  It ended with so many asking for prayer. Their hearts were stirred and they cried out to the Lord. The Holy Spirit is doing such a great work within each one…..they will never be the same again.  A revival has started here in this little mud church in the slums of Shimo.
April 10, 2013 (Wednesday) I will never stay here long enough to understand the evil that I see and hear about.  The unwarranted acts against children by their parents, those that are suppose to love and protect them, continue to pierce my heart.  My mind cannot fathom how one human being can use and abuse another in such inhuman ways. 

Today I heard of a young girl who escaped from her home after being tied up for years.  She ran through the darkness of the night and proceeded to pound on the first car that came her way.  Her screams for help were real and the tears flowed from a face covered in terror. The car that came her way that night was driven by Pastor Richard and Helen the founders of an orphanage that rescue children from the slums.  She proceed to tell them how she had been tied up and used as a sex slave for years, her ankles showed the raw proof of bleeding flesh.  That night of her escape there were six men waiting for her.
 
The pastor and his wife went to her home and the story she told was not a story but real life, six men were waiting for her.   This child was rescued at the age of 9 or 10 after years of abuse.  She has had corrected surgery on one leg as being tied up for so long interfered with the normal growth of one leg.  It took a long time before she would even lift her head and look into anyone’s eyes. Time, prayer and lots of love have been poured into this dear little girl and now I watch as she stands before the church and sings from deep within.  Her song rolls out of her up into the heavens to a God that saw her in her darkest hour and rescued her.
April 11, 2013 (Thursday) When it rains in the night it easier for the thieves to attack and rob those that are sleeping.  Last night a home not to far from the lodge was broken into.   Armed men took control of the guard and tied him and the owner up.  They went through the whole house and took anything of value.  We thank God that their lives were spared.

April 12, 2013 (Friday) On Friday’s there is a time of ministry for those living in the streets.  There were piles of fresh garbage of fresh garbage that had just been brought in and dumped before we arrived. Street people of all ages gathered in the midst of the garbage.  Some huddled around their fires waiting to eat the food they were cooking while others were just trying to keep warm.  The smoke rolled through the damp air that the wind and rains bring.  They recognized us and were happy to see us. We came with bags of sandwiches to pass out after the service. 
It is a church day for them and everyone wants to take part. They sit close together in one area and offer to sing a song or two before I speak.  A young girl, now four months pregnant, stands to sing. Vivan is a natural and you can tell her song pleases everyone that listens.  John, probably one of the leaders, stands with authority and sings praises to his God.  Pastor David motions to some of the other older guys sitting in the midst of the new garbage piles to come closer and join us.   They are within hearing distance and their eyes are focused on us but they do not move.  This garbage has just arrived and they are making claim to it.  They will not move.
At the end of the service several raised their hands for prayer and come forward and kneel.  One is for salvation and the others are for health reasons, most of them need prayer for the pain they have in their feet.  They walk without shoes through the broken glass and trash and there is never time for wounds to heal.  Any shoes or clothes that is given to them is usually sold buy food to take care of the hunger pains or to purchase drugs or alcohol to kill the pain of life and the coldness of the rainy nights.

There are over one hundred sandwiches and they disappear fast.  An elder mama wraps a necklace around my neck, words of appreciation and a thank you is given from the leaders and the welcome onto their turf remains. 
April 13, 2013 (Saturday) While standing with two of the widows in Taito village I could tell that I was the topic of the conversation.  The pastor explained to me that they were worried that I might not be able to make today’s walk into the hills of Taito and Makoi village.  I really didn’t know what to expect or how far we were to travel.  All I knew is they had pointed to the hills in the far distance and said we were going over there. The conversation made me wonder just a bit if I was in for a challenge as they knew I was well able to walk for hours through the hills of Taito. The pastor’s response settled and stopped any further discussion on the matter. He told them “She is a strong woman!”
 
So off we went with my backpack, umbrella, rain coat, one bottle of water and my Bible. Our walk took us into new areas and into a new village. We traveled through areas not passable by vehicles.  It was quiet and peaceful and everyone we saw along the way wanted to be greeted.
 

If they saw the camera they quickly gathered for a photo then overwhelming joy erupted as they viewed themselves within the camera.
 
We visited along the way explaining to everyone who we were and why we were traveling this way.  It was a small community but the open fields and farm land lengthened the pathways between the homes.  Little children followed us with a skip in their walk as a white woman visiting them was very special.


The cows walked freely as they grazed at the edge of the road along the way but someone is usually standing quietly in the shadows watching over them.


We stop at a little one room store that is stocked with about 10 items. Your shopping is done by walking up to the one window made of fencing wire and asking if they have what you need.   

Today there are many smiles because in front of that window was a jar of bubble gum....just what we needed!  Even though some children are a bit fearful and will keep you at an arm’s length a piece of bubble gum is worth the stretch :)

We stop at one home and the whole family leaves their work in the gardens to join us.  We sit under a shade tree to visit and share some scripture.  All eyes are on me and their ears are wide open listening to everything I have to say.  I am the second white person that has come to visit them.  We prayed for health issues and some of their concerns and then we are on our way. 

Sarah an adult daughter of theirs joins us for the remainder of the day.  This is her village and we are more likely to be received without fear with Sarah with us. The soil here is rich and they have learned how to live off the land.  Banana trees grow quickly and easily and become a good source of food for them and their livestock.


We visit in the yard of another family and to the left I see faces peering at me through the bushes.   I look to the right and I see a another group of children watching me. We motion for all to join us as we talk and enjoy the shade from the hot noon day sun.  The family from next door has heard of a visitor in the area and has come to see if it is true. 

I have their attention and they listen as I share the Word. Everyone is quiet as I speak even the children.  The man who lives in the house next door raises his hand for prayer.  Peter, a Turkana man, wants to ask Jesus into his heart.

The sky darkens and we are such a long distance away. We hear the thunder and know that we must not delay but head back.  Evans, my interpreter, tells me that he hasn’t any energy left.  If it rains he cannot walk any faster than he is right now.  Last week he suffered with malaria and his strength still has not returned to the normal level. 
There are always short cuts or a cow path to follow and we are in a hurry. We leave the traveled country dirt road and head straight down the hills. We travel through the pastures, under the trees, through maize fields, climb over fences and jump over brooks.  We can see the church in the distance and it still looks ever so small.   My goal and my focus is to beat the storm and head straight back to the church but .......  This mama with excitement in her voice welcomes us into her home and within seconds of entering the heavens open and the pouring rain descends. 
We sit quietly inside as the rain hitting the roof is so loud we can’t hear each other talk.  When the rains start it can rain hard for hours and in a few hours darkness will be setting in. After 45 minutes or so we decided we needed to leave even though it was still raining. So with raincoat on and umbrella in hand we walked through more fields, over and under wooden fences and barb wire fences, until we returned safely to the church property our point of beginning.  

I was a little wet, a little chilled to the bone, a little muddy, a little tired and a lot happy to settle in at the lodge!  I can still say “It was a good day.” 
Psalm 147:7, 8
 
 Sing to the Lord with grateful praise; make music to our God on the harp. He covers the sky with clouds; he supplies the earth with rain and makes grass grow on the hills.

Sunday, April 7, 2013

Standing In Garbage


April 5, 2013 (Friday) The night was full of rolling thunder and heavy rains but the early morning opened with the song birds singing a new song.  The mountain range before us is clear and the rising sun soon removes the pellets of rain left on the green grass.  
It was early and I made a quick trip to town to buy the necessary items to make sandwiches for the street people today. On my way out of the store I noticed that many street children had gathered off to the side. Knowing that my schedule was tight I tried to continue on without being noticed. I motioned to the first motorbike I saw and two or three of the younger ones spotted me.  I thought that I could bless each of them with a slice of bread without the other twenty five or so seeing what was going on.  I was wrong and was soon surrounded by street people of all ages and some of the older mamas were getting very demanding.  I put bread in the hands of as many little ones as possible while telling my driver to “go.”  When the crowd starts to take over you know it’s time to leave.

As I waited at the corner for Pastor David a couple of the street boys came running up to me.  Their eyes immediately peered into the big bag of sandwiches and I knew they were hungry.  I stalled hoping that the pastor would come soon.  I knew that if I pulled one sandwich out of the bag others would see from a far and come running.  The sandwiches needed to be saved for the meeting we had planned. We walked to the cart with banana's for sale so that they would have something to eat. Within seconds other street boys started running our way.  There are so many little hungry faces.
 
Pastor David led us to the dust bin/garbage dump. There are many dumps around the area but this one is considered the headquarters for the street people. Pastor David has worked with them for a few years and is known by them for his kind heart.  It didn't take long for them to gather around us.  The first thing that hit me was the rank smells coming from the piles of garbage they eat from.  There were women sleeping on the ground with their little tiny babies and the flies were swarming around them.  I was being careful where I stepped when I noticed all the bare feet and the broken glass they are walking in.  Their feet were swollen, cracked,  cut and bleeding.  A little toddler's hand was cut and no one seems to care.   
We walked into some conflict. We heard loud voices and crying.  A teenage boy was ready for revenge and had a big rock in his hand.  The voices increased in volume as Pastor David pulled the boy out of the crowd and tried to calm him.
I stood in the middle of the garbage dump and started to speak. I was completely surrounded by the street people of all ages. Some wore the scars of a trouble life on the outside but all of them had the scars of a troubled life on the inside.  Some carried the smell of alcohol while others held a glue bottle in their hand. Their eyes remained focused on me. They were very attentive and seemed to be grasping what I was saying.   In the midst of the garbage and flies thirteen raised their hand and asked Jesus into their heart.
We had made about 100 sandwiches to give out today.  We had the children go to one area and line up and the adults to the other side. That way we would make sure that the very young didn’t go without.  The adult line was orderly for a while but then it turned into pushing and shoving so we held back the sandwiches until order was restored.
It took longer to make the sandwiches than it did to pass them out!  They disappeared really fast and I think we could have given out more.  Most here are uneducated and lack the necessary social skills to mingle with the public. So I was surprised and blessed to have three of the older guys come to me before I left and say “thank you.”
I've been told that I don't need to worry about walking around on the streets here.  They won’t let anyone hurt me. They will defend me as I have spent time with them on their turf and have shown them love. 

A home not too far from the lodge was robbed today by several guys.  One of the guys was caught and an angry mob of about 100 people gathered and beat him over and over again.   Many times mob justice takes over and after the beating the robber they will set him on fire.

Proverbs 14:31 Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.

Saturday, April 6, 2013

In The Field

 
 
April 1 & 2, 2013 (Monday & Tuesday) Our weekly classes in the slums of Mitume and Shimo continue and we are seeing growth in those that are attending.  They continue to sacrifice their time and set their daily chores aside to sit and learn the Word of God.
 
April 3, 2013 (Wednesday) Today we walked the rolling hills of the village of Taito It was a day set aside for door to door visitation.  The mud huts sit nestled in the midst of the banana trees and the rich green growth that the rains bring.  It is the season for planting and many are working their gardens.
First we stop at the church to deliver thirty baby chairs that will be stored until our new day school opens in May. There was excitement in the air when some of the mama’s saw evidence that a dream of theirs was really coming true.
 
 
Our first stop is right next door to the church.  Fetus an elder in the community is healthy and strong and he remembers the days he helped us build the church.  His wife was busy feeding the chickens but stopped to greet me with, “You’ve been gone long!”
 
We visit Aaron a young man that put in many hours helping us build the church.  His beautiful wife and 2 boys joined us as well.  Little baby Jacob has never seen a white woman before but as I hold him in my arms there isn’t any evidence of fear.
As we walked the small country dirt road traveled mostly by donkey carts and a motorbike now and then the tall slender eucalyptus trees cooled the air around us.  We stopped at a small house made from the mud of the earth to pray for Sylvia. We were quickly invited inside and wooden stools were put in place for us to sit on. Her husband who suffers with a past leg injury hobbled to his stool and sat with us.
 
Soon we are asked outside to pray for his wife. All eyes are on Sylvia. She is sleeping on the ground under a tree near the house. Her x-rays are neatly folded and she hides them close to her.  She was diagnosed with stomach cancer last October.  She is thin but her stomach is bloated and her eyes have yellowed.  I tell her how I’ve seen God’s power in my life and what He has done for me before we pray.  Her two grown children quietly listen and look on with compassion in their eyes. 
Sylvia’s husband had never asked Jesus in his heart. Today, as I hold his hands, he bows his head and says the sinners pray.
Helen suffers from asthma and last night she called her children for help.  She thought she was dying and would never see the sun rise.  We shared about God’s goodness before we prayed for her healing. As we walked away we hear a voice of praise and gratitude to God saying “I’m healed, I’m healed.”
 
We walked for some distance and the sky was darkening with rain clouds but there was so much more to do so we continued on.  A grandma needs encouragement and prayer. Her body is weak and her joints are in pain. Her little grandson cautiously peers at me from the outside and her granddaughter who faces many challenges falls to her knees for prayer.
We walked down through the valley and we followed the narrow path up the other side.  On the edge of a knoll sits a home.  The family is outside and their bright colored clothes speak out boldly against the dark blue sky.  The little guy is preparing for his bath and never showed a bit of shame only happiness to have a visitor.
The need for encouragement here is great not just in this home but many. We hear the warning of the first rain drops and say our goodbyes.  The umbrellas are ready and the pace of our walk increases.
As we traveled past some of the homes we wave and greet those that are outside. One man wasn’t happy with just a greeting and he ran after us.  He wanted us to visit inside his home.  We explained the need for us to continue walking as we were far from the church.  We didn’t leave though until we prayed a blessing upon him and shared the gospel.  This man accepted the Lord in the middle of a field with rain drops falling on his head and kids jeering off to the side.  It was an unexpected stop of the day but certainly a God planned visit.
It was a good day.  We had walked through  the fields, cow pastures, valleys, hilltops, crawled under and over barbwire fences and now we called it a day and headed back.  While walking through an open area of tall grass I heard the grass move in front of me. I froze in place and I think my heart stopped for a brief second.  Whatever it was I thank God that it moved away from me quickly.
The sky opened up and the rains came down just as we stepped inside of Mama Rhoda’s house.  We thank God for all that He has done while we rested in the quietness of her home.  Gladys heard that we were in the area and she found us at Mama Rhoda’s.  I am amazed at how beautiful she is now.  She was near death last year when we visited and prayed for her.  A visit to the hospital proved her to be HIV positive.  Now her face radiates and her smile says it all. She is healthy, strong and has put weight back on.  She expressed how thankful she was over and over again.  Seeing how God had restored life to her put added sweetness to the end of our day. Our God is great!
When the rain had stopped we started walking toward the main road in order to catch a ride.  We thought our day was over but Ebseba, a very devote Christian woman, heard we were close by.  She insisted that we visit her before we leave for the day.  Ebseba’s son was troubled to the point he could not work but last year we prayed for him and God delivered him.  This young man left his sick bed of torment and helped us build the church in Taito.
Our God has unlimited power and he deserves unlimited praise!
Mark 16:15 He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.
 

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Supreme Court Rules

 

March 27, 2013 (Wednesday) Please pray for Pastor Chris from Kawangware. (A Nairobi slum area) Today he will bury his mother age 65 and another relative age 45.  Please remember him and his family.

March 29, 2013 (Friday) Plans are in progress and prices are being gathered to help some of the younger children in the village of Taito. Many here do not have the extra income to send their children to school. The cost of the required uniform, sweater, shoes, socks and the haircut far exceeds the parents reach. Soon some of the smaller children will be attending class at the church that was built last year in Taito.  We are excited to see how God will work in the lives of these little ones and bring change to their village.
 
March 30, 2013 (Saturday) The children are off from school today and will be at the orphanage during the day.  Everyone is very busy when we arrive.  The older children are making a simple flatbread baked on a hot griddle, called Chapatti, for lunch and others are doing buckets of laundry.  Those that have their chores done are outside playing.  The earth that usually clings to the bottom of our feet has turned into multipurpose play dough.  Time passes in the hot sun as they mold and shape the dirt into something grand.  They are so happy to show us their finished work.
 

On the other side of the play yard the men are busy at work.  A new building to house 100 teenage girls is in the making.  Pastor Richard Makani and his wife, Helen, continue to see God’s hand at work in supplying the many needs for the orphans they take in. They are a blessing to so many children from Kipsongo slums and the surrounding area.

All day we kept our ears open for any news from the Supreme Court of Kenya.  The uncertainty of what their decision would be made many cautious of where they traveled.  As the day came to an end the Supreme Court made their announcement that they felt the election was in fact free and fair. 

Kenyatta will be sworn in on April 9th as Kenya’s 4th president.  Mr. Kenyatta, the son of Kenya’s founding president, is facing charges of crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court.

Nairobi had prepared for troubled. They barricaded some of the streets and had soldiers at different posts throughout the populated areas.  Truckloads of soldiers were ready to travel if needed.  Much of the media had agreed not to report demonstrations and violence as they felt it would excite more violence. 
After the ruling was released violence erupted in Kisumu, Nairobi and the slums around Nairobi. We have heard of shops being looted, and people throwing stones and burning tires in the streets. Some people have died and others have been wounded as protesters took to the streets.


March 31, 2013 (He Is Risen!) I was to travel a couple hours away today and speak in a church near Eldoret but because of the US Embassy warning and the uncertainty of Kenya’s reaction to the Supreme Court’s ruling I stayed close to the lodge.  
The tent was full and as we sang our Easter songs the soldiers walked the railroad tracks beside us. It was a reminder that the land in which we stood was still a simmering with tension and unrest.

It was also a reminder that even though this area remained peaceful there are those that have suffered and lost the little that they had.  Before church this morning the Pastor from Kawangware slums notified me of the violence that so many had lived through in the slums.  Over 56 homes in the slums had been burnt to the ground.  The little they had was now gone. They had lived without the extras and now they had nothing.  They had nothing to keep them from the rain and the cold nights.  The small wooden door that they locked at night to keep them from the evil would no longer keep them safe.

There was panic at a bus stop in Kariobangi when a bomb was found in a public transportation vehicle that took people from the center of Nairobi.The Improvised Explosive Device had been manufactured and was ready for detonation when the matatu crew discovered it on Sunday. Police said they suspect the owners of the explosive had set it and alighted ready to detonate but it failed. The conclusion was arrived at after they found 42 missed calls on a mobile phone that was found next to the bomb.  by Cyrus Ombati  

 Shortly after this bomb was found another one was found in Nakuru.

Shopping for groceries doesn’t take long here.  The many choices that we have in our grocery stores at home just aren’t available here.  Thursday I traveled 2 hours to a more populated area to pick up some Bibles and go to the immigration office.  In the stores here in Eldoret they had a few more treats on their shelves and many of them reminded me of home. Let me share with you why so many rely on vegetables that they can grow themselves. 

Here are a few prices for you; brownie mix $5.38, cake mix $3.22 - $4.04, regular 32 oz jar of mayonnaise  $6.90, a small can of tuna $3.33, a small 24oz jar of Ragu sauce $4.62, small salad dressing $3.92


In some of the interior areas the daily pay can be as low as 50 ksh or about 56 cents. Life can be very hard for so many here. It is not uncommon to see children living on the streets fending for themselves. Such little ones will never understand what being a child is all about.

Earlier I shared with you about a pastor in the Lodwar area that had a cobra spit in her eye.  It took them an hour to travel out of the interior to the hospital.  She was treated there and then flown to a better hospital in Eldoret.  It was very serious situation and she lost her sight in one eye because of the cobra’s venom.   Many prayers were said for her and we thank you for being faithful and praying.  God has restored her sight completely!

Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.