Another in the Kingdom

Linus and Liz have "adopted" some wonderful young adults. They are extended family, so adopting is not the legal term. It is more like providing a better opportunity for education for nieces, nephews, cousins, etc. One of their new charges is Purity. She is in a family photo that I have taken a week ago. In this photo she is reading a devotional moments after she has chosen Christ to be her Lord and Savior. (That comment is for my friend Ben.)

After dinner tonight, they were discussing spiritual things when the topic of heaven and hell came up. In the course of conversation, it was apparent that Purity was not comfortable. So I asked her about her salvation, expecting to get the typical answers. Instead, she had no response at all. So, I pressed her, not knowing that the family had this conversation in full the week before. As I pressed, the silence grew deeper. After first I did not know what to say, and I was ready to quit pressing when the resistance grew. However, I felt that still voice inside saying "Do not stop now. You must ask her to respond." So, I asked her what the problem was. Then I asked her why she would not respond. As the tension grew I was ready to let go, when the Spirit told me to ask about her pride. She looked at me then.

Purity is from a works-based salvation church. The African Bible Churches have a Presbyterian background (Anglican for you Brits out there). So, here understanding of repentance and faith-based salvation was limited. So, she struggled letting go and trying something new--faith.

She looked at me. and then I asked her if she wanted to become a Christian right now. She said yes. Oh, the joy. We prayed for God's forgiveness, thanked him for salvation, and rejoiced with her family. She had found a physical family to know. Now she is in their spiritual family as well.

God is good.

Now, how many of these conversations have I let go because I did not want to press the issue of confront? Well, too many. This was a precious moment for me and for the Kirimi family. It is also a reminder for me that this is the real reason for SHBC and our discipleship. Press through the struggles, praise God for the mountain tops, and speak his Gospel as he leads.

As for the chicken . . .

See for yourself.

You'll never guess what I saw . . . .

He's everywhere!

The Kenyan people were very disappointed when he decided not to visit last week. His issues with the Kenyan government were not understood, and the masses were disappointed that "their" president did not come to visit them.

The statement says, "Barack Obama: sitting under the coconut tree."

I guess it means that he has arrived, or you can insert your own punchline here. ____________

Safari Time

Went on a safari to Lake Nakuru. Lake Nakuru is known as a migration spot for Flamingos. The two previous trips I made, we passed this lake, and you could see the pink from the highway, some 5 miles away.

We drove all day and saw some great scenery, plenty of exotic animals, and had a very relaxing time. Unfortunately, there were no elephants (the park is not big enough for them) and the predators (lions, hyenas, and leopards) were all in hiding.

Was glad to not be reading a book or studying something. It has been over a month since I used every spare minute to prepare for this trip. This feels like my first break from it.

Not that I'm complaining--I'm just saying . . . .

I will post serveral pictures as picasaweb, account shbc07.

Hope you enjoy.

Another soul in the Kingdom

There was a girl who became a Christian in church today. She spoke primarily in a tribal language, and English was not a good language for her. This means she has little education and is probably very poor. When the pastor asked for a decision, she raised her hand. But when she came before the church, she needed a translator to be able to express her true feelings to the pastor and congregation. So, God used an English-speaking preacher with a Swahili interpreter to bring his Gospel to a third language that I cannot even pronounce or spell. Wow.

It is rare for me to see someone saved during an actual sermon. I don't know how to interpret that, so I won't dwell. I can tell you that in Kenya there are many in church on Sunday, and many that do not truly believe. There is a great movement in Africa and Asia right now. Many non-believers are seeking truth in Christian churches, and there is a great harvest taking place. I am glad to be a part of training ministers for this task, and I am glad to be here to get a taste of what God is doing in Kenya--and wants to do in Lubbock, TX.

Banana Hill B. C.

Banana Hill Baptist Church (don't know why--there are no banana--only tea plantations) is the church where I preached this morning. Thomas (in the suit) is their pastor, and he is also a student of mine. They are teaming with Imani Baptist to meet the needs of HIV patients. They have recently planted a new church in their own town in order to reach more people. They baptized 12 last week. Another was saved this morning during the service.

And they give chickens to guests preachers.

Sounds like a great place, huh?

Meet Humphrey

SHBC Family. I am proud to introduce you to Humphrey. He is an associate pastor at Imani Baptist. He is a volunteer who is called to serve God. His ministry is quite extra-ordinary.

Imani Baptist, as I mentioned before, is located in a slum area of Tigoni--which gives new meaning to the word slum. The ministry that Humphrey leads is one to HIV positive men and women. He has put together a year-long class that is designed to meet immediate needs, bring evangelistic witness, educate HIV infected men and women on prevention, and to help their families cope with long-term care. They are working on their second class now, and it has 63 women and 12 men enrolled.

Humphrey holds classes at the church on Wed. and Fri. He goes on Tue. and Thu. to give home visits to the bed-ridden. The HIV infected in Kenya are considered a sub-class of society and shunned from all community fellowship. Their families are treated with great caution because little is known about the disease. So, in spite of the attempts at education, the HIV infected and their families are considered cursed and left out of work, church, and society in general.

As Humphrey is talking to me about his ministry and the work he puts in, I begin to ask questions.

Do people treat you differently? Sometimes, but I don't care.

Have you been trained? Yes, there are other churches and organizations that do this same work. We are trained once a year.

What precautions do you take? Rubber gloves, masks when necessary, avoiding all bodily fluids.

What can you do to really help them? We provide fellowship and Bible study. Many are not allowed in churches because of the disease. We also provide fellowship for the care-givers. If they are not saved, we witness to them about God's love and acceptance. Many have been saved. One is now an active member in Imani Baptist Church. Others have been on their death beds, but hope has allowed them to participate in basic life again. They know what precautions they must take, and we hold them accountable. Several have started working again out of their homes--sewing, embroidery, selling charcoal, and other odd jobs. We have seen dignity increase, and we have seen hope return.

Meet Humphrey. He knows Jesus. He has given him everything. And he is giving hope to the hopeless. Now that is what it means to be a disciple. God has given him a calling. And he is living it. Now that is the kind of man I want to work beside.

Anyone want to join me?

Another first in Kenya

I have experienced some ministry "firsts" during my three visits to Kenya.

First Sermon. (1984)

First Baptism. (1991)

First Anglican Mass. (1984)

First Lord's Supper with pita bread and coke. (Yeah, I didn't know you could do that either.) (1991)

And now I have another one.

First time I have been given a live chicken for lunch. (2009)

They were very gracious in giving me such a gift--and I was probably not as good at hiding my surprise. They laughed. I think it had something to do with cooking him. But I took the thing. Set him down in the church until time to go. Carried him out in a white plastic bag (ironic, huh--taking home chicken for lunch may look different in Kenya, but it still has the same end). I have given it to the proper people, and apparently will be eating chicken later today. Hopefully all of the feather will be gone . . . .

Who knows what will be next?

Monkeys again

It was 4 AM. I am sleeping well. And then--shake, boom, rattle, roll, silence. Yup, the monkeys were at it again. But this time, one stopped before he jumped off the roof and started talking. Little sounds--simple oohs and ohs. Very high-pitched. Sounded like a little monkey. After about a minute, he left and there was silence again.

I hope they're not planning an attack . . . . . .

Late nights

In order to help my students, I have decided to let them stay in the library until 11 PM every night. This means I must stay until everyone leaves the building. Needless to stay, it makes for very late nights. However, I am thrilled that the students are hungering to learn and study. Most of them do not have much computer experience, so they are learning much about computer typing and also computer frustrations. I have the privilege of introducing them to new literature and books. The librarian commented on all of the books they are putting up. That is a good sign.

Now, to teach them about footnotes. Apparently citing sources is not a priority in Kenyan high schools.

Order out of chaos

Most of the flower picture I have posted are from Brackenhurst. This is a remarkable facility, and the management has done a great job with it. By the way, Brackenhurst is managed by missionaries with the IMB. So, I have been enjoying SBC resources while I am here. It is amazing how once you leave Texas the Baptist politics seem to wane. Most people out here are concerned about evangelism and building healthy churches.

So, after going on my safari (which I will mention soon), I noticed that the variety of flowers is almost zero. This is also true in the wilds of the Kenyan landscape. There are beautifully manicured gardens, tea plantations (tea heaven here, by the way), and grassy areas. And then there are the wild groves of trees, water, and various animals and insects. It is amazing what can be done with the proper amount of care and supervision. The creativity that God has placed in each one of us with the command "Go and have dominion" in Genesis. There are some places in Kenya which beautifully show what people can do with God's creation.

And I am still reminded to pray for humanity when I look at the chaos that we bring upon ourselves in Somalia, Sudan, and elsewhere.

Pray for peace and order. It begins by obeying God's command--beginning with faith in his plan for salvation, Jesus Christ.

One Book Review and Test down

Well, we are down two assignments. Now we just have an exam, essay, term paper, and final. All before Friday. Yeah, the students are pretty worn out, but they will have two more classes down in three weeks--not a bad think really.

Church History Lessons: persecution and mission

Persecution and mission go hand in hand. Just observing the growth of the early church in Acts 6-12 is a reminder of the role that persecution can play in the spreading of the Gospel. The Roman Empire brutally tortured and systematically tried to destroy the Church, especially under Septimus Severus (190 AD) and Diocletian (3rd Century). Yet, by the 4th Century, when Emperor Constantine combined the Roman Empire WITH Christianity, the Christian church was so prevalent that it had spread to every major city in the known world and had become a powerful force: Rome, Alexandria, Ephesus, Antioch, Carthage. They tried to exterminate it by cutting it down. The testimony of martyrs who were faithful unto death gave new fire to evangelism, and the Gospel message grew along with the Church.

So, why does God use persecution? To motivate his people to move with the Gospel. To purify his people, so that the faithful will stand and be counted. To turn the anger and hatred of the world into testimony and dancing.

Bring on the Spice

I was taken to a local eating establishment Sunday afternoon. Beef Curry was ordered for me. I sat down and looked around. Very crowded. Was served a bottle Coke (sweeter than the stuff at home--made with pure cane sugar). Began to feel somewhat uncomfortable, like I was being watched. Noticed that everyone was amused or thought it unusual to see me. Noticed I was the only white guy.

Talk about a parallel universe. I didn't even think about being white until I noticed that they noticed.

Now, about Beef Curry. Delicious. Funny thing: my host family was served the same thing on accident. The women immediately spit it out, and the oldest child was screaming and wiping his tongue. It was too hot. I felt like I was enjoying some of Jerry S's chili. The food has been very bland for the most part, so this was a welcome diversion.

Guess I will be going there alone the next time I want something spicy.

Minsitry Opportunities

Monday evening I was speaking with a couple of students who are pastors. They were telling me about the problem they were having getting men committed to church activities (sound familiar?). One comment that was made involved the fact the men in a community would flock to hear a politician, but not a preacher. I asked if they would come to hear a Wazungu (white man). They said Yes. This got my wheels to turning . . .

What could we do to help these churches reach men through event evangelism?

Then I wondered why I am not asking the same questions about SHBC . . . .

How time flies

Monday and Tuesday have been very teaching-intensive. My students will have taken two tests in three days by tomorrow morning, and I will have graded at 44 of them (22 x 2). So, that means no free time for me. That is OK. I came for this reason, but now it gets even busier. We are starting a new class tomorrow: Church History. I am still developing the class, but am getting closer to finished. Printing notes is another challenge.

In addition, I will be grading over the next 10 days
22 book reviews (over the same text book)
3 tests (x 22)
3 essays on church history (x 22)
a term paper for Jesus and the Gospels (x 22)

And somehow begin teaching an online class that I will complete over the summer.

So, basically this is the light week for me.

Oh well, at least I'm not bored!

I'm hoping to come back again and teach only one class--and maybe do some mission work on the side.

What shall we do?

As I am on this trip, I wonder to myself, "why?" The trip is valid on its own merits. It is a privilege for me to teach these men and women who are called to ministry, and I consider myself blessed to have a church that sees the importance of this type of ministry.

However, is this the end of it? Or is God calling us to more? I have met several missionaries in the area, and there needs beyond imagination here. I saw a friend from my old youth group--its been at least 20 years--and he is serving in Nairobi with the IMB. I have also met a couple who are training pastors in Tanzania and need $100 a month to help support this important effort. There are needs in the college, and the local churches need discipleship, evangelism, and financial help. Of course, the needs are too many for one church to fill.

So I am wondering: Is it just a one-time deal for SHBC to participate in this, or do we dare think of coming as a group to serve.

I realize this is controversial because many think we should serve at home. I agree. So let's serve at home, and also consider how SHBC can best fulfill the Great Commission by going to the whole world.

Monkey Business

There are times at night when there is a large thud on the metal roof, followed by an extended rattling which reminds me of a bowling ball rolling down the side of the roof. And then silence. Now, the first time it happened I thought someone was trying to break in--but that doesn't happen in this compound, and there was not sound after the noise. I noticed that several building has large pear-type fruit laying on the roof, and I figured the noise was coming from fruit dropping from the trees above.

Not so fast.

Friday evening, I heard the large sound again, but it sounded like it was coming from the edge of the roof to the apex, then back down the other side. Then a few sharp jabs occurred, like large hail hits on the roof. I thought, the wind must be really blowing. But it was silent after that.

So I went out the next day to look for fruit evidence or tree limbs--something to explain the racket. Nothing. There are no limbs directly above me, and no fruit tree around my roof. So, what could it be?

I asked Liz. She said Monkeys. I hadn't seen one since I had been there, until today. A large monkey, don't know what kind, flinging himself from limb to limb as were driving to the compound. I was proud to actually have seen one. My hosts were amused that I was so proud. Probably thought I had monkey fever or something.

Anyway, the monkeys apparently throw fruit at each other at night and jump from building to building looking for insects. The termites are swarming, and they are unusually large. So, they are probably feeding off of them.

Still, I am locking all windows and making sure they are secure. I think I can handle a robber, but I don't know what I'd do if a live monkey came barging in a window at three in the morning.

kwahari

Boys will be boys

There is something about African children and a camera. This picture is case in point.

Linus and Liz Kirimi

Linus and Liz pastor the Imani Baptist Church. Here is picture after services today. Pray for them as they serve in Limuru. Their boys are Felix and Joshua. They also are my host family, and they have fed me every night so far.

Not your average dedication service, or slum for that matter

What a great Sunday. There was a church full of people, and 28 children were dedicated to Lord, ages 2 months to 10 years old. Several visiting families came, and the whole church stood up in commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ and providing ministries to families in their area.

Have I told you about their area. They call it a "slum" but it gives new definition to slum. It is a community of tin-roofed shacks and panel board. The road is a bumpy dirt track in-between the shacks. Their stores set up in various locations, with homes on top or behind. There may be some running water somewhere, but most of the water I see running is out the front door. Most of these places do not have in door plumbing, so it all goes into the dirt street. I really feel for the people who have houses near the low places in the road. And there is no trash pick-up, so there is a large pile of refuse in areas, fresh with street animals to feed on what's left. I am so proud of Linus and Liz for daring to serve in this area. This is where I preached the last two weeks.

So, it is an amazing thing--that they commit themselves to serve the families in this area and to uphold the Gospel in such desperate circumstances. The testimony is amazing.

PTL--one youth saw the services today and wants to be baptized. This is a great encouragement to the leadership, so we shall see if he will be baptized before I leave.

Pray for Imani Baptist Church--that their youth leadership will grow and mature; that they will find the 12,000 shillings to pay for the next part of their growing building (concrete foundation, tin siding, wood frame); that Linus and his fellow workers will have the strength they need to serve in such an economically challenged area.

Kwahari

I can see clearly now . . .

The rain is not completely gone, but at least I can see where it is going. Hang on. Let me wipe my glasses off.

Ron Langston is a missionary for KTBC. He has worked in missions for over 20 years, all in Africa. He has been here in Limuru for 6 years. So, Ron took me in Nairobi, to a mall, and we got the hook-up with the missionary discount--which means FREE! Anyway, it was just finding a little screw and then making it fit. Ron saved me 50$ by giving me a ride, so that was great help. So, now I can see better, and God answers prayers, even the little ones.

Be blessed!

It's gonna be a bright, bright, sun-shiny day!

A beautiful day

We are about 8,000 ft. above sea level here in Limuru, Kenya. In the fall, it rains almost everyday, even it is a sprinkle. The vegetation is so lush and pretty. And this is the first day I have had time to just enjoy it. I have taken at least 50 pictures today, and I wanted to share one with you. I am posting them on picasaweb through google. They are beautiful to the eyes, and the aroma is very enjoyable. The air is thick with moisture. And there is hardly any wind. The temperature is cooler than home, and getting colder by the day. But I am glad to have time today to drink it in.

Hope your Sunday will go as well as mine! I am helping to dedicate 33 babies in church tomorrow. Apparently everyone in town wants the white guy to say a prayer for them.

CIAO, or as the Kenyans say, KWAHARI

Seeing stars

For the first time since I have been here, there are no clouds at night. So, gazing at the stars, I find myself in awe of how beautiful God's creation is. I am also reminded that we are below the equator, so I can see the Big Dipper, Orion, part of Drago. But I cannot see the North Star. I can however, see the top portion of the Southern Cross. Just a reminder that I am in the same world, not near home.

I am also eternally grateful for my grandmother and her passion for the stars. She's the one that gave me the charts, showed me how to find the North Star by using the Big Dipper, and gave a greater appreciation for God's creation. She even got me interested in the Perseids meteor showers in August. Those times on her roof will always be a good memory for me.

Funny how the mind wanders . . . .

Chapel Worship sans video

One of the required elements of class is chapel. Music is very much a part of the culture, but you won't find instruments anywhere, except for djembe drums or bongo-style drums. It is very interesting the mix of worship styles here. They sing traditional hymns in a very reserved manner. Then they kick it in gear during the choruses. (As soon as I can figure out how to get my videos small enough to put on flickr, I will do so.)

Why traditional hymns? Glad you asked. They come from an Anglican Church background, which is similar to Presbyterians in the US. Thus, the all have a very conservative Christian worship background. However, the Baptists and other Protestant groups have developed a music tradition that is more emotionally expressive. Due to the Colonial influence of Britain, the traditions of Baptists in Kenya are very similar to our own.

By the way, they asked me about our worship style at SHBC. I described everything to them, including our wonderful and talented leader. They were strangely humored by the earrings, and then they asked if he was married. I found out that earrings for men are a no-no in African Baptist Churches.

my class

Here's a picture of my class with the crosses that the GAs put together for them. This is the goofy picture. Their culture is very reserved, especially in school. They tell me that high school students won't even talk in school unless the teacher allows them to speak. So, it took them a couple of days to get comfortable with me. Now, as you can see, their personality is coming out.

They were very glad to have the crosses, and wanted all of them for their own children. As a matter of fact, all of the gifts that I have brought have been well received. Special thanks to Jerry for the AGTexas stuff. They particularly enjoyed the gum and the key chains. The woman at the bottom left is Liz Kirimi. She and her husband, Linus, have been my hosts.

Several of these students are pastors or ministers in their churches. The women are attempting to lead in ministry at their churches, and the education better prepares them to do this. They are not allowed to pastor, nor be deacons. They can lead a certain ministry, but the culture requires that they always submit to male leadership in the church.

This is a very intelligent group, and they know their Bible. We have great discussions on the nature of Jesus' temptation, why Jesus had to be baptized, the meaning of the Transfiguration, and other class type things.

Their hunger for learning is very encouraging. Most of all, their uncompromising love for Jesus is quite challenging. I am thoroughly enjoying my time with them.

TGIF

Good Friday morning to you. I've already finished my day. Hope yours will be as good as mine.

Update on student issues at Wayland. Well, there has been a lot of political wrangling here between principals, vice-principals, and financial staff. It looks like everyone will be cleared to take classes, but they have been given a dead line for paying their current debts. So, this class will continue with a full compliment of students. This is good news for the students in general.

As for me, I will have more papers to grade. Still, all of the students are worthy of the class and can do the work. I am glad to have the priviledge to teach them.

Praising God for the opportunity.

Pray for the students

There is much unrest here today. The students are used to having help to pay for their schooling. However, the help is not here this year, and they are struggling to pay. Many others have not paid in several semesters, and they owe quite a bit of money. They have gotten used to geeting things for free, and the staff has gone unpaid recently. So, WBU has decided to force them to pay. Which means that I am forced not to give students a test tomorrow. This would effectively fail them. So, there are many who feel entitled to the class without paying, and they are unhappy.

Meanwhile, I can't help but wonder how this school can continue to operate like this.

Pray for God's provision.

Best African food so far

I had something called Fish Tiki today--Tilapia smothered in a spicy, Middle Eastern sauce. It was delicious. And yes, I had "chips" with it--fish and chips. (That's fries for your British novices out there).

My hosts, Linus and Liz Kirimi fed me another traditional meal tonight--kale, beans (with a different name), and fresh veggies that reminded me of pico de gallo. It was very good and healthy.

My favorite foods so far:
Fish Tiki
Ugali with sauce
Kenyan beef stew with rice
Chi Tea 4 times a day

I've also had a hamburger that reminded me more of sausage, and I didn't ask why. Probably the scariest thing I've eaten so far--chicken on the bone with feather quills still in the bird. Don't want to offend the host but--I was pretty vegetarian that meal.

Whew!

I am so tired. Haven't been back to my little bungalow until 10:30-11:00 every night. Busy, busy, busy. Finally finished grading the finals for my Wayland Lubbock class. Now I am trying to finish notes for my Church History class. There is so much to--too much. I am enjoying the teaching--not the trip so much.

Pray for a clairity of thought as I try to finish the History course. It begins next Wednesday.

Didn't see that coming

It was an ordinary evening. I pulling my glasses off, straightening the night stand, and preparing to crawl into bed. Then I reached for an envelope and my glasses flipped right off of the stand. Right under my right foot. And then squish.

Now, I didn't bend them beyond repair, and they are not broken. However, the screw that holds the lens came out. So I got down on my knees and looked, and looked. I said "God, I am trying to get to class. Can you help me find this screw?"

He said, "This is the first time you have been on your knees in quite a while. Do you have anything to say?"

Ouch.

So I stayed for a minute and prayed for my students. Yes I love teaching. But this trip is not in my own strength, but God's. He reminded me to pray for strength and encouragement for the students, and also to pray for the spiritual warfare that many of them would face. All I could do was stay on my knees and pray.

After my prayer I found the screw. I had no screw driver, so I put it on the table. I decided to leave my glasses there for the morning. I picked up some money for lunch and began to store some belongings out of the way. That is when I hit my glasses again, and the screw went flying. So I said, "You have got to be kidding me." I kneel down to look again and hear God's gentle voice, "You are not done yet."

So I prayed and taught all day without the benefit of my glasses. And it was a good day.

Still haven't found the screw, though.

African food

Well, I wasn't sure what Sunday's meals would hold.

I got a traditional breakfast--bread and plum jam (delicious), an egg omelet, orange juice (think drink pouch), chai tea with sugar, and a warm drink that reminded me of cream of wheat with twice the amount of water needed. It was more than enough to eat.

I was interesting to note that the women served us and then waited until the husband and I finished before she and the children ate. This the traditional procedure in many African homes.

For lunch, we went to Nairobi and ate at a mall. Linus, my main contact here, took me after church. They had everything you could want--chinese food, turkish cuisine, bistro, italian stuffed pizzas, african cuisine that looked like a lot of chicken in various sauces (I am sure it tasted like chicken too), and an Irish pub (or so advertised). So, guess what I wound up eating--chinese food. Yeah, I know. Lame.

That night I went to Linus and Liz's house, and they fed me a traditional African meal of Ugali (corn cakes, similar to corn bread, but not), chicken (with feather stems still visible), kale (greens without the aftertaste), and cabbage. Oh yeah, it was very good--ugali tastes great with a broth. And yeah, I am feeling it today (Monday night now).

Today I ate a hamburger (reminded me of sausage more than a burger) and fajitas.

Looks like I should be fine on the food front. They even provided a water filtering system.

The accomodations are very good.

My name is Richard

Ok. I have two problems with my name. First, no one can pronounce Randolph. Between the "r" sound and "f" sound at the end, they cannot say it. Why do they need to use Randolph? This is the second problem. "Randy" does not have good connotations in England, so no one uses the name there. Since Kenya uses the Queen's English, no one says the name Randy here either.

So, we settled for a good British alternative: Dr. Richard. Funny thing is, when the students are trying to get my attention, I cannot hear them because I do not know who Dr. Richard is.

I am sure my first son is getting a kick out of this.

A good slogan

I saw a note and wanted to revisit this thought from my plane trip.

I am walking through DFW when I saw an advertisement. A man was standing on the sidewalk near a busy intersection. He had a suit on and he was facing the camera. He had a very confident and serious look on his face.

The caption on the sign read "I do not know you, but I'm ready to save you."

It was an ad for the Red Cross.

I wonder if our army of believers at SHBC can say the same.

Brackenhurst: out my front door

Here's a picture of the beatuy outside my front door.

Woke up to 40 degrees and fog. No heater in the cottage. Thank goodness for hot water.

They say it hasn't rained in a while, and it is very dry. Rained all night when I got here. Probably will rain the whole time--and that will be a blessing for Kenyans.

Forgot my umbrella.

fun at dfw

If you are ever at DFW airport and have some time to kill, get on the rail system there and go to Terminal D, the International Terminal. They have some great stores and great food. The atmosphere is very fun, and thre train ride is great also. It is much better than the normal terminals, so give it a shot. Made the 5 hour wait go faster for me.

Oh so close

On the flight to England I sat beside a young man from Ireland. He was in the US doing storm research and chasing. He spent the last 3 weeks all over the Central Plains and South Plains researching weather. He looked out the window during some turbulence and said, "That is a big storm--its about 40,000 feet tall. Then we disappeared into the cloud and shook for about 5 minutes or so. He comforted me with stories of tornadoes and hail.

After a couple of beers and wine over dinner, he opened up a little more about his life. We talked for a couple of hours, getting shushed by the stewardess (I mean, flight attendant) because we were to loud (I didn't drink, so I had no excuse). He told me about some family history and how he admired his mum for her faith. Knowing his science background already, I asked him if he shared her faith. He did not. He said that he was jealous of it, but could not believe. Maybe when his first baby was born (due in 5 months) he would see God and believe. He went through a list of excuses, and I tried to listen. He believes in a higher power, but did not think he could know God.

At the end of our conversation, I told him to test God. He felt that would not do. I told him God was big enough to handle it, and that he wanted to know him. The final refrain was one that he had said over and over again: I'd want that kind of faith, but I just don't have it.

So, if it is God who gives that faith, then God, I ask you to show mercy and give it to him.

As Mark 9:24 says, "Help my unbelief."

Here we go

I am now catching up on blog materials since i had no access to the Internet after leaving Lubbock. By the way, kudos to Lubbock International for free Internet service.

This picture is of me with all of my bags, preparing to get into the car. I an use this as a "before" picture as well.

I think I strained my shoulder putting the suitcase into the car. It hurt the whole plane ride. Should have got that Tylenol PM after all.

American Airlines charges for luggage over 50 lbs. The suitcase came in at 52.5. So we switched a couple of books to the hanging bag and no problem. Hakuna Matata--see you know some Swahili!

Got everything loaded, and it arrived just fine. I am glad I will be coming back home with half of the weight.

Daddy's at the airpot

I didn't realize how deep that pocket was in my bag. Down at the very bottom of it was my mp3 player. that's nice.

Matthew came to see me off but fell asleep in the car. So we loaded the bags, checked in, and Leeta sent me on my way. Then he wakes up on the way out of the airport and wonders where I am. Leeta tells him I am at the airport. He wants to go with me. Sweet, huh? Well, may not be so sweet after he asks 10-12 times a day.

I wondeer how it will affect him years from now in counselling when he delves deep into his psyche and deals with the fact that his dead left home for three weeks to quit being a pastor and work at the Lubbock Internaitonal Airport.

Departure Time

Made it to the airport, and only forgot my music player (ahhhh!). Oh well. Everything else is in order and preparing to take off.

Only had 85 pounds of luggage plus carry on (that lap top aint lite). Will be leaving quite a bit of stuff in Africa.

On my way to Dallas now.

Just 19 hours away

Well, the time to stuff everything in a suitcase has come. This going to be some trip to Kenya--lots of lugging around. Syllabi and 1200 pages of notes, 4 extra textbooks, plus 5 more research books for Church History. Include food and clothes, toiletries, etc--well, I was aiming for one suitcase. No way now. At least it will be much lighter on the way home--oh, except those souvenirs!

More on the camera

Here is a follow up to the request for a camera. All I can say is "how many cameras do you need?"

Linus writes back: (By the way, his picture is on the www.wbu.edu website at http://www.wbu.edu/kenya/about_wbu_kenya/faculty_and_staff/default.htm )


"Thank you for considering to ask the church whether you can buy us a camera. I need to exactly explain what a camera is for.

We need to take pictures of the activities of the church. We have a program for HIV positive people from the community around the church (since we serve a slum known as Misiri). These people are not necessarily our church members although some have joined us. We are starting a feeding program for their kids in our church. The proposed program is known as Christlike Children Center. We would then take pictures of these activities to keep the community and Baptist churches informed. I have been using a simple, red slim Kodak camera that I loved but for now it is not working and it cannot be repaired. In fact repairing it would be more expensive."

Sheesh. A camera is the least I can do.

And praise God for these brothers and sisters in Christ--and the work they do for the Kingdom.

One more project down--filling up suitcases

Well,

I have finished prep for my Gospels class. Now it is time to bear down on Church History.

There is some fascinating stuff here--and the trends that I see in Church History always amaze, mostly because we always seem to repeat ourselves. I'll provide some specific illustrations in future posts.

I am trying to finish the syllabus today, and then I have about 1200 copies of info to make. Don't worry, most of it is front and back. Problem is, the Kenya side of this equation is not very reliable in terms of supplies for printing and copying. So, you have to be prepared.

Yup, I am looking forward to lugging around my own stuff PLUS two reams of paper full of notes, syllabi, and handouts.

There's got to be another way . . . .

Not your average email from Africa

You ever got one of those emails from Africa--

Dear so-n-so in Christ,

My name is Blessed Sister Cousin Twice Removed from the Pope Angelina Mary-Margret Hope Faith and Love (some foreign name that you can't pronounce)

I have money for you! Send me all you vital information so I can steal all of your money from your bank account while you are waiting for me to send you half of the Bank of England.

Hurry (for Christ's sake)!

OK, maybe a I am being a little sarcastic here, but how many of these have you deleted? I'd say 700 for me in the last year. Yup. That's two a day. Don't even look at them.

Why bring this up? Well, one of the things that comes up whenever people make trips overseas is the money factor. Fact is, Americans have a great deal of personal wealth, and the rest of the world doesn't. So, when you become friends with Christians or others overseas, they are not afraid to ask for you to share your personal wealth. This is always a challenge, because as Christians, we go to share the Gospel, not gold or silver. (Acts 3:6) And we also are trying to avoid tipping the balance of power in a particular village or mission context by creating power through money where it once did not exist. It is so easy to make the mistake of giving power through wealth and influence rather than living in the Spirit. So, what do you do? Can you export the Gospel without exporting Western materialism? It is very difficult.

So, it was interesting to me to have already received a request from a local pastor in Kenya BEFORE I have even arrived. The request was very simple: Can you purchase a small digital camera for our church? To be fair, the pastor of the church is also the vice-principle of the Wayland Campus and is well known at WBU. He is well respected, and they must often ask for such techno things to be delivered when visiting professors come to town.

Now, digital cameras grow on trees which are harvested by local techno-geek stores. So, this is really no big deal. You go down to the store after a local harvest, pick up the camera, and go on your merry way. And what is the big deal about a camera? They will use it to post images of their church for those with computers and such in Nairobi. I am sure there will also be much personal use of the camera as well. So, I am not afraid to ask my church to help with this endeavor--it seems worthwhile to me--a small gift to a host church. And I trust the leadership there based on the WBU connection.

However, in the past I have been flooded with various requests from real people who wanted money to go to school in America, or to have medical treatment, etc. Many do not have a concept of our personal wealth, or the fact the we spend so much of it on a daily basis. Matter of fact, I am not sure I am aware of how much I waste on a daily basis.

This trip is going to an eye-opener, for sure--in many ways.

Pray that the spiritual work that is done will far exceed any other gift that our church or this pastor could bring. Acts 3:6

Flashbacks

No, this has nothing to do with side-effects from the vaccinations.

However, the pressure to prepare for two classes in such a short period has taken me back to the halcyon days of my masters and phd work. Back in the day, it was nothing more me to stay up until 2 AM every night working on papers, research, and dissertation. I'd get up at 6 AM three days a week, 7:30 on other days (yeah, children), and go to work or church. I'd get the occasional nap, but it was nice to be young and energetic.

I'm feeling it today.

I remember those days and what I accomplished. Ask me if I want to go back. Um . . . . that would be a "NO."

I know the best times in life are still ahead. And those future times will be built on the foundation that is being laid as I speak. So, I enjoy thinking about the past, and even enjoy reliving it sometimes. But go back? Never. I press on to the prize that is laid out before me. And it is such a comfort to know that God walks with me all the way.

Thank you, heavenly Father, for the calling and giftedness to do your work. Keep me focused in the present, but thank you for the hope and joy of an indescribably wonderful future.

Getting closer

The first week of the online class is now ready, and I am printing notes for my Gospels class. Then I can spend the next 6 days preparing for 3 weeks of teaching Church History!

Doesn't sound like near enough time. . . . . .

I get to teach the whole book of Revelation tonight in 3.5 hours. Those freshman level students won't know what hit them by 10 PM tonight.




Say a prayer for the Teeters. They buried Kelly's sister Tonda to day. Very nice service. But their whole family is hurting, and many of them appear to be without hope. Pray for them.