GETTING UNCOMFORTABLE FOR THE GOSPEL

As Americans, we’re all about comfort, aren’t we? The problem is, God didn’t call us to be comfortable, He called us to be obedient.

"But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth." ~ Exodus 9:16

How often have you heard (or used) these excuses?

“I could never speak (to a stranger, to a group, in public, etc.); I just wouldn’t be comfortable.

“I could never go without (electricity, running water, familiar food, sleep, fill in the blank...)

“I could never travel to a place with (insects, bats, creepy-crawlies...)

How often do you begin a sentence with "I could never..."?

I just returned a few days ago from three weeks on the mission field in Kenya, where we encountered all of the above, and then some!

To continue reading this post and view Kenya photos, click here

GIVING

Can you afford to give?  Read my post on ThanksGIVING.

November update for OpeN Christian Center

Here's a look at what's happening at OpeN Christian Center!

With two classes sharing a room and new students being added, we hope to put up two additional classroom during December while the students are on break. 

We got a very good yield from last year's maize crop.  We planted more maize but the rains have been too heavy so we do not expect a great harvest this season.  By the grace of God and the generosity of His people, we have enough food to last us through the end of this school term.

Our kitchen is a real blessing and fine for now, however a decent kitchen with storage is necessary.

Lunchtime!




The "facilities"

What's next?

We are currently making desks and chairs for the students.

Next, we would like to construct two classroom buildings, followed by a new kitchen.

Finally, improve the walls on the existing classrooms.  

For information on how you can help, visit our website.

LIFE IN KAWITI VILLAGE, KENYA

A couple of years ago I asked Pastor Elisha Odero what he wanted the world to know about life for the people in Kenya (Africa). He responded by this description of his village:

As for your question, let’s take the case of Stephanie and her sister Venna who are both total orphans under five years. They wake up at 5am to do dishes and prepare for school. Preparation includes taking a cold bath without soap in the chilly morning. Breakfast comes at 7am and consists of a mug of porridge (maize flour +water boiled) without sugar or any solid thing to take it with.

They have one pair of inner pants which they share between them (this is for the lucky ones, to others an inner pant is a luxury). At any given time then, one of them is without a pant. The school uniform is torn having been used for the last three years. It is washed at night, aired out to dry and used in the morning.

The two girls will stay at school until one o'clock when they break for lunch. On arrival home, lunch is ugali (maize flour cooked in water) and boiled vegetable. For many though it is boiled maize. After lunch, the two kids fetch water from the nearby river and fetch firewood for their ageing grandmother so that they can eat something. Food here has nothing to do with a balanced diet but just filling up the stomach with anything, to keep balanced. Kwashiorkor has caught up with the two girls.

After supper, the two girls roll onto a straw mat on the floor of a hut, sharing the same floor with chicken, goats and sheep. They have no blankets nor mattresses here. Exposed to mosquito bites, malaria is constantly attacking them. God of wonders, when they get sick...they cannot afford basic medication so live with the disease until it just goes. Here we say 'am walking my disease away.'

Shoes are a luxury. In fact, in the local primary school, going to school with shoes is banned.  Just to help the majority feel comfortable to learn.  Today, a group of five girls from the local primary school came to me asking for old and used newspapers.  I gave them without question knowing why they needed them:  you see, they cannot afford and most have not used sanitary towels. They rub the used newspapers to make them soft for use...creativity!

At adolescence, these two girls will need some basic things. Not finding them home, men will offer these things in exchange for use of their bodies.  In some cases, their old grandparents will betroth them to some married polygamous man willing to pay fees and feed them.  They will join the number of women forced into marriages by circumstances, become parents at under 20yrs and face a 60% chance of getting AIDS. The cycle continues and other orphans are born.

Take the case of this widow, left with two children. Her farm cannot be plowed because she has no bull/ox.  The in-laws will do it for her at a fee (sex-this, they say she can afford) Her farm then will be planted late and her harvest very low.

She wakes up in the morning and fends for her children until evening. Her meals meagre and consist of boiled maize.  She sells baskets at less than a dollar though it takes her a week to make one basket.  If she has a daughter, she marries her off to get dowry...sometimes a cow...to milk and plough with.

Today I visited the widow whose house we built. She is down with malaria but had no money to get to the hospital. Her plan was to sleep until the sickness goes away. One of the children, aged 7 was cooking for her and the other children and got burnt. He also had not received medical attention.

Friends, talking poverty and sharing about it can be leisurely but for me I see it and live it daily.

Over the weekend I had the third 'Joseph seminar' this year. I learn something new as I preached my last message entitled ''God sent me ahead of you...to save lives''.  I realised that God many times sets us ahead of others, puts us in places and positions of privilege and comfort.  Joseph realised that he was ahead of his family, but he said that it was for them.

Today, I am asking myself why God has blessed me with certain privileges. However low I am, there is someone lower than me.  I am realizing He has SENT ME AHEAD to save lives and make a difference in the lives of others in a small way.  Like Esther, I am in the kingdom for such a time as this.  Like Nehemiah, the pain of the poor makes my face lose its cheer and my appetite goes even though I enjoy palace life.

From the good Samaritan story I learnt there are three types of people;

1st guys(robbers)...what’s yours is mine, I can take it.

2nd guy (religious)…what’s mine is mine, I have to keep it.

3rd guy (Samaritan)…what’s mine is ours, we can share.