Beggars and New Friends..

As I was walking home from New Life Home the other day, I was met by an old man walking towards me. I noticed his tattered and shabby appearance, the strong scent of alcohol wafting towards me, and his pleading eyes. As he came closer, he started talking to me…most of what he was saying I couldn’t make out because he was mumbling and near tears. Something in my heart went out to this poor man, so I stopped and waited for him to repeat himself. He asked me for directions to a place I didn’t know, and started telling me a story of why he looked the way he did…said that the police had taken him, taken all his ID and money, roughed him up..and now he had no money and didn’t know where he was. Now, whether this is true or not, I don’t know, but as he was telling this story the man started to cry. He asked for 3o shillings, which I didn’t have (and as he was already smelling of alcohol, I wouldn’t have given it to him even if I did have it), so I kindly told him that I didn’t know the place he was talking about, and also had no money on me to help him out, but told him that someone else would probably know the area better than I did, and to ask them for directions. He thanked me a couple times, and went on his way.
I haven’t been able to stop thinking about this man. You know, this isn’t a new thing. We are constantly stopped on the street by different people asking for money, with all kinds of stories, and you kind of just get used to it. But something about seeing this man in such a sad state, crying, eyes looking hopeless…it opened my eyes again to the sad plight of so many people here. Realizing that whether his sad story was true or not, his life most likely is full of pain and hardship. Trevor and I have often talked about this…what should our response to these situations be?? Please pray for us as we come into contact with needy people every day.

I also was given a good reminder of first impressions, and how they are not always right!! There was a new Kenyan lady who started working at New Life Home last week…my first impression was that she was rude, and very difficult to work with. She never smiled and I felt very uneasy being around her. Because of that, I didn’t make a very big effort to get to know her either. Then, a few days later, Trevor came to NLH with me as it was a holiday and the shop was closed. I introduced him to all the ladies there, and told them he was my husband. This lady looked at me and said “you’re married??”…I told her that we were, and she just kind of smiled. Then a few minutes later, she came to sit beside me, and said she’s been looking for someone to ask for some advice on marriage, and asked if she could ask me some questions!! I immediately agreed, and we started talking and it was so cool! The reason she hadn’t really talked to me the other day was because she was scared of me because I am white, and she thought most white people were snobby and unapproachable, and she was scared to talk to me!! Go figure!! So we chatted for quite awhile, and exchanged phone numbers. I am so thankful that God brought this lady into my life, and taught me a lesson through it.

There is this man we have gotten to know…his name is Peter, and he sells things like bowls and carvings outside, on the Nakumatt parking lot on the weekends. We met him about three months ago, when we first arrived in Nairobi, and often go see him when we go the Nakumatt. We have only bought some things from him once, the other times we just go to say hi to him and visit for awhile. He is very friendly, and will come to greet us from far off as soon as he sees us! The other weekend we met his son who wants to go to university in Canada, so we talked to him for awhile. Peter told us that he has 11 children, and when we exclaimed about that, he said, “yes, but I also have 2 mamas!!” ….meaning he has 2 wives in a polygamist relationship!! (which is very common here). So we talked for a while longer, and he invited us to his home to eat with him and his family sometime…we were very touched, and hope that we can do that soon. It is so neat to meet people, and begin to build relationships like this, and begin showing them the love of Christ through our lives.

Last Sunday, our Church service was led by a youth/young adult group called Mission Driven. They are a musical group made up of very talented Kenyans, who minister to the youth in Nairobi through music and rap/poetry. They have such an amazing passion to reach this generation, and God has given them unbelievable musical talents!! We were so incredibly blessed through their program. Most of this group goes to our Church, and we feel privileged to attend this Church who reaches out so much to their fellow Kenyans in the city. We spoke to some members of the group after the service and exchanged contact information…it would be so neat to get to know some of these people who are our age (youth here goes to age 25, so we’re still youth!!).

So…that’s a glimpse of the people we get to meet here, and the experiences we are having…God has blessed us..

Koros and I at New Life Home..

Trevor feeding Shania in the ICU..

A Christmas party for the AIM IS staff..

Glory to God, Glory to God in the Highest...

Christmas in Kenya…it’s a different experience for us! We’ve been trying to get into the Christmas spirit, and to feel like it’s only a couple weeks until December 25, and yet it’s been nearly impossible!! It’s just getting warmer with each passing day, the sun is getting more intense, and we are in a country not our own and away from all things familiar. But it is okay…it’s been interesting, and we are trying to really enjoy it and take it all in. We have borrowed some decorations to make our house feel more festive, and are listening to Christmas music any chance we get! We were also given a Nativity scene made out of banana leaves, which we LOVE!!
The kids at the AIC Ngong Church presented a Christmas program on Sunday morning…it was so cute! They did such a good job…and man can those kids sing! They were so dramatic and all dressed up in their costumes…we really enjoyed it!! The title of the blog “Glory to God, Glory to God, in the Highest, in the Highest…“ is from a song the kids were singing, and it has been in my head ever since I heard it on Sunday!!
Yesterday we had our AIM IS Christmas party at the Han Kook Korean BBQ restaurant…we ate Korean food outside under umbrellas, wore flip flops and short sleeves…it was the coolest Christmas party we’ve ever had! It was a very nice evening of fellowship with new friends and fellow missionaries, singing Christmas carols, and hearing from the Word of God. That was when things started to sink in for me a little, realizing that it doesn’t matter where we are, the story is the same. Jesus Christ came to earth as a baby to be our Saviour and Redeemer…that doesn’t change no matter where we are during this Christmas season!!

Trevor seems to just be continually busier at the shop these days!! There is so much work coming in, and not enough time to do it! But this is a real blessing, as he recently found out. Last week he went out for lunch with some of the guys from the hangar, and one of them told him that before he was here to run the shop, the shop was not doing very well…hardly anybody brought their vehicles in anymore, people had had bad experiences with bringing their vehicles to the TAM shop, there wasn’t enough work for the guys in the shop…and now there are line ups of vehicles waiting to get worked on, Trevor has to turn people down because their days are completely booked, all the guys are busy, and people are happy and satisfied with the work that is being done on their vehicles!! Wow!! It’s so encouraging to hear that…to see it from that point of view!
He constantly gets comments from other missionaries, telling him that we have to extend our stay, that we have to return for good, that he can’t leave the shop…he is in high demand!! :) Yesterday at the Christmas supper we won a door prize, and later, Allan Masters (he is the director of AIM IS), told both Trevor and I that winning a prize means we have to stay on for at least two more Christmas parties…he said “I’m already working on the paperwork, all you have to do is get your extension. That‘s how it works, anybody who wins a prize is meant to stay.!!” He was joking, of course, but the truth is that Trevor is needed here, and that is good to know!! God is using him in so many ways, and we give Him all the honour and glory for that.
Another way that God has been using Trevor here is to continually encourage his guys in the shop, especially Mark, the refugee from Sudan. As I mentioned awhile ago, Mark’s life has been so difficult…so many of his family was killed in the war in Darfur, he had to flee to Kenya, but life is not easy here either for him…he is not from the “right” tribe, and that means so much when you live in Africa. He has faced so much rejection and pain, and he struggles a lot. Awhile ago I mentioned that he was saving up to buy a bike…well he was able to finally get enough money to buy one, and not long after that it was stolen from him. This may seem like a small thing, but when that bike is something that you have saved up so long for, and you have already lost your family and home and country and it was one thing that was finally yours, well to lose it is a big, big thing. He came to Trevor with some questions the other day…deep, difficult questions about God, life, pain and struggles…and Trevor was able to sit and talk with him and try to encourage him. He has a real burden for Mark. Please pray for this young man.
Trevor has also had to deal with some conflict in the shop these last few weeks, and had to make use of his “conflict resolution” skills! Things worked out well, and we just praise God for that. It was definitely another learning experience for Trevor, as so many things have been!!

I have been going to New Life Home these last few weeks, and really, really enjoy it! God has really answered my prayers and given me new excitement and energy and passion to be here! I have been getting to know the other Kenyan ladies who also work at New Life, and have already learned so much about them and about Africa through them. I love getting to know them and becoming friends with them…being able to laugh and joke with them…sharing our hears with each other…it’s been so encouraging. And the babies and kids that live there fill my heart with joy, oh I love them so much already. Getting to know their different personalities, helping them when they’re sick, cuddling them and playing with them…it’s so fulfilling. So many babies are getting adopted, and at least 4 have already gone to their new homes since I’ve started there…4!!!! That’s so exciting! Last week the paid staff had Christmas party there, so I, along with a few other volunteers, held the fort down until their party was over. A new friend of mine, Shiro, and I were in the ICU nursery, and it was such a neat experience! Taking care of the smallest babies was so much fun! I am so thankful for the opportunity to work at NLH, and for the experiences I am having through being there.

So that’s a bit of an update…And life in Kenya goes on…