50 is indeed the new 40

When I turned forty years old ( just ten years ago) I was still in the "it's all about me" stage of my life. I demanded from Len that not only did I require a party with all my friends and family, but that I also wanted to go to the Homestead for the weekend and spend an entire day in the spa where it was going to be all about me. The timing of other things gets a little blurry... I can't remember whether I had pitched a fit then for the Volvo convertible I had always wanted , or the emerald ring that I had always wanted... but all of those things I had gotten because I deserved them. And I got whatever I wanted. And guess what... I still wasnt' happy.
Ok... so I diverge a little now. In 1993 I was dating a young man much younger than I. There were many things about that relationship that were not exactly "right". Don't get me wrong, there were things that good about it as well, but it certainly was not the relationship God had planned for me. But several very good things came from that not exactly right relationship. And I don't want to go into details of that relationship because I don't think it fair to tell my side and not the entire story. And that young man remains a friend. so... anyway.
In that relationship was where my journey back to a life lived as God had intended began. It was right after that relationship ended that my search and journey back to God really began in earnest.  But during that,my friend was aware of my great love of gospel music. And in particular, he was very aware of my admiration of Mahalia Jackson. I would always say that when I went to heaven I was going to be able to sing like Mahalia Jackson. So, there was a play at the Swift Creek playhouse and he took me and I was touched...deeply. But not as much by the story as I was by the voice of Cora Harvey Armstrong. It was that day that I thought when I get to heaven I want to sing like Cora Armstrong. You could feel Jesus in her voice.
And so... the journey began slowly. In 1998 I met Len.  And after an interesting courtship we were married. But I knew the entire time, from the first date that this was the man God had saved for me.  When we got married in 2000 I wanted to have Ms. Armstrong sing at our wedding. She has been a symbol of my journey back to Jesus for a long time. But, alas, she was busy.
Over the last years I have followed her ministry. Through facebook I have been blessed by her workds of encouragement .
And so... now it is time for my 50th birthday. And praise God, it's not all about me.... not even close. It's all about giving God the glory for all that he has done in my life- a life transformed in the last 20 years... a life that is continuing to be transformed. And now Ms. Armstrong will sing on my birthday as we give God the glory.
I pray each of you will join us on that day for oysters and barbecue as we do the best we can to bless our minsitry in Kenya so that we can do what the Lord has asked.
Fifty is indeed the new 40 for me. I get the chance to do this birthday  a little differently- my birthday, a gift from God, a celebration of a life I have now given to Him to use in any way He wishes.

Delight yourself in the Lord and he will indeed give you the desires of your heart. And I apologize now Ms. Armstrong, but I might just have to sing along ( in a corner where no one can hear me)

In my last post ( I know, from WAY back in January) I mentioned a child who had ended up going to a dental surgeon.

His name is James Esenyen. James is 14 years old and in class eight.

In 2008 James’  father Joshua was training to become a police officer. While home from training one weekend, he complained of a very bad headache and went to the hospital.  They gave him an injection of some sort and some medicine and sent him home. Three hours later he died.

There were four children -Jackson, Eunice, Anderson and James. Their mother Mary was left to care for all four of the children. In April of 2012, Mary was infected with typhoid and died.  Four children were left orphaned.

 When James came to Holy Trinity to interview he came in his tattered school uniform.  I remember him very well. He was quiet and very respectful, but not much of a smiler. What I noticed most was that James had a terrible infection on his lower jaw the origin of which seemed to be inside his mouth. Infections scare me- particularly in Africa. Left untreated, death is never far to follow.

  And so James was enrolled in the Children’s Education Fund. He is in class eight at the school and doing very well. He is an incredible “footballer”  and all around athlete as well as a leader in the school. He has a great sense of humor and a delightful laugh.

After several trips to the dentist, it was found that James had lost a permanent tooth and that the roots were still lodged in  his gum. The source of the infection had been found. The roots were removed and James is healing very well now. 

James spends holiday with our Kenyan friends who live in the same compound that we do. There he has 3 brothers and two sisters. He is happy and healthy. We are able to watch that wound and make sure it is indeed completely healed.

James is a delight to be around. We took all the children to Lake Naivasha for a trip a few weeks ago. James helped prepare lunches and made sure all the younger children were ok.  Whenever we are working at the compound he is always first to volunteer.

Today James helped me clean out the pharmacy closet. I taught him a few things about the medicines we have and he helped me organize. We had some bibles in the closet. The only thing he asked me for was a bible . There were tons of soccer balls, clothes and tons of other things, but he wanted the bible. He did not have one of his own.

A few minutes into our cleaning project, James asked me if he had to call me Susan. I said no, but what would you call me instead? And he said I'd like to call you Mum. Many people in Kenya call me Mum. But few have ever asked if it was ok. This was different. The time we have spent together has been good for both of us. And so he can call me Mum and I am happy that he asked instead of just taking for granted it would be ok.

This afternoon we will be going through school supplies. James knows that God blessed him by sending him into our path. I hope he realized that God blessed me by sending him into mine.

Today we went to Holy Trinity Academy. The drive is about 30 minutes.
About half of the total number of children we have in our Children's education and welfare fund are in this school.

Our program is comprehensive. This means that not only do we provide for tuition and education supplies, we provide for the whole child - body , mind and soul.

Whenever I think of these children I think of the prayer I said so many times while at St. Margaret's

"And since it is of thy mercy, heavenly father,
That another day is added to our lives,
We hereby dedicate both our souls and our bodies to Thee and Thy service in a sober , righteous and Godly life,
In which resolution, o thou most merciful God,
Confirm and strenthen us
That as we grow in age, we may grow in grace."

Ok.. so it's been over 30 years since I said that prayer. I know I messed up some of the words. But the sentiments are the same. I could hear myself continuing to pray that prayer for me. But I could also hear the children in the Children's Education and Welfare program saying that prayer as well.

Ordinary day - we are always asked what an average day is like. Today should have been one of those. Off to Holy Trinity for a health screening in preparation for a pedicatrician who is coming in a few weeks. We also wante to get "results" from the most recent KCPE - a very important exam that those finishing primary school ( class 8) take to determine what their future will be like. After these results come out, schools start offering spots in their classrooms based upon those scores. More about this in my next blog.

But this usual day, led to tears and trips to a dental surgeon. And of course, 3 children who will now fill the number of spaces we currently have funds for for children.

All in a day's work... tomorrow we go back and start looking at ways to screen the dorms.

A couple of pics from this "ordinary" day.... coming.... soon... hopefully...

Banana slug... YUCK

So for a look at the "lighter" side of living in Kenya.
This is what I woke up to this morning.

Today I walked where Jesus walked… that song keeps going through my head. I know that the lyrics to that particular old hymn talks about Bethlehem, Jerusalem and other places Jesus walked. But today I say I walked where He walked because we were in an IDP camp. In this camp, families are living in tents that are smaller than most “family sized” tents you can purchase in the US. In fact, I would say these tents are half that size. It is a shelter only…. The place you crawl into to sleep. Only the smallest of children are able to stand in these tents. And what you can't see is how far we had to drive to even get to this camp. It is literally in the middle of nothing.... NOTHING.

The facts:

Nearly 5000 people live in this camp

There are 841 households

A few months ago, many of these people were living on land upon which they grew up

Some of them are working on a sisal farm next to the camp

We were met by some of the most endearing, warm Kenyan people I have ever met

In all the years I have been coming to Kenya, I have seen people living in a tent or two. I have never however, seen thousands of people living in tents. When we first came to Kenya we came post election violence. I spent days in clinics treating people with stomach aches from chronic stress  and serious medical issues. I barely even knew what was beyond the walls of the clinic.

And now here we are 5 years later. Some of the people in this camp we visited today have been moved from camp to camp for the last three years. Others are recently displaced by the government. They have tents to live in. Water is brought and put in giant tanks where the women and children line up with their cans to get water for their family. It appears that the water is clean. Clean , however, is relative. The water appears to be clear. But we know that that is only part of the story. 

I asked some of the men who were showing us the camp if the people were sick. His answer was yes… bronchitis ( the dust is everywhere) malaria and dysentery.

And then the next conversation was about how they were worried about the rainy season coming.  Then all this dust turns to mud. The bronchitis , malaria and dysentery will only get worse.

This is such a rambling … we saw so much today. I touched so many hands. So many hands touched me.

We had the usual children who wanted to touch the “mzungu” ( white person.) Through a translator, we were able to say – yes , our skin feels the same. I have two eyes, so do you . I have a nose , so do you. My skin is merely a different color. Jesus made us all. There were even adults in this camp that I am pretty sure have seen very few white people. I am always humbled… knocked right on my bottom when this happens . All these people want to do is touch us. They are loving and kind and just want to touch you. As we started to walk back to the van, we each had the usual four or five children holding each hand  as we walked back.

 

 I was talking to one of the young men who was escorting us through the camp. He was overjoyed that we had stayed so long, interacted with the people and were happy to allow the children and adults to touch us. He said that other mzungu had come and would wave the children off as if they might catch something. In fact, they were not particularly ready to shake hands. I told Natalie when I see these children, I don’t see nasty dirty children, I see children with dirt on them. They are just curious. I hope they continue their curiosity … I hope they continue to ask why we come… and I will tell them with great joy that it is Jesus with whom I walk in those camps and that they too can walk down the same path.

I won’t forget these faces. I won’t forget their hope. I won’t forget their hospitality. And I will not forget that there is a mosque within walking distance, but that the nearest church is much further away.

I stood in the middle of that camp looking at all that was around me. There were hundreds of tents in addition to some of the most beautiful landscapes seen in Kenya. And I was once again overcome by the sense that I am indeed exactly where God wants me to be. Keep my eyes open , Lord. Remind me to be present when we visit these camps. When the people who live here see me, let them see Jesus in me.

I was born into a wonderfully loving and blessed family… and then there are these people. Why me to be so blessed and not them? Some things I just can’t comprehend…. I guess I am just particularly grateful today… but broken as well. What if I traded places with just one of them… would I survive as well as they are?

 

Lord help me to understand what I can do... what is my part?