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Posted in Admissions Department by Alissa Dowsett on 5/5/2012
Dear God,
I want to thank you so much for giving me this opportunity to be here. The opportunity for you to work in me. To show others who you are who are desperate for your love. I want to thank you for choosing me to open up to others and for myself to grow into your love as each day passes with all your blessings. I have no idea how your going to use me, but God have your way. I am so honored and humbled to be here in Africa. It's only been about a day and a half since landing here. I'm already so amazed by you. Your heart and love for people everywhere is clearly evident. I'm so thankful that your willing to change a wretch like me. Take a heart full of stone and make it flesh. Your beauty. It catches my breathe. It's opening my mind. Realizing just how much I truly need you in my life. Not just in the bad but also in the good. I'm so thankful for having a father so glorious as you. You make beautiful things in the good and in the bad. I give nothing but my heart and soul to you. I praise you. I give nothing but praise for your love. I'm forever thankful for that love.
This was a letter that we each had to write to ourselves and God a couple days since being here in Africa. Our leader kept them and told us she'd give them back to us during the middle of our trip. We got them back and I had totally forgotten about these letters. As I began to re-read it I couldn't believe at how much God has truly worked in my life during this trip. How blind I used to be. Now how much I truly see. How broken I used to be. Now a heart that seems to be unbreakable. As I wrote in my letter just how amazed I am at Him each and every day. This whole experience has truly challenged my heart. For that my heart is forever changed. I'm beyond greatful for the chance that I had to be here in Kenya, Africa. These past four months have been the greatest months I'll never forget. God has shown me so much. My chains are broken. I no longer cling to them. I'm no longer ashamed of who I used to be. He has renewed my view of who I am. His grace has shown me that I'm forever His and that I can do all things through Him who gives me strength. It's been such a great experience to see how he works in the most mysteryious ways. I'm forever thankful.
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Posted in Life on the Field by Grayson Hary on 4/18/2012
Since January 19, I have woken up to a land that I was only acquainted with through books, photographs, television, movies, or stories told by others. I've stepped foot outside of my humble home (a two person tent), and been greeted by a haze filtered view of the Great Rift Valley, banana trees in Meru, or, perhaps the dusty, desolate terrain surrounding Tangi Tatu.
The last few months of my life have been, quite easily, the best months of my life, riddled with the most stellar and most difficult experiences I have endured. From trying, so, so hard to be patient with my team, and growing so much in that, to trying to express to someone who doesn't understand a single word I am saying, how much God loves them, how much he desires to have them know him, and how much he wants to be involved in their life… and growing so, so much in that.
A few days ago, on Monday evening, young people from around the surrounding areas of Kijabe started mashing in to the youth hall that we have gladly called our home for some time now; it was the first evening of Kijabe mission's youth camp, and it was sure to disrupt the regularity we have grown used to since making this hall our own.
Initially, I was a bit… unsure, about this whole camp thing. Over a hundred strangers intruding on what was MY home for the last few months? Having to eat dinner with those strangers? Wait, talking to them and being a part of their small group discussions?
No thank you.
I approached Tuesday with little to no eagerness or excitement. Waking up nearly two hours before I normally would, I was not too pleased with this whole camp situation one bit. Going into the day, I felt less and less optimistic about the next few days; being on a fixed schedule, sitting around and listening to lots of sermons, and awkwardly involving myself in small group discussions.
Well, following lunch, things changed; things sure did change.
As soon as the dude who spoke in the afternoon was done, I trotted up to my room to grab my sweatshirt, and while I was in my room, I decided to lie down on my bed. Oh, it was so comfy, and, well, I hadn't slept too much the previous night… what harm would it do if I missed the afternoon small group discussion? I am sure no one remembers my name, let alone what I look like… would I be missed?
As I laid sprawled about on my bed, still comfy, still quite relaxing, I didn't feel right. I didn't feel like I was being honest. I knew the Lord was telling me to stop being lazy and to go to the small group. We debated for a little bit, I tried to pretend like we never even discussed whether or not I should go, but, eventually I broke, and agreed to go, so I drug myself out of bed and floated down the stairs and into the hall, where my group was sitting at a table, just about to start discussing 2 Peter 1:4-9.
This small group discussion marks the complete renewing of my attitude towards this whole camp experience. Getting to know the group some more, they are really rad people, with a thirst for knowledge about the Lord, and big hearts of worshipping and praising him. Even though they can be quiet during small groups, it was awesome to see how they dance and clap and sing for God during worship, with reckless abandon and little to no concern for what others around them might think.
The joy and solidarity I felt in this group of people I was supposed to be ministering to, well, it's something I have not felt for awhile now, at least a few weeks, and today was a fresh reminder of what sort of things God has allowed me to experience during the previous months I have spent here, and a reminder to keep my mind open and heart open to what else he might want to have me experience while I am here.
On May 7, I leave Kenya, at least for a few months (who knows what the future holds, yeah?). I don't want to look back and consider that I didn't give every ounce of energy towards making these last few weeks the best they can be, or to look back and think that maybe, just maybe, I suppressed the Spirit working through me.
God put me here for a reason, and I'm open to whatever he has for me to do here in this time I have remaining in this excellent country.
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Posted in Admissions Department by JM Fields on 4/14/2012
It’s difficult to write blogs now that living in Africa has become my normal, day to day life.
I am used to washing my clothes in buckets and hanging them to dry outside.
Used to hearing “Mzungu! Mzungu!” as I walk down the streets.
To walking down to Dorothy's Supa Duka or to the nearby gas station to purchase a Coca-Cola for 30 shillings.
I am used to the birds in the kitchen and the monkeys in the trees.
To the sound of screams and chairs slamming in the middle of the night as the locals celebrate goals while watching the soccer game on TV upstairs.
It’s also difficult to write blogs knowing that we only have two full weeks of ministry left here. After weeks spent living in tribes, doing door to door evangelism; visiting and speaking at schools; preaching, singing, and passing out food at the IDP Camps; visiting numerous African church services; praying with patients in the hospital and coloring pictures with the children; and visiting and watching the baptism of over 50 prisoners..My time of living in Africa is nearly over.
I’m excited though, excited to see what these next two weeks of ministry will hold.
As we lead a youth camp here at the church hall, spending our days fellowshipping, leading devotions, and eating meals with them...and bracing ourselves for an extremely loud seven days.
And as we once again leave our home in the church hall to go into another tribe to do more door to door evangelism...this time during rainy season.
I cannot wait to see God work in more incredible, powerful ways than He already has.
To see Him be more than enough.
To see His overwhelming, never failing love working in the lives of people
To see Him speak to and save the lost and broken.
And to see how He will continue to change me.
To transform my heart and to break my heart for the things that break His.
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Posted in Life on the Field by Elly Gifford on 4/12/2012
Prisons are scary. They're filled with bad people. They might hurt me if I look at them or move the wrong way. These were the immediate, hasty assumptions that flooded my mind when I heard we'd be visiting the women's prison...then especially when I heard we'd also be going to the men's maximum security prison. As I walked into the prison, though, my worries were put to rest as I realized that these inmates are real people who just made a mistake at some point in their life (just like we all do).
We visited the women first, and it was not at all like I expected. There were smiling, welcoming faces, small children running around, and chairs lined up for us to sit on. Women are allowed to have their children live with them up until they turn 4, then they must go live in a home so they can attend school.
When these women sang to us, there was such a joy in the air that I almost forgot we were in a prison. As we handed out soap and other toiletries, the women looked at the items as if they were gold, and gave their most heartfelt, "Asante sana!" (thank you very much).
After we handed out a few necessities, the pastor told us to go interact with the women. I stood there awkardly for several minutes, then finally walked over to a couple of children, thinking, 'sure, I can handle small kids, I'll just go sit with them'. But sitting next to these children was a young woman and somehow I mustered up the courage to just start talking to her...and guess what? She started talking back!
Belinda is 21 years old and lives in the prison with her 2 year old son, Leon. The whereabouts of Leon's father are unknown; this seems to be a very common theme here in Kenya. Belinda was never able to finish high school due to lack of tuition funds, but still has dreams to own her own hair salon: "I'm a businesswoman," she says. She wants to be able to send her only son to school and give him the life she never had. Even though Belinda is in a seemingly hopeless environment, she has kept a strong hope throughout her stay in the prison. "Without hope, you will never survive in this place," she tells me.
I thought about asking Belinda what she did to get in prison, but then it hit me: It doesn't matter. I'm not here to judge people according to their actions, but instead to just love them no matter what. When we repent to Christ of our sins, He doesn't go through a list of all the "bad stuff" we've done moments later; He just loves us. When we get past ourselves and love on the person in front of us, that's ministry; that's the Gospel.
Belinda wasn't scary or intimidating or a bad person at all. She's a genuine woman who just wants to make a good life for her and her son. She's still so young and full of hope so strong it motivates me to stop complaining or thinking so much about myself.
You might be wondering how the men's prison went...the place where men who typically have 20 years to life reside. Pastor Simon came there to baptize what I expected to be just a few men, but over 60 inmates showed up with willing hearts and eager faces. This was a true celebration of new life for them; they sang and clapped and danced around. They rejoiced for the men who went into the water with an old life and emerged a new person. Sure, some of these men looked very tough, but once they got dunked into that water, they came back up with grins as big, innocent, and sincere as children.
After about an hour of baptisms, a celebration worship service ensued. Despite the high electric walls and the armed guards that surrounded us, I saw that these men were not in fact bound; there was freedom within these prison walls. The men praised the Lord with all their hearts and clung to Him for the hope they knew only He can bring. Isaiah 54:10 says,
Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed,
yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken
nor my covenant of peace be removed,
says the Lord, who has compassion on you.
Though most people would see these men and women as having nothing-being stripped of everything from the outside world-they actually have the only thing that truly matters; a relationship with Christ. When everyone else shunned them for their past mistakes, Christ remained there for them...with open, loving arms.
How amazing and unfailing is His love for us... the love that frees even the most captive.
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Posted in Admissions Department by Hailey Crump on 4/10/2012
Walking into the Atlanta airport, I was greeted by a scene that you don’t easily forget. Not because of what it looks like, but more because the feeling you get the second you step foot into the group. The only word that could properly describe that feeling would be awkward.
I approached a group of around 60 – 80 college age students strewn on the floor of the atrium beneath a hovering dinosaur statue as they all did their best to give a good first impression. I was instantly surrounded by awkward giggles, and side glances every which way of people looking to see if anyone else felt as nervous as they were in that moment.
This time I walked in with a very different perspective. I had done this all before. Felt the awkwardness of meeting people for the first time and could see the path which they are about to step on. A path of them having no clue what they signed up for. A path full of ups and downs. A path that would walk them alongside each other as they ventured into unknown territory, which would show them how to live life together. The path that would take us from awkward strangers to a rag tag bunch by the end.
Here we are. Three months later. As raggedy as you can get. Our team went through the motions, of trying to figure out where they fit in this giant puzzle of a group. Awkward silences at team times when no one wanted to be the first to speak up. Each person avoiding eye contact when doing door to door, as they tried to be invisible so they didn’t have to be the one to share something with the family standing in front of us.
To now where team times are full of laughter and stories from the day. When dinner is an extension of family time, where we tell embarrassing stories, clean the kitchen together and laugh uncontrollably at the accents people attempt to make. Ministry days full of knowing who works best how, and allowing them the platform to shine when the time comes. Stepping out of comfort zones and knowing the rest of the team will stand behind them no matter what happens. Morning wake up calls from our lovely resident drama major which sometimes involves a song, which urkes us out of bed.
Our nights are filled with girls in the kitchen helping our contact cook. As they take lessons and end up with anything but circular shaped chapatti. Our guys have nightly bible studies while another group of girls sweats and screams out upstairs as they work out to insanity. Life is chaotic and beautiful. Each day we jump into ministry having no idea what it holds. Ready for whatever challenge comes our way. It is never what we expect but God always shows up.
As I sit and write this three of my students are sitting in the front of the hall learning Swahili from a church member (which they do every night). While another group of my girls are sitting on two beds pretty much intertwined, staring at a computer screen and laughing at videos they made three months ago.
The awkwardness has faded and in it’s place life has come. Life in Kenya is messy and beautiful and I love sitting here seeing how absolutely sporadically this has all evolved over time. We have a little less then four weeks left and I am excited to see how God moves through our little family here.
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Posted in Spiritual Journey by Grayson Hary on 4/4/2012
Something smells.
As I sit here on a rickety metal bed, trying to think of what to write a blog about, I realise it is my shirt that smells, my shirt that I have been wearing since Saturday.
Our laundry has been out since Monday, so I am a bit short on clothes to wear.
But smells nor laundry are the reason I am writing.
Kijabe leaves me, at times, wrestling with myself over what to do for ministry, or, whether what I have been doing as ministry has really been a ministry at all.
It can be discouraging at times, to think "Was any of that really ministry? What difference did it make?"
I am on a missions trip, after all... shouldn't everything I am doing while I am in Kenya be a ministry simply because of that fact?
The truth is, not everything is, or has been, ministry. It is entirely too easy to be distracted by the most insignificant details in life, and to let those things keep me from doing what I believe Christ has called me to do.
I believe Christ has called me to love people, to love people radically, and in doing so, that in loving people, I am bringing him glory.
Instead of worrying about my life, and my circumstances, and my haves and have nots, I ought to really concern myself more with others.
Today Jesus revealed somethings to me about my heart towards people. I didn't disregard people, or despise them to some great extent, but I have always had a hard time seeing them in the same light that Jesus sees them in.
I am starting to see people through Jesus' eyes, and, I pray, beginning to love them and relate to them in the same way too.
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Posted in Admissions Department by JM Fields on 3/18/2012
Today, I received the best birthday presents ever, a bold voice and the opportunity to rejoice with angels in heaven...
This past week, we were going door to door- evangelizing to the people in Rare, Kenya. Door to door evangelism has been something I have struggled with because I am very shy and it’s hard for me to speak out while we are in the homes of strangers.
However, last Wednesday was different.
Our translator, Simon introduced us to a group of women who were sitting outside braiding each others hair.
All of them said they were saved, except one, named Beatrice, who was extremely shy.
I really felt like God wanted us to talk to her.
So, we pulled her aside from the group and we stood in a circle, I waited for one of my team members to start talking to her about Christ. There was an awkward silence.
And all the sudden, I realized - God wanted me to talk to her.
I was terrified.
But, I spoke up.
I think my voice quivered as I started talking and said,
“Is there something keeping you from accepting Christ as your personal savior?”
She answered, “I have a lack of peace.”
I knew then, that she was so much like me.
I have struggled with anxiety and with fear and decision making for almost my entire life.
Immediately, I knew, I had to tell her my story.
I explained to her, with the help of our translator, that I used to struggle with fear and lack of peace. But time and time again through my life God has proven to me that He is a god of comfort and abounding love and a God who provides. That, when Jesus died for us on the cross, He died to take away our sins and when He rose from the grave, He conquered fears. I told her that I don’t fear anymore, because I know that God is with me and He will never leave me and He will always love me, despite anything I have done- because I am forgiven. I told her that God LONGS to hear her voice call out to Him and when she calls, He will answer her.
I realized I had talked far longer than I had hoped or accepted, but after I was finished, Beatrice told us that she wanted to accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior.
The rest of my team joined in as we helped her pray “The Sinner’s Prayer”. Afterwards, she smiled a huge smile and asked us to write down Bible verses for her to read later.
We told her that the moment she accepted Christ, the angels in heaven rejoiced because one of God’s lost sheep had been found.
Beatrice said she would be at church on Sunday.
I was ecstatic.
Never in my life had God used me to save one of His children.
It was suddenly so evident that God has given me a BOLD voice, that I have NEVER in the past taken advantage of.
By being shy, quiet, and full of insecurities, I was never able to be who God created and intended me to be.
He created me to BE BOLD.
To be bold in sharing His truth.
To be bold in speaking out what HE speaks.
To be bold in everything I do FOR HIM.
Today, was my birthday.
I was blessed enough to be able to celebrate it in a beautiful, African church service - praising God in song and prayer...we even sang my personal favorite song, “Ni Wewe Bwana.”
It was a great start to an amazing birthday- but as I scanned the pews, I saw no sign of Beatrice.
At first, I was disappointed, but I knew, that I would see her in heaven someday.
After the next song, Katie elbowed me and said, “JM! Beatrice is here...”
There she was, my heart rejoiced.
Afterwards, I was able to talk with her and tell her how happy I was again that we are now sisters in Christ.
I wanted to thank her forever, thank her for letting me realize that I have a bold voice to use for furthering God’s kingdom.
All I could say was, “Asante sana!” (Thank you so much) over and over again.
Today, I received the best gifts.
A gift from God:
A gift of boldness.
A gift I NEVER thought I had.
And the gift of rejoicing with God’s angels as we celebrate Beatrice becoming God’s child.
I cannot stop praising God today for ALL he has done.
GOD IS SO WORTHY OF OUR PRAISE.
Bwana asifiwe sana! (All praise be to God!)
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Posted in Reflections by Elly Gifford on 3/15/2012
After nearly two hours of rocky, side-swaying roads, we arrived at the Turkana tribe in the town of Rare Tuesday afternoon. After setting up our tents and enjoying a hearty meal made with love by Mama Margaret, a few of the team set out in search of the infamous waterfall. We knew we could hear water streaming from afar, now it was just time to go find it. Little did we know this would turn into a great adventure. We ducked under a sketchy barbed wire fence, meandered over some rocks, jumped across a stream, then hiked a bit until we were surrounded by jungle-like trees. It took tons of teamwork to prevent my face from falling flat on the rocks, but with determination we finally reached the waterfall! This was my first waterfall and it didn’t disappoint- the sound of the water streaming over and out from the rocks was soothing and the beauty of it in itself reminded me to thank God for this moment and all of His creations.
As I looked up I saw two small, fuzzy monkeys swinging from the trees-you don’t see that in Florida!
When we were done being mesmerized by the gorgeous waterfall and scenery, our translator, Simon, led us up into a completely different environment. The sun shone brightly and there was dry grass and cacti everywhere. Simon led us to a ledge where we could see what felt like all of Kenya. After Simon practically skipped and jumped over to the death-defying ledge, I finally willed myself to climb-and by climb I mean hands and knees-to the ledge, then with shaky knees I slowly stood up. All this for a picture-once it was snapped, I lowered myself back to sanity. As I sat on the ledge, I took in Kenya-mountains, large green trees, herds of sheep, men plowing in the fields. This is Africa.
Simon decided to not only climb to the ledge, but out and over onto a small tree (limb) which looked like it could fall over at any time. I told him he was crazy, but he simply said, “ I’m not afraid. If I fall I’ll just go straight to heaven”. Simple as that, huh? I realized that it’s not that he wants to die, but he doesn’t have to live his life fearing death because he knows that he’s been saved and heaven is a promise for those who live their lives for Christ. It reminded me that there are still so many people out there who are unsure of where they will go when they die. They either live their life fearing death or live their lives carelessly because they figure they’ll just die eventually and they want to make the most of it while they have it. Well, I want to make the most of my life by glorifying Christ in every way possible; because this life is short. Because it’s not my life; it’s His life. Part of glorifying Christ is reaching the unreached, and not being ashamed of it.
I’m not saying I’m gonna go swinging on a branch over a ledge, but when my time does come, I want to be able to stand in front of Christ and have Him say, well done thy good and faithful servant.
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Posted in Life on the Field by Jesse Jones on 3/13/2012
It’s been some weeks now and we’ve spent most of our time here in Kijabe working at the hospital. Some of us have some training in some areas like physical and speech therapy and counseling and they have helped out in those respective areas. Me, I’ve been getting to work in the kitchen. First day we just jumped right in, they handed me off to one of the guys there named Joseph who has now become my best friend there; he’s been working at the hospital for about fifteen years now, speaks seven different languages, English and the rest different tribal ones. There are about fifty or more tribes in Kenya, one were they can’t have more than a hundred people in their tribe.
Working in the hospital has been fun, all the staff knows English so I’ve been able to talk with and get to know them, they love having us working with them there; always giving us food and chai and wanting us to stay for lunch so we could stay with them longer which I’ve done on more than one occasion. I’ve gotten to go through the process of washing dishes, cutting vegetables, sifting through rice and beans, buttering bread, sorting and placing dishes throughout the hospital and then getting to serve chai and food to the patients. We’ll wheel out the chai on carts full of cups with two to three kettles of chai one without sugar for the diabetics and then we’ll sometimes have porridge as well. Then the same with the food, we’ll have food without salt for the diabetics and sometimes it will get a little confusing trying to figure out what exactly they want, luckily I’ll go with one of the kitchen staff so if I need to they’re able to translate. During that time I’ll get to talk with some of the patients and one time I got to meet a woman named Milka, a Kikuyu and she was over a hundred years old. She told me how she was there before the hospital was built and when the missionaries came to Kijabe and helped build the hospital and then the rest of the place. She even said she knew Simon our contact who is the main pastor there and is pretty well known throughout the area, back when he was a little kid.
Then we also got to go to Nairobi for some time off to relax and have fun. We got to visit the supermarkets that pretty much make you feel like your back in America, taking the city happa’s for only as little as thirty bob, around twenty-five cents, way cheaper than a taxi or matatu. They will try and rip you off and not only them, the people selling their wares in the markets as well. We got to visit and check out some of the markets, a whole bunch of paintings, jewelry, cloths, and souvenirs been sold. I had a nice little time negotiating with a guy on a shirt, but the dude would not lower enough for me to end up buying it. I was able to get it lowered from 2,800 to 1,000 shillings but I said I would only spend 500 at the most. I just think the guys was too used to selling to tourists and being able to get as much as he was asking for since the tourists don’t really know any better.
Now we are heading off to the next tribe Turkana and will be spending five days with them. I’m looking forward to spending time in Rare (you roll the r and it sounds like Rar-e) and getting to know the people there and exploring the area.
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Posted in Life on the Field by Robby Smith on 3/13/2012
Recently, my team and I had the privilege of visiting IDP camps, bringing food to them, visiting them, worshipping with them and sharing God’s Word. IDP (Internally Displaced People) camps are filled with people who were kicked out of their homes about four years ago and are now forced to live in small tents. Long story short, during the elections four years ago, tribalism flared up. About 50 tribes live in Kenya. While these tribes often get along, during the elections, things can get tense since which tribe has power can affect which tribe gets favored for the next several years. After the elections, the minority tribes in their areas were kicked out by the majority tribe. In addition, many of them watched their homes and businesses burn down. A fellow missionary in Kijabe who works with the IDP told me that she once heard someone say that the scariest part is that the person who is chasing you with a machete is the same person that you once sat next to in church.
As we visited these people, we heard some of their stories. One of the most frustrating parts is that it’s not like these people weren’t trying to succeed in life. Many of them had successful businesses and were doing great until hatred wrecked their lives. We visited one lady who lived with her 10 children in a tent not much bigger than a walk-in closet. When it rains, her whole home floods. When we first met her, she told us that she was so grateful to God for the food that we brought because now they could eat lunch. She told us that her husband left her and their children because he was from the Luo tribe and she was from the Kikuyu tribe.
Please be praying for these people living in IDP camps. Another IDP camp near the one that we visited has had homes built by Habitat for Humanity, and the people that we visited are hopeful that the same will soon happen for them. Pray that God will provide the resources for this provision. Pray that the people can find jobs to provide for their families. And pray that the people will keep hope.
Please also be praying for Kenya as a whole. Elections will be happening again at the end of this year. Pray for God’s peace to reign throughout the country and against the hatred and tribalism that tore the country apart during the previous elections.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 3:28
P.S. Another way that you can be a part of God’s work in these camps is by praying for and supporting a current team of missionaries that are working with the IDP. The Kenya Initiative team is a branch of Adventures in Missions. They came to Kenya about a year ago and are working with the people of the IDP camp. Besides building relationships with them and sharing God’s Word, they also run other projects such as providing food and helping the people get loans to start businesses. You can find out more about their work and how to support them by checking out their blog.
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