I am in awe that we only have three more days here in beautiful Mombasa. I do not even know where to begin when describing this trip. Being that this is my third time to Kenya and being the leader of this trip, I have had a different experience than my team members. Most of the time I am behind the scenes figuring out plans for the days to come and organizing the next thing on our list of "to do's". I have been amazed at how much the Lord has grown me over the years, and how he keeps working in me not only through the experiences I get through mission work, but also through the members on my team.
Today was a lot of shopping, we took the team down to Fort Jesus and I got to see Victor and his wife (who I met in 2009 and got to spend time with them last year as well). They see me as their daughter, so it is always a pleasure to see another set of parents! I enjoyed watching the team "bargain" and basically shopped till they dropped, so just so everyone knows, you will be getting great gifts! Every member had their list out and were checking off family and friends names as they bought their gifts. Of course, Elyse found a new habit of loving African goods, so she kept coming back for more. Let's just say this morning was eventful.
After Fort Jesus, we went to the beach so everyone could soak up more of the sun! Some of us went shopping some more, while others played soccer with the Kenyans. Then for dinner, we enjoyed some hamburgers with the team, Chris, Lisa and the Windell Family. I am truly blessed to be around such amazing people and it has been a delight to learn more and more about one another each day. This is a family that will not be forgotten and we will all forever be connected.
Today, Allison gave her testimony to the team and she did a beautiful job. She is a wonderful young lady and the Lord is doing amazing things in her life. She has great faith and the Lord shines through her and I cannot wait to see what the Lord has planned for her future. Also, with everyone else on the team, I cannot wait to see our future's and be able to watch one another grow stronger in Christ.
As the leader of this team, I have gotten a different perspective. I have gotten all the questions and the late night Skype calls. I have seen the letters from family members discouraging my team members not to go on this mission trip, and then I have seen the anonymous donations come in that made individuals fall to their knees and cry to the Lord, "thank you". I have been a part of 11 individuals lives and have gotten to walk beside them the past 9 months training them and preparing their hearts for these two weeks. So now with three days left I am beginning to finally sit and reflect. The Lord is doing great things in all of our lives, but it is now time to go back home and share that with everyone we see.
I shared a devotion yesterday morning from Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 and it talks about "two are better than one" I shared how accountability is very important and when we leave here we need to realize that we need to help one another stay strong in Christ. That is my prayer for this team, that this is not a mission trip, but that this is a trip will forever change every individual's heart. I pray that when they go home, they will not fall back into old habits, but turn their eyes to the Lord and want to make a difference in this world. I pray that the Lord rocks their world and and that everyday they yearn for the Lord even more. And I pray that they do not make prayer a ritual of everyday, but they realize that prayer is a life of a christian.
I will leave you with one more thing. On saturday when we were walking through the dirt trails of south coast, I was with Elyse and Austin and we ran into a couple men and sat down to tell them about Christ. They were already Christians, so Elyse gave her testimony and then they shared theirs and one thing that the man said really hit home with me. He said, "remember vision is power, but power is not vision."
So, I pray that the 11 wonderful individuals on my team, Rachel, Cayla, Jaylyn, Stephanie, Austin, Matthew, Allison, Tyler, Whitney, Elyse, and Kaylene strive for the Lord's vision in their lives. I pray that they do not lose sight of what the Lord wants for them, but they stand strong in that vision because with vision, the Lord will provide a path to walk and with vision the Lord will do powerful and mighty things in each one of their lives.
I love every one of them dearly and have truly been touched by my team and the hospitality of Chris, Lisa and the Windells.
In Him,
Jenny ("kiongozi": leader)
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Sunday Service under the Mango Tree
The pastor speaks, "Praise God!" The conjuration answers, "Amen!"
That is how we began church this morning. We started this beautiful Sunday morning with a church service underneath the mango tree. The people of Massai Church had built a shed type covering made out of wood and a tarp laid vertically across on top to provide more shade. Pastor Eric greeted the church and the visitors, allowing us to introduce ourselves. Then he moved on to allow the members of the church to introduce themselves. There was one lady in particular who stuck out to me. It was the same lady from yesterday that was on my team during some of the games we were playing with the kids. Picture this, "a lady shorter than me (For those of you that don't know me, I am 4'11''.) She was about 4'7'', a smile running from cheek to cheek, and more energy than any adult I have ever met." She introduced herself and told us how happy she was to have us there, continued on to tell us bout how good God was. She told of the story about how she at times has nothing, but still praises God or about the time when she was extremely sick, but still praised God. This woman was on fire. I thought her energy level was high; Her love for Christ was even higher. The coolest thing about her giving this testimony is that she was speaking it in Swahili. Even if we had not of had a translator, just watching her facial expressions and hand movements were enough for me to see how full of life she was.
Part of the group took the children out to another tree for a Sunday school lesson, while Pastor Eric preached a sermon about taking off the old and putting on the new. Once church was over, the ladies of the church brought out food for everyone. It is called, "The hand to mouth ministry." We had rice with some flavor, meat, and potatoes (In my opinion the rice tasted like mexican rice, which was still yummy.) Next we moved on to the clinic and game time.
Whitney, Matt, Rachel, Jaylyn, Kaylene, and I helped in the clinic. Matt and Whiteny played "doctor" diagnosing people while I assisted with temperature and other minor help outs. I got to practice my Swahili as I called out the number for people to stand in line. Jaylyn, Rachel, and Kaylene helped distribute medicine. Jenny, Elise, Allison, and Stephanie were playing all sorts of games with the kids, passing out hand made dresses, and "sweets." Austin and Tyler spent countless hours trying to keep up with the boys in soccer.
We said our good-byes and head back to Mombasa to eat pizza, YES PIZZA, at one of our host homes, the Windells. On the bus back, Rachel bravely gave her testimony. It is never easy to tell people about your past, but it is truly a blessing to have her on the trip. I feel she held nothing back telling the team about her lowest of lows and giving God the glory for her highest of highs. After dinner we shared stories with Windells about our day and played catch phrase. Allison told her story about how her camera was stollen from the tree she left it in. However, a boy remembered a man taking it and ran down the road to find him. When the boy found the man, he asked the man to take his picture. As the man was taking the boy's picture, the boy grabbed the camera and ran back. YAY! Allison's camera was returned.
It truly was a blessed day. There was a few bumps in the road and chaotic times, but it all ended nicely with a warm shower. I feel that I have only covered half of what really happened. The views here are jaw-dropping, our team is getting along, and this has been a life changing experience.
We serve a God that will be praised; the language does not matter.
Psalm 100: 1-2 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
Cayla
P.S. Hi mom, dad, and Colton, I love you and miss you!
That is how we began church this morning. We started this beautiful Sunday morning with a church service underneath the mango tree. The people of Massai Church had built a shed type covering made out of wood and a tarp laid vertically across on top to provide more shade. Pastor Eric greeted the church and the visitors, allowing us to introduce ourselves. Then he moved on to allow the members of the church to introduce themselves. There was one lady in particular who stuck out to me. It was the same lady from yesterday that was on my team during some of the games we were playing with the kids. Picture this, "a lady shorter than me (For those of you that don't know me, I am 4'11''.) She was about 4'7'', a smile running from cheek to cheek, and more energy than any adult I have ever met." She introduced herself and told us how happy she was to have us there, continued on to tell us bout how good God was. She told of the story about how she at times has nothing, but still praises God or about the time when she was extremely sick, but still praised God. This woman was on fire. I thought her energy level was high; Her love for Christ was even higher. The coolest thing about her giving this testimony is that she was speaking it in Swahili. Even if we had not of had a translator, just watching her facial expressions and hand movements were enough for me to see how full of life she was.
Part of the group took the children out to another tree for a Sunday school lesson, while Pastor Eric preached a sermon about taking off the old and putting on the new. Once church was over, the ladies of the church brought out food for everyone. It is called, "The hand to mouth ministry." We had rice with some flavor, meat, and potatoes (In my opinion the rice tasted like mexican rice, which was still yummy.) Next we moved on to the clinic and game time.
Whitney, Matt, Rachel, Jaylyn, Kaylene, and I helped in the clinic. Matt and Whiteny played "doctor" diagnosing people while I assisted with temperature and other minor help outs. I got to practice my Swahili as I called out the number for people to stand in line. Jaylyn, Rachel, and Kaylene helped distribute medicine. Jenny, Elise, Allison, and Stephanie were playing all sorts of games with the kids, passing out hand made dresses, and "sweets." Austin and Tyler spent countless hours trying to keep up with the boys in soccer.
We said our good-byes and head back to Mombasa to eat pizza, YES PIZZA, at one of our host homes, the Windells. On the bus back, Rachel bravely gave her testimony. It is never easy to tell people about your past, but it is truly a blessing to have her on the trip. I feel she held nothing back telling the team about her lowest of lows and giving God the glory for her highest of highs. After dinner we shared stories with Windells about our day and played catch phrase. Allison told her story about how her camera was stollen from the tree she left it in. However, a boy remembered a man taking it and ran down the road to find him. When the boy found the man, he asked the man to take his picture. As the man was taking the boy's picture, the boy grabbed the camera and ran back. YAY! Allison's camera was returned.
It truly was a blessed day. There was a few bumps in the road and chaotic times, but it all ended nicely with a warm shower. I feel that I have only covered half of what really happened. The views here are jaw-dropping, our team is getting along, and this has been a life changing experience.
We serve a God that will be praised; the language does not matter.
Psalm 100: 1-2 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
Cayla
P.S. Hi mom, dad, and Colton, I love you and miss you!
Inheriting the Kingdom
Waking up in an unfamiliar place can be a disorienting experience. We awoke pretty early on Saturday morning, in a small room at the Grand motel on the South coast of Kenya. Having a busy day ahead of us, we ate a quick breakfast at a local restaurant about ten minutes away. I can already tell you that once we get back to the states, I will still be craving a good mandazi. After an African breakfast, complete with chai of course, we loaded on to the bus to head another thirty minutes south to Masai Corner. We were greeted with hand shakes and warm smiles by pastor Eric Chando and his companions, who were ready to get busy evangelizing the moment we arrived.
I was in the first group with Rachel and Stephanie, and we were led by Pastor Eric, and a married couple named James and Agnes, whose easy smiles made me feel all the more welcome. We drove about ten minutes into the hills, and were dropped off to begin our trek. At the very first house, we met a Muslim man that did not want to hear what we had to say. He was polite, but this was the moment I had feared; rejection. However, the group was not discouraged, and as the day progressed, we met many amazing people. At one house, we met an older man named James Kimoso, who spoke good english and had a disarming smile. Although he was having leg trouble, he still made it the two kilometers to Masai Corner this morning for church! After that, we met a young man named Alfred Mgobo. This is where is gets interesting.
Alfred was born in a Christian home, was raised in the church, and knew who Jesus was. however, like many Americans, he was met by temptation, and fell away. Luckily, Pastor Eric is a very articulate man, because Alfred needed some wisdom spoken into his life. But by far the best part was when Rachel shared her testimony with Alfred, who was surprised to hear that even in America, people struggle and meet temptation. But, our Savior is larger. It was incredible to see the boldness that the Lord had given Rachel, and all day I could just feel the Lord's presence; it was more tangible than ever. We finished our evangelism with a man named Wilson, who has a wife and four children. All six of them are believers, which surprised me since most of the people in this area are either muslim or non-believer. Wilson's three year old daughter, Esther, came out of the hut in tears when we arrived. When we asked what was wrong, he simply said that she had malaria, as if this was a part of every day life. I suppose that in this part of the world, it is. We got to pray for Esther's health and for the entire family, and then we were on our way back.
The rest of the afternoon was spent in fellowship, playing soccer and eating with all of the people from the area. It was an afternoon well spent, and I had overwhelming peace of mind for the entire afternoon. We were in the most beautiful land I had ever seen, playing with kids who were so grateful just to have your attention, even though they were lacking so many more things. Everyone was in high spirits, and I feel like the team recognized how lucky we really were. The team has really been bonding, especially with everyone giving their testimonies and spending so much time together.
In parting, I want you all to think about what you take for granted. These people have little, but live like they know they will inherit the Kingdom of their Father one day. Are you taking advantage of the things the Lord has blessed you with today?
P.S.... I spoke to our friend Wilson today when I ran into him at church. He said that he could not explain it, but Esther was feeling better, and seemed to have much more energy than just twenty four hours ago when we prayed for her. God is Good, All the time.
I was in the first group with Rachel and Stephanie, and we were led by Pastor Eric, and a married couple named James and Agnes, whose easy smiles made me feel all the more welcome. We drove about ten minutes into the hills, and were dropped off to begin our trek. At the very first house, we met a Muslim man that did not want to hear what we had to say. He was polite, but this was the moment I had feared; rejection. However, the group was not discouraged, and as the day progressed, we met many amazing people. At one house, we met an older man named James Kimoso, who spoke good english and had a disarming smile. Although he was having leg trouble, he still made it the two kilometers to Masai Corner this morning for church! After that, we met a young man named Alfred Mgobo. This is where is gets interesting.
Alfred was born in a Christian home, was raised in the church, and knew who Jesus was. however, like many Americans, he was met by temptation, and fell away. Luckily, Pastor Eric is a very articulate man, because Alfred needed some wisdom spoken into his life. But by far the best part was when Rachel shared her testimony with Alfred, who was surprised to hear that even in America, people struggle and meet temptation. But, our Savior is larger. It was incredible to see the boldness that the Lord had given Rachel, and all day I could just feel the Lord's presence; it was more tangible than ever. We finished our evangelism with a man named Wilson, who has a wife and four children. All six of them are believers, which surprised me since most of the people in this area are either muslim or non-believer. Wilson's three year old daughter, Esther, came out of the hut in tears when we arrived. When we asked what was wrong, he simply said that she had malaria, as if this was a part of every day life. I suppose that in this part of the world, it is. We got to pray for Esther's health and for the entire family, and then we were on our way back.
The rest of the afternoon was spent in fellowship, playing soccer and eating with all of the people from the area. It was an afternoon well spent, and I had overwhelming peace of mind for the entire afternoon. We were in the most beautiful land I had ever seen, playing with kids who were so grateful just to have your attention, even though they were lacking so many more things. Everyone was in high spirits, and I feel like the team recognized how lucky we really were. The team has really been bonding, especially with everyone giving their testimonies and spending so much time together.
In parting, I want you all to think about what you take for granted. These people have little, but live like they know they will inherit the Kingdom of their Father one day. Are you taking advantage of the things the Lord has blessed you with today?
P.S.... I spoke to our friend Wilson today when I ran into him at church. He said that he could not explain it, but Esther was feeling better, and seemed to have much more energy than just twenty four hours ago when we prayed for her. God is Good, All the time.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
A day four ourselves.
For Friday 7/15, our kind leaders gave us a surprise! We woke up at an early 5am to leave for South Coast Kenya for 3 days with all of our luggage. We then headed off toward an unknown destination after checking into our hotel. Praise and worship songs filled the bus as we traveled towards our surprise. Then we pulled up to our surprise: a snorkeling boat trip! Praise God! What a great idea! Many of our team hurried into the water by jumping off a 10ft ledge and swam to the boat. Sea sickness was not absent from our team, but thank God, no one hurled. The water was so beautiful as we sailed out. Crystal clear waters paired with fine grain white sand was only a small part of what we saw of God's canvas. Palm trees and rustic African boats were gazed upon as we drank our cold cokes from glass bottles and had chia tea and mandazies(an African-like doughnut). Once the anchor was down, snorkeling gear in hand, Matt was the first to jump into the cool water. Everyone quickly followed. Squid, sea urchins, sea stars, an array of colorful fish, giant clams, barracudas, eels and sting rays were just a few of God's wonderful creatures we were privileged to see. Although for some, it was the first time, everyone loved the adventure and got the act of snorkeling down to an art. We finally ended up on a small strip of beach in the middle of the Indian Ocean where our team enjoyed soaking up the sun, collecting sea shells, and had a fun sand fight! After everyone explored the small 100m strip, it was time for lunch!
Lunch was at a small off the coast eatery where everyone tried fresh boiled crab, a seaweed/coconut roll, and a whole fish(scales, eyes, fins and all) sauteed in coconut maranara sauce paired with coconut milk rice. The view from the table overlooked the ocean we had just came from and everyone enjoyed the abundant food. For dessert, a yellow passionfruit, mango, banana, and Kenya's delicious oranges was presented to us. After lunch we got to take a tour of a small tourist town and coral/rock garden. We took a stroll on an old bridge which weaved in and out of the rock garden. The coral statues stood around 8ft tall and we were told at high tide, they would be at least half covered in water. Just as we left the garden, we were amazed at how much the tide had come in already, covering much of the earlier barren earth. Traveling back to our bus was much shorter of a ride and in no time our venture was over. Time to head back to the hotel.
We are staying in a... quaint hotel; simple, but does the job well. Before testimonies and dinner, we showered our now burnt bodies and took a small rest. Tyler gave his heartfelt testimony before dinner and we traveled to a nearby place to enjoy chicken, beef, veggies, french fries, and ugali(an African thick cornmeal). Coming back, Stephanie's testimony was told and stayed on our hearts as we got ready for bed.
Although the day was over 16hours long, it was just the break and refuel our group needed. We are getting up early tomorrow for more missions! As I lay here in bed, the radio from the streets seep into the paper thin walls. Although harsh Kenyan preaching is far from a lullaby, it will have to do for tonight.
Goodnight Africa!
Whitney Cloud(team member awesome)
Lunch was at a small off the coast eatery where everyone tried fresh boiled crab, a seaweed/coconut roll, and a whole fish(scales, eyes, fins and all) sauteed in coconut maranara sauce paired with coconut milk rice. The view from the table overlooked the ocean we had just came from and everyone enjoyed the abundant food. For dessert, a yellow passionfruit, mango, banana, and Kenya's delicious oranges was presented to us. After lunch we got to take a tour of a small tourist town and coral/rock garden. We took a stroll on an old bridge which weaved in and out of the rock garden. The coral statues stood around 8ft tall and we were told at high tide, they would be at least half covered in water. Just as we left the garden, we were amazed at how much the tide had come in already, covering much of the earlier barren earth. Traveling back to our bus was much shorter of a ride and in no time our venture was over. Time to head back to the hotel.
We are staying in a... quaint hotel; simple, but does the job well. Before testimonies and dinner, we showered our now burnt bodies and took a small rest. Tyler gave his heartfelt testimony before dinner and we traveled to a nearby place to enjoy chicken, beef, veggies, french fries, and ugali(an African thick cornmeal). Coming back, Stephanie's testimony was told and stayed on our hearts as we got ready for bed.
Although the day was over 16hours long, it was just the break and refuel our group needed. We are getting up early tomorrow for more missions! As I lay here in bed, the radio from the streets seep into the paper thin walls. Although harsh Kenyan preaching is far from a lullaby, it will have to do for tonight.
Goodnight Africa!
Whitney Cloud(team member awesome)
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Consumed
There is something completely overwhelming about waking up in Kenya while the sun is still rising, the birds are singing, and the air is cool. There is a consuming feeling of God's abounding love in this country. Our team has just come off of a 4 day stay at Mbewau Academy and although I was sad to leave, I was excited to see God move through us in a different location. We split into two groups today as half of us visited the children's cancer ward of a local hospital and the other half visited the local disability clinic for children. I was able to visit the children's disability clinic and was completely overwhelmed with emotion. This facility is used for rehabilitation for children with physical disabilities. They are also well known on the coast for their production of prosthetics. We saw children with club feet, bowed legs, no legs, cerebral palsy, bone diseases, and everything in between. They were completely positive, smiling, laughing, and just all around joyful. There is more joy in this country than anything I've ever seen before. Their use of pain medication is scarce, their mobility is limited, but the children at this clinic were joyful. After we spent time playing with puzzles, animal cards, and soccer balls, we said our goodbyes. The teams met back together and headed onto our next journey for the day. We then visited Shanzu, which is a handicapped women's ministry. These women have created a ministry where they sew purses, clothing, aprons, laptop cases, and many other products to sell, which enhances their independence and vocational skills. Once again, I felt pure joy talking to these women. They didn't complain about their disability, but instead used their skills to do good work. Our team was blessed to be able to shop in their store and support their ministry. After Shanzu, we visited some local stores and practiced our bargaining skills. We were definitely successful in that endeavor! We ended our afternoon with a devotion. I volunteered to lead the devotion today, because I had an overwhelming sense of urgency to do so from the Lord. I referenced Psalm 103 and discussed the concept of being consumed. I have truly been convicted by the Kenyan people and their consumption of God. They don't put him in a box and limit his amazing power. They submit themselves to Him and embrace His power to consume their lives, whether that life is messy, challenging, or filled with baggage. The team spent the remainder of the evening at Chris and Lisa Moore's home enjoying fellowship and a wonderful meal. We laughed at each other's secret talents and even shed a few tears. God was able to speak through Cayla and Austin tonight as they shared their testimony of God's great works in their lives. It never ceases to amaze me when people break down walls and become vulnerable enough to share their struggles and truth about their lives. God's glory really shined through Cayla and Austin, and our team parted ways feeling closer than ever. As the noise in the Moore home is silencing, I am reflecting on today and the overwhelming emotions of this trip. God has done a mighty work through Chris and Lisa Moore, He has done a mighty work through the Kenyan people, and He is doing a mighty work through the Mission Mombasa team. We are truly getting a glimpse of what our lives would be like if we allowed God to be our center, our ultimate focus, and consume every portion of who we are. I can't wait to see what else He has in store for us this trip. The recap for the day is short, but there is one overall message that explains everyday of the trip thus far: I have been truly blessed to be chosen for such a life-changing experience, and I know that my heart will have a permanent scar for the people of Kenya.
For His Glory,
Kaylene Ullom
"Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name." Psalm 103:1
For His Glory,
Kaylene Ullom
"Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name." Psalm 103:1
Wednesday July 13th in Africa
WOW! What a crazy day yesterday was! And for that matter, what a crazy week this has been. I am writing this post one day late so I am going to try to remember all the details. This whole trip has been such a whirlwind of emotions and each day has had some amazing teachings about who God is and how great he is! We woke up at 6am again in Mbewai and this morning the power was out. It was hard getting up in the dark and I was worn out from the past couple days of loving on these kids with endless energy. But starting the day with Morning Glory gave me so much strength. Like every day at Mbewai, we praised God and gave him all the glory for the day. After that, Allison did morning devotion. She talked about Romans 8:18-30, how creation groans and yearns for the coming of the Lord and how we have seen the beauty of God 's creation on the trails. But as beautiful this region is, the groaning and suffering is so much louder. Today was our last day of teaching at Mbewai. Cayla and I have been teaching in kindergarten3 class. When we got to class, the kids were just starting math. Cayla had prepared a ciriculum for the day so she took over and I helped out. We taught math by writing phrases and having the kids count the number of letters. Then for social science, we taught them the use of a ven diagram, comparing the similarities and differences between a motorcycle and bicycle. I left the classroom at 11am to prepare vitamins for the kids at lunch. We had been giving them vitamins each day at lunch. The baby class got liquid vitamins and everyone else got chewable. After lunch which each class, Jaylyn and I taught the kids how to brush their teeth. We had prepared bags for each kid with a toothbrush and toothpaste. It was really fun giving kids the lesson, as I would make funny noises while brushing and they would all laugh. Then, I joined our class again, and we finished the day with a craft. The kids decorated crosses and wrote "Let the children come to me" on them. They also made and decorated nametags. We passed out the toothbrushes and toothpaste to all the kids and re-emphasized the importance of brushing. Then it was off to go home with the kids. Before we left, we gave bags to all the staff with soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, washcloths and other hygeine items. My group went home with Brighton and Tumu. Our translator was Jackson. We walked about 15 minutes to get to the house. It was a mud house with a thatched roof. The greeting party at the house was 3 mommas, a grandma and a bunch of kids. Brighton's mom was deaf and was doing a another lady's hair in front of the house, which she did for a little money. The house was a two room house with noticeable holes in the roof. They were relatively well off for the area but that is definetly a relative term. We asked Jackson questions and he would directly answer since he knew the family well. One thing I noticed was that they kept toothbrushes on the outside of the house stuck in the mud wall. The whole trail experience has been truly amazing in getting to see how little these people have, yet they are truly content with only having God. Their reliance on God for everything is very refreshing. We got back to campus and left shorty after to head immediately to dinner at a nice restaraunt right on the beach. It was really good but such a different experience from what we had seen the past couple days. Going from the trails to the resort-style restaraunt on the beach had a lot of mixed emotions. We had a great dinner though. I had hawaiian pizza and italian icecream afterwards. We headed back to Chris and Lisa's and I got to go for a swim and play with Ilo (the awesome german shepherd that they have) before going to bed. I could go into so much more detail about today and everything that has happened this trip but I am short on time. God has truly been working on each and every one of us this week and I cannot wait for the everything he will teach me this next week. I want to send a shout-out to family and girlfriend back in the States. Love yall and miss yall!
El Doctore (Matthew)
El Doctore (Matthew)
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
I can feel the rhythm.
This trip has been 1000% better than I've ever dreamed. God has a funny way of doing that. He has taken my expectations and completely thrown them away. His plans are so great and every day He proves it to me again and again. From the beginning God's hand has been in everything. Our group bonding, good travels, laughter, and overall experience in the village has been so positive and so amazing. My love for these people has grown so deep and I don't want to leave already!
There are so many things I have to skip over, and explaining can not express what it is actually like here. I think Tuesday has been my favorite day so far. It was a day of ups and downs for sure. Our team got to experience not only an extreme joy and happiness, but also heartbreak and pain of the level of the local people. Both of these experiences have shaped me and changed me for the rest of my life.
Fridays are usually chapel day. As a special treat for our team, however, they made chapel day Tuesday. What this means is that the "guitar man" comes in and plays the guitar, keyboard, and sings with the kids during music class and chapel at the end of the day. Music is a huge part of their culture and I was so excited to hear that we would get to be apart of that activity. We started out the day as usual with morning glory, chi, and mandazis. After that we went to our classrooms. Me and Stephanie are in the standard 1 class with Joseph. He is an incredible teacher, and has given us free reign over his classroom. The first day we taught every lesson which was crazy. Chapel day was a more laid back day though. It seemed like all we did was fun. We taught a couple interactive lessons, played games like Simeon Says and heads up seven up, but the part of the day that sticks out was music class. It seems like each child is brilliantly gifted when it comes to music and rhythm. Throughout everything they do in the day they incorporate singing. I find that so amazing. Between lessons the teachers will just initiate singing a praise song. They never forget that God is a part of their lives. Their passion is overwhelming. Anyway, in music class I got to hear the kids beautiful voices and witness the natural rhythm that they all have. Dancing comes so natural and to watch it brightens my day immensely. It was funny because in the middle of these 7 year olds I stand out like a sore thumb. I'm this white 19 year old with no rhythm dancing like a maniac! Even though I looked completely stupid it was the purest joy I have experienced. Just for a moment I felt like I had the child-like faith that they have, and that God desires. That was one of the high points of my day.
Another fun thing was recess and teaching the girls how to play Little Sally Walker. Their little accents are so cute and watching how shy they are is adorable. We also "balanced the ball" which is a song and is really only cool when you sing it with an accent. Everything we say over here we say in an accent too. Its hard for the kids to understand our American accent so we have all kind of figured out the African accent and how to talk slowly. Its actually pretty funny and now I find myself talking like that all the time. When I get back you will all get to see videos of these things! Our team has laughed over it a lot.
Chapel was the next part of the day. All the classes presented a Bible verse or a song which was really impressive. Even the three year olds had memorized scripture which is pretty special. It was so funny though because when my class presented I felt like the overly proud mom. I was cheering, taking pictures, and recording the whole thing. I haven't even known these kids a long time, but like I said earlier my love for them has grown deep.
Every day we split into groups and walk home with a child. The first day was a 45 minute walk which was a very long time. Tuesday, however, was only about 25 minutes. To get to the house I went to we had to walk through this overgrown cornfield and path. The trail was narrow and had a lot of hills. These kids walk this twice every day. It amazes me what they will do to get their education. Anyway, when we finally made it out of the corn forest the mother of the children we walked home with was waiting to greet us. She went in the house (mud hut) and brought us out stools to sit on. (We couldn't all fit in the house) The hospitality here is amazing. We sat there and just asked her personal questions. She was never upset or uncomfortable answering our questions even though in the US most people would be offended. Instead she answered with a smile of her face. The thing that struck me most with her was when I asked her if she had any hopes for her children. She said she had many hopes, but in reality didn't believe those hopes would come true because of their situation. Their mud hut was beginning to fall down, she was not married anymore, had 5 children, and was supporting them purely on the money she made selling fruits. They only had one pair of clothes which were tattered and the hut had only two rooms. Even with all of these issues she never complained. We asked what her prayer request was and it was just that her husband would come back to her. These stories are just so powerful to me. The people here seem so honored to have us visit them, but I don't think they realize how honored I am to visit them. I wish everyone could see the things I am witnessing. They have every right to be bitter about life and complain all the time, but I have not seen that once. I am astounded by that. As we left the woman asked us to visit again if we ever came back. I hope one day I get that opportunity. We left her house and found the other group who was visiting a different house. We got to see how they wrap the baby in the conga and also carry the buckets on our heads. We all tried, and for the most part epically failed. It was like a village block party. Everybody came out to watch the white people try to balance the bucket. Our teachers Mercylyn and Nixon then tried and showed us up. They were singing, dancing, and carrying the bucket. It was just a really awesome time.
The next part of the day was something I will probably never see again. A 7 month old baby that Chris and Lisa have been trying to help passed away that morning. It was very close to Lisa's heart because she not only loves these people, but also because she had been doing everything in her power to help this baby. There was nothing that could be done though. So at the end of the day the funeral was held. We got the opportunity to go and I am so glad we got to. Before we went Chris and Lisa filled us in on all the information about the family and what to expect. When we got there the women were all gathered around the casket dressed in their colorful clothes. We were told that the women wail at these funerals so I was expecting that. The outlook the family had on this child though was so eye opening. The mothers response to the death of her child was actually "Now that burden is gone." In the US we have no concept of this. Here, however, death is very real. Also, when one is sick it creates a ripple effect. It is not just the sick one who suffers. Those who labor over the sick one also suffer. Its hard for us to hear that response, but in the light of the culture it is easy to understand. At the funeral women did cry. The men don't show very much emotion at all. They had a service which I could not understand at all because it was in Swahili, and then they buried the baby in a shallow grave they had dug earlier in the day. Music was also a part of this. Music weaves the pieces of their lives together. They express happiness and sorrow both with song. This is what made this day so amazing to me. I actually felt like I knew these people. I hurt with them, but I was also so joyful with them. Even though we come from two completely foreign places we have to much in common. Love is universal, pain is universal, and the rhythm of the music is universal.
I love y'all very much! I will be sad to leave this place, but also very happy to show and tell everyone about the amazing things God had done for me here.
See you soon! ish.
In Him,
Allison Stroud
There are so many things I have to skip over, and explaining can not express what it is actually like here. I think Tuesday has been my favorite day so far. It was a day of ups and downs for sure. Our team got to experience not only an extreme joy and happiness, but also heartbreak and pain of the level of the local people. Both of these experiences have shaped me and changed me for the rest of my life.
Fridays are usually chapel day. As a special treat for our team, however, they made chapel day Tuesday. What this means is that the "guitar man" comes in and plays the guitar, keyboard, and sings with the kids during music class and chapel at the end of the day. Music is a huge part of their culture and I was so excited to hear that we would get to be apart of that activity. We started out the day as usual with morning glory, chi, and mandazis. After that we went to our classrooms. Me and Stephanie are in the standard 1 class with Joseph. He is an incredible teacher, and has given us free reign over his classroom. The first day we taught every lesson which was crazy. Chapel day was a more laid back day though. It seemed like all we did was fun. We taught a couple interactive lessons, played games like Simeon Says and heads up seven up, but the part of the day that sticks out was music class. It seems like each child is brilliantly gifted when it comes to music and rhythm. Throughout everything they do in the day they incorporate singing. I find that so amazing. Between lessons the teachers will just initiate singing a praise song. They never forget that God is a part of their lives. Their passion is overwhelming. Anyway, in music class I got to hear the kids beautiful voices and witness the natural rhythm that they all have. Dancing comes so natural and to watch it brightens my day immensely. It was funny because in the middle of these 7 year olds I stand out like a sore thumb. I'm this white 19 year old with no rhythm dancing like a maniac! Even though I looked completely stupid it was the purest joy I have experienced. Just for a moment I felt like I had the child-like faith that they have, and that God desires. That was one of the high points of my day.
Another fun thing was recess and teaching the girls how to play Little Sally Walker. Their little accents are so cute and watching how shy they are is adorable. We also "balanced the ball" which is a song and is really only cool when you sing it with an accent. Everything we say over here we say in an accent too. Its hard for the kids to understand our American accent so we have all kind of figured out the African accent and how to talk slowly. Its actually pretty funny and now I find myself talking like that all the time. When I get back you will all get to see videos of these things! Our team has laughed over it a lot.
Chapel was the next part of the day. All the classes presented a Bible verse or a song which was really impressive. Even the three year olds had memorized scripture which is pretty special. It was so funny though because when my class presented I felt like the overly proud mom. I was cheering, taking pictures, and recording the whole thing. I haven't even known these kids a long time, but like I said earlier my love for them has grown deep.
Every day we split into groups and walk home with a child. The first day was a 45 minute walk which was a very long time. Tuesday, however, was only about 25 minutes. To get to the house I went to we had to walk through this overgrown cornfield and path. The trail was narrow and had a lot of hills. These kids walk this twice every day. It amazes me what they will do to get their education. Anyway, when we finally made it out of the corn forest the mother of the children we walked home with was waiting to greet us. She went in the house (mud hut) and brought us out stools to sit on. (We couldn't all fit in the house) The hospitality here is amazing. We sat there and just asked her personal questions. She was never upset or uncomfortable answering our questions even though in the US most people would be offended. Instead she answered with a smile of her face. The thing that struck me most with her was when I asked her if she had any hopes for her children. She said she had many hopes, but in reality didn't believe those hopes would come true because of their situation. Their mud hut was beginning to fall down, she was not married anymore, had 5 children, and was supporting them purely on the money she made selling fruits. They only had one pair of clothes which were tattered and the hut had only two rooms. Even with all of these issues she never complained. We asked what her prayer request was and it was just that her husband would come back to her. These stories are just so powerful to me. The people here seem so honored to have us visit them, but I don't think they realize how honored I am to visit them. I wish everyone could see the things I am witnessing. They have every right to be bitter about life and complain all the time, but I have not seen that once. I am astounded by that. As we left the woman asked us to visit again if we ever came back. I hope one day I get that opportunity. We left her house and found the other group who was visiting a different house. We got to see how they wrap the baby in the conga and also carry the buckets on our heads. We all tried, and for the most part epically failed. It was like a village block party. Everybody came out to watch the white people try to balance the bucket. Our teachers Mercylyn and Nixon then tried and showed us up. They were singing, dancing, and carrying the bucket. It was just a really awesome time.
The next part of the day was something I will probably never see again. A 7 month old baby that Chris and Lisa have been trying to help passed away that morning. It was very close to Lisa's heart because she not only loves these people, but also because she had been doing everything in her power to help this baby. There was nothing that could be done though. So at the end of the day the funeral was held. We got the opportunity to go and I am so glad we got to. Before we went Chris and Lisa filled us in on all the information about the family and what to expect. When we got there the women were all gathered around the casket dressed in their colorful clothes. We were told that the women wail at these funerals so I was expecting that. The outlook the family had on this child though was so eye opening. The mothers response to the death of her child was actually "Now that burden is gone." In the US we have no concept of this. Here, however, death is very real. Also, when one is sick it creates a ripple effect. It is not just the sick one who suffers. Those who labor over the sick one also suffer. Its hard for us to hear that response, but in the light of the culture it is easy to understand. At the funeral women did cry. The men don't show very much emotion at all. They had a service which I could not understand at all because it was in Swahili, and then they buried the baby in a shallow grave they had dug earlier in the day. Music was also a part of this. Music weaves the pieces of their lives together. They express happiness and sorrow both with song. This is what made this day so amazing to me. I actually felt like I knew these people. I hurt with them, but I was also so joyful with them. Even though we come from two completely foreign places we have to much in common. Love is universal, pain is universal, and the rhythm of the music is universal.
I love y'all very much! I will be sad to leave this place, but also very happy to show and tell everyone about the amazing things God had done for me here.
See you soon! ish.
In Him,
Allison Stroud
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