June 22, 2011

God is so good to choose the likes of us to do His work. May we always hear His voice and do His bidding no matter how great the cost. Our first gathering was absolutely inspiring. The people are strong in spirit. Many half hearted people, people who came for the wrong reasons - like expectations that the mzugus (white people) would give them money - are gone. The worship was in spirit and in truth. The message was received with joy and thanksgiving, but not without a sobering thought of counting the cost to build the church with living stones here in Nakuru.

The place we have met for 3 years has been sold and the church in Nakuru will be ‘homeless’ soon. This was discouraging to many people. We were able to encourage the saints with our story. We were once homeless too but not for long. We know our Father has a place even better for us here. I think He wants to bring us closer and will put us in a place to facilitate that. I love the adventure of it all.

Monday Petranilla dropped in for dinner. After we ate my good friend ‘Shannah and I had a good conversation with Petranilla and Nellie (that's Nellie in the picture). We talked about what it means to be the church not just talking about it. We talked about the women’s conference. They wanted us to tell them what to do but I said, “We are here to help you but this is your church and you have to hear God and make the plans. He will order the steps. We want to help you and equip you with what we know and have experienced, but it must be yours not ours.” We didn’t come here for a humanitarian purpose but to help build the church, that it will be a light shining in the darkness for all of Nakuru, Kenya, Africa and the world. We told stories of our life. They had questions. Would they be taken advantage of? Would it cost them their businesses? Boy, did we have stories about that. Even as Jesus gave His all, we want to learn to give our all together. We want to learn to walk humbly in the earth. We want to learn to love even to our own hurt. After we talked doubts came into my mind. Did we go too far? When I went back to our room I could tell Noah was getting a bit discouraged. We went to bed for much needed rest. Adjusting to time changes, culture differences, not having clean clothes to change into and wondering where our suitcases were gave plenty of opportunity for the enemy to inject his venom. But these ‘light afflictions work in us every day, an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen; for what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.’ 2 Cor 4: 17-18

That morning Noah checked his email He was given a word from a man we met in India 6 years ago. This man was awakened in the night. God spoke to him about the work He wants to do in Africa and that He has chosen Noah to do it. He said things he couldn’t have known. (For the whole story read abba’s blog, part of the 'We Got Em' blog. You can click the Abba’s blog tab at the top of my blog page to read it). We were so encouraged! We needed that word.

Since our bags were still not here we decided to go back to Nairobi to get them ourselves. George made a lot of phone calls to find out where they were and how to get them. We had been given many untrue promises that they would be delivered each day. So we loaded up in the van and took off. Chloe decided to stay home. She had all her PINK bags. Next time we will all use pink bagsJ

The weather is nice and cool every day so the drive was pleasant. We knew we had arrived in Nairobi  because of the traffic and air pollution, so we found our way to a parking place, got out of the van, and took off running behind our Captain leader George. He had a Red Bull on the way. We didn’t. we were grateful we didn’t have heavy backpacks on our backs this time. We got to the Turkish Airlines office after a security check and were lead to our bags. We wanted to hug and kiss them. We are so American. Our possessions are so important to us. God is giving us opportunities to examine ourselves in this area of our lives. It really wasn’t that bad doing without. I thank God for these experiences. It is actually very freeing to learn what you think you need is not really necessary at all. We can do without so much of these seemingly needful items; things which prove to be no less than items of mere convenience. The airline employees were apologetic and kind to us. We were grateful and left with our bags and made our way through traffic out of the ever growing city of Nairobi.

On the way home we stopped at our favorite rest area, about halfway between Nairobi and Nakuru. We had some lunch and did some bird watching. 


These are the same birds that make their nests in the Dr. Zeus trees. 
I call them Thing 1 and Thing 2 etc. We continued our journey not knowing that an accident awaited us as we entered Nakuru. (details on abba’s blog). We are thankful for the outcome which could have been much worse.

We got home in time for dinner. Petranilla showed up again. She really wanted to talk to Noah. They had a good talk. She told us she had been troubled by the things we were saying. She said she had to repent of putting her faith in man, (that would be us, the mzungus from America). She will put her faith in God to provide a place for the church to meet. This was a big step of faith. Noah began to calculate the amount of money we spend on renting a meeting place for ladies meetings and kingdom hikers meetings. Plus the rent for the building all added up to an encouraging amount. The people will seek God for a place and it will be their faith that leads them to it. She gave Noah some encouraging words very similar to the ones in the Indian man’s email.

We then opened Tabach’s missing suitcase that was packed with the blue choir dresses and shirts we brought from home, the ones we used a couple of years ago in the village. We told her they were for the choir here and they could use them however they chose. A squeal of delight and laughter came out of Petranilla, as only she can do, to express her gratefulness. She found one her size and put it on right then and there, and wore it home.

I slept well that night, praising God for the His abundant Life He has given us.