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African Sunrise

The time is flying, but there has been so much happen.  We are seeing God move in areas and sensing His leading in others.  We are so thankful for God's leadership as we serve here!  We are seeing Him rise in areas, and looking forward to the full light of day.  Here are some quick updates on what's going on here in Nairobi!

Somali ladies in a clean area of Eastleigh

Jim has been helping cover a story here in a part of Nairobi called Eastleigh.  It is known as a place where Somali refugees congregate.  They are still compiling and working on the project, but last week was a daily draining experience for their team being on the ground there.  It is such a heartbreaking issue - thousands roaming trash laden streets in clothing showing their beliefs in their god. Ramadan is in full swing, fasting and prayers during the day are being participated in, and they have no idea that their future is much more dark than their present.  They passed one large group watching two arguing.  It turned out that one was posing as a Christian - and they were making fun of him and attacking his beliefs.  The crowd was there watching - and learning.  Mocking Christ . . . one day, scriptures promise, every knee will bow.  May it be sooner for some of these that have been blinded by these teachings!

Leslie

Leslie, a friend from TN, recently graduated from Union University.  She has been involved in missions and wanted to come and spend some time as she explores what God has for her future.  We had a wonderful time showing her some of our work, letting her see how a crazy family like ours really lives here, and just sharing together.  It is so exciting seeing people put their lives at the Lord's feet and asking for His leadership.

Hilary & Karlie loving the cheap Nairobi flowers!

 We also have two others here working with the media team with Hands On for 4 months.  Hilary and Karlie are doing a great job.  It keeps us on our toes and feeling younger when we hang out with these young people.  It is so encouraging seeing them making choices to serve the Lord right where they are in their lives.  It is such a blessing!  (Karlie took many of these pictures that I snatched from her Facebook page.  I must give credit when due!)

We have made some changes in our focus with the street kids ministry.  We will now be working with our church here - Ridgeways.  We will be focusing on gathering more often than in the mornings - to create more relationships - and praying for many more to find ways to leave the streets.  Pray with us that the Lord will bless us with continued discernment as we move forward in these areas.

Slum housing

Mji wa Huruma is the name of a slum that many of you may have heard of before if you have been following our ministry.  We have begun our work there again.  Yesterday we met with a group of ladies - from young 20s to 40s.  Out of the group of 10 to 12 - there were over 40 children that they were responsible for.  Many of them have turned to prostitution to just be able to feed their children a simple meal.  This would be a meal that would be less than many of you feed your pets.  They are asking God for help to improve their situation.  Will you pray with us to have discernment to know how to help them to "learn to fish" for their family?  It is a very hardened and dark area where there is open witchcraft, drunkenness and drug use (they make their own alcoholic beverages), and just very deep poverty.  There are no school fees, uniforms for school or money for any of that.  The 7 to 12 dollars for their rent per month in the slum and money for those basic meals are made by exposing them - as moms - to HIV and all the rest.  God promises to provide the basic necessities for His children - and many of these ladies are claiming to be believers.  What would I do - if my kids were having nothing to eat - to keep a basic piece of scrap metal between them and the rain?  I do not know.   I am asking for God to provide a way for them.

The girls have started back to school, and are doing well.  I am so amazed that I no longer have anyone in Elementary school!

Jim and I are doing well also - but very busy.  I am still working on my degree in Biblical Counseling from Liberty University.  It has been a challenge working everything in at times.  My promise to myself is that I will not neglect God's work here or my family.  That has made for late nights and early mornings as I finish work, but am very thankful for each week that is behind me.  God has given me the energy and clarity to continue this far!

Thank you guys for praying, for the encouraging notes that have come, and for supporting us in the work God has called us to here!  He works through the prayers of His people - so thanks for joining hands with us here!  We are but dirt - and it is such a blessing to be "dressed up" in Him and be used to glorify Him in this place.  So often I feel "who am I to do this thing???"  It is only by His help and leadership.

Be blessed!

We are but dirt - but He is amazing

Well, this week we have slept little, sat among kids that have not bathed in a long time that were high on drugs, been ridiculed and watched drug deals go down while we told Bible stories, watched a gang pass with their gun out, and walked through slums and open sewage.  

We have seen God move, seen conviction and encouragement, seen people come to know Christ as their personal savior, walked beside Kenyans serving the Lord, learned, taught, prayed, wept.  We are thankful, grateful, humbled, and seeking the next step forward.  We see changes needed in our ministries, see issues that need to be addressed in careful ways, areas we are praying over - asking God to move and work. 

Thank you for praying with us.  God has been faithful to move, to protect, to provide, to save, to sustain.  We are but dirt, but He is amazing. 

Pray with us this next week as:

1. The girls test to re-enter school and then begin on Thursday (I think).  They are all a bit anxious to make friends and get back into the swing.  Natalie will be in 10th – but her first year in HS there.  Gillian will be in 8th, and Lydia will be in her first year of MS – in 6th.

2. Pray for peace in Kenya as they vote today on a new constitution.  They plan on telling the results within 24-48 hours.  Pray that the results will be an accurate view of the people’s wishes and that there would be no violence. After the last election violence - the stores were out of milk, meat, eggs, bread and such.  People are waiting to see what will happen.

3. Pray for our friend Leslie that will be traveling the middle of next week from TN to spend 3 weeks with us exploring her call into missions. 

4. Pray for Jim and I as we move forward in some changes in ministry.  We are in desperate need of discernment and courage.

5. For George as he has the metal removed from his toe on Friday.

6. Pray for Linda as she finishes up the next 2 ½ weeks of this term of school.  With the team here, she is in catch-up mode.

Thank you for joining us in prayer.  

Pray for Anton

We have had a wonderful and very busy week (as I yawn just now!)  It is almost 9PM and EVERYONE in the family is in bed . . . except me.  That is almost a record.  I am so there after I post this!

A team from Kansas and Tennessee has helped us for the last three days with the street kids and also in an orphanage.  Tomorrow is a down day for them to see some of God's creation before they spend the next couple days working in Kibera slum and Kitengela.

God answered our prayers to call out another boy this week.  Just this morning as somewhere around 75 sat and listened to the Bible story - Anton HEARD the story - the story of the parodical son.  Anton came forward - not on any drugs or alcohol, and asked to please go home.  His eyes were bright and had a twinkle that makes me hopeful.  We will be seeing him on Wednesday.  From there we will move in that direction.  The delay is a sort of test to check to see if he is indeed serious.

I plan on staying in PJ pants tomorrow and studying.  I am asking for a clear mind and rest tomorrow.  It has been wonderful, but our family is very tired.

I will update you on Anton.  Thanks for praying with us and asking God to pull another one from the fire.

Our God is Amazing

Today, we witnessed God do mighty things - things that amaze me . . . humble me.  Today, we found out the truth about George.  Today we saw a prodigal son go home to parents that love him.  Today, God answered our prayers.

George had laced lies with truth.  Yesterday, we began to press for truth as we saw things steadily not adding up.  We knew that George would have to make choices to tell the truth or turn back to the street.  This actually put our family in some danger as he mentally was being torn with the decisions of making those final decisions.  While George is a good boy, he lived with criminals of all types. Putting stress and pressure on him while he was staying at our house was a risk.

As you prayed, we had 3 Kenyan girls spend the night spontaneously.  That actually gave me extra peace, as they all slept with the girls on their bunk beds and trundles.  Even this morning, I didn't know if he would be here, if there would be things missing, etc.  He was here, face swollen from crying through the night, evidence of God breaking through his heart.

Today, we found that George was not an orphan, but a prodigal son.  His parents were searching for him in the streets, in hospitals, in mortuaries.  They had missed work looking for him, gotten behind on bills, been unable to eat, they had become ill.  They were praying and fasting with their church, asking God to bring their first born son home.

Last night Mama George had a dream of 3 people coming - bringing George home.  In the dream, they knocked but before they entered, George turned and ran.  At this point, she immediately woke up and knew God was telling her to pray.  She knew that George was at a point of coming home and was struggling.

She had been praying all day when we came to her home - the 3 of us with George - just like her dream.  What was different, however, was that George did not run.  God answered her prayers.

We stayed about an hour and visited and talked through things.  George became a believer about 2 weeks ago - since we brought him home.  He now has a new heart, a new way of seeing things, a new start, a second chance.

We will be seeing the family on Friday when we meet them at the hospital to get the wire taken from George's toe.  Pray with us this week that the whole family can work through the many hurts.  Pray that George has the courage to do the right thing and follow what God would have him do in the next weeks.  Pray for Mama and Baba George to have wisdom and discernment as they raise him and his younger brother named Emanuel.

Jim and I both feel like over-cooked spaghetti noodles.  We feel relieved and thankful, amazed and stunned, deceived and hurt . . . we have a loss and a gain.  Seeing God work through things in such a detailed manner, seeing Him give Mama George the dream so that she knew to pray, seeing God change a boys heart in front of our eyes - these are miraculous things.

Eunice and I were talking tonight - about how emotionally draining the street kids ministry is.  The Bible says that the enemy comes to kill, steal and destroy.  Once the kids are on the street, the enemy has stolen, and is destroying and killing.  Reaching in and being used to pull one out - it is a very emotionally draining thing.  We had to love him deeply - for him to feel the Love of Christ.  To love him and be lied to and decieved hurts.  To be on the edge of danger is hard.  In the end, seeing him at home, as a new believer, it is worth it, but it still stings.

Pray with us for discernment, strength and safety as we enter this next week.  We will be going to the street Tuesday - Friday with a team.  Ask that God would guide us to others that He is working in their heart, and show us how to help them. Pray for our safety as we all go into these areas.  One life restored at a time - for His glory!

Thanks for praying and being a part of this ministry God has given.

Pray for us over the next 24 hours

Hey guys -

I can't give much detail right now - but will you please pray with us over this weekend - especially over the next 24 hours - for safety and discernment for our family and helpers.  Pray for God's complete protection, and for Him to be glorified through the events over the weekend.  Will update and give more information as we can

Thank you.

Linda

Pray for George tonight

Hey guys -

It is 11:30 Tuesday night here.  George is very lonesome.  He called me crying wanting us to come and get him.  We are going there tomorrow at noon to talk.  That will be 2am in the morning central time.  Will you pray with us that he sees that he needs to stay?  Him coming back to our home would not be a good long term solution.  He has been rejected and abandoned already, so it is a fine line we are having to go on.  Also pray for my heart to not collapse in the process.

Thanks so much!

Linda

George's tears will soon be Joy, because our God is Faithful.

Last night, I found George crying.  Weeping.  I went to him - a bit unsure how to comfort him in a culturally appropriate manner.  He is 15, a boy that is almost a man.  I sat next to him on the bed and told him to come.  Being a mamma the way I know is all I know!  He curled up in my lap and wept on my chest.  45 min of me holding him - unable to say anything except that I was so sorry.  He missed his mom that died 3 years ago.

Jim had spent quite a bit of time with him yesterday talking about his family, about God.  It was good, but it also brought things to the surface.  He missed his mom.

His mom had loved him.  She was a dentist that took him to church and prayed with him every night.  She was not sick - but one day - she died in his home.  His life changed suddenly.

Today, we wept - my whole family - and George - together.  Even now I hurt.  George wants to stay with us - but we think that he will be able to heal better with a Kenyan family.  There is a lady named Mamma Mariam at our church that he is going to live with.  She is a grandmother with grandchildren George's age.  She is a loving lady who fears God.  Her heart is with mine with George.  We are going to work with her to find a way for George to re-enter school.  He wants to be a Dr . . . like his mother was.  He has been studying at our house, getting ready.

Jim just left to take him.  He doesn't want to go, but has agreed to try it one week.  Pray with me that this one week will be one of peace, love and unity there.  Pray that George feels love there and not rejection from us for sending him there.  Pray for George.  Pray for Mamma Mariam to have discernment to be able to be used by God to help him heal.  We have asked him to try - for just one week. Pray for us.  When God puts love in your heart - it is a deep love.  When they hurt - we hurt.  We are hurting.

As I have said many times, Is. 61:1-3 is my life verse.  In George I have witnessed one side of much of that passage - and I know that the other side is in his future.  It is God's will for him to be fully restored.  The loss of a mother, the rejection of an aunt that sent him to the street, all of the unmentionable things that he has witnessed living there for two years.  Only God can restore him.   Pray with me that George will be a living testimony of the truth of the verse.  (I have posted the verse again below.)

Today in church - the music in the praise time called on me to trust God with George.  I am trusting - by sending him - I am trusting.  Pray with me for George to become what vs 3 below says - an oak of righteousness, a planting of the Lord, to display God's splendor.

In Him

Linda


Isaiah 61:1-3
 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, 
       because the LORD has anointed me 
       to preach good news to the poor. 
       He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, 
       to proclaim freedom for the captives 
       and release from darkness for the prisoners, ^[a]

 to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor
       and the day of vengeance of our God,
       to comfort all who mourn,

 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
       to bestow on them a crown of beauty
       instead of ashes,
       the oil of gladness
       instead of mourning,
       and a garment of praise
       instead of a spirit of despair.
       They will be called oaks of righteousness,
       a planting of the LORD
       for the display of his splendor.