As the end of the semester has arrived, we have traveled to the local YMCA to seek residence and solace there. While staying here it is our goal to praise the Lord for the work He has done this past semester, evaluate the ministry thus far and set goals for next semester. The YMCA is simple but nice. We have mosquito nets (albeit with a few holes), clean bedding, a bathroom with running water and even hot showers if you go down the hall. They also have a very good carrot soup with a hint of ginger, which I just consumed for lunch.

No matter, we have been intermingling our sessions of re-entry to Western society, evaluation, and planning with a bit of fun here and there. Tonight we will have a gift exchange, somewhat like a secret Santa. The catch is that the giver must have spent no money and must be as original as possible. I shall be quite intrigued to see what this stunt shall deliver to some of the teammates.

The YMCA also has a pool; a welcomed sight for all, for it is the only pool we have seen since arriving here. I myself have not dropped so much as a toe in the pool due to various reasons, the latest being the simple fact that I ate less than an hour ago and would hate to get cramps and drown this close to going home for Christmas. However, upon my return I think it best to swim a few laps just for good measure.

Apart from this, life is grand, all has been going well and we are looking forward to that time of departure, some on Sunday, and others on Monday. In between now and then we have one more church service, some farewells and packing that holds us in Kenya. I will see you soon and hope all is well!

Here we find ourselves beginning the last week to be spent in Kenya before the travels Christmas entails. It is a challenge to make the most of these last few days and the opportunities they hold. On Wednesday we will all be venturing to the YMCA to spend some time processing the success and shortcomings of our time here. We will be planning how to make things better and more efficient for the next semester if improvement needs to be made. More than anything else, we want to take time to celebrate and worship the Lord for the goodness and grace He has shown us while here.

It would take more space than this small outlet would permit to document all the amazing things and wonders He has wrought in our midst over the last three months. Our time would be consumed from now until far in the future if we were to sing His praises for only the work He has done here. Therefore, it is with a full heart we experience this week and the blessings it holds.

Merry Christmas early, for the season has already enveloped us and the day itself is drawing nigh!

This week has been full of tremendous blessings from the Lord. Within one week I had the opportunity to meet Helen Markelova, my lifelong friend, the two men from Thomasville, NC passing through the African Bible College and then last night, some of the most delightful folks yet. I was at the One World internet café, finishing my work when I walked out to meet the surprise of all surprises. A fellow called my name and greeted me, obviously shocked to see me. Imagine my own shock, even greater still, to be looking at Mitch Sanford a dear friend who I had not seen since graduation in the last millennium.

As I turned to face the group I found a collection of people who had blessed my life so greatly in my younger years. David Sanford, my middle school principal, stood to greet me. To his right sat a long time friend, Terry Moffitt, and seated with them were many from their church back home. This was nothing short of a divine encounter, for had I left earlier or taken another route out of the internet café, I would have surely missed them.

I heard rumors of their presence in Kenya over the past several days but feared I would be hard pressed to see them amidst their busy schedule. They were working with New Life Homes in all facets of ministry, assisting them in many ways and in many locations. No matter, for yesterday was filled with great favor from the Lord in being able to cross their path. I sat and talked with them until the time came to depart and left shaking my head and smiling. Only our Lord could allow His children to encounter one another halfway around the world in a quaint little place like the Java Café. Halleujah!

Visitors of Two Kinds

Yesterday was another teaching day at the African Bible College and I was delighted to find some fellow Americans there upon arrival. The accent I was greeted with sounded awfully familiar and as it turned out, the two fine fellows in attendance were from Rich Fork Baptist Church in Thomasville, NC. It was certainly a blessing to cross paths with a couple of Americans doing work in Kenya, but an even greater joy to find they are practically neighbors to us in NC. They were representing their church and the ones they traveled with, New Directions.

It was a great privilege to talk with them both and discover that some friends and acquaintances were mutual in our knowing. Nevertheless, they had been amidst quite the busy schedule and were just on their way out of Kenya. The pastors at the school were doubly blessed by their work as they held a few seminars and training sessions for them. Whatever the case, it was a tremendous encouragement to talk with them.

The teaching went well as did our team time last night, but when I arrived back in my room, I discovered a stowaway beneath a set of shelves. We have already discussed what a poor habitation this house is for said mouse as there is no food within. However, he must have found something suitable here as it has been his residence for three weeks or so. He, being rather wise, knew to avoid the trap and had done a good job at just that. We knew he was still around because of his tale tell droppings and the fact that we saw him sitting on our desks and other furniture.

He had made himself at home which was not so bad as long as he did not bother us. However, I spied him in my room and saw him climbing atop my bed. Being that I don’t care to share the bed with any such beast, I retrieved Brandon, also known as Bonesaw, and we crammed a towel under the door swearing an oath that only two life forms would leave the room. The encounter would decide just who those two were.

In a frenzy, we threw furniture and all manner of articles upon the floor out of the way as we raced around the room after him. The floor is quite slick which worked to our advantage as he was unable to gain traction. In one wrong turn he ran right underneath Bonesaw’s club and there met his demise. Bonesaw smote his ruin upon the cold concrete floor with a definitive and precise strike. In one fell swoop the club had made brain pudding out of the rodent’s head. It was a high day here in the Baraka house (which means ‘blessing’ in Swahili).

As anyone in the old wars may have done, we made a public spectacle of the lifeless mouse corpse. I think it was a small victory in and of itself, yet a larger message was conveyed: no mouse shall live within unless he is prepared to face a perilous journey during his untimely stay. Rest easily tonight knowing we are all still masters of this castle and no stowaways have any place here.

The Conquering of Mt. Longonot

This past weekend I was forced to take some time off and decided to take that time in Kijabe. Three others had the same goal and we traveled together by way of matatu to one of the greatest places in Kenya. We hiked around the countryside on the day of arrival to prepare us for the next day’s hike up the mountain of all mountains. Kenya has so many natural joys to observe and even if one was given a lifetime to pursue them all, he would not reach his goal.

The day of Longonot dawned and we jumped a taxi to the base. The mere transportation should not be mentioned but will be for a good chuckle. Since we took a taxi and since we were traversing some of the foulest roads in the area (which we learned are in process of being repaired) the car faired rather poorly. Large rocks sitting in the middle of a very dusty road probably rendered the undercarriage of the car into a state of mangled metal. However, apart from the rough road we arrived safely and quickly found that what we thought to be a 500 shilling entrance fee had spiked to 1400 per person. Yet the mountain lay before us and we would not be mocked by a mere hike in price. However, the hike of the mountain was a different story.

As we began the hike up the side of the volcano of Mt. Longonot, we found an ample supply of zebra and antelope to our left. However, we quickly left them behind as the ridge grew in altitude. Taking breaks along the way, we found our energy level was quickly being depleted due to the altitude and strenuous nature of the hike. Yet the arrival at the top proved to be one of the most magnificent sights to behold. Longonot is an extict volcano that still spews forth a bit of sulfur through several steam vents along the rim. Since it is a volcano the crater inside is quite the impressive place. Our goal was to hike around the rim, a journey that would take nearly four hours, and then descend into the inside crater.

In hiking around the rim we encountered many people, nationals and non, all doing battle with the inclines of the mountain. The balances had been weighed and we were found possessing what was required to hike such a demanding trek. Nevertheless, the stunning vistas and views of the Rift Valley were more breathtaking than the thin air and the burning muscles. We saw snakes, birds of all kinds, insects of the strangest variety and even thought we saw a dinosaur (although this was not confirmed and was most likely a gazelle from a distance). However, we wanted to hold onto hope that dinosaurs still lived inside the crater.

The inner walls of the crater were tremendously steep, some being nothing more than sheer rock faces. Although we had been told a trail led from the top into the crater, we quickly learned this was not the case. However, as mankind always has been driven to do the impossible, we decided we would find a way. Some portions of the rim appeared to be at least 600 to 700 feet from the crater floor while some were no taller than 300. It was at this short expanse we decided to descend into the belly of the beast.

We started down the grassy incline that was no less that 60 to 65 degrees in elevation, grabbing on to any thornless plant we could find. As we dropped to the lower levels we were in the direct pathways of swifts flying about our heads as if we were invaded a protected area. Our time was waning quickly and we only made it about three fourths of the way into the crater, never touching the floor of the bowl. However, we know there is an unexplored world down there, possibly with animals mankind has never seen. Next time we shall go to the bottom and next time we will return victorious, David Livingstone you African explorer, here we come.

Words cannot express the joy that is felt when an encouraging word or letter arrives from home across the waters. As amazingly wonderful that these are, even better is having the privilege of meeting an old friend across the waters over here. Just yesterday I had the supreme privilege to meet with Helen Markelova, a dear friend from many years back. She is here attending a conference related to her job. However, the favor of the Lord shone upon us both and gave us an opportunity to meet up near her hotel.

Being that our transportation is a bit unstable at present, I decided to take the public transportation to the Jacaranda Hotel where she was residing. I have only driven there myself before and was quite unsure which bus or matatu to select in order to get to the final destination. It just so happened that while at the bus stop I met a dear man named Salah Hamadan. He was from Sudan where he worked among the military and traveled a great deal.

He directed me to a certain bus and told me he was going to the same destination as I. Not only did he ride the whole way with me, but also paid for my travel fare on both legs of the journey. He jumped from the bus to the next matatu and insisted on paying for that as well and even gave me a blow pop he had just purchased at the store. These small acts of kindness began to add up and I was extremely blessed to have made his acquaintance. He was a delightful fellow and we had a good forty-five minutes to an hour of conversation time.

Upon arriving at my destination, I bade him farewell and journeyed to the hotel to meet Helen. I found her easily and was delighted to see that she was well and enjoying her time in Kenya. We took some time to catch up on what life had involved in the past few years as we sat at a delightful coffee shop in the nearby mall. After reflecting on the good times we moved to a small eating place not far away for a light supper. We continued talking about plans and catching up on all we had missed.

As the evening waxed onward the time to leave arrived, but not until I had been greatly blessed by her visit. Being away from home has its own challenges, all of which the Lord provides His grace. Yesterday that came in the form of a dear friend and a much needed visit. Praise the Lord for His divine orchestrating of His children’s pathways!