25th birthday, Kenya style!

I could not of asked for a more blessed birthday than to spend my "quarter of a century" birthday on the continent I love, in Africa where my heart is, on a safari I've only ever dreamed about, feeding giraffes (one of my biggest dreams come true) and serving the Lord on a missions trip which is the greatest privilege of all.

Finding Thomas

A day in the clinic...

During most days, I was thoroughly blessed to be in the clinic seeing patients who normally have little to no access to healthcare at all. Talking with many of the medical staff and assessing the patients who travel from far to seek medical attention for their ailments, I was gently reminded of the many treasures we take for granted on a daily basis. While healthcare costs may rise, there is access to quality healthcare nonetheless. Standing in a clinic within a community that, before it's existence, the community had no access to healthcare was a reality I could not ignore. Individuals walked (hiked) miles upon miles to reach the clinic that was their only access to medical personnel and supplies. The importance of meeting these patients and thoroughly assessing their complications was of the utmost importance.

Being called into the waiting room, I saw some faces I recognized: one of the teachers and a child from the public school. I followed the clinician into an exam room with the student. I learned he was a student at the public school, an orphan and border (he lived at the school as no family member would take care of him). Today he was brought to the clinic by his teacher for an assessment of the "pains" he was feeling. He had no shoes, clothes were very torn, and he was undeniably hungry. His teacher who had been observant and caring enough to notice the boy not feeling well, brought him to the clinic for further evaluation- his teacher was this young teenager's only caregiver and "guardian". After assessments, he was in need of medications and I watched as the clinic staff tried calling relatives of the boy to come and assist in caring for him and paying the bill. I was deeply saddened when I learned that no one was willing to come. I looked in his eyes during this situation as he humbly sat there knowing no one would come to help him, and I was broken. Knowing that this was one of God’s children and feeling that children deserve to grow up with love, and care, and toys… yet he had none of these.

Through support and donations the clinic is able to offer services at a very low cost, treatment and medications added to way less than $5… yet no one would pay it. I saw something wonderful and beautiful in that teacher as he stood up and offered to pay what he could, knowing that that teacher has sick and hurting children of his own at home, whom we had seen on previous days.
I can't explain what struck me most that day... that no family member was willing to step up and intercede for this young boy... to pay the less than $5 hospital bill, or that his teacher was empathetic and aware enough to the fact that something was wrong with this boy (Kenyans don't often "show" pain) and was determined to do something about it- to bring him to help and willing to cover the bill while he had his own hurt and sick children at home. Sure I could have easily paid the bill, the clinic could have easily waved it, but that was not the important lesson here, for me or for this orphan child, Thomas.

I was reminded of Jesus’ words in Matthew 25 as I saw the teacher care for God’s child as his own and interceded for him. I saw the love and hand of God in this situation as I watched this teacher choose to not ignore pain and suffering and yet give and love, without hesitation, out of the very little he had. It also reminded me of the story of the widow's mite when Jesus said, "for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on" (Mark 12:44). It was a blessing to watch and see the beauty in that brokenness. Just like the widow's mite, this was a lesson in love and sacrificial giving I will not soon forget.

The sense of community and love in Kenya never ceases to amaze and inspire me. To love as He loves- it is the second greatest commandment: LOVE your neighbor. Jesus said "whatever you did for the least of these, you did for ME". This was pure religion in action indeed.

"Pure and undefiled religion is this: to care after orphans and widows in their time of need and to keep oneself unspotted from the world" -James 1:27.

Amazing Grace

I hear your prayer Africa, through no words... I hear your voice and cries; I see your tears.

Monday August 29th

Through unexpected events (rain and illnesses), some members of our team were asked to go on a home visit to visit with a dear friend. I wish I had better words to capture the feelings, emotions, tears, and blessings of that day. I pray God would speak through me, that I would be a vessel, a bridge to others of her words, her cries.

Ps. 31:8- "Speak up for all those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all those who are desolate."

The day we met Grace. Hiking from the clinic up a hill, down the railroad tracks, then down a slippery, muddy, steep terrain, around the cow grazing, we arrived at Grace's hut. The aftermath of the recent day's rain still left a deep impact of flooding to this home made of mud. Some of the youngest of the eight children were sitting in the mud, no clothes, eating dirty maize (corn) for lunch with dirty hands. Her home, with the walls half beaten away by the recent rainfall, had to be no bigger than my own bedroom back in America. However, hers housed a family of 11 (eight children, parents, and a mother-in-law). Homes like this are very common in Kenya, I'm not sure where the outdoor "toilet" was, but there was only a small little grill for all the cooking. Dishes were done outside and the clean ones piled there on a piece of wood next to dirty ones and the grill. The sightings of a typical Kenyan property is not what struck me that day, nor what brought the individuals of the team to tears, it was the stories and those broken faces.

As we stood on her property (railroad property that could be taken by the government whenever they wanted), we listened to her story and that of her children. Grace, a recovered alcoholic, gave up brewing when she gave her life to the Lord. Unfortunately, her husband did not make the same decision and continues in their previous lifestyle. Gone for periods of time without explanation, she is left to feed her children from the maize they pick and milk from the cow she takes care of for her friend, that is not hers. Her oldest son, who tried to make extra money for his family (which was stolen from the father when he learned of the events), tried to commit suicide and was brought to the clinic for urgent medical attention, further breaking his mother's heart.

"True and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world." -James 1:27

It is often overwhelming when you look around you and all you see is true pain, suffering, and poverty. I looked into those children's eyes and into Grace's and my heart was struck and ached when I saw the face of Jesus on hers, and in the eyes of her children. I felt at peace knowing that the God who takes care of me, will take care of her as well if we take it to Him in prayer. I stood there praying, searching what words of encouragement could I give to such brokenness? As I listened to the other women on the team tell her their stories of alcoholic husbands, my heart beat with peace and hope, remembering how we are each His children, and He loves us all the same. He has not forgotten Grace or her family; He is right there in their midst and suffering.

"There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be open-handed toward those of your people who are poor and needy in your land" -Deut. 15:11

Seeing the pain in her eyes, in her children's eyes, could almost suffocate the words from your throat, until we remember how big God is and that He is the only source of hope in such a situation. So I prayed for her and her family... knowing that it was the best thing for her and the only thing I could do to help. Watching the tears flow from her eyes, listening as she humbly tried to offer us something to eat or drink with her hospitality, I was heartbroken for what more we could do.

Psalm 140:12- "I know that the LORD secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy".

Grace has filled my prayers so often as we've met with others and talked with pastors in what would be a blessing to her, something we could do to empower her out of her situation- to break her from the vicious cycle of poverty that takes so many captive prisoners. I urge anyone who reads her story, though I can not do her story justice with my words, to lift her up in your prayers as well. My heart breaks for Grace as I pray about how to bless her in her committed walk with the Lord. The LORD will watch over Grace, just as He protects all of us as His children. I do not know why God had our paths cross with Grace that day, but I feel extremely blessed and privileged to be able to share in her life... to look into her eyes, to hear her voice, and experience her tears.

Mbarikiwe Grace, Mungu Akubariki

Is. 61:1- "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has appointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners."

"If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him." -C.T. Studd