GOODBYES, AND FINAL THOUGHTS
February 6, 2019

Yesterday we left Sweet Waters Preserve.  Our first stop in Nairobi was a favorite, Kazuri Beads.  Their inspirational story is worth sharing for those who haven't heard about this company.  Kazuri (small and beautiful) was started in 1975 by an English woman with two local Kenyan women as the first employees.  The mission then and now is to provide a safe work environment for single or widowed women.  Their health insurance is paid and covers immediate family, and they receive a salary. We were fortunate enough to meet Elizabeth who was one of the original employees; 44 years on the job and still going.  Faith is nurtured through daily community devotion and prayers.

They now employee 340 people.  The mission hasn't changed over the years, but now they also employee a few men to do the "heaving lifting" and we also met a young man who is an apprentice, although he cannot hear or speak.  They utilize clay from the Mount Kenya area, and create beads in various sizes and shapes.  Each bead is hand painted then fired.  We each tried our hand at molding some clay.  Let's just say we'll leave that to the more skilled ladies of Kazuri.

Today we did some additional shopping prior to leaving for the airport.  Nairobi is by every measure a typical large city.  The areas we passed, and shopped, had sky scrapers and some very modern appearing homes.  This provides a sharp contrast to the outlying areas of Kenya we have visited and worked.  In contrast one of the last areas we pass before entering the airport is the Kibera slums.  Our driver tells us this is the second largest slum in Africa, the largest found in Soweta, South Africa.

We have tried to accurately report the facts of the people we've encountered and projects completed.  We hope that the emotions we have felt throughout our trip have been conveyed through the stories.  For those of us who have been on prior trip(s), leaving Kenya is like leaving home and each visit we leave a piece of our hearts.  We are thankful for the past two weeks, and we begin to look toward another trip hopefully by 2021.  For those new to the team, we hope they have found the same beauty in the country that we see; but more importantly the beauty in the generous, loving, and faithful people we serve.

Mission is going strong in Kenya, just as in many parts of the world, by the grace, love, and call of a common God.  For those we've served we pray for continued blessings.  For those on "the ground" at Maua Methodist Hospital, and their families, we give prayers of thanksgiving and commend their continued faithfulness.  Daniel Kibe and his drivers Peter, Edward, and David not only kept us safe but were patient with our endless questions, and informative about facts of Kenya.  Lastly, for the bishop and mission staff at the conference office, as well as evangelist and pastoral staff serving the Wamba area we know God has great plans.

In the Rule of the Missionaries of Charity (founded by Mother Theresa) we find these words:
Service means an unceasing and wholehearted labor in making ourselves available to Jesus so that He may live, in and through us.

And pray:
Lord Jesus, 
We want to imitate you, who told us:
"I am meek and humble of heart."
We ask you, that day by day, you lead us in this path.
We wish to bring you, dear Christ, to others.

We can't wait to share additional stories upon our return and hope you will take the opportunity to share with others as well.

Acton UMC Kenya Ministry
"Christ's Mission, Our Mission"

February 4th

A Time for Rest

Ecclesiastes 3:1 Living Bible 

 There is a right time for everything

We have now completed the projects that we came for, and have been at Sweet Waters game preserve for a day.  This provides the team members time to rest, reflect, and marvel in the wonders of God's creation.

Many of us can sit in front of our tents and view the sun rising over Mount Kenya.  Others have a view of the watering hole where animals come throughout the day to cool off, rest, and replenish.  We also have the opportunity to drive through the preserve observing animals in a natural habitat.

It is a stark contrast to the Wamba area we left yesterday which was already quite dry from the summer conditions.  Less than two short years ago, most able bodied men in that area made a trek around 100 kilometers to the Mount Kenya area with livestock; leaving wives, children, and elderly relatives behind.  This was in an effort to preserve the livestock and a livelihood when the rains returned. The Wamba region has made a comeback, but are already praying for the rainy season which should start in a couple more months.

While we take our rest and thank God for all his wonders, it is difficult to put aside the people who we've encountered.  They continue with daily struggles to feed families, pay for medical care when needed, provide other necessities; and we wonder too if they ever find rest.

We ponder if we've done all we can.  But know that the common God we serve is big enough.  We pray for the people here as we move on.  We pray for those who may be called to carry on the next project.  And we are thankful for the rest.

Matthew 11:28-30 The Message 

28-30 “Are you tired? Worn out? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Acton in ACTION

Acton in ACTION

February 2 and 3, 2019

On Saturday we left our beloved Maua and traveled to the town of Wamba in the Northern Frontier of Kenya.  To give you a sense of the Northern Frontier, we must tell you that it was like traveling back in the old west on unpaved roads that shook our vehicles as though we were in an earthquake.  The shaking was so bad that one vehicle broke down and we were wondering if it could be fixed in time to continue travel.  We decided to double up and travel in the other van only to have the second van breakdown as well.  We got out of the vehicle and looked out across the land when we saw a cross on the top of a hill. It wasn’t just a coincidence, we knew that it was God telling us he was with us and would make sure we arrived safely.  We then said a prayer, turned around, and the first van pulled up beside us.  The second van then started back up and we all continued our journey.

Our purpose was to dedicate a church made up of people from the community many of which are part of the Samburu Tribe.  Many of the tribal people who have come to know Christ, must walk miles to worship under a tree to give thanks and fellowship.  Now thru the giving and loving spirit of the people of Acton UMC, one such community now has a church building where they can come and worship.

To get to this point, one must first know the hard work of the Methodist people who travel around to the villages sharing the love of God to people who did not know who God was.  We learned that the Methodist is the only church Evangelizing.  The Samburu’s had only worshiped the ground, the trees and other objects as far back as history goes.  Their living is primitive along with their tribal customs.

To help us see how these people lived, we were taken to a couple of villages by Pastor Judy who is over several churches in the area, District Superintendent Rev. Gideon and the Kenya Conference Office Mission Coordinator who is over disaster relief.  The area covers, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Congo and Southern Sudan.  We were greeted with beautiful smiles and songs from the Samburu woman welcoming us into their community.  We all gathered, prayed and talked about their challenges in learning about God.  

The first village we stopped at had a newly built church that was sponsored by another Methodist Church in Texas.  This village now has a place for worship, in addition, they use the church for school Monday thru Saturday.  The church is also used as a community center.  In contrast the second village was still worshipping under a tree.  They are in need of a sponsor to build a church in that community.  They were so appreciative of our visit that they presented us with a container of goat milk, a goat and necklaces.

On Sunday morning we all gathered at the newly completed church for the dedication ceremony. The teenage girls who attended church sang glorious songs of praise.  Pastor Judy opened in prayer and Rev. Gideon gave the message.  He spoke of Jesus Christ teaching his disciples about bringing the light and how Acton UMC had brought the light to this community.  He commented that the signage read Action UMC rather than Acton UMC.  He viewed this as a sign that we were called to action to help the people in this community.  The church will be used as a central meeting location for the seven newly established Methodist Churches.  They will meet at a minimum on a quarterly basis.  It was as if God said, you now know why I brought you all this way over difficult travel so you could see my Glory in a place you never thought possible.

God unites us all!! 

Medical Camp Day

February 1, 2019

Medical Camp Day

Today we were blessed to visit two schools and then a church where we held a Medical Camp.

The first school we visited was Maua Primary which served approximately 800 children from Early Childhood Development (ECD) through Grade 8.  We went into each of the classrooms and gave each child a deworming pill.  For those of you who don’t know, the conditions these children live in are such that they are prone to worms as they are without shoes most of the time.  Once the pills are chewed and swallowed, they are given a lollipop to get the bad taste of the medicine out of their mouth.  Can you imagine having to do something like that back in the USA?!!

The second school we visited was Gitura Primary School.  This school served approximately 750 children from ECD to grade 8.  As in the first school, we gave each of the children deworming pills and a lollipop.   This school is the assigned school for Acton UMC, so we provided needed school supplies such as composition books, pencils, games for playtime and toothbrushes.  We were able to provide these items due to the generosity of our church family. 

The Gitura Methodist Church is where we gathered and conducted a Medical Camp along with staff from Maua Methodist Hospital.  We set up stations to obtain their height, weight, blood pressure and glucose.  They were then provided deworming pills and given advise based on results. Due to their lack of funds, many Kenyan’s never see an eye doctor.  As part of the Medical Camp, we had a station available where they were provided reading glasses.  We served 138 people from the community at the Medical Camp.  We were amazed at how patient they were while waiting their turn.  Many vocalized how grateful they are as the majority cannot afford to see a doctor.

At the end of the day we served 1688 men, women and children.  WOW!!

We were touched and moved that God chose us to be here today to experience the laughter of the children, the love of the teachers and the joy on the faces of the Kenyan’s we saw at the camp.

Bringing God’s peace and love in each encounter… 

Thur Jan 31st.
Dedication of the AIDS Orphan's Home

Apologies for the delay.  This is a day filled with emotion: one of sadness for what these families have experienced, and one of great celebration. 

In the end, if often takes us a while to process what we have been able to accomplish thanks to God's calling, and the careful guidance and assistance of the hospital outreach and dedicated staff who is on site to help us in the construction process.

Psalm 146:9 (NIV)

The Lord watches over the foreigner and sustains the fatherless and the widow...

How amazing it was to begin our final journey towards completion of the AIDS orphan home after construction which took only 4 days.  We were surrounded by young children, men and women of the community, extended family, the grandmother and grandfather, and most importantly the recipient Precious and her brother Felix.

Lo

Many staff from Maua Methodist Hospital came along and shared their hearts with the community, our team, and the family.  These include social workers, chaplain, the Chief Nursing Officer (Mary Gitari) and her husband Stanley Gitari who heads the community outreach for the hospital.

The criteria for qualification has changed over time as there were over 4,000 orphans who were in need of homes.  Now the criteria requires that at least one child has been tested as HIV positive, and the program has always deeded the home to the youngest sibling to insure that the home remains in the family.

So how does a very happy 4 year old, who is really unaware of the magnitude of what has been done  qualify?  Precious herself is not only the youngest child; but is also the child that is HIV positive.  She was born in the community and not at a hospital, so was un-diagnosed until recently.  Felix, her brother, is in P7 (primary school, 7th grade).  He speaks English and is a very polite and helpful young man.

Stanley started the service by singing and dancing as members from the surrounding village joined in.  They began to approach us, taking our hands and inviting us into the celebration.  It was such a touching time for our team.  Stanley reminded us the Spirit of  God was present and the house was considered a miracle in answer to prayer.

Stanley also talked of how grateful the family and village was to receive such a gift and the future this held for the family.  He thanked the AUMC Kenya Ministry team, recognized our continued support and the members some new and some who had made prior trips.

Craig was asked to address those who had gathered.  He said, "We believe we are called together as one body from a loving God.  We may appear differently but we are all brothers & sisters.  We are humbled and we are thankful that our God calls us to provide for those in need.  And we are very thankful for the kindness of the people who touch our hearts."
"While we feel we are a long way from home, we now have a new home.  We pray God''s blessing will go with each of you, particularly this family as they begin a new chapter in their lives.  Bwana asifiwe (Praise God)."

The local chaplain from MMH read from Luke 12 and gave a short message.  Then everyone gathered was asked to place their hands on the new home and pray together. 

Sheryl, as team leader, presented the key to the house.  To date over 600 (2 room homes) have been built by the various teams who visit each year, and through generous donations from supporters.

Truly the Spirit of the Lord was alive and present in a small village outside Maua [town].  The team is refreshed and revived.  We cannot thank each donor enough for the life, joy, and hope given to Precious, Felix, and their grandparents.  (Both biological parents are deceased).

We would be remiss if we did not mention our very competent and patient Kenyan crew headed by Charles, two additional young men, and Elizabeth (who also helped us on our prior build in 2017).  She is as skilled and capable as any member of their team.  Their dedication to these projects carries us, sometimes literally, when we become weakened and tired.  Their compassion towards the families is exemplary.

Faith in God and a shared love of others makes all things possible.

Mark 12:30-31 New Life Version 

30 You must love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ This is the first Law.

31 “The second Law is this: ‘You must love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other Law is greater than these.” 

January 30th

Our Call To Mission, Their Call to Serve

In preparation for our trip we often use the following scripture to affirm our call:

Matthew 25:40 (NIV)

40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Today half our team remained at Maua Methodist Hospital where we visited the pediatric ward.  We distributed small hand made blankets and knitted caps.  (Blankets provided by Granbury Quilt Guild and the knitted caps by AUMC Knitting Circle).  The tiny children were so sick, not smiling much, and they are a little shy around the Mzungu (travelers/foreigners) who periodically appear. However their mothers were delighted and thankful.

Each day the staff is allowed a few minutes for a cup of fresh brewed tea.  We visited the staff in four departments including the Laboratory area, pharmacy, dental care, and Community (Palliative) care.  To show our appreciation for the work they do, we provided a  snack to be enjoyed with their tea.  They were so happy to receive the snacks and were moved by our words of thanks and encouragement.  A couple of staff even had tears in their eyes.  We were later told that as a mission hospital, budgets are tight and their is rarely anything extra provided for the staff.
In all circumstances the staff continue to greet their patients and visitors with smiles and compassion.

The remaining team members returned to the site of the AIDS orphans home (more on that tomorrow as we share about the dedication).  Many times we have children watch while we work.  Today we met a sweet girl named Blessing who was around 9 years old. 
We blew bubbles and tried to chat with her, but her English wasn't very good.  Usually when children are around us during the day it means they are not in school for one reason or another.  Our driver spoke with her in Swahili and he found out that she is not in school because her family does not have the funds to send her.  He told us she only lacked 100 Kenya Shillings, the equivalent to $1.00 US dollar.  Our hearts broke to hear this and we realize even more so how important our journey to Maua becomes. 

While we cannot reach each and every person or provide gifts and monetary contributions.  Our presence may become a beacon to another of God's children.  Daily we are inspired by the people in Kenya who are willing to give of themselves unselfishly and who we have the privilege to serve with. Our biggest prayer is that others will be led to make a difference.in the life of someone else, or to participate in this worthy mission or another.

Ephesians 4:2-3 The Message

4 2-3  I want you to get out there and walk—better yet, run!—on the road God called you to travel. I don’t want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don’t want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline—not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love

Jan 29th

Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”

Mark 9:35 NIV

We all come with different spiritual gifts as well as abilities to complete tasks.  We also often bring our preconceived notions of what we want to do, and how things should be completed.  While our spiritual gifts and our abilities are a must for a mission trip.  Our preconceptions are not required.

As we discussed the days events participants shared their thoughts on Serving Others:

Serving is not only about completing physical tasks; but serving can include taking the time to see the wonders of their world; listen and hear their stories; speak and to offer words of encouragement.  

While most of our Kenyan brothers and sisters speak English, we also make small attempts at using Swahili words.  When communication attempts from either may fail, sitting in silence as an example of service can also speak volumes.

Surely, however, you will encounter people who are in misery, and people who cry, and people who suffer.  Will you be like your heavenly Father, to see what is happening, to hear cries from the oppressed, to show concern, and even to rescue and provide?  These are heavy burdens for anyone to carry, and God does not even ask you to carry them alone.  No, He asks you to help Him as he leads the way.

1 Corinthians 12:4-6 (NIV)

4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.

Paying Forward

January 28, 2019

Paying Forward

Today was our first working day. We started the day in Chapel at Maua Methodist Hospital, then fellowship during mid-morning tea with the staff.  The team was split in half, one going to the Aids Orphan Home site and the other half worked at the Hospital.

Each day when we return back to the hotel, we reflect on the days events and spend time in devotion. During our evening discussion today, we talked about what it meant to “pay it forward”.  Each team member shared their hearts.

Don - Strength from our devotional time tonight. The Muslims were having their evening prayers while we started our prayers to God.

Sheri – Didn’t feel like I was paying it forward but doing what I was called to do.

Michael – the feeling I get from being invited in this journey and to do what is needed done.

Lois – While going through the supplies not only the caring and sharing I got while here but also the caring and sharing from those back home.

Rick – when reflecting on the message at Chapel today and looking at your present situation. Learning from yesterday, live for today and hope for tomorrow.

Craig – not only these stories we hear, but the selfless sacrifice from the people.

Anne – Jesus gave his life so we could have eternal life.  We pay it forward to others so they can have eternal life.

Doug – The gift of loving and sharing passed on from generation to generation

Mary Jane – Teaching the kids at the building site to sing songs.

La Verne – Sharing my knowledge and life skills with others and seeing the joy and happiness from those served.

Sheryl – The love for the people here continues to bring me back “I leave my heart here”.  I enjoy leading teams here so they can experience the beauty and joy of Kenya people.

Marie – After my first visit to Kenya, seeing the blessing they bestowed upon me was more powerful than imagined.  It provides an overwhelming feeling to always pay it forward.

You can be encouraged to know that when you step out in faith and obedience to serve others, God sees the sacrifice and gift. He sees it and honors it. He honors you.

Luke 6:38 says “Give and it will be given to you.” Good measure, press down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap.  For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.

A line from the Covenant Prayer says, “I freely and fully surrender all things to your glory and service”.

God revealed

January 27, 2019

God revealed

Original Poem by Anne Simms

Today we slept late for the first and last time

had a great breakfast and made it to church around 9:00. 

Lots of singing and praising and a sermon in Swahili,

meeting and greeting our Kenyan church family.         

Back to our rooms to rest up a bit

after souvenir shopping we were pretty well spent!!!

This poem illustrates our day today.  We were blessed to attend The Methodist Church in Kenya that was filled with the Holy Spirit.  We were greeted with warmth and enthusiasm.  As church progressed and they began singing in a language not our own, it felt as though we understood all the words.  We were surprised to find that another team from the USA was in attendance.  They were from various cities and churches throughout the country as part of WEAREZOE.ORG.  It was great to talk with them after service and fellowship.

When we completed our morning activities at church, we went back to our hotel to prepare for Monday’s tasks.  We sorted and prepared donations for the hospital, the schools, medical clinic and tools to build the Home of Aids Orphans.

We wrapped up our evening with team fellowship, the Lord’s prayer and communion.  We shared our experiences with God revealed.  One key takeaway from the morning service, was that God revealed how the message at church was about mission work.  Their mission statement is “Don’t let others prevent what God has called you today”. 

Continued prayers for the team's health and safety.

Awareness

Saturday January 26, 2019

Awareness

The team has started our journey from Dallas/Fort Worth to Maua, Kenya.  We traveled through Dubai and encountered numerous security checkpoints.  We thought we were done with security checks when we started our drive to Maua only to get stopped three more times for random check points. All was good.  This made us acutely aware that we were in a different country and different set of rules.

Some of the things we became aware of was that some things don’t always go according to plan, however they are God’s plans.

Along the way we did get to chuckle as we encountered the uniqueness of God in the names of businesses along the way.  To share a few; God Comes Hair and Beauty Salon, God’s Favour Store, God’s Blessing General Store, God’s Mercy Car Wash, and Prince of Peace Auto.  Seeing this made us aware of how Kenyan’s feel it important to see and share God in all aspects of their lives.

We stopped for lunch at the Methodist Bio Intensive Farm to meet up with old and new friends. We learned a lot about the work they do with training individuals and groups on innovative ways to sustain their families and start a small business.

The sky was clear, and we got to see Mount Kenya with snow on the top in the middle of Kenya's summer.  Mount Kenya is by the Equator so one would think there would not be snow.  It is not everyday that one gets to see God’s majestic work.

We are reminded in Isaiah 55:9-11 which is asking awareness of God’s presence every day. We look forward to seeing God’s plan for us this week and the people we will encounter.

We hope you continue to check out our blog as we experience God through our awareness.