Be the Difference

This week went by too quickly!-- I can't believe I am finished with my time here in Kenya. 

On Monday, we had a party with Vincent and had to say goodbye. It was hard-- but I'm positive that I will see him again either here on earth or in heaven! Each of us girls were able to leave him with a picture of us, so hopefully it will remind him that he is loved, and that we are always praying for him.

I was also able to tell Gillian that I am her new sponsor! I gave her little gifts, lots of candy, and a bracelet to remind her that I am loving her and praying for her. I think she was in shock that I was her sponsor, but she seemed overjoyed. She still calls me "teacher Kristen", but I can tell that she feels special, which I'm incredibly happy about! 

Tuesday was Becca's last day in Kenya, so we spent the day at her farewell in Korogocho, a community in the slums that she worked at. It was so incredible seeing her impact and how her leaving affected the kids at the school. I feel so blessed to have been put on such an incredible team with such beautiful spirited people. I will never forget Becca and her impact on Korogocho, nor any of the other interns. I honestly believe that I have made forever friends, and although I will be far away from many of them in America, I know God has amazing plans for each of them and I will continue to pray for them to pursue His path.

On Wednesday and Thursday I helped out the team in Kiamaiko. They put on a VBS and brought the light in the afternoon. Although, once again, I was the intern so I had to stay back and watch them interact with the Kenyans, it was cool being able to witness their heart for the Kiamaiko community and for the homes they visited. There was one woman whose house they brought light to who was incredibly drunk-- she was almost incoherent, but they reached out to her and were not afraid to tell her that she didn't need alcohol, but needed the Lord to live a content life. It was awesome seeing their love and persistence in helping her, and although she wasn't able to turn her life over right then, because of her mental state, I have hope that she will one day very soon! 

Thursday a few of us interns helped the Kenyans cook for the team's farewell. In Kenya, it is rude to let guests help cook, they are supposed to be served, but they gave us "aprons" and put us right to work. I love that we were in Kenya long enough to no longer be seen as guests, but as nationals who can help prepare the meal. Although it took hours to prepare, we had fun and were able to spend one of our last days in Kenya connecting with those we cooked alongside.

Sadly, Friday came along fast, which was our last day in the slums. We didn't have much time in our communities, because of our farewell being at Pangani, but I had enough time to visit Gillian's home! Her family only consists of her mom and her, and they live with an elderly woman who accepted them into her home. Her father left, and her baby sister died three years ago. The house wasn't big, it only had one bed, a couch, a table, and a few items for cooking, but Gillian and her mom seemed happy. I feel so lucky to now be apart of her life and that they accepted me so willingly. 

The farewell was emotional for many of the interns. Some of the social workers we worked alongside spoke on how blessed they were to have us and asked us to come back again soon. I am going to miss them all so much and wish more then anything that it was easier to visit them! Although they spoke about our impact on them, they have truly changed me and helped me grow into a more loving and patient person. Each of their hearts for their own community in the slums and the people who live in it is impeccable, and I hope to one day have that same passion.

We ended our time in Kenya going on a safari in Maasai Mara. It felt good to get away from the city and reflect on the things I've seen and learned. We traveled in a safari van to Tanzania and saw giraffes, zebras, lions, hippos, crocodiles, water buffalo, elephants, leopards, and other African animals all roaming in their natural habitat-- we even saw a few eat one another. God's creation is so incredible and I'm glad I was able to witness the more rural part of Kenya.

This summer I have learned so much-- it's hard to put into words everything that I will walk away with. There were times when I felt like I wasn't needed, and insecure of the way I was serving. I didn't feel like I was doing as well as the other interns and that someone else could have done better in my place. During this hard times of doubt, God really showed me His strength and His love. Through people in Madoya thanking me for being there or asking me for prayer, I was randomly reminded that if I keep on believing and pursuing an attitude and action that reflects Christ's, He can make a difference through me. In reality, I am not qualified for the job, but it is through Him that I can be a light to others. 

 God has opened my eyes to the future He may have planned for me in missions. Many of my team members have a heart that is specifically called to Kenya and know they will be back to continue their relationships. I, on the other hand, feel open to anywhere God may place me around the world. A blessing this summer has been my ability to feel comfortable in a new culture and surrounding, and how quickly I felt at home and ready to talk to strangers. I hope to use that in the future to travel all over and spread God's love and word. I would love to use my teaching credential to reach children, but, after working alongside the social workers at Madoya, I am now open minded to wherever I may be placed. I am not afraid of the dangers that are involved in missions, I am excited to pursue a life centered around Christ and use the gifts God has given me to travel to far places and to witness to those in the United States as well! 

Once again, I hope everyone who supported me knows how incredibly thankful I am for them and their importance in my life. Without you, I would never have went to Kenya and met the wonderful people that I have. I am also so grateful for your prayer throughout this summer, it definitely has made a difference on my time here. I can't imagine seeing what I have or making the impact that I did without the Lord by my side. It was hard at times and would feel like too much, but simply placing my worries on Christ made all the difference. 

My advice to you: the world needs your talents and your love. You don't need to travel all the way to Kenya to use it, but you can make the same impact at your jobs in America, if you choose to. God is the reason that we have life-- why not surrender everything to Him and spend your time on earth truly living? 

I've seen the difference that one person can make, when their heart is given to God. I encourage you to be that difference in the world-- you are needed to further the kingdom of heaven. Imagine how incredible it will be to be with The Lord one day celebrating the life you spent alongside Him and being with those who your love and light impacted! Words can't say enough that you are needed in this world, and I hope we all never forget that!

A verse that has been on my heart this summer-- and I hope will also be in yours:

Colossians 3:12-17 "Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

The Power of Prayer

I can't believe there is now only one more week left working in Kenya. Time has gone by so quickly, it's hard to think that I will be leaving the friendships I've made and won't be able to contact the people I now love. 

This week was incredible. On Saturday, we woke up early in Joska to watch the sunrise. Then, we were able to spend some time seeing the surrounding area and hanging out with the girls during their break. I was able to meet a beautiful girl that my family sponsors named Sheila! At first, she was shy and it felt awkward meeting her for the first time, but once I asked her to tell me about her life she began to open up, which I'm so thankful for. She told me that she has been having a hard time at school because her brother died a year ago, and she wasn't sure how to handle it. Her brother was only seven and she would not tell me how he had died, but it was evident that she was still affected. I wasn't sure what to say, I can't imagine how hard that must be for her, but I tried to give her encouragement and asked if I could pray for her. I'm not sure if my words made a difference in her life, but I'm glad to have had the opportunity to learn more about her. We only had around an hour together, but by the time I left she was smiling and laughing! I'm so thankful to have met her!

After the Joska girls went back to class, we traveled back to Nairobi and went straight to one of our bosses homes for lunch. Lynn is normally someone who the workers fear at MOHI, she is very punctual and exact, but when we visited her home we saw a new side to her. We were able to hear about her upbringing and why she has to be so strict at her job. I loved being able to see how loving she is and her heart for others. She grew up not having parents and needed to take care of her brothers and sister on her own. After knowing more about her life, I began to realize that in order to be in charge of as much as she is and be good at it, she has to be a little strict, especially while working with Kenyans-- most things run late here because of their difficulty in being on time. I'm glad to have seen this other side of her life and witness her love for her job and others.

On Sunday, we attended the Madoya church again for the service. One of the interns, Becca, led worship and Coty was able to give an incredible sermon that ended in two of the attendees committing their life to Christ! I had a wonderful time with familiar faces at Madoya, and also met a young woman named Cynthia. After talking to her for a short amount of time, she told me that she had to drop out of school because of the expenses. Her father had died around two years ago and her mother lost her job. Right when I was going to ask if I could pray for her, her mother came up to us. It was perfect timing-- I was able to give encouragement to the mother and daughter and pray with both of them. I wish I could have helped them in more ways, but this trip has been constantly reminding me that prayer has power and Christ can do wonders.

Once again, I'm always surprised by how many children know my name in Madoya! We were walking back from the church through a neighborhood and five little kids popped their head through a fence and were yelling my name. I went over and greeted them and asked them how they knew who I was-- they told me that they heard about me and one of the kids said they heard I was a teacher. Even though they are not students from one of the MOHI schools, they have still somehow heard about me-- it's unbelievable and I feel so honored! It's incredibly encouraging that people care that I am here.

One of my favorite times of day is in the late afternoon, while the kids are on break. If I don't have much work to do, I am able to go outside and sing, dance, and have a good time with them! Their joy is so contagious and many kids will join the fun! Also, using a piki piki (motorbike) as my transportation is so incredibly fun! I haven't done it often, but the drivers are always so fearless-- I love it. The slums are filled with people so they will weave all over the place and go over a ton of crazy bumps-- there are sometimes scary moments but I trust their driving skills. Makes me want to get one in America! 

On tuesday, I was so overjoyed to see Vincent again. I love being able to hang out with him and see the joy he has. I feel so blessed to be apart of his life and see firsthand that our bodies may fail but Christ can always prevail. Please continue to pray for him and that God will use his story and joy to witness to others.

I was also able to visit one of my family sponsors in Mabatini named Patrick. He was very young and didn't know barely any English, but I am planning on coming back to the school on Monday to meet his family and see his home! 

On Wednesday, one of the missionaries came to Madoya to take pictures of the students who still need sponsors. Even though I work in the classrooms with the kids, it is nearly impossible to know which ones are sponsored students and which are still in need. I was so surprised to see one of my students from the class I teach waiting to take their picture! Her name is Gillian and she is an incredibly sweet and hardworking young girl. I was lucky enough to meet her mom at the parent teacher conference as well! After lots of prayer-- I have decided to be Gillian's new sponsor! It may not be smart of me, being a college student with no job, but it is important to me. I am excited to get a job, pay for the sponsorship on my own, and show Gillian as much love as possible! She does not know yet about the sponsorship, so she still calls me "Teacher Kristen" when I am able to spend time with her, but I feel so blessed to already have a relationship with her and for the ability to continue to be in her life.

On Friday, I met the two other boys my family sponsors. When I first arrived at Kosovo, there was a young boy at the social workers office and he had on a pin that said "Perfect Class 5 Green". I asked him about it and he told me that he was first in his class and was the leader of all the other students-- little did I know at the time that he is one of the sponsors! How funny that he just happened to be in the office and that I noticed his pin. His name is Martin and he is older than the other sponsors, so I was able to have a real conversation with him. Also, later on in the day, I met John who is in grade 3. He did not know as much English, but I was still able to hear about his life and the prayers he is in need of. With both of the boys, I was able to share some candy and get to know a little about their life-- I loved it! Also, John took me to his class so that I could hang out with them for a short time. I enjoyed having the freedom to spend time Martin and John and pray for them in person. 

Also, Friday there was a party held at Kosovo for all the interns and the Kenyans we have been working alongside. We had traditional Kenyan food-- that a few of us interns helped them prepare-- and each of us went up and thanked our centers for allowing us to work with them. It was a lot of fun-- and a bit emotional knowing we are leaving soon!

Being the only person who is not a national working in Madoya was frightening at first. People would stare at me and yell at me in Swahili, and I wasn't sure how to take their reaction to me, but coming back to the same area each day allowed me to get comfortable fairly quickly! I now am able to walk through the community and wave to people I now know, talk to those who used to to frighten me, and greet the same children each day. I love having a place in the slums to call my home-- I'm going to miss it very much. It's hard leaving, knowing I may never seen any of the Kenyans again, but I am blessed to have the memory of them and faces to put to my prayers. 

The Lord Will Provide

A few weeks ago, while working alongside the disabilities team for the day, I met a boy named Vincent. He has a growth between two of his bones, which makes it difficult for him to walk. His parents are not able to afford the surgery he needs, so he had to drop out of school in fifth grade. Vincent is one of the happiest, sweetest, and shyest boys I have ever met. He didn't say much, but his smile was so inspiring and his desire to trust in God through his pain was impeccable. Becca, an intern on my team, felt extremely touched by his story and his happiness, so she wrote about him in her blog. What's incredible is that this week we found out that a member from her church read her blog, was also inspired by the story, and felt called to provide the means for Vincent to get the surgery he needs! God had a plan for Vincent, and we didn't even know it! Normally Becca and I don't join Nikki on her visits with dissabilities, but if Becca didn't hear his story and feel called to write about it, Vincent may never have gotten the help he needs! Praise The Lord and his ability to heal and provide!

This Saturday was exactly what we all needed. The ability to sleep in, most of the day spent outdoors, reading, playing football, and playing music, going to a cafe with food we enjoy, and ending the night at the movie theaters. Most who live in Kenya don't have the luxury of getting Saturdays off to relax, so I feel blessed with a day to rejuvenate so I can have the most energy for the week.

Sundays are always so enjoyable to me. Every week we visit a different church in the slums and this time we went to Madera. I love how much fun the worship always is here in Kenya, and this Sunday wasn't any different. We danced and clapped all different beats while we  lifted praises to The Lord, it was beautiful. After church, we waited for a while for the mutatu to come for us, so of course I played with the adorable children! It started with me showing them games that I used to play and by the end they were beginning to teach me their games as well. None of them knew enough English to really communicate, but I love that we don't need words to be with one another and for me to show them a glimpse of the love that Christ has for them. 

On Monday, I went back to teaching Pre-Unit again. In most classes, I normally teach an English lesson, give them work to do on their own, grade their books as they finish, and then move on to the Math lesson and do the same. I have noticed that there is almost always one or two students who just don't understand the lesson and have a very difficult time completing the work. So I decided to ask the teacher about how they would fit the needs of those students. The teacher told me that they are not able to take time to tutor students individually, so there is nothing they could do. Luckily, I am free after two each day until I leave, around three thirty, so I asked if I could try out tutoring to see if it would help, and she agreed! The first student I tutored was named Abigail, who had difficulty in remembering which way each letter faced and how they were written. By the end of tutoring, she was able to write all of the letters correctly on her own! It took a lot of patience at first, but the end result was wonderful, so the teachers are now allowing me to tutor everyday. When I teach, I normally don't have the opportunity to get to know the students, but while tutoring I am able to spend time individually with them. In that short amount of time, I was able to see how wonderful and joyful Abigail is, and I would have never been able to see that in a group of around twenty five students. 

Friday after work, we headed straight to Joska, the MOHI boarding school, for the night! We didn't get there till late, so we ate a quick dinner and then put on Mulan for all of the girls to watch with us! There were so many of them, so we weren't able to give out popcorn until they were leaving the chapel, where the movie was being played. Then we were able to spend some time with the girls before they headed for bed! I felt so loved when the girls I met at church, our first Sunday in Kenya, ran to me, yelling my name! It's incredible that they remember me and still felt as close to me as when I left that day. We all decided to have a little dance party with the time that we had, and I loved every second of it. Sleeping at Joska was extremely different then sleeping at the Kamau's, the guest house we normally stay at. Just like many of the homes we see in the slums, the rooms were made of tin, which allowed many bugs, rats, and outside noise to come in. I honestly slept through the night freezing and not wanting to know what was surrounding me in the dark. It's hard for me to imagine a room like that to be my home and what it would be like to live in such living conditions. 

This week, I have been lucky with the amount of acceptance and love everyone had given me. The teachers are patient in showing me how the Kenyans learn and write English, which is surprisingly very different from America! The children are always excited when I enter the classroom and ask for me to come back everyday, which is so encouraging. The social workers have been accepting with my new task of teaching, rather than joining them on home visits like I used to and my team has been incredible, and are honestly a big reason for why I feel energized to go to work everyday. 

Each morning, there is a bible study that a few of the interns decided to start, which has been wonderful to witness. Also, each night we have time together either debriefing, praying, worshiping, playing a fun game, or watching a movie with one another. 

It's crazy to me that there is only two weeks left here. Please pray for our strength to continue to be refreshed each day and for us to end our time here stronger than we started it. Eating Kenyan food has been really difficult for many of us-- we're not sure how much more rice and beans our stomaches can handle-- but luckily in the slums they sell sprite which helps us keep it all down!