another question answered

Alright Chasity.  You opened a can of worms, girl.  You get the award for best questions asked!  Your reward: I'll send you a ciber oreo cookie for an ear.  (You're welcome)

First off, I will start everyone with her questions.  Answers follow:

How hard is it to sit and watch all that is around you and realize how well America has it?

Very hard at times.  But we cannot dwell on what America has that third world countries do not.  We all have one thing in common.  We all need the same loving Savior.  

I can remember coming back from my first mission trip when I was 19 and walking into our brand new wal-mart.  I'm not sure how my mom put up with my attitude.  I was literally draging my feet and grumbling about America.  Hopefully I've come a long way from that girl.  (I guess we'll see when we come home next month!)  

I used to sit around feeling guilty for being born in America.  But what does guilt do?  I've learned a couple things: 

1. Be grateful, not guilty.  Guilt won't lead you to move.  

2.  What it means to embrace my ethnic and cultural identity as part of who God has created me to be.  There are positive aspects about my culture that I need to claim.

Some people tell me I shouldn't minister outside the country because people in America are just as poor as those in Africa. Do you agree?

Simply put: NO WAY!

There are needy people in America and there are MANY that need ministering to, but America is NOT as poor as Africa.  In America, even the homeless have somewhere they can go to get a meal or a bed for the night.  Here in Africa where can they go if they haven't had a meal in days?  Have you ever seen a child walking around in America that looks like this?  

I sure haven't.  Know why?  Because you can walk into ANY ER in the US and no matter what your problem is- you can be treated.  Whether you have money or not.  You can even make up a problem to be seen as a patient and get a meal to eat!  Not to mention we have the luxury of clean water.  Access to medical help and clean water alone nullify the word "poor" and "America" being in the same sentence.

A friend of mine took 6 weeks off work to go to Darfur last year to provide medical relief to the oppressed people of Sudan.  (I owe it to Ashley for my broken heart for the Sudanese.  As she was the first to teach me of the heinous acts of an ancient civil war going on still)  I can remember Ashley telling me what one co-worker said to her about her going to Darfur. As I recall she expressed how she didn't feel it was right for Ash to go to other parts of the world when there were people right here in the Appalacian Mountains who needed help.  Guys, this person is a christian!!  I can't think of a more unbiblical statement.  "Righting wrongs and serving those in need is at the VERY HEART of Christ's ministry and, in fact, the heart of God.  There is an outrageous misconception- that the idea that ministry to the poor is for the select few and not central to the call of every Christian.  Not everyone is called to move into the inner city or give up the security of a corporate job, but EVERY Christian should get his/her hands dirty in the struggle in some form or fashion." (Jeff Killibrew- Desire street ministries, N.O)  

If you are a follower of Christ who have yet to actively get involved in a local ministry which you have DIRECT contact with those in need; if you have never "smelled" and "tasted" real poverty, then you are missing a huge part of the experience of being a follower of Christ.  Until you have come close enough to those who are truly suffering to hug them, speak words of encouragement to them, to touch them, you have not experiences all of what God offers His followers.  

God wants you to start ministering in the very town you call home.  But your involvement doesn't stop there.  It is a blessing to step foot on foreign soil- to see, touch, smell, and taste what God is doing around the world.  I want to encourage you all to go on a short term mission trip at some point.  It will surely bless your socks off.  

I have a high school teacher who is unable to "go" to foreign soil, but she might as well be here.  Her heart is here- no doubt.  She has been such a huge source of encouragement to us.  To the point of giving what she doesn't have.   

Keira told me about a line she had read in a John Piper book and I gotta tell you, I LOVE IT!  He said you can do either of 3 things. 

1. You go 

2. You send 

3. You're disobedient  

Simple as that.  It's part of the great commission and no one is omitted from that. 

A lot of words to answer that question, but what can I say- missions is my heart and soul and I can say the same it true for Chris.  

  

Permission Granted!

                        

have you filled your shoebox?

I can't wait to get home to fill another shoe box!  I think all 3 of us had our hearts in our throats the whole time we were there.  I did see a few tears too.  I wanted to get there a little early so we could see how it all took place.  When we got there our friend Paul was talking to the 350 kids who were sitting, patiently awaiting their box of goodies.  We were the only Mzungu's there.

It wasn't long before the other Samaritans Purse people showed up.  Honestly, we didn't necessarily want to hand them out.  We just wanted to watch or sit with them an they opened them.  If you've ever been to distribution center in Charlotte to work you know that after you go through each box to make sure there aren't any "no-no's" in the box you send them to the end to get wrapped with tape.  This way they don't come apart in travel.  When it came time for them to open them (all at the same time) most of the kids had to wait on an adult to come around with something sharp to help them open it.  I was so busy getting to every child i could as fast as i could that i never did pick one child to watch open it.  I got to the kids after they had opened it.  But it was still awesome!  One little girl that chris found- got her 5 stick pack of gum, carefully opened each and every piece and shoved each one in her mouth.  Her cheeks were packed out!  I couldn't take my eyes off of her because she was about 4 and I was so afraid she was going to choke!  She kept making funny faces.  Another little girl got a barbie doll and she was petting her hair, justa' talking to her.  I'm not sure what the were talking about, but it was an intense conversation.  They had a lot to catch up on apparently.  I wanted to see the older boys open their packages as well.  There was one boy about 14/15 who got probably an 8-year-olds shoes.  He was laughing though- plus you NEVER know.  I really think that God specifically choses each pair of hands those boxes land in.  I heard a story one time where a child got a whole box of just socks.  Someone helping in the distribution was really disheartened that this box would get "missed" and that the child didn't get a single toy, candy, pencil, or marker... just socks!  As the worker was going through the box with the child she noticed the child was smiling as she was pulling out the socks.  Turned out there were enough socks in the box for the WHOLE family!  Aunts, uncles, grandma... everyone!  The child was so tickled to go home to give out all the socks the family had been praying for!!!!

Joy started reading a card in a box to the child who had received it.  She said she had to stop in the middle of it to cry.  (Too bad I didn't catch that with the camera).  The letter I read was from a little girl in Virginia.  She even drew a picture and put it in the box.  So cool.  

There is a goal of 8 million shoe boxes to be distributed this year.  I want to encourage all of you to do a few shoe boxes.  I know I will when I get home.  Not only fill the shoe boxes, but pray over them.  Ask God to place them in the right hands and to help you know what to fill them with.  If God prompts you to buy something... just do it.  He wants to help you fill it.  

Who knows... maybe one day you'll get to be on this end!

another dream come true.

Ever since I saw the Operation Christmas Child (OCC) video where they hand out all those boxes to those kids who have so little- I've wanted to do that.  I've wanted to be the one on the other side that gets to see their faces when they open their boxes.  But I had to settle with going to the OCC distribution center in Charlotte with Michael B to help fix, wrap, stuff, and pack up the boxes.  I cannot tell you what a joy that was to me.  I sweated but I loved every minute of it. 

Why am I telling you all this?

Well, we have the privledge to meet up with my cousin-in-law (Sarah Thompson's hubby) Tuesday night.  He works for Samaritans Purse and OCC.  That night I met a Ugandan man named Paul who also works with OCC.  I told him of my dream and he invited us to distribute the boxes with them TOMORROW!!!  I'm totally stoked.  I won't be able to post pictures because it's OCC/SP's event.  I'm just so thankful we get to go!  WHAT A BLESSING!!   

In the beginning God created...

I usually try to keep posts like this pretty rare, because I don't want our supporters to think we are lolly-gaging around on their money over here in Africa. But I sent a couple of these picture to my mom on Skype and she insisted I put them on the blog... for her and she promised that everyone would really like to see these. Yesterday we drove to the Ngong Hills (which you can see from our house) to go hiking. We didn't end up going to the top (or the last hump of hill) due to time because we got lost for a little while, but it was a great drive. What a great Sunday afternoon!! As you can see from the pictures there were Kenyans up there just praising the Lord for his beautiful creation. Pictures don't do this place justice. Any of you who come to visit us... this is where we are taking you hiking for sure! Except Dad... we'll figure out some way to get you up there if I have to give you a piggy back! You gotta see this! Next time we go we're going to start early in the morning and make a day of it. We're going to hike every hump, take a picnic, and our bibles. I can't wait. I can only imagine what the top of Kilimanjaro looks like.

To answer someone's question: Yes- we DO go out. But FREE and BEAUTIFUL outings such as this are our favorite!

Enjoy the pictures, Ma promised you would!

this is definitely among my favs. (Chris, Dara, and Jehosaphat)

Jehosaphat is a maasi boy that followed us up every single hill trying to sell us a sucker. We had not shillings, but we admired his persistence so we gave him a little something when we got back to the car. He was such a sweetie! At one point I was huffing it up a hill and he cam right up beside me huffing too. I said politely "Jehosaphat.. i appreciate you trying to make me feel better by gasping for breath along with me- but really it's okay. I know I'm out of shape." He stopped. He climbs those hills twice a day... trying to sell suckers. I think he's do better with waters and sandwiches. So here he in atop one of the hills with his suckers. Great commercial.

In awe... together.

We still can't believe we're in Africa. Maybe next time we say that we'll be saying it about Sudan.

Do we love it here, or what?

my other favorite

Joy on top of the world...

Praising the CREATOR!

... much needed sugar

Just a snippet of my day.  

Without going into detail, this morning started a bit gloomy for me.  Not to mention I missed my morning quiet time.  We all went to Kibera per our usual Thursday.  I wished Meshak Happy Birthday and made small talk until Tafrosa asked if I wanted to see the kids (behind their house is where their school is) at which I jumped up off the couch.  I peeked in on them after not having seen them in a week.  They were ALL working so hard.  I visited each one of them and looked through their paperwork.  I'm so proud of them.  Isaac isn't running away anymore.  He still needs a lot of one on one attention, but he is doing very well.  Sylvia is catching on so quickly.  Paul and Brian are coloring and counting to 10 in English.  I cannot believe how much healthier they look.  Their bellies have significantly decrease in size.  They are no longer taut and full of worms.  I can now make wrinkles around their belly buttons.  

The first chance Paul got out of class he ran to me and I picked him up at which and he flung his little arms around my neck and hugged me so tight.

Then he puckers his lips up and gives me sugar, right on the mouth!  How cool 

is it to know that God prompted that little 3 year old heart to give me hugs and kisses right when I needed it.  I could have sworn it was Gods arms hugging me right then.  He will never know what that meant to me today.  

~20 people in Kibera gave their lives to the Lord today.  Wednesday 22 in Kawangware surrendered their lives.

See, it has been a awesome week... considering it PURE JOY! 

The chorus of a simple song has echoed in my head all week.  Especially today... 

I don't want to make you small 

I don't want to fit you in my pocket  

A cross around my throat  

Cuz' you are brighter than the sun

You're closer than the tiny thoughts I have of you 

but I could never fathom you

~JJ Heller

Why do I continue to put Him in a box when He has proved time and time again that He's so much bigger than that?  He's a hug and kiss from my once hungry, sick baby.  He's in the melodious way Paul says my name with his teeny voice.  He's a gentle reminder that He knows best for my life and He knows me better than I know myself.  He's in the wind that pulls away my hair stuck to my tears, then dries them.  

Abba, 

"Help thou mine unbelief!"  As cried in Mark I find myself crying out the same familiar words.  Forgive me, Father, that I make you small when you have proven so many times that you are so much bigger.  Please don't let me put you in a box.  That is not where you belong.  Thank you for your tender reminders you give me found in the unlikeliest places.  There you are.  In the dirty hands of the tiniest little guy in the biggest slum in East Africa.  O' how I love and cling to those reminders!  The next few lines of this song creep to the forefront of my mind.

 among my favorite of the lines...

"...broken people hit the ground when they discover you're not here for our benefit.  

You love in spite of us.  You use the least of us to prove the strong aren't really strong at all."

"Thank you" just doesn't do justice to my hearts gratitude.  

I love you Abba,

Amen

Answers continued...

Continuing to answer questions from our Open Forum- here is the next one.

"Found or killed any Black Mambas yet?"

Don't know what a black mamba is?  Want to see a picture and read about how many we've found here?  Click here.  

Just one since that last post on them.  None in the sheets though.  I think all 4 that have been killed wince we've been here were mostly at night. So I no longer hang our clothes in the dark.  I have taken the trash out in the dark like twice this week though.  (But there was NO getting around that.  Had to be done.)  Long story short- a young dinner guest of ours got sick at the table.  I will refrain from going into detail.  Thankfully we had mama Joy to the rescue.  She was on it, let me tell you.  Good thing, b/c Chris wasn't so much...  

I still have yet to see a mamba.  I try to keep my distance though.  I really don't plan on it if I can help it.

"Do you miss anything from home besides family and friends?"

For Lindy: My mama's cooking, my nephew and niece's growth spurts, Sunday game night, prayers on the pk mat, "Lost" night, Wed. night youth, Sunday morning church and actually getting to SEE Michael's sermons instead of wondering what video or illustration he is using, pretty much anything that has to do with church, Davidson Surgical- let me clarify the PEOPLE more than the procedures, coffee with Paige, dad's catfish,  cheap chicken, driving on the right side of the road, lines on the road, uncorrupt government, democracy, my brothers oatmeal cookies, Laurie's seafood chowder, and Cory's cheese dip.  Just to name a few.  Can you tell I don't like food at all?

For Chris: Cheerwine, traffic laws that are obeyed,  the ability to pick on the phone and call someone, Monday night football, the blessing of having my guy friends right there, movies with my sisters, flounder gigging with dad,  being able to drive at night.  

We both miss our beagle.  (I know some of you are laughing thinking of how silly this sounds.  When you spend 3 years without children and playing with a beagle instead- let me know how you feel.)

Mind you we love it here and wouldn't trade any of this.  Nor can any of this take the place of how much we miss our family, friends, and church.

Love you all way more than we miss any of these silly little things.