Jehovah Jireh

Wow.  We have been so overwhelmed by people’s responses to our April 8 post, “To Change a Life”.  Since that post, we have received pledges from several new monthly contributors to help regularly support the Children’s Home, as well as several large one-time donations to help us through the remainder of this year.  We are humbled and blessed by your response to the needs here, and the sacrifices being made on behalf of the children here in Kitale.  THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts!!  You are all an inspiration to us.

About a month ago, God began impressing upon our hearts the need to practice what we preach.  We realized that we couldn’t ask any of you to sacrifice if we weren’t also willing to sacrifice to help the children.  We began looking at our budget to see where we could cut down in order to divert more of our budget to helping the children.  Our biggest expense is our housing, so we decided to start there.  To be honest, I was very resistant to praying and asking God for His guidance as to how we should change our living situation to be able to help the children more.  It was nagging at me day and night and I found myself very irritable and unable to sleep.  What it came down to was fear.  I was afraid to ask God where He was leading us, for fear that it may be to a much more “rustic” lifestyle...and what if it even included a lack of running water or electricity?!?!  I was also fearful that He would lead us to a place where we couldn’t keep our rottweilers.  I know they are “just dogs”, but honestly, we really love them!   

I don’t know why I am such a worrier, especially since God has proven Himself to us time and time again.  And this time was no different.  Before I even handed over my fears, He started revealing a new and wonderful plan for our living arrangement.  Long story short, today we put a deposit on a new house that we will move into on May 25, just in time to finish up our current lease which ends May 31.  The rent is lower than our current rent, and it is on a shared compound, which reduces our cost for the night watchman, which is shared between all the tenants.  It has a small little private yard, that the landlord said we could fence and keep our rotties!  We still needed to find a home for our German Shepherd who needs to RUN miles and miles every day....but God provided for that, too.  A friend called last week looking for a dog needing a home.  Lindy will be going this weekend to another large compound, with a couple who loves dogs and is also getting a new puppy to keep her company.  Because we are going from a two acre property to a “postage stamp” yard, we no longer have need for a full time grounds keeper, eliminating that cost as well.  With this move, we will cut down our housing expenses by 40%!  AND I will still have electricity and running water!  In fact, we are actually gaining space in our kitchen, dining room, and living room...all the spaces we use most to host people for dinners, art class, Sunday afternoon worship, etc.  

I feel like God Himself is wooing us...as if He hasn’t done enough already by providing a way for our salvation.  God is Good.  ALL the time.  

          

Going Kuku!

Kuku is the Kiswahili word for “chicken”, and as of a week ago, we have nearly 200 of them that will eventually be helping us to support the children at KCCCH.  This project started over a year ago, with a lot of research and visitations to other successful kuku projects.  The next phase was fund raising, followed by the planning and building of a top-notch kuku house that would protect our investment from the weather and disease, as well as allow for expansion of the project over time.  The project then had to be put on hold when we took an unexpected furlough from August to December of last year.  Since we have been back, we have been able to build a store room attached to the kuku house, and find and hire a young man, Paul, as our poultry and livestock manager.  And last Thursday, after 3 weeks of delayed deliveries, we finally received our first batch of 203 day old chicks.  

The first few weeks are the most tenuous, with fragile chicks recovering from the transition process, as well as needing to carefully control the temperature of their environment in a land where the electricity is constantly coming and going.  Fortunately, we have Paul, and he is doing a fine job of caring for these future egg layers.  In the first week, we lost only 4 chicks, and each week should be easier and easier.  Paul is on the KCCCH property 24/7 for the first few weeks, checking on the chicks every hour.  He even has a bed IN the kuku house where he sleeps at night, waking every hour to make sure the electricity is still on to run the heaters.  When the electricity goes out, Paul starts up the charcoal heaters, which are much more difficult to control temperatures with.  

Not only are we pleased with Paul’s skills, but we are also pleased to be able to offer him a job.  You see, we believe Paul will be a wonderful mentor and example to our kids at the Home.  Paul was once a street boy, taken in by a local children’s home called Challenge Farm.  When Paul began to significantly struggle in the latter part of high school and wanted to drop out, Challenge Farm offered to teach him the trade of Poultry Management and running a poultry business.  Paul has been working with Challenge Farm’s poultry business for over a year now.  We have been developing our relationship with Challenge Farm, getting our kids together for activities and learning from their administrative staff.  When we indicated we were looking for a new Poultry Manager,  the administration at Challenge Farm highly recommended Paul to us.  He is eager to learn, very tedious about his work, and demonstrates a great attitude towards the staff and children at KCCCH.  We are so excited to have him as part of our staff, and hope the relationship will be mutually beneficial.  

It will take about 4 months for our chicks to reach maturity and begin laying eggs.  We already have a market identified, and should be able to bring in several hundred dollars per month in profit, ON TOP of no longer having to purchase eggs for our kids.  This is just one of our goals in bringing our Home into a place of greater sustainability.  

This project would not have been possible without the financial support of multiple donors who contributed for the building of the kuku house, the store room, and all the supplies needed to get our first batch of chicks “up and laying”.  The money we bring in once the hens start laying, will cover the continued maintenance of the project as well as bring a profit.  We would like to thank each of our friends who contributed to this project, including Christian Relief Fund, Il Faro International Baptist Church, the Barnard family of San Diego, CA, the Northam family of Mbale, Uganda, and the Benson Family of Arlington, WA.  THANK YOU for believing in what we are doing, and helping us to make a difference in the life of these children.  May God bless you richly as you have blessed us!

To Change a Life

What does it take to change a life?  As a missionary to Kenya, I have come to Africa to do just that.  Having lived in the promised land of America for 40 years, I am no stranger to the appeals from various aid agencies and their promises that for just a dollar a day, you too can change the world.  Only now, I live in Kenya and I see the needs of people every day and I can tell you, it takes more than a dollar a day.  I know people in America have needs too, but here the needs are just so big, so obvious, so in your face.  Like the glue boy Joseph who staggers over to greet me whenever I drive into town.  He is missing several teeth, his eyes twitch back and forth, his clothes are in tatters and it looks like he has just crawled out of a muddy ditch because that is where he slept.  He knows me well enough to know that I won’t give him cash because I know he will use it to buy shoe glue so he can huff it.  I know this because he is never without his glue bottle.  If the glue bottle is not dangling from his lip, it is stuffed up his sleeve.  He says “Hi, I’m Joseph!” as if he hadn’t told me his name a hundred times before and thrusts out his filthy hand for me to shake. “Buy me bread,” he slurs and then he offers to watch my truck while I head off.  The wheel wells in the bed make a handy seat and he jumps in.  

As I walk on to do my errands for the day, in the back of my mind I’m having a debate with myself.  Do I buy him any bread today?  Do I have him pick some trash off the littered streets and deposit it in a waste bin?  Or do I say as I usually do, “Sorry Joseph, not today.”  I don’t want to continue to enable his choice to live on the street and panhandle, so sometimes I tell him about one of the ministries in Kitale for street kids.  But Joseph has already heard about that and doesn’t want to give up his “freedom”.  What about the other hundred plus kids living on the streets of Kitale?  You see it doesn’t matter what you came here to do, there is always someone who is trying to make themselves your agenda.  “But what are you going to do for me?” they plead.  

What about the 50 kids at the Children’s Home I came to serve or the 28 staff of the Children’s Home and Bahati Academy?  I have to focus on them.  They each have their own story, their own needs.  Felix, a senior in high school, wants to finish high school.  He is struggling, but close to the finish line.  He has made some mistakes, but a high school diploma is his best chance at a future.  Lena didn’t qualify for high school so opted for a trade school and she is doing remarkably well.  She is in beauty school and already earning money and excited about her future.  She returns to Nairobi next month to attend additional courses in working with NGO’s (Non-Governmental Organizations).  She hopes to be an advocate for orphans, especially those with HIV.  I think she’ll do a great job.  

High school is not free in Kenya.  The average cost of sending a student to high school or trade school is $70-100 per month, depending on whether the student attends day school or boarding school, and the day school options are very limited in Kitale.  We have 13 students in high school or trade school right now.  That puts our need for next term secondary school fees at about $3900.  I have to bank the fees in full by the end of April so kids can go back to school for second term.  But according to the Children’s Home bank account, that just isn’t going to be possible.  

As a comparison, the Children’s Home receives a total of $3500 per month in regular support that is meant to cover ALL our expenses.  After paying our staff the required minimum wage (and believe me, they deserve MUCH more than what we are able to pay them!), we have approximately HALF of our total income left to take care of 50 children.  This means we have about $35 per child which is supposed to provide food, water, clothes, shoes, school uniforms and supplies, an education, and medical care.  If you do the math, it doesn’t add up.  And next February, we will have five more kids starting high school or trade school.  I pray that the kids we are helping at the Children’s Home can get a good education so they can eventually find work to sustain themselves.  I don’t want to drive into town and see the faces of kids from my own Home begging on the streets because they didn’t get to finish school.  

One of my favorite quotes that has followed me from my childhood says,

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better.  It's not.”   ~Dr. Suess, The Lorax

I’m thankful that I know somebody who cares “a whole awful lot”.  His name is Jesus.  He cares about you enough to die for you and He also cares about how you care for others.  He said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: even as I have loved you, so you also are to love one another.” John 11:34

I’m hoping there are a whole lot of someone’s out there who will be touched by this urgent need.  But don’t wait for someone else or some other day.  You can be the one today.  Thanks for your help.  Thanks for being someone who cares.

For the love of God and His children,

Jason Beagle, Administrator

Kenya Church of Christ Children’s Home

Another Amazing Provision

Today I hosted my second group of kids for our new art class.  I am so excited because the day after my last blog about starting this class, I was contacted by my BFF back in the states, who had gone to Missions Sunday at her church, and met an artist , Marcia Carole, who already does what I am trying to do with our kids.  You can read more about Marcia’s awesome work on her website:  http://thecreativecall.net/art-and-story.php.  I have connected with Marcia via email and already received great information from her about how to get started in my new endeavor.  She is currently on a mission trip to Turkey, helping women heal through art, so I hope to skype with her shortly after she returns.

The group I had today was great!  I had 11 boys, who remained engaged with me for over an hour!  They created some really cool art that we will eventually use in collaging.  Marcia has taught me that collage can be a really good way for novice artists to express themselves, so I have spent the last week cutting up every used magazine I could get my hands on.  I have a good collection started, but could use some more variety, especially once I start the collage process with our 50 kids.  

If anyone would be interested in helping with this project, PLEASE take some time to cut up any old magazines you have lying around and send them to me.  This is a great activity to do in front of the TV.   I am looking for any pictures, words, art, or headlines that could possibly be used to express a whole myriad of emotions.  For example, I have cut out pictures of a key, flowers, lightning, a volcano, a wildebeest getting taken down by a croc, a bomb, smiley faces, clouds, etc.  I also have found a few people pictures, but I am trying to stay away from “white” people, so the kids can connect with the pictures better.  I have cut out words and headlines such as, “Smile”, “Crisis!”, “charge!”, “how to cope”, “family”, “Time for something new”, “Saved my life”, “the power of friendship”, “worst nightmare”, etc.  Even artistic backgrounds of various colors that might depict “cheerfulness” or “foreboding” (or any other positive and negative emotions) would be helpful.  THANK YOU for taking time to help me help these kids express themselves so they can begin to heal as we speak Truth into their lives and pray with them.  

Magazine cut outs can be put in an envelope (preferably with a piece of cardboard to keep them flat) and mailed to:

Amy Beagle

P.O. Box 4153

Kitale, Kenya 30200

Now, off to start creating my own story in collage so I can set the example of opening up when it's scary....

ARTiculation

We’ve been back in Kenya for nearly two months now, getting resettled, catching up on work that was set aside while we were away, and trying to reconnect with our kids here.  We have had a busy few months, repairing damage sustained in the boy’s dorm fire in December; teaching the kids about fire safety; gathering annual updates, letters, and photos on our nearly 200 kids in the CRF sponsorship program; pursuing the re-registration of the Home; counseling students who are starting their post-primary education this year; getting our older students off to boarding school to begin the new school year; and studying the new Education Bill that was passed towards the end of 2012 to determine what changes we need to make within our education policies at the Home.  Whew!  It’s no wonder we are so tired!

With all of the administration tasks we are engaged in, we are having difficultly finding time to engage and connect with our kids at the Home.  But we know that mission without discipleship will not bear everlasting fruit.  Fortunately, the Kenyan Ministry of Education has now banned Saturday school, so our kids are now free on Saturdays to spend time with us.  This has enabled me (Amy) to begin a Saturday art class that has been on my heart for quite some time.  My goals for this art class are much bigger than exposing the kids to color, texture, and various mediums.  My true goals are to connect on a more personal level with the kids, help them to know God as The Creator and Lover of their souls, and to give them a way to express themselves and the many emotions they carry inside.  

We have come to realize that expression of emotion is not encouraged in Kenya, especially among children.  So our kids haven’t had much practice articulating what is going on inside of their hearts and minds.  And there is a lot going on in there!  With all of the trauma, abandonment, and abuse that our kids have lived through, they have much bottled up inside.  Without being able to express themselves and share their hearts, healing is limited and wounds often resurface in the form of challenging behaviors.  I believe that art and creating is one avenue through which some of our kids may be able to learn to express themselves, and thus experience healing of long-standing wounds.  

Last Saturday, I hosted our first group of 12 girls.  I shared with them, as I will now share with you, why it can be so thrilling to Create:

Sometimes I create in the garden.  I love digging my hands down into a patch of soft dirt and arranging plants by height, leaf color, and texture.  After many days of laboring, watering, and weeding, I have a place of peace to relax and enjoy the beauty of God’s creation.

Sometimes I create with fabric.  I get excited when I find fabrics that fit together in color, style, and pattern.  After many hours at my sewing machine, I have a quilt that I can snuggle under on a cold, rainy day.

Sometimes I create with paper.  I find great satisfaction in creating a special card for a friend that reflects her personality.  I love to be able to give her that gift with a special note inside telling her what I appreciate most about her.  

So creating is two-fold for me:  First, I find joy in the process of taking various parts and pieces, and binding them together into something beautiful.  Then, I find satisfaction in using or enjoying the creation I’ve made.  Each thing I’ve ever made started with a plan in mind...an end goal, a purpose for creating it.  

It’s no wonder I enjoy creating so much.  After all, I was created in the very image of the most artistic, masterful Creator of all time.  

Genesis 1:27 “God created people in His own image.  God patterned them after Himself; male and female He created them.”

God, the Creator of the vast universe, as well as every beautiful flower and butterfly, made YOU.  And He made you in the image of Himself.  In Psalm 139, David says, “You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.  Thank you for making me wonderfully complex!  Your workmanship is marvelous--and how well I know it.”

First, God enjoyed the process of creating you.  Now He delights in the end goal, the creation: the person of you!  He is your Loving Father, and He desires a deep and personal relationship with you.     

God did not just create you randomly.  He calls you His masterpiece!  Ephesians  2:10 says, “We are God’s masterpiece.  He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.”  A masterpiece is an artist’s very best, most important work.  God did not create you simply because He was bored and needed a way to fill His time.  No, He created you for an important purpose...to do the good things He planned for you.  

And the things He planned for you are different from the things He planned for your brother, or your sister, or your spouse, or your child.  He had a very specific purpose in mind when He created you, so you were uniquely created to serve that purpose.  Every single part of you, from the way you look to your innermost being was created with His purpose in mind.  No one else in the world can do the work that God has planned for you.  

So we each have a choice to make:  You can choose to pursue your own plans and purposes for your life; or you can choose to let Him guide you and empower you to do the good things He planned for you, the things that He can only accomplish through you.  Do not take this decision lightly, because following Him is not without cost.  But if you decide to join God on this incredible safari, I can promise He will not disappoint you.  It is my prayer that you will decide today to allow God to use you in the plans and purposes He designed you for.   

Impact

Americans around the world are celebrating Thankfulness this week.  Our family has much to be thankful for, especially that it is possible to be here in the US with our families this holiday season.  Ethan will be joining us in a few days, and the entire family is currently enjoying good health.  Having spent the last 2 years in Kitale, Kenya, where living conditions are significantly different, we have developed a heightened awareness of just how blessed we are.  As we count our blessings today, our thoughts are drawn to our Kenyan family: our 54 Kenyan children and many staff and friends there.  We are thankful that God has chosen us to be part of that ministry, allowing us to have a direct impact on the hearts of those we serve.  I would like to share the story of one of our girls and the impact she is now having on others.  

Lena is 17 and a very well-spoken and bold young lady.  She is not afraid to stand up to injustice, even though she is a woman in a culture that favors men.  Because of health issues and academic struggles, she completed 8th grade last December, later than many others finish primary school.  

At the end of 8th grade, all students take an important exam (the KCPE).  Records from our past students at the Children’s Home indicate that nearly 100% of students who did not pass the KCPE but went on to secondary school anyway, dropped out or failed out of secondary by the second year.  This has led to self-esteem issues among our students, and has left multiple without a means to support themselves when they reach adulthood. Thus, this past year, we implemented a new policy that students must achieve a passing KCPE score in order to attend secondary school.  If they do not pass the KCPE, we counsel them and help them choose an appropriate trade school.  

Lena was among a group of students who did not pass the KCPE at the end of last year.  We did not take the approach that they had failed.  Rather, we counseled each of them individually by encouraging them in their strengths, and helping them identify skills and interests they have, so they could choose a trade school in which they could succeed.  Despite our counsel, many of our students were angry with us for implementing these new policies, as culturally secondary school is viewed as the best way to achieve success.  Lena, however, was not angry with us, but embraced the opportunity to go to a school of her choice where she could learn through hands-on experience rather than only by textbooks.  

We spent quite a bit of time looking for the right school for Lena.  She wanted to learn hairdressing, but also had a strong interest in human rights and standing up for those who cannot speak for themselves.  Finally, our team mate, Jennifer, found a Christian trade school in Nairobi (PCEA Eastleigh), where Lena could learn hairdressing, but also have opportunities to do volunteer service and network with others in non-profit organizations.  Lena started school last June, and has just completed her classroom training.  She is now doing her internship back in Kitale, and will return to Nairobi in February to take her final exams.  

Before Lena completed her classroom training, she started working on the side doing hair and nails.  She earned quite a bit of money doing this, and went to the second-hand market in Nairobi to spend it all on clothes...in sizes other than her own.  When she returned to Kitale for her internship, she handed out all the clothing to her “sisters” at the Children’s Home!  

Imagine how special each of Lena’s sisters felt when she returned from school wanting to bless them.  They see Lena blossoming into a successful young woman.  They see her tangibly loving those around her.  They see that it is possible to bear good fruit despite difficult circumstances.  This is the very vision we have had for our children at the Home.  And now they can begin to envision it for themselves. We are so proud of Lena and the positive impact she is choosing to have on others.  I have no doubts that she will help change the popular view that secondary school is the only road to success.  These are the moments we cherish.  These are the moments that affirm why we are returning to Kenya next month.  These are moments to be thankful for.   

Roller Coaster

Every effort has it’s ups and downs.  Caring for 54 abused, abandoned, and orphaned children is no exception.  The last 6 months have been spent on efforts which are culminating this week in some exciting improvements to our Children’s Home.  

We are in the final phase of updating all of our Policies and Procedures with changes that we believe will enhance the care and mentoring provided to our children in the Home.  

We have finally launched our new Transition Program for our older students who have completed school, with 4 of our boys.  We spent last weekend teaching classes that we are requiring the students to take as part of the program: Budgeting, First Aid, and Job Seeking Skills.  We helped Joshua find a place to live and move out this week.  Moses and Caleb are still looking for the right place to live, and Robert will start looking for a place when he finishes school in August.  The program will be 4 months long, with opportunities for guidance and mentoring, as well as gradually decreasing financial assistance.  It is our hope that the program will motivate our older students to seek independence, while still letting them know that we care about what happens to them after they leave the Home.      

We have finished our Girl’s Sleepover nights, where Amy and our teammate, Jennifer, have been teaching the girls in small groups about body safety and self-defense.  

We have finished praying individually with each of the children at the Home.


We assisted our choir kids in going to the Provincial Competition a few weeks ago, where they placed second!  They will be moving on to Nationals on August 6.

And just today, we hired a Social Worker trained in counseling who will help us to understand and guide the children into healthier relationships.  She will officially join our staff on August 1.

We’ve had many ups in the past few weeks, as we feel we are making bits of progress in nurturing and discipling our children.  But no effort is without it’s downs, and today brought one of the most difficult downs we’ve had in our time here so far.  

One of our promising boys who is still in High School (at a nearby boarding school), has been suddenly getting into trouble at school.  For the last month, Jason and Jennifer have been trying to talk with him, and with the officials at school to figure out what is going on.  Our boy won’t talk to us, won’t let us help him get through whatever is happening.  He has ambitions and dreams, but his troubled heart won’t let him open up or accept help.  Rather than choosing to face his difficulties, he chose today to pack his bag and leave.  He just left.  With no diploma, no job, no money;  He just left.  After dark, Kenya is a scary place.  And that’s where he is at this very moment...in a very scary place.  Our hearts are breaking tonight and our sleep will be restless.

While this young man has left our hands, it brings comfort to know he is still in the Hands of the Father.  We pray he will be touched by the One who already knows our troubled hearts and can set our footsteps on the right path.               

like a window to the soul...

Parents,
Do you remember the first gift your child gave you?  Maybe it was a picture they drew and colored or perhaps an art project of some kind.  Do you remember how you felt as they gave it to you knowing that it was made especially for you?  Do you remember the expression on their face as they looked at you for your reaction, searching to see if you liked their creation, searching for your approval?  Last week I had one of those moments.  

Moses, one of our older teens, has been at the Children's Home since he was a few months old.  He has had many "parents" during his years at the Children's Home and with most of them he has not had the best of relationships.  Many of them have found him to be difficult, moody, and often quiet or sullen.  He struggled with high school and after repeating his sophomore year, we decided it was time to look for something more suitable for him.  He had expressed a lot of interest in art and design, so we found a graphic design and art studio nearby that offered internships.  We enrolled him and immediately we saw a transformation in Moses. He was finally given the tools to express his emotions in ways he could not articulate verbally.  He now had a positive outlet for some of the angst within. At first some of his sketches were a bit disturbing.  What I found interesting though was that more he drew and painted, the more he found his voice.  Staff remarked that they could actually converse with him and several times he actually sought me out to chat. 

Moses has completed his internship and is now looking for work and opportunities.  He recently repainted the signs on the main gate for the Children's Home and Bahati Academy and did a fantastic job.  It was wonderful to see his own sense of pride and accomplishment at his completed work.  Three weeks ago I was cleaning out the office at the Children's Home and chanced across a treasure that had been lost for years- artist quality acrylic paints and brushes.  I knew immediately they were meant for Moses so I gathered them up and gave them to Moses that very day.  His face lit up and I knew that good things would come.  I just didn't know that they would be meant for me.  

Last week I received a gift.  Just as I was rushing off to a meeting, Moses presented me with a painting that he had made for me.  I was honored and overjoyed for I understood the significance of the moment.  The vulnerability of his face as he looked at mine was humbling.  As my face lit up, so did his.  The painting is beautiful.  The colors are bright and vibrant, not dark or foreboding.  They express hope, and that is a beautiful color.

We are continuing to look for opportunities for Moses.  Something that would be great for him would be to receive more artist supplies.  Canvas and quality paints and brushes are available in Kenya, but they are quite expensive.  I am hopeful that if we can give him the tools of the trade, more beautiful things will come and enable him to begin to support himself through sale of his art.  Wouldn't you love to be a part of that?  

Son of man, can these bones live?  O Lord God, you know. 

By His grace,
Jason Beagle

Culture Fatigue, Corruption, and the Power of Prayer, Part 2

Corruption.  I know it’s present to some degree in every culture, but here in Kenya, it affects the residents of this country personally and on a regular basis.  It is heart breaking, because there are so many good people in this country, working diligently to make a skimpy living.  Yet, this nation will never flourish until the Holy Spirit sweeps in and convicts the leaders and those in authority of the pitfalls of corruption.  Let me give some examples of how our regular run-ins with corruption here wear us down emotionally.

1.  Last month, we found out that another Kitale ministry was robbed by one of it’s Kenyan administrators so that the ministry can no longer function.  It was a ministry started by an American a number of years ago to assist orphans and widows.  In the spirit of empowering the Kenyans, the founder started the program with the intention of eventually turning it over to Kenyan administration.  The ministry was successfully serving a multitude of children and women when the founder felt it was the right time to hand it off.  Recently, he returned to the US, leaving the program in the hands of a Kenyan who he had been working with from the start, a good friend, and a brother in Christ.  And now a thief.  Thousands of dollars have disappeared, along with the thief, leaving the women and children in the program without assistance, and the other employees without jobs.  Because of corruption.  And sadly, we hear of these stories more often than we should among missionaries and church leaders.  

2.  Two weeks ago, as I was doing our banking online, I discovered that our bank account was about $1000 short of what I thought it should be.  After going through my records, I found that there had been two instances last month where we had gone to the ATM to withdraw $500 but no money came out of the ATM.  Instead, we got a receipt saying our account would not be debited....BUT in actuality, it was.  So, we have had to file two claims with our bank back home.  They have temporarily credited us the money while they do their investigation, but if they can’t prove someone here has pocketed our money, they will take the money back out of our account.  We have two friends here in Kitale that this has happened to recently with the same bank, and the bank here claims they have no discrepancies in their accounts.  Because of corruption.  

3.   Last week, I was at a special Home School Week with my girls at Ethan’s school in Kijabe.  We went with another family, Roger and Julie Tate, and their two youngest kids.  On the way back, Roger was driving and we were pulled over  for “speeding”.  [Let me supply some back matter here.... The speed limit for public service vehicles is 80 kph, but the speed limit for private vehicles is 120 kph.  Our vehicle was previously a cargo van, now turned into a private van.  The licensing department recently made us have PRIVATE painted across the front of our van in huge letters so there would be no confusion as to it’s status as a private vehicle.]  The officer (who had no radar gun) first accused Roger of driving over 120 kph.  Roger calmly told her no, that he was actually going 90 kph.  She then claimed she had video showing he was going 98 kph.  That was rather funny, since there are no video cams along the highway, and they later refused to show us the video.  Then another officer approached and told us he was placing Roger under arrest and we needed to follow him to the police station.  At the police station, they told us that our van was considered a public service vehicle, so the 80 kph speed limit applied, so at 90 kph, Roger was breaking the law.  They told him that in order to leave the police station, he would have to pay 3000 Kenyan shillings (about $40) “bail money” (IOW bribe money), AND he would have to appear in court two days later at the same police station to pay his 2000 shilling fine for speeding.  Mind you, the police station is 5 hours drive from where we live, so the amount of money Roger would have had to pay in gas and lodging for a night to return on the day the court was open, was far greater than the actual fine that they wouldn’t let him pay the day we were already there. I called Jason (who stayed home for the week), who called a Kenyan friend who is the head of the CID (Criminal Investigation Department).  The CID guy asked us which station we were at, and for the names and badge numbers of the officers who were hassling us.  Next thing we knew, Roger was being given back his bail money, and the officers were practically shouting at him, “GET OUT!!”  All in all, we had spent an extra hour and a half with a bunch of nervous kids and moms at the police station.  Because of corruption. 

As we were continuing on our journey home from Home School Week, and discussing the rampancy of corruption here,  we were reminded of what we have been learning in our Sunday afternoon Bible studies with several other missionary families.  We are currently in I Timothy, chapter 2.  The first four verses read:

“First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, in order that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.  This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

These people, then...the thieves, the corrupt bankers, the corrupt police officers... are the very ones we are called to pray for, for God designed even them with a plan and purpose.  And He will use everything of their pasts to shape them into the men and women He created them to be, if they will turn to Him in love and repentance.  So we ask you to please pray with us for the people of Kenya.  Not just the orphans and widows who tug on our heart strings, but for those who infuriate and frustrate us.  Please pray that they will understand how much God loves them; their need for Jesus; and for hearts that will bring blessings, rather than curses, upon their beautiful country. 

Ironically, the Anti-Corruption Department was recently shut down....not sure if it was shut down by the corrupt, or because it was corrupt....  

Culture Fatigue, Wounds, and the Power of Prayer

Time and life are flying by for us on this side of the planet!  We feel like we’ve (mostly) recovered from the emotional slump we hit around October of last year, though there are definitely days when we are worn down by “culture fatigue”.  Culture fatigue is what happens when nothing actually “shocks” you anymore, but the regular frustrations and inconveniences of living in a developing country just wear you down.  

A big part of our culture fatigue stems from the realization that while we’ve been able to make some physical improvements to buildings, and administrative improvements to programs, the hearts of many of our kids and staff remain oppressed by cultural norms and myths.  Just a few examples:  

• It is generally accepted here that the best way to teach and discipline a child is through humiliation and caning with a stick.  

• Because of female inferiority, girls are expected to say “yes” to requests made by men, so many girls don’t even know it is okay to defend themselves against abuse.  

• Power here is something that is often gained, not earned. The difference being that there are many ways to “gain” authority or money or position without legitimately earning what has been gained.  

These underlying beliefs in the community have resulted in deep wounds that have not only led to each child’s committal to our Home, but have also shaped their views of themselves and others.  All of these dynamics ultimately lead to ongoing interactions among our kids that further threaten their physical, emotional, and spiritual safety.  So on a regular basis we are responding to behaviors that need immediate attention.  We often feel like firefighters in a town of pyromaniacs, running from one fire to the next, with no time in between to teach fire safety as a preventative measure.  Our goal is NOT to create a Western culture here in Kenya, as clearly our own culture has it’s own dangers.  Rather, we are trying to create a Biblical culture, founded on the teachings of Jesus and the love of God.  

We recently became strongly convicted that we can’t expect improvements in the “symptoms” if we don’t deal with the root illnesses.  So we began the process of healing with each child by asking for God’s protection and guidance over the entire Children’s Home compound.  We spent a whole day in groups with the kids and staff praying over every square inch of the Home.  We prayed at the gate, along every fence, in every room, over every bed.  Then, Jason, Jennifer, and I, along with the Home’s Pastor, George, began praying with every child individually.  Even though our prayer time with each individual child has been short (only because we have 65 kids to pray with - including the staff kids who live at the Home), we have had some of the most revealing moments in our year and a half of being here!  

I’d like to share a bit about one of our older students, who for privacy reasons I will refer to as Samuel.  Samuel has grown up in our Children’s Home.  You would think this should mean that he has led a safe and protected life.  However, Samuel has experienced his “parents” leaving every 3-5 years, only to be replaced by new “parents” who eventually also leave, and so it has gone for 18 years.  As a result, Samuel has been wounded.  In his mind, he has no reason to trust anyone, because chances are they don’t really care about him and will soon leave him anyway.  So Samuel responds to his fears and wounds in ways that ultimately sabotage his own well-being.  

Jason has been trying to reach Samuel since the week we arrived.  Until last week, however, it seemed like a connection would never be made.  Samuel was in Jason’s prayer group on the day we prayed over the Children’s Home.  At the end of the prayer time, I caught a glimpse of Jason going to give Samuel a hug.  I was expecting a typical, stiff response through the wall Samuel has built around himself.  But instead, tears came to my eyes as I watched Samuel melt into Jason’s hug and allow himself to be nurtured for perhaps the first time ever.  Later that day, when we prayed with Samuel individually, he looked directly into my eyes as I spoke to him.  It seems such a little thing, but truly, it was a breakthrough moment.

Our children at the Home carry the burden of horrendous wounds.  Calloused scars remain on the hearts of every one of our kids, ranging from complete abandonment to neglect and abuse of every unimaginable kind.  What good is a new building or an improved program if the hearts of those we came to serve remain wounded and calloused?  Our goals for this next year reflect our desire to make a difference in the hearts of these children.  We know it is not by our efforts that healing will take place, but only by the grace and hand of our Heavenly Father who is the Father to the fatherless.

Outdated Updates

Let me first apologize for being so out of touch the past few months.  It has been a bit rough for us as we passed our one year anniversary of having left home at the end of August.  We have since been in a place of realizing what life as a foreign missionary is really like, after all the novelty and excitement wears off.  We are at a point of evaluating what we've been able to accomplish in the time we've been here, and looking ahead to the next two years, trying to make sure we finish what we've set out to do.  It's easy to outline the physical improvements to the program, the buildings, etc.  However, we are having a harder time quantifying the spiritual impact we are trying to have.  We find ourselves so regularly wrapped up in the day to day administration and physical needs that often come up in "emergency" situations with the kids and staff, that it seems the spiritual needs are the ones less well attended to.  We are trying to find ways to be more intentional about seeing to the spiritual needs of the children and staff at the Home in the coming months and years.  

A few of our personal family updates:

*A few months before Ethan was supposed to start boarding school at Rift Valley Academy, he asked me, “Mom, how are we going to pay for this?”  I told him, “Honestly, I don’t know.  But it seems clear to us that this is where God wants you to be, so we will have to wait for Him to show us how He’s going to pay for it.”  At that exact moment, my phone beeped to alert me to a new email.  It was from an amazingly generous couple, letting us know that they were going to pay for Ethan’s schooling!  Not only is God’s provision overwhelming, but His timing is impeccable.  Ethan will surely forever remember that precise moment when God confirmed His plan through His provision.  Ethan started school 6 weeks ago and loves it.  He has made friends from all over the world; has academically flourished with the transition from a low-structured homeschool to a highly structured and rigorous academic setting; and has developed a love for bunson burners.  

*Ellie has just celebrated her 12th birthday.  She got braces on 6 weeks ago and is already sporting a straighter smile, despite having recently popped a bracket off by eating forbidden popcorn.  Her orthodontist is 6 hours away, next door to Ethan’s school.  We will now be traveling there once a month for brace adjustments and visits with Ethan.  

*Mei (like the rest of us) is greatly enjoying having Betsy Ingalls, a friend from the States who recently graduated from High School, living with us until December.  Betsy brought with her a fine collection of new books for the children at our children’s home.  She is working on starting a library program for the kids, encouraging a love for reading and teaching them how to properly care for books.  In town this week, both Betsy and Mei were approached by Kenyan boys looking for “girlfriends”.  Later that day, Mei complained, “At least Betsy’s boy had a job.  Mine was just a street kid!”

*Tomorrow, we will say goodbye to our new friend, Ted Chen who is a reporter and co-anchor for NBC news in Los Angeles.  Ted has been with us for 5 days, working on a story that will air in November to raise awareness of the plight of orphans in Kenya.  We have greatly enjoyed getting to know him, and watching him fall in love with the children here.  

*Next month, Jason’s parents, aunt, and two of our nieces will come for a 3 week visit!  We are very excited to spend time with family around the holidays (they arrive the day before Thanksgiving) and soak up some of what we’ve been missing for so long now.  

32 Maggots Delivered via C-Section!!

Penned June 6, 2011, Monday, 8:00 pm

Sounds like a headline out of the National Inquirer, but alas...no.  Welcome to my world.  6 days ago I noticed multiple “bug bites” around my torso.  They were itchy and in an odd location, but I didn’t pay them much attention as we were in the middle of moving to our new house.  However, over the next 4 days, more appeared and they gradually grew in size and tenderness.  I got out my Village Medical Manual from the bush medicine class that Jason and I took last summer.  All my symptoms fit with a diagnosis of Cutaneous Myiasis, except that multiple people had told us it doesn’t occur in the Kitale area.  

Myiasis occurs when a tumbu fly lays eggs in damp laundry hanging outside on the clothesline.  If the laundry is not ironed, the eggs survive and then hatch when the clothes are worn.  The larvae then burrow into your body and develop into maggots there.  Apparently this rogue Mother Fly chose my shirt and some of my “unmentionables” as a suitable place to lay her eggs.  I can now say from personal experience that having maggots in your body feels like tiny razors twisting around as they bore into and gnaw away at your flesh.  Nothing like a little All Natural Liposuction to remind you that you are in a developing country, just in case you get too comfortable and forget.  

We looked at the CDC website and read that sometimes you can “coax” them out by putting butter or raw bacon over the entry hole.  So, last night I slept covered in butter, an interesting experience in itself.  Sadly, this did not work so now I am in a hospital in Eldoret, 2 hours from home, waiting for surgical removal of them all in the morning.

When we arrived at the hospital, I was sent to a dermatologist.  She asked what was wrong, so I told her I thought I had myiasis.  She asked, “What is that?”  When I explained, she said, “I’ve never even heard of that.  You should not do so much reading to give yourself such ideas.”  I think that is the point where I broke down sobbing.  Jason made a few more phone calls and we found another doctor that we thought could help me.  We waited 3 hours to see her only to discover that she is a gynecologist!  I guess all the round bellies in the waiting area should have tipped us off.  And I guess we need to practice our Swahili. 

Shortly after that, Jason was able to find a surgeon who would see me.  He took one look at my red, lumpy back and confirmed the diagnosis.  He had me immediately admitted and gave me antibiotics and a (semi-effective) pain killer.  He was unable to find an available anesthesiologist for tonight, so my surgery to remove all these suckers is scheduled for the morning.  Jason is at a hotel for the night, and I am in a private hospital room trying to focus on the things I am thankful for.   

I am thankful for Dr. Perklea, the surgeon, who doesn’t just think I am a crazy mzungu makin’ stuff up.  

I am thankful for anesthesia because I’m a wimp and I don’t think I could handle the removal with just a local.  

I am thankful for the wonderful ladies who taught us so much at our bush medicine class:  Becky Overlin, Sandy Sjogren, and Dottie Tankersly. 

I am thankful for my husband who has been an amazing advocate for me, and who still loves me even though “with maggots and all” was not specifically mentioned in our wedding vows.  

I am thankful that my kids have not gotten this. 

I am thankful I have money so I could hire two ladies to come to my house and iron EVERY piece of clothing, sheets, towels, etc. that we own.  

I’m thankful for our friends, the Biemecks, who are caring for our children while we are away.  

I’m thankful that we can pay for my treatment because we’ve heard that if you don’t pay your hospital bills in Kenya, they throw you in jail.  

I’m thankful that this is not a life-threatening situation. 

I’m thankful that we now know how to prevent this in the future (guess we’ll be finding money in the budget to hire a house helper after all, to do all the ironing!).  

I’m thankful that the hospital didn’t serve ugali and sukuma for dinner, because if surgery doesn’t go well tomorrow, that would be a bummer of a last meal!  (Instead, I got mashed potatoes with hamburger gravy, which was quite tasty.  And apparently the hospital is trying to prevent goiter in their patients because they brought me a cup full of salt to season my already over-salted meal).  

I’m thankful for the many prayers that have gone up on my behalf.  

And mostly, I’m thankful for my Heavenly Father, the Great Physician, who hears those prayers and heals us, outside and in.  

Epilogue:  Penned June 7, 2011, Tuesday, 4:00 pm

I’m writing this maggot-free!  

The last few hours before surgery were the worst.  The pain upped about 10 notches from the previous day, as though the little monsters knew they were about to die, so began viciously eating me alive in order to save themselves.  It felt like someone was repeatedly jabbing me with a Makita drill.  I survived with Jason holding my hand, praying over me, and by thanking God for everything I could possibly think of.  It’s a good thing I wasn’t born a Masai Warrior, as my mother would have had to club me over the head for bringing shame upon the family with all my wailing.  Finally, at 11:00 a.m., they took me in for surgery.  The surgeon apologized it was so late, but they had just finished removing a large goiter from a man who obviously hadn’t eaten enough hospital food.  

It took the surgeon two and a half hours to remove 32 maggots, and happily I don’t remember any of it.  The surgeon presented me with a vial of the largest critters as a Kenyan souvenir.  An experience I’d rather forget, thank you very much, but I’ll take the vial home to show Ethan.  To be honest, they were a little disappointing in size for all the pain they caused.  

As much as I'd like to forget this whole experience, there is one memory I will forever cherish.  At one point, in the middle of the worst of the pain, as I was thanking God that this hadn't happened to one of my children, I realized that this is what the Fruit of the Spirit is all about.  My circumstances did not dictate joyfulness or thankfulness, yet I had both.  I was given just a small glimpse of what Paul experienced in prison when he realized he had learned to be content in all circumstances and that he could do "all things through Christ who gave him the strength he needed."  That glimpse was a gift, a moment of direct communion with God, of resting in His presence, and a gift I wouldn't trade for anything.    

God Has His Own Plans...

Just wanted to let everyone know that God has a plan, and when we wait on His plans, we will find that they are much better than our own!  

Two months ago, we had started looking for a new house, not sure how long it would take to find one that would suit us.  At the time, we only knew of 3 houses available in our area, so out of the three we picked the best one that we could afford.  It was the right size but was quite a fixer.  Jason never had a peace about it, but we figured, we are missionaries now... We can't be so choosy, we need to be willing to sacrifice our comforts, etc.  The current tenant was supposed to move out the last week of May, which was perfect timing for us since we wanted to stay in our current place as long as possible to help out the missionaries who normally live here but are on furlough.  So we signed the lease so we'd be sure to have a place when the time came for us to move in June.  

Last week, the tenant was supposed to have moved out, so we went to see if we could take measurements for curtains and figure out how much paint we'd need to buy to paint it.  Well, the tenant had not moved out according to schedule and didn't seem so anxious to leave either, so we could feel our plan slipping down the drain.  As is usual for Amy, she began to panic and worry.  We imagined the worst, so started looking for another place.  

We were told by a friend about a place just down the road from us that has been vacant for over a year.  I'm not sure how we missed this one when we were looking two months ago.  We went to look at it and fell in love.  It is quite a bit smaller than what we have grown accustomed to back in the States, and even here in our borrowed house.  But, it is a very well built, and well maintained home that Jason the Architect felt great about.  It is immaculately clean, and has been completely repainted on the inside, even down to the insides of the closets and cupboards!  It is on a HUGE compound, maybe about 3 acres (?), one acre which is a fully fenced plot in the back suitable for farming.  This appealed to us greatly because we have been trying to figure out how to rent  another plot for the Children's Home so we could grow more of our own food.  

The only problem (there had to be at least one to make the story more exciting, right?) was the price.  The owner was asking quite a bit more than we could afford.  We had already adjusted our budget significantly just to be able to make the payment on the fixer house, as we grossly under-budgeted for housing when we were fund raising.   Anyway, we told the owner the highest amount we could afford, which was 25% less than what he was asking.  He said he would consider negotiating and would discuss it with his wife.  The next morning, we spoke with him again and he said he could only come down about 12%.  We told him we'd have to say no for now and keep looking.  

We went back to see the landlord of the first house, and the tenant had finally moved out the previous day, so the house was vacant and we could still move in according to our contract.  We went back to look at it, and found it in even worse shape than it had been when we saw it last.  The gazebo in the back had completely collapsed, there were new water stains on the ceiling from the rains we've been having, and we noticed "hot" wires (wrapped in plastic grocery bags) sticking out of some of the walls that we hadn't seen before. Ugh.  We couldn't stand the thought of moving in there any longer.  We went back to the landlord and asked to be excused from the lease we had signed since the property was not in the same condition it had been when we signed.  He agreed without any argument!  We were so thankful for his graciousness. 

We started to pray about how we could get into the other house.  All of a sudden, "cleaning lady" popped into my head.  We had budgeted for a cleaning lady, nearly the same amount that was the difference we needed to make the rent.  I told Jason, "I can clean!  I have been cleaning my own house my whole life!  Let's do without the cleaning lady!"  We called the owner back and offered what we could now without a cleaning lady, AND we offered to keep the old, decrepit guard dog who lives on the property that he was going to need to find a new home for.  He agreed!  So, now we have FOUR dogs, a beautiful house, a separate guest house for anyone who wants to come visit (Consider this your invitation!), and did I mention the fruit trees????  We will have avocados, mangoes, guava, bananas, gooseberries, and macadamia nuts!!  More than we can possibly eat, so the children at the Home will benefit as well.  What can we say?  God's plans are so much better than ours.  

We are packing today and will move in tomorrow.  It will take us a few days to get our internet up and running, so we will be offline, but will send more photos as soon as we can.  God is good, all the time!  And yes, I have asked forgiveness for my worrying and complaining.  I'm learning :-)  

Blessings to you all, and thank you so much for your prayers!! 

Counting the Costs

I am finding it hard to write this blog, because it means reliving the past few weeks in my head.  Honestly, I’d much rather forget them.  I prefer to write about the positive experiences we are having here.  For example, in April when the schools were on break, Ellie, Mei, and I hosted three special events for the girls at our Children’s Home.  As we made Easter cupcakes, we discussed the difference between Physical Hunger and Spiritual Hunger, and learned that Jesus is the True Bread of Life.  As we painted toenails, we talked about God’s goodness and how we can have “beautiful feet” by bringing news of God’s goodness to others.  And as we made jewelry from our handmade paper beads, we talked about beauty that fades versus beauty that is everlasting.  These are the days that keep me going here.  But in reality, those days are few and far between.

The last few weeks have been a reminder of the fact that we can’t do any of these things without God’s strength.  We are learning more about the fruit of the Spirit and how it is only through God that we can love the people who lie and try to manipulate us; find joy when our kids are persecuted; rest in peace when our work life is churning in chaos; have patience when the day before we are supposed to move, we still don’t know where we are moving to; make good decisions when we feel so clueless about how to proceed; be kind to people who continually ask more of us without showing gratitude for what has already been accomplished;  show gentleness when we really just want to scream; have faith when we wonder why God brought us here in the first place; and show self-control  when it is so tempting to complain and give up.  

We have been struggling through multiple difficult situations involving our work at the Children’s Home, Bahati Primary School, and the Home-Based Care program.  But by far, the most stressful situation has been that of adequately schooling our own children.  In mid-March, Amy realized she could not continue to homeschool without ending up in a psychiatric hospital;  partly because of all the other work piling up on her plate, and partly because Ethan’s 8th grade curriculum was requiring too much preparation and brain energy on the part of the teacher.  So, after much consideration, and discussion with another missionary family in the same position (the Biemecks), we and the Biemecks decided to enroll our kids together in a private Catholic school here in Kitale.  It is one of the best schools locally, and even ranks well by national standards.  We knew it would be much different than American schools, so we made sure to ask many questions of the Head Mistress before enrolling.  One of our main concerns was the manner in which they discipline children, and the Head Mistress gave all the “right” answers, so we went forward.  

After the first day of school, Ethan reported, “My teacher beat two of the kids in my class with a stick.”  Then Ellie said, “Well, three kids got beat in my class!”  Immediately, we were back in the Head Mistress’s office asking for clarification on the definition of “corporal punishment”, because we had previously been assured that it was not school policy.  The Head Mistress explained that “caning” (as beating a student with a stick is properly called) is indeed a form of corporal punishment, but was only practiced “when a student’s parent requested physical discipline for their child.”  Again, we were reassured that it was not the school’s policy, and that our children would never be touched.  We were not feeling totally satisfied, but felt we needed to give it a longer trial.

Over the next two weeks, we revisited the Head Mistress several times as reports came in from our children.  One day, in Ellie’s class, a little girl had not done her art drawing as well as the teacher would have liked, so he made her lie down on her stomach and beat her across the back until she cried.  Another day, Mei reported that 6 children in her class had been beaten for calling her “China” and pretending to speak Chinese at her.  Then we found out that Howie Biemeck, our missionary friend who was in Ellie’s class, was threatened by a teacher for standing up to stretch without asking permission.  The teacher raised the stick at him and told him that he would let it pass this time, but next time he would be caned.  

In my mind, a threat is meant to be followed through on, so I no longer felt sure that my own children would not be touched.  This time when we visited the Head Mistress, she began to back peddle and change her definition of corporal punishment, “Corporal punishment means actually injuring a child as a way of disciplining them.”  It was made clear to the Head Mistress by both our family, and the Biemecks, that if any of our children were threatened or touched again, we would be withdrawing them and requiring a refund.  

We lasted two more days.  That Friday, Ellie and Howie came home and reported that they had gone to computer class and the teacher wasn’t there yet (not uncommon).  So, as any good and well behaved student would, they each sat down in a seat to wait for class to begin.  The teacher eventually entered from the back of the class and before saying a word to our children, hit them both across the back of the shoulders with a stick and told them they did not have his permission to sit down.  

This is the way Kenyan children are raised.  They are not nurtured and guided.  They are beaten into submission, and even if they are not being disobedient or disrespectful, they are sometimes beaten just to remind them that should not even consider being disobedient or disrespectful.  

We are thus back to home schooling.  Amy’s one saving grace is that we just found out that Ethan has been accepted to begin 9th grade in September at Rift Valley Academy, a prestigious private school started by American missionaries, and adhering to American standards.  Our relief over getting the acceptance email was accompanied with tears, for RVA is 6 hours away, and is a boarding school.  We never thought we would consider this for our children.  When we agreed to go where God was leading, we did not know all that we were agreeing to.  I guess it’s that way with all significant decisions:  marriage, having babies....if we knew all that those decisions would entail, we might not ever make them.  But we do, and we persevere through the difficult times, and in the end we see that the best things in life are costly.