I Have Seen Where God's Heart Beats

Wow. Kenya... wow. I won't be able to write down even a tenth of what I have experienced. Maybe my experiences are too many, and maybe I am a poor writer. Either way, I will do my best.

Our first day here was fine. We got to see the house we were staying in and the village area. We met Jenifer and Doug (missionaries, 5 months here thus far, from Chino, CA. They have 3 kids) as well as Wallace and Mary (they are the two in charge of Missions of Hope International, the group we are here working with. Mary started it around 10 years ago.) Our houses are great. I remember thinking "huh, doesn't 'seem' like I'm in Kenya."... whatever that means. The traffic was interesting getting to the homes of course, driving on the left side of the road, no traffic lights or signs what so ever, and these crazy taxi/bus like vehicles called Matatus that drive as though it is the apocolypse. It is like Mr. Toad's Wild Ride meets Indiana Jones Ride meets Dr. Suess... if that means anything to you.

The next day we got a tour of Methari Valley, the slum we are working in. Less than 2 sqaure miles serves as a home to nearly a million people, all living in tiny shacks. Now, I say shack, and you might picture a wooden structure off in the distance, in a green wheat field or something. What I am describing as shacks or shantis are tiny metal boxes. They are proper height, but the floors are tiny and often dirt. One woman, Grace, who was over 50, lived in one that was maybe 4 feet by 6 feet... with 10-15 other people on any given night. The metal used would maybe be used for a shed back in the states- ridged silvery stuff, often rusted, nailed together on a weak wood frame. These shantis are all squashed together. The "main road" is maybe 6 to 8 feet wide at best, often lined with street venders (people sitting on the ground with pots of food, or a tiny grill, or bags of peanuts, or candy bags), chickens, goats, perhaps a cow, dogs, cats, children playing, old men drinking or talking, women washing clothes or catching up on the daily news. Everything stopping, of course, to look at the mzungu walking past (white person/ European) escorted by a social worker with MOHI (Missions of Hope). Down the main road are smalley "alleys" which are smaller than three feet, of which half is unmaneuverable due to sewage, mudd, or a stream of murky grey water.

Despite the poor quality housing, poor sanitation, plentiful trash and dirty animals... the people are awesome! Those who work at MOHI are great. There are 8 centers throughout the Valley, with a total of 3000 kids in them (school). "Center" brings to mind perhaps a nice YMCA facility... what I mean is a cement multiple story building with pretty open class rooms. Yet, the fact that 3000 children from the slums are in school, as high as grade 8, is impressive. I was talking to Wallace today, and he said no one knows of a Methari child in high school (yet). So, MOHI is doing amazing things already! They really are transforming the Valley. The main thing is the difference between development and relief. Relief is after an emergency, is short term, and is freely given... Development comes in to fix a long, ongoing issue by working directly with the people, finding out their biggest needs (as they see it), and empowering them to do something. Some might say it sounds hard, complicated, and time consuming. I would say... it is. However, if we want to see any changes, we want to see permanent ones. Development is the key to that :)

Man, I feel like I can't organize my thoughts.

The first few days here were tough. I was feeling angry with everyone because of the situation in Methari, then upset and depressed, then guilty. Doug said something amazing though, "God isn't into the guilt thing" and that really changed my perspective on things. So, since then, I've been seeing God's joy in the people I meet, seeing His heart for them. I can see Him at work, through MOHI and all the missionaries here (whether they are from abroad, from up country, or from Nairobi itself). This place is truly amazing. I don't ever want to leave.

As for the people in more detail... I can't say enough about them all, but I can talk a bit more about the group I will be working with mostly. Doug and Jenifer have been awesome, like home away from home in some ways. Now by bringing America here, but by being relatable. Issues that come up are easy to talk to with them. Wallace and Mary have been fantastically awesome too! They are so welcoming, and they encourage all of us so much. What they have started here is truly a work of God, and letting us partner with them is such a blessing. I'll be spending the rest of my summer in the social work department. In the mornings, we will be making home visits. In the afternoon (after lunch), we will be doing paper work about the home visits. Mostly, we want to keep up on the kid's home lives. Just being in school isn't the answer. We want to make sure the kids are taken care of, that complicated situations are being worked out, that the children are getting the encouragement they need at home (if not, then from us). I am so stoked to be in this department. The people are amazing. Lynn, Charity, Alice, Mary, and Samuel are so friendly. There is also Isaac, the social worker at Joska.

This brings me to Joska. It is so great! It is outside of the slums, and is actually a boarding school, currently housing 500 students. Now, I say boarding school, and many thing dorms. I mean long buildings of wood framing with metal outsides, for both the classrooms and the dorms. Still, you can tell these students are truly blessed to be there. One in particular, Baracka, has made his way to the deepest places of my heart. I only met him today when we were with a short term mission trip (one week) who were doing a sports camp at Joska. I sat next to him during the praise service to kick off the day. I said "una itwa nani?" thinking I could ask his name in my very poor Kiswahili. He smiled, but didn't answer. After asking one more time, I realized that he was deaf (by the cocular implant behind his ear, and the sounds he made). I then borrowed a piece of paper and a pen from someone and asked his name. He wrote out "Baracka." So, we spent all of the service writing things to eachother, mostly drawing pictures and asking what they were, or pointing to things and having me write them, or him teaching me how to sign the alphabet (he is learning English only). After the 2 hour service, we left to eat. Then, when assigned to teams, I found him and decided to help him out all day. He is so cute! He is 11 years old, and is in 4 Red (4th grade equivalent, Red is just how to separate classes within grades). I had a blast with him. It wasn't until the end of the day (which happens to be tonight) that I found out his back story. He is an orphan. In Methari, his name is Tears. He was given the chance to get the cocular implant just last august. He now goes to speech lessons every Tuesday night at Mary and Wallace's house, stays over, and Wallace drives him back out to Joska on Wednesday. I love him. For those who may think this story sounds familiar, aparently there is a missionary movie about him called "One in a Million" about how he got the cocular implant for free. I only just heard of it... all I know is, Baracka is an amazing kid who is from the slums, is an orphan, is deaf, and yet has the cutest smile when I tickle him. Playing soccer and taking pictures also makes him smile. Even writing about him now makes me want to cry. I don't know what else to say.

Kenya has been life changing, and it has only been a week. There is so much going on in all the different departments at MOHI (education, social work, micro-finance, spiritual/counselling, and Community Health Evangelism- HIV/AIDS info, health education and a clinic). It is the most amazing organization I have ever seen. I am already brainstorming things to do to continue on in the states, and a lot of that stuff I'll need you for! But, we'll figure that out later.

I think everyone should come here at some point in their life, no matter how long. I've been here a week, and I feel transformed, and I have 7 more to go. I know God is at work here, and looking at Methari Valley, all the slums, might be overwhelming at times... but talking to someone in MOHI, meeting someone in a micro-finance group who now has a job, meeting a students like Baracka... it changes the world for that person.

I didn't even touch on the AWESOME worship service we had last Sunday, but that can wait I suppose. Just know that God is alive and well in Kenya, and I would say that Methari Valley (arguably the 2nd largest slum in the world) is where God's heart beats. His spirit flows through each and every alley of Methari. His love surrounds the entire city. His arms are squeezed tight around Kenya. This place.... this place... this is what Jesus meant when He said He came to free the oppressed, to minister to the poor, to heal the sick. He was talking, I think in large part, about Methari Valley and places like it.

If Ican challenge anyone to do anything, it would be simply this: pray for these people. Think about them, even though you haven't met them personally... just know that they are here. They need us to pray for them.

God bless. Will write soon!