Here's what we have been up to the last week. Monday was a free day for us with dinner and games at our host's home that evening. Tuesday was also a free day as our host's family has been trying to rest and recuperate from each one having illness, a virus they have passed to one another.
Wednesday was our first day of ministry this week. Kaleb went with our host to a meeting with another pastor and two Bible school students. They were meeting to discuss teaching methods, curriculum, and enrolling more students in the program. The pastor they met with encouraged them with the news that he has 15 men who want to be enrolled in this Bible school. Kaleb is excited to begin meeting with the two current students to teach them about expository preaching, something quite foreign to the Kenyan church. While Kaleb was busy with his meeting, I ventured out to take a tuk tuk (kind of like a motorized cart) by myself to our host's home for a yummy Kenyan lunch, sakuma (similar to collard greens and corn bread). After lunch, our host's wife and I went to her ESL class where I met several other families from the states now living in Kenya. These women come together to teach ESL to several Pakistani women. I enjoyed being able to participate and use some of my speech path skills in this culture. The Pakistani women are so eager to learn English; however, there is no other interest at this time. Pray these women would become more open.
Thursday, I went to coffee with several women that our host's wife meets with weekly. This group of women are all believers, but from different churches in the area. Some have been believers for a while, and some new believers. These women are such an encouragement to me as they hold each other accountable to witnessing opportunities, read the Word together, and pray specifically for each other's needs. This week I was given the opportunity to share my testimony with them which is always such a joy to share how my life has been changed since I became a believer 5 years ago. One of the ladies shared some encouraging thoughts with us from Luke 5 where Jesus calls his first disciples. She emphasized the cost of following Jesus which so many do not recognize in our day, at least in American culture. In America, in the south, we tend to think we only have to believe, with no life change warranted. And when there is a life change, we may lose a few friends, sacrifice some things we used to take pleasure in, but really no significant cost. But in other countries, especially cousin cultures, following Jesus costs so much...family, finding work, getting credit, etc. Also, in the Scriptures Simon answers Jesus, "because you say so" and then he was obedient immediately. How often I wrestle with what God has asked of me and am not obedient immediately. These men had toiled all night fishing and caught nothing, so why listen to a stranger that is asking you to try again? Sometimes, we get so weary and caught up in past experiences, it causes us not to recognize the new day and new mission we have been given. He always gives us a new mission and He is specific. When these men truly realized who Jesus was, they were humbled. They realized who Jesus was, and who they were, sinful men. And the moment we enter into relationship with him, we are no longer living for ourselves, but we become fishers of men.
Friday, we treated ourselves to a nice lunch and visited a few stores in the mall. Kaleb met with the two Bible school students in the afternoon for the first time. He spent two hours with them starting the process of teaching sermon preparation that will last the rest of the time we are here. He is modeling what he is doing with them after his class that he took this past semester. That night we were invited to a night of bowling with all the other families from the states. We enjoyed spending time with these families as they celebrated their kids birthdays.
Saturday we ventured out on our own to see Iron Man 3 in 3D.
Sunday we headed back out to a village where Kaleb was asked to preach and I was asked to teach the children's Sunday school class. They hold their service in Swahili, so Kaleb got some practice preaching with an interpreter. We were encouraged by their enthusiastic worship and the boldness in which many people (men and women) shared testimonies and song. Our biggest question....why do we not have dancing in our western churches? This evening we enjoyed games, pizza, and Braves baseball thanks to Apple tv (our host got it for his birthday).
We have officially met the halfway point of our trip, and to be honest, this week has been tough. We have grown weary at times and greatly begun to miss being in the states. This has mostly been due to us having a lot of free time and not knowing how to enjoy it in another country. But each time we are engaged in ministry, we are greatly encouraged and blessed and recognize why we are here. Please continue to pray that He would sustain us and keep us unto Himself so that the gospel may go forth.
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