Hello faithful readers!
2 more days...that's all I have left here in Kenya. Crazy. I'm ready, but its somewhat bittersweet. Its so ironic that I am saying that now. 4 weeks ago I was struggling with the fact that I had another month left. I was homesick and frustrated with a lot of the cultural difference. Now, with only 2 days left, I have come to appreciate the differences, love the students, and bond with my team. God is so good and I am so happy to have been brought through this "wilderness experience". Hands down this has been my most challenging summer. But, regardless I have also learned SO much! My idea of God has been so far expanded and that could only come through the tough times I faced here in Kenya.
Lets see...this past week...
On Tuesday we went back to the slums. Before we went, we stopped at Nakumatt (Kenyan Walmart) and stocked up on notebooks, pencils, backpacks etc... We grabbed what we could fit in the cart. We headed off to the Jamii school where we had visited before. By the way, Jamii means family in swahili. Once we were there we played with the kids and had a great time. Most of the time I spent with one girl named Sabrina. She had soo much energy and spunk. We have tons of video footage of her so I am sure you will all get a glimpse of this little cutie sometime soon. Last time we were there she would not let go of Greg's hand the whole time it was so cute! But, since he was filming this time, I got to hang out with her :) (Greg may have been a little mad)
Afterwards we went to the Tunza Children's Center (we also visited this place last time). It is an orphanage/school where 90 kids live. The owner of the orphanage goes by the name Mama Tunza. We donated more supplies there and also gave them the guitar we had bought in the states. You should have seen her face! I wish I could upload the pictures here. She was so ecstatic! She speaks very little English but her expression said it all. They have been hoping to start a music program at the school but all they had was empty plastic containers to use as drums.
We went up the office and I got a chance to talk with Abraham, the social worker, who works at the orphanage. He told me that it takes 12,000 Kenyan shillings per day to feed the children. That translates to about a little over a dollar a day per kid. Often times they go without food and there is nothing they can do. That is definitely the greatest need of their center. Also, the teachers that work there often go unpaid. For 8 months they did not receive any of their $40 per month salary. These teachers have families of their own but because of their dedication and love for these children they continue to go unpaid. They recognize that the children must be fed first.
Mama Tunza started the center back in 1998 when she was taking the trash out late at night and came across a week old baby who had been left by the garbage. She took him in and then a month or so later, a young girl came and just left her child off at the door. 11 years later 90 children have a home at the Tunza Orphanage. My eyes welled with tears as Abraham told me about how many of the young girls that they find wandering the streets as orphans had resorted to prostituting themselves for money or food. I felt like I could feel my heart breaking inside of me. I talked with Abraham about how we could further support their center and I am very excited to raise money for them once I am home.
Thursday night...was awesome! Our team all hung out in Chris' room and shared our testimonies. It was so cool to learn so much more about everyone. One thing that really stuck out to me was that all 6 of us are interwoven into each others stories and we didn't even know it. When the team was first finalized to come to Africa I thought "wow this is a pretty random group of people I wonder what this will be like". But after hearing every ones stories, I realize the group is not random at all, its perfect and so planned. First off, Brett, Nick and I spent an incredible summer together last year at GMS, the same goes for Hil and Greg 2 years ago. Next, on the spring break trip that totally changed things for me and my walk with the Lord, everyone was there for that. Not only that, but Chris was my bible study leader and Hil and Greg were in that study! Also, at the end of that spring break when I knelt before the cross to surrender it all to the Lord, Greg was playing "Lead me to the Cross" on the guitar, the song that will forever remind me of that moment. Nick and Chris were discipled by the same guy, and Greg and I were in church when Nick took the step to get baptized. How cool is that! I just love these 5 people and that night definitely brought us so so much closer.
We have our farewell party tomorrow afternoon with the students. I think it will be a lot of fun but sad at the same time. Brett, Nick, Hil and I head off to the airport at 6pm Kenya time (11am PA time) on Sunday. Its going to be really sad to leave a third of our team behind (Chris and Greg are travelling for 3 more weeks).
Finally, a verse I have really enjoyed meditating on is Psalm 27:4 : One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and seek him in his temple.
My prayer has been that God would work in my heart and help me to say these words and mean them. I want this to be the one thing I ask of the Lord. How cool that David was so consumed by the greatness of God that all he wanted in life was to dwell in the Lords house and gaze upon his beauty.
This may be my last post from Kenya...we'll see though :)
Thanks for reading friends!
-Sacha
Friday, July 3, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Its The Final Countdown (feel free to sing the song)
Well well well...we made it to the final week! I can't believe that in 7 days I will be boarding a plane to head back to the states.
We just got back from our training program with the students. It was similar to a Nav Fall Retreat...well sort of... I mean it was in Kenya...and there were no tents and there was no tackle football...and did I mention it was in Kenya? Haha well it was similar in the sense that it was a great time for the students to bond, and grow deeper in their faith. The retreat was called Deepening Roots and our theme verse was Colossians 2:6-7. Paul Kimani (on staff with the navs in Kenya) was our speaker and he did an awesome job talking about developing a passion to be more like Jesus. We also had two workshops for the students. One day they learned about prayer and the word, and the second day they heard about fellowship and witnessing. There was also an organized quiet time and discussion group on Saturday.
We had a great time playing sports and just growing closer with the students. They are so much fun! I learned some new dance moves...yeah I know, its okay for you to be a little jealous, but don't worry I will gladly teach you all.
I think the highlight of my weekend was this morning. We had a time of reflection with the students and talked with them about what they had learned during the retreat. Hiliary and I were with the girls. It blew me away how much God had worked in their hearts in such a short period of time. They all seemed to have learned something and were excited to put it into practice when they returned home. I choked up a little bit as I encouraged the girls to not give up on meeting together as it says in Hebrews 10. I told them to take advantage of the fact that God has blessed them with a group of Christian brothers and sisters. It was hard for me to get out because its hard for me to think about how I wont get to be a part of that fellowship. Its tough to think that I may never see these people again. That thought passed through my mind and I could feel the tears coming. I am just amazed at how much God has done in this short period of time. I feel so privileged to have been able to witness the growth in these students hearts even if it was only for 6 weeks. I am so happy that they all grew closer this weekend and seem to be excited about continuing to keep one another accountable. Its such an incredible thing to watch as a light bulb comes on in someones head as they realize a new truth about the Lord.
This last week we hope to continue to just hang out with and deepen our relationships with the students. We are headed back to the slums on Tuesday and going hiking on Thursday, but other than that, we will just be chillin with the students. Though I have started to get a little sad about leaving these people, I am still ready to come home. 6 weeks was a great amount of time and it seems right for the trip to come to a close. I am so thankful to God for bringing me through the the tough times I faced at the beginning of this trip. It has been awesome to learn about how God uses those 'wilderness moments' or 'desert moments' to strengthen our faith.
In my last 7 days here I just ask that you would pray for perseverance to the end. We as a team have grown so so close and I am soooo blessed to have these 5 people here with me. I thank God for them every day. I have learned so much about everyone and I am excited to have them with me at PSU in the fall (well except for Chris... who will be bummin around SC till he leaves for the air force ha).
I will be seeing you soon! Can't wait. God Bless and have a great day :)
-Sacha
We just got back from our training program with the students. It was similar to a Nav Fall Retreat...well sort of... I mean it was in Kenya...and there were no tents and there was no tackle football...and did I mention it was in Kenya? Haha well it was similar in the sense that it was a great time for the students to bond, and grow deeper in their faith. The retreat was called Deepening Roots and our theme verse was Colossians 2:6-7. Paul Kimani (on staff with the navs in Kenya) was our speaker and he did an awesome job talking about developing a passion to be more like Jesus. We also had two workshops for the students. One day they learned about prayer and the word, and the second day they heard about fellowship and witnessing. There was also an organized quiet time and discussion group on Saturday.
We had a great time playing sports and just growing closer with the students. They are so much fun! I learned some new dance moves...yeah I know, its okay for you to be a little jealous, but don't worry I will gladly teach you all.
I think the highlight of my weekend was this morning. We had a time of reflection with the students and talked with them about what they had learned during the retreat. Hiliary and I were with the girls. It blew me away how much God had worked in their hearts in such a short period of time. They all seemed to have learned something and were excited to put it into practice when they returned home. I choked up a little bit as I encouraged the girls to not give up on meeting together as it says in Hebrews 10. I told them to take advantage of the fact that God has blessed them with a group of Christian brothers and sisters. It was hard for me to get out because its hard for me to think about how I wont get to be a part of that fellowship. Its tough to think that I may never see these people again. That thought passed through my mind and I could feel the tears coming. I am just amazed at how much God has done in this short period of time. I feel so privileged to have been able to witness the growth in these students hearts even if it was only for 6 weeks. I am so happy that they all grew closer this weekend and seem to be excited about continuing to keep one another accountable. Its such an incredible thing to watch as a light bulb comes on in someones head as they realize a new truth about the Lord.
This last week we hope to continue to just hang out with and deepen our relationships with the students. We are headed back to the slums on Tuesday and going hiking on Thursday, but other than that, we will just be chillin with the students. Though I have started to get a little sad about leaving these people, I am still ready to come home. 6 weeks was a great amount of time and it seems right for the trip to come to a close. I am so thankful to God for bringing me through the the tough times I faced at the beginning of this trip. It has been awesome to learn about how God uses those 'wilderness moments' or 'desert moments' to strengthen our faith.
In my last 7 days here I just ask that you would pray for perseverance to the end. We as a team have grown so so close and I am soooo blessed to have these 5 people here with me. I thank God for them every day. I have learned so much about everyone and I am excited to have them with me at PSU in the fall (well except for Chris... who will be bummin around SC till he leaves for the air force ha).
I will be seeing you soon! Can't wait. God Bless and have a great day :)
-Sacha
Sunday, June 21, 2009
The Final Third
Hey All-
Its the start of week 5. Two more weeks here in Kenya and I think things have finally settled down. That's not to say that our schedules aren't still kind of crazy, but I feel like I myself have adjusted a lot more.
I am a little sick (which I figured was bound to happen at some point during the trip) but I think its just a little cold and I should be good in a few days.
I met with Gloria on Wednesday to talk about 2 Corinthians 1 and with Ruth yesterday (Saturday) to talk about Romans. It was great to get into the word with both of them and I am excited to be a part of the work the Lord is doing in both of their hearts. I am especially blown away by Ruth. A few weeks ago she sat in front of me and told me she had absolutely no time to read the bible. Now she can't stop reading! I can see the excitement in her eyes as she talks about all of the truth she is learning. She is definitely growing and is becoming more confident in knowing the truth.
We went to the Kenya v. Mozambique soccer game last night. It was a lot of fun and definitely a once in a lifetime experience to go to a pro game. I was surprised at the small number of attendants though. It was crazy that it only cost us around 5 dollars! Can you imagine paying 5 bucks to see a pro team play in the U.S?!
The Rwanda team comes Tuesday!! I am so excited to see them! It will be really awesome to hear about their experience in Africa and I am sure it will be an encouragement to all of us as we push through these final 2 weeks.
God has definitely been good to me and I am so thankful that he has shown me why he has me in Kenya; to be an encouragement and support to the ministry and students here. Its so nice to just rest in Him and know that his plan will prevail. Nothing I can do will screw up his plan. He has taught me a lot in my time here and I know there is still much to learn in this last third of the trip.
Something that hit me pretty hard in the past few days was my experience in the slums. We went there last Monday and it was not until days later that I started to feel the effects. God was convicting my heart about the fact that when I have so much and these kids have so little, I still complain about wanting more, more, more. I am not saying that its a bad thing that God has blessed me with so much, but rather that I should look at what I have and see how capable I am of giving back. I brought a few shirts to the pre-school we visited and once I got there I wished I had enough to pass out to all of the kids. The smiles on their faces lit up the room and my heart was filled with joy in my short time with them. They all blessed my life so much and I cannot wait to go back and visit sometime next week! Earlier in my time here I was learning about how all that we have comes from the Lord. Now that I have seen first hand the poverty that does exist in our world, my heart is aching to give back. After all, its not my money or resources to give, its the Lord's. I hope to organize something once I am back at school so that I can share this experience with everyone at home. I can't wait to post the pictures of the kids...just you wait, they're adorable!
As we walked through the slums many of the kids stared blankly back at us. It was as if I could see the hardship in their eyes. They have been through and seen so much even at their young ages. But, as soon as I would smile and wave at them, they would shoot back a smile that could melt any heart! It was heartbreaking and heartwarming all at the same time. I wondered how often someone smiles at them, or pays them any attention for that matter.
Well that's all for today. Have a good one I miss you all! 2 weeks till I see your beautiful faces!
-Sacha
Its the start of week 5. Two more weeks here in Kenya and I think things have finally settled down. That's not to say that our schedules aren't still kind of crazy, but I feel like I myself have adjusted a lot more.
I am a little sick (which I figured was bound to happen at some point during the trip) but I think its just a little cold and I should be good in a few days.
I met with Gloria on Wednesday to talk about 2 Corinthians 1 and with Ruth yesterday (Saturday) to talk about Romans. It was great to get into the word with both of them and I am excited to be a part of the work the Lord is doing in both of their hearts. I am especially blown away by Ruth. A few weeks ago she sat in front of me and told me she had absolutely no time to read the bible. Now she can't stop reading! I can see the excitement in her eyes as she talks about all of the truth she is learning. She is definitely growing and is becoming more confident in knowing the truth.
We went to the Kenya v. Mozambique soccer game last night. It was a lot of fun and definitely a once in a lifetime experience to go to a pro game. I was surprised at the small number of attendants though. It was crazy that it only cost us around 5 dollars! Can you imagine paying 5 bucks to see a pro team play in the U.S?!
The Rwanda team comes Tuesday!! I am so excited to see them! It will be really awesome to hear about their experience in Africa and I am sure it will be an encouragement to all of us as we push through these final 2 weeks.
God has definitely been good to me and I am so thankful that he has shown me why he has me in Kenya; to be an encouragement and support to the ministry and students here. Its so nice to just rest in Him and know that his plan will prevail. Nothing I can do will screw up his plan. He has taught me a lot in my time here and I know there is still much to learn in this last third of the trip.
Something that hit me pretty hard in the past few days was my experience in the slums. We went there last Monday and it was not until days later that I started to feel the effects. God was convicting my heart about the fact that when I have so much and these kids have so little, I still complain about wanting more, more, more. I am not saying that its a bad thing that God has blessed me with so much, but rather that I should look at what I have and see how capable I am of giving back. I brought a few shirts to the pre-school we visited and once I got there I wished I had enough to pass out to all of the kids. The smiles on their faces lit up the room and my heart was filled with joy in my short time with them. They all blessed my life so much and I cannot wait to go back and visit sometime next week! Earlier in my time here I was learning about how all that we have comes from the Lord. Now that I have seen first hand the poverty that does exist in our world, my heart is aching to give back. After all, its not my money or resources to give, its the Lord's. I hope to organize something once I am back at school so that I can share this experience with everyone at home. I can't wait to post the pictures of the kids...just you wait, they're adorable!
As we walked through the slums many of the kids stared blankly back at us. It was as if I could see the hardship in their eyes. They have been through and seen so much even at their young ages. But, as soon as I would smile and wave at them, they would shoot back a smile that could melt any heart! It was heartbreaking and heartwarming all at the same time. I wondered how often someone smiles at them, or pays them any attention for that matter.
Well that's all for today. Have a good one I miss you all! 2 weeks till I see your beautiful faces!
-Sacha
Monday, June 15, 2009
Safari! Safari! Safari!
Hello All!!
It has been so long! Ay yay ay!
This past Tuesday the team and I headed for the Massai Mara national park for a 3 day safari! The ride there was...well bumpy is an understatement let me just say that much. We drove on some pretty crazy "roads" there and went through some "construction sites". Haha it was an adventure. Once at the Mara we went to Keekorock lodge where we were staying. It was sooo nice! Our rooms were private little bungalows. It was so luxurious... especially compared to the YMCA haha. The beds were so comfy and the showers were amazing. Okay so once we left the lodge for the real reason we were there, we went on our first game drive around 4. The landscapes at the Mara were breathtaking and the air was so clean and fresh. Being there definitely gave me a better appreciation for Kenya and the beauty of Africa. Being in the city in Nairobi definitely gave me the wrong idea. The sky was clear blue and I felt like I was in a movie as we drove around standing up in our safari vehicle, with the top popped up.
Pretty soon into our drive we came across a lioness laying right on top of a completely demolished buffalo carcass. Just bones and skin were left and boy was her tummy full. It was a pretty incredible site. Just a ways up from her was the rest of the pride of lions lounging around with full bellies. We also came across a ton of elephants, some griaffes, buffalo, hyenas and more. That night we caught an amazing African sunset out on the Mara and of course took a million pictures. It was amazing just to sit in the silence of the plains and enjoy God's creativity in the colors of the sky.
The next morning we went game drive around 6 am and caught a great sunrise. We saw a bunch more animals then and I can't remember when we saw what but there were a lot haha. After the drive we went to a Massai village. It was really interesting to hear how these people live so simply and how they have preserved the tradtions of their people for so many years. The kids running around the village were so cute!! The massai men have this jumping dance/competition that they do in order to attract the women where they walk around in a circle and make noises and then jump as high as they can. While they were doing this the little children were all imitating them with little jumps and little noises it was adorable! The village was full of flies though and it was tough to see the little kids covered in the flies. They told us about some of their traditions, like how they drink cow's blood (ew) and how the women are responsible for the construction of the houses. We also went into their marketplace (probably a bad idea). It was worse than the Massai market and Greg and I could hardly walk because the people were that close to us trying to get us to buy things. The women would surround me and not let me move forward. It was really frustrating.
Later that evening we went on another game drive and caught another amazing sunset, probably better than the first. Again, on Thursday morning we went on a sunrise game drive and were determined to see a leopard and a rhino. Unfortunately, the rhinos are good hiders and the leopards are usually only out at night...so no luck there. I guess thats for my next safari haha. It was awesome to share the experience with my team and I think it was definitely a bonding experience for all of us.
Back in Nairobi I had mixed feelings. Part of me was sad to be back because being in the city is pretty tough. Another part of me was really excited to get back with the students and just form deeper relationships with them. Then finally, we are half way done with our trip now and I miss home but I think I am ready for this last 3 weeks.
We did a lot of planning for our training program with the students next weekend (26,27,28). It was really fun to plan with the team and I am just so blessed to have them here with me. Its so amazing to see how God brought us together here in Africa and even though we are all very different, we get along great and we have a really good time together.
In my quiet times I am still trucking through the old testament. I am in Leviticus now. I had a bit of a hard time at the end of Exodus because I was really trying to understand what I could gain from all of the detailed descriptions of the tabernacle, the tent of meeting etc...The conclusion I reached was this: God gave all of these detailed specific regulations as to how Aaron and Moses could enter the Most Holy Place. They had to go through days or preparation and only they had the priviledge of entering into God's presence and conversing with him. Now, because of Jesus' death on the cross, I, a dirty sinner, have free access to talk with the God of the universe. How amazing! The curtain has been brought down and because God now views me as holy and blameless, I can enter into his presence and have a personal relationship with him. I am really glad I am reading through the OT. I have only red tid-bits previously and it is giving me such a greater reverence and appreciation for God and his promises. It is also helping me to understand what I read in the New Testament so much better.
I am also learning how small I am and how big God is. I have felt that we are not doing too much here or that I am not making much of an impact. But, in talking with the staff and hearing that they feel we have already made a big impact, its awesome to step back and see how God is the one doing ALL of it. We are simply here as his instruments and he is using us to work in the hearts of the students which is so great!
Thanks again for reading. I miss you!!!
**Funny moment: So the people here all say "Jambo" to us because they think that that is what Americans understand. Yesterday as we were walking to the internet cafe, some odd character came up to us and yelled "Jambo!" probably 4 times. Then he went on to tell us that: "My name is Jambo Jumbo! Jambo Jimbo!" hahaha
**Something Exciting: The Rwanda Team comes next tuesday!!! Woohooo!!
It has been so long! Ay yay ay!
This past Tuesday the team and I headed for the Massai Mara national park for a 3 day safari! The ride there was...well bumpy is an understatement let me just say that much. We drove on some pretty crazy "roads" there and went through some "construction sites". Haha it was an adventure. Once at the Mara we went to Keekorock lodge where we were staying. It was sooo nice! Our rooms were private little bungalows. It was so luxurious... especially compared to the YMCA haha. The beds were so comfy and the showers were amazing. Okay so once we left the lodge for the real reason we were there, we went on our first game drive around 4. The landscapes at the Mara were breathtaking and the air was so clean and fresh. Being there definitely gave me a better appreciation for Kenya and the beauty of Africa. Being in the city in Nairobi definitely gave me the wrong idea. The sky was clear blue and I felt like I was in a movie as we drove around standing up in our safari vehicle, with the top popped up.
Pretty soon into our drive we came across a lioness laying right on top of a completely demolished buffalo carcass. Just bones and skin were left and boy was her tummy full. It was a pretty incredible site. Just a ways up from her was the rest of the pride of lions lounging around with full bellies. We also came across a ton of elephants, some griaffes, buffalo, hyenas and more. That night we caught an amazing African sunset out on the Mara and of course took a million pictures. It was amazing just to sit in the silence of the plains and enjoy God's creativity in the colors of the sky.
The next morning we went game drive around 6 am and caught a great sunrise. We saw a bunch more animals then and I can't remember when we saw what but there were a lot haha. After the drive we went to a Massai village. It was really interesting to hear how these people live so simply and how they have preserved the tradtions of their people for so many years. The kids running around the village were so cute!! The massai men have this jumping dance/competition that they do in order to attract the women where they walk around in a circle and make noises and then jump as high as they can. While they were doing this the little children were all imitating them with little jumps and little noises it was adorable! The village was full of flies though and it was tough to see the little kids covered in the flies. They told us about some of their traditions, like how they drink cow's blood (ew) and how the women are responsible for the construction of the houses. We also went into their marketplace (probably a bad idea). It was worse than the Massai market and Greg and I could hardly walk because the people were that close to us trying to get us to buy things. The women would surround me and not let me move forward. It was really frustrating.
Later that evening we went on another game drive and caught another amazing sunset, probably better than the first. Again, on Thursday morning we went on a sunrise game drive and were determined to see a leopard and a rhino. Unfortunately, the rhinos are good hiders and the leopards are usually only out at night...so no luck there. I guess thats for my next safari haha. It was awesome to share the experience with my team and I think it was definitely a bonding experience for all of us.
Back in Nairobi I had mixed feelings. Part of me was sad to be back because being in the city is pretty tough. Another part of me was really excited to get back with the students and just form deeper relationships with them. Then finally, we are half way done with our trip now and I miss home but I think I am ready for this last 3 weeks.
We did a lot of planning for our training program with the students next weekend (26,27,28). It was really fun to plan with the team and I am just so blessed to have them here with me. Its so amazing to see how God brought us together here in Africa and even though we are all very different, we get along great and we have a really good time together.
In my quiet times I am still trucking through the old testament. I am in Leviticus now. I had a bit of a hard time at the end of Exodus because I was really trying to understand what I could gain from all of the detailed descriptions of the tabernacle, the tent of meeting etc...The conclusion I reached was this: God gave all of these detailed specific regulations as to how Aaron and Moses could enter the Most Holy Place. They had to go through days or preparation and only they had the priviledge of entering into God's presence and conversing with him. Now, because of Jesus' death on the cross, I, a dirty sinner, have free access to talk with the God of the universe. How amazing! The curtain has been brought down and because God now views me as holy and blameless, I can enter into his presence and have a personal relationship with him. I am really glad I am reading through the OT. I have only red tid-bits previously and it is giving me such a greater reverence and appreciation for God and his promises. It is also helping me to understand what I read in the New Testament so much better.
I am also learning how small I am and how big God is. I have felt that we are not doing too much here or that I am not making much of an impact. But, in talking with the staff and hearing that they feel we have already made a big impact, its awesome to step back and see how God is the one doing ALL of it. We are simply here as his instruments and he is using us to work in the hearts of the students which is so great!
Thanks again for reading. I miss you!!!
**Funny moment: So the people here all say "Jambo" to us because they think that that is what Americans understand. Yesterday as we were walking to the internet cafe, some odd character came up to us and yelled "Jambo!" probably 4 times. Then he went on to tell us that: "My name is Jambo Jumbo! Jambo Jimbo!" hahaha
**Something Exciting: The Rwanda Team comes next tuesday!!! Woohooo!!
Friday, June 5, 2009
All of Us Also Lived Among Them
The past few days have been pretty tiring. I have felt worn down and tested in many different ways. Wednesday we had a team planning meeting in the morning with Nafatali and then we ate a quick lunch. Afterward I had two one-on-ones back to back which in itself is pretty exhausting. Thursday was similar in that after a team breakfast Hiliary and I went to the Nav Headquarters for a meeting with Mary, then down town to get money out, then into the dorms to share the bridge illustration with some students.
Today we had our team meeting at the Y and we all started out kind of melancholy. I think we are all feeling the weight of this trip and some of us shared our frustrations and dissapointments with how things are going. Something I have been learning, as I have touched on in earlier blog posts is the fact that the Lord is the provider of all of our needs. I am seeing this over and over both in my reading through the Old Testament as well as in my time here. My biggest struggle as many of you know has been in the area of safety and security. I realize now that I am away from the comforts of home just how much I relied on other people and places and things for security. God is showing me how he is the ultimate protector and provider and no person, place or thing can offer me complete security. Though I can avoid shady places in town, and the guys can walk close to me, there are still going to be tough times when all of that fails me and I still feel afraid. That is why it is so important that my trust is in the Lord.
Along with that I am also being shown how little I previously believed that God provided for all of my needs. I definitely confused the words "deserve" and "need". What do I, as a sinner, deserve? Nothing, death, judgement. But what does God give to me? Blessing upon blessing! I was really encouraged as I thought about how, when Todd and I sit down to eat dinner together, he almost always thanks the Lord for providing for all of our needs. What an amazing prayer of thanksgiving to God! It is so true and at the same time so prideful of me not to believe it. I think that I acknowledged that God gave me some things, and provided for some of my needs, but I really dont think that I recognized and gave thanks to God for providing for all of my needs. Being away from the familiar and comfortable, as well as reading through the story of creation in Genesis, I am seeing more and more each day here how God does provide for all of my needs (of which only he truly knows). Its an exciting thing to recognize and I would challenge all of you to evalute how you view the things in your life that you have been blessed with. I would also encourage you to give thanks to God for all the amazing things he has done, is doing, and will do in your lives.
Something I have also been convicted about is my lack of compassion for many of the people in Nairobi. It is easy for me to show compassion towards the students that I know, or the people who are nice to me here, but what about those who threaten my safety, or give me mean looks, or try to rip me off? A verse that really brings me back to reality is Ephesians 2:3-5: All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest we were by nature objects of wrath. But becuase of his great love for us God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our transgressions, it is by grace you have been saved. Wow...I was just like them and it is only by God's grace that I am saved. Also, as Jesus dies on the cross, what does he do? He prays for the people. He says in Luke 23:34 Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing. My prayer to God is that he would give me a spirit of compassion and love for these people of darkness. That I would ask God to forgive them and bring them to him because "they do not know what they are doing".
Thanks for reading have a great day :)
-Sacha
Today we had our team meeting at the Y and we all started out kind of melancholy. I think we are all feeling the weight of this trip and some of us shared our frustrations and dissapointments with how things are going. Something I have been learning, as I have touched on in earlier blog posts is the fact that the Lord is the provider of all of our needs. I am seeing this over and over both in my reading through the Old Testament as well as in my time here. My biggest struggle as many of you know has been in the area of safety and security. I realize now that I am away from the comforts of home just how much I relied on other people and places and things for security. God is showing me how he is the ultimate protector and provider and no person, place or thing can offer me complete security. Though I can avoid shady places in town, and the guys can walk close to me, there are still going to be tough times when all of that fails me and I still feel afraid. That is why it is so important that my trust is in the Lord.
Along with that I am also being shown how little I previously believed that God provided for all of my needs. I definitely confused the words "deserve" and "need". What do I, as a sinner, deserve? Nothing, death, judgement. But what does God give to me? Blessing upon blessing! I was really encouraged as I thought about how, when Todd and I sit down to eat dinner together, he almost always thanks the Lord for providing for all of our needs. What an amazing prayer of thanksgiving to God! It is so true and at the same time so prideful of me not to believe it. I think that I acknowledged that God gave me some things, and provided for some of my needs, but I really dont think that I recognized and gave thanks to God for providing for all of my needs. Being away from the familiar and comfortable, as well as reading through the story of creation in Genesis, I am seeing more and more each day here how God does provide for all of my needs (of which only he truly knows). Its an exciting thing to recognize and I would challenge all of you to evalute how you view the things in your life that you have been blessed with. I would also encourage you to give thanks to God for all the amazing things he has done, is doing, and will do in your lives.
Something I have also been convicted about is my lack of compassion for many of the people in Nairobi. It is easy for me to show compassion towards the students that I know, or the people who are nice to me here, but what about those who threaten my safety, or give me mean looks, or try to rip me off? A verse that really brings me back to reality is Ephesians 2:3-5: All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest we were by nature objects of wrath. But becuase of his great love for us God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our transgressions, it is by grace you have been saved. Wow...I was just like them and it is only by God's grace that I am saved. Also, as Jesus dies on the cross, what does he do? He prays for the people. He says in Luke 23:34 Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing. My prayer to God is that he would give me a spirit of compassion and love for these people of darkness. That I would ask God to forgive them and bring them to him because "they do not know what they are doing".
Thanks for reading have a great day :)
-Sacha
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Massai... Please Leave me Alone!!!
We went to the Massai Market today...Oh My Goodness!
I thought that it was going to be like the City Market we went to with lots of stands or tents. I was wrong...It is just a big field with people sitting on the ground with their stuff ( which is all the same) on blankets. It didn't take long before I was really annoyed with them. Todd warned me that people were going to come up to us right away and try to walk around with us ( this is how they rip off Americans), and they did. The annoying thing was that we couldn't get them go away! The same 3 or 4 guys stayed with us the same time. They were soo annoying!
Some of the starting prices were ABSURD and bargaining with them is tiring. It was also hard for Hiliary and I because guys would get right up next to us and brush up against us. The boys were very good at staying close and making us feel safe and protected.
At some points I would just give up on bargaining because they were just so pushy and I stopped caring about what they were triyng to sell me. They are all so deceptive and they say the most ridiculous things to try and get your money. They were pretty rude to me and told the boys not to listen to what I said grrr! It was sad when some of the women would parade their young children around as a way to get our money.
Hil and I bought nothing because we realized it was harder for girls to get the best prices because the Kenyan men were the ones trying to sell us stuff. The boys all bought stuff...Chris and Greg could probably start a small tribe with all that they bought (I think they may be regretting it now haha). I left feeling exhausted and frustrated. No matter how many time we said no thank you or no please leave us alone...they wouldnt! I'm going to have to get one of the boys to buy my things next time.
On a more positive note...my quiet times have been really great. I am reading in Genesis and I am just so encouraged by God's grace to his people from the beginning. He clothes Adam and Eve when they recognize their nakedness not because they deserve the clothing but because he loves his children and he gives them clothes as a comfort. Also, throughout Genesis the people do some pretty dumb things. Without fail the Lord still blesses them. I am learning to constantly remember that EVERY good thing comes fromthe Lord. I am nothing apart from him and I cannot accomplish anything without him. How humbling.
Along with Genesis, I was talking with Hil today about how after the fall shame fear and guilt were introduced to the world. From that we talked about how it is important to check our motivations for the things we do on this earth especially in our ministry. God does NOT call us to spread the gospel because we feel guilty, ashamed or fearful of what other people think of us. Romans 8:1 says: Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Those feelings are a result of sin and are not of God. God wants us to be motivated by a love for him and for others. With that being said, it is all the more important to realize that as sinners we do not have the power to muster up the energy to love people on our own. We have to rely on the power of the Holy Spirit to change our hearts to view people the way the God does. That has been my prayer in the past few days when I am exhausted and I feel it is going to be a chore to interact with students more. I pray that God would change my heart and I would see these students as harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd. That he would give me energy and excitement about spreading his word.
I also feel that the feelings of shame fear and guilt not only stunt our ministry but also our relationships with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. The devil swoops in and creates among us a spirit of competition. We are guilty when we havent had a quiet time in a week and we fear that when others ask us spiritual questions we will not have a good enough answer. Why are we afraid? Arent we supposed to be building one another up? Its easy for us to think that if we share our struggles with our brothers and sisters then they wull view us as weak, when in reality we are all the more weak when we harbor inside of us the things we are struggling with. A verse that I shared with our team today is James 5:16: Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. It is only through the bringing into the light of our sins that we might move forward toward righteousness. Also, even if those that we share with DO judge us, it is God who is the ultimate judge and we have been justified by Christ's death on the cross. Like Romans 8:33 says: Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Yes humans will judge us, and humans will not be perfect in the way that they respond to our confession of sins. But as Christians, our salvation is not in the hands of man.
Adios (for now) Amigos
Sacha
I thought that it was going to be like the City Market we went to with lots of stands or tents. I was wrong...It is just a big field with people sitting on the ground with their stuff ( which is all the same) on blankets. It didn't take long before I was really annoyed with them. Todd warned me that people were going to come up to us right away and try to walk around with us ( this is how they rip off Americans), and they did. The annoying thing was that we couldn't get them go away! The same 3 or 4 guys stayed with us the same time. They were soo annoying!
Some of the starting prices were ABSURD and bargaining with them is tiring. It was also hard for Hiliary and I because guys would get right up next to us and brush up against us. The boys were very good at staying close and making us feel safe and protected.
At some points I would just give up on bargaining because they were just so pushy and I stopped caring about what they were triyng to sell me. They are all so deceptive and they say the most ridiculous things to try and get your money. They were pretty rude to me and told the boys not to listen to what I said grrr! It was sad when some of the women would parade their young children around as a way to get our money.
Hil and I bought nothing because we realized it was harder for girls to get the best prices because the Kenyan men were the ones trying to sell us stuff. The boys all bought stuff...Chris and Greg could probably start a small tribe with all that they bought (I think they may be regretting it now haha). I left feeling exhausted and frustrated. No matter how many time we said no thank you or no please leave us alone...they wouldnt! I'm going to have to get one of the boys to buy my things next time.
On a more positive note...my quiet times have been really great. I am reading in Genesis and I am just so encouraged by God's grace to his people from the beginning. He clothes Adam and Eve when they recognize their nakedness not because they deserve the clothing but because he loves his children and he gives them clothes as a comfort. Also, throughout Genesis the people do some pretty dumb things. Without fail the Lord still blesses them. I am learning to constantly remember that EVERY good thing comes fromthe Lord. I am nothing apart from him and I cannot accomplish anything without him. How humbling.
Along with Genesis, I was talking with Hil today about how after the fall shame fear and guilt were introduced to the world. From that we talked about how it is important to check our motivations for the things we do on this earth especially in our ministry. God does NOT call us to spread the gospel because we feel guilty, ashamed or fearful of what other people think of us. Romans 8:1 says: Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Those feelings are a result of sin and are not of God. God wants us to be motivated by a love for him and for others. With that being said, it is all the more important to realize that as sinners we do not have the power to muster up the energy to love people on our own. We have to rely on the power of the Holy Spirit to change our hearts to view people the way the God does. That has been my prayer in the past few days when I am exhausted and I feel it is going to be a chore to interact with students more. I pray that God would change my heart and I would see these students as harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd. That he would give me energy and excitement about spreading his word.
I also feel that the feelings of shame fear and guilt not only stunt our ministry but also our relationships with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. The devil swoops in and creates among us a spirit of competition. We are guilty when we havent had a quiet time in a week and we fear that when others ask us spiritual questions we will not have a good enough answer. Why are we afraid? Arent we supposed to be building one another up? Its easy for us to think that if we share our struggles with our brothers and sisters then they wull view us as weak, when in reality we are all the more weak when we harbor inside of us the things we are struggling with. A verse that I shared with our team today is James 5:16: Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. It is only through the bringing into the light of our sins that we might move forward toward righteousness. Also, even if those that we share with DO judge us, it is God who is the ultimate judge and we have been justified by Christ's death on the cross. Like Romans 8:33 says: Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Yes humans will judge us, and humans will not be perfect in the way that they respond to our confession of sins. But as Christians, our salvation is not in the hands of man.
Adios (for now) Amigos
Sacha
Monday, June 1, 2009
"Give me your bag... I give you lots of things!!"
Oy Vey! It has been so long! My apologies. The internet has been pretty faulty. But here I am!!
On Thursday afternoon I had the chance to meet with Mary. She is on full time staff with the Navigators here in Nairobi. It was a really awesome opportunity to sit down and talk with her being that there is only one other girl on the trip and no female staffers. I am actually going to get to meet with her every Thursday to debrief and talk about quiet times and the struggles I am facing here in Kenya. What a blessing! I am so excited for those meetings. Mary is extremely intentional and I know that I am going to grow from my meetings with her. Having a lack of women was definitely something that I was worried about going into the trip. I knew it was going to be tough not having a circle of godly women at my fingertips like I do at home in State College. But, the Lord is good and meeting with Mary is going to be really great.
Thursday night we went to Kenyatta University to sit in on Zembi (a girl involved in University of Nairobi Navs) 's bible study. She is a medical student so she is at that campus. She leads a study of other medical students in her building. It took us over an hour to get there because the traffic was absurd! (by the way it took us 15 min to get home haha) . Hiliary and I were both blown away by the depth of the study. We talked about Romans 8:31-39 and how nothing, absolutley nothing can separate us from the love of the Lord. Zembi prepared the questions and I was really impressed with the input and application of all of the girls. Going to Kenya, we were told by a few people that a lot of the bible studies were simply question and answer and there was no real discussion or application of it. On the contrary, Zembi's girls really took the scripture and applied it to their lives many times. It was a great experience for both Hiliary and I and I think we were both greatly encouraged.
On Friday, Greg, Brett, Hiliary and I ventured to the City Market...dun dun dun... We had heard from previous teams that the vendors at the market places were very pushy and persistent especially to mzungos (white people). Regardless, I dont think we were prepared for how intense it was. The title of my blog comes from this day. One man asked me multiple times if he could buy my timbuk2 bag and told me he would give me lots of things if I gave it to him. They were waving their hands in our faces, and grabbing onto our clothes. Props to Brett and Greg because they did a great job at making both Hiliary and I feel protected and safe. We didnt buy anything but I am excited to try my hand at bargaining. It took me only like 10 seconds to get one guy to cut his price in half. Its crazy to think that some people fall for paying 4 times what they should be paying!
Friday night was The Journey. It is a Christian outreach gathering on campus. They sang some pretty cool songs (some of which we want to bring back to PSU), and had a message on how we dont have to fear because the Lord is with us. It was not very in depth at all but it was a good way to reach non-christians. Afterward we went with Arnold (a student at UON) to talk with some non-christian guys. I was a bit nervous to say the least. He put me in a chair next to this guy named Melvin and right off the bat it was a little weird. He tried to pull my chair closer but I moved it away. In short, he asked for my number, e-mail address, asked to visit me in the states, and started talking about how to get a green card he needed to get married... AHH!! I promptly got up and darted for the bathroom. I dont think we will be doing that again (at least not the girls).
Saturday we went on a Safari walk...aka the zoo haha. But get this... I PET A CHEETAH! How crazy! We saw some cool animals and I wish I could upload the pics but this computer is wayyy too slow for that. Coming back from the Safari walk was just as crazy. We saw a fight between two matatu(taxi) drivers over who would get to take us. THEN we got stopped by the police for having too many people in the matatu. And to top it off the whole ride we listened to hard core gangster rap... my favorite (psyychhh!)
Saturday night, Hiliary and I went to Diane (a woman on part time staff with Nav's)'s house to make dinner for the Nav sleepover that night. We learned how to make traditional food and had some fun times with the ladies. The boys arrived later and we all ate and played tons! of games as a group. We were laughing about it later because though we played like 7 different games they were all pretty much the same game with a very slight variation haha...ohhh Kenya! Our whole team was really really tired but the Kenyan students had so much energy. We stayed up until after two (well Greg fell asleep like 4 times on the couch) and then went to sleep for about 5 hours (Ay yay Ay!) Morning came and we were all like zombies. We took a matatu back to town and grabbed lunch and then went back to the YMCA. Hiliary and I passed out for about 4 hours (talk about a hard core nap) and then we played cards with the boys for a while. It was really fun to spend that time as a team and laugh together (a lot!) about the crazy things that happen here in Kenya.
As for my quiet times I have finished reading through Joshua. I am amazed at Joshua's obedience to the Lords commands. I was also really encouraged at the end of the book when Joshua is reflecting back on all that the Lord did for Israel. He reminds them that the Lord has kept all of his promises and not one has failed. How amazing! Next, I am going to read back further in the Old Testament and learn more about God's promises to his people. I am learning to remember that God keeps his promises in everything and those promises apply to me as well because I have been adopted as a child of God through Christ.
Today (monday) is our day off! Phew! We need it! We are off to have a quiet time at the Java House and then venture back to the City Market haha.
I would love to hear how all of you are doing E-mail me!! I miss you guys so much!! Thanks for reading and praying!
-Sacha
On Thursday afternoon I had the chance to meet with Mary. She is on full time staff with the Navigators here in Nairobi. It was a really awesome opportunity to sit down and talk with her being that there is only one other girl on the trip and no female staffers. I am actually going to get to meet with her every Thursday to debrief and talk about quiet times and the struggles I am facing here in Kenya. What a blessing! I am so excited for those meetings. Mary is extremely intentional and I know that I am going to grow from my meetings with her. Having a lack of women was definitely something that I was worried about going into the trip. I knew it was going to be tough not having a circle of godly women at my fingertips like I do at home in State College. But, the Lord is good and meeting with Mary is going to be really great.
Thursday night we went to Kenyatta University to sit in on Zembi (a girl involved in University of Nairobi Navs) 's bible study. She is a medical student so she is at that campus. She leads a study of other medical students in her building. It took us over an hour to get there because the traffic was absurd! (by the way it took us 15 min to get home haha) . Hiliary and I were both blown away by the depth of the study. We talked about Romans 8:31-39 and how nothing, absolutley nothing can separate us from the love of the Lord. Zembi prepared the questions and I was really impressed with the input and application of all of the girls. Going to Kenya, we were told by a few people that a lot of the bible studies were simply question and answer and there was no real discussion or application of it. On the contrary, Zembi's girls really took the scripture and applied it to their lives many times. It was a great experience for both Hiliary and I and I think we were both greatly encouraged.
On Friday, Greg, Brett, Hiliary and I ventured to the City Market...dun dun dun... We had heard from previous teams that the vendors at the market places were very pushy and persistent especially to mzungos (white people). Regardless, I dont think we were prepared for how intense it was. The title of my blog comes from this day. One man asked me multiple times if he could buy my timbuk2 bag and told me he would give me lots of things if I gave it to him. They were waving their hands in our faces, and grabbing onto our clothes. Props to Brett and Greg because they did a great job at making both Hiliary and I feel protected and safe. We didnt buy anything but I am excited to try my hand at bargaining. It took me only like 10 seconds to get one guy to cut his price in half. Its crazy to think that some people fall for paying 4 times what they should be paying!
Friday night was The Journey. It is a Christian outreach gathering on campus. They sang some pretty cool songs (some of which we want to bring back to PSU), and had a message on how we dont have to fear because the Lord is with us. It was not very in depth at all but it was a good way to reach non-christians. Afterward we went with Arnold (a student at UON) to talk with some non-christian guys. I was a bit nervous to say the least. He put me in a chair next to this guy named Melvin and right off the bat it was a little weird. He tried to pull my chair closer but I moved it away. In short, he asked for my number, e-mail address, asked to visit me in the states, and started talking about how to get a green card he needed to get married... AHH!! I promptly got up and darted for the bathroom. I dont think we will be doing that again (at least not the girls).
Saturday we went on a Safari walk...aka the zoo haha. But get this... I PET A CHEETAH! How crazy! We saw some cool animals and I wish I could upload the pics but this computer is wayyy too slow for that. Coming back from the Safari walk was just as crazy. We saw a fight between two matatu(taxi) drivers over who would get to take us. THEN we got stopped by the police for having too many people in the matatu. And to top it off the whole ride we listened to hard core gangster rap... my favorite (psyychhh!)
Saturday night, Hiliary and I went to Diane (a woman on part time staff with Nav's)'s house to make dinner for the Nav sleepover that night. We learned how to make traditional food and had some fun times with the ladies. The boys arrived later and we all ate and played tons! of games as a group. We were laughing about it later because though we played like 7 different games they were all pretty much the same game with a very slight variation haha...ohhh Kenya! Our whole team was really really tired but the Kenyan students had so much energy. We stayed up until after two (well Greg fell asleep like 4 times on the couch) and then went to sleep for about 5 hours (Ay yay Ay!) Morning came and we were all like zombies. We took a matatu back to town and grabbed lunch and then went back to the YMCA. Hiliary and I passed out for about 4 hours (talk about a hard core nap) and then we played cards with the boys for a while. It was really fun to spend that time as a team and laugh together (a lot!) about the crazy things that happen here in Kenya.
As for my quiet times I have finished reading through Joshua. I am amazed at Joshua's obedience to the Lords commands. I was also really encouraged at the end of the book when Joshua is reflecting back on all that the Lord did for Israel. He reminds them that the Lord has kept all of his promises and not one has failed. How amazing! Next, I am going to read back further in the Old Testament and learn more about God's promises to his people. I am learning to remember that God keeps his promises in everything and those promises apply to me as well because I have been adopted as a child of God through Christ.
Today (monday) is our day off! Phew! We need it! We are off to have a quiet time at the Java House and then venture back to the City Market haha.
I would love to hear how all of you are doing E-mail me!! I miss you guys so much!! Thanks for reading and praying!
-Sacha
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Monkeys!!
We went to this park called the arboretum today and there were MONKEYS there!! They came right up to us and took our snacks that we were feeding them. The Kenyans say they are as common as our PSU squirrels and they were surprised that we didnt have monkeys haha.
We had worship and quiet time and then team planning. Last night was the first nav night that we attended. It was in a dorm room and we got to meet the students,play some fun games (which I will be bringing back to the USA :) ) And then we broke into small groups which will be our bible studies. Hiliary and I will be leading about 6 girls in a study of basic Christian beliefs. I am excited because most of these girls have never been in a strictly girls study so it will be a good chance for us to grow closer as Women of God. From my experience at PSU, having a group of godly women around me, studying the word with me , struggling with me,rejoicing with me, and praying for me has made a world of a difference in my walk with God. I think you know who you are... so thanks ladies.
Today at 4 I am having my first one on one with Gloria and I amreally looking forward to talking with her and getting to know her better. We might even go to a gospel concert (sweet right?)
We are going on a safari walk where Naftali ( the main staff person here in Nairobi) said we might get to pet a cheetah...hmmm we'll see :/
Something random...Greg and I started writing a song about Kenya that we hope to sing for you guys when we come back. I know its only like day 5 but we already had a lot to write about haha.
It would be awesome if you guys could pray for me for continued rest and time alone with the Lord. With so much going on I have felt very overwhelmed and tired at times in the past few days. I know that this is how the rest of the summer is going to be so I could really use the prayer.
I miss you all so much and it means a lot that you are even reading this blog and keeping up with my summer.
Sacha
We had worship and quiet time and then team planning. Last night was the first nav night that we attended. It was in a dorm room and we got to meet the students,play some fun games (which I will be bringing back to the USA :) ) And then we broke into small groups which will be our bible studies. Hiliary and I will be leading about 6 girls in a study of basic Christian beliefs. I am excited because most of these girls have never been in a strictly girls study so it will be a good chance for us to grow closer as Women of God. From my experience at PSU, having a group of godly women around me, studying the word with me , struggling with me,rejoicing with me, and praying for me has made a world of a difference in my walk with God. I think you know who you are... so thanks ladies.
Today at 4 I am having my first one on one with Gloria and I amreally looking forward to talking with her and getting to know her better. We might even go to a gospel concert (sweet right?)
We are going on a safari walk where Naftali ( the main staff person here in Nairobi) said we might get to pet a cheetah...hmmm we'll see :/
Something random...Greg and I started writing a song about Kenya that we hope to sing for you guys when we come back. I know its only like day 5 but we already had a lot to write about haha.
It would be awesome if you guys could pray for me for continued rest and time alone with the Lord. With so much going on I have felt very overwhelmed and tired at times in the past few days. I know that this is how the rest of the summer is going to be so I could really use the prayer.
I miss you all so much and it means a lot that you are even reading this blog and keeping up with my summer.
Sacha
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Java House... Am I in the USA?
Hello All!
We had our first meeting with the Nav Staff yesterday. It was so cool to hear them talk about how we can help to be a part of the rebuilding phase of the Nav ministry here in Nairobi. We will be participating in the large group tonight and Greg is going to lead worship (pretty cool). Then we will split into small groups and get to know the ladies in Navs. Hiliary and will eventually be leading this small group and we will be "Investigating Christian Beliefs" so we will start by walking them through the Bridge Illustration.
We got to meet two of the students yesterday!!:) We met Gloria (who is the girl I will be discipling and going through the dorms with), and Arnold. They are both so great. They gave us a tour of campus. Gloria is soooo much fun! She is one of 8 children (wow!) and has so much energy. I am so excited for getting to know her and the other girls better.
Today, we went to a place called the Java House which is pretty much like panera. It was crazy how many Americans were in there haha. It is like a little American hideaway in the middle of Nairobi. We actually ran into two couples there who were Christians and what do you know... they were involved with the Navigators in San Diego 3o years ago!! How crazy!
The Lord is already doing big things in my heart and I am excited for what He is going to teach me this summer. I was reading Psalm 8 and9 last night and in Psalm 9:15 it says: The nations have fallen into a pit they have dug; their feet are caught in a net they have hidden. Reading that verse helped me to see just how much the nations and the lost need help. Though we have all sinned and have fallen short, (the nations are caught in a pit they have dug), their feet are caught in this net that they cannot even see. They don't even realize that this sin is weighing them down and there is so much more out there for them. If their eyes could only be opened to what Jesus did for them on the cross, they would be freed from the constraint and death of sin.
It also reminded me of Matthew 9:35-36 where the people are referred to as sheep without a shepherd harassed and helpless. It is amazing how differently Jesus views the lost people. It is so easy to get caught up in our own lives and not pay attention to the people who do not know Jesus. But this is exactly what the Lord commands us to do. I am praying that the Lord allows me to view people the way He does, harassed and helpless.
One thing you can be praying for me and my team is that we stay energized. We have been doing a lot the past few days and I have found myself so tired. I know there is a lot ahead of us and we could all use times of rest and rejuvenation.
Thanks again and thanks for reading!
Sacha
We had our first meeting with the Nav Staff yesterday. It was so cool to hear them talk about how we can help to be a part of the rebuilding phase of the Nav ministry here in Nairobi. We will be participating in the large group tonight and Greg is going to lead worship (pretty cool). Then we will split into small groups and get to know the ladies in Navs. Hiliary and will eventually be leading this small group and we will be "Investigating Christian Beliefs" so we will start by walking them through the Bridge Illustration.
We got to meet two of the students yesterday!!:) We met Gloria (who is the girl I will be discipling and going through the dorms with), and Arnold. They are both so great. They gave us a tour of campus. Gloria is soooo much fun! She is one of 8 children (wow!) and has so much energy. I am so excited for getting to know her and the other girls better.
Today, we went to a place called the Java House which is pretty much like panera. It was crazy how many Americans were in there haha. It is like a little American hideaway in the middle of Nairobi. We actually ran into two couples there who were Christians and what do you know... they were involved with the Navigators in San Diego 3o years ago!! How crazy!
The Lord is already doing big things in my heart and I am excited for what He is going to teach me this summer. I was reading Psalm 8 and9 last night and in Psalm 9:15 it says: The nations have fallen into a pit they have dug; their feet are caught in a net they have hidden. Reading that verse helped me to see just how much the nations and the lost need help. Though we have all sinned and have fallen short, (the nations are caught in a pit they have dug), their feet are caught in this net that they cannot even see. They don't even realize that this sin is weighing them down and there is so much more out there for them. If their eyes could only be opened to what Jesus did for them on the cross, they would be freed from the constraint and death of sin.
It also reminded me of Matthew 9:35-36 where the people are referred to as sheep without a shepherd harassed and helpless. It is amazing how differently Jesus views the lost people. It is so easy to get caught up in our own lives and not pay attention to the people who do not know Jesus. But this is exactly what the Lord commands us to do. I am praying that the Lord allows me to view people the way He does, harassed and helpless.
One thing you can be praying for me and my team is that we stay energized. We have been doing a lot the past few days and I have found myself so tired. I know there is a lot ahead of us and we could all use times of rest and rejuvenation.
Thanks again and thanks for reading!
Sacha
Sunday, May 24, 2009
M-Wow I am in Kenya!
Hey Everyone!
I made it safely (after a long 20 hours of travel) to Kenya! The Navigator staff here is amazing and they were so welcoming. They greeted us with big smiles and hugs. I am looking forward to meeting the students and learning more about the Navs here in Nairobi.
We had a traditional lunch today and it was really good. Beef stew, chipati, veggies and rice. The YMCA is pretty nice and we are settling into our homes for the next 6 weeks.
The reason my title is M-Wow is because our drivers name is Muau (sp?) but its pronounced M-WOW haha. We had a few near death experiences on the drive back from the airport so I can tell there are going to be some crazy rides to come.
More later...Thanks
From Kenya,
Sacha
I made it safely (after a long 20 hours of travel) to Kenya! The Navigator staff here is amazing and they were so welcoming. They greeted us with big smiles and hugs. I am looking forward to meeting the students and learning more about the Navs here in Nairobi.
We had a traditional lunch today and it was really good. Beef stew, chipati, veggies and rice. The YMCA is pretty nice and we are settling into our homes for the next 6 weeks.
The reason my title is M-Wow is because our drivers name is Muau (sp?) but its pronounced M-WOW haha. We had a few near death experiences on the drive back from the airport so I can tell there are going to be some crazy rides to come.
More later...Thanks
From Kenya,
Sacha
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Last Full Day in America
I leave tomorrow. I am full of a mixture of emotion. I am so excited to get over to Kenya and experience the culture, meet the people, and learn more about who God is. Not only am I looking forward to knowing more about God, but also knowing God better if that makes sense. I can't believe the trip is finally here. Months ago I was running into Chris Bair in the HUB and talking about summer plans. He told me he was thinking of leading a trip to Kenya this summer and what do you know, 7 months later I am about to board a plane to Nairobi.
In the past few days leading up to my departure I have been reflecting a lot on what God has done in my life in the past year and a half. It is so incredible to see how God's plan is SO much bigger than mine. At that time in my life I thought I had my life planned out and I "knew" exactly how things were going to work out for me. Now, as I look back, I am amazed at how God had a much different (but infinitely better) plan in mind. It is really humbling to realize how little control I have over my life. Humbling, and at the same time comforting. I have the God of the universe orchestrating my life...can I ask for anything better? No!
With that in mind, I have also been struggling with a lot of fear regarding this trip. There is so much unknown ahead of me and I have been doubting myself and my abilities. But, thanks to some amazing people in my life I have been reminded that I have the power of the Holy Spirit and its not me who works but God who works through me. It is a privilege to be able to be God's hands and feet in Kenya and I know that the Lord has called me there this summer for a reason. Its my own pride clouding my thoughts to think that any of what I do in Kenya is on my own. Acts 17:25 (a theme verse from our spring break trip this year) says: And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.
Tomorrow, I will be in Kenya. Away from the familiar,home,family,friends,and Todd.
I know this summer is going to be a challenging one. I know I will be stretched in ways I never thought possible. But I also know that I have no reason to fear because God is my strength and protector.
This past Sunday I went to church at Grace Presbyterian with Todd and the sermon was exactly what I needed to hear before heading off to Kenya. It was on Deuteronomy 31:1-8. It is when Moses is leaving the Israelites and is telling them that he will not be leading them to the Promised Land but rather Joshua will be doing it. The Israelites are very scared because they have received a lot of favor and blessing from God while Moses was their leader so they are not sure what to expect when he leaves them. The really cool thing is that rather than tell the Israelites that they will be fine because they are good people and can do it He tells them that because God is with them and will never leave them they will be fine. He points them back to the Lord as their strength and reminds them that their safety and blessing is not dependent on Moses' presence. Deut 31:8 it says "The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."
Though I am leaving the safety and security of what I know here, because God is with me I don't have to be afraid or discouraged. I am really trying to bury that verse in my heart and remember it when I get nervous or scared for leaving. I want to enjoy every minute of my trip and I know I will come back with so many cool stories and knowledge about God, myself, and Kenya.
Thanks for all of your support and prayers. My next post will be from Kenya!!
Sacha
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