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Wednesday, 07 July 2010 03:45 |
Wow! Wow wow wow! He's a Miracle Working God!!!
Well, the past two days have been pretty incredible, to say the least. Sorry that I am just now blogging about it, but I just couldn't seem to get my thoughts in line enough to really share with you what He has been up to! We have spent Monday and Tuesday at two different Manna Worldwide Feeding Centers and it is unbelievable in just a few short years all that God has done.
On Monday, we headed out from the hotel and drove a short 10 minute drive down the road to the Good News Feeding Center and Academy and Injili Baptist Church. When we turned off of the main road it was as if we had been transported back about 50 years as we wound through the small township, then we took another turn down what seemed to be an alley, but after about 250 yards opened up into a large village that is home to approximately 500 people. We entered into the pictures and documentaries that I have always watched and seen from the comfort of my own home, only now, I was smelling the smells and touching the hands of the pictures I had only ever seen before. It was mind blowing, convicting, challenging, inspiring and comforting all at the same time.
As we pulled into the Good News Feeding Center we were warmly greeted by Pastor Allen and were ushered in to watch as the children raised the Kenyan flag and said their pledge to their nation. Then we went to help serve breakfast to the children, which was two simple pieces of bread and one cup of hot tea with milk. As the children filed past us they began to sing a song that at first was a little difficult to understand but as they repeated it I realized this is what they were singing, "He's a Miracle Working God, He's a Miracle Working God, He is the Alpha and Omega God, Yes, He's a Miracle Working God." As I listened my eyes filled with tears as I was blown away by the truth of their words. See, just 5 short years before this, there was no feeding center, they knew nothing of this God, this Jesus they were now singing of. Many of them were starving and few expected to live as long as they are now, yet, our Miracle Working God purposed it that these children would receive a good education and at least two hot meals each day to help them become strong and to give them the knowledge they would need to help better their futures. Then they began to sing Marching to Zion, "We are marching to Zion, beautiful, beautiful Zion, we are marching upwards to Zion, the beautiful city of God." Nothing can compare to the sound of these children's voices as they sang praises to our Savior!
Throughout the day the children would break out in song for us and we had an incredible time of playing and teaching these children, however, I am sure that although we went to be a blessing it was by far these children who ended up being the blessing to us time and time again. My very favorite song that the children sang was I Want to be Like Jesus, "I want to be like Jesus so deep, down in my heart, I want to be like Jesus so deep, down in my heart, so deep, deep, so down, down, so deep down in my heart, so deep, deep, so down, down, so deep down in my heart, I want to be like Jesus so deep, down in my heart!" What an incredible prayer for these children to sing and for us to echo in our lives as well, nothing could be greater than to want to be like Jesus so deep, down in our hearts!!!
During the day I was able to spend quite a bit of time with Bobby and Lisa Bechtel and to hear their story of all that God is doing there with Injili Baptist Church, which Injili is Swahili for Good News and the feeding center and academy. When Bobby partnered with Manna Worldwide to build this center the original intention was to feed approx 25 to 50 children, so the original design was built to accommodate that many. However, the need was much greater than that, as they went out into the village, they found over 800 children were in suffering from malnutrition and no education. So now after only 5 years they are reaching over 250 children with plans to expand. They currently have 3 Kindergarten classes, 1st, 2nd & 3rd grades. In their current facilities they can go up to 5th grade and plan on adding a grade a year for the next two years. I could not possibly articulate every need in this short blog, but I do want to share two very great needs that Bobby, Pastor Allen and the Good News Academy are praying for... 1) For Good News Academy feeding center to be fully funded monthly they need to meet a budget of $5,000 per month, that's $60,000 per year. As of right now they are funded up to $3,000 per month which means the children do not receive as much meat or fruits that their diets require and that their teachers, who are INCREDIBLE by the way, are only paid half salaries. To break this down for you, that total amount equals out to $20 per month per child. Only $20 per month, how humbling is that to us as Americans, who can easily spend $20 at a Starbucks or on a night out on the town. 2) The second need comes from what is going on inside the community, over 80% of Kenyans who live in Mombasa consider themselves Muslim, while peaceful many are still very cold towards the truth of Jesus Christ. What is happening is after these children reach 4th grade they are moved out of the feeding center and placed back into the schools in the community and within their families and communities they can face harsh persecution if they proclaim themselves believers in Jesus Christ. So, the plan is to build a high school, so that these children can be educated all the way through their 12th grade and will continue to receive the same nutirtion and a higher level of education both practically and spiritually to prepare them for life outside of their school and community. The land has already been purchased and the building began for the high school, this dream is becoming a reality. However, due to some changes that were made without Bobby knowing of it, the price of the building has gone from what was originally $40K to over $100,000. Bobby and Manna have already raised the original $40K, but are now praying that funding will come to help complete this incredible vision. Will you begin praying with me for these two very large needs, we pray knowing that God has already provided. Our students here are insprired and challenged by this need and I pray that we will see action come from their words!
On Tuesday, we headed to Crossroads Academy which was much different then Good News as far as location and even apprearance. Where as Good News was literally right in the middle of the village surrounded by a wall and then houses all around, Crossroads is right off of the highway and the children come from the township, the village and the slums.
At first, we weren't sure how Tuesday would compare with Monday, but by the end of the day we were again blown away by the love and the devotion of these people and they joy of these children. I met one young boy in particular, who decided I was the white man that he liked and he attached himself to me. He was very funny, as he made the decisions as to what other children were allowed to approach me and interact with me. His name is Sufian and he is Muslim. His story is like many of the children at the centers whose families allow them to come to the center and sometimes even attend the church on Sundays, and the families understand that the Bible will be taught and no Muslim teachings will be taught at these centers. However, as at Good News if they do not receive the funding to build the high school, then Sufian will go back into the public school system and will be persecuted for his beliefs. Sufian, is the face to the need for me. When I think of these children, I will think of Sufian, while there are literally thousands, this one child, Sufian, has altered my perspective. I thank Jesus for Sufian, because he went from a nameless child in a crowd to my friend. It is because of Sufian that we are here and it is because of Sufian that I will be the change that is needed in my world. (Check out pictures on my facebook page)
A few short comments on some more light hearted thing, we have tasted true traditional African cuisine, they have fed us Chipati, which is a very similar to a tortilla and yesterday(Tuesday) we ate Ugali (a type of mashed corn maize) and Sukuma Wiki (similar to Collerd Greens) Sukuma Wiki literally translates from Swahili into "To get you through the week" It is a staple in the Kenyan diet, named Sukuma Wiki because many times that may be the only thing they have to eat throughout the week. After being sick the night before, very little sounded good to me, but I was able to eat some of the Ugali and Sukuma Wiki, but Daniel really humbled me with his statement, he had almost licked his plate clean at lunch and looked at me and said, I don't care if they put a big goat's head in front of me, I'm eating it after what I've seen these last two days. Dang, we are spoiled aren't we?
I also met an incredible teacher at Crossroads Academy, Madame Nichole. She is by far one of the most joyful people I have ever met, she embodies the love of Jesus and she loves these children. She and her brother and sister were orphaned as children and were moved to Mombasa to live with cousins, she came to know the love of Christ and has never been the same. We laughed and shared stories about the goodness of our God and she is so excited to one day, God willing, meet her sister in Christ and the one who shares her name, my wife, Nikki. She told me how they need more practical ways to teach the children the Bible stories, how they can tell them, but when they give them coloring pages or show them pictures of the stories it helps cement those stories in their hearts. I invited her and her family to come and visit us in Texas and I hope one day you all will get to meet our sister, Nicole, who is impacting the Kingdom of God one child at a time!
There are so many more stories and needs that I would love to share with you, but I would be writing for hours and it is already almost time for me to head out again for another day. I can't even begin to express how my heart feels and how vital it is that we don't stop here. The true ministry has only just begun, we have now seen and experienced the need and if we don't follow through I believe one day we will be held accountable for our selfishness. I know God has called me to the teenagers of West Texas, I am so thankful for this opportunity for my eyes to be opened as many of their's are opened. The needs of this world our great, however, the one thing that will last is the love of Jesus Christ. And here it is not merely mentioned in a sermon but it is lived out day after day in the form of a hot meal or a lesson in mathematics. Thank you Jesus that you are my salvation and that you are the salvation of this world, thank you that it's not of my power or strength but ALL of yours!
I leave you with the words of one of the songs the children were singing...
"We are here to tell the world about the love of God...Our JESUS is there to take care of us!!!!!" |
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Have a blessed time. Jamie