Blessings and Changing My Reader

My blogging friend, Crystal Mary in Australia has a new book out. Please listen to Crystal's vibrant voice in this short youtube "trailer" she made to promote her book. You might know someone who would like this book and be blessed by it for Mother's Day or an upcoming birthday.

In other news, I've decided to transfer the blogs I follow from Google Reader to Bloglovin so I won't lose any of you that I read faithfully. You can follow me that way too.  See the widget to the right of my blog. I'm still mulling over blog platform options. Stay tuned.

I've been sick for some time and more so over the last weekend and continuing to now. I've asked a few dear souls to pray for me.  I feel that those prayers really helped me because suddenly on Tuesday, things changed.  Matters came to a head on Tuesday after really suffering on Sunday and Monday and I began to feel a little better since then.  Today I finally managed to get to the doctor and am now on a course of antibiotics. I hope it can arrest the infection(s) very soon. I feel very blessed because I know things could have been much worse and I am not out of the woods yet.  More tests are being done in the coming months.  When I was at the doctor's office she asked me why I didn't call the emergency after hours service. I hadn't even thought of it. That's what happens when there is too much infection in the body. You cannot think straight. I've seen it happen with my mother many times and she would even refuse to go to the hospital when in that state.

My mom has also been quite sick and struggling for at least one month with a bad cough and infection.  I've been worried about her because of her compromised immune system.  I asked a few people to pray, I called the prayer line too.  For the last 5 days I prayed that the doctor would reach out to examine her and prescribe her medication, or that somehow a new doctor could take over her case (that would need to be a miracle).

I was just at the point of pressing the matter very soon with someone who could do something to make sure mother was getting medical help and lo and behold, this morning the doctor arrived to see her before she was even out of bed. He soon prescribed antibiotics. I know that God was in this answer because of the inattention of the last month or more. I give praises to God for responding to the prayers.  Thank you to those too who have stood with me in prayer.  Your sacrifice and intercession are noted by God but you also need to  know how MUCH you bless me by this faithful act of friendship.  I also continue to pray for those of you who have asked for a healing or financial touch. God really does answer prayer and we of the faith are to be burden bearers for one another.  Thank you so much and  Praise His Name. xx

This Sunday is Mother's Day.  I am blessed to still have my mother here on earth and hope she is with us for years to come.  Since I just had a visit with her two weeks ago and can't travel right now,  I am sending flowers.  If your mother is still alive, I hope you are able to give her and call and spend a few moments of the day with her if you don't live in her city.

Happy weekend to all!

Halloween

 “So, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” 

1 Corinthians 10:31  

If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

Joshua 24:15

These photos were taken several days ago. I assume these young people were starting an early celebration of Halloween since it was a Saturday at around 4:30 p.m.

This post isn't meant to offend anyone.  It is just an opportunity to be clear on my position concerning  Halloween.  I do not celebrate it and I have to say that lately I've been very alarmed to learn that so many Christians do seem to celebrate it.

It is virtually impossible not to see the influence of Halloween all throughout the month of October.  Even on television, movie channels show scary movies and horror movies all month.  Wherever you go in the stores there is row upon row of Halloween costumes for purchase.  Retailers even clear out their regular stock until the "Halloween season" is over so they can make room for Halloween costumes.  My local grocer even has put out a lot of Halloween decor this year but at least they have also put out harvest displays to balance it.

Whichever way you slice it, Halloween is big business.  Very big business.

Individual consumers are spending increasing amounts of money on celebrating Halloween. The average American consumer planned to spend $66.28 on costumes, candy and decorations in 2010, up from $59.06 on Halloween in 2006, says the National Retail Federation. Canadians planned to spend $60 on Halloween in 2006 according to a similar survey by the Retail Council of Canada.

But retailer Value Village's 2011 annual Halloween shopping survey found the average Canadian planned to spend $300 on the big day - and pet owners planned to spend on average an extra $59 on their furry friends. Ken Alterman, president and chief executive of Value Village, says that Halloween sales have increased more than 35 percent over the last five years. It's a similar story over at Canadian Tire, where Halloween now represents the third most important seasonal category behind Christmas and summer backyard living.

(Source: "Halloween - A Really Sweet Business Opportunity", Susan Ward, About.com)

Christian perspectives on Halloween are strongly divided. Here are three differing views to consider:

• "... Halloween is anything but harmless. It focuses one's attention on witchcraft and demonism, which flies in the face of the holy God Almighty! When parents not only allow but also encourage their children to celebrate witches and goblins, they are teaching them that it's acceptable to deal in demonism." -- Jerold Aust from "Halloween: Behind the Mask"
• "... Rather than 'hide' in the face of evil, we should unabashedly and boldly create an alternative that is positive and uplifting; that celebrates good over evil and the triumph of God over Satan. We need to provide an environment that also makes room for heaps of fun while using the day as a 'teachable moment' to celebrate God's protection, provision and purpose for our lives." -- Elliott Watson from "Should Christians Celebrate Halloween?"
• "Not all believers should celebrate Halloween. For those who have been redeemed from the occult, Halloween in its foolishness may contain what was for them deadly seriousness ... It is understandable that they look with horror upon what once enslaved them. Such sensitivity may be appropriate for them, but it is not appropriate for the majority of Christians. Holding their opinions as appropriate for most believers is like having a former bulimic dictate how Christians should regard church hot-plate socials ... Christians should instead celebrate Halloween with gusto. If we follow the traditional formula of having a good time at his expense, Satan flees." -- Anderson M. Rearick III from "Matters of Opinion: Hallowing Halloween"

(Source:  "What Does the Bible Say About Halloween?" by Mary Fairchild, About.Com)

I do not condemn those who choose to celebrate Halloween but I can evaluate whether I personally condone celebrating it for myself.  The Bible doesn't actually say anything about Halloween but I think it provides a lot of guidelines about what is good and acceptable.  For me, I find that the day is centered a lot around dark and sinister characters and the atmosphere is meant to be scary and dark (cemeteries in the night, ghosts, ghouls, goblins, zombies, blood and gore, etc.).

I don't like to be associated with the things of the dark.  No matter how you try to dress it up as "fun" it is really not about fun stuff behind it all.  I didn't always feel this way.  As a child I also loved to dress up and go looking for candy.  What child doesn't love to get free candy and lots of it?!  Even back then there were annual scares about children finding apples with dangerous razor blades inside of them.  Today in most towns and cities in my province, children don't go out alone to "trick or treat".  They are usually escorted by their parents due to the dangers involved in going out alone, and often they don't go house to house "trick or treating" for candy, but go to organized events and parties instead.

A lot of people don't feel the way I do about Halloween and that is their choice.  I  know that the commercialization of the day promotes fun and frivolity and for young children, teens and adults.  The day provides an excuse or opportunity to dress up and party and for some, another chance to drink.  It has become customary here to celebrate Halloween on the Saturday before October 31st.  That is so people can party throughout the night and not worry about having to get up in the morning to go to work.  They use Sunday as a day to rest and recover before heading back to work on Monday.  The young people I met in costume downtown (some in costume in photo above) had obviously been well into the drinks even though it was only 4:30 in the afternoon.  There was a strong smell of alcohol on the young man who gave me a hug from behind when I was trying to snap his photo. I didn't get a good photo of him in costume.

I believe that Christians should consider whether the activities they engage in give glory to God.  In this case, I would have to say that the activities of Halloween do not give glory to God, so I don't participate or encourage participation by those I am close to.

I also don't like all the commercialization which surrounds Halloween, or Christmas or any other holiday for that matter.  When it comes to Halloween, I save money on not buying all the decor, costumes and candy that goes with the day. I also save money by not going out to party.

I try to remove myself from commercialization of the holidays even for Christmas. For example, as the children have grown, I don't give them gifts on an annual basis.  However I might give them something they really need or want from time to time.  Mostly we just spend time together and gather around a meal since we don't get to see each other that often.  Another idea I like is taking all the funds we might have spent on gifts for one another and giving them to a local charity.  This one is harder to implement because everyone has their own ideas as to what they want to do. Sometimes I just let my family members know not to buy me a gift and do something good for someone else instead.

In closing, I heard a great teacher, Dr. Jim Richards, on television recently, he said (paraphrasing)  if you want to know who is influencing the world today, follow the  money. Selah.

You may have other great ideas for how to celebrate the holiday spirit in ways that help others or give glory to God, whether it be Halloween, Christmas or other holiday.

"For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said. 'Wake up, 0 sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."

Ephesians 5:8-14

Interview with Sir James Barlow, Great Great Grandson of Charles Darwin, Pt. 1

I stumbled upon this recent and interesting interview with Sir Charles Barlow, one of the great great grandsons of Charles Darwin.  Darwin is the man who developed the theory of natural selection, the basic mechanism of evolution and who wrote the book, The Origin of the Species.  Through the interview I learned some interesting things about Charles Darwin and what he really believed.

Sir James Barlow came to a personal relationship with Jesus in 1979 at the Manchester University in the UK-- Sir James has held positions within the business community as President of the Abbotsford ( a city about 1 and a half hours east of Vancouver) Chamber of Commerce and is now a Director of the BC Chamber of Commerce. In his personal life, Sir James serves as a deacon in his local Church, is involved in various wildlife organizations, and is also an ambassador for the Galapagos Conservation Trust.

Thanks to my readers who have said that the links I provided, take them out of  my blog.  I have now embedded Part 1 of the interview here rather than a link.  However, clicking on the link for Part 2 of the interview  will take you to youtube.  To return to my blog you simply click the back button (arrow at the top left of your computer menu) and it will bring you back to my page).

The second part of the interview is here.

Enjoy!

Dreams

All men dream but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity; but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dream with open eyes to make it possible.
T.E. Lawrence

"He speaks in dreams, in visions of the night,
when deep sleep falls on people as they lie in their beds."
Job 33:15 (NLT)

As a child, I had dreams; lots of dreams and a vivid imagination.  Money and material things were in short supply in our household.  That meant my family didn't own a car among other things and we lived somewhat out of the city district of my small city. I had lots of time to myself each day during the school year, walking to and from school.  I remember walking through vast fields in Fall, Winter and Spring through all the seasons of the school year. My imagination came in handy.  I would hold conversations with my imaginary friends and keep myself company on the way to and from school.  It was a long and lonely walk, especially when I started junior high school and my brother was still in the elementary school so we had to take different routes.  Don't get me wrong.  I wasn't living in a fantasy world and "seeing" people that weren't there and believing that they actually existed.  I was simply imagining a different life; a life full of adventure and travel and exciting things.  I had no real idea of what I might do in future. I only knew that whatever happened, life would be better.  At the same time during these tender years, I was going to Sunday School.  I believed very much in God and looked forward to Sunday service as well as services during the week.   It was there that I was introduced to missions and to the continent of Africa. I even envisioned that one day God would send me to Africa  as a missionary.

Then life happened.  And indeed life was better. God gave me many rich experiences and blessed me in many ways. He enabled me to gain a university education, one of the few people in my extended family who has been blessed with a rich university education.  He also enabled me to travel and see many of the things that I always wanted to see.  However, I was very much tied to my family and the extended family and their needs.  Thoughts of Africa became a very distant memory and an almost forgotten one.  A place that I would see on television when it came time for public appeals for funds to assist drought stricken or poverty stricken places.  It seemed Africa was no  longer much on my mind.

It wasn't until much later that my dream of Africa came to life again. I can't explain exactly how it happened. Suffice to say it was a God thing. My latent dream of helping in Africa came back to life and I've never been more thrilled.  However, instead of going as a missionary who lives in Africa and raises funds to spread the gospel, I have a more modest calling.  One in which I've been involved for a few years now.  I've been helping widows and orphans in small villages in Kenya in various ways as God leads and provides. I've been to Kenya several times and have been able to help in a number of ways (food, education, medical, jiko stoves, planting).  Some of the work has been featured on this blog.

It gives me a great deal of pleasure to assist there and to assist directly those people who have needs.  I do work through pastors and lay leaders in the communities where I visit and through friends who are Christian.  My deepest desire is to "see" the aid reach the people who need it and to know that I am really making a difference in one person, or several persons' lives.


My God opened efforts have taught me too the real meaning of the biblical teachings on "giving" and "helping" the widows and the orphans. Scriptures like

"If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?  Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth."

1 John 3:17 

and

 "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." 

James 1:27

Although I got a late start in life in missions to Kenya, I know that with God there are no limitations and there is no such thing as impossible.  Through God's grace I pray that He grants me many more years and ability to do what I can and perhaps even to inspire others to join me.

I had gone to this village in Kenya to see first hand the jiko stoves I had made for some of the village women. We decided to do a food distribution as these were widows and it was close to Christmas.  There were many more woman than I expected.

We had purchased food for several stops at different villages to meet with widows and orphans but this first stop required much of the food we brought. The male leaders said we should not distribute more than we intended but I could leave this first group of women without food.  At my request, the pastor kept going back to the car to bring more food.  Somehow God made enough for the other stops we had. Kind of like the loaves and fishes story.

Everyone is making their way to where food has been prepared. We were invited also but due to the inclement weather and needing to make several more stops before the day's end, we couldn't join in the feast.

Sometimes I get overwhelmed with emotions when I think about where God brought me from and how much he has done for me. I can't even believe it myself sometimes. He has surely been with me all the days of my life.  I can't thank him enough for it.

I have burdens for others and sometimes those get overwhelming too.  It is those times when God lets me know that He is in charge and I need to trust in Him.

What are your dreams?

My blogging friend, Shanda Oakley has started a new meme called "On Your Heart Tuesdays" and this is the very first edition of it.  I do hope you've enjoyed my contribution and that you will join Shanda and others here in this new venture. Happy reading and sharing.

The Borehole is Unveiled

For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring.

Isaiah 44:3

In my last installment of my Kenyan travel series here, I mentioned that we were on our way to a community borehole. I don't actually know the name of the village where the borehole is located but I had been there years before (and it is several hours by dirt road to the west of Marigat). In my first visit about 5 years ago, the missionary at the mission station took me on a tour of this arid area and told me of his hopes and dreams for building a borehole and a new church as well. I didn't have the funds myself or the contacts for helping but I said I would commit this matter to prayer.

It took another year or more but through God's grace he led me to a Christian humanitarian group that promised to visit Kenya and see what they could do to help. Though it took them another year or so they did make good on their promise to visit Kenya. Once they saw this arid place for themselves, they committed to raising funds for the borehole. Now a borehole has been built but the community still has no water. The area has been terribly plagued by drought and some of the hostilities that have arisen have resulted in huge tensions in the surrounding area and even led to loss of life.

What is needed now are significantly more funds and a pump by which the water can be transported over large distances to the people who need it. I'm told that the humanitarian group hopes to make another visit late this summer or early Fall. I pray that they will make it and that they will indeed be able to raise the funds required. This would surely be a huge blessing to the people. In my most recent trip to Kenya, I just had to see the borehole for myself and recollect just how much has gone into the state of things as they are currently.  There have been other changes since I first visited,  including a new missionary to this village.  Thank God for people who are willing to go and minister in areas like this.

This road goes through a more densely populated part of the village where we were visiting for the day.

It led us to this road which I love as it has an umbrella of trees making it look like a pretty country road.

Despite the significant drought that has affected this area, the children are like children anywhere...

...laughing and playing and alternately confident and bashful with visitors.

Here I pose with some of the leaders in the community as well as the children in the neighbouring area. We are posing with the honoured guest, the reason for our trip, the borehole.  The clouds look like they are about to burst open with raindrops and drench the parched ground. But it wasn't to be.  Before long, the sky was clear once again and the heat remained.

Here is the borehole. It represents lots of prayer, struggle, ups and downs, anguish and dashed hopes. It also represents the hope that is still there for clear and pure water for this community of people.

It was very hot and dry in the area. These mud huts are the traditional abode of the people and I was invited into one. The adults were not home but some local men let me in.

I could not believe how absolutely cool it was inside and what a welcome relief!  The newspapers that hang from the rafters are cut into pretty shapes to decorate the inside.

The laundry flutters in the small breeze.

It was a blessing to visit this village again and now I continue to pray for their water needs. Would you join me in praying that this well could indeed be completed so that the children, the elders and the people in general can have some clean water to drink? 

God bless you.

Please click on the words "Scenic Sunday" above, to see more beautiful scenes from around the world. I'm not sure why but the widget feature doesn't seem to be working properly.

The God of Supply

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask we know that we have what we asked of Him. 

1 John 5:14-15

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, 

according to the power that worketh in us.

Ephesians 3:20

I have been in Kenya for about 3 weeks now.  I am going home tomorrow. I always feel sad a day or two in advance of my departure as I never know when exactly I will be back.  However, I do believe that God will make a way for me to return if it is His desire that I return.

I had only notions of a holiday of rest and recuperation on this trip because the the past year has been mentally and physically exhausting due to health issues of my own and of my loved ones also. It has been a taxing year in every way.  I didn't have a whole lot of advance planning or funds to do some good works which I always love to do when I visit Kenya. I won't go into details but I had even less funds than I anticipated due to some challenges just prior to departure and shortly after my arrival.  I didn't think I would be able to do much here in Kenya  besides visiting the little boy Kigen who I so much wanted to see at the Moi Teaching & Referral Hospital (read more about him here).  I hope to say more about Kigen in the coming weeks and give you an update about him and his family.

But you know God is so gracious and good to us.  I've learned that if I just do whatever I am able and whatever he puts before me without struggle and anxiety, He will honour that.  In this instance, it meant going to Nakura town from time to time where I am staying in Kenya. It meant paying attention to the homeless on the street and talking to them as the Lord provided opportunities.  It meant showing love and kindness to whomever crossed my path.  It was in this way that I met a young boy whom I had met when I was last in Nakuru 6 months ago.  I instantly remembered him due to his ready smile. I learned that his name is Moses and he hails originally from a northern town which I've written about on this blog from time to time. The town of Marigat.

A day or two after reconnecting with Moses, I also met his friend named Hillary Joseph and took them both to lunch along with an artist friend named, Sammy. Over dinner, I learned that the boys were living together in a small shack just outside of the city and they both wanted badly to go to school. Though I couldn't help them with their school needs, I did ask them if they were hungry and took them to dinner for hot food and a drink. Over dinner I learned a bit more about them and how they were fending for themselves. Hillary in particular was insistent that he wanted to go to school. I explained that I could not personally help them but that I would be praying for them to find a donor.  Sammy and I both encouraged them to stay strong in faith and go to church.  I also encouraged them not to listen to the young boys and men on the street who taunted them and tried to pressure them into taking drugs. To try to encourage them further, I shared about my own personal story of trials and tribulations as a child and how I believed God helped me to have a hope and a future.  I told them that they too could have a better future if they continued believing in God.  That night as I left them I noticed that Hillary was sniffling with a cold and gave him a small sum of money to buy Vicks and told him I would pray for him to get better soon.

The very next day I ran into the boys again. This time they had a friend named Martin with them.

From left to right, Martin, Hillary Joseph and Moses waiting for lunch at the Guava Cafe.

At one time all of these boys lived together in an orphanage but now none of them was a resident there. Moses and Hillary in particular wanted to learn academics and go to school but since they had no money and no adults to care for them, they were begging on the streets daily for their survival and the life was hard. Martin was doing small jobs here and there finding whatever work he could to pay for his daily bread. Martin did not live with the boys but knew them from the orphanage and connected with them from time to time.  Apparently, at the orphanage they were all trained in singing and keyboard playing but they didn't receive any real academic training.  Instead the children were being trained as performers and were bussed around the country to perform.  They were driven from town to town and after performing would sleep on their transport bus overnight before journeying on to their next destination and performance.  Eventually all of the boys ran away from this life to try to find a better life.

The two boys I had fed the night before were very happy when I saw them again.  Hillary in particular, was beaming from ear to ear and telling me how well he had slept after my prayers for him.  I invited all three boys to join me at one of the cafes catering to foreigners; the Cafe Guava. I guess it was their first time at the cafe and they were so very happy to be eating there even though it was only chips and a soda.  Again I encouraged them to trust in God and to have faith.  No matter what happened, whether they were to go to school or not, I encouraged them to trust in God for a better future. I gave them more real life examples of how God undertakes. After lunch I took the boys to the street market and bought them some winter jackets as they were both shivering and cold the night before. It had even been cold in my hotel room though I had a number of blankets and these boys didn't have bedding so you can imagine how cold it was for them.  They were so happy to receive their new jackets and were joyfully modelling them to one another. As for Martin, I offered him a jacket too but he said he would take a shirt instead.  That same day, I met a blogging buddy for the very first time in person  (more about this later) while at the cafe.  I introduced her to the boys and asked her if she would also remember them in prayer.  Later that night she wrote me and told me that the boys were on her prayer list.

From left to right: Hillary Joseph, Moses and Moses.

On my way to the cafe for a drink I passed by another little boy.  He begged for food as he was hungry.  I wanted to feed him but I thought I would come back to him and look after him on my way back to the market place in a very short while. In the meantime, the restaurant I thought I was going to was closed, so I ended up at another cafe close by.

The boys came back with Moses while I was having a refreshment and I invited them all to join me for chips and juice or a hot drink. They gladly did so. As we sat down, along came the boy I had passed by earlier.  I waved at him to join us. I learned that his name was Clinton and he was very hungry as well as cold since it started to rain just moments before.

Here is Clinton after having a dinner of beef stew, rice and vegetables and a hot drink of cocoa. Isn't the glory on his face so lovely?  I felt very protective of this little one. He is 13 years old and the 2nd eldest in his family. He seemed so alone and forgotten. I am sure he enjoyed the fellowship of some adults and the two older boys who he knew in passing as they all beg on the streets.  Please pray for him that he will be able to go to school.

Here are Hillary Joseph and Moses proudly displaying their new lantern or torch light. This is a rechargeable lamp.  It doesn't need to be plugged in when it is on and it will last several days before needing to be recharged.  When it needs to be recharged there are neighbours who can help the boys. I tested the lamp and it gives off excellent light.

My adult friend Moses suggested that I purchase some groceries for young Clinton to take home and bless his family.  I was happy to do that as it was in my heart to do so but I didn't quite know how to do it.  My concern was not only what to buy, but how the young (and small) boy would actually get the groceries home.  After a short discussion, we settled on a list of food items and a way for the boy to get home after the shopping expedition.  I asked my adult friend Moses if he would go with the young boy to do the shopping and he agreed.  After spending the afternoon together, my friend was very keen to encourage the young boys and to help them in whatever small ways he could.  He also showed me a proposal he was working on for a business plan to help orphans in this city of Nakuru.  I told him I would pray for his vision to come to life.

Now for the best news of all. After we sat down to eat, young Hillary was smiling broadly and told me how they had looked for me the day before because they had news that God had answered prayer.  It turns out a young man from the United Kingdom had met them on the street the day before yesterday. After finding out that the boys are believers and that they go to church and do not sniff glue like others on the street, he offered to put them both in school.   On Sunday, he will take the boys to buy the school uniforms and the shoes they need as well as books they will need.  On Monday he will take them and register them in school and look after whatever else they need. He has even agreed to send money to help the boys with their daily support needs while they are going to school.   God  is great. Praise His Name!

Hillary was beaming throughout the telling of this wonderful news and I could not contain my excitement and joy at how marvelously and quickly, God has answered the prayers of myself and others for these young boys.  Prayers to give the boys a hope and a future. Not only that, but the boys had a second offer of assistance from a man who comes from South America.  But as they already had a donor they informed the visitor that they did not need his generous offer of help as God had already provided for them.  Imagine this abundance of blessings when the boys had been trying years to get sponsors.

God is so wonderful and has shown such love to these boys by providing for them and demonstrating his abundance. Their joy was manifest on their faces as they related to me the story of their blessings and they told me how much I had helped them. At that point of course, I became somewhat teary eyed by the goodness of God.  After sharing with them and after tears all around, we took our leave from one another and offered to pray for one another until we meet again.  My adult friend Moses, has offered to keep me regularly informed by email about the boys' progress and also to teach them to use the internet so that they can keep in touch with me directly.  I look forward to hearing more about how the are enjoying school and how the Lord is blessing them. I will continue to pray for wisdom, provision and protection for these boys.

Friday Sky Over Solai

I've been on a short sojourn in Kenya. One of the things I wanted to do on this trip besides seeing little Kigen (see his story here ), was to travel to Solai. Solai is a small town located about a 50 minute drive north of Nakuru, Kenya.

I sponsor a little boy named Peter in Solai. I sponsor him through a charitable organization and I hadn't made arrangements to visit him so this trip was really just to get a feel for the place where he lives and to see with my own eyes what is located there. I hope to visit little Peter in person some day if God enables.

Most of the road to Solai is paved but the last 10 minutes or so you travel on a dirt road.

The skies were especially lovely that day and you can see the wispy white clouds against a clear blue sky. The earth road is a deep red colour.

I enjoyed these mud huts with thatched roofs along my journey.  There was an entire village of them along the road. Apparently the people who live there work at a farm.

The road to Solai is not so busy.  These were some of the few travellers we met along the dirt road.

I'm so glad I got a chance to visit this place. I will post more photos in a future blog post.  Thanks for joining me.

For more beautiful skies from around the world, please click here.

What's Happening with Little Kigen?

I want to welcome my newest follower, Nelson Issangya who originally hails from Tanzania and now lives in Oregon. Nelson I do hope you find some of my blog posts worthy of your time and interest. I've never been to Tanzania but I imagine it looks a lot like Kenya :-)

I hope you're having a pleasant Sunday. The clocks had to be set forward by one hour here last night so I am behind on things and catching up after losing an hour.  It is also still very overcast and rainy but I have some "sunny news".

Little Kigen is doing better. Jonah went to see him in the Moi hospital in Eldoret Sunday. I guess the little guy was asleep for most of the visit but Kigen's mom reported that he is getting better and being treated with ointment for the wounds and medication for the ears and eyes until he has surgery and further consultations with specialists later this week.

The hospital entrance.

The younger child, Tikitiki, is doing much better too. He is Kigen's little brother and his eyes are now clean looking and he can see too. We praise God for that report.  The mother is adjusting well to the hospital environment in the big city of Eldoret and she has been able to make some friends which is so important when you are far from home.

Jonah takes a bag of food to the hospital. When you are in hospital in Kenya you must bring your own food.

Some good nutritious food and water.

Currently there are many sick patients at the hospital.  This means that where possible, people are being doubled up in the available beds.  This includes little Kigen and his brother Tikitiki.  We are thanking God that the little boys are now able to stay together because initially they were in different wards due to their age difference.  You can imagine that for little boys so far from home and in a big, strange, place, they are far happier being able to stay together.

Since Kigen has arrived at the hospital they have given him IV treatments and blood transfusions in readiness for surgery. The skin specialist has been booked for tomorrow (Monday) and Wednesday is the surgery day. Just note that things can change without notice in Africa so we will update you when the actual surgery and skin study are completed.

Kigen being examined and prayed over.

I understand that Kigen's mom left behind a child in the village that she is breastfeeding so she has had some breast pain this week. Jonah is glad that she is with the boys in Eldoret as this makes the care of the children that much easier.  Please pray for these little ones, their dear mom, the surgeons, doctors and Jonah.

We gratefully accept donations to assist in little
Kigen's medical mission.

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Updates on little Kigen will be posted when they come available.
Photo credits:  All photos taken by Jonah.

Sunday Hymn

With the sun peeking through just to the upper right of the cross on the church exterior, it reminded me of this powerful hymn.

AT THE CROSS

At the cross,

At the cross,

Where I first saw the light

And the burdens of my heart rolled away.

It was there by faith,

I received my sight

And now I am happy all the day.

Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling
block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ
the power of God and the wisdom of God.

1 Corinthians 1:22-24

"Wondering Where the Lions Are"

From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD'S name is to be praised.
Psalm 113:3

Bruce Cockburn is a Canadian folk/rock guitarist and singer-songwriter who has written many songs and released about 30 albums ranging in styles from folk to jazz-influenced rock to rock and roll. He attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston for three semesters in the 1960s but those of you in the United States may be less familiar with his music.

Perhaps if you have heard of him, you're familiar with the album Dancing in the Dragon's Jaws (1979). One of the songs on the album, "Wondering Where the Lions Are" made it to #21 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the USA and earned Bruce Cockburn a spot on Saturday Night Live.

Bruce Cockburn was raised as an agnostic and he became a devout Christian early on in his career. Many of his albums reference his Christian beliefs and his concerns for human rights and the environment. His music also includes imagery inspired by 20th century Christian poet, Charles Williams and the ideas of theologian, Harvey Cox.

On today's short hike to English Bay beach, I took a number of pictures that I've set to the song "Wondering Where the Lions Are". I used some artistic license in putting together sunset scenes with lyrics that reference the "sun's up". I apologize in advance for the quality of the sound recording but the laptop I am using is much slower than my desk top at home.* I may try to correct the music quality at a later time.

However, if the sound turns out to be problematic for you, or you are on dial-up, you can enjoy the photos by clicking here

* I learned it isn't the speed of my laptop that affects the sound quality (music upload) but the hotel's wifi connection is 30x slower for upload than my home internet service....this means, I will re-do the music but it will be a month or more.

From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD'S name is to be praised.
Psalm 113:3

Bruce Cockburn is one of my favourite Canadian singers. Besides "Wondering Where the Lions Are", my other two favourite songs of his are, "If a Tree Falls in the Forest" and "Waiting for a Miracle". I invite you to check out his music.