Short Break

 

Hi friends,

I'm popping in to let you know I have to take a short break.

The other day while on my way to an errand using the city bus, I was in an accident due to heavy braking by the bus driver. Though I was seated, I went flying across the seats in front of me, smashed my face, not once but twice, into a hard plastic casing. I mostly injured my face, lower neck, right thigh and knee. After a trip to the Emergency Room, I am now recovering at home. 

All should be well, but I;ve been referred to the plastic surgeon due to broken bones in the face and an Ear, Nose and Throat Specialist for an issue in the right ear. They said the bones should heal but the follow up is a proactive measure.  While I was in the hospital I was thanking God that I live in a country where all the testing, medicines and so on are covered by the government and not out of my own pocket (unless you count the taxation of the citizenry that raises the funds to pay for all government expenditures). 

At the ER admittance desk there was signage posting the costs of various medical procedures for those that don't have medical insurance which would mostly apply to foreign visitors. I didn't have time to read it but one item dealing with some kind of heart treatment jumped out at me because the cost was almost $8000 (eight thousand dollars).  It gave me pause and made me appreciate that I don't have to pay for anything hospital; not the CT scan, EKG, oximetry test, blood work, ER bed,  nurse and doctor services, painkillers and a small snack.  The bill would have been substantial even though I was only there for about 5 hours.

Over the many years I've been doing missionary outreach with the very needy in Kenya, I've learned not to take anything for granted and to be grateful for my many blessings.  On that note I want to update briefly about the urgent Kenyan prayer needs.

Pastor Jonah is now at home recovering after spending 5 days and 4 nights in hospital due to the severe reaction to his second Covid jab.  His recovery is slow but steady and it is encouraging that his appetite has returned.  

A few weeks ago I wrote about Pastor Parteleu from a small village north of Nakuru City.  He is of very slender build and has been having a very difficult time keeping food down.  A few weeks ago he travelled to Nakuru for various tests and was hosted by Pastor Jonah.  His return visit was for the purpose of scheduled surgery but he was only able to raise a portion of funds. Since he could not raise the funds, he was given the run around, sent here and there, given a different diagnosis and ultimately he returned home without any resolution.  His situation is very sad but not uncommon in Kenya for those that don't have money for medical care.  This is one of the reasons I now focus on medical needs there despite all the other important needs.  But it is difficult to keep up to all the medical needs due to the high cost and I do not currently have the funds to help Pastor Parteleu.

Last but not least is Livingstone.  The doctor recommended he go to physical therapy to help the healing of his leg. We've managed to send him to a few sessions but he will likely need more.

Please keep these men in your prayers. 

I'll be back to regular blogging after I've recovered a bit.

God bless.

🙏🙏🙏

Short Update on Rose

 Hi friends,

I've been absent from this space for long. I've been quite busy doing big household chores and since that tires me out a lot, I am generally resting in between. This might be delayed spring cleaning because I am getting to seldom cleaned areas and things I often don't have time to do. I have a lot I want to accomplish before the weather gets cold. 

I was also waiting for an update on Rose in Kenya; the mature woman (52 years old) who is pregnant and was in hospital with Covid 19.

Rose was able to be discharged from hospital less than a week ago. Her discharge had been delayed due to not having a place to quarantine. In Kenya, villagers live in small quarters and some arrangements had to be made before she could get out of hospital.

Sadly last night Rose was rushed to hospital with severe stomach pains. Private transport had to be hired as she lives in a rural place.

Please keep Rose, her  unborn child and the rest of her family in prayer for all the many needs. Thanks so much.

Slow Return

Hi friends,

I haven't been posting for awhile.

I have been quite busy with the needs in Kenya. The one friend I posted about last time has now been released from hospital and is recovering at home.

In the meantime, another Kenyan man I'm acquainted with through other contacts fell off a boda boda (motorbike taxi) and fractured his leg. These boda bodas can be quite dangerous.  I've known at least 4 people over the course of time who have had accidents and ended up in hospital.  This latest accident involved a man named Livingstone.  He spent a few days in hospital and has now been discharged with a cast on his leg to recover at home.

In Kenya if you go to hospital they will also check you for Covid.  If you test positive they will keep you in hospital or send you home with a prescription for medicines if you are not showing signs of medical distress.  Unfortunately Livingstone tested positive and so he needs help with the cost of the medications.  Thankfully he is not hospitalized for Covid treatment and we hope it remains that.  Truthfully though I am concerned about the possible exposure of his other family members. These are humble villagers and they live in very small homes.  Given he has a cast on his leg, someone has to take care of him.

We hope he can continue being treated at home and get better. He needs a variety of medications for a total of 10 days. As of the time of this post he will be going into his 3rd day of medications.

 

If you can help at all please donate to the Pay Pal account on the side bar.  If you make a donation and you have any problems sending it through please let me know as it happens from time to time.  I do not really like asking for funds.  On the other hand, as Christians who try and help others, we ought to let people know about the needs so they can help too if they are felt led to do it.  Some kind and generous people will never have an opportunity to help someone if no one ever brings the needs their notice.  This is, after all, a ministry we are doing in Kenya. It is not formalized through a registered organization though some day it may be.  It is ad hoc and really focussed on helping the very destitute who are not able to access help through organizations.  There are so many who fall between the cracks.  

I do as much as I can on my own with helpers in Kenya and I fund most of it myself. When the needs that come to my attention are too much for me on my own I post about the needs.  We could do so much more if we had more helpers but we do what we can. If  you feel led to help these people, you will know who you are.  If God is speaking to you, please be in touch. Thank you.

I've written from time to time about another young man, Alvin whom we assisted through the final years of  engineering degree.  He graduated with wonderful grades but it is next to near impossible to find work in Kenya.  He has been praying for open doors and God's leading his life. He has now moved on to what may be his life's calling and is now on the path to becoming a priest in the Catholic faith. He left a few days ago for the first phase of his multi-year training.  Though it isn't a job in engineering there may be opportunities to serve in his church with his background. Up to now we (mainly he) have been involved in getting him ready and getting all his needs in place (special clothing and other necessary items). He has been in seminary before as a high school student so the early part of studies will not be new to him. I wish him every happiness and success in life and in the ministry to come.

From time to time, I've mentioned a digital project I've been working on. It has eaten up a lot of time and energy but soon the main part will be done. Then I won't look at it again for a very long time. I'm so glad!

I've used the time in between the above activities to read a few books. Here is a collage of 4 books I'm currently reading or have read recently.  

My modest goal for the year was to read  25 book and I've now surpassed that goal.  I have several other books on the go and on hold at my local library but I will slow down a bit. I need to focus now on enjoying the summer ahead and doing some household projects and making more time in prayer and study.  There so many people in great need for a great many things, not just material needs but physical, emotional and spiritual needs as well.

Thursday night I bought a big ball of cotton yarn to make a few dish cloths. I rather like the multi-green colour. It reminds me of the spring season we are in. It feels good to pick up the needles again.

I'm not sure how often I'll be on line over the summer but I expect to pop in to various blogs and visit with you. I have already started doing it.  Hopefully I will have a chance to pop into my own blog too in between activities but I expect to resume normal blogging in the fall.  I don't even want to think about fall right now though it is one of my favourite seasons due to the crisp air and the beautiful, seasonal colours.  I am looking forward to enjoying the spring sunshine and beautiful colours as we move into the summer months.  Along that line, I have finally started working in my patio garden and once it starts blooming that is something I will post on this blog. I can't wait to see what it will look like in a few weeks.  The photo below is a before photo taken on Friday, May 14, 2021.

Stay safe

On My Heart

I've been busy with the Kenyan missions non stop for some time now.  I haven't written about it because there has been so much going on. But God has been faithful. Perhaps I will have an opportunity to share more about it later. Today I want to give a brief update about a number of things.

One thing I would like to ask is prayer for my friend Jonah in Kenya. He is currently in hospital in Nakuru after contracting some kind of bug while in Nairobi. He was admitted to a  Nairobi but checked himself out to get to Nakuru. He was trying to recuperate at a pastor friend's home and was seeking outpatient treatment while there.

After several days with no improvement,  his pastor friend and a doctor who is a neighbour to the pastor, escorted Jonah to hospital and he was admitted. He is now there recuperating having undergone numerous tests and different medicine prescriptions over the past several days. At the  moment he is very tired and sleeping which is crucial for recovery.  He would appreciate your good thoughts and prayers.

...praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication....

Ephesians 6:18

~~~~

Remembrance Day is now passed and Christmas is close behind. I know American friends still have Thanksgiving later this month but in Canada we celebrated Thanksgiving just over a month ago.

I haven't had time to make too many granny squares for my latest quilt but I did make a few more.  I will take up making more again later this week and may even start on the new black, white and gray afghan.

Instead I've been finishing up my latest read by Kazuo Isiguro. It is very slow, sad and somewhat dark story.  Basically the book is about young people who are cloned for their body parts. The novel slowly takes you through the education and indoctrination or preparation for of the students for their future lives as donors and carers of donors. The ending wasn't very satisfying but perhaps that is how it should be. Given the subject matter how can there be a satisfying ending? In any case, I am glad I finished it. I wanted to read this book because it was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in  2005 and won several awards in addition to being turned into a movie. Have any of you seen the movie or read the book? I'd be interested in your thoughts.

Right now I'm reading the short stories of Sherman Alexie, Native American writer. I am not really a short story fan but I do like Sherman Alexie's work. I was first introduced to him when I watched the major motion picture called "Smoke Signals" in the late 1990s. I found it very funny and of course one of the very few motion pictures based on a work by a Native American. Alexie's work is raw and he uses a lot of cuss words. Again I am not a fan of this kind of stuff but there is still plenty of material in his stories that I find interesting.  Sadly I just found out that allegations of sexual impropriety have been levelled against Alexie. He has admitted to the truthfulness of several of the allegations. Sometimes I wonder just when the cesspool of such behavior will come to an end.

On a brighter note, I'm reading a book by Christian author and medical doctor, Don Colbert called "Let Food Be Your Medicine". It is based on the doctor's own medical health crises which caused his immune system to break down on more than one occasion.  The doctor then spent a decade and several hundreds of thousands of dollars learning learning about how certain foods cause of inflammation in the body and how to address it.  His interest and experience predated the proliferation of authorship on this subject.  Today you can find this information quite readily on line and in bookstores; even on PBS shows.  I used to watch the doctor and his wife, Mary on television years ago. I always found him very informative but I don't think he actually wrote this particular book until a few years ago though he has written at least 40 books.

 ~~~~

I'm getting a few gifts ready early for friends who are leaving in a few weeks for Tanzania. We are trying to work out time to visit once before they depart. Another friend has invited me to a Christmas lunch and dinner, an annual all day event for women. Someone she knows organizes these dinners as a ministry to women. It sounds intriguing. I have to decide whether I'm going. The timing might not be suitable for me. I'm also working on some other plans which I will unveil in future posts. I'm looking forward to sharing with you later.

Christmas cards are very much on my mind too. If I want them to get to far flung places I must send them out now. I don't send out so many any more.  It is primarily a way to touch base in a personal way with some of  my far flung friends.  I looked in stores for a few weeks for a card I liked but ended up ordering them on line instead. They arrived on Friday and I'll prepare them and get them out this week.  The problem is that Canada Post has been in contract talks with it's employees and we are currently experiencing rotating strikes across the country. I'm going to mail them out anyway and hope they will eventually reach the intended recipients.

Now that the children in the family are all grown and many of my loved ones have departed, my focus for Christmas has shifted. Rather than celebrate to excess and extravagance I choose a peaceful, quieter time of inward reflection and calm.  I  want to remain in an attitude of gratitude and thanksgiving and spend the time doing things that bring me peace and joy.  Hopefully I also bring joy to others I know and spend time with over the Christmas season.  It's not likely that Jesus' birthday was on December 25th.  This date was chosen by the early Roman Church to correspond to Winter Solstice.  Since the season is now set aside as a Christian celebration I use the time to celebrate the birth of Jesus and what he has done for men and women everywhere, including me.

I didn't start this post with the intention of preaching but perhaps this post is meant for someone who has been thinking about this issue. It seems to be the case that when I have a question on my heart, the answer somehow appears.  It may be that you are going through some questioning of your own and looking for how someone else looks at this issue.

Well I must sign out and get on with things. I hope you all have a terrific week ahead

Take care everyone. 

I won't be linking to any meme today. 

Please Pray

 Ephesians 6:18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.

Dear friends,

Tragedy has struck in Kenya and touched the lives of my friends.

Some of you know that Somalian terrorist group Al-Shabab attacked upscale Westgate mall in Kenya  on September 21, 2013. Many were killed and more terrorized.

Then Sunday night Kenyan time, 48 people were killed in Mpeketoni near Lamu off the coast of Kenya.  One of those killed was my friend Jonah's cousin. Jonah is there now with family members to recover the body of the deceased and bring him home to Kericho for interrment.

Carnage outside Mpeketoni Police Station, Photo Credit: Daily Nation News (Kenya)

On Monday, terrorists killed another 15 people in a 2nd attack on the people of Mpeketoni.

May God protect the police and the innocent and bring additional security.

I ask you to pray with me for Jonah's safe return home and for the means to assist the family in the all costs involved with final resting preparations.

Please also pray for the safety and peace for the people of Kenya and for the Government of Kenya to get on top of the insecurity in the country.

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!

Kenya Election (2013) Update

In my last post I asked for prayer for the nation and the people of Kenya who on March 4 this week, underwent their first national election since 2007.  After the election results were announced in 2007, horrendous violence broke out.  About 1200 people were murdered and countless people became internal refugees as clashes broke out over ethnic rivalries and Presidential election outcomes. It took a lot of negotiations, diplomatic interventions and Constitutional reform to try to bring hope to the ordinary citizen of Kenya.

National elections again took place on March 4, 2013.  One of the candidates vying for Presidency (Uhuru Kenyatta) and his running mate (William Ruto), face crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court (ICC) of the Hague.  Uhuru Kenyatta's trial  at the ICC was to begin in April but as of March 8th his trial date has been set for July 9, 2013.  Generally in courts, one is deemed to be innocent until proven guilty, but the ICC and many Kenyans, and indeed even foreign governments, have so far acted as if these individuals are presumed guilty until proven innocent. Many people base their feelings and opinions about the individuals charged, based on their ethnic or tribal affiliation and the history of the political divisions in Kenya.  Often political leadership determines patronage for the best jobs and contracts or ensure that particular tribes wield a lot of influence. It is difficult for a foreigner to understand why and how this happens unless they understand the colonial history of the country, the transition of the country to democracy and the "tradition" of corruption that has flourished in the country since the transition.  Most ordinary citizens of the country have not benefitted from post-colonial democracy and most just want to have equal opportunity to education and a livelihood. Most also want good and affordable health care and better infrastructure. None of this is really possible as long as the country remains divided along tribal or ethnic lines.  There are many examples of how this kind of co-existence can lead to devastating impacts on a country.

Nairobi, Kenya's Capital

During Monday's election some people died.  I'm not sure the exact number but the reason seems to be attacks on the electorate by members of a separatist party.  For the most part, the elections were conducted peacefully although the fact that many workers did not return to work and have been anxious about the election outcomes give one a good idea of the state of tensions in the country.

An overwhelming turnout of 70% of the registered voters (14.3 million people) queued in line for hours upon hours to cast their votes. The people have been sitting on tenterhooks since Monday, as they still do not have final results of the elections.  To give you some idea of the massive scope of this election process (and hopefully some idea of the logistics, monetary investment & time required to conduct it and to tally the votes, there are 290 polling stations with 10,000+ candidates.  They are vying not only for the position of President, but also Governors, Senators, Members of Parliament and Women's Representatives.

Kibera Slum, near Nakuru, Kenya.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission  (IEBC) of Kenya is responsible for tallying the election results.  Legally they have 7 days to do it.  Kenyan voter expectations were high and they expected results on Tuesday because the initial tabulation and transmission of voter results was to be done electronically.  The electronic system failed and the IEBC has had to alter it's process and rely on manual tallying.  They have been giving updates about their process and giving new forecasts as to when they expect to announce final and official elections results.  But tensions rise each day.  Each day of delay leads people to think that something is amiss and that the process is being rigged.  This is what happened in the 2007 elections which ultimately ended in violence.

Look out along the Nairobi-Nakuru Hwy. overlooking the Great Rift Valley.

All returning officers from all parts of Kenya, including some very isolated areas of the country, have now made their way to Nairobi.  As of Wednesday they are all together undergoing the tallying of the votes. The Chairman of the IEBC, Isaack Hassan, has appealed for patience among his countrymen.  He has appealed to Kenyans to await the official results has tried to reassure them that given the security of the tabulation system, it is not subject to vote rigging.  Now however, one of the Presidential candidates, Raila Odinga (as reported in at least one paper), and his running mate (Kilonzo Musyoka) have called into question the credibility of the tallying process.  It is this kind of talk that stirs up the emotions of people  although the running mate did specifically appeal for calm and for the tallying process to be halted and started anew.  Raila Odinga was also a Presidential candidate in the 2007 elections and so it is understandable why and his running mate feel frustrated by the issues with vote tallying. It is also difficult for people at the grassroots to remain calm precisely because they felt cheated in the last election.  Some people, including me, think, it would have been more prudent for the political candidates to wait until after official results are announced before determining what interventions are needed. In fact, I believe the new Constitution of Kenya would not permit the IEBC to halt tallying in the midst of it.  They must return an official count within 7 days.  I believe that those that have standing to dispute the results can then file a claim in court.  The courts have apparently geared up to ensure that such claims are dealt with expeditiously.

A busy street on one of Kenya's busy cities. I cannot remember where but I think it is in Nakuru.

Schools are still closed for the protection of the children.  Government offices have remained closed as Kenyans anxiously await the announcement of final presidential results.  Today (Thursday) civil servants were ordered to return to work by 8:00 a.m. Friday.  The private sector also appealed to workers to return to work. I've heard that street vendors are back on the streets selling their wares.  They are too poor to miss work and prices for food stuffs have tripled over the past few days. My guess is because most stores are closed  there is a small  opportunity for poor vendors to try and make some money. There are also probably not as many customers on the streets as people sit at home waiting for election results.

Street vendors along a busy highway.  The cabbages in Kenya are huge.

Please continue to pray for the election outcomes, the protection of the Kenyan people and their beautiful country. It is Friday tomorrow and the expected day of official election results though the IEBC tecnically has a few more days if required. Updated March 8: 2:25 p.m. Kenya time:  The race is down to the last moments with the top candidate, Uhuru Kenyatta hovering near 50 percent.  To win the Presidency, a candidate must get 50% +1 vote to win, otherwise the country will face a run-off in April.  Groups of security forces are starting to appear in the streets of the cities to ensure they are ready for any potential eruptions.

On my side of the world it is wee hours of the morning and I need to get some shut eye. I will learn of the new President on Friday my time.  Update March 8: 11:27 p.m. Kenya time:    There is still no clear winner but with 271 out of 291 constituency votes tallied, it appears that the leader of the Jubilee Party, Uhuru Kenyatta, is set to win on the first round.  Update March 9: 12:04 a.m. Kenya time:  A representative of the IEBC has just announced that final and official election results will not be announced until 11:00 a.m. He also announced that this was to maintain the integrity of the process which includes an audit of the final tallies, and the presence of representatives of all the political parties. Update March 9: 6:54 a.m. Kenya time:  The media is reporting that the IEBC quietly announced Uhuru Kenyatta as the new President of Kenya at about 2:00 a.m. local time.  The margin of victory is slim.  I believe the IEBC will still make an official announcement at 11:00 a.m. as planned. Raila Odinga,  the other lead Presidential candidate, is expected to make a statement sometime on Saturday morning.  Update March 9: Approximately 2:45 p.m. Kenya time - James Oswego, CEO of the IEBC and Isaack Hassan announced the official results of the election and declared Uhuru Kenyatta the new President-Elect. They also handed him one of 3 certificates with the official results as they are bound by law to do.  There are two other certificates of the official election results, one for the sitting President, Mwai Kibaki ,and the other for the Chief Justice of Kenya, William Mutunga.  Results - Uhuru Kenyatta 6,173,433 (50.07%); Raila Odinga 5,340,546 (43.31%).  Both Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga give speeches to their countrymen.  Uhuru Kenyatta gave an excellent Presidential type speech and thanked everyone who ran for office and ensured a robust democratic process.  He thanked the people of Kenya and pledged to work with all presidential candidates to move Kenya forward.  His Vice-President-Elect, William Ruto, introduced him and moved me to tears and laughter with his praise to God for the miracle of their election victory, and his anecdote about when he first met Mzee Kenyatta.  The Honourable Raila Odinga, gave a speech in a different location and indicated that he will contest the electoral outcomes in the Supreme Court, which is his legal option.  He also appealed to Kenyans to remain peaceful while he undertakes the legal challenge.

Many people seemed jubilant about the election outcomes despite the long and tiring process of the elections.  Media houses showed revellers in different cities across the nation.  One especially moving clip I saw was when a group of Kenyans marched along the streets of Nairobi chanting and singing.  They came to a stop at Jomo Kenyatta's mausoleum, knelt on the sidewalk, raised their hands and prayed to God. Jomo Kenyatta was the first Prime Minister, and later President of Kenya, and he also happens to be the father of the new President-Elect,  Uhuru Kenyatta.  Kenya has turned a new chapter in it's political development and has matured and taken another step forward in it's democratic development.

I thank those of you who prayed for Kenya and her people. I thank God that the Kenyan leaders also pray and look to God for his wisdom and help.  I pray that God would continue to lead them and guide them as they continue to grow their democracy. God bless Kenya!

Once things have settled down, I hope at last to post about my giveaway.  For now it seems inappropriate as I wait for the outcome along with my friends who live so far away.

God bless.

 Pray without ceasing.

1 Thess. 5:17

Pray For Kenya

Dear friends,

Kenya is having a national election on Monday, March 4, 2013.  For those of us in the western Hemisphere, it will still be Sunday evening while Kenyans are out voting.

The last Kenyan national elections were held December 27, 2007. It was a violent time. Kenyans and their supporters abroad don't want a repeat of this.

Please keep Kenya in your prayers for a peaceful outcome to their elections on Monday, March 4, 2013, and for God's hand to be involved in leadership selection.

Have a great weekend and may God bless your leadership too.

Inauguration 2013

 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people —  for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.  This is good, and pleases God our Savior… ~ 1 Timothy 2:1-3


Lovely to see so many people at the Obama inauguration in Washington today.

Of course I wasn't there myself. This image is from the AP Photo Credit: Rob Carr-PoolGetty Images

I pray a better time ahead for the American Nation. I pray the same for the people around the world. May God bless, protect and inspire the leaders of the free world and speak to those leaders who do not currently rule under a democracy.

Please Say a Prayer & Lend a Hand

My uncle had surgery several days ago to remove cancer from his colon. Everything went very well and he was recovering nicely. But after I returned home tonight I had a call from my mom and she says things have taken a turn for the worse. It sounds like my uncle had a fall and his newly sewn intestine is ruptured. He had to have emergency surgery and they are operating again tomorrow (Friday). I am not sure all the details or what exactly happened as mom got the information 2nd or 3rd hand. I prayed with mom for her brother and we are waiting to hear more in coming day or two. We prayed not only for my uncle but for the entire team of people caring for him and for the family.

Yesterday I asked for prayer for little Linet in Nakuru, Kenya. Please know her family is very poor and though we have tried to help her mother start a business it is not enough to meet the special food and health needs of her little girl. The little girl needs cleft palate surgery and had to be taken to hospital for surgery due to some complication. We need your prayer and financial support for this family. If you are considering, please don't delay as the help is needed now.

Thank you for your consideration.


UPDATE JULY 16, 2012

After doing well initially, my uncle had a setback. It seems that putting the intestines back together did not work. Since his first surgery my uncle had to have emergency surgery on Thursday. Then on Sunday he was operated on again and given a colostomy bag but he did not regain consciousness. He passed into glory today at 5:35 p.m. PST. His mortal body will be laid to rest sometime this weekend. His immortal body has been welcomed into Heaven.

Summer Daze

Hi friends, I hope you are all enjoying your week. I thank those of you who left messages of encouragement and prayer for Kenya and those affected by floods, famine or just general lack. I thank you too for leaving me birthday wishes. I'm one of those who would rather not have a birthday, lol but we can't help but grow another year older each year. Hopefully we are making the best of the time we have. I know I'm trying to live a meaningful life and do things beyond myself that will  make a lasting difference for someone else.

I have been home from my recent travels to visit elderly relatives for about one week now. I have been trying to take it easy and catch up on rest. At the same time, I have busily been trying to move forward on my action list.

I've been reading a great new novel, Half a Yellow Sun and studying my Swahili lessons which are already coming to an end. I've been searching around for a Swahili tutor and thinking about continuing with classes in the Fall. I found a tutor at the university and I found another longer and more expensive class out there too. However I want to do a lot more study on my own to build on something in whatever class I decide to take.  These are all ideas I have.  No decisions have been made yet.

The blue pots are new. I wanted to plant geraniums. I can't wait for them to bloom.

I've also been catching up on cleaning around the house; mostly in the kitchen and my bedroom. I'm thinking of getting the carpets cleaned. Right now there is a deal with Groupon that I might buy (two thirds off the regular cost).  It's amazing how dirty they can get even when you take care. I suppose it doesn't help that I have to carry bags of dirt throughout my apartment to get it to the patio garden. I've brought in bags and bags of dirt and new containers for container gardening. All of these were heavy.

New brown colour for the patio furniture.

These are the new patio chair cushions.

The patio furniture is getting a make over and the new patio cushions are waiting to sit on the revamped chairs. The cost of the spray paint ended up being a lot.  Equal to the cost of one new chair or one new cushion (about $40. Canadian), but still a lot less than buying a new patio set.  It has been raining all week so there is a delay in getting the table repainted. 

I'm still working on container gardening too.  I had to get a few more pots and was able to find these dazzlingly beautiful blue pots.  I looked and looked to find a good price. I've learned that container pots are amazingly expensive, even the plastic ones that are made to look like stone or ceramic. I don't like to use plastic outdoors as the pots crack after being left out in the sun, wind and rain. Also, they don't biodegrade.

My little bird bath is a delight. It is a cast metal so it withstands the strong winds we've been having. I've been wanting one of these for years and years. I finally got one at about one third the usual price.  After the patio furniture is ready and the garden is done, the patio will need a general cleaning.  I had to move everything out onto the patio when I was getting the new washer and dryer installed. Stuff is still sitting out there because I've been so busy these past two months. I can't believe how much time has gone by.  It feels like yesterday when the washer and dryer were being installed. I've had to buy so many things for the household this Spring. Hopefully I won't have to buy anything more for a long time to come except perhaps a new patio set if rust weakens my chairs (hopefully that won't happen).

I love my new bird bath but mostly it's attracted crows so far.

Today I am meeting a friend for coffee but I see I am out of bread so I have a batch rising as I write this post. Hopefully I can have it baked and cooling before I leave the apartment. I am also thinking of whipping up some cookies to have on hand. I've been wanting to bake for awhile now but have been too busy. I like to have cookies in the freezer so that I don't go out and buy snacks.  Actually I don't have funds by this time of the month since I am trying to balance my budget to zero at the end of each month. This means all funds are allocated for the entire month and are paid out or assigned before the first week of the month has gone by. It leaves no funds for playing around with. I'm still working on being consistent about this as it takes care of first things, first. This way of budgeting is not that easy to do if you have real emergencies arising and your emergency budget doesn't cover it all.

I also have to go out to do some banking later and stop at one store if there is time. They are having a 50% off sale of already marked down items. It pays to get things when there are these kinds of sales if they have what you need and if you have set aside some funds.  That is always the catch. The stores often don't have my sizes in stock by the time they get to the clearance but sometimes they do and that is a happy moment.

I have a lot of people I'm praying for; many are in Kenya.  There are so many needs. Some of the people I am praying for read this blog. Please know you are loved and prayed for.  God bless.

Sad News

My only remaining uncle had day surgery today to deal with a blocked intestine. When the doctors opened him up they found advanced stages of cancer. They sewed him up and sent him home but he has to return to the hospital soon to see whether there are any treatment options. My mom couldn't remember all the information but this is the gist of things concerning her brother. Please keep both of them in your prayers.

A Prayer for Haiti

Dear Lord,

I ask you to be with the Haitian people. Many are wounded physically and scarred emotionally, mentally and spiritually. I ask you to heal them today in every way.

I pray for many labourers in the field who would help the needy in Haiti and for many prayer intercessors from afar who would step into the gap to pray.

I ask also for your ministering angels to protect, strengthen, comfort and preserve the sick, the weary and the wounded. I ask for the creative miracles and other miracles of healing for those that need it and cannot get medical attention in time. I pray for protection and safety for the living from any possible outbreak of disease caused by so many dead people. I pray you will help the dead to have a name Lord and not to be "lost" because of mass burials. It is so tragic for their loved ones who may be left behind. I know You do not forget these dear ones Lord no matter who else does.

I thank you so much that you are a loving and healing God and that we can call upon you any time, night or day, and you are always there. You never sleep or slumber. We can be assured that you are there to hear us when we pray.

I want to give you all the praise and glory Abba Father for you have been so good to me. I would like it so much if these desperate people could know some of the joys and hopes and dreams that you have given me. I pray for them to have a hope and future as your word says in the book of Jeremiah. Let your glory be revealed in the Haitian people; our brothers, our sisters, our mothers, our fathers, our grandfathers and grandmothers; for you love them so very much. I pray the world would see how you want to bless these people abundantly because you love them so much.

I pray and I ask all things in the name of your Son Jesus; the matchless name of Jesus. Amen.

Unpacking

Front entry area

Dining area

Well I`ve been back into my condo since July 31st, 2009 and promptly went out of town for a 5 day visit with mom. Now I`ve been back trying to rest and get up the motivation to unpack. It just simply wasn`t happening!

Living room

Finally, yesterday morning I asked for prayer from MC family for the energy. Then I promptly took a very long nap, lol. But later in the evening I did indeed start the unpacking. Today I was up early and I haven`t taken more than a brief rest since this morning. To see my place right now you wouldn`t think I have done much of anything but trust me, I have conquered more than half of the boxes! Yesterday, I laundered a lot of bedding and linens and sanitized the china & crystal from my small cabinet.

Today I grouped boxes with ``like contents into different corners of the apartment, reorganized the coat closet, re-organized 3 out of 5 dresser drawers, completely re-stocked my bedroom closets, filled 3 give-away boxes of clothes and sundry items, did some dusting and started an inventory of things improperly packed and damaged by the movers. At last I feel like I am making progress.

Entry to the galley kitchen

Finally, yesterday morning I asked for prayer for the energy and then I promptly took a very long nap, lol. But later in the evening I did indeed start the unpacking. Today I was up early and I haven`t taken more than a brief rest since this morning. To see my place right now you wouldn`t think I have done much of anything. Trust me. Yesterday, I conquered more than half of the boxes, laundered a lot of bedding and linen and sanitized the china & crystal from my small cabinet. Today I`ve grouped boxes with like contents`` into different corners of the apartment, reorganized the coat closet, re-organized 3 out of 5 dresser drawers, completely re-stocked my bedroom closets, filled 3 give-away boxes of clothes and sundry items, did some dusting and started an inventory of things improperly packed and damaged by the movers. At last I feel like I am making progress.

One of the bedrooms

Prayer really works!
I hope to make more progress tomorrow and over the weekend as next week I have a number of appointments. I have a LOT of WORK left to do. Not just unpacking but a major overhaul to one of the bathrooms and some small changes to the kitchen area. Once the work is finished I will post some after pictures as I know the (late) before pictures are a bit frightening *smile.

And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: and if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

1 John 5: 14-15

Today I am Thankful For....

... a number of answered prayers.

Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people.

1 Chronicles 16:8

News that my friend Pastor Jonah has obtained a visa for his first trip to South Africa to participate in a conference for emerging leaders in Africa. Pastor Jonah is a very humble servant of the Lord and he has a great heart for evangelizing the youth. I feel that God wants to bless him with this opportunity to go to South Africa. I've been praying for this trip. So today you can imagine how excited I was when I learned that he has just obtained a visa. This means that the trip is closer to a reality.

A nice chat with Enock, a Kenyan student friend of mine who I haven't heard from in some time. He is back in college after a school break. That in itself is good news, but even better was the news that he received a generous financial gift from one of his papa's friends to help him enroll in college this term. God is so awesome!

My own mama has been needing a new apartment for the physically disabled. She has finally gotten a call to go and see one today. Praise God!

Listening to Reverend Faisal Malick's sermon on-line. If you've never heard him you will be blessed. He is a converted Muslim who is now being used to reach Muslims and others for the Lord. He and his wife, Sabina make a dynamic duo for the Lord.


Watching Pastor Len Paxton's tangle video "The Cross & The Holy Spirit". It is a message full of truth, dynamism and helps. Pastor Len heads the Acts 26:18 Ministry.

If you are into praying, I have a number of requests to share:

I pray that Pastor Jonah will have all the funds he needs and more, to make the trip to South Africa less stressful. It is always hard to plan to go far away when you have little in the way of means to meet your needs. Please pray along with me as Lord willing, the trip will happen in early June 2009.

Please pray for Enock's funds to complete his education on time. Brother Enock daily faces challenges that many college students in the developed world will never have to face or even imagine. This is true of many students in Africa, including Kenya. He is studying business administration at a Bible college and when he is finished, his dream is to go onto higher learning in North America.

Pray for my mama. Pray that God would clearly let her know if the home she saw today is the home that God wants for her, or that we will soon know to which home she will be able to move. Also, that she will have more than enough help for the move. There are particular challenges she faces in finding just the "right" home and in the timing of the move. God knows and cares about each one of these challenges.

Protection and anointing for Reverend Faisal and his wife, Sabina, and for Reverend Len and his wife, Angie as they carry out the work of God for the Kingdom. These two couples are dynamic duos spreading the truth of the gospel to the nations.

Photo credit: http://community.webshots.com/user/sczez/profile

If you have a prayer need, let me know and I will pray for you too. God bless!