Behold, I am making all things new!

Last week I was in Kenya with the task of getting all of the new and returning students into high school. The time was great and productive and I want to expand more on the trip as a whole in another post but I haven't been able to stop thinking about a conversation that I had with Christine.

I've known Christine for 3 years as a great soccer player, very aggressive on the field, a leader, outspoken, and someone who will talk to anyone. I see her as strong, bold and full of joy.

Last week Christine wanted to talk to me. So we sat down, and she was actually approaching me to share with me some family difficulties that one of her friends was going through. Christine and her friend had both just finished (and passed!) 8th grade. Christine was concerned because her friend was supposed to go to a day high school through Penda Project but Christine didn't think it was safe for her friend to stay at home and was urging me to take her to a boarding school. The selflessness and care is amazing. These girls are teenagers.

Then as she's talking tears start streaming down her face. And it was the silent cry that's not dramatic. It seemed like she just couldn't control those tears from coming. You could tell there was a lot of sadness behind them. And I was shocked, first, Kenyans dont really show emotion much. Second, see above how I described Christine. I would not have expected to ever see her cry. So I asked her what was making her so sad. She said she was hurting for her friend and she missed her sister. So I started asking questions.

Christine's parents had both passed away and she was living with her older sister. I had known this before. Now, Christine's sister has left for Uganda to try to find work. Christine's older brother was addicted to drugs and had basically disappeared on them. Christine had a twin brother, who I didn't know, and went to a different school, who was trying to figure out what to do after primary school. Christine's 2 younger siblings had been taken by some neighbors to a children's home. Christine hadnt talked to her sister since she had left a couple days before we were talking. Her sister had told her that she wasn't sure if she was going to return to Kibera or not.

Christine didnt understand why God had put her in this situation. She didn't understand what Gods plan was for her or for her friend. It seemed like everything just kept getting harder. She felt so alone. I told her the answers that you know that you are supposed to say but it just felt almost dumb at the time. Then Christine looked at me and said "Do you really think there is going to be a day when all the tears are wiped away?". And I said yes, I don't think there will be tears in heaven. And she looked at me and said "I can't believe that right now".

And it felt like my world got turned upside down. Like everything I've thought and felt about my faith and Christ dying for us. I REALLY don't understand or appreciate that sacrifice that Jesus was. My earth is almost like a heaven. I have so many people who love me and are there for me. I have a great husband who is always with me so I'm never alone. I have too much food, too many clothes, too nice a house, and I'm perfectly healthy. Why would I need to truly understand how great heaven is when I honestly would feel sad about leaving what I have here. But Christine has no parents, no place to call home, a handful of things, siblings in an orphanage, and older siblings who have left her. But at that moment and all the time since then, I have been in AWE of the gift you gave us. I am so thankful for heaven. I want this to be but a second of Christine's eternal life. Bc there is brokenness here but there is no brokenness in heaven. How great is that! How much greater is that!

"He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying not pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."
Rev 21:4

Thanks for your help!

Over the course of the past year, we have sold t-shirts, necklaces, sock creatures, paintings, and other crafts to raise money for Kibera Penda Project. Since we get sponsors for all of our high school students, we usually use the money raised towards needs at New Hope Primary school which is the school we work with in Kibera.

About a week ago I met with the deputy principal at New Hope and asked about the needs. We don't like to cover primary student's school fees ahead of time because parents would begin to not try to pay school fees because they would just expect us to cover them. However, Francesca, the principal gave me a list of student who had not fully covered their fees from January to June. The school has a huge heart for these kids and doesn't want to kick them out of school. They also know the family situations of many students and their are many orphans living with older siblings. however, what this causes is teacher salaries not being paid in full and other supplies the school needs are unable to be met.

Before coming, Ava had calculated how much we had raised on selling merchandise and crafts and the total was really close to 3,000 dollars. Francesca handed me the list of missing fees In Kenya shillings. That night I converted the total to dollars and Guess what it converted to ...$3013! Wow! Ridiculously cool!

Soooooooo... If you have bought a t-shirt, sock creature, painting, magazine bead necklace, even a magnet from us in the past year THANK YOU for helping partially sponsor 144 primary school students!!!!

A New Meaning for the word POVERTY

"...until we embrace our mutual brokenness our work with low-income people is likely to do far more harm than good."

                                             - Steve Corbett

I feel like each time I am in Kenya something I read/listen to completely blows my mind about bringing God's kingdom to earth now and serving the poor. I remember my first summer it was Irresistible Revolution and last summer it was the Radical Series by David Platt. This year it is the book I'm reading now- When Helping Hurts. I've read in words a lot of things that I've seen and felt but couldn't fully explain or comprehend. 

The book talks about God's call to serve the poor and free the oppressed but specifically how a lot of what we (mainly North American Christians) do that actually hurts the poor more than helps and hurts ourselves in the process. A World Bank study showed that people who are economically rich define poverty as a lack of material resources. But the economically poor define poverty as a lack of worthiness, feelings of inferiority, shame, powerlessness, and hopelessness. 

"For a poor person everything is terrible - illness, humiliation, shame. We are cripples; we are afraid of everything; we depend on everyone. No one needs us. We are like garbage that everyone wants to get rid of." 

                                           -part of the World Bank survey from a person in Moldova 

Poverty in one from is a lack of material resources but poverty also includes spiritual poverty, mental poverty, and emotional poverty. He

Poverty in one from is a lack of material resources but poverty also includes spiritual poverty, mental poverty, and emotional poverty. The author uses an example of going to the doctor and the doctor either misdiagnosing you and giving you the wrong medicine or giving you medicine to relieve your symptoms but not actually fixing the underlying problem that is causing those symptoms. Kyle and I have been talking a lot about "When Helping Hurts". We are glad that we have relationships with the kids that we work with and have gotten to speak some into their lives about the material, emotional, spiritual and mental poverty. But we really have been wrestling through how this affects our scholarship ministry. We have seen issues of entitlement of students seeing sponsors as their "god", parents feeling they don't need to be responsible for their children anymore. It's difficult at times  because God is showing us our own poverty. And so good because He is also showing us He is the healer of emotional, spiritual and mental poverty.

Penda rewards students with good attendance!

A few days ago we took 8 of the high school scholarship kids with the best study hall attendance to pizza, ice cream and the Giraffe Center! It was a great day of new foods and kissing giraffes!

Collins A, Collins O, and Gladys eating ice cream. It took them about an hour to finish the cone, TOO cold!

I have about 20 pictures of Dennis feeding the giraffes. He was obsessed with the giraffes and with the pictures of him with the giraffes.

Frankline 

 

 

 

 

Medical Assistance: Brian's Heart Issue

Kyle's mom and I were just talking a couple nights ago about how many serious medical needs that we have come across in our friends and students in Kibera this summer. Way more than in years past. In the past week, we have had a student in a car accident, with an unknown heart problem, potentially diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, very sick from AIDS. A mother in the hospital for a prolonged time after having a baby. A mother in Biashara's child with TB and unable to begin walking. We are feeling like we need to help but don't have much of a medical budget. I don't have any pictures or beautifully written story, but I decided there's no harm in asking for help...

First Grader Brian

Brian has been having heart problems for awhile now. His mother has taken him to a clinic several times and they have said there are issues going on but haven't been able to do more detailed tests. CAT scans and X-rays and other tests that will be able to give more clear answers are way more expensive. The cost for Brian to go get tests done on his heart are $200. Please consider donating to help Brian receive needed medical assistance. Donations can be made at www.kiberapendaproject.com. Also, please pray. Pray for Brian to be pain free and comforted. Pray for his family to have peace in God's purpose and plan. Pray for doctors to have wisdom in discovering the problem and knowledge of good treatment.

NEW Hope.

I was messaging my friend Whitney about how much New Hope Primary School in Kibera has changed since just last year. And then I started thinking about 4 years ago, the first time I visited Kibera and how much the school has changed. I think it is fitting that the school is called "New" Hope. Pastor Simon always tells the story of when they changed the name after they spent days praying for food and Kyle's parents came to visit the school and helped start the feeding program. But every year it feels like an even New-er Hope. I keep thinking about the Robbie Seay band song...

"All things bright and beautiful You are

All things wise and wonderful You are

In my darkest night You brighten up the skies

A song will rise...

I will sing a song of hope, sing along

God of heaven come down. heaven come down

Just to know that You are near is enough

God of heaven come down, heaven come down"

New Hope School 4 years ago

One of the new blocks of 4 new classrooms just finished in early 2011

From 300 students to 540 students.

From 8 classrooms to 12 classrooms. 

Grades split into two separate classrooms so there is not 60 kids in one class!

Two new school buildings with LIGHT in the classrooms.

A playground in the process of being built! 

From 10ish students passing 8th grade to 30 students.

Students with discipline and a work ethic in the classroom.

From zero students in high school to 60 students in high school.

A school nurse!

Heaven has come down. This is a NEW school. There is a NEW hope. I will sing a song of HOPE. 

Sing along...

High School Trip Home Safe

It was good to sit with the high school team their last night in Kenya and just reflect on the trip and talk about stories that impacted them. I think it is amazing to see hearts change in the lives of youth and also for me to remember that God is still working in my heart. I think after seeing poverty a lot, it doesn't impact you as much. But really, God calls us to continuously be broken hearted for the poor.

Somethings our students learned...
thankfulness...for the ways that God had blessed them, for their families and the love they receive from their parents
God loves the poor...God says that it is harder for a rich man to go to heaven. The students saw this in the faith of the people of Kibera. Many of them said it was a faith that they had never seen before because we can rely on all the things we have but the people they met had nothing. Therefore, they only had God to believe in and rely on for everything.
 the blessing of education...The students at New Hope Primary School and the students in the Kibera Penda Project scholarship program see their education as their way out of poverty. It is their hope. The 8th graders spend all of their time studying for their big primary school exam. The high schoolers are soooooo thankful to be in secondary school. Many students DREAM is to go to boarding school. Many of our students realized they take learning for granted.
strength and perseverance... Many of the relationships that students built with the students in Kibera grew strong for only 2 weeks together. Many stories were shared and our students got to know the lives of the kids in Kibera. Many of these kids have been through so much and are so strong and so joyful. Our kids would talk about their new friends and were so amazed when they found out this friends parents had both died, or they took care of all their siblings because their mom was sick with AIDS. They felt like they complained about such small things when such huge difficulties were facing their friends. 
 
 

Penda Youth Camp 2011

We started Penda Youth Camp 2011 with the 6th-8th grade students from New Hope today. We got the opportunity to go over to Lang'ata High School and use their fields which gave the students from Kibera a lot more space.

Our group led the four teams in cheers, camp games, worship, a soccer tournament. The students also rotated to sports stations and received training in basketball, volleyball, handball, American football, and dance. Taylor Koch, Brenna, and Parker led a great half time (our break in the day to do some worship and lessons) and talked about only searching for satisfaction from the Lord. And Taylor Gentry and the worship team led the kids in praise.


Their were lots of relationships that grew, kids had so much fun and got to learn new sports. The leaders were excited, passionate and also taught the students teamwork and discipline through sports.

We are all exhausted and sunburned tonight and some kids are already in bed even though it is only 9:30 here!

First Day in Kibera for Youth Group

We all made it to Kenya safe and with luggage and exhausted!

Today was our first day in Kibera with 25 person youth team that arrived yesterday. They spent the day visiting the kids in New Hope Primary School, walking about Kibera and starting to build relationships with kids. The team was amazing and we had to drag them back to the bus at the end of the day. And then enjoyed some Ethiopian food! (which all the picky teenage kids loved)

Pray for our team as they put on a day camp for K-5th grade tomorrow, Sunday School and Youth Services on Sunday and Penda Youth Camp for 6th-8th grade next Monday-Thursday!

The team includes:
Robin, Chase and Avery Hawthorne
Amy and Bo Phillips
Steve and Mallory Stone
Parker Franklin
Rachel Bergmann
Matthan Myers
Sam Egliht
Sarah Fountain
Madeline Broyles
Alyssa, Brittany and Wendy Smith
EC Nolley
Haley Glover
McKayla Riley
Taylor Koch
Taylor Gentry
Brenna Degroot

the JOY outweighs... 60 high school students in 2011!

30 eighth grade students pass their national exam
20 students start boarding high school
3 high school students finish in the top ten academically for 2010
60 total high school students in Kibera Penda Project 


Those are some big numbers. Some joyful numbers. As I have been back from Kenya now for 2 weeks, I have felt JOY in these milestones and God working in each of these individual students. 

In Eddy Mwangi, who finished 2010 as the #1 student in 9th grade at Lang'ata High School. He began his second year at a boarding school on January 7th. Eddy's a quiet boy, who loves soccer, but not more than studying so that he can change the future for his family. While I was in Kenya, Eddy asked me if he could repeat 9th grade so that he could do even better than he did this year (I'm not even sure that's possible!) Eddy also got a brand new pair of Puma soccer cleats for Christmas from a student at Veritas Academy. I've never seen him light up quite that much!

Eddy on the left holding his new cleats!

In Joan, who has a very special place in my heart, after hardship after hardship scoring the highest mark for a girl in the school. And this girl who strives for goodness was angry at herself for not doing better! We had to force some excitement out of her. Now, after two and half years in eighth grade due to family situations, Joan is going to boarding school! I've learned so much about perserverance and strength in this girl and find so much JOY in watching her become a leader and beautiful women of God.

 Joan rocking my shades in July.

In Lucy Juma, who we all fell in love with our first time in Kibera in 2008. This girl just has that spirit that draws you to her, makes you love her, and makes you want to know you more. She's never asked me once for anything despite the great need in her life. Lucy is a double orphan who has drifted from family member to family member. Over the past year, after issues with one aunt, Lucy moved in with her grandma, after another aunt broke up with her husband, she and her 3 daughters moved in with grandma. There was not enough room for all of them, so Lucy was asked to move out. Then, an older man tried to force Lucy to marry him. She was out of school for 2 weeks living with the man until the church pastor got involved. Lucy is now living with the pastor's daughter in Kibera, but is not sure how permanent that is. After prayer, deliberation, frustration, and begging, we decided to start Lucy's high school education over (she was in 9th grade in 2010) and got her into a boarding school!!! We are so thankful for an opportunity to get Lucy out of Kibera and allow her to focus completely on school. We are thankful that the pressures from older men, where to get food and whose roof she will be sleeping under are gone. 

Lucy holding up her new athletic shoes, a Christmas present from another Veritas student.

And Tressie...Trecy...Tressy (still not sure how to spell her name...haha), a now five year old girl who lives next door to New Hope Primary School, who we met and have loved and spoiled for the past 2 years. Tressie was really sick when we first met her, and after a long walk to a clinic with her and her mom, Deborah, their family has really become our family. Tressie is now a beautiful, healthy five year old who is starting kindergarten at New Hope this year!! So overjoyed to see that girl in school! 

Tressie in Summer 2008

Tressie in June 2009

March 2010

with Kyle in July 2010

January 2011

But then my heart is still heavy. There is still brokenness and sadness. And moments that I just beg God to work in the lives of every single person and I know it's possible and I know that the answer isn't education for every student, but I don't know another answer yet. And I just feel heavy for these kids. I pray that in these moments of failure in the world they find their worth and joy in Christ and in the beautiful people, in His image, that they are. I pray for God's protection over them in a hard, hard place of poverty and insecurity. And I do pray that God provides answers. 

For Mwende. Whose father has passed away. Whose mother is dying of AIDS. Mwende is the oldest child in her family, which in her situation, makes her MOM. And she's 15. And despite her brightness, has failed the 8th grade national exam two years in a row. Because how is she going to study when she goes home and cares for her mom and cooks dinner and raises her younger siblings? How is she going to continue to learn with the anxiety and stress of not knowing how much longer her mom has left? And not knowing what her and her siblings will do when her mom is gone? 

Mwende in July 2010

For Lazarus, who did 9th grade twice but is still struggling. Who I had to have the conversation with that he would no longer be sponsored in Kibera Penda Project. And he told me about the frustration and failure he feels when he continues to strive to do good and then falls short. And his father who gets angry because of his lack of success. 

For Vallary and Josephine and Caroline Achieng and Phoebe and Juliet who I sat in room with as most of them wept because they were all within points of passing their national exam but didn't. Who were ashamed to repeat eighth grade. Whose parents and aunts and uncles had put so much pressure on them and they failed. Whose families were threatening to take them upcountry because they didn't believe they could do succeed in education. Because of maybe 2 questions that they missed...on one test...   

"Taste and see that the LORD is good; 

blessed is the man who takes refuge in him." 

Psalm 34:8

Christine. Serious Faith.

Christine’s Story

My names are Christine Achieng. I am 14 years old. I have lived in Kibera for three years. I have been living with my sister. I come from Nyanza province at a place called Siaya. I lived with my elder sister, and I also have three brothers. I used to have one father and one mother.

My elder sister feeds us, and buys for us anything we need. The big problem that we face as a family is lack of money. My sister’s work is so little so sometimes we eat once a day and that comes from school. Many times, the hot lunch and encouragement from school is all that helps me survive.

As a youth in our community, I face so much trouble because of gossip, which will sometimes bring low friendships. Although we have some groups that help girls in their problems, it may also be very difficult. Sometimes the parents we live with are very harsh and will make the youth scared or afraid.

When I grow up, I would like to be a journalist. I want everyone around the country to see me and be surprised. For school, I want to work hard and pass my exams. After finishing my education, I want to take my family out of this slum.

The most serious thing that I would like you to pray for me is for my family- that God will provide, protect, and show us the way. Also, pray for me so that I will continue serving my living God.

Anyway, I am funny and smart and sometimes shy when I see new people, but I am also proud of myself.

Pray for Juliet to pass her exams with "flying colours"!!

Juliet’s  Story

My names are Juliet Wakhu Opisa. I have one father and one mother. Our family consists of five children- four girls and one boy.

I was born on November 1^st 1996 in our urban area. I have stayed there since I was born until 2004 when I was still young. Before, our family came here to Kibera, we were in a difficult situation. My father got into an accident in 2002. He was on his way to visit us. It was night. My mother was helpless; nobody could help us apart from our mighty God. At that time, when the news was out, my mother was shocked.

From that time, til today, God never left us. He lifted us up- whenever, wherever we would go. We have had trouble, but God never leaves His people. When my father got in the accident, my elder sister was in grade five. Imagine now, our first born who was in grade five, and now she is in college. I hope God will help my mom to have a good job.

As a young person, I have so many troubles in my life, but I don’t give up because I know God loves us and protects us  (Prov 1:7). I would like to be a broadcaster when I finish my education. I would like to build a church when I grow up and help orphans, and refugees too. I want to help them the way God has sent these good friends to help me. I am a funny girl. Pray for me because of my upcoming examination, that I may pass with flying colors!

May God bless you. With God, everything is possible!

At the beginning of day 2 of exams in Kenya, I am praying for Benta's future...

Benta’s Story

My names are Benta Akinyi.  I am 14 years old.  I have two sisters in this school. Their names are Lucy Achieng (she is in standard six and she likes reading). Another one is Jacinta Atieno. She is in standard three. I was born in Kawanga Hospital. I have stayed in Kibera for  four years and I come from Kisumu.

I live with my parents and I like it very much because they care for me, and they want me to study hard. My parents are Christians and they like the Word of God. We are only three children. My dad likes joking, while my Mother likes singing.

My parents struggle for us so that we can have our basic needs met. My mother is a tailor, while my father is a carpenter. They tell me to work hard in school so that I can help them in the future, and so that I can help myself in the future. They always tell us they want us to make our dreams, and when I hear that tears roll down my cheeks. I told them that I will work hard at school and I promise to them that I will work hard. I would like to be a newscaster. If I work hard, and reach my dreams, I will be very happy.

I want to overcome all temptation. I will put God first because He is the one who will overcome all the temptation and I will do the right things at the right time.

I am usually funny and I like joking and reading story books.

At the end of day one, I'm praying for Brian.

As I write this, it is about 5 p.m. in Kenya on Tuesday and the 8th graders are just finishing up their first day of exams. I pray that they feel peace tonight about their performance today and not anxious for the coming days of more exams. 

Right now, I'm praying for Brian.

Brian’s Story

My name is Brian Otieno. I am sixteen years old. I was born in 1994. I was born into a family of four members including myself. In my family, I am the first born. I have three siblings. All of my siblings are sisters.

I went to a nursery school in my early childhood in upper country at a place called Ugunja in Nyanza province. The name of the school was St. Paul E.C.D. Center. I later entered grade one in a school called Nyamasare primary school for my primary education. When I reached grade seven, I was transferred to another school called Ulwani. That is where I did my first national exam and managed to get a mark of 346 out of 500. Because of financial problems I had to move to Kibera to live with my aunt.

This happened one week after our national exam which took place from November 10^th- the 12^th of last year. When I reached Kibera in Nairobi, my aunt suggested to me to repeat grade eight. I did not have any alternative option but to repeat grade eight at New Hope.

I am trying to get 450 marks out of 500 so that I can join National school and later become an engineer.

The problem that I face here in Kibera is housing. Other houses may sometimes even be swept away by the strong rain.

I can say that I am funny, honest, and smart. I always pray so that one day I may reach my goals.

8th grade exam begins! Praying for JOAN.

Tonight I am praying to Joan. As I am writing this Joan is minutes away from beginning her 8th grade national exam along with the rest of the 8th grade class at New Hope Primary School. This test will determine her future. I wouldn't say it's the best method, but the rest of the week she will be taking a KCPE exam that depending on the score will determine if she goes on to high school and what high school she goes to.

Joan’s  Story

My names are Joan Adhiambo.  I am 16 years old. I live in Kibera Slum with both my older sister, whose name is Dorothy, and her children. I have three brothers and three sisters. Some are jobless. I love them so much because they are all God fearing. I am so happy because God gave me a great talent, which is singing and playing football.

The only difficult situation my family and I are passing through is lack of love and lack of money. Sometimes we see ourselves as not being very important. Since our mummy and daddy passed away, things have been difficult for me and the way our mummy used to take care of us. But, the only think I know is that God had a purpose for why He took away my parents.

Sometimes, I become angry and want to kill myself. I get very stressed when I find my friends gathering together telling stories about me or talking about how they have parents who are so nice to them and encourage them.

One day I went to church and found my pastor preaching that God knows you before you were born and he knows the plan for your life. That made me understand that I am an important person and one day I will be somebody. I will have a bright life.

For my career, I would like to be an engineer and help my brothers and sisters who are jobless. My prayer will come true.

Jesus is the pillar of my salvation. The love of God is the more important than anything. We should always keep on moving to our destiny.  Although I don’t have both parents, I know that God is my Father and He has a good plan for me, a plan not to harm me.

Baby Kelsey

 

I can't stop thinking about this little one. One, because she is my first namesake. Two, because one of our 17 year old scholarship student's had her. And my heart has been breaking for the seventeen year old mother, Elizabeth since I found out that she was pregnant.

This summer, I was worried about Elizabeth. Elizabeth was in the equivalent of her junior year of high school. Her grades were dropping. She had missed a lot of school and her head teacher had even met with me to discuss her repetitive sicknesses. She often had to go home early because she was faint or would so up to school late. Looking back, it all makes sense. But then, I was thinking HIV, TB, malaria, etc....

Then one afternoon in study hall, Elizabeth came to talk to me about her family. She told me that her younger sister and her lived with their aunt and uncle. They had no information about her parents and her aunt wouldn't give her information. Elizabeth was wrestling through doubts about her parent's being alive, too sick to care for them, too poor to care for them... or did her parent's just not want her? Elizabeth was questioning her worth... could something be wrong with her that her own mother abandoned her? The unknowing was eating her soul.

Then, less than a month after I got home I found out that Elizabeth was 6 months pregnant. How could I possibly not have known? I began struggling between the fact that it was sin and the fact that Jesus loves sinners and hung out with sinners. I didn't want to just let her disappear into Kibera as a 17 year old mom with no husband and no knowledge of a mother or father and no high school education. I knew I was supposed to help, but how? especially from half a world away?


After sending her a simple letter saying I still love you, I got this email...

"Kelsey am treading on a tortuous road,not only do i feel confused,sad or guilty but i also feel i have disappointed you people who are my benefactors,it is today that i have received your letter that i have felt that despite my present situation you are still fully and wholly behind my wellbeing....

If to tell you right now how i feel with myself, it is that when i realised i had conceived i felt like ending my life so that i dont live to see all these pregnancy humiliation...

i promise never to dissapoint you again please Kelsey, spare me aplace in your heart to forgive me and a chance too."

 And while I am still full of questions, confusion and a broken heart for Elizabeth, I keep being pointed to Christ's love of the sinners and God's call to obey him. All I did was pray, send a letter of encouragement, and spent $25 on hospital bills and there's a girls still alive with a beautiful baby girl who is named after me (while that's really cool, and still a little weird, I am honored that God used me to impact a life in that way).

A Kiberan and American student team up to write an inspiring song!

This summer a group of student's from Reagan High School came to Kibera to work with Kibera Penda Project. One of the high school students, Ni-D teamed up with one of our Kiberan eighth graders, Daniel to write and record a song- called JC. It's awesome! The song is awesome and glorifies our Lord, the music video is awesome and gives you a picture of the slum, Kibera and the talents of the students at New Hope Kibera Primary School, and Ni-D is amazing for sharing his passion for the Lord in Kibera!
It was also amazing to see these kids from across the world meet, build a relationship, and see how similar their passions, family situations, talents, and struggles were.

Check out their JC Music video at the link below!
JC Music Video

This girl's got radical faith!

So this is about a girl from Hays, Texas who went on one of the trips with us this summer to Kibera.

Her name is Kayla Jones. Some words that come to mind when I think of Kayla is faithful, bold, loving, intentional, adventurous, encouraging. Those are some pretty big characteristics that I wish people would say described me.

Today, Kayla spoke at her church service. She is 18, just graduated high school, and took over the entire main service to share about how God is working through her and people she met in Kibera and Zambia. That's pretty baller. I'm continually impressed with this girl. She is seriously seeking the Lord. I was daily encouraged by her faith, this girl is not just calling herself a Christian, she is living out a radical faith.

I think what I am even the most impressed with is that she went to Africa, saw need, and now wants to do something about it. She didn't go just go so God could teach her something and then ignore the oppression she saw. She is obeying God's command to serve the poor.

Here's a story from Kayla about her trip...

"I feel like God has been tying to teach me to rest in him through out the trip. I seems like all of my quiet times came back to that one central theme. That there is nothing that I can do without his presences in my life and him working through me. Not me trying to take on a worthy cause with his help, but being where he wants me and following his lead. I know that God has been showing me a lot of things that I feel are significant, but I don't necessarily know the meaning of them yet. I am hoping that God will reveal these things to me when I'm ready. One of the most memorable things about the children in Kibera is their joy and simple faith. My prayer is that I could have that kind of joy and faith in my everyday life, regardless of situations. To see where and how these children eat, sleep, go to school and live and then listen to their stories brings hope to my heart for them through Christ."

Last night in Kenya

I am leaving Kenya tomorrow night. Even typing it, my heart is heavy.

This is probably be my last post from Africa, but I still want to share lots of stories as I go home. So often I think our "mission" trips are all about what we learn while we are here. I keep trying to figure that out- what have I learned here? We sit down and groups and say "So, what has God taught you during your trip?" But I'm starting to think- maybe it's not really about what we learn... because it's not really about us.

We didn't come here for ourselves. We shouldn't travel to Africa to change OUR lives. Yes, while we are here that can definitely happen (I know it did for me), be we so often focus on ourselves when were coming here...
the lessons I learn,
    the experience I am going to have,
        the cute pictures I'm going to take,
             how it's going to change my life,
                  the good works that I am going to do.

And that's the other tendency- we tend to think we are doing something good/right/extraordinary/extra-Christian. But I am not here for me. I have done nothing good. I am no one extraordinary. I am simply obeying God's commands. To proclaim good news to the poor. The have the good news preached to the poor. To distribute to the poor. To go and make disciples of all nations. To give liberty to those who are oppressed. To care for the poor.

I think the biggest thing I've learned, more like REALIZED is that I don't want to learn things about God or learn more about my relationship with Him while I am here. I want to really SEEK HIM and KNOW HIM. Not just learn about Him. I want to daily be closer to the Lord than I was the day before. I want to daily surrender more of my life and my flesh and have His Spirit reign in me. I want to have more faith in the Spirit that is alive in me. It's a process, not a lesson to be learned. I want to live and serve and love in a way that people see GOD not me.

Because it's not about me....

Pray for Mercy Naliaka

Mercy Naliaka is a sophomore in the Kibera Penda Project scholarship program. She is awesome, hilarious, beautiful, laughs all the time and other people laugh at her jokes all the time.

Over the course of the past week she has been sharing with me about her family and home life. She lives in Kibera. When Mercy was young, her father died in a car accident. She was left with her younger sister and mother. A few years later, her mother got remarried and had two more children. However, her step-dad left them and took his two children with him a few years later. Just a year ago, Mercy's mother married again. This man is not a believer and is an alcoholic. Mercy says that her mother is always stressed out, always drunk, and her step-dad hits her mom. She described her home as unhappy, no laughing, no love. Her mother at times will lock her and her younger sister out of the house and throw their clothes out. Mercy even said that she doesn't think that her mother loves her.

I think that her mother has kind of given up. After a husband passing, a husband leaving, a long life in the largest slum in Africa, she has quit. She has given her life to alcohol, is probably depressed, and is staying with a man who abuses her.

Pray that Mercy will ultimately know that the Lord is her Father and her Mother who will always love her unconditionally.

Pray that she feels love and not unworthiness.

Pray that she, the only believer in the family, can be a light.

Pray that she can show undeserving love to her mother and step-father, like Christ loves us despite our sin.

Pray that Mercy step-father and mother don't put Mercy and her sister in an unsafe position, beat, or abuse them in their drunkenness.

Mercy is desiring another place to live, pray for the Lord's plan, to stay where she is or to move in with someone else.

Pray that the Lord changes Mercy's mother and step-father's hearts. It seems so far from happening right now, but the Spirit can work, pray for Him to.