If I Were A Safari Animal...

One of the most exciting things about going on a safari is matching everyone you are with to a safari animal. Each animal embodies a distinct personality and there is a perfect match for everyone. It was decided among my van mates that I would be a Thompson's Gazelle, and I would prance around singing a "la la la la la" song that had a happy little tune. Here are some pictures; I hope you can identify. 

-Kenz

Midst

Is it strange that every single time I read or hear someone say the word "midst" that I think of my wonderful Kenyan friends? I heard pastors and other locals say that word many times and I just can't stop their unique pronunciation from continuously ringing in my head. 


I am sure you are probably thinking, "What in the world is so memorable about how they say this little word?" Well, I will do my best to explain. The typical american says the word "midst" as a one syllable word where the "d" and "s" blend together. In Kenya the word is broken into two syllables and the "d" and "s" are completely independent from each other. It sounds something like, "Mid-ist". It's just not quite right when it comes out a pastors mouth as one syllable. 

Outside of the church where I first heard the word "Mid-ist" in Bondenni. 

That's not the only thing I've been missing about Kenya. In fact I could make a whole long list that would most likely bore you to death so I won't do that to you, not today at least. I know I can't leave you hanging like that so I will attempt to quench your curiosity by sharing two more examples with you. 


It's really the little things that make me realize that I'm in a different continent, both geographically and culturally. For example, many times when leaving a group of people or person I have to restrain myself from calling out "Kwaheri". Sometimes it slips out and then I have to explain to a room of confused people that it means goodbye. Something else that keeps trying to slip through my lips is "Bwana Asifiwe". Just today I was in a meeting and after someone finished sharing something I had to press my lips together to prevent myself from exclaiming, "Bwana Asifiwe!" Saying "Praise God" just does not have the same meaning to me anymore. It has become cliche in this culture but in Nairobi, Bwana Asifiwe exclaims that no matter what the situation, God deserves to be praised! It is said often as a reminder that things are God's doing and that he gets all of the glory from it. In the mid-ist of a Kenyan telling a life-relating story, they will interject "Bwana Asifiwe" at least once every minute, sometimes multiple times in a row if they think the meaning hasn't sunk with you yet. 


I never would have thought that these would be the things that I would miss. Don't get me wrong, I miss my lovely friends there as well. Maybe these words resonate with me so much because they are a constant reminder of all of my Kenyan brothers and sisters. 


Thanks for listening. 
Mungu Akubariki


P.S. My family got a letter from my sponsored child today and I am anxiously awaiting when it gets forwarded to me so that I can read it... SO EXCITED! 

A Story of Mathare

Jambo,

Jambo Bwana.

Habari Gani?

Nzuri Sana.

Wageni,

Mwakaribishwa.

Kenya Yetu,

Hakuna Matata! 

This is the song that I listened to many precious school children sing for almost an hour while welcoming our team into their neighborhood in Nairobi. Listening to this song brought me so much joy but for a deeper meaning that just the smiles on their faces and the beautiful sound of a chorus of voices. It is their background and what they are overcoming that is so powerful. It is always moving to hear someone's testimony but to be caught up in the middle of it and witnessing their transformation first hand is something completely unimaginable. 

It is the story of each of these children that make them different that any other people I have been around. 

These children were born into a completely hopeless life. They have been born into a place where there has been no hope for education, a job, economic stability, guaranteed nutrition, and health care. But the list doesn't stop there. Besides the more obvious things that I have listed, these children have also been born into a family of despair. His or her father cannot find a job to support his family, and therefore is not fulfilling his need to provide for his family. More often that not, this father takes out his helplessness on his family by physical or sexual abuse. The child's mother feels like she is standing in the midst of chaos alone and helpless. A large majority of the households (if you can call a one-room shack the size of my bathroom housing multiple people with just one bed a household) are led my single mothers. It is very common in Mathare for a father to abandon his family when things get too tough or his public image might be compromised. Women don't have rights in Kenya like they do here in America. They might be the breadwinners of the family, but they can lose everything the have worked so hard for in an instant. 

There was no hope in Mathare Valley. None. If you moved there, you would never leave there. If you were born there, you would die there. That all changed in the early 2000's when an ordinary business working couple decided to do the little bit they could to provide a small drop of hope in an area of hopelessness. The Kamau's started Missions of Hope International (MOHI) and miraculously, their efforts of providing light did not get swallowed by the endless surrounding darkness. God has continued to bless MOHI and literally has "Transformed a valley of darkness into the mountain of God" Instead of the valley being filled with darkness, it is now consumed with light. Bwana Asifiwe! 

The children and families of the Mathare Valley now have a great hope because of MOHI. There is hope for their child to become one of the thousands who are now getting a good education because of child sponsorships. Through that education, the child is taught about the ultimate hope, hope that comes from Jesus. That newfound hope fills them until they are overflowing and spreading this hope like a virus to their family members and friends in the community. 

Honestly, I never understood how much of a difference child sponsorship makes and please don't tune me out on this part.  It literally makes all the difference in the world for that child. Choosing to sponsor a child will change a life. If you pass up an opportunity to sponsor a child, that is one more child who cannot escape the unrelenting clutches of poverty. 

I have seen first hand children who do not have sponsors. 

I have seen first hand the expression on those children's faces when someone chooses to sponsor them. 

I have seen first hand the priceless embrace of the first meeting of a child and their sponsor.  

I have heard first hand children and mothers talk about their sponsors and how much they love and appreciate them. 

I have seen and heard these things and been moved to action. I decided to sponsor a child my very first day working in Mathare. Even though I would consider myself a poor college student, I have been so blessed and the least I can do is sacrifice a little bit financially to begin a relationship with a child who's life I know I will be a part of forever. The impact of my simple decision to sponsor my little Brian Kioko is absolutely immeasurable. 

Me and my new sponsored child, Brian. He is so beautiful.

Please do not sit still after reading this. If what I have written has impacted you in the slightest bit, DO SOMETHING! You can sponsor a child and completely change a life, a family, and an entire neighborhood. I would love to talk to you more about this so please talk to me more about it. 

God is blessing the Mathare Valley and He is using us to do it. Without sponsors, none of this is possible. 

Kenya in the morning.... already?

Well here I am the night before my long awaited trip to Nairobi, Kenya. I honestly cannot believe that it has come up so fast and I feel like no amount of preparation can prepare me for what is ahead. Despite the feeling that I am being thrown into something unprepared, I know that I am as ready as I will ever be and I will give it my all. 


Immediately after writing this, I will go to bed for an entirely too short 5 hours of sleep. It will all be a buzz from here and it will be wonderful! Please pray for my trip that my team can do God's will while we are there and that the people we meet will be receptive to God's love. Different members from my 80+ person team will be taking turns blogging on my church's short term mission blog, http://mountainshorttermmissions.blogspot.com/, and I encourage you to check it out regularly while I am gone. 


Until I reenter the states on July 2nd,  


Mackenzie 

Kenya Fund Raising

Support letters were sent out for my Kenya trip in the beginning of March and since then I have been getting updates on the funds that have come in. I have been so amazed and blessed be people's generosity. I cannot believe how much support letters can do when you put your faith in them! I still need about $1,000 by May 7th but I know that I will have that money in time. I am not even worried about getting it because I have seen God's faithfulness through the last couple thousand dollars. 

I have to be honest with you all, I am tremendously looking forward to this summer because of all the things that are in store for me. And these are just the things that I already know about; I'm sure there will be plenty of surprises along the way as well. For now, I am just trying to keep my focus on school and my amazing life here. The pace of my classes is going to be picking up soon but all I have to say to that is "bring it on!" 

A Journey to the Slums

Hello Everybody!

I would like to officially announce to you all that I will be traveling to the Mathare Valley in Kenya, Africa this summer. Mountain Christian Church is sending 80+ people from the congregation to bring the hope of Jesus to a poverty stricken place. We are divided into several smaller teams, and I am on the sewing and knitting team. We will be teaching women of the valley how to make certain marketable sewn and knitted projects that they can sell to help provide for their families. I am very excited to teach them such a valuable skill but I am even more excited for the relationships that are going to be built while there. I already know that God will be working in ways that I can not even imagine.

A picture of the Mathare Slums which hundreds of thousands of people call home.

I know that this trip is going to significantly expand my comfort zone, but I am glad for that. There will not be change in the world if we all stay within our comfort zones. I am preparing myself for the challenge and growth that will occur during this trip. Please join me in praying for the people of the Mathare Valley, and for our team that will be going there in June.

I am praying to you

because I know you will answer, O God.

Bend down and listen as I pray.

-Psalm 17:6

Currently, I am working on my support letters that I will be sending to many of my family and friends. In these letters I will be giving information about my trip (much of which will be able to be found here), and asking for two things:

1. I am asking for you to commit to praying for my trip to Kenya. Prayers that our team and the people who we will be interacting with will be able to attentively listen to the perfect calling of God. This is my most important request because without God, this trip will not be possible.
2. I am asking for monetary donations toward my trip. I hate having to ask for money but it is an essential part of the process of going on a short-term mission trip and very important. If you would like to give you can give online at http://mountainchristian.org/pages/page.asp?page_id=104852, or wait patiently until you receive a support letter.

I would greatly appreciate it if you are able to do one, or both of these things, but above all, I am requesting your prayers. Thank you in advance for joining me in an endeavor to follow God into areas that desperately need his unfailing love.

Romans 8:35-39:

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;

we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

In Christ,

Mackenzie