Hope Bright Future

I have seen the effect of giving in two very different circumstances. In one orphanage, where leaders said the children were all orphans, but they weren’t, we tried to bring hope by providing the necessities of life and beyond: a well for water, generator to power lights and a TV (for a few hours in the evening), new clothing (on several occasions), extra food (a cow or chickens) and candy. The affect was a growing lack of gratitude. As balls, games, toys and clothing were brought on a regular basis, the children became more aggressive, lacked contentment and were competitive, ungrateful and demanding.

The leaders became discontent, too.

Hope Bright Future started a similar project but with true orphans. They were given nothing except essentials and guests were not allowed to bring gifts or any other items. There is no electricity.  

The simplicity demands attention. 

The children were given photos of themselves and they decorated the bare cement walls. They had one soccer ball, three jump ropes and a hula-hoop. While putting up the pictures, they were allowed to play with the roll of tape. It amused them for a long time.

The contrast was blinding. They were happy and content. They shared and were not demanding.

Trying to Americanize a group of Kenyans taught a great lesson.

How much more do we get and then become demanding of God, discontent, aggressive, competitive, ungrateful?

The countenance of these children spoke volumes.

James asks, “What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members?”

The Pot-Bellied Pastor

One would notice if someone was portly in this culture where starvation is rampant. An anomaly is the typical so-called pastor. They are fat. It almost goes without saying here, if a pastor is trim, he is serving the people, if he is fat, the people serve him (financially).

A man came up to me on the street, introduced himself as a Bishop (the highest rank in the Kenyan protestant church), and immediately proceeded to boast of his 29 churches. I looked at his mid-section and quietly said, “I should have known”. The usual request of such person is how I can assist them financially in their ministry. Needless to say, I turned and walked away.

In watching TI ministry, there is a chasm that separates this from other ministries. They never ask anyone for money. They believe, and rightly so, that if God is promoting a ministry, He will supply what is needed. They also believe that they are to minister to the downtrodden and have aligned themselves with other ministries that have done the same.

Day after day I have observed the staff walk the streets, meeting street children and spending time with them. Their current goal is to assess the needs of young girls, some who are pregnant and living on the streets. The goal is to build a shelter, get them off glue, provide education and job training for the future. I will write more about them later when TI believes it is safe to take photos.

The attached photos are of street children, going through trash or living among the swine. 

When I think of TI, this verse comes to mind.

Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Rom. 12:16

A Lesson in Gratitude

Elizabeth has four children of her own and cares for her deceased daughter’s child and other deceased relative’s children.  

The total is nine and they live in a two room “house” that measures 12’ X 24’. There is a twin size bed that occupies ½ of one room (behind sheet) and the other room is for cooking. The children sleep on the dirt floor in sacks made to carry food.

The cooking room is empty with the exception of a fire pit, the common means of cooking. The walls are made of mud packed between sticks and the floors are dried dirt. 

Next to the building is a cho. It is similar to the outhouse of our western culture but it is a mud building with a gunnysack “door”. The difference is, there is no stool, just

 a hole dug in the ground, that one squats over, (again, typical of the culture).

Upon meeting the family, my heart broke and I vowed to pay for a larger building and food supply.

To my surprise, I learned an interesting fact about the family. They are ungrateful. When TI provides for them and seeks better housing, they want more, they are not thankful for what is provided and do not properly care for what they have.

How much so are we like this with our God despite his constant provisions?

Matunda, Kenya

A Matatu is a Toyota van, the old box style, which seats seven. Ours was revamped to seat twelve. Twenty people packed onboard for the several mile journey to Matunda. That was the beginning; other

 modes of transportation were used including boda-boda (bicycle taxi), and a Toyota truck with a camper and seats in the back. It sat about ten but they continued to pack it until every foot was taken. Two people standing, bent over (the roof was only head high when we were seated) with butt in face and one person’s elbow six inches from my eye. I will try to attach a photo when I get to an internet that is faster than the 31 kbps that is typical for the area.

Oh yes, also, a short journey in the back of a pick-up with several of us and grain for a grandmother caring for her grandchildren.

We also walked five miles, in the rain, to visit the grandkids that were in school.

TI assists this grandmother through sponsors of the children. We took the food and some supplies. She was grateful.

Her house consisted of an empty room with the exception of handmade chair, coffee table (for eating) and handmade couch (wood bench with cushion). In the opposite corner were some pots and food. The neighboring building housed the kitchen (a fire pit on the dirt floor) with nothing else and an adjoining animal pen where the grandson (15) has started to breed rabbits to sell.

The land had corn (maize) planted that will supply them for the year. TI is assisting them to become self-sufficient.

In the front yard are the children’s parents; buried years before, only marked by a mound of dirt that separates the area from the rest of the property.

An open well had been abandoned after the parents were buried nearby. They now travel to the river or neighbor’s to retrieve water.

The area is overwhelmingly beautiful. The children, who have absolutely nothing, are happy. Life is simple.

Kitale, Kenya

Kitale, Kenya

After a 48 hour journey, we arrived in Kenya to reside on the compound of Transformed International (TransformedInternational.org) for the next month. The TI ministry is three-fold, caring for orphans, assisting widows with micro businesses and providing a unique experience for interns.

Yesterday, we visited a hospital in Kitale where one of the orphans had been admitted, initially for malaria and pneumonia but later contracted meningitis, from a child with whom he shared a bed. To get a glimpse of this facility, see Amanda’s blog to which I previously referred.

There were many people, young and old, on each bed. There were eight beds in every alcove. It was unclear which were patients and which were family members, so each alcove of eight beds had about 32 people in the area of a common living room.

The orphan was released after ten days but during his admission, he was found to have contracted aids, probably from birth. His parents were deceased and his grandmother was caring for him.

A young woman kept calling out to us after we arrived. She had given birth to a child after seven months gestation. She asked us to pray for him as she had seen the team days before pray for children when they visited. The baby, the size of a small football, was writhing in an isolet, stuck in the corner of a room full of people. No one was attending to him. He had no nurse, no monitors, no special aids to keep him alive while he grew, just a band aid on his heal, where blood was taken, flapping open with each jerk of his foot. His fate was grim.

The strong odor of urine permeated the air. Faces were somber. The usual Kenya smiles were missing. Many children lay on beds, staring at nothing, expressionless.

Pagan Christianity?

One of the most important books of this era is Pagan Christianity? by Viola and Barna.

I recommend everyone read it. It will rock your world.

Faith

When asked if he needed financial assistance in caring for his orphanage, he replied, "...I do not feel at liberty to speak about the state of our funds.  The primary object of this ministry is to lead those who are weak in faith to see that there is reality in dealing with God alone."

The Autobiography of George Muller March 26, 1840