I have arrived

I left Charlotte after scrapping a couple of inches of snow off my car....and Bonnie dropped me off at at the airport. I flew to Newark...met up with my buddy Keith Guercio....then 8 hours to Lima, Peru.....arriving about midnight. It was an hour long line in customs but we breezed through with no checks. This was an answer to prayer because of the many medical supplies we were carrying in both suitcases. If they think you are trying to sell things on the black market you could be detained for many hours explaining your situation. We went straight to our hotel....were up by 7...the off to the bus station. We rode an amazingly comfortable bus...were served a wonderful breakfast and lunch ....the only downside was having to watch the little mermaid.... if that wasn´t bad enough ...it was in Spanish....although Ariel sings beautifully in Spanish as well. I also participated in a rousing game of bingo....great practice for my number skills in Spanish. The ride up the Pacific coast with the Andes mountains on our right was stunning and spectacular. We arrived at the compound ... a little oasis in the midst of great poverty ...unpacked and then started talking to some kids....it didn´t take long to make friends .... as you can see in the picture.
I met sister Peggy who offered some cold drinks and some¨cuy¨ pronounced koo ee. It is actually a guineau pig. My philosophy about new foods has always been ....When in Rome... I would pay dearly as Montezuma´s revenge hit me about 4 hours later....I have never been that sick in my life. I don´t believe I´ll be eating any more household pets in the near future. Your prayers are working because by morning I was okay ....and amazed the doctor here. I´m ready for the first day of VBS and will give you the report in the next post.

John

Reflections on Kenya

What an incredible privilege it has been to experience Kenya! As I prepared for this trip I was focused on how to be useful to the people with whom I would be partnering with in ministry. Thanks to some expert coaching and hours of intense practice, I was satisfied with the improvement I made and how many songs I was able to memorize. This hard work would bear much fruit in the ample opportunities to lead worship and share songs. When I heard children and teenagers singing “Ain’t Nobody Love me Like Jesus!” or lifting their voices to the Lord in so many other songs, I marveled at what He was doing in the lives of these kids. There was excellent teaching and opportunities to build relationships as well as experience the unity and camaraderie of hundreds of other young Kenyans. His presence in the camp changed many lives!

As amazing as witnessing all of this was, I believe even more important was what the Lord was teaching me. When my suitcase didn’t show up for the first four days I faced the truth I was more materialistic than I ever imagined. When there was no one to talk to and I was alone He whispered gently how much He was enjoying the fellowship with me. Each time I transitioned into a new situation, He provided things I didn’t even anticipate I’d need. From sound equipment to the kindness of strangers, I was reminded of who is in control and who lights our path Eighteen days away from my beloved brought an awareness of needing to improve my appreciation for the blessing she is in my life. Planning details and making preparations was a challenging stretch for me. I learned persistence can overcome using the excuse, “I’m not gifted in that area.”

I am so grateful for the wonderful friends and family who have supported me in this endeavor. Bonnie’s unwavering encouragement to go to the ends of the earth…… Lauren and Caroline’s patient tutoring on making a blog….. Eric Simpson showing me there are techniques to singing….. Matt Cheezum’s time to help me nail down guitar rhythms to new songs…. Don Richter for suggesting the possibility and his insight on preparing to go…. Pastor Ken Monomo and Jan Ryder who stepped out in faith and allowed me to partner in their ministries ….. to all of you for your countless and powerful prayers, notes of encouragement, and financial support. What a testimony to the body of Christ functioning as one.

God is working in Kenya! There are many dedicated brothers and sisters on the front lines of difficult circumstances. The Great Commission is for all of us. Where is he calling you? It is my prayer the new year will reveal to all of us where we are to shine our light and share the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ!

Would you kiss a giraffe?

Never in my wildest dream did I think it was even possible to kiss a giraffe....but there it is for the world to see! I visited three places today.


The orphan elephant park where they spend lots of money and time to make it possible for these elephants to make it back to the wild. The giraffe park was very cool .... you could feed them or kiss them....and i could not pass up the chance to say I did it. The last place was the safari walk zoo.

Here if you know the right people .... and reward them properly you can actually pet a cheetah... Couldn't pass that up either.

I am heading to the airport shortly and am looking forward to returning home! I'll have one last entry with my reflections. Thanks for all your prayers while I was here.

The concerts at Mamlaka Hill Church

Mamlaka Hill Church is in downtown Nairobi. A few years ago they were bursting at the seams....even with four services. They split the church into four and three of the groups moved to strategic parts of the city to start new churches. All of them are doing well. There were about 100 kids at each service ....they were ready to sing and we had a marvelous time! The teachers were glad to have the morning off ....although they were there and were just as enthusiastic as the kids.
After I finished the last concert at 2:00 ..... they set up for the teacher appreciation luncheon. The kids are actually promoted in January in the kenyan system. We had some wonderful African food .... I've given up on pronouncing or rememerbering the names.... and had some lively conversation about children's ministry. It was an exhausting morning but I am so thankful to have had this opportunity.


Tomorow... I visit the giraffe museum and the orphaned elephant zooo...plus a museum and shopping..... should be some great photos from that. My plane leaves shortly after Midnight on Monday .....overnight to Zurich ....then to Washington ..... and I should be in Charlotte by 7:00 on Tuesday. Please pray for smooth travel and connections!

The Wedding

Like most everything else ...weddings are VERY different here. In Kenya the husband must pay a dowry to the father in law. Negotiations were still going on at 11:00 which was the time the wedding was supposed to start. The father locked the bride in her room and left because he wanted a more money. Finally a settlement was reached and the wedding began at 2:00. Fortunately we had an inside contact so we waited at home until the drama passed.

The bridesmaids and groomsmen entered dancing....met each other half way up the aisle...then proceeded to the front. After the processional of the bride ....the pastor asked if there was anyone who had any reason why these two should not be married... He waited for what seemed like a long minute ....then he asked again. Then the pastor asked the bride and groom if they had changed their mind ....did they want to continue? They both agreed it was a good idea to proceed.

Next the band broke into some jammin' African rhythms and we were all on our feet dancing.... everyone had their arms up and and were pushing their hands forward .... this was extending a blessing to the new couple... it was very cool! The congregation erupted in applause after each gave their vows... more applause when rings were exchanged. We heard a good sermon ...then a big moment in Kenyan weddings....the signing of the marriage certificate. The bride opened the coat of her husband and placed the certificate in his inside pocket! The pastor announced the new couple and then it was out to the yard for the reception. The pictures show one of the gifts brought to the wedding.. furniture on top of the car.... the food in the car was for the reception ....some of the wedding party and the line for the food.



Tomorrow I will be doing all three services of the children's church .... please pray for those!

John

The Safari

Nothing can prepare you for the vastness of one of God’s most marvelous creations… the African plains. As we landed four different times on compressed gravel runways ….I was thinking …this is nothing likeWild Kingdom ….even on our first color TV! There are no words in my vocabulary to describe the stunning beauty of the land or the awesome thrill of huge herds of animals on the run.
Our guide /driver Tony ….and no he was not Italian …..made this magnificent experience even better. His knowledge of the habitat and animals….. his skill in maneuvering the Landrover (we were doing some serious four wheeling!!)…. and amazing ability to spot the animals … and his wonderful sense of humor took our trips to the next level. My personal favorites were the hippos.
The Lodge where I stayed accommodated us in first class style. It was impossible to imagine a tropical paradise out in the middle of nowhere. We were pampered by gracious hospitality. I lost count of all the new African dishes I tried and could not pronounce What a privilege it was for me have a few days of R & R. I thank my precious wife for the incredible gift to her thrill seeking husband.
Tomorrow … Saturday … I will attend a Kenyan wedding …. Then Sunday I have three concerts so pray for a strong voice…. And quick connections with the kids!
John

Life in Eldoret, Welcome to Nairobi

After a tough farewell to Pastor Ken, I boarded my plane for Nairobi. I set next to a Kenyan gentlemen named Allan and we started to talk. He was curious why I was in Kenya. After I told him he shared some things his church was doing. The 45 minutes passed quickly and as we were walking in he stayed with me to make sure my luggage was there...I have to admit it was a beautiful sight on that conveyor belt. Then he walked out with me to make sure my ride was there. Since the airport screen indicated our flight had not yet arrived my taxi driver....Sammy... was still in his car. When we saw there was no one with a sign with my name..... Allan pulled out his cell phone and said....don't worry my friend we'll get you home if I have to take you myself. I had the phone numbers I needed and we were able to connect. Turns out Sammy was 10 feet away. Another reminder of of God's provision and perfect timing.

If I thought Eldoret traffic was insane .... I was about to enter some more near death experiences at much faster speeds..... You may compare this to the dodge em's at an amusement park.... without the contact.

My hosts for the next two days are Mark and Annmarie Dye. We spent the evening getting to know each other and I heard some amazing stories of their life out in the Kenyan desert with tribal people. The dedication and committment of the folks I have met continues to inspire me!

Today we visited Roslynn academy.... a Christian school with about 500 students from 42 countries. I talked to some teachers, met some students and had a tour. We also visited a mall and had a lunch at an outdoor food court ....a tropical paradise. We are having dinner with some teachers at Rosslyn tonight so I am looking forward to learning about the educational issues of Kenya.

Tomorrow I leave on my Safari... I doubt I will be able to post anything there but hope to have some great photos for you when I return on Friday.

Mark and I got up at 6:oo am and watched the Panters beat the Bucs.... I'm not sure they call it Tuesday Morning Football here....but that is when I saw it.

Hope all is well with your Holiday preparations!

John