Our bags are packed and we are getting ready to start our 30 hour trip back. It has been an unbelievably grace giving and receiving trip.
We are walking away inspired and passionate from the work that we see God doing here. After walking these streets, meeting these children, and seeing the needs here, it has deepened our resolve to see Springs of Hope prevail.
If you would like to learn more about springs of hope and how you can support their work, visit www.springsofhopekenya.org.
-Chris & Douglas
Monday, November 17, 2008
Sunday, November 16, 2008
A Spiritual Birthday
Every year on November 16th I pause, find a place to hit my knees and offer a prayer of thanks. For it was on this day in 1961 as a mere 6 year old boy that I discovered the amazing grace of God that has been made available to me through faith in the work of Jesus on the cross. I can still remember the moment, the church auditorium and the exact seat on the church pew where I knelt and asked Jesus to be my savior. Fast forward now to November 16th 2008 and today I received the best "spiritual birthday" presents a man could get. I taught today in the All Nation's Springs of Live Church in Nakuru, Kenya and at the end of the service a handful of people responded to the gospel of Christ and more than a few made commitments to taking the next step in their spiritual journey. Yea God! Yea God! Yea God! Then in the afternoon the second wave of gifts came my way when one of the Pastor's from the "land fill" sought me out to let me know that everyone of the people who had appropriated God's grace for salvation during our visit there yesterday made it to church today. Every single one! Can I say 'Yea God' again! What more could a guy ask for? The third wave of gifts to come my way for my spiritual birthday is a brilliant and beautiful young African woman who lost her father in her early teens and has given me the honor of serving in the role as her father. Her name is Grace and like her name she is amazing. An amazing daughter of God who is committed to defying the odds of the hard and despairing life that awaits most young women in this country. I'll do my best to be a source of encouragement, direction and hope to her. And I'll do my best to see that her dream of being a journalist is one day be realized.
The Pentecostal African church I spoke in today is a little different than Cypress. After about an hour and a half of some very spirited and lively worship the Pastor leaned over to me and asked how long I planned on speaking. When I told him I usually go 30 to 35 minutes he got a little concerned look on his face and asked if I could go 60 minutes? It was then I heard that famous line from the Wizard of Oz in the back of my brain: "Dorthy you are not in Kansas anymore!"
The passion and energy with which God was worshiped was both beautiful and contagious. I admired but this very white Pastor lacked the required rhythm necessary to join in...but I was dancing on the inside!
Then we moved on to two meals in two different homes and off to street church with the street children. Dozens of young boys in clothes they wear non-stop, weeks on end until they get something new and they start the process over again. Many have developed an addiction to sniffing glue. The glue fumes hit the brain and it gives the illusion of warmth and quells the hunger pains while detaching them from the painful reality of their existence. Joseph, Molly and students from All Nations church spend an hour or so talking with the kids, playing games, singing worship songs, teaching from scripture and then feeding their hungry tummy's. As I watched the service unfold I was reminded of the words of the worship song we sing...God is the God of this city...and because His servants Joe and Molly life here greater things are yet to come, greater things have yet to be done in this city!
Tomorrow we start the first of a three leg flight home. Over the course of the next few weeks I have a lot to process. Once again, I want to thank the family and friends who made this trip possible, you have a piece of all that happened in the last week.
Blessings,
Douglas
my two cents - the most memorable moment of the day for me (Chris) came when, after a church service, we were invited to a very small house to visit a young lady named Rosebella. She was a single mother whose husband died many years ago. Her husbands death left her with two young boys to raise on her own. Fortunately she had the help of her mother. The best job she could find was in Nairobi two hours away working as house help to a family that treated her very poorly. She would go live in the slums in Nairobi for weeks at a time to make money and bring it back to her family. Between the rent that she pays for her small home in Nairobi and the rent she pays for her family in Nakuru (as well as all the other normal living expenses) - she has nothing.
Which made it all the more humbling when we walked into her house today and found a full spread of the best food available. She had rice & vegetables, chicken, home made chips, fried biscuits, and cokes for us to drink. As we sat down, she brought out a basin and pitcher and washed our hands for us. I image it was close to what the disciples must have felt like when Jesus washed their feet.
I felt humbled - almost embarrassed to be receiving so much from this woman who had nothing. I will never forget her generosity and hospitality.
The Pentecostal African church I spoke in today is a little different than Cypress. After about an hour and a half of some very spirited and lively worship the Pastor leaned over to me and asked how long I planned on speaking. When I told him I usually go 30 to 35 minutes he got a little concerned look on his face and asked if I could go 60 minutes? It was then I heard that famous line from the Wizard of Oz in the back of my brain: "Dorthy you are not in Kansas anymore!"
The passion and energy with which God was worshiped was both beautiful and contagious. I admired but this very white Pastor lacked the required rhythm necessary to join in...but I was dancing on the inside!
Then we moved on to two meals in two different homes and off to street church with the street children. Dozens of young boys in clothes they wear non-stop, weeks on end until they get something new and they start the process over again. Many have developed an addiction to sniffing glue. The glue fumes hit the brain and it gives the illusion of warmth and quells the hunger pains while detaching them from the painful reality of their existence. Joseph, Molly and students from All Nations church spend an hour or so talking with the kids, playing games, singing worship songs, teaching from scripture and then feeding their hungry tummy's. As I watched the service unfold I was reminded of the words of the worship song we sing...God is the God of this city...and because His servants Joe and Molly life here greater things are yet to come, greater things have yet to be done in this city!Tomorrow we start the first of a three leg flight home. Over the course of the next few weeks I have a lot to process. Once again, I want to thank the family and friends who made this trip possible, you have a piece of all that happened in the last week.
Blessings,
Douglas
my two cents - the most memorable moment of the day for me (Chris) came when, after a church service, we were invited to a very small house to visit a young lady named Rosebella. She was a single mother whose husband died many years ago. Her husbands death left her with two young boys to raise on her own. Fortunately she had the help of her mother. The best job she could find was in Nairobi two hours away working as house help to a family that treated her very poorly. She would go live in the slums in Nairobi for weeks at a time to make money and bring it back to her family. Between the rent that she pays for her small home in Nairobi and the rent she pays for her family in Nakuru (as well as all the other normal living expenses) - she has nothing.
Which made it all the more humbling when we walked into her house today and found a full spread of the best food available. She had rice & vegetables, chicken, home made chips, fried biscuits, and cokes for us to drink. As we sat down, she brought out a basin and pitcher and washed our hands for us. I image it was close to what the disciples must have felt like when Jesus washed their feet.
I felt humbled - almost embarrassed to be receiving so much from this woman who had nothing. I will never forget her generosity and hospitality.
-Chris
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Day Six - A Pile of Crap
Today we spent the day in a part of town, known to the people of Nakuru as London. We would call it the city dump. Why, do you ask, did we spend the day in the landfill? Because we went to visit the village of poor families and orphans that live there in it.
Today was probably the hardest day we've faced here. As Douglas and I and crew climbed our way to the top of the pile of garbage, we had to focus on not gagging as not to embarrass the villagers that were so welcoming to us in their homes. The stench was almost unbearable. As we climbed we were surrounded by villagers - men, women, children just old enough to walk, as they sifted through the waste to find scraps they could sell or use for their families. Many children walked through the mountains of trash and broken glass with no shoes and only the clothes that they had managed to pull out of the rubbish.
We walked from home to home, welcomed by the families that lived there, to hear what life is like for them and what needs they are facing. We left in each house we visited a bucket of essentials that were put together back at the house. We found a few families that we were able to share the story of God's love for them with. For a couple of those families, we were able to pray with them to accept that love. It was very difficult for me though to find a way to talk about a good God in the midst of such a perverse environment. No one - no one should be forced to live like that - certainly not innocent people...children.
In the short time that we spent here in Nakuru, hands down, the hardest moment of the trip ransacked me today. As we were leaving one of the homes, an old women who only talked about how good God is to her, eventually broke down in tears and shared in Kswahili that one of her grandchildren that she cares for had been badly burned. When we asked if we could see the child she led us to the small bedroom where we found a child, laying face down, with a burn spanning across the entire lower back. The burn was so bad, there was no skin left on the child, it had burned all the way to the bone. When we asked what had happened, she said it was an accident, but also that her family was feuding...? We gave her money to immediately take her child to the hospital and get it treated. If we hadn't gotten there today, that child would have continued to suffer and potentially not survive. It was hard to see, but when I realized that this young boy was the age of my Conner, I - lost - it.
So much emotion filled us as we walked through the streets, we weren't able to speak to each other.
There were some bittersweet moments during our time there. I was surrounded by children hungry for love and attention as we walked. They loved getting they're picture taken and seeing it on the camera. It almost cause a riot. As I walked, I at all times had two, three, or four children hanging onto me - holding my hand, squeezing my leg. They had obviously not seen too many "Mzungu" (pasty white guys) before. They would laugh and laugh as they rubbed the hair on my arms or felt my stubbly beard.
They erupted when I lifted up my shirt to show them the hair on my chest -they laughed and shouted. I was petted every time I bent down. They all wanted to be held, and though they were filthy dirty - they were completely irresistible.
It was a despicably disgusting place, and at the same time, filled with so much beauty. I couldn't get it to fit in my mind.
-Chris
PS. Chris captured our day well. I am still processing what we experienced today, it has created such disequilibrium in my spirit that it will take some time for things to settle. One thought I'd like to add is we were escorted through the area by three Pastors who have said yes to God's call to spend there days working among the people who live there. They handled people with such dignity and grace. Before driving off I pulled them aside and prayed for them. One day in heaven we will discover who the real hero's of our faith are. Today I met three of them.
Blessings,
Douglas
Today was probably the hardest day we've faced here. As Douglas and I and crew climbed our way to the top of the pile of garbage, we had to focus on not gagging as not to embarrass the villagers that were so welcoming to us in their homes. The stench was almost unbearable. As we climbed we were surrounded by villagers - men, women, children just old enough to walk, as they sifted through the waste to find scraps they could sell or use for their families. Many children walked through the mountains of trash and broken glass with no shoes and only the clothes that they had managed to pull out of the rubbish.
We walked from home to home, welcomed by the families that lived there, to hear what life is like for them and what needs they are facing. We left in each house we visited a bucket of essentials that were put together back at the house. We found a few families that we were able to share the story of God's love for them with. For a couple of those families, we were able to pray with them to accept that love. It was very difficult for me though to find a way to talk about a good God in the midst of such a perverse environment. No one - no one should be forced to live like that - certainly not innocent people...children.
In the short time that we spent here in Nakuru, hands down, the hardest moment of the trip ransacked me today. As we were leaving one of the homes, an old women who only talked about how good God is to her, eventually broke down in tears and shared in Kswahili that one of her grandchildren that she cares for had been badly burned. When we asked if we could see the child she led us to the small bedroom where we found a child, laying face down, with a burn spanning across the entire lower back. The burn was so bad, there was no skin left on the child, it had burned all the way to the bone. When we asked what had happened, she said it was an accident, but also that her family was feuding...? We gave her money to immediately take her child to the hospital and get it treated. If we hadn't gotten there today, that child would have continued to suffer and potentially not survive. It was hard to see, but when I realized that this young boy was the age of my Conner, I - lost - it.So much emotion filled us as we walked through the streets, we weren't able to speak to each other.
There were some bittersweet moments during our time there. I was surrounded by children hungry for love and attention as we walked. They loved getting they're picture taken and seeing it on the camera. It almost cause a riot. As I walked, I at all times had two, three, or four children hanging onto me - holding my hand, squeezing my leg. They had obviously not seen too many "Mzungu" (pasty white guys) before. They would laugh and laugh as they rubbed the hair on my arms or felt my stubbly beard.They erupted when I lifted up my shirt to show them the hair on my chest -they laughed and shouted. I was petted every time I bent down. They all wanted to be held, and though they were filthy dirty - they were completely irresistible.
It was a despicably disgusting place, and at the same time, filled with so much beauty. I couldn't get it to fit in my mind.
-Chris
PS. Chris captured our day well. I am still processing what we experienced today, it has created such disequilibrium in my spirit that it will take some time for things to settle. One thought I'd like to add is we were escorted through the area by three Pastors who have said yes to God's call to spend there days working among the people who live there. They handled people with such dignity and grace. Before driving off I pulled them aside and prayed for them. One day in heaven we will discover who the real hero's of our faith are. Today I met three of them.
Blessings,
Douglas
Safari Photos
Here are a couple of my favorite shots of yesterday:
There are a few more up at www.thechriscoxblog.com
There are a few more up at www.thechriscoxblog.com
Friday, November 14, 2008
Lions, Zebras and the Lion-hearted
One of the spiritual pathways that helps connect me with the Creator is to be in His creation. Today I received what could only be classified as a power surge of grace. We took a break from the action to go on safari. Since the time I was a punk kid and watched Tarzan to watching documentaries of the African wildlife on the natural channel as an adult I have dreamed of experiencing it first hand. If you have had the experience yourself you know that seeing African wildlife in the wild it is only one thing...a-m-a-z-i-n-g. We just about saw it all. Lions, zebra, warthogs, hyenas, gazelles, water buffalo, baboons, monkeys and more. Wow! I'm sure Chris will include a picture or two on this post and more on his blog. It still seems a little surreal to me, but it was what my soul needed. As great as it was, it felt a little incomplete not having Jacque by my side. She totally loves this stuff and would have thought she had died and gone to heaven. Funny how somethings can only be made better when shared with those you love.
The day ended with Joseph and I doing what we have done together now on three places outside the U.S. as we have ministered together. We hiked up a mountain together to look out over the Rift Valley and along the way had an un-rushed conversation of the soul. We discussed highs and lows, challenges and victories, the good the bad and the ugly of ministry and we did our best to encourage each other in the Lord. By the time we got back we rediscovered the wonder of what happens in a spiritual friendship: joys get doubled and sorrows get halved. Funny how somethings can only be made better when shared with those you love.
Tomorrow we go to the city dump to visit the famlies who scavage out an exhistence there. Safe to say the experience will be a little different tomorrow than it was today.
Blessings,
Douglas
The day ended with Joseph and I doing what we have done together now on three places outside the U.S. as we have ministered together. We hiked up a mountain together to look out over the Rift Valley and along the way had an un-rushed conversation of the soul. We discussed highs and lows, challenges and victories, the good the bad and the ugly of ministry and we did our best to encourage each other in the Lord. By the time we got back we rediscovered the wonder of what happens in a spiritual friendship: joys get doubled and sorrows get halved. Funny how somethings can only be made better when shared with those you love.
Tomorrow we go to the city dump to visit the famlies who scavage out an exhistence there. Safe to say the experience will be a little different tomorrow than it was today.
Blessings,
Douglas
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)