Habari! Greetings from Kibera. The constant dust and heat are a welcome change from Chicago’s winters. I guess I probably shouldn’t tell you that it’s been sunny and 80-90 every day since I’ve been here?!! J
Yesterday we spent the morning doing ministry as a FYM family in our neighborhood. Josh, one of the FYMs, has been ministering to a group of muslim guys in their late teens or early 20’s who run a barbershop on Karanja road very near our house. They are not devout muslims and are high on gaukish most of the time. Josh arranged for us to play soccer with them at a local school. It was fun. I videoed and took pictures. Video cameras are an anomaly here in Kibera and I quickly had a group of 8 or so girls looking over my shoulder. I was able to sit and talk with them for about an hour which was fun. They don’t seem to get much adult interaction as their parents are so busy working and trying to survive and provide for their families, they are extremely friendly and eager to tell their names and about school and whatever else. The children here are sweet, though I am often frustrated by my inability to speak Swahili as many of them don’t speak enough English to carry on a conversation. We are contantly greeted with “How are YOU?” from every child able to speak. It’s sweet and their huge smiles when we turn and wave or answer is worth everything. There is one little girl, probably 2, that lives just around the corner from us and every time we walk by her corner she comes running up to us and wants to be picked up…by every single one of us so there’s a lot of passing her around. She doesn’t seem to speak English so we pray that our constant hugs and love for her with speak to her of Jesus’ love.
I went over to the orphanage yesterday with Michelle and Alysha (two FYM’s) and we passed out Valentines cupcakes that we had made. We then stayed for an hour or so and talked with the kids. They are shy but eager to show their rooms and opened up when we kept asking questions. I also went to the school last week with the same two girls who teach there once a week. Alysha teaches Standard 7 and Michelle teaches Standard 1. The kids are well behaved and listen well. Seeing how so many classes are crammed into such a small space they are doing amazingly well. The Standard one room is a little room off the main room and had 42 children in it and was approximately 8 feet by 15 feet. The kids are so eager to learn and the ones in the back stand on their benches to see. Pray for us as we seek another building to rent or build to better suit the needs of this vital and growing ministry.
Prayer requests:
- Wisdom as I begin meeting with people regarding the school and orphanage, that I would be able to hear their concerns and needs and prioritize them and learn from these men and women who have put so much time into these ministries.
- Continuing to find my place with the team and balancing work for the base with time with the team.
- Please continue to pray for rain. The situation gets more desperate as the days and weeks pass. Much of the water in Kibera is having to be brought in and that puts a strain on finances for people already financially strapped. Also, the dust is a constant problem. In schools is comes in the windows in huge waves.
- Above all that God’s light would shine brightly from each of us here and from our little cul-de-sac. This is a predominantly muslim area with one of the largest mosques in the area about a 5 minute walk from us.
- Praise God for his faithfulness and continued bless and hand on us here.
- Pray for wisdom for Scott and I and the rest of the team as we try to get everything that we need to get done while he is here now for 3 weeks, and for his wife Lisa to continue getting better healthwise so that they are able to return to us in mid-April.
Thank you all for your prayers. Know that you are a vital part of our ministry here. We are totally dependent on the Lord, which is the best place to be, and your prayers are felt and heard for us. If you have any questions please email me and let me know, I’d be happy to answer them.
His,
Denise
