the real christmas story

Merry Christmas from the Tumaini Family! I'm now in Nairobi to spend Christmas at the SIM compound, but I've actually already experienced my Christmas back at "home" in Kinangop. We started preparing for our Tumaini Christmas play back in November, and it all came together (well, for the most part) this past week. We had a dress rehearsal so that the children could perform the real thing for our church on Christmas Day. Each of the children made his or her own costume....it's amazing what you can do with some twine, bedsheets, cotton balls, and a strand of garland! We planned to act out the story straight from Matthew and Luke, but because of a bit of a communication barrier we ended up with mostly songs rather than speaking parts. Speaking parts or not, the children were wonderful. They sang"Joy to the World" with all their hearts and loved shouting "Go Tell it on the Mountain." It really is beautiful to see the story of Jesus' birth acted out so innocently and untainted.

Two generous churches and families from home arranged for all the children to receive Christmas presents this year! Every child was given a blanket, doll, and coloring book with Swahili Bible verses. They LOVED it all! Katie, Ryan, and I made Christmas chapati and little notes for them to go with their gifts and we all had a wonderful time. The kids loved their gifts and were so thankful.

The Lord has used this year's Christmas season to readjust how I treat this holiday. I LOVE Christmas...the music, the shopping, the decorations, the get-togethers....I love it all. I'm realizing that sometimes I lose the real reason for Christmas amidst all of that wonderful fun though. Christmas would still be Christmas at Tumaini with or without gifts, Christmas chapati, or even our Christmas play. For instance, one of our boys who knows how to celebrate Christmas asked if he could sell one of the rabbits to buy his friend a pair of school uniform pants because he couldn't afford them. I've been reminded to really celebrate the birth of our Saviour by loving Him and loving others with every opportunity that I'm given.

I pray that you each have an amazing Christmas and know how much you're loved!

Much love,
Lindsey

School is out...

Hello all! The last two weeks have been busy busy busy here at Tumaini! School closed for December holiday on November 22 and the children have been enjoying a break from school work. And the Tumaini compound has been full of visitors…

We’re hosting a GOA camp called “RIPEN” which stands for Rites in Passage Enlightenment. When Kenyan boys arrive to an age where the community/schools feel they are ready “to cross over” (usually around 15-17 years old) they are circumcised and “enter manhood.” Pastor Kamau, who is over the RIPEN camp, explained to us that if they go through this rite of passage on the streets or in some communities it can be dangerous and unhealthy – physically, mentally, and emotionally. Thus, GOA started the RIPEN program. The first day of camp, the boys go to the hospital and for the rest of the week they rest and have discussions about what manhood means both culturally and biblically.

The new Katie moved into Tumaini on December 1st and has enjoyed her first two weeks here. She will be teaching in the GOA Education Centre when school reopens in January. We also received another short term SIM missionary this week. Ryan has been working in Nairobi at a hospital for the past three weeks, but felt that he was a better fit here at Tumaini. It will be great to have another male presence here for the boys to hang out with. The Lord has blessed us with quick friendships and we already enjoy spending time together cooking meals, playing cards, spending time with the kids, and just hanging out. I’m thankful for both of them and that we can share this ministry together!

Over the last two weeks: I’ve welcomed guests to my home away from home, been to my first Kenyan wedding, chopped down trees with 10 year old boys to make shepherd canes/sticks for our Christmas play, watched a slab of meat be cut on my living area coffee table, and made two great friends to share all of this with…it’s been a good two weeks.

Much love,
Lindsey

87 little brothers & sisters

As the children love more and more everyday to take my camera from me and run around snapping shots here and there, you never know when to smile for a picture! That’s evident in this picture where Faith is gnawing on a fresh carrot, Jamlick is half asleep, Doreen is daydreaming while she plays with my hair, Mercy is just hanging out with us drinking water that she’s put into an old bottle she probably found in a trash pile left by some Americans that visited us last week, and I’m in mid-laugh at James who is taking the picture...just laid back in the grass enjoying all my little brothers and sisters around me.

The month of November has probably been the busiest month I’ve had here, but it’s also been the best.

A group of 10 Americans came to visit last week and spent Saturday and Sunday with us. Some members of their team were guitar players and worship leaders...so, Sunday morning we had a mixed worship time where the Americans sang along with the Kenyans. We didn't even get through the first verse of "How Great is Our God" and I was completely overwhelmed. I've only seen 2 people cry (over the age of 3) since I've been here and so I did my best to hold in the emotion as they aren't used to that....but it just didn't happen. I listened to the familiar American accents sing the familiar worship song and felt at home with the faces that look so much like mine...and then I looked all around me and see the even more familiar Kenyan faces of my brothers and sisters and hear the now familiar Kenyan accents sing and realize that we're all singing to the same great God. We're all in love with the same Saviour. We're all in the same family. Never before has God been so big to me. On top of that, it hit me that I truly do feel at home with both groups, both cultures, both languages. Hearing the different language all around me used to make me a little nervous. I still can't understand everything, but it doesn't seem so different and foreign to me anymore. I praise the Lord for that.

Laying in the grass with my little brothers and sisters who look nothing like me and sound nothing like me is so familiar to me now. I'm so thankful that we all serve the same God and no matter where I am, I can feel at "home" as the Lord is with me wherever I go.

"Sing a new song to the Lord! Let the whole earth sing to the Lord!...Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does. Great is the Lord! He is worthy of praise!" Psalm 96:1-4

Much love,
Lindsey

mombasa!

Hello everyone!  I just got back into Nairobi from our little break in Mombasa.  We all had such a good time relaxing and taking in lots of "once in a lifetime" moments.  Thanks to the Turner family's gift of letting us stay at their place for free, for roughly $30 I watched the sun rise over the Indian Ocean, I rode a camel on the beach, I soaked up lots of sun (that I'm not used to as it's rarely warm in Kinangop), and I even enjoyed a refrigerator for a week!  It was a great week full of laughs, beautiful scenery, and time to recharge.  On the ten hour trek back home, all I could think about was how thankful I should be because of how truly blessed I am....well, that and how Katie and I could keep the cockroaches from crawling on us during the ride back.  As great as the last week has been, I honestly can't wait to get back home to Tumaini where those little ones are waiting!  I've missed hearing a string of my girls say "La la wega, Lindsey!" through my window before bedtime....

It's back home Tuesday morning!  My other SIMpacters won't be returning with me this time, so I would appreciate your prayers as I re-adjust without them.  I thank you ahead of time...

Much love,

Lindsey

a white african

Hello everyone!  It's been over a month now since I updated this blog and things just keep getting better:)  I hope to get the hang of this blogging before too long and maybe I'll be able to update more than once a month.  Anyway, the month of September was wonderful! It was a great month getting to know and love the children a little more and getting to know and love the other SIM missionaries a little more.  The other SIM Carolina friends are gone from Tumaini now, but we'll still be seeing each other in Nairobi once in awhile.  

In September...

We started small group Bible studies for the children twice a week and what a blessing that has been!  Please pray that these Bible studies continue and are fruitful.  I have one book of studies that we're using right now, but eventually I'll be trying to teach them how to study the Bible without an actual "study" to go by....at least that's the goal!  

We took a trip to Nakuru National Park for the morning and saw rhinos, monkeys, zebras, flamingos and more....in their natural habitat and it was just amazing.    God has made some beautiful creatures!  I even fed a monkey...Tavia would be so proud!

Two of Katie's friends visited us at Tumaini and we even had birthday cake for Austin's birthday!  That was a treat!  

Six other SIM missionaries and I are off to Mombosa (the coast) for a few days of rest and recharging!  Adam's (one of the other SIMers) parents offered their timeshare to us - their treat!  Blessing after blessing....

And the highlight of month number 2 was when Kariuki called me a white African:)

Thank you for your prayers, cards, and emails!  They mean more than I know how to say.  Much love to all of you!

"faith. lindsey. faith. lindsey."

Hello Everyone! Tumaini is becoming more and more like home with each new day. As I mentioned in the last blog, your prayers are being answered - thank you! Since my last entry on here, I've spent 2 weeks now with the new SIM missionaries who are at Tumaini and we clicked instantly and I truly do praise the Lord for these friendships. Between getting to know the other Americans over meals and much laughter and getting closer and closer to the children and staff at Tumaini, the Lord is teaching me about focusing on what is truly important - loving Him and loving others....the rest is extra and I should learn to be content with much or little.

Good news: I have hot showers now! It turns out that I actually always had hot showers - I just didn't know how to work the little water heaters. Yes, I was a bit embarrassed at that, but I was too excited to let that bother me!

Faith, the 3-year old girl I've mentioned before, reminds me every day - more than once on most days - of why God led me to Tumaini. Since I first met Faith, she has this little thing she does with our names....she says our names back and forth..."Faith. Lindsey. Faith. Lindsey." Some days take more faith in God's plans and purposes than others. The awesome thing is that those days that take just a little more faith are those days that Jesus proves Himself just a little more. I'm loving that. Life here is all about faith for me...and my little Faith sweetly reminds me of that each day.

Much love,
Lindsey

FYI:
It takes a little while to upload pictures to my blog...so, I'm attaching the links to 2 of the other SIM friends' blogs and you can check out their pictures to see what's going on at Tumaini:)

Katie's: http://web.mac.com/katietinney/Africa/Welcome.html
Austin's: http://austin-kenyadigit.blogspot.com/

because He lives...:)

August 7, 2008

Hello Everyone! I hope everyone is doing well! First, I want to give each of you a big THANK YOU for your prayers and emails that you’ve sent. I even arrived to some cards and two packages in Nairobi! It really has meant so much to me to hear from all of you…even those who I have never actually met in person. I hope you can be as encouraged as I am that your prayers are being answered in a big way. I’m adjusting to all of the differences here in Kenya and the Lord is comforting me more than I ever imagined.

I’m beginning to get to know the children – trying to remember 87 children by name is a task! I’m blessed to be around some of the sweetest 87 children I’ve ever met though so they’ve been gracious in reminding me when I need a little help. I’m growing closer to the house mother more and more as she makes sure I’m eating, I’m comfortable, and I’m safe everyday. I’m also getting blessed by my church services on Sunday as I get to know the congregation a little more each Sunday. They do their best to translate just about everything in English – even a few English songs thrown in there! We sang “Because He Lives” last week and as many times as I have heard that hymn growing up, it was especially meaningful that day. In one little chorus, what I’ve learned over the past 3 weeks was summed up. I’ve been here long enough to realize it’s different and it isn’t easy, but it’s worth it. When little Faith, the three-year old I’ve attached myself to, falls asleep on my shoulder and hugs my neck like she’s known me her whole three years…I wouldn’t trade the cold showers for the world! Or when Jamlick asks if he can have a picture of me to keep while I’m in Nairobi just for the weekend…yep, it’s all worth it. Our God has been more faithful than I can put into words as He has been my comfort, protector, healer, provider, friend….and much more!

Yesterday, I left Tumaini to come to Nairobi for a long weekend and I was able to catch a ride in with two of the SIM leaders. They were bringing up three new friends to live with me at Tumaini!! As if that wasn’t enough of a blessing, all three of them sure are from North Carolina! And then on top of that, we found out in conversation that we all three went to UNC! Who knew I would come half way around the world just to live with more Tarheels? Needless to say, these new friends are a blessing and one more reason to praise the Lord!

I’ll be praying for you as you pray for me! Thank you for lifting me up in prayer over the last month so often that I’ve learned…

“Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Because He lives, all fear gone. Because I know He holds the future and life is worth the living just because He lives.”

Prayer Requests:

That I continue to build relationships

Bible Lesson time on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday nights

Health and safety for all here at Tumaini

Reasons to praise God:

New friends at Tumaini

Health and safety thus far

Tumaini’s 6^th Anniversary

my first week...

July 21, 2008

Hey Everyone! I hope everyone is doing well! I’ve survived my first week in Kenya I’ve now been at the orphanage for five days and I’ve already learned that I have a lot of growing ahead of me during the next year! Life in Africa is far different than I ever imagined. There is a lot of quiet time here—even with 87 children running around! There are 87 children enrolled in the “GOA Educational Centre” and they are here from 8am until 4pm everyday. Only 76 of the children actually live here and they stay busy from 5:30am until 9:30pm Monday thru Friday. The children, as well as the adults, are so welcoming and friendly. We still have a language barrier but it’s clear that we’re thankful to meet each other. I’m living with people from the Kikuyu tribe and so they speak far more Kikuyu than they do Swahili. I guess I’ll just use that little bit of Swahili I learned when I’m visiting in Nairobi! I’ve spent a lot of time with the ladies in the kitchen and they’re kind enough to try and teach me a few words everyday. They laugh a lot as it’s hard to make out the English they know through my Southern accent. I’m working on little changes like not using “y’all” so much…it’s harder than you think!

I’d love to say this first week has been a piece of cake and I can already tell I’ll just love every minute here…but I should be honest. It’s hard here. I’ve been pushed physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. Most of the physical changes are because I’ve been so blessed to live where I’ve lived…even spoiled! It’s chilly here with no heat and with what I would hardly call warm water (but it isn’t freezing like it could be). The food has been different for this picky eater and the ladies just keep heaping it at me because they say “If your stomach tells you that you’re hungry, you’ll start thinking of home.” Emotionally, I’ve missed friends and family, hugs from people who know me and knowing what tomorrow will be like. Doing everything I can to memorize this word and that word and actually pronounce it somewhat like I should has been a challenge mentally. And spiritually, I’ve been praying with a desperate heart to feel God’s presence with me. I’m seeing that I truly have to believe God’s word when He says that He is always with me and that He has a plan. I’ve had time where if I don’t pray, read the Bible, or write something that I might burst into tears. Because of this I've found little bits of encouragement like Psalm 62:8 that says “O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge.” Even after all of these challenges, I have to say that God has been faithful and I’m surviving I trust that these days of just surviving will eventually turn into enjoying and then even thriving here. “Commit your actions to the Lord and your plans will succeed.” I’m not sure what “success” will be in this case but I’m just praying that God’s plan will be done and that He’ll receive glory. So that’s it for now—just committing each day and each action to the Lord and seeing how it turns out.

I found a perfect quote in one of my books on Sunday afternoon:
“Make the least of all that goes and the most of all that comes. Don’t regret what is past. Cherish what you have. Look forward to all that is to come. And most important of all, rely moment by moment on Jesus Christ.” – Gigi Graham Tchividjian

So that’s it for now and here are a few things you can be praying for:
Safety and health (roads and food particularly – no fridge)
Staying focused on ministry
Adjusting to different living style
Health of the children – from colds/coughs to getting HIV test results

Praise God for:
Safe arrival
Gracious kitchen ladies
Email and phone contact from home

Plane Tickets!

I have an itinerary now! After weeks of having to answer "welllll...I think I'll be leaving such and such date" or "it looks like it'll be more like this or that date," I finally do have an actual itinerary! I will be leaving Charlotte on July 13 and arriving in Nairobi on July 15. Thank you for your prayers. Since receiving that long awaited email saying that I actually do have plane tickets, I've been flooded with even more emotions than I had going on before. There has been a mix of anxiety, fear, excitement, and peace. I know that sounds contradictory for there to be peace amidst anxiety and fear, but there truly has been an underlying peace that just can't be explained. So, here I am....one month from yesterday I'll be on my way to Kenya for a year! I'm already starting to miss people, but I can't to see what God has in store for the next year. One month never seemed so short and one year never seemed so long.

Much love,
Lindsey