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