my only regret...

...is that I did not have my camera with me on my way home today! After spending over an HOUR at the Safaricom Customer Care Center getting a new SIM card (long story - don't ask!) I caught the bus to the local shopping 'mall' Yaya Centre (my mom loves that name...it means Grandma in Greek)...which is about 20 some walking minutes from my home.

I needed a few items at the supermarket and had it all figured out...to get only as much as would fit in my back pack...which I almost did! But, that's not the point...the point is - if I had my camera I could have shared with you some of the sights I witnessed on my way home. First, I LOVE rain...so it was a joy to walk in the mud and water created by the downpour! And - I was prepared with an umbrella and my rubber shoes...

But - not all were as lucky as I...like the poor woman in sandals and no umbrella, getting soaked from head to toe...pole! (sorry!) and the three young Muslim girls on their way home from school wearing WHITE trousers, standing in front of a mud puddle, just as a great big truck lumbered by...oh my! and the pairs of people under one umbrella doing their best to stay dry, and especially ALL the kids running, jumping and walking through the rain....aaahhhh...it was an amazing treat!

So sorry you will have to be satisfied with this photo I snapped after I arrived home...of my wonderful blue umbrella (thanks Steve and Mary for buying all those wonderful colorful umbrellas for Amanda's wedding!), and my rubber shoes...some people think they are ugly - me, I love how dry my feet are when I walk through water in them! and my back pack, purse and the PAPER bag (with eggs and rice) all of which I carried along with the umbrella...ALL the way home...
Oh - everything made it home just fine...not one broken egg, the bag of crisps (chips) was intact and even the bread did not get squished...so I would say this was a successful mission! However, I do think the first person I will see when I come to the states in April is Dr. Dana to straighten out my back!

...it was good.

The title of the sermon last Sunday was "It's how you begin that determines the destiny". He preached from Genesis 1 and John 1..."In the beginning..." It was all about new beginnings and the foundation upon which we embark on our 'new beginnings'. He invited and challenged us to "wholly depend on God to give us a new beginning". He asked the question "Are you ready to give the thing you treasure most, so He can begin something new?"

Wow!...my friends here think I have sacrificed much to come here - to "begin something new" and I suppose in a sense that is true. I have left the comfort of that which is familiar, but I also enjoy the amazing privilege of watching God give me a new beginning. Being abundantly blessed by God seems so much bigger than anything I have "given up" to be here...

When I was in Kenya last year I met several people who became my friends. Last Sunday I had the good pleasure to spend time with 4 of them. Left to right in the photo below are Winnie, Margaret, Daniel and Amani...(and of course, me!)

Daniel invited friends to join in a celebration at his church in a town about 1/2 hour west of Nairobi...The Living Bread Church...Winnie, Amani and I met in town to travel together and Margaret joined us later, during the church service.
Daniel is the worship leader - even though I could not really get a good shot, you can see him here leading us in awesome praise of our Heavenly Father.
Below is a rather blurry photo of the pastor of this church, introducing her son Wilson (to the left) and her soon-to-be daughter in-law Mercy...they are to be married in December and this day was to be their pre-wedding celebration. Unfortunately we could not stay for the festivities.
The visitors were asked to introduce themselves. Below is a shot of Margaret. Her words were inspiring as she spoke from Psalm 11. Here are Amani, Margaret and Winnie...after the service we remained to visit for a bit...
...me, Margaret and Winnie...
Daniel engaged in intense dialogue with Winnie and Amani...


Before we left, we prayed for Daniel. Winnie sensed that he has been struggling, but that his 'season of struggle' is over, so she asked us to join hands in prayer for him.

...it was truly a joy to spend this day with my friends!

It had been raining before we arrived, so there was much mud underfoot...but after the service we were greeted by wonderful sunshine, blue skies, and clouds!

Halala, Huruma and Rejoice

Halala is the name of this group that has just formed. Virginia and I attended their meeting on Tuesday the 30th of September. Even though there were only 5 of the 11 members, I liked them immediately. The chairman, Benson, is pastor of the church in which we met. John is the secretary and Francis is the treasurer. I sat next to John during the meeting and was impressed with how diligent he was in carrying out his duties of recording payments and taking notes of the meeting. And the best part - the meeting was conducted in English! so I was actually able to follow what was happening.

In this first photo you Virginia is creating a passbook for each member. Across from her is a new member who is not 'registered' with the group yet - Peter and next to him is Francis.

After all the passbooks were prepared, John painstakingly entered all the savings deposits that had been made during the first three meetings. Now that they are 'official' all entries will be initialed by John and by a Loan Officer, which in this case is Virginia.
Above is Benson, Virginia and John listening to the group's constitution being read by Andrew, pictured below...
...and a photo of the church in which we met - Virginia says they are going to give this group to me since they all speak English...we shall see! I believe I have much to learn before I take on a group - maybe she or someone will 'walk me through' the process with this group and I can take over in a few weeks...
I went back after the meeting and snapped this photo so you can see the full extent of the church - it is small, but comfortable...

I snapped these two photos as we were waiting to board a vehicle to take us to another part of Huruma, which is a section of the Mathare slum...
This is one of Virginia's clients - she is a member of the group Come Together. We stopped to chat and encourage her. I loved watching her two little ones watching me!
Meet John and Jane - they are married. So sorry I cannot remember their other names! They are from the Nyanza province, the town of Migori, which I have visited so it was fun to hear about them and to see a photo of their home there...we visited them to do an 'assessment' which means we asked a bunch of questions in preparation for them submitting an application for a loan for their fish selling business.
We then visited our center in Huruma, where the children were assembled for lunch...
...after eating lunch (yummy!) and visiting with the staff, we headed for our next meeting with a group called Rejoice...
...here is Virginia walking to the doorway of the building we met in...I so wanted to snap a photo inside, but could not find a way to get a good shot. This is a really small building (or room) with several benches against the walls and in the center, with just enough room for all of us (about 20 I think) I loved it!
Here is Virginia recording in her ledger the figures compiled by the secretary of the group...
They asked me to share a word with them, so I shared my current favorite scripture which is from Phil 4 where Paul says to "Rejoice in the Lord always" and he says "again I say rejoice"...I shared with them how my spirit is lifted every time I recite these few words from God's word ...then I suddenly realized that "Rejoice" is the name of their group! We all thought that was pretty cool.