You never know

You never know when and where something you do or say may have an impact on someone else.

Yesterday we finished the day in the office by celebrating the birthday of two of the staff. I was just returning from teaching a class elsewhere  and I missed the first part of the celebration which was Kenyan tradition of "showering"  them with blessings. Well actually, they get a bucket of water dumped over them (bath day).😊

As I arrived at the office they were all enjoying cake and sodas. Then everyone declared a blessing for each of the birthday ladies. I was the last in the cirlce so I was asked to also pray for them after declaring God's blessing for them.

In some of the blessing from previous people I had heard the phrase "desires of you heart". So, I picked up on this and quoted Psalm 37:4 NIV

"Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart."

As I have said on previous ocassions, the best translation for this verse is that if we delight ourselves in God, he will fill our hearts with His desires, replace our desires with His will. As we delight and trust in God and his will it becomes our desire, only wanting what pleases Him.

This morning as I arrived at the office I was greeted by one staff member who said that God had used what I had spoken yesterday to speak deeply to her life. She had gone way and meditated on it.

You never know when something we say or do will be used by God to speak into somebody's life.

Jesus himself said that we would be His ambassadors. The questions to ask ourselves is what type of ambassadors are we, good (given honour and glory to Jesus) or bad (bringing disgrace to His name)?

Remember, it is all about Him, not us.

2 Corinthians 4:7 NIV

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us."

God is good!

View of area around CCP office in Kawangware

Just thought I would share a few quick photos that I took while installing a wireless network unit 10m up a tower on the roof of the CCP office in Kawangware. 

The photos give you an idea of the mixture of dwellings in the surrounding area.

Two photos just give you an idea how high up I was on the tower.

Pray for Vanessa

Today I left early to drive a CCP sponsored 9 year old girl, her mum and the CCP nurse (Mable) to a distant hospital where they offered to review the girl for neuro surgery. As it turns out it was too complicated for the district hospital even though this week they have a team of neuro surgeons from Canada.
They ended up referring her to the welfare program at Aga Khan Hospital. So we went there to start the process. The board at Aga Khan Hospital will make a decision on Monday. Please have many people pray for Vanessa.  She turns 10 next month but is the size of a 6 year old. Without surgery on the brain tumour soon she may not last long. She is deteriorating quickly. She had a fit in the car on way home. It was so scary.
Please, please, please pray for this girl and that the hospital board and doctors will make the best choice to help this young girl.

All clear

Today, I finally received the all clear from my doctor here in Nairobi.

It is such a relief to put all that behind me. God carried me through it all.

Today was a busy one. I started early this morning leading the devotions at Elyon High School at Dagoretti Corner for the entire students and staff.  What an honour it is have them keep asking me back to share a from God's Word.

The rest of the day soon filled with sorting IT issues for CCP, investigating some new ideas to help the CCP office in the future and of course travelling to visit to the doctor.
Thanks to Pastor William Erik a from Dagoretti Corner for the provision of car. May God continue to bless you as you serve Him.

All in all, a great day. Thank you Lord.

God is good!

Settling back down

WOW!
What a start to this trip. During my time in hospital I learnt so much about myself and trusting God completely.
Since leaving hospital on Wednesday I have tried to settle back down into what I came here to do. I have spent the last two days (albeit shorter days) in the CCP office fixing a few IT issues and preparing for the staff training sessions that I will be commencing next week. With the down time during my illness it means I will need to spend a fair bit of time this weekend getting up to speed ready to conduct the training sessions - presentations, assignments & exams to compile.

I still need to visit the hospital on Sunday for a follow up blood test and then a doctor's appointment on Monday. Please pray for continued healing and health.

Oh, and I still have no word on my lost luggage.

Have the events of this past week weakened my desire to be here?
No! I do truly believe this is the time and place that I am meant to be.

This is the scripture that keeps resounding in my head........
2 Corinthians 4:7-9 NIV
[7] But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. [8] We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; [9] persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.

Getting on

It should never be a surprise that the plans we think we have turn out not to be what actually happens. Only God knows the full picture. My journey to Kenya on this trip have been one of those times. Originally following one plan, details changed along the way but never the clear call that the coming and timing was right.

Spending a week or so in a Nairobi hospital was never in my plans but God has used even this time to strengthen and prepare me and to solidify the relationships I have with new and old friends, colleagues and partners in the Gospel here in Kenya.

As I write this, I am still in Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi and maybe for a few more days while the doctors ensure that I am 100% recovered before discharging me. I praise God for the diligence of the staff here. It is no coincidence that I am in this place for I know that He cares for me.

Once I am released, I will return to the work I was sent here to do. I do not claim to have the answers. I am not here to solve problems on my own. I am here offering my God given talents and skills to assist where ever I am needed, always guided by my local partners.

My main involvement on this trip is with Chosen Children of Promise http://ccpkenya.org. I am working with the admin team (specifically with IT), training teachers to work with the new Kenyan IT curriculum and I have now also been asked to support the spiritual aspects of the ministry through a mentoring role.

As time permits, I have also again been asked to continue my ongoing ministry relationship with Elyon High School at Dagoretti Corner and particularly when possible to be involved in their morning devotions. This is one of many relationships that has grown over the last 6 years of travelling to Kenya, one that I am keen to continue nuturing.

I have been overwhelmed by the level of support (prayer and financial) that I am receiving from so many people, here in Kenya, from home in Australia but also from many other places around the world. God is truly at work!

Please continue to pray for my full recovery and for the ongoing ministry here and may it all be to God's glory and honour!

His jar of clay, declaring His glory,

Rob

A Taste of Local Reality

I have always said that trusting God in our western world was easy since we have so many safety nets. Here, it requires a lot more faith.

My budget for this trip was always going to be tight. However, truly believing God has me here at this time for His purpose, I came in faith that He will provide. With my luggage still missing, I have needed to buy a few clothes & personal items. Local reality struck when I started thinking in terms of the cost of my daily food. Those few items have cost me two weeks of meals. I had already only budgeted for two meals a day. On top of that, my luggage contained my daily medication; enough for the whole trip. Now buying that here will cost me three days of food for every two weeks of tablets.

I have never had my faith stretched so far! But this is the reality for many locals here. They must daily trust God for their next meal.

On the up side, my initial meetings to discuss and prepare for what I am here to do have only strengthened my belief that this where God wants me, here & now.

An old song rattles through my head........

Jehovah Jireh, my Provider, His Grace is sufficient for me, for me, for me.

Jehovah Jireh, my Provider, His Grace is sufficient for me, for me, for me.

My God shall supply all my needs according to His riches in Glory.

He gives His angels charge over me.

Jehovah Jireh cares for me, for me, for me.

Jehovah Jireh cares for me.

Please pray that my faith will be strengthened and that I will truly trust in God, my Provider.

What am I doing here this time.

Here's a very brief summation of what I am doing this time - my 7th time in Kenya.
I am helping CCP with ICT implementation.

CCP is Chosen Children of Promise http://ccpkenya.org - a wonderful organisation working with orphaned and abandoned children in the Kawangware and N'gando slums areas of Nairobi.
Information, Communication & Technology (ICT) has been added as a subject in the schools here. Earlier this year CCP added a school to their long list of ministries and my task is to bring the teachers at CCP Academy up to speed so that they can teach this subject effectively.

The first few days.

This trip is full of mixed emotions. The first few days have been a time of adjustment.

I do miss my wife and especially our afternoon sharing of the days events. Sure, we can Skype but it is not the same as being together.

While it has only been about 7 months since I was last here, in many ways it seems so long ago. It takes time to adjust to the different pace of life and being the fish in the bowl. In the area where I am staying and spending most of my time here there are not many muzungu (white people) so there is always the feeling that you are being watched. There is a shopping mall near my accommodation that is frequented my muzungu so I can retreat there sometimes to feel a little less conspicuous.

I arrived here on Tuesday afternoon but as yet (Friday morning) there is no sign of my luggage. I do get a phone call from the airline daily informing me that it was not on today's flight...... Maybe tomorrow.

Yesterday I spent my first day in the CCP office after reviewing curriculum documents over the last few days, it was time to draft up a training schedule for the CCP Academy teachers. That is one of my main task for this trip, to prepare the teachers ready to deliver the ICT curriculum.

This morning I have been invited to join (read speak at) the morning devotions at Elyon High School. After that I will catch a matatu to the CCP office for continue preparations.

For those of you who saw my video of the multi bed room that was waiting for me on Tuesday, I have now moved to a small room.

Until next time........

Rob

Serving where I can

Yesterday I started early at Elyon High school to complete some network cabling.
I then spent the rest of the day working with Kennedy, the IT intern at "Chosen Children of Promise" http://ccpkenya.org
Kennedy has had a steep learning curve since the previous IT person left. He has done a great job but there was some fine tuning needed to resolve some network issues and so my assistance was requested.
CCP run sponsorship, spiritual, medical & educational ministries in the Kawangware area near Dagoretti.

Today I will be meeting with a panel of pastors from Elyon Christian Mission. These pastors represent more than 60 church in the Dagoretti area of Nairobi. I have been communicating with them for many months as together we explore the vision of establishing a local Bible training program. Possibly one day it will develop into a full Bible School. There are many hoops to jump through to get to that point.
Today's discussions will help shape the remainder of my time in Kenya for this trip and hopefully we will gain a clear focus of the path ahead in this ministry partnership together.