Catch Up!

I have not written since I came back to Kampala from working in Kenya.  Actually, it’s been since October 17!  There are many reasons why I have not written, not the least of which is that I was not sure what I should write about.  I had so much to process when I returned from Kenya, and it has taken me some time to reflect on my experience.

On November 11, I returned from a 6 week trip to Kenya working with the Christian Reform World Relief Committee (CRWRC) on projects designed to provide drought relief for some the people of the Pwani (Coast) region.  (See “relief & development” post from October 2 for more).  My time in Kenya was a season of intense spiritual growth.  It proved to be both very difficult and incredibly rewarding, as things from God often are. 

On a typical eMi project trip, a staff member assembles a team of design professionals to travel to a site and complete a project for the ministry.  The key word here is TEAM.  Since this was a disaster relief project, I was sent as a consultant to Kenya to help CRWRC as the lone eMi volunteer.  The plan was for me to join a volunteer retired couple representing CRWRC as International Relief Managers (IRMs) and a Kenyan national WASH (water, sanitation, & hygiene) engineer.  I was to serve in a support role, assisting the Kenyan engineer. 

Having lunch with Lee and Sue Mys, CRWRC International Relief Managers, who I lived and worked with on the project.

A few days after I arrived in Mombasa on October 3, we learned that our Kenyan WASH engineer was not able to come.  I had some water design experience in the States, but none in Africa and certainly not enough to take the lead on the project.  CRWRC began to look for a replacement immediately, but it took some time, and he was set to arrive after one month, around November 1. 

There are so many cultural distinctions that result in minor variations in planning and implementation of projects here in Africa.  It is easy to get off on the wrong foot and then very difficult to make up for it if you do.  For this reason, and because I am new to Africa, we were hesitant to make any major decisions on how to proceed with the project because we wanted to wait for the Kenyan engineer to arrive and get his expertise.  

"Helping" build the foundation for one of the new water tanks at Palakumi Primary School.

Until then, I struggled to find my place on the project.  My role was not well defined and most of the time I felt like I was tagging along, as the IRM's began their work of starting the other aspects of the project.  Thankfully, I was able to begin some work on the rainwater harvesting system design, including the foundation design for the water tanks.   Adding to the lack of work were the security issues.  There were 2 bombings by Al-Shabab in Nairobi in October and it was not safe to travel around Mombasa by myself.  I was limited to spending most of my time alone when I was not working. 

During this time, I was forced to rely on God for everything, including companionship, something I have never had to do.  I am blessed with a huge network of friends and family.  Even moving to Uganda, I made friends quickly and never went without company.  Being isolated was testing.  It taught me so much about the nature of Jesus.  He is a real person and He wants to be our best friend.  For the first time in my life, the song “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” was very real to me:

Can we find a friend so faithful,
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
Take it to the Lord in prayer.

I wish I could adequately explain the change that took place in me in Kenya:  the growth of my faith in Jesus and the absolute trust in the fact that He is all I need, ever!  There is so much joy that comes from serving Him.  I want everyone to have it!  It is so difficult to put into words, and I am afraid that I’m not conveying it well.  (I will just blame it on my affinity for numbers and not language!) 

So this verse pretty much sums up my time in Kenya:

Hebrews 12:11   Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

With Grace, a parent, and her child and teacher at Maktau Primary School.

So now, I am able to do this:

James 1:2   My brethren, count it all JOY when you fall into various trials.

I am so thankful for the privilege to be here working for the Lord and for His patience with me as He molds me into the person that He wants me to be.  I am a work in progress!

the Lord of the harvest

my team spent last Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday out in the field in Kilifi County, Kenya.  we visited the villages and met some the people who will benefit from the water projects we are working on.  it was three days of beautiful scenery, bumpy roads, and thirsty, hungry, grateful people. 

i had lots of time to think during the travel on these days, and during that time i thought of the verse where Jesus talked about having compassion on the crowds because they were like sheep without a shepherd.  i looked a few places in my Bible, couldn't find it, and didn't think about it much after that...
until this morning, when i read my devotion.  the scripture was Matthew 9:35-38.
And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction.  When He saw the crowds, He had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.  Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest."
there are so many people here in Kenya who need Jesus!  i have been especially burdened to pray for the large population of Muslims, here in Mombasa, that i have contact with every day.
now i'm going to go a totally different direction with this...
when i heard about President Obama sending troops to help Ugandans find Joseph Kony, the leader of the rebel Lord's Resistance Army, my first thought was....great! they need to find that guy, he has been wreaking havoc in east Africa for way too long.  then i thought....wait, why are we getting involved? yes, they need help finding him.  yes, he is terrible! but since coming to Africa i have learned first hand that U.S. involvement is not always best, for a number of reasons. (i could go on and on here, but i'll just leave it at that.)
then, when i read this scripture this morning, i thought....God can use anything to get more people to "pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest", why not this too!
so i started praying for the Lord to use this situation specifically to motivate others to prayer.  so next time you think of a political situation that you don't like or understand, pray! Pray that God will use it for His glory.  Pray for the afflicted people, pray for our leaders' decisions, pray for...yes...Joseph Kony.  he needs Jesus, too.

relief & development

i am in Nairobi, Kenya!  i am staying in a fabulous Mennonite guest house with an amazing garden.

on the first Sunday of the month, they hold a Hymn Sing.  everyone gathers in the little chapel.  people take turns calling out hymn numbers, the song leader plays the first note on the pitch pipe, and everyone sings. it was beautiful!  the Mennonites are known for their beautiful a cappella harmonies. and now i know why!

tomorrow i will travel to the Coast Region, to the city of Mombasa, where i will call home for the next 6 weeks.  i have been recruited to work with CRWRC (http://www.crwrc.org/pages/crwrc.cfm) to help them with drought relief projects in Kilifi and Taita Taveta.  there is a severe drought in east Africa right now affecting more than 10 million people.
here is a little from the project proposal about the partner ministry i will be working with and the drought situation in the Coast Region of Kenya ("pwani" is Swahili for "coast"):

"Pwani Christian Community Service (Anglican Church of Kenya) is a long-time partner of CRWRC in Kenya.  The partnership began in 1996 and has involved numerous development and disaster response interventions.  PCCS is the development arm of A.C.K Dioceses of Mombasa and Taita Taveta. Its corporate goal is to contribute towards holistic and sustainable livelihoods of communities in Coast Region. The organization’s strategic goal is to contribute towards equitable improved and dignified quality of life amongst communities in Coast Region.

The Coast Region is amongst the most affected by poverty, HIV/AIDS and enviromental degredation in Kenya which impacts on communities’ livelihoods, education levels and access to health services.

Located in the southeast and coastal marginal zones, Kilifi and Taita have experienced a very dry 2011 and, as a result, people are suffering heightened food insecurity. According to the latest report the near‐total failure of the short‐rains season caused extensive crop losses in the worst‐affected districts. Depleted household food stocks are combined with exceptionally high food prices, and reduced on‐farm labor opportunities has diminished the buying power of the average household.
The project seeks to fill critical short and long-term water gaps in the districts of Ganze and Mwatate while, at the same time, addressing food shortages for the moderately vulnerable households.  The project will undertake activities that meet immediate water needs in four schools and mitigate against future water shortages."

the project has three primary objectives:
1.  keep four primary schools open through the provision of emergency water supply.  we will be designing and implementing a program to truck water in to the schools.
2.  reduce hunger through cash for assets activities.  the local population will be hired to dig water pans, large reservoirs that collect rain water used for irrigated farming and livestock.
3.  mitigate against future water shortages through the expansion/rehabilitation of rain water harvesting systems and the drilling of a borehole.  we will design a gutter and water tank system for several schools to collect rainwater and drill one water well that will potentially help 11 communities.

over the last few days i have learned a lot about disaster relief and international development projects. i have seen a glimpse into the decision making process of who gets aid and how much, how projects are funded, and the way projects are implemented on the ground.  CRWRC is part of a much larger community of international aid organizations.  it has been an amazing experience and has opened my eyes to a whole world (literally!) of new information and the international aid machine.  and it's big business.

i have met people from everywhere, all with a common goal: improving the lives of other people. in this case, we will be doing that by getting water to people who need it very badly.

all of this is a very good thing.

but in all the planning, discussion, and decision making, it's easy for something to get lost: showing the love of Jesus. 

so this verse really jumped out at me when i read it yesterday morning, because i was starting to get really overwhelmed.  "...'Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.'" Luke 8:33

God always has a way of putting things in perspective for me when i get overwhelmed. so i know that as long as i keep my eyes on the Lord, and have faith that He has put me in this place for this time to do this job, i will be pleasing to Him in my obedience.
and isn't that why i'm here?