Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Naw we did that yesterday.

Kitale is my home. I can’t believe that I can say that and feel like it is true. As I was walking around the city today, I was thinking about how I actually live in Kenya, and am doing what the Lord is calling me to do. It is such an amazing feeling to be here and I am so excited for what God has in store for me.

Yesterday was another great day. We started off the morning by stopping into a coffee shop/ cinema/ library/ cyber café that is run by this British lady and a couple other ladies. I can’t explain to you how odd it is for either of these places to exist in this town, you would just have to be here. Anyways, we got a couple of drinks and talked with the lady about showing a movie on Saturday for all of the school children to come and see. After that we stopped into Discover to Recover to give them some supplies that had been donated and also to say hello to the kids. I have a friend Elias there who is an amazing boy. He was found a couple years ago taking care of his baby brother with no parents. He was responsible for a one-year-old child at nine years of age. Not only was he taking care of his brother, but his brother is HIV positive. They were the first permanent residence at discover to recover and have been living there for around two years. Elias is an awesome boy and I have really grown to love him and his brother, whose name is Churchill (which is awesome). After we went there we headed to Tumaini a local orphanage. Tumaini has had ties with Steve and saddleback teams and it has been a great place for street children to go for years. We played soccer for a while but I had the most fun teaching them how to play 3 flies (or is it fly’s) up. We left Tumaini and headed to Sr. Freda’s clinic. Sr. Freda is an amazing woman, and I am not a good enough writer to possibly explain her. She has a clinic with her Husband Richard that gives free care to people all around the city. They have also started a school that caters to the poor neighborhood kids, and a small orphanage that now has 5 children in it. I love the kids there. I will be there a lot more, which means you will hear more and more.

After we left Sr. Freda’s clinic I headed to Lydia’s house (co founder of Oasis of hope) to co-lead an abstinence bible study with some of the boys from the permanent houses. This is the second meeting and it is amazing how different the culture of former street boys is than that of any other children that I have ever experienced. I feel like God is working in such awesome ways with the Bible study, and I am learning a lot from the children.

I hope all is well back home; I miss you all and can’t wait to be able to spend time together again.
Chris



I hung out with this puppet.

I told Morgan to smile and this is what I got.

We did a puppet show for the kids.

I enjoyed this pun in town.

These kids loved the puppet show.

I made this girl laugh.

6 comments:

dianasaur said...

we've got watt it takes. that is too funny! i think that picture of you holding that girl upside down is my favorite picture in the whole world now. i want to print it out and blow it up so i can look at it everyday! chris it looks like you are having the most amazing time there, it's really incredible to see their smiling faces and to know that you are the reason for them. i hope all continues to be well and i miss you so much. i love you with all of my heart.
diana

Julie Hibbard said...

I have a picture of you and Elias. I'll send it to Allison.
Is that a Thompson Gazelle? I mean, Karolyn Thompson??
Tell her I said hello!!
The British movie/coffee house sounds awesome.
You guys are such locals there now! God really knew WATT he was doing when he sent you there!!

Mom said...

Chris, remember when I went to your first grade conference and your teacher told me you were the CLASS CLOWN!!!! Somethings never change. You look so happy among those beautiful children.

Well your baby sis finally got her drivers license so between that and Aunt Pat's tahoe I never see her anymore. Keep those wonderful stories and pictures coming we love them.

I love and miss you to pieces
Mom xoxoxoxox

Anonymous said...

Oh Chris! Reading your blogs and seeing the photos, I always get teary eyed. You are touching these kids life more than you will ever know. I am the luckiest Aunt ever to have a newphew like you. Love, CABA

Michelle Hausz said...

Thank you so much for sharing your stories and pictures. Morgan sure does miss seeing you while we're here at my parents. (of course I miss seeing you too) Think we're seeing your dad next week too. Love and miss you!

Bob Wohlers said...

Great looking kids Chris! No doubt you remember the puppet shows at Saddleback Church when you helped teach sunday school classes. It seems that all those Sundays you helped was great training for what you are doing now in your own, unique way. God lead you there... and now he's using you in a mighty way. I'm very proud of you son. Miss you...

Dad