Day Two-New Friends and No Hurry in Africa

Africa is usually full of surprises,and it is typical for things not to go as planned. We arrived at the house where we were staying only to find that the brother to the owner was there with his children. While the owner of the house (he lives in the States) was aware that we were coming, the brother was not. In America it would create a very awkward situation, but in Kenya it was an opporutnity to make new friends. We enjoyed our time with Job, Meja, and Catherine, though it was unexpected. They along with their father were gracious hosts for their unexpected visitors. They left for Nairobi today, but we are likely to see them again before we leave.

There is a saying that there is no hurry in Africa and today was no exception. This morning we woke up and were ready to leave for a church by 9am in order to start a day long seminar for youth from three churches at 10am. Instead 9am turned into 10am and time kept passing until finally at 12:20 we left for the church. It turned out that it was a punctured motorbike tire that delayed us. We arrived at the church and just over 100 youth were patiently waiting. We were able to provide soda and bread and after they had their food we began our meeting.

Mbondo warmed them up and got them laughing. We needed that because they had been waiting 2.5 hours for us. Then Chaewook got up and gave his testimony, for the first time, in English, in front of 100 youth. It took a lot of courage, but he did a great job. I spoke about David and the kind of person God uses and then Mbondo spoke about the dangers of drug use. We don't know what he said, but he made the youth laugh qutie a bit.

After Mbondo finished we took a short break and then I spoke from Acts 1:8 and talked about the power of the Holy Spirit when we witness to the Gospel. I specifically talked about the healing power of Jesus. Last night,right before we went to bed I told Mbondo that I might be making things up, but I think there is someone who is blind in their right eye who will be at the seminar. During the meeting I asked if there was someone who had problems with vision in their right eye. Two girls raised their hands. I was not sure of the extent of the problems, but I was a little nervous. After all I have no power to heal someone and if the healing doesn't happen I was going to look awfully foolish. I was proclaiming that Jesus healed, but I had to step out on faith and tell the youth that now we were going to pray for healing for these girls. I've got to admit I was afraid, I was going to look pretty foolish if nothing happened, but I decided if I was going to look like a fool I would at least do it boldly. So I led the youth in praying for healing and then asked if there was any change. One girl raised her hand and I summoned her to the front. She shared that she went to sleep with pain in her eye and when she woke up her eye was painful, swollen and could not see properly. After prayer, the pain was gone and her vision was restored. Mbondo was quite surprised because of our conversation the night before. To be honest at first, I was a disappointed because I was hoping for a major healing, like a blind eye being opened. I wanted to say now is there anyone with a serious eye problem? Then I remembered that swollen eyes don't heal themselves, and that even "small" miracles still mean that God is active in answer to prayer and that is exciting! I need to continue to trust that if God reveals something it is for a purpose and not to be afraid to step out on faith. It'd be easier if I wasn't questioning if I wasn't making it up in my own mind :)

After the seminar we drove to land that James and his fellow pastors have purchased for a Bible College, High School and farm. The land is twenty acres and was purchased in faith that a dream will become a reality. Ten years ago James, Mbondo, and I climbed a mountain and prayed that God would build a Christian High School and a training school for pastors in this area. The land they have now is twenty acres and big enough to add a farm to provide food. James and the pastors don't have money to build, but they have faith and have been praying.

The night before we left for Kenya I spoke to a man from my old church in Boston. I had told him last summer about the dream for the Bible School and High School, he asked a few questions and seemed interested. Monday night he told me that he is now the mission director at the church wants to bring the senior pastor and a small team to Kenya. He wants to get his church involved in what God is doing here. Right now the land is overgrown and there are no buildings, but someday soon we will see a training school for pastors and a Christian high school.

Tomorrow we will visit James' church for a prayer meeting and then travel to the land where they are in the proces of building their own building. After that we will visit some friends in their homes, before we meet some more later in Tulia in the evening.

Praises: Chaewook did a great job sharing his testimony. The youth seminar was a success. God healed the painful swollen eye of a girl, which is a big deal when you can't afford to go to the doctor.

Prayer Requests:
Continued health and safety as we travel on motorbikes.

For God to bless and encourage James' church members tomorrow and that the sick would be healed.

That we would be a blessing and an encouragement to those we visit later in day.