One of the things that has struck me during our time in Kenya is the circle of life. While on safari , we witnessed the beauty of life. We saw young elephants walking close to their mothers, little zebras staying near the protection of their herds, and young lions sticking together and protecting one another. We even saw baby baboons clinging to their mothers, dependent on them for protection, nourishment, and survival. There is something beautiful about watching a mother care for her young. These babies enter the world completely dependent on those who care for them. They need protection as they grow, guidance as they learn, and the opportunity to develop the skills they will need to survive on their own. We also witnessed the other side of that circle.  As we traveled through Maasai Mara National Reserve, we came across several animal carcasses, mostly warthogs, that appeared to have been recently killed and eaten by lions. Ravens gathered around what remained. It was...

One of the things I have come to appreciate about my time in Kenya is also one of the things I have found most challenging: the slower pace of life. Back home in the United States, we are used to schedules, deadlines, and having a plan for just about everything. We watch the clock, keep an eye on the time, and measure our days by how much we can accomplish. We want to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible, checking things off our lists along the way. Here in Kenya, I have been reminded that life doesn't always work that way. On our second day in Kenya, we arrived at church 30 minutes early. We were ready to worship, meet people, and get started with our day. There was just one small problem: no one else was there yet! Church eventually started once everyone had gathered together, more than an hour after the scheduled time. On our mission work days, we were supposed to finish our time with our mission partners by 3 p.m. Two out of those three days, we didn't fin...

As the first part of our trip to Kenya comes to an end, we are getting ready to move from our time of mission into our time as tourists. We will see more of Kenya over the next few days, experience new things, and enjoy the beauty of this amazing country, b ut I can't help but think that although the mission portion of our trip is over, the mission is not. Mission is not something we do only when we travel to another country. Mission is something we are called to do every single day, wherever we are. Sometimes we make mission seem like it has to be something big. We have to travel somewhere, serve someone, build something, or do something that feels important. But maybe mission can be much simpler than that. Maybe mission is saying hello to someone who looks like they are having a difficult day.  Maybe it is offering a smile to a stranger.  Maybe it is taking a moment to listen to someone who needs to be heard.  Maybe it is helping someone who is struggling, o...

Reflecting on the mission part of our trip to Kenya, I think the least common denominator is food insecurity.   Imagine living in a hovel made of tin sheet roofing. No lighting. One room 10x10 with no windows. No bathrooms. And sharing that space with 6 others. It would be hard. Add to that no food for days. No job. Crime. How enticing it would be to steal; maybe just some fruit from a stand,or something to get around with like a bicycle.  We heard stories from the boys that ran away from home and are now living at Kweto Home of Peace.  They are fed each morning, they get a tea break midday and a nourishing lunch. They were so excited to give us a tour and show us they have an actual bed (no pillow) that they must make each morning. They learn to wash their own clothes and have a shower (a stall with a bucket for water) and what I call squatty potties. They are in school learning. If you are hungry, how can you focus on studying at school?  Lu...

Today was one of those days in Kenya that I know I will carry with me for a very long time. We spent the day in Mathare Valley and with Mathare Community Outreach (MCO), visiting people in their homes and spending time with students in the three schools MCO runs. As we walked through Mathare Valley, I found myself trying to take in everything around me. The neighborhood is in bad condition. The roads are bumpy and made from dirt, and small shops and homes made from metal are packed closely together. There is very little open space. Everything is cramped together. What appears to be a small streams popping up throughout the neighborhood is actually sewage running down the streets and in between homes. The conditions are very different from anything we experience at home. What affected me most was not what I saw from the outside. It was the people who welcomed us inside. We were invited into people's homes and given the opportunity to hear their stories. I saw one small h...

Today we visited Qwetu Home for Peace, where 23 boys between the ages of 10 and 16 are currently living.  Just one week ago, every one of these boys was living on the streets.  They had each been homeless and on their own for at least two months. For some, it had been much longer. They had survived without the safety and stability that most children take for granted. Now, they have made the difficult decision to leave street life behind and spend up to two years at Qwetu Home for Peace in rehabilitation before hopefully returning to their parents or other relatives. When we arrived, many of the boys were very excited to show us around.  They showed us their beds, the laundry area where they are learning to wash their clothes, and the rabbits and ducks they help feed each day. There was something very ordinary and childlike about their excitement. They wanted to show us their home. For boys who had been on the streets just a week earlier, having a bed, learni...

Today, our team visited Happy Life Children's Home in Nairobi. I knew before we arrived that the children there had difficult beginnings, but nothing could have prepared me for what I would feel when I actually met them. Happy Life cares for babies and young children who have been abandoned. Some were found in ditches. Some were found in forests. Others were left on the streets. The youngest baby currently at Happy Life is only one week old. So young!  I cannot imagine how anyone could leave a newborn baby alone like that. I don't understand how someone could look at such a tiny, helpless child and walk away. It is heartbreaking to think that these little ones—these beautiful children—were abandoned when they had done absolutely nothing wrong. And yet, when I walked into the room, what I experienced wasn't a room filled with sadness. It was filled with children. The toddlers were so excited to see visitors. They ran up to us, wanting to touch my hair and my ski...

I have been told that I know a lot of useless (or useful, depending on when you need it) information. So I would like to share some of the things I have learned so far with all of you. 1. We all know that Giraffes are cute and adorable with their long necks and markings. Did you know there are 3 types of giraffes, Rothschild, Maasai, and Reticulated? They are all native to different parts of Africa and their markings is how you tell them apart. They will crossbreed given the opportunity and those giraffes are then considered a crossbreed, not part of one of the three types. 2. The Giraffe Centre in Nairobi only houses Rothschild giraffes and are working on increasing their population in the wild. When the center was started in the 1970s, there were only about 130 Rothschild giraffes remaining. Through their conservation efforts they have increased this number significantly. At the center they house one male alpha, females, and babies. When young males reach around 2-3 years...

Kenya is a country with unemployment at around 40%. So far we have seen no manufacturing facilities, only construction jobs, service jobs, security services, and the like. I wonder how people can live with no job and no income? We see market stands along many roads.  How does one break the cycle? In the next couple days, I hope to find some answers.   - Steve

Where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”  Matthew 18:20 It’s the first Sunday in October, otherwise known as World Communion Sunday.  I was always told that this is a Sunday when Christians from every nation around the globe celebrate the Eucharist in one spirit.  I’ve even used a liturgy in the past that emphasized no matter if we gather in a large cathedral, or a simple country church, or even a small mud hut, if we gather in Christ’s name, God is with us.  God is with us in community.  God is with us in communion.  No matter whether we share bread and wine or wafers and water…no matter if we eat soda crackers and munch on grapes…no matter if we have cookies and coffee, if we do so in a spirit of communion, the body and blood of Christ unite us as one fellowship of love around the world.   Today we worshiped with Outreach Community Church in Nairobi, Kenya.  The day was blessed with a special presentation by...