In Christ Alone

Hello all!
It’s been two weeks since we left home for MTWs pre-retreat in North Carolina. It’s hard to believe that we’ve been here this long. It also seems crazy to think that we only have seven Sundays left before it’s time to go home. Weird!! None of us are trying to think of it that way at all. We have all fallen in love with this country, and with our brothers and sisters in the church.

Since Friday, we’ve all stayed pretty busy but the good thing about our schedule is there are days when we can rest in between days that are super busy or stressful. Saturday was one of those restful days. Pastor Imbumi didn’t pick us up until 3p.m. to go to the girls home. I was able to finish a book, start another one and wash some towels. Once we arrived at the girls home, we played games and helped with homework and sang and prayed for church in the morning. I really enjoy preparing for church this way. I feel like I can prepare myself for not only the journey into the slum, but prepare my heart for the people and children I will encounter during the service.
Sunday was wonderful because of all the prayer. It was slightly more difficult to get into the slum but I made it and as always, breathed a sigh of relief once in the church. The church is such a symbol of peace and security. I feel safe in it, despite being in the center of a massive slum. I was surrounded by children from the moment I walked in to the moment I left. On my left, on my right, in my arms, in my lap, falling asleep in my arms. My motherly instincts came out and I can’t even begin to describe how wonderful it felt to have a sleeping child trust you and fall sleep in your ams. After church we picked up some ice cream (because after one visit, you are no longer a visiter which means you bring food to places) and headed to the girls home for one of the best lunches I have ever had. Fanta orange soda, a bean,carrot, and onion soup and a bread called chapati. It looks like a flour tortilla but it’s so much better. Sunday night, us interns watched The Office and laughed and laughed. We are such a good team together. I love laughing and I’ve found that laughter is such a great way to relax after a long day of working.
Monday is our day to stay on the land. The girls washed a ton of clothes and bed sheets. My back and arms are going to be so strong after a summer of washing clothes. The way Kenyans wash clothes is one of the most difficult and intense ways ever. They start by taking two buckets, filling one with clean water and the other with soapy-detergent water. Next they put the clothes in the soapy water and scrub them till the water isn’t clean water anymore. Then they rinse the soapy water out of the clothes (which takes a lot of effort because water makes everything so heavy) and drop them in the clean water. You do more scrubbing and then rinse the water out of it. And then you repeat everything a second time. So, no matter how much clothes or sheets or towels you have, it takes forever to wash stuff. But I now know how to do it, and maybe I can apply it to my college life, save some money here or there. :)
Normally on Tuesdays we’re in the slum teaching or serving those who are sick. But this week, Pastor Imbumi had a conference and couldn’t pick us up. So instead it’s a second day of staying here on the land. Other than the guys work, the girls didn’t really have all that much to do. And something I’ve been struggling to understand is the way Kenyan women work verses the way American women work. American women are used to things being equal. American women can do the same kind of jobs men can do. And we’re used to having men learn how to do typical women jobs like cooking and cleaning. But in Kenya, things are different. Women do the household chores like laundry, and cleaning the dishes and cooking the food. In fact, when our guys started doing the dishes, one of the Kenyan women living with us laughed and laughed at that sight. She couldn’t believe that American men would be doing the dishes. All that to say, the guys are physically building the building that will house all the rescued women. And we’re stuck doing laundry. We’ve been feeling kinda worthless. But the Lord showed me last night that by doing cleaning the sheets, I’m serving my team and I’m serving the Lord. By making lunch for the hungry, and tired boys, I’m serving them, and I’m serving the Lord. Another thing that I’ve been struggling with is the comparison game. It’s a sin I’ve struggled with my whole life. And one of the girls, Rachel, gave me a verse that has been really helpful: “But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be himself alone, and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load.” Everyone has their own problems to work through. And everyone has something about them that is special and unique. Why should I try to be someone else with someone else’s problems? I have enough of my own. My creator made me this way and there isn’t a point to wishing for other qualities.

I’m going to end tonight’s blog with some prayer/praise requests:
Continue to pray for Pastor Imbumi and his wife Martha. They work really hard for us and don’t tell us a lot of things that they go through everyday.
Praise God for the situation with the little boy. He is now in the protection of Pastor Imbumi and is finally safe. He is a sweet child and we can’t wait to spend more time with him in the coming weeks.
And, pray for our team. We’re getting into the end of our third week and things are wonderful right now. We all love each other and enjoy spending time together. But what worries me is the 3rd week. Pray that we’ll continue to love each other and trust the Lord in all that happens.

In Christ Alone,
Virginia