Luxury at the Tribe

On Saturday, Jane and I snuck into a super nice hotel in Westlands called Tribe and spent the day lounging by their fabulous pool - talk about a stark contrast with the rest of the week!  It was probably 85 degrees and sunny, so we got to soak up some sun in luxurious chairs and eat a fantastic lunch next to the pool.  There were very few people there, and ZERO screaming kids, so I was pretty darn happy. 

Doesn't that sound nice to all you people stuck in the Nashville snow?

New Centers in Thika

Yesterday I drove with Duncan to check out the newest CARE for AIDS region in the Thika area, on the North side of Nairobi.  We picked up Kevin, the regional coordinator, and headed out to the Kia-ndutu slum, where the first center is located.  Kia-ndutu is a crazy place - one of the more hectic slums that I've been around.  Narrow, dirt paths snake their way between ramshackle wood or tin dwellings, and it was a driving test for me to maneuver the car all the way to the Full Gospel Church in the center of the slum. 

Good ol Prado - still goin strong with 214,000 km!

Kia-ndutu slum...not the nicest place to live

 It's also (apparently), one of the most dangerous places around.  The spiritual counselor at the center, Patrick, grew up in Kia-ndutu, so people know him and he is comfortable there.  All of the other staff members from Thika refuse to walk through Kia-ndutu unless they are in a group or with Patrick, though, even during the day.  As I spoke with Patrick, he told me that during the previous day at about 1pm, he looked out the church window and saw a man get stabbed and robbed...yikes! 

Patrick talking with a client at Full Gospel Church of Kia-ndutu

 That means that there is a LOT of need in the area, and thankfully Patrick and his fellow worker Louise are hard at work meeting with clients and helping them to turn their lives around.  We hung out with about 15 clients in the waiting area of the church yesterday and watched as Patrick and Louise counseled them.  Only two months into the program, they are already seeing some wonderful developments and learning a lot about the real needs of HIV-positive people in this area. 

 

We then drove to the opposite side of Thika and met with the pastor and center workers for the second Thika center in an area called Kiganjo.  We visited the Deliverance Church of Kiganjo, where everyone is excited to host Duncan as a guest pastor this coming Sunday when they officially launch the center.  The two CFA counselors, Ann and Patrick, spent some time staying at the house a couple of weeks ago training, so it was great to see them again and share in their excitement to begin working.  They have already been visiting support groups and local clinics, and they are well on their way to recruiting a full group of clients for the brand new center.

Pastor Newton, Patrick, and Ann

Please join with me in praying for both of these young CARE for AIDS center.  Pray that the workers in Kia-ndutu would have wisdom in working with people of extreme poverty, and that they would stay safe in such a difficult environment.  Also pray that the church and staff at Kiganjo would be welcoming to just the right clients as they spend time recruiting people and visiting their homes.  Finally, pray for Kevin as he manages both of these new centers and works out logistics in a new area, all while getting used to living in a new place.  Thank you so much for your continued prayers - God is truly working miracles in the lives of people with nowhere else to turn, and we praise Him for it!

Beauty

Last night I got home to find a dark house and a lack of power.  It shouldn't have surprised me, because when I left in the afternoon the power lines across the street were spewing sparks at the top of a pole...yikes.  Not having power isn't the end of the world - just the end of hot water, internet access, coffee makers, and some of those little "conveniences" that we all get used to.

Anyway, I walked in the house last night and Edwin, who guards and takes care of our compound, had set up little candles in strategic places to provide some light for Duncan and I.  I stopped for a few minutes in the living room, struck first by the amount of light that came from one small candle in the midst of a completely dark room (I could stop here and break into a reflective post about being a light in the world, but we've probably all heard that one before), and second by the beauty that these tiny lights brought to an ordinary environment.  Compared with the ordinary light bulbs I'm used to, these little flickering candles seemed to transform their surroundings with a silent, understated beauty.

Something that's has been a trend in several conversations lately for me is optimism.  Now, I know that it's possible - and obnoxious - to be overly optimistic.  I've been guilty of that before.  In most cases, though, I think that optimism is a good thing, because it draws our minds toward things that are "true...noble...right...pure...lovely...admirable...excellent...or praiseworthy," and brings us to "think about such things" (Philippians 4:8).  Part of this is recognizing beauty, and seeing things that are beautiful as a reflection of God and His love for us.  John Eldridge talks in The Way of the Wild Heart about the transition that occurs in a man as he matures and comes to appreciate beauty, and through it, the Creator of beauty.  For me, the initial recognition of beauty came through BIG things...the snow covered Swiss Alps, or the golden light on the African savanna.  Over time, though, I think I'm coming to acknowledge beauty in the small things, the daily things.  Things like the moon behind clouds at night, the blue sky, green grass, and brown dirt that surrounds me.  Things like the light from a single candle in a dark room...

Where can you find beauty today?  Last night in our small group we talked about the signs that God uses to remind each one of us that He is here.  What is it that shows you God is present, that reveals the work of our Creator?  Choosing and learning to see beauty in the small things can be a great source of joy, and even the most optimistic people can always use a little more joy!