Since I am assuming that Steve has filled in everyone on this crazy trip I won't go into detail on that. Suffice it to say that when Steve says "Don't worry, Stonic and I just drove on the road between Eldoret and Kitale this morning and there's no problem", he is a LIAR!!!. Choosing to visit Kenya in the middle of a revolution is probably not the best time to visit but God has shown up in unimaginable ways. Despite the chaos, God has used our visit to encourage our ministry partners who are facing a very difficult time ahead. Please continue to pray for them.
What I did want to talk about is the miracle of being at the house which a group of "changed lives". As I looked around the room on Tuesday night at Steve's house in Kitale I saw example after example of the transforming power of Christ. Under Steve's leadership Saddleback's ministry in Kenya has been a part of each of these stories. There was Juma who left a hopeless life on the streets of Kitale to become a fine young Christian man after receiving a chance when a team from Saddleback took him to Tumaini. There was James who was always around on Saddleback trips since he was a very young boy. Dawn and DJ Shuster gave him a chance in life and he now has a good job as a prison guard and cares for his brothers and sisters and their children. There was Leloc who was a little neighbor girl who lived next to Tumaini but the infectious nature of the Christian life helped her cross over the fence to find Christ. She is now a beautiful sixteen year old who hopes to become a doctor. Charles and Thomas were there. Many of you know them as the little boys in "Glue Boys" who appeared to have no hope when their mother died during the filming. God had different plans and now they are amazing little boys with a bright future thanks to caring Christians that are determined to make sure they do not fall between the cracks. There was Geoffrey who is transforming the street children of Kitale thanks to his work with Lydia Monroe and others at Saddleback. There was Jacinta who cares for 22 children at the Purpose Driven Academy and treats each of them as a child of God. And others were there with an equally amazing witness to the power of relationships with a person that eventually led to a relationship with Christ.
Each with a story. Each with a transformed life thanks in large part to Steve and his ministry in Kenya that so many of us have been blessed to be a part of. When we are praying for the political situation in Kenya, we should never forget to praise God for the changed lives and the mission ahead to have an even greater impact in the days and years ahead.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
URGENT PRAYER REQUEST!!
EMAIL I RECEIVED:
Megan, Steve wants to pass on an urgent prayer request for Stonic and Allen. The three of us flew out safely but Stonic and Allen, trying to get back to their families in Nairobi, had to drive. They got most of the way to Eldoret when the second MP (Member of Parliament) was assassinated in Eldoret. Their safety was immediately at risk with mobs burning trucks just ahead of them on the road. They had to turn back to Kitale. For Stonic to turn back it must have been bad.Pray that Stonic will have wisdom on the timing and discernment on the route to get back to his family.
Megan, Steve wants to pass on an urgent prayer request for Stonic and Allen. The three of us flew out safely but Stonic and Allen, trying to get back to their families in Nairobi, had to drive. They got most of the way to Eldoret when the second MP (Member of Parliament) was assassinated in Eldoret. Their safety was immediately at risk with mobs burning trucks just ahead of them on the road. They had to turn back to Kitale. For Stonic to turn back it must have been bad.Pray that Stonic will have wisdom on the timing and discernment on the route to get back to his family.
A Broken Heart
AGAIN, JEFF FRUM:
After Stonic literally climbed over the biggest roadblock yet, a telephone pole fortfied with boulders in his amazing "Indiana Jones" like Land Cruiser, Steve asked Dan and me if we could just stop by the Kachibora Refugee Camp.We ended up spending a couple of hours walking through this surreal scene of extreme poverty. It didn't take long to attract every child in camp to our side. The three funny Muzungu's lead hundreds of kids in singing and dancing. It was a privilege to provide a brief moment of escape for these innocent victims.We were told by the Red Cross there were over 6,000 children in this camp that were separated from there families in the chaos. 6,000 new orphans!What amazed me was the pure joy in these children's eyes. They couldn't stop touching us. Dan and I were walking with twenty kids each clinging to us and I said to him that this place just can't exist on this planet. How can this happen? No human being, created in God's image, should ever have to live in conditions like Kachibora. Yet, God was working to redeem lives in the midst of all this suffering. My life cannot be the same after seeing what I've seen.
After Stonic literally climbed over the biggest roadblock yet, a telephone pole fortfied with boulders in his amazing "Indiana Jones" like Land Cruiser, Steve asked Dan and me if we could just stop by the Kachibora Refugee Camp.We ended up spending a couple of hours walking through this surreal scene of extreme poverty. It didn't take long to attract every child in camp to our side. The three funny Muzungu's lead hundreds of kids in singing and dancing. It was a privilege to provide a brief moment of escape for these innocent victims.We were told by the Red Cross there were over 6,000 children in this camp that were separated from there families in the chaos. 6,000 new orphans!What amazed me was the pure joy in these children's eyes. They couldn't stop touching us. Dan and I were walking with twenty kids each clinging to us and I said to him that this place just can't exist on this planet. How can this happen? No human being, created in God's image, should ever have to live in conditions like Kachibora. Yet, God was working to redeem lives in the midst of all this suffering. My life cannot be the same after seeing what I've seen.
Perspective from the backseat
THE FOLLOWING IS A MESSAGE FROM JEFF FRUM:
This is my first trip to Kenya so my anticipation of adventure was high. Especially traveling with two veterans, Dan Hamer and Steve Rutenbar. I never could've prepared myself for our journey on the backroads from Eldoret to Kitale. Steve warned us there were roadblocks the entire 50 mile stretch so as a good rookie would do in the back seat - I had my camera ready. Five minutes into our journey we slowed to drive over downed powerlines and around fires set to block the road. Stonic, our driver, a fearless Masai warrior, contined to navigate this dangerous stretch. I looked out to the left and saw a mob running toward our car upset that we passed their obstacles. I thought - this would be great picture - after I snapped the photo Steve yelled back at me, "Put the camera away!". I'm thinking I could've used that information a few minutes ago!The mob completely surrounded our car and began climbing onto the vehicle. I looked at Dan and wondered if this was it. Dan with his dry humor asked Steve, "Was it like this when you came this morning?". We began wondering if we had offended Steve in any way because it sure seemed like he was trying to get us killed! All joking aside, God intervened through the amazing courage of Stonic and through the compassion of Steve as they talked us through more than a dozen roadside confrontations. I saw angry men carrying machettes, bows and arrows, wood planks with nail spikes, and rocks charging our truck for three hours.In a strange way it is such a blessing to get out of Orange County where my pace of life often prevents me from seeing God at work. He is doing miracles in the hearts of Kenyans - I was a witness of that today!
This is my first trip to Kenya so my anticipation of adventure was high. Especially traveling with two veterans, Dan Hamer and Steve Rutenbar. I never could've prepared myself for our journey on the backroads from Eldoret to Kitale. Steve warned us there were roadblocks the entire 50 mile stretch so as a good rookie would do in the back seat - I had my camera ready. Five minutes into our journey we slowed to drive over downed powerlines and around fires set to block the road. Stonic, our driver, a fearless Masai warrior, contined to navigate this dangerous stretch. I looked out to the left and saw a mob running toward our car upset that we passed their obstacles. I thought - this would be great picture - after I snapped the photo Steve yelled back at me, "Put the camera away!". I'm thinking I could've used that information a few minutes ago!The mob completely surrounded our car and began climbing onto the vehicle. I looked at Dan and wondered if this was it. Dan with his dry humor asked Steve, "Was it like this when you came this morning?". We began wondering if we had offended Steve in any way because it sure seemed like he was trying to get us killed! All joking aside, God intervened through the amazing courage of Stonic and through the compassion of Steve as they talked us through more than a dozen roadside confrontations. I saw angry men carrying machettes, bows and arrows, wood planks with nail spikes, and rocks charging our truck for three hours.In a strange way it is such a blessing to get out of Orange County where my pace of life often prevents me from seeing God at work. He is doing miracles in the hearts of Kenyans - I was a witness of that today!
Exit Strategy
I first heard the term 'exit strategy' in a missions class at Wheaton Grad School, and I'm very sure it had nothing to do with what we went through today.
Since the killing of the MP in Nairobi(go to http://allafrica.com/stories/200801290995.html to read a story about it), and the subsequent tear gassing of his home and mourning family, there has been an incredible step up in anger across the country, even in otherwise calm and pastoral areas like Kitale. Harmon Parker, the founder of Bridging the Gap, called me with a message from his friends in intel at the US Embassy and the UN. He said the Kitale area could be next area to explode and the Embassy is asking Everyone get to safe ground because ALL roadways will be closed down in the next days.
Angry mobs between ElDoret and Kitale have taken over the highway and
Since the killing of the MP in Nairobi(go to http://allafrica.com/stories/200801290995.html to read a story about it), and the subsequent tear gassing of his home and mourning family, there has been an incredible step up in anger across the country, even in otherwise calm and pastoral areas like Kitale. Harmon Parker, the founder of Bridging the Gap, called me with a message from his friends in intel at the US Embassy and the UN. He said the Kitale area could be next area to explode and the Embassy is asking Everyone get to safe ground because ALL roadways will be closed down in the next days.
Angry mobs between ElDoret and Kitale have taken over the highway and
search every car one lorry for Kikuyus.
Moi's Bridge has been completely torn down, making it impossible to pass the way we traditionally do.
The area of MATUNDA is in complete chaos, no vehicle is able to pass...roadblocks of steel and telephone poles and boulders are all across the road today the community of Soy...where there is always a little market going on is just crazy...people are lashing out...saying they want justice, but being incited by the boldest in the change drinking crowds.
We got together with Butaki and Stephen Mairori, and found out there was an airlift out of the airstrip by Sister Freda's. Some of you guys who flew to Kakuma Camp by Sudan, remember this strip...it's basically just a cornfield with a weathervane. As much as we didn't want to go in this way, ...we had 30 minutes to decide ...Stonic told us, "Steve, get on this flight...it will be the only way back to Nairobi for a long time."
So we quickly prayed for and said goodby to Ayub, Mary, James, Juma, Jason, Lilac, Freddy and Sylvester, all of whom have been riding out the storm on our compound, and headed to the airstrip.
Stonic talked with the pilot of the turboprop and Dan Hamer, Jeff Frum and me on the flight...Nathan Chesang, the board chairman of ICM and director of Circle of Light, a partnership with the COORS family, pulled up with his son Allen and prayed for us. Then...before we could even reflect on the last few days...we were in the air and heading for El Doret.
El Doret Airport was quite a scene...Military EVERYWHERE. Marksmen carrying machine guns and rifles.... hundreds of soldiers being moved onto and off Airforce transport planes. We're pretty sure they are headed for Kitale to fortify things there. Each soldier , steely eyed, with the look of combat ahead .Let me tell you this is not the city we have ministered in over the last 10 years...it's absolutely Dodge City..Hamer and Frum and I watched from under an acacia tree, sucked down an Orange Fanta (mmmm) and tried to picture what lay ahead.
From the air... fires and smoke all around...well that's for another message....
Thanks for your prayers and encouraging comments.
The area of MATUNDA is in complete chaos, no vehicle is able to pass...roadblocks of steel and telephone poles and boulders are all across the road today the community of Soy...where there is always a little market going on is just crazy...people are lashing out...saying they want justice, but being incited by the boldest in the change drinking crowds.
We got together with Butaki and Stephen Mairori, and found out there was an airlift out of the airstrip by Sister Freda's. Some of you guys who flew to Kakuma Camp by Sudan, remember this strip...it's basically just a cornfield with a weathervane. As much as we didn't want to go in this way, ...we had 30 minutes to decide ...Stonic told us, "Steve, get on this flight...it will be the only way back to Nairobi for a long time."
So we quickly prayed for and said goodby to Ayub, Mary, James, Juma, Jason, Lilac, Freddy and Sylvester, all of whom have been riding out the storm on our compound, and headed to the airstrip.
Stonic talked with the pilot of the turboprop and Dan Hamer, Jeff Frum and me on the flight...Nathan Chesang, the board chairman of ICM and director of Circle of Light, a partnership with the COORS family, pulled up with his son Allen and prayed for us. Then...before we could even reflect on the last few days...we were in the air and heading for El Doret.
El Doret Airport was quite a scene...Military EVERYWHERE. Marksmen carrying machine guns and rifles.... hundreds of soldiers being moved onto and off Airforce transport planes. We're pretty sure they are headed for Kitale to fortify things there. Each soldier , steely eyed, with the look of combat ahead .Let me tell you this is not the city we have ministered in over the last 10 years...it's absolutely Dodge City..Hamer and Frum and I watched from under an acacia tree, sucked down an Orange Fanta (mmmm) and tried to picture what lay ahead.
From the air... fires and smoke all around...well that's for another message....
Thanks for your prayers and encouraging comments.
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