Essential Faith

In September 2000, world leaders from 189 countries showed an unprecedented act of solidarity as they subscribed to eight Millennium Development Goals, the first of which was to cut in half the number of people in the world who live on less than a dollar-a-day by the year 2015. As Canadian Baptists, we are striving to work in line with these relief and development objectives through integral mission, because God cares for the poor and to be a disciple of Christ means that we must take poverty seriously. Working in partnership with local churches in the developing world, we are committed to sustainable community development as a fundamental part of the ministry and mandate of the Church. Are we making an impact? According to the World Bank’s most recent report, 986 million people now live on the less than one dollar a day. This is the first time it counted less than a billion people in such dire poverty since it began to keep record in its 1990 World Development Report. Good things are happening, but the progress is slow.

Erica and I recently had supper with the director of an International Christian relief and development organization for Eastern and Southern African. As we learned about their work, he made an interesting statement: “Governments and other NGO’s are beginning to realize the importance of faith in development”. In other words, governments are coming to realize how much faith matters. I am convinced that one of the greatest barriers to effective development work is the lack of faith.

This was hit upon in the most recent issue of the journal of economic perspectives in an article by Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo, of MIT. They investigated communities living on less than a dollar-a-day in an attempt to get at how they spend and how they make their money. They were struck by the gap between potential and actual use of resources. In fact, economists who study the developing world are commonly puzzled by glaring inefficiencies, for instance: Why do the poorest of the poor not take advantage of development education, such as the farmers of Western Kenya who continue to farm without utilizing fertilizers which have been demonstrated to increase their yield? Why the people of Ghana have failed to switch their crops to pineapple when it would increase the average farmer’s income by 250-300%? Why so many hard working people in Africa and India continue to labor ineffectively at several (sometimes as many as six or seven little jobs) rather than committing to one profitable skill or trade? Why do even the poorest communities continue to waste 30% of their available finances on “alcohol, tobacco, and festivals” rather than food when nearly 65% of the adult men are underweight, and over half are anemic (The numbers are even worse for women and children)? Why is it that so many displaced people who receive adequate rations to meet the minimum of a 2,250 calorie a day diet continue to have malnourished children? Even from a completely financial perspective, economists are left to conclude that something is preventing people living in poverty from taking nominal risks that would improve their lives. The answer is faith.

“Poverty” once wrote George Orwell “annihilates the future”. Many people living in poverty, experience a wearing away of fundamental human dignity. Without the hope of a better tomorrow, extreme poverty not only attacks the present it erodes faith in a better future. Each day we enter Eastleigh, we are confronted by young men in rags sniffing solvent from old pop bottles. They are among the many who have surrendered to poverty. Despair, fatherless-ness, and addiction are just some of the realities of those living in the slums of Mathare Valley and Eastleigh. Is it any wonder why it is so difficult for them to aspire to a better-life?

What many experts are agreeing on is the fact that “faith” can no longer be left out of the equation in the struggle against poverty. Faith is central! One can have all the resources in the world laid at their feet, but without faith what good is it. In order for communities to turn the corner, they must believe! Believe that justice is possible. Believe that a better future exists for their children. Believe that God is at work in the lives of people like them. That God is moving to draw people into harmony with him and with one another. That a spiritual struggle is going on at the root of suffering. And hold onto a faith in the power that can overcome such oppression.

As we see the homeless boys who wander through the filth of Juja Road along the edge of Eastleigh, we can not help but wonder what the gospel could mean to them? What must hope look like? One thing is for sure, it must never become just escapism. Jesus did not come into this world to get us out of it. Jesus came to redeem! And so the Church is commissioned to enter the places of death, and to bring the light of grace and mercy, the gift of the redeemed life! The message that: “Your life matters”; “That you are not alone”; “No one should live in such poverty” and “By the love of God, you matter to me!”

As the late Rev. Dr. Richard Coffin had said, “The Church is in the business of hope!” Erica and I are praying for the Lord to lead us into expanding our working in Eastleigh to address issues of poverty. God’s love for the poor is never in question. Our love and commitment often is. Please pray with us for wisdom and direction as we seek practical ways to bring sustainable help to the people of this community in the powerful love of Christ. We would also love to hear your stories of how your church or community is making a difference in the lives of the poor.


“Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me, I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink, I was a stranger, and you invited me into our home. I was naked and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me… I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you were doing it to me.”
Matthew 25:34b-36,40b

Princess Pirate

Did you know that pirates are not all bearded

smelly men with hooks and peg legs?

At least in Kenya there are some

very pretty pirate princesses.

This is Emma enjoying the fun at Tristan's 8th Birthday Party!

Ahoy!

On Saturday, Tristan shared his 8th birthday with his second grade buddies at the Rosslyn Academy playground. It was a racious time of playing pirates, hunting for treasure and attacking birthday cake!

We celebrated a much quieter birthday party at home last night on his actual birthday, May 29th.

Not in Kansas Anymore!

On Monday, we brought Holly and Amy, friends of Paul and Kelly Carline from Kansas, into the Eastleigh Learning Centre. Holly will be volunteering as a teacher for the next two months.

Our enrollment continues to grow as we serve about 150 refugees here in Eastleigh. Our intermediate class will soon be graduating -- they are progressing wonderfully! We plan on beginning a new intermediate/advance program in mid-June. We are also planning some summer field trips with the classes. We'll keep you posted!

Also, thanks so much for your prayers for the Aziz family. We wanted you to know that Ali has returned safe and sound after a traumatic month-long journey through the fighting back to be reunited with his family. Praise the Lord!

Its a jungle out there!

Our sister Autumn forwarded this to us,

and we thought we would share it with you all.

It's a Jungle Out There by Max Lucado

The story is told of a man on an African safari deep in the jungle. The guide before him had a machete and was whacking away the tall weeds and thick underbrush. The traveler, wearied and hot, asked in frustration, "Where are we? Do you know where you are taking me? Where is the path?!" The seasoned guide stopped and looked back at the man and replied, "I am the path."

We ask the same questions, don't we? We ask God, "Where are you taking me? Where is the path?" And he, like the guide, doesn't tell us. Oh, he may give us a hint or two, but that's all. If he did, would we understand? Would we comprehend our location? No, like the traveler, we are unacquainted with this jungle. So rather than give us an answer, Jesus gives us a far greater gift. He gives us himself.

Does he remove the jungle? No, the vegetation is still thick.

Does he purge the predators? No, danger still lurks.

Jesus doesn't give hope by changing the jungle; he restores our hope by giving us himself. And he has promised to stay until the very end. "I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matt. 28:20 NIV).

We need that reminder. We all need that reminder. For all of us need hope......

From Traveling LightCopyright (W Publishing Group, 2001) Max Lucado

A Luo Perspective

There are over 70 tribal groups in Kenya, although the distinction between many of the groups are becoming blurred (in fact the number of tribes is sometimes reduced to as few as 40 depending on the sources you read). At present, our English school in Eastleigh has nearly 150 students enrolled, but they are not all from Somalia. While most of our classes are Somali, we also have Oromo, Ethiopian and Luo students as well.

I have selected this third and final essay on marriage from one of our Luo students, Manassah Oure. The Luo people are the third largest tribe in Kenya with about 12% of the population (the Kikuyu are the largest tribe at 20% of the population). They live in the west of the country on the shores of Lake Victoria. Once a great cattle herding people, the Luos were devastated by a rinderpest outbreak in the 1890s. Subsequently, most Luos turned their hand to fishing and subsistence agriculture by the beginning of the 1900s. They are largely "Christian", but old animistic religions still exists. A great importance is still given to the local medicine man and spirits within Luo communities.

The Luo people are known for their two great loves -- football (soccer) and music. There are many distinctive Luo instruments found throughout Kenya made from gourds and gut or wire strings.

We hope you enjoy reading a Luo perspective on marriage!

Marriage in the Luo Culture by Manassah Oure

In my culture, marriage is one of the most powerful means of maintaining the cohesion of society. It is a way of extending kinship ties and keeping social life going. Many cultures define marriage as the union of a man and a woman for the purpose of procreation, rearing of children and mutual existence. My culture however, defines marriage as the approved social pattern where two or more persons establish a family. It includes the elements of companionship and mutual existence between men and women. Stress is laid on procreation and the continuation of life as the dominant reason for marriage.


In Luo society, a male ready for marriage has to stroll and identify a lady of his own choice. She must be single. He then must report back to his clan. The plan to bring her is made without her awareness. Her family does not know either. After the bridegroom’s family investigates and confirms that the girl is single and nice, the will seek strong young men to lurk behind bushes and grab the bride as if by force and shoulder high take her to the expectant groom – her wailing protestations not withstanding.

The next stage is the exchange of gifts mainly from the side of the man to that of the girl. The gifts symbolize a serious and binding marriage contract. Following the exchange of gifts and negotiation is beer drinking and feasting on meat and other foods.

A Modern Somali Wedding

Whereas our work in Northeastern province is among pastoral Somalis, Eastleigh is largely home to urban Somali refugees who have fled the conflict in Mogadishu and other major Somali centres. In this short essay, our ESL student Axmed Shakiib shares his urban perspective on a modern Somali wedding. It is quite a contrast from the traditional wedding described by Zahra in our last post. (this photo is from Google images)
A Modern Somali Wedding by Axmed Shakiib

When two friends agree with each other to marry, She must first introduce her future husband to her family and the some elders from the man’s family go to the girl’s house in order to ask for her father and mother to give the girl. Afterward, if her parents accept the request, they are given an amount of money for that acceptance. After that the girl is given dawry [which means whatever the girl says].

When the wedding begins, the wedding is officiated between the two families. Everyone wears the latest style. The bridegroom wears a special suit, like a black coat, trousers, white shirt and tie. Also the bride wears a white dress. The wedding mostly takes place in the bride’s home where her family prepares delicious foods and different cold drinks are provided like Pepsi, Coke, and Fanta. The wedding lasts until midnight where dancing and playing of different music, like rock music.

Everybody in her family happily host the guests from the bridegroom’s family and other relatives. If the groom has other wives and children, they can’t attend because jealousy begins, even though our religion permits a man to marry as many as four wives.

At evening cars with flowers on them come and carry the couple to the most beautiful hotel in the town where everyone dances and drinks until midnight. Everywhere are flashes and video camera.

After midnight, the couple go to their beautiful special home. Their family and friends will not visit until the honeymoon month ends.

A Somali Wedding

The closest Erica and I have come to a Somali wedding was on our first night in Dadaab with the Carline family. It was just after 7:00 pm and we were getting the children ready for bed by lamp light when we heard this huge uproar in the distance. The laughter and screams of women cheering was incredible. For nearly two hours we listened to the whooping, drumming and laughter. The only thing I can compare it to is the sound of a native Canadian dancing and song. I hope you enjoy this essay from our student and friend Zahra.

Wedding in Somali Culture by Zahra Abdi Aziz

"A wedding is a ceremony of marriage which I’ve always liked in my culture. It is a celebration performed to bring into close union two partners of opposite sex, a man and a woman or women. In other words, a wedding is a marriage anniversary. My culture performs it. In fact, every married couple must conduct it. It is enjoyable.

In my culture, a wedding is done in the bride’s home or apartment. A “sheik”, the Muslim leader, officiates the union duty. His presence really matters. Money is also needed for a number of needs. Funding is done by the bridegroom to achieve the following: ‘cilaan’ flowers drawn on the bride’s hands and legs, ‘diirac’ the wedding dress, ‘odhkac’ special small sliced fried meat, and salon make-ups for the bride.

On this occasion, in the morning, the Sheik approaches the bridegroom. He asks him if he would bear the responsibilities and love his bride in all aspects of life. The bridegroom always accepts. The Sheik then goes to ask the bride’s parents or guardian the price the bridegroom would pay if he divorces her. Following these negotiations is eating and conversation while waiting for lunch. At this moment, the partners are still separated (By this time the bride would still be in the salon).

After lunch, both the Sheik and the bridegroom’s parents or guardian may leave, a time at which other relatives and friends, who are his age-set come. Dancing would soon begin. It’s a cultural dance known as “buran bor”. At around this time, the bride plus a friend have come back from the salon, although staying in a separate room.

At around 7 p.m., the bride is brought in the playground (the dance). They may play together until around 9:00 pm, a time during which they are accompanied to a private room to have a honeymoon for seven days."

Discovering Somali Culture

Several of our advanced English students in Eastleigh are writing short essays on Somalia and Somali culture. With their permission, we will be featuring some of the essays this month on the blog. We hope that they will be an interesting way for you all to enter into the Somali community with us. Enjoy!

Somali Culture by Mohammed

"Somalia is a country which is located on the horn of Africa. It lies along the Indian Ocean. The country was colonized by three European countries: Italy, Britian and France. Later it got freedom in 1960 and the first president of Somalia was Adan Ade.

Somalia is divided into two parts, northern and southern. Northern people are pastoralists and the southern people are farmers. There are two rivers in the country which come from Ethiopian highlands. These rivers are the Jubba and the Shabelle. They help the farmers in the southern part of the country. There is only one tribe in Somalia, one religion and one language. There are many clans in my country. The major clans are Hawia and Darot. The religion in Somalia is Islam.

The chief food of Somali people are Anjera, Halwa and also fish from the Indian Ocean.. The traditionally clothing of Somalia for women includes the Hijab to cover the head and the Gabsaar to cover their bodies. Men put on macawiis (ma-a-a-wees) and the dress of Islam (the hijab is a part of Islam).

Somalia hasn’t been having central government since 1990, but now it seems as if we are moving to the right direction."

Birthday Girl!

On the weekend, we celebrated a very happy birthday! Tristan and Emma had fun decorating mommy's cake. We all had a sleep-over together on our camping matresses on the livingroom floor, ate bowls of popcorn and watched some movies!

Maisie had birthday kisses for everyone!

Kennys in Kenya Video

Erica recently put together a short video of pictures taken during our first three months here in Kenya. We want to thank the folks at First Baptist Church Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, for hosting the video on their website. You can see it by clicking on the link below:

http://www.fbcdart.ca/kennys.htm

We pray that it will help you experience a bit of what God is doing in our lives and among these beautiful people! Thank you all so much for keeping us in your prayers.

Supply Teacher

Today Tristan joined us in Eastleigh for our regular classes. Our students were excited that he was there and they had lots of questions for him. They wanted to know where he was born, what school he goes to, how he likes Kenya and what are his dreams for when he grows up. Tristan is looking forward to going back to the centre. He and Emma will join us at the centre during their school break.

Prayer requests...
*Please pray for Paul-- he departs for Canada this Wednesday
*Pray for Kelly, Katie, Kara, Kelvin and Kenan as they remain here in Nairobi until the end of the school term (May 30 is their departure date)
*Please pray for one of our students and her family as they await the safe arrival of their dad from Somali; it is a very dangerous journey, he has been enroute for almost a month now and has just crossed the Kenya border today. Pray that he is able to find a job here in Kenya as it is too dangerous for him to go back to Somali.

New Life Home

Aaron cuddles with six month old Jim, as they have a rock after Jim's lunch.

On Wednesday, we shared a day with a team working at New Life Home from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. NLH is an orphanage here in Nairobi that cares for many HIV positive infants and toddlers. The Dartmouth group has been serving here for two weeks and we had the joy of joining them at New Life on their last day before they returned to Canada that evening.

It was wonderful, but heart breaking to leave. We helped with snacks, played in the grass with the toddlers, bottle fed babies and rocked them. Erica spent her last hour with a beautiful baby girl that is very sick. Erica tried to feed her but she drank very little. She is HIV positive and her future is in the Lord's hand. We are so thankful for ministries like this that are saving lives and blessing even the most desperate with the love of Christ.

Erica and Clive at snack time.

Erica says good-bye to Carole and Melissa the team leaders from the Short-term missions group from First Baptist Church, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.

Wax On, Wax Off!

We arrived early Saturday morning to help get the charcoal ovens going to boil water and melt wax with some women from Amani Ya Juu. For eleven years, this ministry to refugee women has helped hundreds of displaced women learn new skills to help support their families. Work like this is also being done by our partner churches, the African Brotherhood Church and the African Church and Schools, throughout Kenya. What makes Amani special is the focus on refugees from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds including Somali Muslims.

Under a tin roof the smoke of the damp charcoal fills the air as Ann begins to prepare the plain cotton fabric for dying. Ann is a refugee from Congo who came to Kenya three years ago to escape conflict. She patiently explains the process of waxing patterns onto the fabric, dying the fabric and rewaxing a complementary design before the fabric receives a second dye. The end result are meters of beautiful vibrant designs used by other women at the centre to make clothing, bags, table linens, quilts, wall hangings, and crafts.

For women like Ann, Amani means more than a just a way to earn a living. Along with the daily work, the women gather together for prayer, support and spiritual growth. "Amani" means "peace". The women believe that their lives were once wandering in confusion, but the peace of Christ has given them direction and purpose.

Erica, Tristan and Emma getting a hug from Maggie. Her familiar smile greets everyone who visits Amani Ya Juu. Maggie was a nurse here in Nairobi until she experienced a terrible accident and a broken hip. She has recovered with a plastic implant that allows her to walk with a limp. Six years ago she was invited by the ministries director to join the work at Amani. She is now the first person to arrive every morning!

Ann watches on as Tristan takes a turn with the wooden stamp.

Emma dying her own little batik purple!

Vessels of Stone and Clay

The scriptures describe us as humble clay vessels; fragile and plain, but carrying something of precious worth. In Africa fresh clean water is of great value. Many people (mostly women) will walk miles each day to carry clean water back to their homes. And yet, once that precious water reaches their home it is typically stored in large oven baked clay pots that are a breeding ground for bacteria and disease. Typically these clay pots are heated in a traditional wood oven that reach merely 300 C. They are porous and soon become home to all sorts of microbes that will contaminate even the cleanest water carried back to the home.

Erica and I have been learning about the struggle for clean water with our friends at the Eastleigh Community Centre through our friend James. A part of their outreach work is in training refugees and the people of Mithare Valley slum and Eastleigh to gain profitable skills (We'll be telling you more about this work in the future). James has been working in the pottery ministry for almost 18 years. They are the only stoneware manufacturers in all of Kenya, producing pots and dishes using local materials in a high powered kelm at 1280 C. Years ago, missionaries from the Netherlands introduced them to safer pottery techniques and glazes with silver that keep the pots from becoming nesting grounds for bacteria. As a self sustainable ministry, the pottery shop trains and employs nearly a dozen people each year and produces high quality stoneware for local hotels, restaurants and tourists. At the same time they are producing safe pottery for local use.



Perhaps one of the most exciting areas of their work has been the recent development of a ceramic water filter system, also being produced from local materials. Like the expensive European filters that most middle class people have in their homes here in Nairobi, these ceramic filters clean local water for safe consumption. The disk filters have been tested and approved by the Kenyan health authority and are regularly tested here for purity and quality control. The Centre is hoping to sell them locally and to distribute them through the area to struggling families.

"Wild Thing"

We had an opportunity to get up close to an adult Cheetah -- what an amazing experience! She was very excitable, so we had to keep the kids very calm and quiet. The cheetah population is on the rise in Northeastern province, according to herdsmen. They are powerful hunters: we experienced the Cheetah's strength as Erica and I were both batted by her as she moved around. At one point Erica was unintentionally stabbed in the thigh by one of her three inch claws. Erica was extremely brave as she gently pulled the cheetah's claw out of her leg and slowly backed away. We would not want to be near an angry one!

Emma stayed very close to mommy and daddy as we visited this beautiful cat!

Erica and the Cheetah -- just before the claws came out!

African folklore says that the black streaks on her face are from the cheetah's tears.

Labour Day

May 1st, was Labour Day here in Kenya and we took advantage of the holiday and went to Tim and Diane Bannister's ranch along with the Carline family. Once again, Tristan, Kelvin and Kenan camped out. We listened to the hyenas laughing all night along with the song of the frogs. The Bannister's home has an abundance of wildlife that you can see just from sitting on their porch. These two ostrich were among many that ran across our path during the visit. Wish you were here Janet!