My New Home

During the time I was in the States, I often asked God to choose just the right place for me in Nairobi. I saw it as another adventure with the Lord; I was curious and eager to see where it would be and what it would look like.

For two reasons, the search wasn’t as easy as I might have hoped. First of all, there was the little matter of my accident and subsequent recuperation period. Secondly, after weeks of looking, I just couldn’t find anything!

Word-of-mouth (through my church and other sources) only led to places that weren’t suitable for one reason or another. Places I looked at from newspaper ads proved to be quite inadequate. An agent I hired was a conman. Legitimate rental agencies didn’t have anything in my price range.

While having my injury treated at Chunge’s clinic one day, I stopped in the lab to see his wife, Ruth. As we talked about my quest to find a house, she called a friend of theirs. Steve Kabii, who “happened” to be just nearby, came right over. As I chatted with him, I felt like his prices were too high for my support level. He told me plainly that meeting my expectations in my price range ($150-200) would be difficult. “That’s a tall order!”Later, in Chunge’s office, we also chatted about my search for a house. Chunge also called a friend, but I felt that rent was also too high. Chunge and I often talk about spiritual things and on this occasion, I pondered out loud that perhaps the Lord would have me stretch my faith a bit. I simply was not finding anything.

I mostly dismissed Steve and his units from my mind, because of their cost. But several days later (on a Thursday) Karo and I “happened” to meet him at Karen shops. On the spur of the moment, knowing that his units were just down the road, I asked him if he’d take us to see them. I thought it’d be good to see what a $250-350 house looked like. They were all nice, but I still felt like they were too high for my budget. I explained my needs and my current support level. Steve encouraged me to consider the two-bedroom unit (in order to host friends for meals and for overnight) and offered to reduce the rent by $50. Figuring it wouldn’t stay available for long, I told him I’d make a decision in a week.

I was frustrated and tired of bouncing from house to house. Additionally, I couldn’t continue presuming upon my current host’s hospitality. All this time looking and I’d found nothing. I felt I’d almost exhausted the possibilities.

Not knowing what to do, I sent out the “urgent matter of prayer” email that next morning (Friday). That same day, I also made two last attempts. I called an agency I was familiar with. They not only didn’t have anything in my price range, their cheapest current listing was $475! I also called Patrice, my laptop repair guy. While it was great to re-connect with him and his family, the place he knew of simply wouldn’t work for me.

I had only one more place I felt I should look. If nothing turned up there, I wasn’t sure what I would do. Kim and I had planned for some time to look around Langata on Saturday. But, it turned out that he had to postpone until Tuesday. That would bring me almost down to the wire with my deadline with Steve.

On Saturday, unable to get Steve’s units out of my mind, I checked my email. I was eager for some advice; I needed some direction. His compound was nice and his houses met every one of my priorities. I questioned if my target price range was too low. Several people emailed to say they would be in prayer for me. I was grateful for that! I also heard from three key people in my life. Two boldly said I should take Steve’s two-bedroom unit and trust God for the increase in support. The third person told me that God normally doesn’t go into action until He sees us take a step of faith. I saw each of these responses as definite direction from the Lord.

Sunday was church; Monday, I stayed home and rested. My feet were quite swollen and my legs – and brain – were tired. Besides, I didn’t see any need to engage in much ado about nothing. After all, I knew of nowhere else to look.

Finally, Tuesday came. Kim and I spent a solid two hours traipsing around Langata. We inquired at no less than a dozen “estates” (little neighborhood areas) and/or apartment buildings. At each place, the answer was the same – “hakuna vacancy”. On the one hand it was discouraging, but at the same time, it seemed to be confirmation that I should take one of Steve’s. The one and only place we found was a one or two-bedroom apartment (in a fairly congested neighborhood). The two-bedroom was only $20 less than Steve’s two-bedroom house. The building was still under construction, meaning there would likely be several more months of construction noise. Comparing that one with Steve’s two-bedroom, Steve’s house stood head and shoulders above.

After our marathon search, I took Kim to see Steve’s compound. There are twelve units, three of which are in the final stages of construction. Basically, in all my searching, his one-bedroom was the one and only house I’d seen that would suit my needs. The price he was asking was the only drawback. I’m a simple person and I didn’t feel like my priorities were too high, but I couldn’t find a thing in my price range.

Kim, who had stayed abreast of my entire search, fell in love with Steve’s two-bedroom house. To be honest, it appeared that it was the one God had reserved for me. I called Steve and told him I’d take it. The following day, I had another email (from a fourth key person) encouraging me to take that same house. I saw it as final confirmation to my decision!

The following day, I signed a two-year lease. That will lock in the price for 24 months. Paying that much rent is a big step in faith for me. Please pray with me as the Lord stretches me again in this area of trusting Him!

On Thursday, I spent five hours doing some touch-up painting. Kenyan painters don’t demonstrate much craftsmanship or pride in their work.

The move on Friday went fairly smoothly, gathering my things from three locations and from one end of town to another. Gaby surprised me by blessing me with several additional household items. Karo and Jeremiah, who came along to help move, joined me for a hodge-podge lunch. They both love the place. Karo is eager to see how I arrange my things and can’t wait to come and spend a night with me.

Kim and his sister, Julia, joined me for lunch on Sunday. Kim brought a backpack load of my books that he’s been keeping. He and I are praying about starting a Bible study group in my house.

God has blessed me above and beyond what I could have imagined! The house is ideal in so many ways; I love it! And… it has two bedrooms; I was only hoping for one. A gal from church has one of the other houses on the compound and a fellow from church is taking one of the almost-finished units in December. Chunge and his wife live just around the corner. I’m invited over for tea in their garden this Sunday.

I am alert with expectation to see what God has in store for ministry opportunities in this house. I believe it will be a place of physical refreshment (after tiring cross-country trips) and for spiritual renewal – not only for me, but for others as well.

I’m fairly settled in, although there’s still much to do. For instance, I need to borrow a sewing machine and make several curtains. I’ve had the plumber come twice, trying to iron out the kinks in a couple of leaky areas.

Steve’s compound is just down the road from Ngong Dairy – a huge expanse of land owned by the Kenyatta family (Jomo Kenyatta was Kenya’s first president and his son, Uhuru, is currently active in politics). The main house was used as Karen Blixen’s house in the filming of Out of Africa. Several noteworthy tenants have lived there in recent history. I find it interesting to live down the road from such a location, considering that my other rental place was across the road from the Nairobi National Park.

So far, I haven’t seen any Sykes monkeys or baboons at this new place (like were common at my other house), but I do hear noisy hyrax every evening. Several pairs of beautiful birds frolic and sing outside my kitchen window – red African Fire Finch, attractive Purple Grenadier, and brilliant yellow Baglafecht Weaver. As I watch them and marvel at their splendor, I’m reminded of two verses in Matthew, chapter six:

“Look at the birds of the air;
they do not sow or reap or store away in barns,
and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
Are you not much more valuable than they?
Do not worry about tomorrow,
for tomorrow will worry about itself.”

Oswald Chambers’ My Utmost For His Highest entry the first morning in my new house:

“Do you believe that I am able to do this?” (Matthew 9:28). Our Lord unwaveringly asks us that question, and it confronts us in every individual situation we encounter. The one great challenge to me is – do I know my risen Lord? Do I know the power of His indwelling Spirit? Am I wise enough in God’s sight, but foolish enough according to the wisdom of the world, to trust what Jesus has said? Or am I abandoning the great supernatural position of limitless confidence in Christ Jesus, which is really God’s only call for a missionary? If I follow any other method, I depart altogether from the methods prescribed by our Lord – “All authority has been given to Me… Go therefore…” (Matthew 28:18-19).

I can relate to Abraham’s journey of faith. I, too, have been called to “go therefore” and live as an alien and a stranger in a foreign land. I don’t live in a tent, but I do desire to be distinguished by living above the crowd!

“The fundamental fact of existence is that trust in God – faith – is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see. The act of faith is what distinguished our ancestors, set them above the crowd.

By an act of faith, Abraham said yes to God’s call to travel to an unknown place that would become his home. When he left he had no idea where he was going. By an act of faith he lived in the country promised him, lived as a stranger camping in tents.”

Hebrews 11 (Message)

My soul resonates with Sara Groves’ lyrics in her song, He’s Always Been Faithful:

Morning by morning I wake up to find

The power and comfort of God’s hand in mine

Season by season, I watch Him amazed

In awe of the mystery of His perfect way

All I have need of, His hand will provide

He’s always been faithful to me

This is my anthem

This is my song

The theme of the story

I’ve heard for so long

God has been faithful

He will be again

His loving compassion

It knows no end