October Prayer Letter – Seven Years in Kenya (and Still Learning)

October is a very pleasant month in Kenya. The sun shines so warmly and the lovely lavender blossoms of the Jacaranda trees grace the countryside, towns, and cities.

I first came to Kenya in October of 2001. This month’s prayer letter affords me a good opportunity to reflect on these past seven years.

2 Corinthians 6:4-9 (The Message)

Our work as God’s servants gets validated - or not - in the details. People are watching us as we stay at our post, alertly, unswervingly…

• in hard times, tough times, bad times
• when we’re beaten up, jailed, and mobbed
• working hard, working late, working without eating
• with pure heart, clear head, steady hand
• in gentleness, holiness, and honest love
• when we’re telling the truth and when God’s showing his power
• when we’re doing our best setting things right
• when we’re praised and when we’re blamed
• slandered and honored
• true to our word, though distrusted
• ignored by the world, but recognized by God
• terrifically alive, though rumored to be dead
• beaten within an inch of our lives, but refusing to die
• immersed in tears, yet always filled with deep joy
• living on handouts, yet enriching many
• having nothing, having it all

As I read about Paul and his missionary journeys, I often can relate to him. I obviously have not had all of these same experiences as him. However, when I look back over the past seven years, indeed there have been some hard times. There have been some tough times and some bad times:

• I’ve never been beaten to within an inch of my life… but I was hospitalized with a bad case of malaria
• I’ve never been jailed or mobbed… but I’ve been pick-pocketed several times
• I’ve never been shipwrecked, but I was hit by a car
• I’ve never been bitten by a snake… but I’ve experienced many tropical diseases, as well as amoeba, worms, flea bites, etc. – all of them, numerous times
• my first house in Nairobi was broken into twice; my Matunda house has been broken into repeatedly
• I’ve been grossly misunderstood
• I’ve been judged by my marital status
• I’ve been lied to
• people often make wrong assumptions about me, which then leads to incorrect expectations
• many want to be my friend or my hero, simply because of the color of my skin
• many aspects of the culture still confuse and frustrate me

In spite of all the hardships, my desire is always to:

• work with a pure heart, a clear head, and a steady hand
• serve in gentleness, holiness, and honest love
• tell the truth and be true to my word
• allow God to show his power through my weaknesses
• do my best setting things right

The experiences of Paul’s that I can especially relate to are:

• being ignored by the world, but recognized by God
• being immersed in tears, yet always filled with deep joy
• living on handouts, yet enriching many
• having nothing, having it all