Kenyan Christmas

The Story Continues...
Over the months, bit by bit I have been telling of the vision that God has placed within my heart to visit & care for the sick within their homes. This time, I want to continue, in that, by telling you the story of a man named Timone. If I were to describe what I feel most called to and passionate about, Timone’s situation is it.
He is an educated man who was once a husband, father, & successful businessman. Now, in his mid-thirties, his life has little remnants of what used to be. The consequences of HIV/AIDS have left his physical body wasted, filled with pain, and unable to eat or control even his most basic body functions. Because of neurological impairment, he has significant right sided weakness & his speech is very limited. But it only takes one look into his eyes to understand, at least in part, the story he is unable to speak. Abandoned by his family, he can be found sitting alone within his little hut on any given day. He’s tired & alone. Upon our initial visits, the clinic staff & I found Timone hungry & dirty. We began visiting Timone regularly in order to build a relationship & to care for the most basic needs of this broken man. We started with the obvious needs by cooking foods (he could actually eat) and assisting him with bathing, laundry, & other household chores.
As time has passed, I’ve learned that Timone & I share a love for music And so we sing. In actuality, he hums as I attempt to accompany him in my broken Swahili or Kalenjiin; nonetheless, his face lights up leaving both of our eyes filled with tears. Translated from Kalenjiin, the words of his favorite song say: “ Let the hand of the Lord take care of me until I go home.”
Although this may sound strange, sitting with Timone is often the closest I feel to Jesus. In Matthew 25, Jesus tells us a story in which he says: “I was hungry and you fed me, thirsty and you gave me a drink; I was sick and you took care of me”... When asked, “when did this happen?”, Jesus simply replied: “whenever you did it unto the least of these, you did it to me”. Just prior to my coming to Kenya, I read a quote by Mother Teresa in which she said: “Each AIDS victim is Jesus in a distressing disguise”. Believing this is what God was calling me to do, I wrote a song in reflection of these words. The lyrics read:
See You…
Little hands- tear stained eyes.
Wasted bodies. Endless cries.
In a world, so hard to understand-
Jesus, I see it’s your hands.
Broken hearts- Tired of the fight.
Afraid & alone with death in sight.
In their world, so hard to understand-
Jesus, I see it’s your hands,
It’s your feet, & your heart.
And I want to touch you &
Serve you all of my days.
I love you, because you first loved me.
Jesus, help me to see that when I look deeper-
It is you who is looking back at me.
Jesus, help me to see- It’s you.
Even though it’s just a glimpse, I am getting see Jesus; and I must tell you, it is in what might seem to be the most unlikely of places.
A Kenyan Christmas...
As I wrote in my last update, I knew that Christmas would be a different experience this year. I desired for it to be different, and it was. It was a simple season but rich with precious moments and priceless gifts…
Much of the week proceeding Christmas, I spent in Ilula at the children’s home where there are currently 85 children living. It was an amazing blessing as my sister’s company sent 7 large packages full of clothes, toys, Christmas decorations & toiletry items for the kids. Tears filled my eyes as I opened the boxes- most of these kids have never had a single toy. Over the past months, they have come one by one to this home barefoot with only the clothes on their backs. Their eyes wideopen and wondering where life was taking them next. One of the parents, upon seeing the boxes, said: "I have no words to say- surely God is good." And I wish there was a way to truly capture the smiles upon each child’s face as they received their gifts- it is a moment I am not soon to forget.
I also had the opportunity to take food and supplies to Timone. I was surprised, upon arriving to his home, to find his 5 year old son had come to visit his dad for a few weeks over the Christmas holiday. Little Kipchumba’s presence had brought a smile that was rare to see upon Timone’s face. Again, I was grateful for the good gifts that only God could give.
Last, but definitely not least, I had the privelege to take food & supplies to the home of Edwin. He is the 12 year old boy in late stage heart failure that I wrote about a few months ago. Thank you for your continued prayers for he and his family. He continues on medications to help filter out the excess fluid that fills his abdomen and is surrounding his heart, and his abdomen is at least half the size it was when I met him. I walked up to where his family lives & told his mom & brother that there were things for them in the car. The next thing I know- Edwin is running down the hill to the car with this huge smile upon his face. It was an incredible miracle to watch. On Christmas morning, I was amazed when Edwin & 2 of his sisters walked over 2 miles to the training center. Upon arriving, Edwin explained that they had come to go to the Christmas service at church. Again, my heart was overwhelmed by the gifts God was allowing us to receive & experience.
There are not enough words to express the gratefulness I feel within my heart for the continued prayers and generous support I’ve received throughout the past year. But I thank you & pray the blessings of God would fill your lives throughout the coming new year.

Christmas at the Manger

It’s hard to believe Christmas season has come… To say the least, it has a very different feeling this year. In my little village, we don’t experience the hustle & bustle of shopping, there are no holiday parties to attend, no hopes for a white Christmas, and no trees to decorate or Santa Claus to visit in the mall. Life feels somehow the same as every other day; and yet, there is a clear understanding that there is reason to celebrate.
This season I’ve been reminded again of my first trip to Kenya. I’ll never forget wallking down that dirt path only to find a young pregnant lady named Christine in labor and ready to deliver. She had walked several miles, having heard there was a nurse in the village, and I was the one she had found. I remember thinking, “this is no place or way for a baby to be born”; and yet, that is exactly what was about to happen. Just down the path, there was a small mud hut that became a delivery room. Little Joshua was born on a dirty floor made of cow dung without complication, and God’s peace and presence filled that place in a way I had never experienced before. I was amazed to later learn that the people who were gracious enough to open their home were named Mary & Joseph. After that day, the humble birth of Jesus took on a whole new meaning to me.
Over the past few weeks, I have been blessed with a little taste of home as my parents and a team from their church in Redding, California have come to visit Kip Karen. Without doubt, one of the highlights of their trip was the night we celebrated Christmas together. Yes, it was a bit early as it proceeded December 25 by a few weeks; nonetheless, an unforgettable night. With great love & care, the team had brought presents for each member of the family I live with and myself. After opening my presents, I was thankful for the generosity of gifts given; but in my spirit, I needed something more. I desired what “things” could not provide me.
As we prepared to continue with the party, I explained to the team: “to truly celebrate, there’s not enough room in this inn”. They didn’t really understand what was about to take place; but through the rainy night, we made our way to the stables & simply stood at the manger. Among the animals, we read the Christmas story with a greater understanding of what actually took place that first Christmas. It was not glamorous and the most unlikely place for the Saviour of the world to be born; and yet, it was the way he chose to come and be among us. Tears streamed down my face as the words of the old Christmas carol kept running through my head: “Away in a manger, no crib for a bed. The little, Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head. The stars in the sky looked down where he lay. The little, Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.”

I wondered, what kind of love would allow Jesus to come to the world in this way? I still wonder… I do pray that your Christmas will be blessed and filled with great joy. And just maybe, through the busyness of the season, you can find your way back to the manger. It is an incredible place to go- it’s where God chose to come.