Shepherd School
Posted on January 3, 2010 - Filed Under Prayer Requests
A small kerosene lamp glows in the middle of a crowded room and the blackness of the African night is pushed back to reveal a crudely made blackboard. A teenage girl has scribbled 4 or 5 words in Swahili and reads each one as the group repeats after her. After each, she gives the translation in the language of Samburu so they will understand. Ngombengichu. This means cow, a word each of these young shepherds knows well. The children range in age from about 8 years up to 15. They have been out in the fields all day, watching over their families most precious possession, goats, sheep and maybe a few cows. During this extended dry season of 2009, many have lost a major portion of their flocks. These adolescents are charged with caring for the remainder, taking them out to find pasture each day. Because of this obligation, they are unable to attend regular classes. But in the evening when the work is finished and the animals return safely, they run home for a quick cup of tea, put on their better clothes and beads and rush to Shepherd School. For the next 2 hours, they will concentrate on learning to speak, read and write Swahili and study a story from the Bible. Nearly a dozen new Baptist churches have been started in this mountainous area. Each one has a preschool which caters to the smallest learners. And now, they are meeting the needs of the ones usually missed by the educational system, the shepherds. These kids have no chance of attending school as they are needed to help with caring for the livestock. Church leaders, working with community elders, have begun organizing evening sessions in their local villages. Most have only a blackboard for the teacher and a small, homemade oil lantern. It casts a tiny glow around the teacher as she shares the Gospel using a picture cube. As the flame pierces the dark, may the Light of the World penetrate the hearts and minds of these precious souls.
Update On the Volunteers’ Work
Posted on December 29, 2009 - Filed Under Prayer Requests
VOLUNTEER UPDATE
Here is Charlies update from one of the villages visited by the volunteer team: Just a quick note of follow up. I went back to the village where we took water systems and you all did the evangelism. We had a Baptism yesterday and 24 of the new believers were baptized.
Also when I arrived I was immediately told reports of the impact of the water filter systems. Several of the elders came and told me that within 1 week of using the filters the health of the community had drastically improved and all of the diarrhea was gone from the village. All of the women who received the filters where so thankful and asked me to greet you all and tell you again how much they appreciated the water filtration systems and the time you all shared together. Also, one of the elders told me, the chai I drank made with the water from the filtration system tasted like it came from the factory. Too funny.
Little Rain
Posted on December 12, 2009 - Filed Under General News
LITTLE RAIN
The rains have not been as generous as we had hoped. The skies opened up
for the last couple weeks in October and some brief showers for a couple
days since and that is about it. The reservoir from which we get our piped
in water has run so low that they have turned the water off. We are more
fortunate than most, in that we have 3 large tanks which catch water so we
are surviving on that and trying to be frugal with it. We are not sure how
long it will last so we are also investigating the possibility of being able
to buy water. The good news is that if it rains at all we can catch a lot of
water in a short amount of time as we have gutters all around the house
which flow into our tanks. The bottom line is that we badly need rain and
others are worse afflicted than us. The flip side is, of course, we must
have water to live here. Yesterday I called a friend who has lived with this
challenge as a part of their routine for years. She gave me some good tips
on saving water and was very encouraging. I said I didn’t choose to be a
pioneer woman, but here I am. I also recently joked with a friend in the
States how we’d give up our flush toilets in a minute in exchange for
lightning internet. So now that I’ve done the first part, when does part two
of that compromise kick in??
WHOOSH!
Posted on December 8, 2009 - Filed Under General News
WHOOOSH!!
Most months crawl by at a snail’s pace with the same 12 hours of
daylight, 12 hours of dark, unchanging weather and consistent routine.
November has raced past us like a cheetah in pursuit of his next meal.
We started out with a big bang when a group of 7 volunteers from Mimosa
Lane Baptist Church arrived to work with us for 2 weeks. My words are really
inadequate to tell you how much they did and how much we and the Samburu
were blessed by their visit and their ministry. What an amazing team God put
together. Working with Texas Baptist Men, Read more
Samburu are Saying
Posted on November 23, 2009 - Filed Under Prayer Requests
SAMBURU ARE SAYING:
(A woman at a baptism.) I was at the church and listened to the teaching on baptism. While I was there, I told the people to pray for my husband because he is not saved. Then I went and watched some others get baptized. My husband came to the church for the next 2 weeks and has now become saved. Today, we have come to be baptized together.
(A Samburu Baptist from town comes to teach others up in the village.) Before, our heart is broken for these people. And others are saying, they cant change. But now we see that God is doing something. And we are happy.
(A man hears the story of Lazarus and the rich man.) I have never heard a story where Ive become excited like this. I am an old man. I thought that after I died, I was finished. I am sure now that I will be raised up to life again because of Jesus.
(A man who had 5 family members killed during last months massacre in an area near where we are working, shared this during the funeral.) Are you still coming tomorrow to share the stories with my family at my home?
United Nations Day for the Aged
Posted on November 2, 2009 - Filed Under Prayer Requests
I bet this is one day you forgot to celebrate. I didnt even know it existed except that our politician friend who runs the Good Samaritan Home for the Aged in Maralal told us. And so we spent October 1st celebrating Read more
STILL HUNGRY
Posted on October 17, 2009 - Filed Under General News
HUNGER CONTINUES
I would like to be able to say that conditions are improving. It just
isn’t the case. We continue to encounter hunger at almost every turn.
Charlie spent this past Tuesday taking food parcels Read more
If We Build It…
Posted on October 10, 2009 - Filed Under General News
IF THEY BUILD IT WE WILL COME
I am getting a new, custom built home. It is not being constructed to my
specifications or at my request. Villagers in Lekiji have decided that we
need a home base in their area from which to work.
One Samburu man, with whom we have worked for seven years, says God has
showed him the plan Read more
What People Are Saying
Posted on September 22, 2009 - Filed Under General News
These are a few random comments from people Charlie works with or has helped, etc.
– I prayed to God for some food and today he has given it to me. I am so happy God has answered my prayer.
– If you had not brought food when you did, I would not be here today. Now I have been saved and am being baptized. Thank you for bringing the food when you did.
– You gave me food when I was not expecting it. Last week, when you were giving out food in town, I was there. I wasnt expecting anything. Thank you. (This old man hugged Charlie and kissed him as a show of his gratitude. Never in our 7 years here has anyone done that.)
– I want to be the first to be baptized today. Because I am an elder, I want to be first so that I will be an example to others. Bad things are happening these days. Samburu are killing Samburu. Maybe the world is coming to an end. Satan is all around. I want to be ready so I am running to Jesus.
– You helped us when we needed it and now we want to share with you. (A Muslim woman as she brought food to one of our Samburu widows.)
– Pray for the rain to come so the people can return. When they return we can begin the work of evangelism. This is OUR work. (Some of the new leaders talking about their responsibilities in reaching Samburu with the Gospel.)
Why Don’t They Just..?
Posted on September 18, 2009 - Filed Under General News
WHY DON’T THEY.?
I admit to getting a little defensive when I talk to “educated” Kenyans
in the city about the Samburu. The last person I did this with commented
that “they live like animals.” How unkind. Many will remark that they are
“simple, like children.” Their prejudice and ignorance frustrate me and
their lack of compassion is surprising. Read more
