Kenya Thoughts, July 9, 2007

After two days of travel (from O'hare to Heathrow, London and then Heathrow to Nairobi, Kenya) we finally made it to the Shalom House where we will be stationed for the next three weeks. Dan Guzman and I are both missing a bag (me my donations bag and he his clothes bag), but we are not that worried and are trusting that God will take care of everything. I'm just glad everybody else's stuff came in ok.

I think the best way to journal the next couple of weeks will be to tell people's stories that I meet. Today I met David. David is employed by Shalom House and from what I understand will be taking us around the next couple of weeks. 

He had a yellow Track and Field jacket on when we first saw him at the airport so I was able to connect right away. David is 26 years old and is originally from Tanzania (the country south of Kenya). His sister (16), Aunt, and Grandmother still live in Tanzania but his parents passed away in an auto accident a while back. Though not a runner like his shirt says, he is a futbol (soccer) player, and a good one from what it sounds like (plays offensive midfielder). He is on a team from Nairobi that travels all over Africa and Europe and on the drive from the airport he pointed out the stadium in Nairobi that he plays most of his games in. David did not have the money to go to University (because of his parents sudden death) but he wants to one day be self-employed with his own touring business. He'd also like to go to the States sometime but it is really hard to get a Visa. I told him about my family, my girlfriend, and my plans to be a pastor, and he told me that if I ever came back after becoming a pastor that I had to come find him and preach to him. I hope that our lives may be able to minister to each other (and Jesus through us) the next couple weeks.

I saw Jesus today standing on a street corner on the way to Shalom House from the airport. Just a child, ragged and worn, starring into my eyes as we drove by. I hope to find Jesus in many places during my time here and maybe, just maybe be able to be Jesus to others too. May the Lord bless and keep us during our stay here. And may the eyes of my heart be opened wide!