Year One: The Recap

For many months, I’ve had thoughts running in my head about ways to sum up this first year. Although I’m sure Chase’s experience is different, I can certainly say that I have never been more challenged or more sure of God’s abundant grace. I’ll first start with a little (or…long) year recap for this blog entry:

From our first steps on this soil, God’s grace was present. I remember being surprised and saddened by how culture shocked I was. After all, I thought, this was my third time being here. I remember feeling unsure and maybe just a bit afraid of all the unknowns ahead. As Wendell Berry writes, “You are undertaking the first experience, not of the place, but of yourself in that place.” I was uncovering myself in this place and it was strange.

As soon as we hit the ground in Nairobi we checked in with our friends Mwita and Monica who had been living the past six months in East Africa. To my surprise and to my heart’s thankfulness, they happened to be IN Nairobi on the day we arrived! I remember thanking God over and over for the blessing of catching up with them and hearing their stories from past months. One entire day overlapped for me to spend time with Monica and I remember us talking together thinking how many similar struggles we were dealing with at the time. We kept on saying “me too!” and I think God knew that familiar feelings would provide my spirit with the comfort to move ahead. The next few days were when we met George Mixon who helped us get to know some Maasai people not far from Narok near where he and his family had served in years past. I distinctly remember asking him if his kids went to Rift Valley Academy in Kijabe (not knowing about local missionary kid schools or Rosslyn Academy in Nairobi) and him saying, “No, no. They are rivals.” Those funny thoughts and questions seem so long ago! The Mixon family has been a tremendous source of Christ’s strength, hospitality, and love to our family over these many months.

The first two weeks of our being in Kenya, we stayed with two of our friends in the Ngong Hills area. Jeremy and Becky welcomed us into their home to stay for two weeks while we sorted plans for where we would venture to next. I was so excited to meet their new (at the time 3 month old) baby Natasha "Tash". She was so small in this photo!

Time with Jeremy, Becky, and Tash

The month in Olepishet was an experience to be sure and a good one at that. It’s certainly one we won’t soon forget. We spent time in language learning for a month with two bunk beds squished together and enjoyed our trek every few days in Fred Foy’s Landcruiser out to a place with Safaricom internet connection to call our parents and MAYBE only maybe check our emails, post a blog, and checking facebook messages. It was like hitting a homerun every time we saw another one load.  It was also at this spot, where we would have loads of visitors come and stare at us through our car windows, and I don’t mean just casually glance at us through the glass, we are talking faces pushed up against the glass, tapping on the windows trying to talk to us or see what we are doing as we are trying to communicate with our parents on the phone. For the entire forty-five minutes we were there. I can’t blame them. I would too.

We experienced the kindness of that community and it excited us as we looked forward to our work in Kimana. I remember eagerly waiting for the news of the Strang’s arrival. I can remember where I was sitting in that same Safaricom (our internet/phone provider here in Kenya) spot when we called Fred Foy and found out the success of their fundraising. We were overjoyed!

Language and Maasai culture learning in Olepishet

This same rock is where we were invited (by phone) by American missionaries we’d never met to attend Thanksgiving in Bomet at Tenwek Hospital. Those few days blessed us deeply as we got to witness firsthand the impact the Espy family had made on their community in two years serving there. I mostly remember boxes, pizza, tears, and deep conversations. AND, GENEROSITY at its finest! They unloaded tons of spices and useful things for our home to take with us! It was like Christmas morning. During this period, we also found out about (and were in awe of) God's provision as we needed extra funds for a sturdy car. December was another month of displacement where God completely met our needs and exceedingly blessed us. Another dear missionary friend extended her apartment to us for three weeks and we loved getting to know more about her life and ministry, as she also worked with the Maasai. She even had a small Christmas tree set up which did something for this sentimental heart. Rhonda’s encouragement and love to us has been so good for our hearts. And, did I mention she has the best couches ever?!

Mudding a house with folks from Tenwek in Bomet, Kenya

The Strangs arrived a couple of days after Christmas and it was so amazing to see them after months of anticipation and prayer about where this journey would take all of us. We rented an apartment for the month of January and began using it as a base to look for more permanent housing in our area of ministry near Kimana (about 4.5 hrs from Nairobi). We looked at many places, but the prices were much too high. Like eyes popping out of our heads too high. We just had to trust that we would find a place somewhere. Then two of our friends brought us to a house in Loitokitok (the town south of Kimana). Upon opening up the gate, I think Cecily and I both were overcome by the "homeyness" factor.  It was a sweet little place that, with some adjustments, could work for us. And it has! It has been a sweet, sweet place of growth and surrender as the four of us studied language and discerned about where the days would land us all. Nine months in, when we finally were able to put our bags away, I think my spirit breathed a sigh of relief.

Fixin' up the place!

Not too long after our move was Chase’s birthday and unfortunately, gift giving is not usually my forte. However, I think I scored big this year. Chase has wanted a pup ever since we got married. While I am a big dog lover, the thought of having to leave one back in the US was just plain too much. As we neared time in Kenya, Chase kept dropping the hint that he wanted a pup soon. And Mozzie joined our family on May 9^th of this year at nearly three months old! He’s brought some extra laughter and snuggles and has taught us much. He’s a great little guy.

Then: our first meeting on April 17th (Chase's birthday)!

Now: Still loves giving kisses at seven months!

As we look back into a season of transition and unknowns, I see that God was preparing us for something (but that's for another blog). ;) His faithfulness in providing friendships with American missionaries and Kenyans alike has overflowed our hearts with joy.  The love and communication and support between our supporters have uplifted our spirits. It is a great blessing to be on this journey with you.

Be on the lookout for "Year One: The Reflection"

Goat Roast

A couple of weeks ago we were able to host a couple of our friends from our small group in Virginia for a few weeks. Just before they left, we were able to have a traditional goat roast. The first step was a trip down to the local Maasai animal market on Tuesday to pick out our dinner. This was a fun experience, learning what to look for to pick out a healthy goat and then bargaining with the Maasai for the best price. There we were able to practice many of our language skills and got to see a few friends in the process.

After collecting our goat and stuffing it into the back of our car, and praying it did not use the bathroom or attack anyone on the drive back home, we brought it back to the guesthouse until we could prepare dinner. The next day we arrived around 2pm dressed in our Maasai garbs to start our meal. I tried to introduce our dog Mozzie to the goat, but neither seemed to care much about the other.

To see a video of the traditional goat slaughtering and roast click here!

We had a couple of good Maasai friends come over and they taught us the traditional way to slaughter the goat and clean it. Ben was given the pleasure of eating part of the kidneys raw along with the other Maasai men. We then roasted the ribs over a fire, and fried the rest of the meat with some vegetables. Once dinner was ready, we had a few different couples come and join us as we had a Kenyan style goat roast, pot luck dinner. It seemed to be a hit, and has recently been suggested that we have another one soon!

Loitokitok

Loitokitok sits at just over a mile high right on the slopes of Kilamanjaro and the border of Kenya and Tanzania.  There are probably 30-50 cinder block shops, a vegetable and clothes market on Tuesdays and Saturdays, a hospital and three or four schools.  I would guess the population to be about 3,000 or so people, widely spread out among the town area. 

To see a drive around our town on market day click here!

Loitokitok is one of the 2 bigger towns in about a 2 hour radius and has a newly paved (about 5yr old) road from the main highway to the town.  Most of the roads off of this road are  just dirt.  It is pretty easy getting around town, just a 20 minute drive down to Kimana where there are a few restaurants and another market place, as well as where many of our Maasai friends live. 

A lot of times we will walk from our home to the town center which is only about a mile or so away and do most of our grocery shopping for the week.  We enjoy taking walks with Mozzie around the neighborhood and try to visit with neighbors as we do so a couple of times a week.  It has been fun to hear the children call to us as they are learning our names, lately I have heard a lot of Cheese! and Chess! Although they have Mozzies name down pat.  Right now we have been in a cloudy and cold season, but hopefully things will start to warm up soon.  To see a bit of our town and a market set up watch the video included here.

Making our Beds

           Over our months here in Oloitokitok Audrey and I have had the great pleasure of visiting many local Maasai villages of friends and acquaintances.  While doing so, we have been able to ask cultural questions, practice our language, and even observe some exciting and interesting cultural practices and rituals.  We have seen everything from cows giving birth, local warrior villages, and recently got to observe the creation of a traditional Maasai bed.

            I always knew that the Maasai were creative and thrifty in using every single part of an animal they had slaughtered as they distrubute different cuts of meat and organs for different members of the family and community.  They boil the head and other left over bones with meat for soup.  They use the tails for fly swatters and such.  I knew that they use the skins for things, but I had never really observed what for.  In our recent talks we learned that often the Maasai use the smaller skins (enchoni, such as goat) for shoes, and the larger ones (olchoni, from the cow) for making their mats for beds. 

            My mother always used to tell me to me to make my bed, little did I know the cultural context this would take as we entered the village to observe and help out.  Now, I am being awfully plural in this because Fred Foy and my role in this was very minimal, but of course very important. We sat as the rest of the men did on the outside of the circle and “supervised”.  Audrey & Cecily had the opportunity to roll out the skin, cut small holes around the perimeter of the skin, then make wooden stakes and drive them through the outer holes to stretch the skin out flat along the stony dirt ground, so that it could dry for a couple of days in the sun. 

To watch a video of Audrey and her hard work on the bed click here!

            They then, along side and with the help of their Maasai tutors worked on scraping of the ruminants of meat, muscle and tissue off of the skin so that it could properly dry and cure.  After the skin sat in the hot sun a couple of days it would then be ready to use as a new bed mat.  

Heart of Worship

One of the hardest, yet most joyous things Audrey and I have the opportunity to do every week is to visit varying local churches in the bush.  It is exciting to get to see firsthand what God is doing among His people in different denominations and cultures.  However, at the same time it can be hard to feel a part of a worship service at times that is so different culturally (as well as in a different language) where many times you are left wondering exactly what has been said. 

Yet, at the same time I have learned definitively, that you do not need to know what is being said, or even understand completely what is going on, to join alongside fellow believers to worship the One who has created and redeemed us all.  It has been a delight to stand alongside our fellow Maasai brothers and sisters in Christ and see the depth and beauty of their hearts as they worship God. 

It is also hard culturally because we are expected (as missionaries and pastors) to often sit at the front of the church, give a greeting, a brief word (or a longer sermon), and are wanted to sometimes take over the rest of the service.  That can be a struggle because they want to honor you and your position as "missionaries" but at the same time, you are trying to empower these very pastors to see value in themselves, and what God is showing them, to share among their congregation and culture.  I worry sometimes that this may be a result of laziness on their part, or even perhaps feeling unequipped or inadequate, but we are slowly and steadily trying to encourage these pastors and affirm them in their identity in Christ and as leaders in the community. 

To see our Maasai church introduction click here!

Please pray for us as we rejoice with our brothers and sisters as we worship in our new home and cross-cultural context.  Pray also for us, as we struggle to feel a part of the church as a whole here and for our praying for our dear brothers and sisters in leadership roles in the church here as they grow in Christ and their roles as leaders of the church. 

Gifts which flow from the Heart

“A gift is not given because it is enough, it is given because of the joy we have and wish to share.”

When there is rampant need and you have limited resources how do you decide how to give? Do you take each request, pray, and give as you see fit? Or is it all just first come first served? Or can one take a middle road of giving an item instead of money, food for the hungry or a blanket for the cold? Is giving a material thing even the only way to give? For me, unsolicited giving, taking others by surprise, and meeting ones need at a deep level is one of my greatest joys. Yet, when it comes to a personal request of people struggling asking me for specific things, I start noticing how hard it is to give, and how my heart often hardens. I would rather hear about a need at a distance and give large and anonymously than to have someone approach me on the street and ask me for something small. Part of this, I think, is at a distance I have time and resources to research and plan a helpful attack. Whereas when it is personal and immediate, I have no way to know if something will be put to good use or abused. And the most frustrating part is I don’t know if my mental philosophy is just me being a good steward or using that as an excuse to not trust people, and not give generously. This all becomes even more complicated and difficult our fast paced, impersonal, materialistic society.

Ideally for me, I would like to invest in these people personally. But then what happens when you run into need outside of your community where it becomes difficult if not impossible to personally invest? I believe it is my responsibility to find people in my immediate community in need and come along side them to help with a more long-term and sustainable solution to meet those needs. To build a relationship where there is trust and love, so things are given freely out of love rather than of obligation. However, what happens when this is not possible? What happens when these people are outside of the realm where we can realistically invest in their lives? Is it only our responsibility, or does it require something more, from other communities in other areas, other “churches”, and other individuals trying to do what is right? For many it may seem like an unrealistic thing, can’t we just write a check and move on, we did our giving for the month? I don’t think we can. Throughout Scripture we are called to love, “Love God first, love your neighbor”, “Love is the fulfillment of the Law” (Romans 13) and in case you were wondering I am pretty sure the loving God part perpetuates the loving neighbor part. I also believe a lot more goes into love than just giving what is asked for or required. Even Maslow in his hierarchy of needs has the first few taken up with things that have to do with being showed love and respect.

 
Lastly a misnomer that I believe keeps people from giving is that they do not have enough, or cannot fully meet a need. Recently, we went to visit a Maasai village and were trying to bring something small (tea and sugar) that would be a gesture of kindness and something that would help them. However, just before we arrived we were told there were over fifty households in this village, and we could not take the amount of tea or sugar needed for the whole community so we best just take money instead. While I was struggling with this cultural issue in my mind and trying to communicate why I would rather not take money to give to a chief, which may never be seen by anyone else. Unfortunately, giving money creates a perception of being a source of money rather than the idea of being present for relationships, which is what we were trying to establish for ourselves.

 I was reminded by a Maasai friend standing nearby, “A gift is not given because it is enough”. We do not give simply because we can meet a need, nor should we neglect to give if we cannot meet a need. I believe we give because we have joy in our hearts, and we wish to share that joy with others, even more so with those especially in need of some joy. One of my favorite thoughts on this came from one of John Piper’s earlier books, Desiring God. He says if you go somewhere and have the best hamburger of your life, you are not going to go back home and pretend that it never happened. No, you are going to tell everyone about it. Especially those who you know would appreciate it, or are in real need of that juicy hamburger! The joy we have experienced can only be fulfilled and expanded upon when we share it with others. It is my prayer that we all learn how to give joyfully, sacrificially, and personally in ways which show the unconditional love that has been bestowed upon us by our Creator.

The Language Helper

It’s hard to believe we’ve been in this house for almost one month. This of course included a trip to Nairobi to get some furniture and other household items and ended up being an extended stay due to a motorcycle running into our car. Fun times! (Thankfully we had a wonderful Kenyan friend help us sort it all out!) We’re glad to be back home. Our responsibility for these next months is to be diligent in language learning and we are thankful and excited for a space where we can do that more regularly instead of being on the move. When we moved in, our landlord, who is Maasai, said that he would look into finding us a language helper. Not sure if this person would be the right fit, we agreed, and he came into our home to help us a couple of weeks later. This young man introduced himself as James and I found out that he was about the same age as my brother, James. I have to say it warmed my heart a bit.

James is a high school graduate who made average grades, his mother passed away some years ago, he is the 5th of 8 children, and helps his father in the garden (shamba) day to day. He hopes to go to college to be a teacher, but can’t afford it. We have both been so thankful for James. He is humble, patient, and just has a sweet spirit about him. Our eighth time with him, he informed us that he was being drafted to the police force in Nairobi because of the recent Garissa attacks and security issues. I was shocked by the news. All of a sudden, this would be our last day with him as our teacher. I was shocked with just how I sad I was for him to not be our language helper anymore.

Corruption is very common in police work and my heart prayed that James would be able to be stand for the right things despite the temptations and difficulties that awaited him. I wanted so much to express our thanks on his last day. We all shared our daily hot beverage, and James showed us a list of things that were required for his entry to training and I remembered the many toiletry items that our dear friends the Espys had graciously gifted us before their departure in December. It was all that I had to express our thanks. But it brought me such joy to be able to give him some small things to check off his list. We dropped him off in Kimana that day, and tears started rolling down my cheeks. “He’s so young to be going into the police force,” I thought. There was just something special about his willingness to help and the friendship the three of us had already created in two short weeks. 

After this, I e-mailed a few folks to pray for James and for us to find another language helper that would be a good fit for us. We traveled to Nairobi, arrived back, and found out that not only had the government changed the police recruiting, but unfortunately, he hurt his foot and was unable to participate in the running portion of the tryout. So other than James’ hurt foot which seems to be doing fine now, we are thrilled for the good news. Ultimately, I hope to find a woman to help me in language learning too, but he has really been a great teacher for us both. Thanks for all the prayers you’ve prayed for God to bring people alongside us in this community. James is truly an answer to our prayers. Pray that we would be a blessing to him, too. Next Saturday, Chase hopes to go and play football (soccer) with him and his friends to meet more youth in the community. We think this is the beginning of a long friendship.