Market, Lake, & More Digging

Another Awesome Week! Been battling some stomach sickness this week, but I finally think I'm on the tail end of it.  We head for the coast this next week.  Yep, our host missionaries invited us to join them on CMF's Spiritual Retreat to Melindi until next Thursday!  And Abraham keeps telling me about All You Can Eat Steak & Fries!  This internship keeps getting better & better!

Day 31: Market & Lake Turkana
…We went to the market tthis morning with Sammy until lunch.  It was pretty cool to actually hang out in town for a little while.  When you’re in the bush or in the market, it all becomes real—we’re in Africa! 

I got some cool stuff in the market.  I bought some sandals that are made from used tires.  It’s a pretty cool idea, but they’re not as comfortable as I had hoped.  They’ll probably be something I keep on my bookshelf back home and not on my feet.  And I finally got a backpack.  I thought my Wal-Mart pack was a joke, but let’s just say Turkana backpacks are a whole new level of cheap.  Luckily everything over here is really inexpensive.  I got my backpack and a pair of sandals for 550 ksh, which is around $7 or $8.  The exchange rate is something around 85 ksh to the $1.  You bargain for everything too, & it’s really easy to drive the price down.  Basically everyone sells the same things, so you just start walking away & they almost always agree on the price.  But we tried to remember that these people need the money more than we do, so we tried to stay reasonable.  Everyone was pretty friendly during the process, except for one lady.  I told her “Mam” (No) about the wooden spoons she was putting in my face, and she popped her hand at my face & just about hit me.  Mike swears contact was made with my sunglasses, but I think she just got really close.  Another funny moment was seeing a guy wearing a confederate flag t-shirt that said, “If this shirt offends you, you need a history lesson.”   

 

I thought the irony was pretty hilarious, considering I’m guessing he had no idea what that shirt was talking about and probably needed a history lesson himself.  Not the shirt I would have expected to see on a Kenyan.  Sadly, it reminded me of Alabama.  It might not be the best representation of our state, but it reminded me of home nonetheless & all the Dixie Outfitter shirts people wear…After lunch, we headed to the lake.  We passed a bunch of camels and donkeys on the way.  Every time I see camels, which is pretty regularly, it still catches me off guard & reminds me I’m in the African desert.  Most everything else has become pretty normal, but the camels still get me every time…The lake is huge!  Gene said it’s something like the 7^th largest salt water lake in the world.

 If it weren’t for the mountains you could barely see across the way, I would have thought we were on the island from Lost.  And the water felt incredible!  There was a moment—very brief—that I actually felt cold.  Probably the first time my body has felt cold since we passed through London on the way to Kenya…Sylvester & John had bet us a few weeks ago that they could beat us in a swimming race at the lake.  That’s kind of what prompted the whole trip.  That & Mike’s begging—which was well worth the trip, so thanks Mike!  The bet was that they had to start calling us men b/c they keep calling us boys.  Mike’s 27, I’m 24, & Kyle’s 19 (so yeah I guess Kyle’s still a boy!), but in Kenya you’re not considered a man until you’re married.  So this was our way of earning our Mancard.  And if we lost, they got to shave us from the neck up—hair, eyebrows, & yes, including my beard.  But of course the excuses started when we got there so we didn’t actually race.  John changed the rules & told us that in order to be a man we had to have big bellies, so we couldn’t be men b/c our bellies weren’t big enough.  I appreciate the compliment, & I can respect these standards ;)  There might be skeptics in the states, but John seems to think my abs are in in top shape!...Abe wanted to play tackle football, & like most washed-up guys we said told him that was too tiring, but also like most washed-up guys we somehow ended up tackling each other anyways…A bunch of the women from the village there brought out a ton of stuff & basically set-up their own market for us.  

It was really cool, but tough to decide who to buy from b/c they all basically had the same stuff.  One lady even got mad at me b/c I told her I might buy from her but ended up buying from another lady.  I told her, “I…well…” & then just turned & walked away.  I was a little scared she might get up & swat at me like the crazy lady in the market;)

Day 33: Back to Work

It felt good to be back with the drilling team today.  We started a new well which is apparently the 4^th spot they’ve tried in this area.  They hit clay on the other 3 & had to start over.  Like in the other spot, we’re trying to drill a 2^nd well to irrigate a 2^nd garden.  It’s weird drilling wells where they already have one.  It’s more difficult to see that God’s really using us.  These people have access to clean water, but they need a bigger supply to irrigate their gardens.  And their gardens provide them with healthier food to eat.  I’ve had mixed feelings as to whether my heart’s really broken for the Turkana people.  I feel guilty writing this, but I envy them sometimes.  They’re lives seem so simple-few deadlines, lots of free time.  It really it me driving out here that I was starting to normalize their way of life.  Their mud huts, half-naked people, poverty—I feel like I’ve been blinded to the poverty all around me.  These people seem so happy to have so little.  I know so many people in America w/ so much more that are miserable.  Is ignorance bliss?  If these people don’t know about fast food, running water, air conditioning, golf, pizza, are they really missing out?  Are they happier living their simple lives?  

Like I said, I feel guilty even thinking these things.  I came over here expecting to see broken people, physically & emotionally.  But I see peace in these people’s lives & I hear them praising God constantly—singing songs to Him, praying, reading scripture, talking about the blessings He has brought into their lives.  Almost every day I hear Sammy singing a song that says “What A Joyful Day.”  Blessed are the poor—Jesus says that they will inherit the kingdom of God.  I believe it, & I think they already are in their hearts.  They’re seeking God, they’re loving one another, & I think they’re putting into practice, “On Earth as it is in Heaven.”  They may not have much, but they have God & they have each other, & I think they’d say it’s a little taste of the Kingdom…It’s really windy here, & I was actually a little cold last night (never thought I’d say that after sweating my butt off the past few weeks).  We’re sleeping in mosquito nets, so I kind of have my own little mini tent to block out the mosquitos & the dust. 

It’s a little weird b/c you feel trapped in, but I think I’ll sleep well once I get used to it…At one point today Sammy told me in English that he needed to “go squirt urine!”  I got a good laugh & told him that wasn’t quite how we referred to urinating in English.

Day 34:

Slept pretty good last night, considering I woke up with my feet outside my mosquito net.  Sammy started talking about all the termites under his mat, so I jumped up to check mine, & sure enough, there were a good bit under mine too.  We’d found some the previous morning, so we were hoping moving our mats would fix the problem.  It looks like the termites seem to be everywhere around our camp, but luckily they haven’t gotten into any of our stuff…Started having some stomach issues this morning.  I’ll spare you the details, but let’s just say I wasn’t regular!...We ran into some difficulties today digging.  We hit some thick clay & by the end of the day we’d dug 30 ft. & only hit 10 ft. of water.  So Akai told us that tomorrow we would try a new spot, spot #5.  It’s got to be tough for these guys to keep starting over, knowing that their previous work was pointless.  It’s pretty awesome to see these guys’ faith through it all.  They continue to praise God & pray that he will bless their work.  My teammate posted an awesome blog update about these guys perseverence if you want to check it out

http://kyle-whereyougoillgo.blogspot.com/2011/07/humbling-call-to-persevere.html

 …I was talking with Sammy today & was reminded again of all my blessings in America.  I have so many things, much more than I need to get by.  Yet so many times, I feel like I’m just a “poor seminary student.”  I’ll kid with these guys and tell them, “Arai ayong ekebotonit (I am a poor man)” when they ask us for money, & they always tell me that I am not poor.  My new belt I got in town doesn't help my argument either.

Surprisingly, these ridiculous belt buckles are actually popular over here! Anyways, they say it is bad to call yourself poor.  And they say that they are not poor either; they are rich with the blessings God has poured into their lives.  I’m realizing that I’m anything but a “poor seminary student.”…They slaughtered a goat for us tonight, & Sammy gave us another anatomy lesson; this time including the female reproductive system, which was hilarious to hear him talk about.  We also discovered that the goat had been pregnant as one kid cut open the placenta & removed the dead baby goat.  It was almost fully developed & I felt a little bad that it had been killed along with its mother.  It was a little disturbing & seemed unnecessary if we weren’t eating it.  

Day 35:

Woke up this morning a little freaked out.  At about 5:30 AM, when it was still dark, I noticed there was a light glowing at the end of our camp.  I didn’t have my contacts or glasses on, so I couldn’t quite figure out what was going on.  It looked like one guy hunched over cutting something & some other people with hoods over their heads around the light.  I thought I must be having some crazy dream—the malaria medicine we take sometimes messes with your dreams.  But then, I had this crazy thought that it was a diviner doing some sacrifice over our camp.  We just finished teaching on spiritual warfare last week, so it was on my mind.  So I decided to get out of my mosquito net & check it out.  I creeped over by the light to discover Danger up very early to make us chipote (like tortillas) for breakfast.  We’d brought stuff to make them hoping they would make them instead of cornmeal for dinner.  They take a while to cook, so that’s why Danger was up so early.  I was relieved to discover Danger wasn’t a diviner (& I’m not sure what I thought the hooded figures were), but I felt bad that he was getting up so early just for us…We followed Gene’s advice & moved closer to the river today for well #5.  Everything started great.  We were hitting sand & hit water pretty soon thereafter.  And I was really hoping this one would be the one.  I think the whole crew was hoping so, & we were enjoying the progress we were making.  And then, we hit clay.  Once again.  Onto well #6.  

 

Regardless, I feel like it’s the best my attitude has been thus far.  I decided to be less concerned about my shoulder & more concerned about helping these people get water.  And my shoulder actually didn’t feel too bad…After Bible Study, we tried to find the spot for the new well & then played soccer.  It’s been fun to play with these guys after work each day, but it’s also a reminder of how out of shape I am.  I really can’t figure out where these guys get their energy…Danger taught me some new dance moves, so I’ve been trying them on the Turkana ladies.  And by ladies I mean the teenage girls that come to check out Akai & the rest of the drilling crew when we play soccer.  You basically just jump around on a 3-count towards people & go “Huah!”  And whenever I jump towards them, they just take off running, which Danger thinks is hilarious.  And they usually think it’s pretty funny to see some white, crazy-bearded American jumping around too.  But today, I had a few of them tell me they were going to hit me if I jumped at them again, which of course made Danger want me to do it even more.  So I’d jump pretty close to them & then run away once I saw their hands raise up to slapping position.  And I don’t doubt they’d do it’; I’ve seen them slap around their animals, & I’ve got no interest being on the other side of that hand!...Kyle started “story time” last night & may have created a monster.  They wanted us to tell them a story from America, so Kyle made up a story about his bicycle being stolen & him trying to get it back.  Let’s just say it was a straight to DVD story.  But after hearing 1^st Peter’s 20 minute story about going to school & living in a cave of porcupines, it made Kyle’s bike story seem Oscar worthy!  Sammy was translating, so I want to give 1^st Peter the benefit of the doubt that maybe the point of the story was lost in translation ;)

Got into Nairobi yesterday & leave for Melindi in a couple of hours.  Should be pretty sweet!  Looking forward to seeing what life's like on the coast...And All You Can Eat Steak & Fries!


Peace,

The Invisible War

Sorry to just now be posting this entry.  Internet was down before heading out to the bush on Sunday.  So blog may be a week behind.  Anyways, the title of our class on Spiritual Warfare was called "The Invisible War."  Below is a picture of us and our students.

Day 26:  Independence Day

...We divided up the info from the Spiritual Warfare packet so that we knew what each of us was going to teach, & I actually feel like we made a little bit of progress.  I went back and worked through my first section which primarily consisted of identifying the various names of Satan—The Accuser, Slanderer, Devil, Evil One, Tempter, Father of Lies—there’s a lot!  Gene’s packet had a lot of great stuff, but it’s almost too much, so I tried to find the verses I felt were most relevant.  I’m also supposed to discuss the 4^th truth out of 5 about spiritual warfare—“Respect your foe, but don’t fear him.”  We acknowledge Satan, but we don’t give him too much power.  We serve a bigger God, a God who has conquered Satan.  Our battle has already been won!...I definitely feel like I’ve been experiencing my own share of spiritual warfare the past few days.  Since we discovered that we were going to be teaching on this topic, my stomach’s been messed up & I’ve had these headaches & just felt really tired & stressed.  It’s tough to preach about spiritual warfare, much less team-teach.  And in Africa to make it even more challenging, a place where spiritual warfare is much more in your face.  What do we Americans have to teach them about spiritual warfare?  Shouldn’t they be opening our eyes to the hidden evils that our safe American worldview seems to neglect?  Gene told us a couple of stories yesterday that involved spiritual warfare.  He talked about people fasting b/c they had heard a diviner (like a witch doctor) was coming to kill all the church members.  And when the diviner arrived at the church, he dropped dead!  He told us about people being delivered from bondage and his experience rebuking blessings from diviners (their blessings are not from God & work more like curses).  Gene even told us a story about a long time ago when he was robbed & a man tried to shoot him.  Gene said he felt like something had pushed him down to avoid getting shot.  Years later, someone Gene knew saw the man, & the man told the guy to tell Gene that he had become a Christian.  The man said that the night he robbed Gene, he had intended on killing Gene, but when he fired his gun, an angel pushed Gene down & the man’s gun into the air, causing him to shoot through the ceiling.  It’s pretty crazy stuff!  It's a world I’m not used to.  We kind of feel like we’ve been living in the Matrix.  And we’re wondering if ignorance is really bliss? 

...We weren’t expecting it b/c they don’t make much of a deal about the 4^th of July, but we actually had a big dinner tonight to celebrate.  And Gene grilled hamburgers.  My first burger I’ve had since June 7^th, 2011, but who’s counting ;)  Mike even told his girlfriend the other night on the phone that he would seriously kill someone for a burger.  Luckily no one was killed in the process; at least as far as I know!  Lynn even brought over an American flag tablecloth and banner, & she made a cake that looked like the American flag. 

And Melba made baked beans.  We drank some glass Coca-Cola’s & it actually felt a little like being home.  Still wasn’t the same without ribs & my mom’s homemade ice cream though.  But it wasn’t too bad for being in Africa!

Day 27:

We started our teaching on Spiritual Warfare today.  Gene led us in a group prayer, & it was comforting to know that they were praying for us.  There were probably about 10 students, mid 20s-30s I would guess.  

  
We even have one female, which surprised me.  I assumed the Turkana would be anti-women preaching, but it appears they are much more progressive than I thought.  I think it’s great, but I will say it was a little distracting when she was breastfeeding during our teaching sessions!  Mike made his facebook status, “You know you’re in Africa when your class gets disrupted by passing camels, women breastfeeding, or wandering goats!”...We tried to give them a little break before I started teaching my session to keep them from getting too bored.  We sang “Ejoka noi Yesu” (Thank You Jesus), the only song we actually know the words.  Then Mike wanted to try and teach them to play “Simon Says.”  But our translator is named Simon, so we figured that might get confusing since Simon would always technically be saying what to do.  We played the same game and tried calling it “Do This, Do That” & you sit down if you follow the instruction when he says “Do That.”  Something got lost in the translation because the game turned into trying to sit down as fast as you could when Simon said “Do That.”  Not quite what we were going for, but they seemed to enjoy it! ...I tried to review what we had covered in the morning session & emphasize that we were meeting to learn from each other.  We, the emusuguts (white men), might be the teachers, but we realize that there is lots that we can learn from the Turkana.  I feel like my session went pretty well.  

I went through the names of Satan and talked about “Respecting our foe, but not fearing him.”  It was definitely God speaking through me.  Over the weekend, I had felt a little uneasy about teaching on the topic, but today I felt at peace & felt like God kept reminding me of the things to discuss outside of my notes.  It was cool to talk about the power we have in Christ over Satan; there’s something powerful about hearing those words jump off your lips…We had beans and maize for lunch, so we’re back on the Turkana diet.  But we’re kind of stuck in the middle b/c we’re eating Turkana style for lunch but Melba’s cooking for dinner…After teaching, we were all pretty tired. I’ve given a lot of elementary education majors a hard time about their classes being easy. But man—teaching is exhausting!  You end the day tired, & then you’ve got to start preparing for the next day.  It’s tough stuff!

Day 28:

…It was exhausting just thinking about trying to teach again today.  But after chai, I felt like I got a second wind.  God definitely lifted my spirits, & I really enjoyed teaching my session.  I talked about the second piece of the Armor of God from Ephesians 6—the “breastplate of righteousness.”  Below is a picture I drew to try & explain what a breastplate is.  I know what you're thinking--breathtaking, right;)

 I talked about how we are declared righteous in God’s eyes b/c of Christ, & how living out this truth allows us to stand firm against the attacks from the evil one.  We talked about how the Israelites failed to stand firm in Exodus 32 w/ the Golden Calf.  I realized that I really love to teach the Exodus narratives.  It’s powerful!  The Israelites are freed from persecution, see God’s plagues against Pharaoh & the Egyptians, cross the parted sea, receive mannah from heaven; yet they still chose to worship a false God.  They wanted to worship something they could see & feel, but 2 Corinth. 4 tells us that we place our faith in God who is unseen.  But I can relate to the Israelites.  So many times God works in my life, yet I still manage to doubt when trials come my way.  It’s so easy to forget all the miracles God has worked in our own lives…After lunch, we met Simon, probably the most awesome kid in all of Kenya.  

Simon is probably 5 or 6, & is one of the happiest kids I’ve ever met.  He has this huge grin & high-pitched laugh that can’t help but make you laugh.  I don’t have any nieces or nephew, so I’m still pretty inexperienced when it comes to dealing with kids.  Cy (my brother) told me the other year that he wanted to be an uncle, so he was hoping one of our cousins would have a kid pretty soon.  Unfortunately, he was a little confused to how the whole uncle thing works.  He didn’t realize I had to have a kid in order for him to be an uncle.  Sorry Cyrus—it’s probably gonna be a while!  Anyways since I don’t really know what to do with kids, I basically treat them like my dog Mully.  So I’ll wrestle them, pick em up, & even growl at them.  Simon thought my growling was hilarious, & he’d growl back at me.  And he’s not too bad at fetch either, especially considering he can throw the ball back ;)…Took a moment to stop & look at the mountains after today. 

It’s crazy to stop & just think about things over here.  It almost seems like I’m just at a camp somewhere in the States until you look around & really take in the scenery.  Camels, mud huts, the mountain back-drop—it’s pretty incredible!  

Day 29:

We finished up our teaching today.  I talked about the Shield of Faith, & how faith means putting our absolute trust in God, not in ourselves or in the things of this world.  I talked about the difference in how Eve handled temptation in the garden & Jesus handled temptation in the desert.  Eve placed her faith in the apple, in the things of this world.  But Jesus placed his faith in His Father…It’s really frustrating when you learn that what you’re trying to say isn’t being translated correctly to the students; that started to become apparent today as we reviewed for the test.  Simon & Sammy are emphasizing the pieces or armor, but we are trying to emphasize what these pieces symbolize.  Our battle is a spiritual one, & the armor we put on is not belts or shields or swords; it’s TRUTH, RIGHTEOSNESS, PEACE, FAITH, SALVATION, & GOD’S WORD!...I gave Simon an Auburn football keychain, so we threw that around after we finished class.  He’s got a cannon for a little kid, most of the Turkana have pretty good arms from throwing rocks & palm nuts.  Seriously, the Bigs need to start scouting over here!  But let’s just say catching is another story.  At one point, Simon completely missed & the ball bounced right off the middle of his forehead.  Simon just started laughing, & Mike & I couldn’t stop laughing b/c it bounced back like 10 ft.  But Simon never stopped smiling!

 ...Some of the guys from Nakor came outside & wanted to play soccer—Emusugut’s vs. Turkana like always, plus we got Sammy.  It was fun & we brought home a victory for the States in honor of July 4^th;) 

Staying in town this past week was a nice change of pace.  Teaching on spiritual warfare was tough, but I feel like I got caught up on some much needed rest these past two weekends.  I’m ready to head back out & do some work & spend some time with the drilling crew.  Only a few more weeks left.  It keeps flying by—gonna be over before I know it!

Peace 

Round 2 in Nakor

Day 19: Why Am I here?

Today was rough, and I’ll spare you from reading my journal entry, which mostly consisted of complaining to God.  Basically, I realized my shoulder couldn’t handle doing some of the drilling work, and to top it off, my quad tightened up on me playing soccer.

Instead of my journal, let me introduce you to the crew:

Akai—

Akai is the head guy of the drilling crew & is hilarious.  He looks like a college athlete, but sounds more like Yoda.  He looks like he’d be one heck of a wide-out.  It’s a shame that he doesn’t know about American football; only soccer—what a waste of athletic talent ;)  He’s fun to mess with & is probably one of the nicest people I’ve ever met.  Thankfully, or else he probably would have killed me by now for giving him a such a hard time!  Gene told us that he once asked Akai if he’d ever been angry with someone.  After some time to think, Akai responded that he couldn’t think of anyone.  And I’d actually believe him.  

1^st Peter—this guy is another stud.  Akai tells us he’s a professional fisherman & I wouldn’t doubt it.  I watched him swim along the bank of the river & catch 3 fish with his bare hands in a matter of minutes.

2^nd Peter—I stayed with his brother in Lodwar, who is also named Peter.  Apparently when they were baptized, they both got the same biblical name—Peter!  So we joke that they are keeping it really biblical—1^st & 2^nd Peter!

Danger—

 That’s what everyone calls him.  He’s a freak on the soccer field & is always up for slap boxing.  I also learned that he’s who saved Gene & Melba’s adopted son’s, Abraham, life.  When Abraham was 9 months old, he was dying, so Danger (his uncle) carried him all the way to Lodwar.  It’s about a 3 hour drive, & they say it was a 2 day walk.  So I’d say he earned the nickname!

Paulo—Paulo’s the old wise man of the crew.  He’s really funny.  Akai and Paulo give us a hard time for passing gas.  They say it’s polluting the environment, but they see no problem in throwing your trash on the ground.  But I taught him how to say “fart,” & he taught me the Turkana word for it, “ouken.”

2^nd to Last Born—They call me & Kyle 1^st born since we are both the oldest children of our families.  And since everyone’s name over here seems to be Michael, we just started calling him 2^nd to last born.  He seems to like it.

Lapunga—He’s Abraham’s biological father, & is a close friend of Gene’s.  He’s a good guy & has been my main connection for my business deals.  So far I’ve bartered with him for an ichilong (chair), walking stick, & spear.

Michael—

 This guy is awesome.  He’s about 5 ft. tall (if that) & reminds me a lot of the biter dude in Ace Ventura 2. 

 He’s always got a ton of energy, & loves the camera.  He’s always singing songs or dancing, & seriously, if I ever take out my camera, he wants me to take a picture of him.  We got some video of him running around with a spear the other day, & I’ve got to say he’s got a pretty quick 3-step drop—kind of reminded me of an African Doug Flutie!

Day 20: Learning my Role

I’m a supporter.  It’s the role I’m here to play.  The supporter is a small metal divider we place between each metal stem to keep it from falling down the hole. 

It’s a small job when looking at the big picture.  The lime light is in the grunt work, being one of the guys on the ladder lifting & turning the drill.  The glory is in the muscle, being the star of the show.  I came here expecting to be the star.  I was going to be digging wells, doing the grunt work, proving my manhood.  But God humbled me.  It really ticked me off last night, but it’s what I asked for.  Last week, I prayed for God to change my heart and take the focus off me.  And I think he answered that prayer.  The next day after praying that prayer—actually when fishing that afternoon—my shoulder started bothering me.  Yesterday, I realized I couldn’t keep trying to push through it b/c it was only getting worse.  I was okay with that though because I could still prove myself through soccer.  Last week, I felt pretty studly, so I figured this week would be another chance to show off.  Side note—these guys either got a lot better over the weekend, or they were sandbaggin’ like crazy last week!  But then, my quad tightened up on me.  I couldn’t run without it hurting, couldn’t kick.  What now?  Where was I to seek validation?  The supporter—not the position I would have picked.  I like being the center of attention.  I like feeling like a big deal.  I like being on the ladder, showing my strength, my work ethic.  But God has other plans for me.  And I think he’s speaking to me about more than just drilling wells.  I always like the focus to be on me, and I always want to be the one in charge.  I don’t like to be second string.  I want to preach, to lead, to be in control.  But God’s continuing to tell me that it’s not about me!  He’s teaching me what it means to serve, to really love others.  I don’t need to be physically strong to love other people.  And I should have learned that by now—elbow surgery, groin surgery!  But I’m stubborn, and I’ve usually got somewhere else to turn.  Not here!  I’m stuck with what I’ve got.   And what I’ve got is an opportunity to love people.  God, don’t let Satan distract me from the reasons you brought me here.  Keep speaking to my heart.  Keep molding me.

Day 21: 

Last night we introduced Sammy & Akai to Teeter on Mike’s phone.  I felt like we just introduced caveman to fire.  They were hooked!  I didn’t know it could be a 2 person game, but they would sit there & talk strategy with each other like both were playing…Kyle got stung by a scorpion last night.  It was tiny, but it definitely still seemed like it hurt.  He asked Sammy & Akai if he was going to die (I probably would have too), & of course Mike & I gave him a hard time about it.  We asked Sammy if he’d ever been stung & he said “Many times!”   So we felt pretty safe about Kyle waking up to see another day, especially since Sammy’s advice for dealing with stings was to drink water!  And I just freaked out a little bit while writing this b/c a spider just about crawled up my shorts.  Probably God trying to tell me to stop making fun of Kyle!...We finished getting the casing installed today, & actually got water pumping from the well.  Right now we’re in the process of moving everything to the next well.  It’s across the river, which meant we had a long walk w/ some pretty heavy stuff.  A ton of the girls from the village helped us move stuff, and it was pretty cool to see them help us out.  It was tiring, but it gave my shoulder a little break.  It’s funny how bent out of shape I was two days ago, when there’s really only been one day I couldn’t lift the drill bit…We read in 2 Corinthians today where Paul discusses the thorn in his flesh & talks about boasting in his weakness.  We don’t exactly have the most physically healthy intern team out here, but God is still using us despite our weaknesses.  Kyle ripped his pectoral muscle benching & had surgery over Spring Break; Mike’s got crow’s feet & has had multiple surgeries throughout his life; and my shoulder’s been irritating me & I just had surgery on my groin over Spring Break.  Not exactly an All-Star cast, but we’re learning more & more to depend on God for strength.  And don’t get me wrong—Kyle & Mike are both beasts & I’m thankful to have them to pick up my slack…We went a little deeper in Bible Study today.  


We asked about Paul’ “thorn” & why it is that we have “thorns” in our own lives.  They responded that it’s b/c  of our sin, & said that Job was punished b/c of the sins he committed.  This was HUGE b/c we were able to say that Job was righteous yet still suffered.  We got to reiterate that the Gospel is about more than being a moral person!  It was frustrating though b/c they wouldn’t look at Job & see what he actually said.  They were going by what someone had previously taught them & that really frustrates me that someone could teach them something opposite of what the Bible actually says.  But it also encourages me to keep learning as much as I can in seminary, so that I can help people find the truth in God’s word…Played goalie in soccer today, & my leg didn’t feel too bad—just tight, so I’m going easy on it.

I realized how awesome it is to be playing soccer w/ a bunch of Turkana on a dirt field in Kenya.  Before I had been so focused on showing off, that I was missing out on just how awesome an experience I was getting to have…Thank you God; thank you for my weaknesses & constantly reminding me that life’s not about me!

Day 22:

Woke up this morning & started packing up camp to head to the next drilling project.  Well, more like Akai started packing up camp.  We weren’t folding the tent up to his standards, so he just took over.  He’s a good leader, makes sure everything is executed properly.  It shows his appreciation of things.  He didn’t even sleep in the tent, yet he still wanted to make sure it was taken care of…2^nd to last Born & I carried the generator over to Gene’s old house.  It’s not light & it definitely makes you appreciate having vehicles to transport materials.  It’s about a 30 minute walk each way & the river was flowing today.  This morning it was waist deep, which made carrying materials more difficult.  Yesterday, there was almost no water, so we thought they were joking when they said the river was up.  But apparently it rained down country b/c it was about up to my chest when we crossed the second & final time today.  On the second trip, we had our packs & the girls from the village helped carry the rest.  It’s pretty crazy to see them carry huge boxes on their heads across the river when it’s chest deep.  

They’re funny to talk to—I usually just say random stuff about Sammy being single or sing love songs to them & see if they can understand any of it.  And they usually just tell me to shave my beard & ask me to give them my shoes or sunglasses.  Women—they’re always after your money ;) And yes, I'm wearing my special river crossing shorts in the picture below, a.k.a. my boxers!

…Crossing the river was an adventure.  We were a little concerned with getting our packs wet considering they had my camera & medicine & clothes all in there.  We had to carry them over our heads & pray not to slip.  Sammy was carrying our spears (that’s right—me & Kyle got spears!) 

& I was trying to avoid getting stabbed by them for most of the way across.  Little Michael wanted to help me carry my bag but I couldn’t let him b/c I was scared the water might end up being above his head.  I appreciate his big heart though.  The girls made it across with all the materials on their heads.  These Turkana women are tough!  It’s a little scary though b/c I’m not sure how many of these people know how to swim…We saw a huge scorpion under some of the casing this afternoon.  It could have had its own zip code.  It was black on top & it looked like it could have glowed in the dark!  I wasn’t nervous about sleeping in the tent after Kyle’s run-in, but now I’ll probably be a little more cautious going through my stuff…We rode 10 deep back to Lodwar in Gene’s Land Cruiser.  I was a long & crowded 3 hour drive, but it felt good to eat some good food & have some cold drinks at Gene & Melba’s.

Day 23: At Gene's Workshop

Found out at Gene’s today that we are not going back to the bush this next week.  Instead, we are helping teach a class at TBTI (Turkana Bible Training Institute) on Spiritual Warfare.  It should be interesting, especially after taking my OTI class this past year.  Apparently we teach for 3 days, & Simon translates & fills in any stuff he thinks we forgot to cover…We worked at Gene’s workshop today cutting & sanding wood for desks.  We cut up plywood with the table-saw, & by table-saw I mean upside down skill-saw that’s jimmy-rigged to a plywood table—OSHA approved, of course!

 
The desks look really great when finished

…There’s a different mindset about the value of life here.  Gene said people will just let their children die rather than have to pay money to get medical help.  And CMF will let them pay later, or even just cover it for them.  In America, we’d go broke to save a family member’s life.  Here, death seems to be more of a normal part of life.  People are willing to risk death just to try & save some money.  It’s really sad.

Please keep our team in your prayers as we deal with spiritual warfare & work to teach about this difficult subject this upcoming week.

Peace,

Digging the Well

Day 10: Taking It Up A Notch

…Got dropped off in Nakur to join the drilling team for the next 6 days.  It was a 3 hour drive and the roads are like dirt paths. 

It’s more like going off-roading and kind of feels like you're on a rollercoaster…Had to cross the river to get to the well project and gardens.  It got about mid-thigh deep and was pretty slick mud, really comforting when you have everything you need for the week in the pack on your back.  

Had to roll our shorts into basically a manthong (I’ll spare you from having to see the picture!) to try and keep dry!...The drilling crew reminds me some of the Lost Boys from Sudan in how they are all young guys making it through life together.  We think we’ve got it rough b/c we’re gonna be out here a week; they’re out here a whole month before returning to town!...I’m an emusugut, a “white man,” & I’m rich in their eyes.  I feel like it’s unfair for them to stereotype me as wealthy, but they are just going by the facts.  I traveled by plane across continents, have contact lenses—I even have a headlamp that allows me to write at night.  I have so many things.  God has blessed me in so many ways.  I have no reason to complain.  

Day 11: Trying to Survive

Sleeping last night was a nightmare.  It seemed like things would be perfect.  We got sleeping pads, there were no roosters, & the breeze felt really good.  Little did I know the wind would be my nemesis.  I should have known when Akai told me to put my pack above my pillow for protection that it was going to be a long night.  The wind just blew up all the dirt to where it was miserable to try and sleep.  You had to cover your face with the sheet or else it would get in your mouth.  And the sheet was too small to tuck around your whole body, so the wind would almost blow it off your body.  Even Sammy said, “Last night was bad!” the next morning, & he’s Turkana!  I asked if he’d ever slept through something like that & he said, “No! Worst night ever!”  But we trekked back across the river after lunch and got a tent from Gene’s old house, so that should help (it did!)  The tent’s a little too small for 3 people (it was!) but we’re going to try and fit Sammy, especially if last night was the worst night of sleep of his life!

 

...We went to church this morning…They meet under a large tree by the gardens

…Akai asked if one of us would do the second reading, so I said yes, assuming I would just read whatever the scripture was for the week.  Wrong again!  Right before I was supposed to read, they sang a song to welcome me, & I asked Sammy what verse I was supposed to read, & he gave me a look of panic.  I wasn’t just reading; I was preaching!  Yep, that's my name on the church board!

No prep, just stand up & preach.  I gave them the give me a minute finger (index) & scrambled to find Jesus’ reduction of the law to the two greatest commandments.  I had just written a sermon for class, so I just tried to remember what I had written.  I read & spoke, & Sammy translated for me.  Afterwards, a few people told me they really liked my preaching, mainly b/c it was short (usually hear people complaining for me being too long!). It was definitely one of those moments when God was speaking through me b/c I was definitely unprepared!...They slaughtered a sheep for dinner & we got it all on video, including Sammy’s anatomy lessons!  I wasn’t as disturbed as I thought I’d be watching it.  Once they throw it all on the grill, it all just looks like meat.  I tried the liver & the tail & they weren’t too bad.  One guy even drank the blood--Twighlight Fans, eat your heart out!  Here's the before & after:

…Jesus washing his disciples feet has taken on a whole new meaning.   

My feet are nasty at the end of the day, covered in dirt and mud.  The thought of washing someone else’s that look like mine (yes, I know I need to clip my toenails…and I did today!) is pretty gross.  But that’s what it means to love, to lead by serving.  

Day 12: Digging the Well

…We actually started doing some work today which felt good.  It’s tough work, much tougher than I expected.  You basically push press & spin the handle, then upright row it up while balancing on a ladder & the well casing. 

 

The bottom piece is slippery since it’s hitting water, which makes lifting it up even more difficult…Lunch tasted a lot better after actually working today…We do Bible Study everyday at 3 PM.  They have a reading plan they go through where they do an Old Testament & New Testament reading each day.  We read 2 Corinthians 3:1-11, & I asked them what Paul meant when he talked about the greater glory.  I asked which holds greater glory: the law or the cross.  Initially, they said the law, which shows how they view Christianity.  Everything operates under a system of right & wrong.  They seem to believe that God’s love for us is conditional, they can’t quite understand grace.  None of us really understand God’s grace, but it definitely appears to be a barrier for spiritual growth here.  We tried to discuss with them that the law reveals our sin, but the cross reveals God’s love & mercy.  Jesus fulfilled the law, so we could stop trying to earn God’s love.  We follow the law by following Christ, by embracing His love.  The law no longer defines us, love does.  I don’t know if it all clicked for them, but it was a good discussion.  

Day 13:

…We learned more about Turkana marriages.  Apparently marriage defines when a boy becomes a man.  Akai keeps calling us boys, & we say “Mam (No!)” & make him call us men, just to give him a hard time.  We learned that the educated marry later, closer to age 30, which surprised me.  Uneducated people; however, marry young…I told Sammy not all Americans marry, and he said that was “very bad.”  He said it must be lonely to sleep alone, wash utensils alone, and not be able to, well you know.  He said even the animals get to, and said they have it better than the unmarried!...We also learned some more about men and women.  Akai & Sammy both said you have to make sure women cannot beat you physically.  It would be very shameful, so you have to be smart.  So if it seems like your wife could, you should divorce her & get another wife.  I asked them how that’s biblical, & they tried to justify it.  It’s funny to hear them say, but I really hope they don’t physically abuse their wives; just feel confident they are physically stronger & not feel the need to demonstrate.  And they are adamant that there are jobs for men & jobs for women.  Feminists would flip out over here!...Been doing some bartering over here.  Currently trying to trade my flashlight for a walking stick & ichalong (chair).  Also hoping to get a spear to bring back to the States.  

Day 14:

Had some more funny conversations last night.  They couldn’t believe the man doesn’t have to pay anything to the family of his wife when he marries her.  Over here, it cost like 5 camels, or 200 goats to marry a girl.  Apparently it all depends on the amount of men in her family b/c each of them get something.  Sammy once again said this was “very bad!”…Carrying the water jugs this morning was a good reminder of just how much these women do for their families.  They are heavy to carry, got to be around 50 lbs, & they carry them on their head!

 

...We went fishing Turkana style this afternoon.  It was awesome!  Basically, you run around with a basket & randomly push it in the water hoping to trap a fish.  My Turkana fishing was about as good as my American fishing—so pretty bad!  They somehow have a strategy though.  They fish as a group & move together & funnel the fish towards one another.  It’s pretty crazy to watch them actually run down a fish & trap it.  Some even just catch it with their bard hands!  It’s a whole different league of fishing!  Kyle caught one & a kid pulled it out of his basket & just bit the sharp fins off the fish with his teeth, cut up his gums.  Pretty wild!

Day 15:

Can’t believe I’ve been in Kenya more than 2 weeks now.  Last night I noticed a hole in the top of my pack.  Beginning to understand why it only costs $30.  I really hope it can last, or there’s some way to fix it.  I really don’t need that much out here.  I could probably survive with a plastic bag and my water bottle.  But there’s a sense of security with that pack…I’m ready to be back in town, but I also realize how short my time is in Kenya this summer.  I don’t want to spend each week just waiting to get out of here.  I didn’t come over here to count down the days until I go back home…We got a soccer ball tonight and played with the crew and some of the people from the village.  It was basically Emusugut’s (White People-so me & Kyle) vs. the Turkana people.  And we should have beat them.  They are really athletic.  Me and Kyle tried to race them today, & they killed us.  Racing Kenyans—what were we thinking!  But they’re not that great at soccer.  You can tell they just haven’t played very much.  We just played in dirt area between the gardens where there aren’t too many thorns.  We lost 10-6, and that’s only because our goalie had to leave halfway through the game.  I had 4 goals—yeah, they’re that bad ;)  But this week, Mike’s joining us & Sammy’s bringing his soccer shoes, so I think we can take him.  I’ve been telling Akai, “Mimi ni baba Akai.”  Swahili for, “I’m Akai’s daddy!”  Should be fun to keep playing after work this week.

 

Heading back to Nakur for another week with the drilling crew tomorrow afternoon!  Thanks for the prayers & support! 

Peace