October has been a challenging and rewarding month at the same time!!
I was blessed with the opportunity to have a dear friend from the states here for a couple of weeks. All of our days were so full of a variety of projects. We also had the opportunity to meet with some lawyers and government officials. Carrie is a lawyer and she is interested in getting involved with adoption in Kenya. It’s so hard to adopt here. Carrie wants to see what she can do to help ease the process. We were trying to meet the Chief of Justice in Nairobi; however, he sent someone in his place. Later, we learned that the person sent in his place was the Head of Intelligence. He wanted to make sure that Carrie had good intentions. It was such a cool experience!
It was so cool because we were in the building that peace was made a couple years ago for Kenya. There was so much political violence and danger after the 2007 elections (due to corruption in the elections). The current president Kibaki and the man he was running against met at this building to make peace. After their meet, peace was made between the fighting people groups (tribes) and a new constitution was on the horizon. The constitution was just voted on this Aug, it went though and will bring a lot of good to the people here. The place we were sitting is where a new hope was formed for Kenya!!!!
We also met a man that may help connect me with people to do a fundraiser here in Kenya for the Operation Give Hope project. And we met a lawyer that is in the process of making OGH a Kenyan foundation - Perfect timing. I do have one big prayer request. Jim and Susie are in the states; before they left we produced about 1000 packets to mail out to their support base. The packets have all the details on the launch of Operation Give Hope, plus a DVD. The packets just went out this week! I am so excited! Please pray that this will touch hearts. I will keep you updated. This has the potential to help MANY children in a HUGE way!
Here is Carrie’s blog of the time she spent here and her upcoming plans. http://carrieslifeinkenya.blogspot.com/
I was a bit challenged this month because of some of the news that I hear. Before, while in the states, I could always turn off the news channel. I did that because, like many of us, it’s hard for me to hear of the bad things that happen in this world. However, now, even though I don’t hear the news channel… I hear news from people I know. A very dear missionary family was robbed and it was an inside job (I thank God they were not hurt). There have been other robberies in the area where people have been hurt. In the villages there are a lot of witch doctors that do horrible things to others, some of which friends of friends have been affected. This is news that I can’t turn off, because it’s right around me. Maybe it was selfish for me to turn off the news in the past. When other people are hurt, my heart breaks. However, there is some sort of value from a broken heart. In fact, that’s what brought me here in the first place. Sometimes for change to occur our hearts have to break for other peoples problems – because it makes us act.
God is at work in AMAZING ways here in Kenya, fighting against that kind of injustice… by raising up a generation of children who have a heart for Christ. He is the only one who can build their hearts in a way to shine brightly in this world…
Here's an example! The letter is from the girl to the left below!!
If you'd like to hear more, there are some newsletters I can send you. Just request it and I'll forward.
I miss you all a lot! <3 THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, for your support!
Love,
Kristen
Thank you for reading about Kenya!
