Laura's Update: Chased by a Headless Chicken

Greetings from Ilula, Kenya!

I am nearing the end of week #2 and there is so much I have learned about this culture that I pray God will use as ministry and development opportunities open.

Becoming a Kenyan
Yesterday I returned from my home-stay with a Kenyan family, the Ronos. I was quite nervous going into it, but it was such an amazing experience! Strong relationships were formed, especially with the wife, Navy, or “Mama Elijah” (parents go by the name of the eldest child here. Father is “Baba”).

With the exception of Monday when we traveled three hours to Mt. Elgon to attend a funeral of a close friend’s sister who died of AIDS (more on this later), my days were spent as a true Kenyan woman. I would get up at 5:30 to have chai with the kids before they went to school. Then Mama Elijah, Gogo (grandmother) and I would go to milk the cows. It was great to see them laugh at the small cup I milked in 5 minutes as opposed to their bucket!

Next, Navy and I would go to the well to fetch water and carry it on our heads back to the house. There's no time to rest though. After that, it was time to make breakfast and chai for the rest of the family and pastors that came for fellowship (prayer, devotions, worship). The Ronos live on the same grounds where Baba Elijah (Philip) heads up the ELI Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Center. Because of this ministry, there are always pastors, counselors (many who have graduated from the program) that would eat meals with us.

After breakfast (the kitchen is a separate mud hut, by the way), we would clean the dishes outside, do some other chores (hmmm . . . like slaughter a chicken for my goodbye lunch? Guess who did the slaughtering, and guess what happened when I let go after the head was off . . . the headless chicken chased after me as I screamed!) Other chores included carrying firewood on our heads from the nearby woods, and smearing the kitchen floor with cow dung and soil.

Then we’d prepare lunch. After lunch, we'd usually take sponge baths and so some other chores, or we'd have chai with visitors.

In the afternoons, I was given time to rest and prepare Bible studies that I led for the KAA (Kenya Anti-Alcohol) men at the rehab center. One of the surprising doors that God has opened both weeks includes chances to dialogue with men about the struggles they face. One day we even talked about Genesis 3 and how they view women and gender roles. Very interesting!

Helping at a Pastor's Conference
During my first week, I assisted with a pastor’s conference (all men, too) where it was their very first time ever talking about poverty issues and how to practically address it as a church. Some amazing conversations occurred and it was thrilling to see some of my Fuller classes come in handy! Bwana asifiwe! (Praise the Lord!)

Micro-Small Enterprises
God has been opening some amazing doors and bringing about what I believe to be divine contacts surrounding the ministry of micro-small enterprise (MSE). Brian Albright, my former colleague, has some contacts that he wants to set me up with to learn about so as to gather some models of what works for the MSE area that ELI is looking at launching. But in the last 3 days, people and conversations have crossed my path that is the beginnings of some exciting things as well.

Attending a Kenyan Funeral
I mentioned earlier that I attended a funeral while staying at the Ronos' farm. Not only was this an incredible and intense cultural experience that gave me an insider’s view into customs and values, but God used one of the pastors who spoke in a mighty way. The village where the funeral was, is in much worse state than any I have seen so far, and the Ronos explained that the village is filled with alcoholism amongst the men, women and even the children! Rather than seeing cups filled with chai during the day, it is filled with changaa, a brew that they make. Money goes to feed the addiction rather than the children and families are losing about half of their family members to AIDS.

The local elders warned the village: “Our people are dying! Soon, we will no longer exist! Is this what you want?” As Pastor Rono put it, “Alcoholism is just as much a disease as AIDS and it must be addressed if we have any hope against AIDS.” Another pastor spoke honestly about the effects of their addiction (I was told that such direct speach is rare for Kenyan pastors). This is also one of the first times that community even allowed a pastor to come and speak!

He walked around the crowd of 400 people gathered in the grass for the funeral. About half came forward to ask Christ to come in to their lives and help break their addictions. The entire village knelt before God to bring about new commitments to God and transformed lifestyles in the community. It was holy moment! The elders had asked me, the token white lady, to "close the door of their problems and evil" but the pastor so rightly challenged them and said, “A white person cannot do this for you. You are the ones who opened the doors to alcoholism and AIDS. You are the ones that have to close these doors to behaviors and problems you have.”

It was an amazing, eye-opening day. However, there is no local church or leaders to really show them both the spiritual, physical, social and emotional growth.

Working with Navy
Mama Elijah (Navy) is constantly teaching women in her community about new ideas and crops that have generated income for her family. She told me several times how many women are unaware of the resources that are right around them. Both Navy and I wept together for the things we saw in Mt. Elgon. When Adele, an ELI staff member, visited us for chai, God laid it on our hearts to go back to Mt. Elgon before I leave. Navy will teach women ways to support their families with businesses other than brewing alchohol. Please be praying as we make plans for this time, possibly in a couple of weeks. We may also have a nurse with us and de-worm the kids, bandage wounds, etc. This will build their trust with them and be a practical way to gather the women for Navy’s training.

Other Opportunities
There are a few other divine appointments and conversations that have come about. I just found out in Kipkaren (the other training center I am going to today for a week) has just started to have weekly meetings regarding MSE for women getting out of the sex trade. They have created business plans already. Please pray for discernment on how to best support them with the few cultural and business principles I have been learning.

What I'm learning
If I learned one thing last week on the Kenyan farm, it is that I KNOW NOTHING! But somehow, God uses whatever we can offer as learners even if we look and feel like incompetent idiots! I will also be attending a meeting with the staff and locals about the overall MSE program ELI wants to launch. There are a couple of other possible avenues for me to explore in this area that I won’t mention here.

Know your prayers are very much felt and are working! I will try and keep you posted as best I can as things start to shape up. I will be at the Kipkaren center this week where I will join my church team who just arrived! Please remember them in prayer as well if you can.

I miss all you so much and wish you could see the stars of the African sky, taste the food, sip chai and hear the cranes and roosters that wake you up each morning. I think when I ran through wheat fields (in a skirt of course) with the Rono children as the sun set over the farm, it finally hit me….I'M IN AFRICA!

Bwana asifwe,

Chepyator (my Kilagen name they decided to give me which means “Pioneer”)