SOUND of the Week: The continuous beeps/ bumps/ grinds of huge machinery preparing a neighbouring plot for yet another transformation of a single family home into multi-housing units. A great reminder that we live in a growing city - which means that our ways of ministering must always be ‘transforming’ as we seek to reach those moving into Nairobi from all parts of Kenya and other countries – many seeking peace, both physically and spiritually – with many ending up in the slums, where more than 60% of the residents of Nairobi, the second largest city in East Africa, live in 5% of the city’s boundary. Which leads to the…
SMELL of the Week: The stench of the garbage dumped beside the Highridge village within the Korogocho slum, where it is estimated that “150,000 to 200,000 people (are) pressed into a 1.5 square kilometres” (1). Residents are the refugees from others countries as well as Kenyans from rural areas in search of jobs and education as well as many city dwellers with jobs, but without enough income to afford adequate housing. Our visit with two other IMB couples during a tour of Baptist work in our city coincided with lunch time, but the stench from the Dandora Dump site, the place where Nairobi trash is deposited/ recycled/ decomposed, offered us a strong incentive for dieting! Which leads to our…
SIGHT of the Week: Not sure if it was the toddlers playing as their parents washed plastic bags and other ‘good trash’ in the dirty Nairobi River which borders the trash site OR the street kids on top of the trash site searching for goodies – things to sale, use or even eat! Yes, I could go on and on about the heartbreak/prayer nudges of these views, but I must share our…
JOY of the Week: Viewing the ministry that Kenyan Baptists with IMB help began in Highridge in the early 1980’s. With the assistance of local government officials in need of help in Nairobi’s growing slum areas, Baptists began the Highridge Baptist Church and a centre offering training in skills such as carpentry and sewing. Soon a nursery school began and today a beautiful school sits on the property offering Pre-school though Standard (grade) 8 classes for 300+ students from the area a quality education, Christian nurturing and a good lunch each day (which includes eggs from their own chicken farm), as well as training in sewing, etc., for youth and adults.
The SMELL and SIGHT noted earlier were smelled and viewed as the Dandora trash sight is on one side of the river and the school on the opposite side! Today I’m only sharing a few photos but I will share even more SIGHTS (but thankfully no SMELLS) later in the month as I focus on the upcoming Lottie Moon Emphasis – as the beginning of the work in Highridge was supported by funds from gifts to the Lottie Moon Offering!
As always, I could keep sharing as these are only a few of our experiences this past week, but hopefully this will help you join us in prayer. Pray also this week for Jack as he continues teaching at our seminary, KBTC, and as I prepare daily Prayer Nudges (3) sharing how God is at work in East Africa. Join us also in praying that these Prayer Nudges will not only lead to increased prayers for God’s work, but strengthen or encourage our co-workers as their stories are shared. BERT
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(1) Korogocho/Wikipedia – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korogocho
(2) Yates-IMB-Kenya – http://bertandjackyates.blogspot.com
(3) Lottie Moon 2011 / East Africa – http://lottiemoon2011eastafrica.blogspot.com/ or look for the new Facebook site, Imb EastAfrica!
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