Kale for Kenya
November 27, 2009 (Journal entry while traveling from Nairobi to Nakuru)
The Swahili phrases are rolling in my mind - Jino lako nani? (What is your name?)
The smells so familiar - and how do you describe it?
Things have changed (since I was there in 1996) - more buildings.
The people - still friendly. We stand out as white people - mzungu!
The garden in Nairobi - lush and beautiful!
The land coming from Nairobi has been lush and green.
Plants growing - now -
Entering Nakuru, the NOT FORSAKEN country!
I fear we have entered the area of drought - dry, dusty - forsaken? "God forsaken" comes to mind. NO. I don't believe forsaken.
*I paused for a moment in my writing, and glanced to the bottom of my journal. The scripture verse hemming the margin of my journal read: "NEVER WILL I LEAVE YOU; NEVER WILL I FORSAKE YOU. SO WE SAY WITH CONFIDENCE, "THE LORD IS MY HELPER; I WILL NOT BE AFRAID!" HEBREWS 13: 5-6
The Lord will not forsake his children.
Patrick and Lucy Thuo are the pastoral couple who serve at the church in Nakuru where we ministered this fall. Patrick shared with Brian and me about the influx and influence of Islam into Kenya. They have much money - they are building schools and offering inexpensive tuition. And children are going there, lured by the education being offered.
Patrick and Lucy have a school too.
One which "Friends of Kenya" is supporting, trying to assist them in providing for the children God has brought to them. Financially, we can not compete with the Muslim community. But God assured me this morning with verses from Psalm 36 and 37: "Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret - it leads only to evil." Psalm 37:7,8
Instead of fretting and worrying about the Islamic influence in Kenya, God says, "Be still and wait." In my waiting he stirred up this dream of "Kale for Kenya" .
A few months ago, God put a thought in my mind, "Kale for Kenya" as a way to raise money for "Friends of Kenya". I have grown kale for a few years, but haven't used it that much. When we were in Kenya, I was very attentive to the gardening, as they had been experiencing drought before we arrived.
God gave me a promise for the people we ministered to there: Isaiah 58:11 "The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail." As I observed the gardening practices there, I thought a lot about the abundance, the blessing of good fertile soil and fresh water that I have. I often found myself wishfull thinking, "I wish I could take this produce to Kenya!"
So "Kale for Kenya" is in its infant stages. Somehow, I want to grow kale, sell it, and donate the proceeds to the "Friends of Kenya", supporting the Christian schools in Nakuru. I already have the kale planted - baby plants are growing! I will definetly have more than our family can use. But before my dear friend Anita introduced it to me in her garden, I had never heard about it! Yes, I ate it in Kenya, but I never heard of anyone eating it around here! That is why I asked the questions about kale. Thanks for your input! If anyone wants plants, I have lots! Or if you live near by and want fresh when it is in season, let me know and I will keep you updated! All I would ask for would be a market comparable donation that I would give to "Friends of Kenya."
My prayer for our friends in Kenya is that they will be able to be generous and lend freely - that they would be blessed!
"I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be blessed." Psalms 37:25,26
The Swahili phrases are rolling in my mind - Jino lako nani? (What is your name?)
The smells so familiar - and how do you describe it?
Things have changed (since I was there in 1996) - more buildings.
The people - still friendly. We stand out as white people - mzungu!
The garden in Nairobi - lush and beautiful!
The land coming from Nairobi has been lush and green.
Plants growing - now -
Entering Nakuru, the NOT FORSAKEN country!
I fear we have entered the area of drought - dry, dusty - forsaken? "God forsaken" comes to mind. NO. I don't believe forsaken.
*I paused for a moment in my writing, and glanced to the bottom of my journal. The scripture verse hemming the margin of my journal read: "NEVER WILL I LEAVE YOU; NEVER WILL I FORSAKE YOU. SO WE SAY WITH CONFIDENCE, "THE LORD IS MY HELPER; I WILL NOT BE AFRAID!" HEBREWS 13: 5-6
The Lord will not forsake his children.
Patrick and Lucy Thuo are the pastoral couple who serve at the church in Nakuru where we ministered this fall. Patrick shared with Brian and me about the influx and influence of Islam into Kenya. They have much money - they are building schools and offering inexpensive tuition. And children are going there, lured by the education being offered.
Patrick and Lucy have a school too.
One which "Friends of Kenya" is supporting, trying to assist them in providing for the children God has brought to them. Financially, we can not compete with the Muslim community. But God assured me this morning with verses from Psalm 36 and 37: "Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret - it leads only to evil." Psalm 37:7,8
Instead of fretting and worrying about the Islamic influence in Kenya, God says, "Be still and wait." In my waiting he stirred up this dream of "Kale for Kenya" .
A few months ago, God put a thought in my mind, "Kale for Kenya" as a way to raise money for "Friends of Kenya". I have grown kale for a few years, but haven't used it that much. When we were in Kenya, I was very attentive to the gardening, as they had been experiencing drought before we arrived.
God gave me a promise for the people we ministered to there: Isaiah 58:11 "The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail." As I observed the gardening practices there, I thought a lot about the abundance, the blessing of good fertile soil and fresh water that I have. I often found myself wishfull thinking, "I wish I could take this produce to Kenya!"
So "Kale for Kenya" is in its infant stages. Somehow, I want to grow kale, sell it, and donate the proceeds to the "Friends of Kenya", supporting the Christian schools in Nakuru. I already have the kale planted - baby plants are growing! I will definetly have more than our family can use. But before my dear friend Anita introduced it to me in her garden, I had never heard about it! Yes, I ate it in Kenya, but I never heard of anyone eating it around here! That is why I asked the questions about kale. Thanks for your input! If anyone wants plants, I have lots! Or if you live near by and want fresh when it is in season, let me know and I will keep you updated! All I would ask for would be a market comparable donation that I would give to "Friends of Kenya."
My prayer for our friends in Kenya is that they will be able to be generous and lend freely - that they would be blessed!
"I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be blessed." Psalms 37:25,26
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