Finally some pictures

Finally, we are posting some pictures.  I cannot figure out how to get the layout of these to look the way I want so this was the best i could do :)  If you are our friend on Facebook, you might have seen some of these pictures, but if you aren't we wanted to share a little bit about the place we call home with you.   Well, just the outside. We are still working on the inside.  Today, someone is here sewing us new couch covers and in a few weeks the team from West Side will be bringing more of our household goods.  After that we can give you a glimpse of the inside.  We love this place and feel so comfortable here. I just told Tim last night that I think I feel safer here than a few others places I have lived in. Perhaps that is because our door bolts into the wall, ceiling, and floor, there are bars on the windows, and we are on the fourth floor.  Who knows?!?!

Some of the others are on our way to work and at work.  We really don't take our camera with us much so our selection of photos is a little limited.  Enjoy!!

We didn't know when we moved in we would have
lake-front property (only during rainy season)..
Or a breeding ground for mosquitos!

Where we do our laundry

The road to work

Juja Road.  We turn off of this road to get to the center.
There are just a few obstacles to watch out for.

Missions of Hope Center.
Where we work   

Always construction.  And for awhile
there was also always rain.

Cooking dinner by candlelight.
We lose power sometimes and usually right in the middle
of doing something important.

View from Missions of Hope Center.

We might have used some of the money we
got from selling our car to go to the beach
to celebrate our anniversary.

I might have cried because it was so amazing.

View from the front porch.
The large black things you see are the water tanks.

View of our street.  At the end and across the street
is a fruits and vegetable market.

 What I assume would be the google earth
street view!

The sunset we can see from the back porch.  So incredible!

An almost new normal...

Over that past few days, several of the people we were in training with in Colorado have written blogs or shared articles about the challenges that come with moving to another country.  It doesn't matter where you go, it is just hard to assimilate into another world, another culture.  When we first got here, everything was exhausting to us.  Some stuff still is now.  People would always ask us what we did and why we were so tired and some days our answer was as simple as "we went to the grocery store."  Of course, it took over 3 hours, but still a trip to the store is not usually so tiring.  But it is when it is different.  And overwhelming. And you don't quite get how to do the exchange rate so you end up buying over $30 worth of chicken (not that this happened to us or anything!).  Everyone looks different than you. Speaks differently (and we live somewhere where English is spoken regularly).  They know how the systems work and they move through them with ease.  While you as just trying to get by.  The newness and cultural overload left us so incredibly tired.  Ten hours of sleep a night was not nearly enough.  Working short days would feel like you combined 2 days into one. Sometimes just getting in the car and arriving at work was draining.

But now....we do many of these things with a great deal of ease.  We have a few grocery stores we frequent and we know where things are and what we like and what we don't.  We have a butchery we go to.  We can even split up at the store and shop alone to get our list finished a little faster.  We can drive to work even when the road we normally travel is unexpectedly closed. We can find our way around town with a little help from a map.  All these things make us feel so great most days.  There has been such improvement. such transformation since we got here.  Just the other day they closed a road and we ended up on some random side road down by the river-a place I am pretty sure we didn't need to be, but once we got back on the main road, I said to Tim, "hey, I didn't even freak out when we were lost!" That is huge improvement!    Even with all of this there is so much more to learn.  Bargaining is a huge part of buying things here and we have a huge fruits and veggie market down that block, but we haven't gone yet.  We just aren't ready to bargain for everything. One thing at a time.  It's a marathon, not a sprint.

A typical day for us is getting up, getting ready, and leaving for work.  Not unlike in the U.S. we still prefer sleep to breakfast, so I grab some hot tea and we both get some small snack to eat at work.  Then we head to work.  It takes about 10 minutes to get there which is so great.  We have to drive through the outskirts of the slums, so Tim is avoiding people, animals, cars, potholes, etc.  I consider it success when we make it to work unscathed.  For the past few weeks, we have been sitting in the admin office sorting and processing letters, gifts, and thank you cards.  This past Friday, we got our new desks and saw our offices.  I am with some great women.  One is the head teacher, another is the supervisor of social work and others work for Human Resources. Tim is in the Spiritual Development office.  We have yet to sit at our desks and work as we are at home this week waiting for some work to be done in our house.  We are having a fundi (or skilled worker, in this case a dude who sews) come to our home and recover our couch cushions.  Our couch is a hand-me-down and we really like it, but the covers are very worn so we needed them done and really want them to look like "us".  We have spent a good portion of the past 3 days waiting for the fundi to show up (another cultural experience :)  But we can't wait to see the end result.

Thanks to those of you who have been constantly praying for our transition.  I really think it is grasping a hold of the small things that will give longevity to our lives here.  God has been so gracious to us as we have adjusted.  It hasn't even been 3 months and we feel so comfortable at work, getting to work, at home, at the store, etc. We are making friends and have been able to easily keep in touch with family and friends who are far away.   We are really beginning to feel as though we are developing a new normal. So those prayers for things that don't seem like much have been both answered and huge for us.  I can't tell you how great it felt yesterday for us to park on the street and for Tim to go pay a bill and me to head off the opposite way ALONE to shop.  Oh, but please don't stop praying for us and our transition.  We have only scratched the surface of all there is to learn and to know.

That Moment When.....

You know that awesome moment when you went to Kenya 4 years ago and met these great women who really touched your heart, but you thought you would never see them again, but then you run into one of them in the hallway at work?  Me too.  I love it.  It happened Tuesday.  This blog explains a little more about them.  Winnie was one of the ladies who really captured our hearts (she is sitting the photo above).  She has this smile that is absolutely contagious and when she sees you she is so genuinely excited to be with you.  She does not speak English well and we do not speak Swahili well so we have never really been able to talk to her, but  we have never had trouble communicating our joy.  When we were support raising, we told the story of Winnie several times because she just impacted us so much.

Honestly, I never thought we would see her again. Sometimes, those things make me sad, but I know that part of life is loving others, planting hope within them and many times you move on.  A lot of times you just don't get to know what happens.  You pray for the best and trust these beautiful souls to Jesus.

So, you can imagine my surprise when I walked out into the hallway on Tuesday and ran RIGHT INTO Winnie.  And the best part is, she remembered me.  And Tim.  Her face lit up and we hugged and squealed. Then I yelled to Tim and he was so excited.  We "talked" for a only few minutes because she was there to see a teacher.  What that means is 1)She is still alive!! 2) She is still around and is doing well 3)Her kids are getting a fantastic education.  Tim and I were so ecstatic I thought our hearts might burst.

What made all this even more special was that on Monday night we had been talking about how "doing ministry" has looked a lot different for us this time than it did as interns.  When we were interns we were always in the community, sharing Christ, forming relationships, hugging kids, encouraging others, being with the people.  For a few weeks we did some of that, but now we sit in an office. We read, sort, and prepare letters and gifts from sponsors for the students.  It is so great and I wish there was a way to communicate to you the relationship that is being built across thousands of miles.  Simply by the written word.  And a few stickers.  Most sponsors and their sponsored kid(s) will never meet, but there is such a love communicated through letters, cards, and gifts small enough to fit in an envelope. We love this, but it seems different.  Because, well, it IS different.

This conversation began because someone commented on this photo on Facebook and mentioned it being a picture of God's call on our lives (still can't believe God asked us to come and love on these precious ones. As a job!).  And it is.  Yes, 4 years ago we walked around and hugged on kiddos ALOT and since we absolutely adore these children it is one of the biggest ways in which we fell in love with this place and this ministry, but now we are getting to be such a part of the backbone of this ministry.  Still the kids of course, but also the school, and the Hope Partnership Child Sponsorship program.  Everyday, not only do we get to see these faces and hear them playing, we get to be a part of continuing to connect them with someone across the globe who loves them.  We get to do this for a LONG time, much longer than two months.

As we have been adjusting to being here, I have really been thinking about what ministry looks like.  And what I feel like I am being shown is that it doesn't really look any particular way.  It is sharing love, hope, laughter, tears, joy, smiles, words in Swahili (or English).  It is hugs and games.  It is a greeting. A song.  It is driving through crazy traffic. It is buying our groceries.  Walking into our apartment compound.  It is all these things that we do each day-with Jesus added to them.

I love that God gave us this beautiful gift of seeing Winnie again.  We got to see the fruits that resulted from hope planted.  That doesn't always happen. Probably doesn't even happen often.  So thankful it happened Tuesday!

Mailings

Many of you have asked about sending things to us.  Here is our mailing address:

CMF/Kenya %Tim and Alicia Stewart
PO Box 59322-00200
City Square
Nairobi, Kenya
EAST AFRICA

At this time, it is best NOT to mail packages. We will be charged at customs to retrieve them and prices can vary. However, you can mail us flat envelopes (any size) with things in them.

Click here to a link for our "Wish List". Any of these things that will fit in an envelope (shipping or business size) (even if its packed!) will be great. If you are asked to complete a form with the contents and their prices, please use lowest price possible. This will help reduce any cost we may incur.

We also LOVE just getting cards, pictures, words of encouragement, etc.

Also, many times a year teams come to serve at Missions of Hope and sometimes they have room to bring stuff to the team. If you have something bigger than envelope size you would like to send us, please let us know and we can try and arrange this.

So many of you have been so incredibly generous to us and we are in NO way asking for anything more. We just want to answer a question we have been asked a lot. We are so thankful for the generosity and encouragement we regularly receive.

The Mundane

Everyone continues to assure us that people really want to know about our daily lives.  The ordinary. The mundane.  And to be honest, life is beginning to look ordinary.  We are developing habits and routines.  We are finding our way to different places, learning to drive,  and how to do things on our own.  

Until we came here I didn't realize just how much I crave routine.  Although I love adventure and trying new things, my heart longs for familiarity, for some semblance of a schedule.  When you move you obviously forego those things for awhile and I am thankful to be getting some of that back.  However, the ordinary, the mundane, the boring also scares me.  In the very depths of my soul it frightens me because in the normalcy I get comfortable. I trust in the routine, in the known.  I confess, I don't look for Jesus as much when I know how to navigate my world.  I just hate this.  I know that part of who I am just needs a schedule, to know what to expect and what is expected, but my heart that also longs for Jesus hates this because I miss Him.  I don't always see that He is all around me.  All the time. In everything.

When we first got here, I couldn't have missed Jesus in anything.  Even if I wanted to.  It felt like every step I took He was there, guiding it.  I think it would have been impossible for Him to feel any closer, but almost 2 months have passed.  We are familiarizing ourselves with Missions of Hope.  Tim has been driving and we know how to get several places unaided.  The grocery store that was overwhelming has now become known.  Our apartment feels like our home.  When frustrations arise we are learning how to handle them.  In all this, I find myself not clinging to Jesus like I did. Like I should.  Like I want to.

I think that the routine was in many ways a gift from Him to me.  He knows I need this so out of love He provides.  He wants me (us) here so He is helping make this transition as smooth as it can be.  My choice now is to hold on to what is becoming comfortable or to continue to hold on to Jesus.  To be disciplined enough to seek Him-even in the boring.  Especially in the boring.  He is all around me.  I don't want to miss it. At all.  Any part.  Of any regular, ordinary day.

A Month Gone By

A month ago today we were sitting in the airport in Detroit.  We had just finished a delicious meal at Chili's.  We napped in the airport as we waited to board a plane for Amsterdam.  Seems crazy to think it has already been a month. If possible, this past month has moved both quickly and slowly.  Here is just a little review of our month:

*We arrived in Kenya.  Got a little rest and experienced some of the worst jet lag ever.
*I struggled the first few days as reality hit me.  Thankful for an incredible husband and family.  Most importantly, thankful for God's graciousness.  He continues to remind us that we are where we should be.
*We took our first bus ride and went to Tanzania for the first time.
*We witnessed firsthand that Tanzania is both beautiful and full of nature and nature is LOUD!
*We waged war on our plague of crickets.
* We finished language school and even have the certificates to prove it.
*We moved into our apartment.
*We started orientation to Missions of Hope.
*I have learned that I want to know how to do everything and be an expert immediately. Turns out, life just doesn't work that way.  Thankful for a learning curve!
*We learned (okay, were reminded) that we have the best supporters, friends, prayer partners, and family around.
*We learned just how expensive chicken really is!
*We are learning how to use our shillings and stay within a budget.
*We are continually impressing people without flawless Swahili :)
*We are seeing old friends and meetings new ones.
*We have laughed and played with our niece and nephews online. And even got to attend a birthday party.
*We are becoming more and more dependent upon God.
*We have gotten used to killing mosquitoes and other insects.
*I have been bitten by a Nairobi Fly (so gross!) and about 22 mosquitoes.
*We have continually been reminded of God's goodness, his faithfulness, and the truth of his promises
*We are excited for whatever lies ahead!!

Thanks for praying and encouraging us.  Thanks for supporting us.  Our first month has been great and we are certainly looking forward to the coming months!

In the Whispers

Our first Sunday, we stayed in for church since we had no idea where to go or how to get there. We read Mark 9 which talks about the Transfiguration of Jesus. What a huge moment for Peter, James, and John. And Jesus. He was about to reveal his magnificent glory to a few of those who had abandoned it all to follow him. As I read these verses, I definitely get the feeling that these three guys were like WHOA! What exactly did we just see. But no matter what must have been going through their minds or going on in their hearts, there was no way they could have missed the glory of God through Jesus.

Next we listened to a sermon by Erwin McManus in which he referenced 1 Kings 19. Elijah is hopeless and desperate because his life has been threatened. He is so desperate that he is laying under a tree praying to die, when an angel comes along and gives him some food. Utterly hopeless. God brings him to the mountain and asks him to stand there and to wait. Then there is a huge windstorm, then an earthquake, and finally a fire. But God is not in those things. No, he comes along afterwards as a whisper. A still small voice. I began to think that what if Elijah would have decided to stop waiting for God to show up because he wasn't in the big things. If you read back a few chapters, God has allowed Elijah to call fire down from Heaven, bring rain to a land that was parched. God has shown up and done some huge stuff. Elijah couldn't have missed the Glory of God in those moments. But here he is right after all that, hopeless, looking for God again. What if he would have missed the whisper because he was expecting the fire?

How many times do we, do I do this? Like with the Transfiguration, God is so obvious in some things. When we went from 20% support to 60% in a week, it was easy to see God in that. But do I miss him in the whispers? In the moments when He leans so close to my face, breathes into my ear, saying "You are my beloved", "I am with you" "There is no one who could hold you tighter than I do", "See my beauty". Tim and I try so much to see God in the big things as well as the small. When he whispers to us through a Jr. High student who gives a speech in class about what God is doing in our lives, when people email us words of encouragement, when our sadnesses are turned to joy, when the internet works and we get to see our family, talk to our faraway friends. Lately, God has been in the whispers so much. Really, nothing HUGE has happened since we have been at language school. Each day is basically just a slightly different version of the previous day. But God has been talking to us in his still, small voice so much. If we would have been looking to be overwhelmed, we would have missed all that He is doing each day. And oddly enough, when we combine all the whispers, we have found ourselves amazed. Overwhelmed.

May we not miss God in the big or the small. He is alive, active, and always on the move.

We would love to here what God is doing in your lives! Leave a comment or email us and let us know how He whispers to you!

(The fine print: I don't even pretend to be scholarly, or a theologian, or know how to use punctuation! These are just my thoughts!)