Karibu!!

Karibu means welcome in Swahili! We have really been welcomed to Nairobi and we are trying to learn Swahili so that we can better communicate with the people in the slums. I think we are trying to learn to much too fast as I am now dreaming in Swahili and we have only been here a few days. We have a few greetings learned so at least we can say Hi to the people we meet.

AS you know we arrived safely nad we have showered and are pretty rested. Tim lost some luggage and he is at the airport picking it up. He will probably write some on here tonight. We thought we would each write about our first few days. So here is the Alicia version of the first few days;

We arrived that the airport about 630 a.m. and many of us were unable to sleep on the plane so we were very tired. After finally getting through customs we hit the ground running. We went to the Hope Center and were oriented to the place and met many of the staff. Then we walked through the slums. I think that I was too exhausted to grasp the magnitude of what the slums were really like. I felt a bit numb that day to be honest. The next day were spent the morning with some CHE's (Community Health Evangelists-an amazing program we will write more about later). We walked to the river where people were brewing alcohol illegally and talked with some of them. Many of the CHE's were former brewers and what we would call alcoholics but they have since given their lives to GOD and to serving those that are in the same pit they were in. They are a great group of people. As I saw people in such desperation surrounded by garbage, filth, decay, the trappings of sin, and death it hit me. I was in the slums of Nairobi with the needy what Jesus calls the least of these. One of the guys said he feels like when he is working with the people of the slums and the brewers he feels like he is where Jesus would have been if here were humanly walking the Earth. I cant agree with him more. In the midst of all of this I can sense God's very real presence. He is with the poor no doubt about it. Nothing gets by him-no crying in the dark of night, no death due to HIV, no rape or abuse, no cry for help, no addiction, nothing. When I am there I am reminded that He is Almighty God in a way I miss when I am in America.

Today we walked through the slums to church. I am beginning to recognize a little of the area. It rained this morning before we left and what the rain left behind was an overwhleming stench. People who have visited Mathare always talk about the smell and the first day due to exhaustion I missed it, the next day it was faint almost smelling like a pig farm, but to day it was oh so real. There were times it took my breath away but you cannot escape it. Today the slums were packed with people since it is Sunday and many are not at work. I was very overwhelmed today. People were crowded all around us and I had no idea where we were or where we were going. There are 23 of us MZUNGUs(white people) so we really stand out. Today I wore a thin pair of flip flops and as I walked the ground I stepped on rocks, garbage and I am sure other things I do not want to know about and I saw people standing around clothed in rags with runny noses and dirty faces and it hit me-this is life! They dont leave at 5 p.m. like I will when the day is done-many of them probaby never leave. The darkness of that thought really hit me. Luckily there is hope for all things in God. When I see places like this I am always reminded that our God is bigger than all of this. He knows what is going on and He has a plan. I am so thankful to be a part of that plan for this area. He is doing some amazing things here. I am excited to learn more about them and to share them with you all.

I know I am rambling a lot but there is much in my head and we havent updated anyone in several days. LIke Bono said God is in the slums where the poor play house. You had better believe he is!! He is raising some great leaders up out of the darkness that is surrounding them. They are changing the community around them. For those of you involved in the Hope Partnership and/or who participated in A Different Kind of Christmas-please know God is blessing what you are giving. He has multiplied it and is using it to help many. Thanks for you willingness to give to the people of Mathare. Thanks for supporting us. We are so happy to be here.

As I say that I know it sounds like I am sad or overwhelmed and some moments I am, but it is in those moments that I am seeing God the most. I will gladly take moments that break my heart if it always me to draw closer to my GOd. Thanks for you prayers. We love you and will update soon. Perhaps with some funny stories of mistakes we are making while learning the language and some pictures.

God is so good!