Thursday, December 04, 2008
Happy Moon
Monday, November 24, 2008
A New Home
Master Bedroom
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
Obama Mania!!!
Kenyans take great pride in the fact that one of their sons was running for office in the U.S. Full page posters of Obama have appeared in most major newspapers here, and the U.S. election has had front page stories for the past two weeks. Everyone has been talking about it. I've met people I didn't think followed much news, who have confidently explained to me the nuances of the American Electoral College and the importance of Obama victories in battleground states such as Virginia.
When the verdict was received this morning, celebrations broke out throughout Kenya. Thousands have taken to the street with song and dance, setting bonfires and displaying portraits and badges of Obama. The President of Kenya has just declared tomorrow a National Holiday to celebrate Obama's election as President of the United States.
Arrival in Nairobi
It's been tough settling back. I had three different agents helping to find an apartment and Lucy and I viewed dozens of possible places (some very nice and some in various stages of neglect or disrepair). Yesterday I moved into very nice. An apartment in the South B neighborhood of Nairobi. It is a great location and a very secure complex, more than we've been praying and hoping for. I'll post some photos soon. - dc
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Dave's Fundraising Campaign
Family Time
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Commissioning Evangelists
The newly commissioned evangelists and presiding clergy
Lucy responds to unexpected questions from BBC reporters
Archbishop Benjamin Nzimbi reads the acceptance speech I worked on.
To celebrate and relax after the ceremony, our office went out for dinner at the very nice Carnivore Restaurant (a place where you can sample crocodile and ostrich meat). I don't recommend the crocodile. Here's a couple pics:Thursday, July 17, 2008
Education in Gatina
Here's a short video of Imani Development Centre, a private primary school just down the road from Light and Power Centre. It caters to the poorest of the poor, mostly to orphans and children of single mothers (many of whom are affected by HIV/AIDS). The school has about 125 students and is run by a friend who is a local pastor and works alongside his family in Gatina. The Wafula family had a heart to reach out to needy children in the neighborhood who roamed around during the day because their parents could not afford any of the other schools. For the full day school, the school charges less than $5/month, which includes rice for lunch every day. Only 40% of the families can afford to pay. The school currently does not have any donors, but is run strictly off of the very very limited tuition fees that it can collect (imagine a budget of less than $250 USD/month to run a primary school for 125 students). The learning conditions are very difficult. Check out the video and learn a bit more about Gatina and the efforts of Pastor Moses Wafula.
Dancing to the Beat
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Out of Africa
Broken hammers in a village
Monday, June 16, 2008
Farewell to Amber and Anne
Interns
One of my new responsibilities at Church Army is to help coordinate and run an internship program to help youth grow and gain new experiences in work and in missions. We now have four new interns, Betty, Brenda, Jacinta, and Winnie, all recent Kenyan high school graduates. They are serving alongside mentors and helping out in areas such as accounting, administration, education, and journalism. They meet for regular prayer and discussion groups and we also have some classes and are reading the book The Purpose Driven Life together.
Kenyan National Prayer Breakfast
The breakfast was a grand event, held at the largest conference hall in Kenya, in the Safari Park Hotel. The President, Vice President, and Prime Minister were all present, as were many dignitaries from across East Africa and around the world. The Main Speaker was retired U.S. Congressman Walter Fauntroy, a long-time pastor and civil rights activist. He shared movingly from his experiences working alongside Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela, and he encouraged and challenged Kenyan leaders to promote peace by pursuing income, education, healthcare, housing, and justice for all Kenyans. Later, the President referred to the post-election violence as "our little mistake" and urged Kenyans to move forward in unity. After the President's speech, Lucy's group, 4 Word, sang an a capella song in Kiswahili about forgiveness.
Prayer Breakfast - Photos
The crew from Light and Power: Hesbon, Henry, and Bishar at the pool on Safari Park Hotel's lushly manicured grounds
Lucy and her friends from 4 Word, shortly after their acapella presentation during the prayer breakfast.
Gangster's Paradise
Last Saturday night, a gang of professional thieves broke into Church Army Africa's offices. They came with guns, crowbars, and steel cutters and made off with computers, cash, and office equipment from the Secretariat Office, the Dental Clinic, the College, and the Centre for Urban Mission. It was the first burglary of this magnitude in the 50 year history of Church Army in Nairobi. Thankfully, no one was injured, and at least some of the losses are covered by insurance.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
College Visitors
Overlooking the Great Rift Valley.
Hippo Gazing at Lake Naivasha
Alex and I were both unwell enough to climb Mount Longonot, so instead we went for a short visit to nearby Lake Naivasha. During a boat ride on the lake, we saw nearly a dozen hippos and many types of exotic birds as well as antelope grazing on the shore. Check out a short video of the trip:
Soccer Jerseys
Saying “Hello” to Michelle
Recent photos and clips of the guys from Light and Power. They wanted to say “hello” to an overseas friend who volunteered at the Centre for several months last year.
The Godfather, Part II
Here’s a photo of me with my “godson” Charles. The manager of Akiba served as a lay leader as several other students were also baptized at St. Marks Church in Westlands.
Big Dreams for a Bright Future
James, a former member of Light and Power is finishing his last year at Akiba High School. Here he shares a bit of his story.
Music at Akiba
Send off to Madagascar
The Kenyan missionaries I’ve been working with have officially departed for Madagascar. It was amazing to see all the details come together at the last minute. I didn’t think it would be possible, but Kenyan churches and individuals gave sacrificially and made this possible: the first full-time missionaries from the Anglican Church of Kenya to serve outside the country. I’ll be continuing to work with Duncan and Victor as they start their ministry, and you can visit their blog for more details:
www.toliaramissions.blogspot.com
A Stoning
A couple weeks ago, I witnessed something I had never seen before – a stoning. On my way home from Nairobi’s city centre, I ran in to a homeless thief. He snatched a woman’s handbag, and as the woman stood on the median and screamed, he ran in and out of traffic, trying to escape. Unfortunately, the young man was caught by other pedestrians, beaten, and stoned on the side of the road. There was a lot of blood. I don’t know if he survived, but the event left an indelible mark in my mind. I was reminded of Jesus’ words: “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone. . .”
Who am I to stop a stoning?
To bend down when the blood
Is just drying?
Echoed laughter and sullen stares
Vegetable vendors and taxi drivers
Stalled cars and pedestrians caught
By the midday sun.
Arms still angry,
Mouths wide with abuse.
Within moments his frail form falls.
Unnamed and pelted, swallowed
By the stones.
So we stand by, even now incensed,
Remembering the one last time
Who got away.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Three New Members
Several Light and Power Members in front of our new sign.
Good Fences Make Good Neighbors
Fundis level the foundation
Hesbon mixes cement
With generous support from a U.S. donor and a local corporate sponsor, we have embarked on several major improvement projects at Light and Power. We’ve cleaned and painted the mud covered interior of the house and have just finished building a fence for the front yard. The fence is a huge blessing as it keeps stray goats, cows, and criminals out. It also helps us keep the yard clear of broken glass and ridiculously disgusting refuse left by the thousands of people who walk past the center everyday. Now that we have a fence, we hope to do some landscaping projects soon.