KISII REPORT #1

My phone says that the temperature here in Spirit is 89°, but the

thermometer on my wall at our farm on Two Pine Hill says it is over 90, so who are you gonna believe? I tend to go with the old-fashioned mercury thermometer. For the rest of the normal world, either one is over 30° C —too hot for us northerners. My poor highland cattle are lying in the shade of the trees down by the pond, waiting for evening and for a little coolness so that they can go out and graze again.

Quite a different story in Kisii, Kenya. This was the afternoon temperatures and conditions there, according to my phone (I don’t think that they have a thermometer on their wall). But the climatic conditions are striking, to use a small play on words. It looks as if they at least have one or two drying days coming up. Vivian and I have been praying that the rains there would abate.

I have been in communication with Pastor Joel today. I am sorry to report that the miserable conditions continue for them. I am dismayed to say that my cattle have a far better living situation than they. 

I asked Joel where the children are able to sleep in these days, since because of lack of room and beds, many of them usually sleep on the floor. Now, with the flooding and the rains, the floors of the buildings that they do have are now mud. He told me that they clear the mud the best that they can, and the children sleep there—or at least try to sleep.

I was able to send them a little money yesterday via MoneyGram, and with part of it, they plan on buying some timbers to lay on the floor to elevate them off of the mud. This at least will protect them from the mud, the diseases and the biting insects in the soil. I am not clear what they have to place on top of the timbers for a platform. It is difficult for him to communicate too much with text messages on the phone.

They also are going to buy some more blankets, since the nights are very cool, and of course everything is wet. The children sleep fitfully, if they sleep at all. Many lie and whimper most of the night.

I learned that the daily cost for feeding each child is about $3.00 US. When you consider that they have 42 orphans now, if you do the math you can see that they have taken on quite a responsibility. Warm clothing or any clothing at all is quite another matter. They simply have no resources for buying clothes. Some of the smaller children are obligated to walk around in public naked. And of course shoes,  and especially in this season—gum boots.

We did not even talk more about schooling, since this is a luxury at this point.

What I have been able to send in no way even approaches all of the needs.

I told Joel that this work is bigger than he is and bigger than Vivian and I. These are all children with no others to help, but only the Lord can feed and clothe them. We are so very thankful for several of our friends who have also donated to help these children. I know that many more are praying. If you are one of these, I thank you also.

Life would be easier if we did not know of these needs—to just remain ignorant of the situation of some of our brothers and sisters. I don’t know if this works for you, but it has never worked for me. Ever since my early days in India, God has repeatedly brought needs to me from various parts of the world and asked me, “What are you going to do about this?”

I was thinking that my retirement to my farm would be a rest from all of this, but I think this no more. Now I am looking only beyond.

“There remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God” (Hebrews 4:9).