Well my time here in Nairobi is coming to a fast close. It has been such a great experience. Far better than I could have ever imagined. I have had the opportunity to see God work in so many marvelous ways. Sure us interns have had our ups and downs but throughout it all God has been with us every step of the way. It is so hard to believe that it is our last week here and we will be heading home soon. I am sad to leave but at the same time I am ready to return home.
I am sad to leave all of the friends I have been able to make. Being placed in a certain work center in Mathare has allowed me to develop close relationships with a few people. They are so fun to work with and I look forward to each and every day I get to spend with them. Mary, Mercy, Kevin, and Vivian have become like family to me. My personality blends so well with theirs. We will spend time during lunch joking with each other or talking about serious issues. No matter the topic of conversation I am somehow able to relate to the things they talk about. I am also sad to leave Diana. I have had the opportunity to counsel her throughout the course of the summer and I feel we are just forming a good relationship. She is able to open up to me and in return I am able to talk with her and encourage her to stay in school. I believe that within the next two months she will be bumped up to high school. The high school for the children from the slums is separated in to boys and girls. It is a boarding school out in the country about an hour away from Mathare. I am going to miss my new friends but they will always be remembered in my prayers and in my heart.
On the other hand, I am ready to be home again. Being here this summer and witnessing to random people has opened my eyes. At home I have always been comfortable and have not really shared the gospel with people I talk to and that even includes my family. I believe that is, in a way, selfish of me. Just because I have a relationship with God and I know Him does not mean that everyone I come in contact with does. I have realized that people in the US need to hear about God just as much as people in other parts of the world. I do not want to be just going through the motions. I am going to make a change and share the love of God with others and witness to people even if it feels uncomfortable. I feel God pulling me back to the US to share my faith and share His good Word. I have had my eyes opened this summer in ways I never thought they would be opened. Not only have I realized the importance of sharing the Word but I have realized the importance in building relationships.
All throughout his life, Jesus never worried about time. He did not check the sun to see if He was spending too much time with one person or another. He valued the people and made sure they understood why he was on this earth. He went around daily telling stories and making new friends and investing in the people. I want to live a life like Jesus. I do not want to put time in the way of a new friendship. When that new friendship is formed then the door has been opened to be able to share your faith. I believe that we each have our own individual stories for a reason. No two stories are alike so that we can share with others and open the door to conversation and friendship.
Last Friday I was not feeling well and stayed back from work. I was being selfish and blaming God for me being sick. I did not understand why He had called me here just to make me sick and stay behind from work. (Major mistake on my part). This was also the day of fasting. I woke up early so I could start praying and I just had to cry out to God and ask Him why I was sick and why I stayed back. After a couple hours I was feeling a bit better and went to the dining area to do my devotion and drink tea. While I was reading, one of the workers, whose name is Peter, asked me if I was studying. I told Him I was and was able to share my devotion with him. He looked at me and then began opening up to me and sharing his story with me. After he shared I was able to share a little bit about myself with him and then we were able to discuss different verses in the Bible. We prayed and then after we prayed he told me that he was going to change his life for the better and to not continue doing the things he was doing and that he was going to give his life to Christ. A couple days later I saw him working and asked him how he was. He said he has never been happier and that he had spent the last couple days reading his Bible and praying instead of going out. Just when I was feeling down, God brought my new friend Peter into my life. In a way it was a slap in the face that I really needed. It does not matter whether or not I am sick or healthy. If God wants to use me to further His kingdom, He will use me. I am so happy that I was able to make a new friend and that He has given his life over to Christ. God is so good even in the times we feel we do not deserve it. No matter what we do He never changes nor loves us any less. We have been blessed to have such an almighty loving father.
God bless each and every one of you and I thank you so much for your support. Please join me this next week in prayer and in furthering the kingdom of God. When you least expect it God will place someone in your life who He wants you to open your arms to. That could be a new friend or even a family member. Try not to push them away because you are running short on time. Pull them close and invest your time in them. Maybe they just need someone to listen to them or someone to just simply smile and give them a hug.
God Bless!
Alicia
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Jambo! (Hello)
Vipi mabeshty! (This is slang for, How are you my friends?). I hope all is well in good ol' Amurricah and that you all had a great celebration for the 4th. I hear the temperature there is getting nice and toasty. If it helps any, I have been comfortable here in a jacket or cardigan. I checked the temmperature yesterdat around 2:30PM and it was about 60 degrees farenheit! It is strange to think of Africa being that cool but it definitely is and it is a lot better than 100 degrees with crazy humidity.
So now it is time to share some of the fun stuff we get to do here on the nights and weekends. This past week we were able to celebrate the 4th of July with our American host missionaries at their home. They made hamburgers and many other delicious American foods. It was fun to just relax and have a fun celebration with some familiar foods. They even made brownies! It was not just the interns at their home. They had a team of older people visiting from Oregon. They were there to train and do workshops with the teachers, social workers, and CHE trainers of Missions of Hope. The training was such a good experience for everyone, including myself. I was lucky enough to attend and I am glad I was able to because I feel that I learned information that I will be able to use throughout my career as a social worker.
On the week nights, when we get back from work, we are able to hang out and talk to one another. We do not have a television where we are staying so that allows us to have time to open up to each other. We sit up for hours just talking about our days and what we would like to do with our lives. Mostly though, we talk about how our days went and also the people we work with. It is so fun to do this because then we get to know more people than just the ones we are assigned to work with. One of the first things we were able to laugh about was about how much some of the Kenyans eat and yet they are so tiny. They fill their plates as if they are not going to eat for another week (when in fact they will eat again in a few hours). What is even more funny is that they shake their heads at me and tell me I do not eat enough. My plate is less than half of theirs! Also, they are skinnier than most Americans. It is crazy. Also, I do not have to worry about losing too much weight because they make us more than enough food. They are so kind and are willing to give in a heartbeat. It has definitely made me take a step back and realize that that has what we have been called to do.
We have been called to give all that we have and expect nothing in return. I continue to count my blessings everyday because God has blessed me way more than I have ever deserved. I hope that you all have a great week and that you will look in to fasting with the interns and me. If you want more info you can go to previous blogs or to facebook and in the search bar type in Fast for Hope!
God Bless! <3
So now it is time to share some of the fun stuff we get to do here on the nights and weekends. This past week we were able to celebrate the 4th of July with our American host missionaries at their home. They made hamburgers and many other delicious American foods. It was fun to just relax and have a fun celebration with some familiar foods. They even made brownies! It was not just the interns at their home. They had a team of older people visiting from Oregon. They were there to train and do workshops with the teachers, social workers, and CHE trainers of Missions of Hope. The training was such a good experience for everyone, including myself. I was lucky enough to attend and I am glad I was able to because I feel that I learned information that I will be able to use throughout my career as a social worker.
On the week nights, when we get back from work, we are able to hang out and talk to one another. We do not have a television where we are staying so that allows us to have time to open up to each other. We sit up for hours just talking about our days and what we would like to do with our lives. Mostly though, we talk about how our days went and also the people we work with. It is so fun to do this because then we get to know more people than just the ones we are assigned to work with. One of the first things we were able to laugh about was about how much some of the Kenyans eat and yet they are so tiny. They fill their plates as if they are not going to eat for another week (when in fact they will eat again in a few hours). What is even more funny is that they shake their heads at me and tell me I do not eat enough. My plate is less than half of theirs! Also, they are skinnier than most Americans. It is crazy. Also, I do not have to worry about losing too much weight because they make us more than enough food. They are so kind and are willing to give in a heartbeat. It has definitely made me take a step back and realize that that has what we have been called to do.
We have been called to give all that we have and expect nothing in return. I continue to count my blessings everyday because God has blessed me way more than I have ever deserved. I hope that you all have a great week and that you will look in to fasting with the interns and me. If you want more info you can go to previous blogs or to facebook and in the search bar type in Fast for Hope!
God Bless! <3
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
My Family In Christ
Philippians 2:3 " Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourself." I have been meditating over this verse for most of this past week. One thing I have noticed is that the Kenyan workers hold very true to this. I have been very fortunate to have been put in an area in Mathare called Kosovo. The social workers there have been such good role models. They are there doing their job because they enjoy getting to know both the parents and the children. Many times they go out of their way to make sure that the families they work with are doing good.
Esther is a CHE worker who I have had the chance to do some house visits with. She was not feeling well one day and yet she still came to work. We were walking back to the center after a few house visits and I asked her if she was feeling better. Her reply was something like, "I am doing much better. I just need to get out and talk with people. That always makes us feel better." Esther is such a good example example to follow. She values others above herself. Every day I love the people here more and more.
A few days ago, and also today, I had the opportunity to go to an American-taught social work training. It was such a good experience and most of the social workers throughout Mathare were able to attend. While at the training I have been able to get to know the social workers I am working with a lot better. I am working with Kevin, Mary, Mercy, and Vivian in social work and Esther is the CHE worker at Kosovo. I am honestly becoming so close with them and it is going to be very hard to say goodbye. I have definitely been blessed. They all like to run and play fight with each other and it is so funny to watch them. They are also very sarcastic so that means that I am fitting in well with that. They are my family in Christ and my love continues to grow for them each and every day.
God Bless!
Esther is a CHE worker who I have had the chance to do some house visits with. She was not feeling well one day and yet she still came to work. We were walking back to the center after a few house visits and I asked her if she was feeling better. Her reply was something like, "I am doing much better. I just need to get out and talk with people. That always makes us feel better." Esther is such a good example example to follow. She values others above herself. Every day I love the people here more and more.
A few days ago, and also today, I had the opportunity to go to an American-taught social work training. It was such a good experience and most of the social workers throughout Mathare were able to attend. While at the training I have been able to get to know the social workers I am working with a lot better. I am working with Kevin, Mary, Mercy, and Vivian in social work and Esther is the CHE worker at Kosovo. I am honestly becoming so close with them and it is going to be very hard to say goodbye. I have definitely been blessed. They all like to run and play fight with each other and it is so funny to watch them. They are also very sarcastic so that means that I am fitting in well with that. They are my family in Christ and my love continues to grow for them each and every day.
God Bless!
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