Report of Kenya Trip July '08 by Harold Johnson

6th Trip to Kenya across 15 Years
Unintentionally, I've gotten to be something of a globe trotter since my first-ever trip abroad in 1983, what with five Holy Land tours of Israel and, now, a sixth Newton mission-related trip to Kenya this past July. With a fifteen year perspective of the latter nation, I've come to see Kenya as a stable East African nation beginning to make strides to overcome its all-pervasive governmental corruption of the 90's through increasingly obvious accomplishments to improve its infrastructure and its economy. The recent post-election violence of December-January rattled the self-confidence of the populace, which believed itself above that which bedevils so many developing nations, into understanding that leadership on all fronts must seek inclusiveness across tribal loyalties to forge a confident national identity for the citizenry. Six months after the outbreak of burning, beatings and homicides, a sobered people were paying attention to resolving the differences which had led to escalation of frustrations and anger being expressed in a theretofore uncharacteristic fashion for Kenya. The resulting basic needs of 300,000 IDPs (Internal Displaced Persons) are being are being addressed by the government along with NGOs.

Though since 1995 July has traditionally been the month within which a group of travelers from our presbytery venture to visit among the churches and projects of the Nairobi presbyteries, no such group of pilgrims was assembled this year due to the December-January news reports of the unsettling post-election disruption. So, I traveled solo for the purpose of nurturing our thirteen year partnership in mission by attending to visiting and interrelating with the Kenyans PCEA leadership. My three-week stay had me dwelling in three commercial guest houses ands he homes of six different host families. I felt like a piece of luggage, passed from hand to hand each day — but handled with great attentive care like precious cargo. With such broad exposure to Kenyans, you get to know them, their lifestyles and their thinking.

Allow me to tell you what I believe is helpful for you to know about the present state of our 13-year-old Newton-Nairobi Mission Partnership.

Thange Water Project
The initial project which got several of our churches engaged with helping to care for the basic enhancement of the people of southeastern Kenya's Thange Sub-location, the so-called Bbarclay Pipeline, has not been operational for several years. Built across a public safari reservation, the line, 60% above ground, has been repeatedly broken by large wild animals during seasons of drought.

Our Nairobi Partnership Committee has been considering alternative solutions to this vital lifeline of safe water for two years. A most encouraging development has occurred in recent months, bringing to leadership of the National Water Service's regional office the gentleman who was the engineer who achieved completion of the original line. A. K. Ndundu has submitted a budgetary request for the government t fund the completion of an alternative line for bringing safe water to the 20,000 people targeted in our initial project.

Should government funds be denied, our Nairobi Partnership Committee stands ready to approach Rotary International to consider a grant within its newly undertaken commitment to join other benevolent global forces to provide safe water in developing parts of the world.

Kasasule Health Clinic
After encountering some frustrating problems within its first five years of existence, the Kasasule Community Health Clinic, established in partnership with a $187,000 grant from Rotary International, has no become fully operational providing primary and emergency care 24/7, with local leadership expressing great pleasure on behalf of the communities served. The Nairobi Partnership Board has embarked upon its plans for expansion of services.

The clinic's initial design called for it to be a recipient of the Thange Water Project delivery. With the services disrupted, a well was necessarily dug this past year through the gift of Morristown donors, and a pump installed. However, it still awaits the energy of a generator to be forthcoming through the efforts of a Kenyan Rotary partner. It is envisioned that the well will produce sufficient water that some can be sold to community residents until the Thange Pipleine is reestablished.

Scholarships
We have been providing primary and secondary school scholarships to poor and now exclusively orphaned children since 1994.

I had opportunity to meet one fine young man who has been a recipient for twelve years. Wilfred Musembi is an orphan living with his grandmother and an older brother. Family dynamics are not good between the poor grandmother and Wilfred's brother. But Wilfred has completed his secondary education in fine style, passing twelfth year exams with grades that have qualified him for admission to university study. But he must await processing the applications for government financial aid which are being supported by our social worker and his teachers. While Wilfred waits, he is teaching as a volunteer at his primary school, being followed around by young boys seeing him as a role model.

Responding to my request on your behalf that secondary school scholarship recipients to write about their understanding of the benefit of your support, Wilfred writes in his letter of appreciation to you:
"Coming from poor background being fourth born of a family of seven, I knew secondary school just by name, and I had not a single thought of joining one since the first three had not seen the door of secondary school. The question I used to ask was, how will our family stay (together) and how long will it take (with) all being orphans and nobody to take care of us with exception of the Almighty? I was at standard eight, having no good (prospects) in life. The day Catherine Kioko visited our school I will never forget. Days after I was informed by the headteacher that "Mum" had sponsored me. I believed God had started working miracles through the sponsor. From that day henceforth my dreaming of being a doctor with the object of assisting others started to reveal."

Partnership Treasurer Julius Muchiri, our Nairobi visitor last May, is already envisioning and praying that Wilfred might become a resident doctor at the Kasasule Clinic, a local content and committed in serving his neighbors.

Congregation to Congregation
Communicating
On both sides of the ocean, the members of Newton and Nairobi congregations are called to improve the frequency and quality of our communications to those sisters and brothers with whom we are in Congregation-to-Congregation relationships. We are urging that the 30+ Newton churches, as well as those in Kenya, designate and share the name of a non-pastor who faithfully and passionately will carry out the responsibility of forwarding communiques at least twice annually. Photos and newsletters as well as reports of major activities and prayer requests kindle interest in one another's congregational life.

We are on the threshold, and inside the door technologically with some Nairobi churches to allow for email communication. We urge you to pursue that channel.

$300 @ yr.
Our Partnership's five-year Memorandum of Understanding allows each Newton Church that can, to send up to $300 annually when it receives a Nairobi Partnership Board-approved financial request from its sister congregation. I reminded the NPB of this proviso (limited to $300 that the major needs of the full partnership's projects will receive the greater support), so you may very well be receiving such requests communicated to you through our committee. We believe the nominal sum of $300 is achievable by most all of our partner congregations, and contributing it fosters growth in the relationship of Congregation to Congregation. The sum is limited to $300 annually so that we continue to sustain a successful commitment to the larger ministries of clinic, waterline, scholarships, etc.

Possible forthcoming Challenge of Project at Mathare North with Displaced Families
Inasmuch as we are only 1/3 of the way toward acquiring the $1 million we seek in establishing a sustaining fund for the clinic, and seeing ourselves within a weakened US economy challenged to meet our existing project's needs and unable to undertake expansion, I was nevertheless very effectively introduced to a vital ministry undertaken by the Mathare Valley North Church to offer a Saturday program to displaced families of the area. Photos I viewed showed a burning slum right next door to the church's property, with homeless persons provided emergency housing in the church for eight months after the violence. If the project's proposal is approved by the Partnership Board, our Newton committee will be faced with the decision as to whether or not we can support a very compelling request.

What we can do in partnered support of our PCEA sisters and brothers in mission depends wholely upon the attention and response you give this ministry within your congregations.

Building Newton’s Awareness
“The Power of One” on YouTube
To that end, please note that all of your web-linked households, through both the www.newtonpresbytery.org website as well as the popular YouTube, now have access to our 10-minute DVD produced two years ago to tell the story of our partnership and the Kasasule clinic appeal. A link to the DVD is posted on our presbytery's website. Let your members know about this through your newsletter and bulletin.

Harold Johnson available to Tell the Story in Sunday Sermon or Mission Event
Additionally, I am making myself available to any congregation which wishes to invite me into their pulpits on a Sunday morning to tell to the people in the pews the detailed story of our partnership and its opportunities, endeavoring to make the partnership more than a phrase repeatedly heard without appreciation for what it is and does now after its seminal beginnings 15-20 years ago. I will supply your pulpit or present a visually-supported talk at a mission event without honoraria or fee, but with expectation that the congregation will make at least a comparable contribution to some aspect of the partnership. (NOTE: As of 5/5/09, twelve churches have taken advantage of this offer, enabling their congregations to become more familiarized with the history and scope of our vital PCEA Partnership.)

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The Power of One, the Story and the Challenge...

 

 

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Linda Gaden, Moderator
Newton Nairobi Partnership Committee
Chatham Twp., NJ
March 8, 2008
to the Presbytery of Newton:

I bring you greetings from our partners in Kenya. It was my profound joy and privilege to have spent most of February living with some of our partners as I traveled to Nairobi on behalf of our partnership. The visit not only enabled me to update the status of our projects, it gave me the opportunity to spend time listening, crying, praying and perhaps even comforting some of our sisters and brothers in Christ as they shared painful stories arising from the recent presidential post-election violence. Know that your prayers were felt, half way around the world, by those to whom we are connected in partnership through Christ. It is only by God’s grace and the sincere pleas of our prayers that our friends are able to resume some normalcy in their lives.

At no time in my life have the words of Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 been more real than at this time.

Let me begin my report with a brief update on some of our projects…

To date there are a total of 160 children being sponsored by Newton Presbytery in either a primary or secondary education. [Primary = 50 in Kibwezi, 70 in Nairobi, Secondary = 20 in Kibwezi and 21 in Nairobi] Most of the students are orphans living in sorely depressed parts of Nairobi and the remote villages surrounding Kibwezi. Notice I said to date… this is because the number will change in the upcoming months. As our mission dollars are shrinking we have found it necessary to make adjustments to our budget. The reality is that we are faced with having to cut some of the school scholarships due to a decrease of financial support. I ask you all pray that hearts will be opened and scholarships will not need to be cut.

As of January 1st, our Kasasule clinic now has staff on site 24 hours a day. This provides the surrounding community medical attention as needed. At this time, if there is an emergency which cannot be addressed at the clinic, an ambulance is available to transport patients to a hospital in Makindu, which is about 23 kilometers away from Kasasule. The Kasasule clinic has tremendous potential in eventually becoming a full service health center with mobile health clinics extending further out into the community. Please pray that means are made available in order that the Kasasule clinic can reach its full potential serving individuals in a holistic manner.

Our social worker, Catherine Kioko, continues to monitor the progress of our scholarship sponsored children in Kibwezi. Catherine knows each student by name and often provides the children with a bit of extra TLC. Please pray for continued support and wisdom for Catherine as she monitors and cares for our students in the Kibwezi area.

The Presbyterian Education Center, lovingly known as PEC, under the care of Embakasi parish provides care and safety to 70 pre-primary children from the sorely depressed slum area of Soweto. While its needs are many, this place of hope has a staff of 7 who nurture and nourish local preschool children. Please pray for continued support of PEC and the means to improve the standards and safety of this center.

In the aftermath of the post-election violence Kenya faces many challenges which directly affect our partners. Record numbers turned out to vote in the Presidential election on December 27. And while many anticipated that elections would not go without incidence, no one ever thought it would lead to so much death and destruction. The post election violence which occurred in Kenya has affected every Kenyan in some way or another. The violence was widespread and included not only impoverished areas but well established areas such as Kisumu, Eldoret and Naivasha. It had nothing to do with economics. It was solely based on tribal animosity fed by political insurgents. The violence was calculated and precisely implemented. While I did not experience any actual violence myself, the aftermath of what I saw, and the stories which were shared impacted me sorely. Due to the complete destruction of some villages and towns, there are an estimated 300,000 Kenyans which have been displaced... no homes, no jobs, no school, no nothing! Every Kenyan partner has been affected by the chaos and violence which has taken place. Life changing events often occurred hourly and sometimes even moment to moment as Kenyans attempted to make a small bit of sense out of the nightmarish turmoil surrounding them. Let me take just a few moments to share a few stories …

Following a funeral service which I had attended, I was introduced to evangelist named Victoria, from Kikuyutown. We spoke of this and that, and eventually came to talking about how Kenyans might move forward after the dust had settled. She said too me “ All my life I have never thought of myself as anything but Kenyan…nothing more, nothing less…just Kenyan. And now I am forced to look at myself as someone other than a Kenyan and I don’t know how to do that.” What does one say to something like this? All I could whisper out was “I’m so sorry. I will keep you in my prayers.” Then we hugged and cried.

He was the owner of a well established, successful supermarket. All he was and all he had, had been invested in the supermarket. It was to be his legacy to his family. His hope for a better future for his children. For 20 years he had put his sweat and tears into this business. And now, under the cover of darkness, he watched as his life crumbled away before his eyes. His eyes stung for the intensity of the fire and smoke, and perhaps from the tears of disbelief. But worse than that was the pain of betrayal which he felt. For as he watched the flames being fed by fuel he recognized one of the leaders. There carrying a gasoline can, fueling these flames of hate and destruction was one of his employees. It was a young man who had been in his employ for nearly 17 years. Someone he had opened his home too, shared meals with, even loaned money too during some rough times. In all these years the fact that the supermarket owner was a Kikuyu and the employee a Luo was irrelevant…that is until now. This businessman felt so utterly betrayed by his fellow Kenyans that he was planning to take up residency in Uganda. How can one stay in a country where there is no loyalty amongst fellow countrymen.

I met Phyllis while visiting a camp for internally displaced people. She had been at the camp for nearly 3 weeks now. Phyllis is a mother of 6 and a widow, but not as a result of the clashes. She had had a small business which she started shortly after her husband had died. S he sold beans and was proud to share the fact that she had had an extensive assortment of beans. The quality of her beans and the unusual combinations of those beans led to a successful business. In my mind I pictured a small gourmet bean business. She was able to support her family in their small house and pay school fees for her older children. Quite a success for a widow with 6 children. “And they came…we heard them coming…shouting, yelling terrible things as they set fire to one place after another. I escaped into the bush with my children. We made our way here. One day I know God will show me the way start another business. I have hope that God will provide for us. But I will never go back there. ”

Many children have been displaced as a result of the violence following the elections. Many of our partners are housing displaced relatives, in particular children, in their homes because the homes of their relatives and friends have been burned to the ground, leaving those relatives with nothing. Local schools in Nairobi are doing the best they possibly can to accept the tremendous influx of Kenyan refugee children. While classes are stretched beyond their capacity and teachers often beyond their limits, [for the most part] children continue to receive an education, for now anyway. It will not be too terribly long before funding from various outside agencies is exhausted. How will the children go to school? Without an education they have nothing.

And so the stories continued. Stories from friends and from those whom I consider family and from total strangers. At no time ever, during my 22 day visit did I ever feel that my personal security was in jeopardy. I was indeed totally safe, well cared for and loved. I feel that God has deeply blessed me…to be able to be present with our partners in their time of need, to pray with them, to cry with them and perhaps, in some small way, to encourage them to look forward in hope. God has allowed me bear a small, small bit of the pain which our partners feel.

Today, in the wake of the formation of a coalition government which is urging all Kenyans to live together in peace there is much need for continued prayers. The cost of daily living has already increased in many areas by a whopping 25%. I ask you all to continue to pray for our partners and for all of Kenya. Pray for a just and lasting peace. Pray that the lives which were sacrificed in the name of justice were not done so in vane. That indeed seeds of reconciliation will sprout up out of the brokenness. Pray that God will grant wisdom and guidance to the leaders and that they will reconcile themselves towards working for the betterment of Kenya and put their own personal agendas aside. And pray for our partnership. Pray for the ways and means to strengthen the bonds which have been formed; that we find creative ways to continue this partnership. Everything has its time, for everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven …

Newton Presbytery has invited 4 delegates to be our visitors in May. They will be here from May 6 to May 27. If you would like to connect with our partners during their visit you can do so in several ways. You can host a guest in your home for a week, you can volunteer to assist with transportation, you can invite one of them to worship or you can host an event in their itinerary. It’s important, especially at this time, to let our partners know how much we care; and that we are truly present in good times and not so good times. Contact Betty Shuman for housing arrangements, Carol Stickney for a worship schedule, and me for itinerary questions.

Bwana Asifiwe. Amen.

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Memoirs of Kenya 2006

I was one of the fortunate people who traveled to Kenya with 8 others this summer as part of the Newton and PCEA Presbytery Partnership. I would like to thank my church, Pilgrim, and Newton Presbytery for their financial support in making this trip a reality. Here are some thoughts and impressions about this mission trip.

I cannot say enough about the Christians in the PCEA organization. To a person they treated us visitors as family, and gave us the very best of themselves, at all times. Whether they were Presbytery leaders, teachers, social workers, guides, Elders, Woman’s Guild members, pastors, hosts, church members – they each displayed such a love for and devotion to our God that being a witness to this was a privilege in itself. Kenyan Presbyterians live their faith joyfully, thankfully, respectfully, hopefully, and communally – this despite (from an American’s viewpoint) almost unbelievable hardships facing them.

Kenya is a developing nation, proud to be independent and democratic for going on 43 years. Many good things are happening for the people under the present political leadership. However, there are continuing and difficult issues which must be addressed – basic healthcare, lack of secondary education, employment; air, water, and ground pollution. Viewing these things firsthand causes major “culture shock”.

It is in this “here and now” – “our time” – that the Presbyterian Partnership between Newton and PCEA exists, flourishes, changes lives. I witnessed hospitals, clinics, schools, churches, community centers, libraries, colleges and universities functioning for their surrounding neighborhoods. This Partnership is not of the elitist philosophy where only the privileged few are assisted. This Partnership is of the people, by the people, and most importantly, FOR the people. This partnership empowers Kenyan Presbyterians to empower Kenyan citizens to improve the quality of their lives!

I witnessed (and also felt!) the frustration right along with the pride in the people of the Partnership. I saw with my own eyes hundreds of people from the surrounding community lined up at a PCEA-sponsored “free day” healthcare clinic in the bush country of Kibwezi. I witnessed the medical supplies we had brought with us from America being utilized THAT VERY DAY!

I saw that there was no working water system at the clinic. I subsequently learned that our Partnership water project has run into a big problem – elephants! Elephants sniffed out the water in the pipes of the water tower, and crushed the pipes to get to the water. The water tower in Kibwezi (which, by the way, was the first Partnership project) is currently not working, and engineers will have to re-design this vital system. In the meantime, the health clinic does the best it can WITH NO RUNNING WATER.

I witnessed former “street boys” – future drug addicts, thieves, or worse – being taken out of prison in Nairobi and sent to a PCEA live-in school out in the bush country of Kibwezi. The Partnership contributes to this effort, sponsoring some of those boys so that they may stay there. I saw each of them and heard them speak words of praise and thanks. I observed the saint of a woman who organizes the school. I was humbled again by “the power of one”. One woman who cared enough to run this place on a daily basis. One woman who was there with them, day in and day out. One woman who absolutely depends on the financial support of the Partnership so that this school/home could even exist. One woman literally out in the middle of nowhere, changing lives, living out her faith, being “God’s hands”. I dream about the place!

I witnessed children in PCEA schools, again supported by the Partnership, who have been given improved quality of life and hope through the power of LITERACY. I also saw where they came from and to where they were returning after school dismissed. I pray for all of them every night. They are part of me now. The thing is: do you think that they matter? To whom do they matter? These are questions that each of us must answer.

The Partnership between Newton Presbytery and PCEA does all this and much more. You may wonder: What is it that the PCEA gives Newton Presbytery? After all, it is a partnership. I believe, and I’m sure I will have some other mission travelers testify to this, that the PCEA “gives” to its partner in faith a deeper understanding of what it means to be a follower of Jesus the Christ.

When you are among the Kenyan Christians socially or when you witness the work of the Partnership in progress, it is like being transformed in a way that is hard to describe. Slowly, with quiet grace and like a warm and welcoming light, the meaning and message of Jesus enters your mind and your heart, to gently whisper “I am here” and “I am here with you”. The present-ness of The Kingdom of God is alive and well, a very constant reality. My God, how comforting! That is the Kenyans’ gift to us. May the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit continue to guide this partnership for many years to come. Thanks be to God.

Cathy Mannick
August 18, 2006
Pilgrim Church
Phillipsburg

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MODERATOR MUSINGS…

Leviticus 26:12
And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and you shall be my people.

It has been an amazing summer for me. As I write this, I have been back home for only 3 weeks. I was privileged to return to Nairobi this summer as a representative of Newton Presbytery and the time spent with my brothers and sisters in Nairobi Presbyteries just flew by.

I am often asked “why are you so involved in this Partnership” or “why do you want to keep going back there?” I always have the same answer…it’s because of the people. My involvement began in 1996 and over the years I have come to know many of our Kenyan brothers and sisters personally. I have come to learn that we are more alike than we are different. Our joys and concerns of daily living are the same but more importantly, we share a faith in the same God. And, it is because of God that we are partnered with Christians living half way around the world from us. I truly love these folks!

This past July, with the support and help of my fellow travelers, it was my profound privilege and pleasure to lead a bible study for approximately 35 leaders and members of Woman Guild at the Bahati Martyrs Church in Nairobi. Was I nervous?…YOU BET! However, the blessings that I received in preparing and delivering the study go beyond any words that I can articulate. God’s grace guided me through the entire study just as God’s grace has enable us to sustain a partnership that isn’t exactly in our own backyard.

Our study was entitled “A Gathering of Women: Walking Through the Old and New Testament”. I was allotted 4 hours - from 3:30 - 7:30 p.m. to fellowship and study with members of Woman Guild. And, in good Presbyterian fashion, I was armed with a packet of information for each woman present, an agenda, community building activities, study materials, questions for small group discussion, reflection time, large group discussion time and closing worship time. Overkill? Perhaps. But fear not, as a Presbyterian Woman I am able to adapt and adapt I did. After a time of food and fellowship, our study began at about 5p.m. Just like Presbyterian Women here, fellowship around a meal or dessert is an integral part of any gathering. We began with a time of food and fellowship that could easily have continued into the next day! Slowly, we made our way to the sanctuary to gather for our bible study. Despite the deep faith and commitment that Christians in Kenya have to God and their church, their bible studies are much different than ours. This is due in part to the lack of formal structured studies and supporting study materials. So, we were taking a new step on this day. For Woman Guild members it was a new form of study, for me it was presenting a meaningful study to women of a different culture than mine…would they understand what I hoped to share with them?…For the Partnership it was a bold, new step…designating itinerary time for a women only event.

The few short hours that ensued were spiritually moving for me. I will forever have the faces of my Woman Guild sisters present with me at any bible study here. Through laughter and tears, thoughtful moments and active discussion moments the ladies of Woman Guild imparted biblical knowledge with each other. They cautiously, but honestly, opened themselves to one another in small group discussion. This was then followed by even more sharing in the larger group discussion. It was absolutely AMAZING! If I have ever felt God’s presence it was most definitely this evening. Yes indeed, God was walking amongst us women, guiding us, supporting us and encouraging us to share ourselves through His word in study.
With beautiful cello music, provided by Marnie Kaller, to enhance our closing time together we gathered for a time of meditation. I would like to close this message with a few of the closing mediation thoughts…

“This is the first time we have gathered together as women of Nairobi Presbyteries and Newton Presbytery to share in an itinerary scheduled program for women by women…A little over 10 years ago a partnership began through complete faith - Faith in God, faith in ourselves, faith in each other…We quickly came to realize that there are no strangers in God’s family…God’s grace has helped us recognize that we are all disciples of Jesus, trying to make the world a bit better…It is our spiritual faith that has led us to have faith and trust in one another…despite the differences we may recognize in each other we continue to share ourselves with one another in partnership…2 Corinthians 5:7 tells us “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”…We walk together as sisters of faith, sisters in partnership…We trust that God will continue to lead us into a deeper relationship with not only the church but with one another as well…”

My dear sisters, both here and in Kenya, I thank God for bringing us together…for giving me the faith to live and learn through our partnership. I thank God for friends past and present. But most of all, for those yet to come. …Mungu Asante! Thanks be to God…Amen

Linda Gaden
Moderator, PW Newton Presbytery
2005 Partnership Mission Travel Leader