Your love, prayer, and support have been invaluable to me. Join with me in a prayer of thanksgiving to our Lord and Savior for His mighty works. God is at work calling people to him all over the world. I have been greatly encouraged by what I have seen and heard. I hope you enjoyed receiving the email updates. My heart was broken for the lives filled with pain and struggle, but held together by the hope given to us freely. Our Lord Jesus Christ “gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.” (Galatians 1:3-4) This life is filled with struggles and Kenyans and Americans alike have the same struggles fighting the sin that so easily entangles us (just like my sin of selfishness, fear…); however we face very different circumstances in regards to our basic needs.
While I was in Kenya, I stopped dead in my tracks when I realized how often I compare my budget and lifestyle with those of my affluent neighbors but do not compare myself to poorest one-half of the world’s people. In Kenya, I saw the lack of equality of economic opportunity to enable them to meet their minimal needs of food, clothing, and housing. Kenya is the 17th poorest country in the world having the 3rd largest gap between the rich and the poor, with a staggering 42% of the population subsisting on less than Ksh60 per day. That is less than 1 US dollar.
Generally, you see children in school uniforms everywhere in Kenya, even in the most impoverished rural communities. 65% of eligible children attend primary school. That drops down to 30% for those who go on to secondary education, and approximately only 10% go on to further education at a university. Parents have a difficult time finding the funds to send their children to school (a mere $200 US for year). This is especially difficult for those who are taking on the extra burden of caring for another child, due to their daughter’s or brother’s death for example.
ELI just started an orphanage in September 2004 and I’d like you to meet Caroline Jebet Kimaiyo, my sponsor child (in pink on far left):
Born December 16, 1996. She is 9 years old. She has a brother and sister with her at the orphanage. Her mother passed away at the birth of her younger sister. They were brought to their new home in November 2004. Caroline is one of 90 children, from age 3-9 years old, that have been brought to the orphanage from the surrounding villages. The majority of the orphans lost their parents to complications caused by AIDS. Through the support of Empowering Lives International, the orphans have the opportunity to complete their education and improve their basic standard of living. We got to read their stories and they came from some unimaginable situations leaving them with fear and distrust, but they have blossomed over the past 6 months and they now have huge smiles and a contagious joy.
I realized the many blessings that God has given me: Time (I’m still alive!), Health (no known problems), I am also born into an American family that has allowed me social and economic opportunities to get an education and a job, $ (I have a job to support myself), Family (parents who love and support me), Salvation (with that comes Hope and an eternal perspective). I have been given much!!! I am reminded for those who have been given much, much is required of them. I am a steward of God. I am called to love others just as Christ has loved me. John 13:34-35). Ouch! That is a difficult one. All that I have is His. I am called to bear other’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2) He calls me in Proverbs 31:8-9 to “Open your mouth for the mute, For the rights of all the unfortunate. Open your mouth, judge righteously, and defend the rights of the afflicted and needy.” I have been called to speak up for the poor; I have been called to be proactive. The last thing I want to do is to swim upstream, out of my comfort zone. I am not an eloquent speaker or influential in any way (by myself, that is), but I have to rest in the promise that the Lord will provide all my needs… ALL, including the confidence and the words to share. Despite my handicap, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”(Philippians 4:13). I am challenged by Ps 82:3 “Vindicate the weak and fatherless; Do justice to the afflicted and destitute. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them out of the hand of the wicked.”
The Holy Spirit has convicted and thoroughly challenged me from this trip to give of my time, my knowledge, and my money, seeing the current condition of the world and knowing God's view that “whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord.” (Proverbs 19:17) It is true that when you open your arms, you will be blessed, but when you closed them, nothing can go in.
I have never been so challenged to be so generous with my resources. Everything is God’s. He giveth and He taketh away. I have never been so grateful for the many blessings I have and for this opportunity to go to Kenya with ELI. The most difficult part now is the reconciliation of the knowledge I have and the actions I need to take. Praise God with me for His salvation and many blessings. Pray continuously for the poor, the orphan, the widow, and the alien. Pray that I may walk the narrow road and live to the higher calling. I am human and I am weak and I need your continued prayers and encouragement. I thank God for you and the generosity that you have shown me in your actions.
To view some amazing photograhy taken by my team member, you may e-mail me and I will send you a link for viewing them on-line. Thank you again for all your support!
With Gratitude,
k.r.g.
You are worthy, O Lord,
To receive glory and honor and power;
For you created all things,
And by Your will they exist and were created.
Revelation 4:11
