Christmas Wishes

Merry Christmas! As many have been very eloquent in sharing the blessing & message o

f Christmas, I will pass on their wisdom and words. May you and yours be abundantly blessed this Christmas!

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this [shall be] a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown. - Linus van Pelt

And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more. ~Dr Seuss

Here is a man who was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in another village. He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty. Then for three years He was an itinerant preacher.

He never owned a home. He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never had a family. He never went to college. He never put His foot inside a big city. He never traveled two hundred miles from the place He was born. He never did one of the things that usually accompany greatness. He had no credentials but Himself...

While still a young man, the tide of popular opinion turned against him. His friends ran away. One of them denied Him. He was turned over to His enemies. He went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed upon a cross between two thieves. While He was dying His executioners gambled for the only piece of property He had on earth – His coat. When He was dead, He was laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend.

Nineteen long centuries have come and gone, and today He is a centerpiece of the human race and leader of the column of progress.

I am far within the mark when I say that all the armies that ever marched, all the navies that were ever built; all the parliaments that ever sat and all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of man upon this earth as powerfully as has that one solitary life.

Greatest man in History, Jesus, had no servants, yet they called him Master, had no degree, yet they called him Teacher, had no medicines, yet they called him Healer, had no army, yet kings feared him, won no military battles, yet he conquered the world, committed no crime, yet they crucified him...He was buried in a tomb, yet he lives today.

Great little One! whose all-embracing birth

Lifts Earth to Heaven, stoops Heaven to Earth.

~Richard Crashaw

Fail not to call to mind, in the course of the twenty-fifth of this month, that the Divinest Heart that ever walked the earth was born on that day; and then smile and enjoy yourselves for the rest of it; for mirth is also of Heaven's making. ~Leigh Hunt

I heard the bells on Christmas Day

Their old, familiar carols play,

And wild and sweet

The words repeat

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

DIY?

In the last week or so I’ve come to learn that home improvements here are not what one would expect. Here’s the story...

The Omondi’s have about 4 acres of property here. Currently it is used for: the gues

thouse, staff housing, main house, chicken houses, cow shed, greenhouse, garden, and some yard space. Daniel (their youngest son) is home for the Christmas break from University. He is the “master planner” for overhauling the property and making it more inviting to guests, as well as trying to make better use of the property itself.

That these plans were more than just “on paper” began just after Daniel arrived. Within a week the cow shed was gone, and piles of sand, rock, and other things started to arrive. As I write this there is a new roof on the office of the main house, a new walkway from the drive to the new house, a pile of rocks that are being “dressed” to become a wall to replace the wood fence in front of the guest house, fence posts in the guest house yard, and George is digging up grass to create a new entrance walk to the guest house from the driveway.

I’ve been most amazed by the stone mason. The lorry from the quarry :), dropped off a load of these big rectangular rocks. He has spent the last week, sitting on the pile with a hammer and chisel cutting the rocks to the shapes he needs to build the wall. Here’s the pile of rocks:

Here’s the “left-overs”:

Here’s what the wall will look like:

Kenya, and probably all of Africa, depends very much on manual labor for most everything. As I watch these artisans at work, very often I’m amazed at what they can accomplish. There are also times where I’m appalled at how “in-efficient” it can seem to my American sensibilities, but it is in those moments I remind myself that these “inefficiencies” mean job security for many.

So next time you see a road construction crew and hear the jack hammers, remember that it could be more people at work with pick-axes and shovels digging up the road. It may take longer, but more people are working

Giving Thanks...

For the last 24 days a few friends of mine on Facebook have been counting down the days until Thanksgiving. However, it’s not just been counting the numbers. They’ve taken a letter from the alphabet each day and listed what they’re thankful for that starts with that letter for the day. I’ve been inspired, and so, a couple of days early here are some of the things I’m thankful for this year:

A - the amazing grace of God that leaves me in awe of who He is and how He views me

B - being still, taking the time to breathe in and see where I fit into God’s plan

C - companions that walk through life with me, they have been there through all of the messes and the celebrations. You all know who you are...

D - deadlines and due dates - they keep me organized and focused

E - eternity, God has placed a sense of it in each of us and I am left in wonder

F - family - we may be a bubble of center but I wouldn’t trade them for anything

G - giraffes! I love these gentle creatures that leave my heart in wonderment of our Creator

H - househelp :) I don’t know how I’d make it here without the wonderful people I work, live and interact with each day

I - I AM, God is everything that I need, want, or desire. He is whatever my heart cry is at the moment

J - justice, I’m learning that loving God means desiring His Kingdom on earth & doing what I can to see that Kingdom be established. I want to see Kingdom justice for those that live without it daily - the orphan, the widow, the unborn

K - the kindness of the Lord that draws us to Himself and into a lifestyle of repentance. Leaving behind the things that trip us up and running into His arms

L - life and learning to enjoy it to the fullest

M - mentors and people who love me enough to speak into me so that God can accomplish His will and purpose for my life

N - notes of encouragement that show up in my inbox

O - opportunities - to travel, to share my life, to learn, God has definitely kept my life from being boring

P - partnership with God - I don’t have to do anything alone. God chooses to allow me to walk with Him each day and partner with Him and other believers to see the Kingdom of Heaven become reality on Earth

R - restoration, God has reached out and touched deep places in me that I didn’t even realize were broken and has redeemed and restored them

S - swahili, another language to learn and be able to praise God in

T - travel, to have the chance to see God’s creation and get a broader perspective of Him and the people He loves

U - being uncomfortable, it is these times that keep me growing and seeking God

V - variety and change, they keep life interesting

W - writers & authors; of books, blogs & blarney. Thank you for keeping me entertained & encouraged, challenged & cackling.

X - xoxoxo the only way I can get hugs and kisses these days from family and friends in North America. Its the little things...

Y - Yesu - He has made all the difference in my life.

Z - zain - their phone service keeps me in touch with home (at a decent price!)

Carnivore!

Wow, I can’t believe its been a week since I last posted. It seems like everything has decided to hit at once. Last week we had visitors in from HISG for a workshop day at the office for our Micro-Finance clients.

Bonus to that was that I got the chance to go to Carnivore! This restaurant is an experience all its own, in fact its included in a lot of safari packages. When we drove up we had to go through some security gates (not surprising). As we approached the gate went up & just as I was about to be surprised by motion sensors in this country I noticed the security guard. I should have known. [With all the available manpower here, it does make sense that a lot of jobs use people power versus being automated]. The parking lot was packed so we asked where to park & the attendant said “down after the nissan” so that’s where we went only to be told by someone else “this isn’t a space.” We explain it’s where we were directed & then wait while the attendants figure it out between themselves. So, we pulled up a bit into a formerly reserved space & went inside.

As you enter you’re hit with the explosive radiant heat coming from the 360° flaming rotisserie grill. It is massive (may 7 or 8 ft in diameter). As we joined the guys at the table I saw there was a lazy susan in the middle with a bunch of little bowls and a flag on it. The bowls are condiments and sauces and the flag lets the roving meat carvers know that you’re “open” to them bringing you food. But before they start, you get salad (on the lazy susan) and a small cup of soup. Then when were done with the starters, they brought thermo-nuclear heated cast iron plates and roasted potatoes. Now as you can probably ascertain from the name of the place, Carnivore is all about the meat, and they’re known for the exotic meats. The roaming meat carvers walk around the restaurant with either giant metal skewers of roasted or cast iron platters with various roasted meat items. I tried quite a few “normal” things - honey chicken wings, roasted chicken, turkey, beef & pork, along with 2 exotics - camel & ostrich. I liked them both. The camel reminded me a bit of beef jerky (maybe because I had a smoky outside piece) and the the ostrich was quite yummy, especially with the garlic sauce. I did turn down the ox “mountain oysters”, lamb, and crocodile. Sorry, but I already know I don’t really like lamb, crocs live in water so they’re out, and just the idea of the first one puts me off.

I decided against taking pictures this visit & instead to just enjoy the experience. I’ll take pics next time I go because I’m sure I’ll go again. It was a blast!

This week I’m preparing for the RTF seminar at the church, thanksgiving dinner next Wednesday (I’m cooking for 16!), and the DOVE Africa convention in December. Oh, and I’m starting on Christmas too! Life is getting busier - oops, better be careful what I wish for :D

Christmas is coming!

I’m listening to Christmas music and its helped put in the mood to create my Christmas “wish” list. Also, I was prompted by some family members who wanted to know what I wanted (as opposed to need). As I’m going to be spending Christmas here and not in the US (for the 1st time!) Most of the things are on my “Amazon Wish List” so you can purchase online and can ship directly to me instead of having to deal with the post office hassle.

TV Series DVD Sets (any season)

• Bones
• House
• Royal Pains
• Glee
• CSI: NY
• NCIS
• NCIS: LA

Movies (I like rom-coms, chick flicks, & epic dramas)

• Letters to Juliet
• Notting Hill
• LOTR trilogy
• Robin Hood (new one w/ Russell Crowe or old w/ Kevin Costner)
• Book of Eli
• Gladiator

Books

• Indian cookery
• any cookbook by Nigella Lawson

Other Stuff

• anything from the “Stuff I Miss” section
• Maple syrup
• ear plugs
• any new music (Christian Contemporary, worship) Go here for suggestions

Gift Cards - feel free to designate its use

• e-gift cards (Amazon)
• paypal $ (email me for the link to my site)
• VISA gift cards (cannot use AMEX or MasterCard here well)
• iTunes cards

If you are going to mail/ship things, here’s the address

Angela Kung’u

DOVE Africa

P.O. Box 28721

00200 Nairobi

Kenya

Driving lessons

Let me paint you a picture. You’re driving, its night and very dark out. The dark is only dispelled by the headlights of your car & others coming toward you, the rare signage by the roadside, or the even more rare yard light.

You realize you are seated in the right side of the car and therefore driving on the wrong left side of the road. You feel a bit disconcerted and off balance. Just as you start to get a bit comfortable you realize how narrow the road is. Barely wide enough for two small to average sized cars and definitely a squeeze if you happen to encounter a lorry truck, bus, or average SUV. You try to see if there is any shoulder to pull onto to be prepared, but you realize that there is a difference of anywhere from 2 to 6 inches between the tarmac and the dirt. This does not look promising.

To keep things interesting, let’s add a few “obstacles.” First - potholes. They can’t be seen until you’re about 6 feet away and can range from minor (5 or 6” in diameter & 1-2” deep) to car-gobbling (2-4’ wide & up to 18” deep) - seriously I’m not making this up.

Next - pedestrians. They are Kenyan and therefore by nature dark-skinned. Their clothing also tends to be darkish and they like to walk on the relatively smooth surface (as compared to the mud/dirt/what have you in the shoulder) of the tarmac. They will also randomly dart across the road in front of you & it is VERY BAD to hit one, even accidentally (so I’m told).

Finally - public transportation. Buses will randomly pull off the road to drop off passengers (who then become pedestrians) or they will arbitrarily pull into the road after picking up/dropping off passengers, often without using signals. Also in the public transportation department are matatus. These haphazardly driven VW vans are crammed with upwards of 14 people and are under the influence of drivers who are either the best drivers in the world because they know exactly how much space their vehicles need, or they are absolutely insane crazy out of their ever loving minds. I tend to agree with the latter theory. You can determine a matatu from a basic VW van by the multiple stickers/placards/decals on them, often referring to God, Jesus & heaven. (which imho is to help their passengers know from where to seek safety & salvation). These vehicles will pass you on the wrong side, pull out without warning, stop short, and generally cause you great anxiety.

There. Now you know the story of night-time driving in Nairobi & why I’m perfectly happy to allow Bouvince to do it. Anybody want to come to Kenya??

How it all started... (the short version)

Apparently I have new readers all the time (who'd a thunk it) and so it is for you that I write this post as to how in the world I ended up in Kenya. Apologies to anyone who knows the story - feel free to disregard this post, well that is unless you're really bored and want something to do, or you really love me so you'll go through this again... Anyway, on with the story

God really recaptured my heart in Aug 2001 and I dedicated my life to live according to His whims and not mine. It was at that time He birthed in my heart a call to foreign missions. I went on my first short-term trip in 2002 to Romania & fell in love with the country and people. After a lengthy process, I finally went on a long-term basis in April of 2006. I spent 6 months that year & 8 months the next. However I got to a point where I was asking God "Why am I here?" I felt purposeless & useless. Not a great place to be. The Father was kind enough to hear my desperation and put me out of my misery by shutting the door and sending me home to the States.

Once home, I had some time to heal and spent some more time in prayer trying to discern what had just happened. He revealed to me that I'd spent much of the last few months in my own strength doing what "I" thought was right & not using the gifts He'd given me. I had wrongly esteemed other gifts above my own. So I went back to work for my church as the office manager and back to using the gifts and talents I had. (I'm an administrator & I like lists)

After being back Stateside for a year, my mission organization (DMI) asked if I would lead a team to Kenya in June 2009. I willingly said yes. However a team didn't materialize and I decided to go on my own, as I'd missed being out of the USA. In March I was at the annual DMI Mission Fest & met up with Diane at the Ladies Tea. I told her that I'd be coming on my own & that I'd do whatever was most helpful for her, even if it meant doing office work. She got very excited at that prospect, and as I would find out shortly her mind went to work.

Apparently she went back that afternoon and began talking about this with Ibrahim. He, being a former journalist, decided to do a little investigating about me. Later that week during the DOVE Int'l leadership conference we had lunch and all of this came out. The conversation ended with the Omondi's asking if I would be willing to come to Kenya long term as an administrative assistant to Diane. I was blown away. Here I was being given the opportunity to use my gifts on an international level. This was my dream! I wanted to say yes immediately, but decided to wait and see.

The 2 week trip in June/July 2009 went well and I decided to approach my pastor/boss with the news and ask for his input. He prayed and told me I should do what was in my heart. I then sought the approval of the DMI board and received that in Sept.

So, here I am in November of 2010 after a year of support raising in Nairobi, Kenya. I work with Diane and so far my duties primarily consist of the "busy" work. I do newsletters for the 3 main ministries they are involved in - DOVE Missions Africa, Springs of Africa, and DCF Africa. Soon I'll be learning how to update, upgrade, and maintain the websites as well.

Life on God's terms is pretty crazy, but I wouldn't live it any other way.