Since my last blog quite a bit has happened with me. I have officially left Gatundu and I am now living in Nairobi working as a youth director with the Nairobi International Lutheran Church. While I did love the school, students, teachers and town we all know the 11 hours of work a week was quite difficult for me to handle. So a long story short I am finally in a place that I love completely.
Nairobi International Lutheran Church is where I had been volunteering my time on my time off from school e.i. Christmas break and various weekends. This church has felt to me like home ever since I arrived. I don't mean home in the sense of the United States but more in the feeling of a place where I belong. I feel welcome and loved by all people there. I thoroughly enjoy working and programing for all the youth. I even planned and lead a youth retreat for over 50 people. It was fantastic.
For the first time since I have been in Kenya I am not looking forward to being back in the states. I look at my countdown and go . . . I only have that many more days left and I become a bit sad. I begin to wonder for the first time in my life if maybe the states isn't where I belong anymore. I will go back to the states come July but there is a part of me that wonders if that is were I will be for the rest of my life. I guess time will only tell.
On a different note, my dad and Audrey came to visit me last week. It was so very wonderful. I can't even begin to describe how amazing it was to have both of them here. I can say it was a nice break from my current reality. I was spoiled to say the least. We spent 4 nights at a wonderful hidden gem in Nairobi where we were fed well and drank well. We visited every thing I could think of and by the end of every day we were exhausted. But every night they had a campfire all the guest sat around and talked. It was so wonderful to meet people from all over and a few people even from the states. :) We then went to the Masai Mara to go and visit the animals. What a wonderful experience to have with my family. It was amazing. (Only downside was Carolyn not being there.) They both left on Thursday night and it was back to reality to me. It was veggies for dinner, not 4 course meals, and my nairobi water electric heater shower, which decided to not work, not a central heated well water shower. But I do have to say if these are my only complaints about coming back to reality life is pretty GREAT! Love y'all!
-Ellen
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Friday, March 11, 2011
But she out of her poverty gave everything . . .
So I know I have not written in quite a bit so I am sorry. I have had a bit of writers block but now feel like I have something to write about. So I hope you enjoy.
Today is Ash Wednesday, the day after Mardi Gras. Most of my friends are nursing both food and drink hangovers, while I am spending a beautiful day in Africa. For the past few years I have spent today attending SCAPC's Ash Wednesday service. I have not attended a service today but for the first time I really feel like Ash Wednesday makes so much sense.
Back in the states I felt a sense of pride because I went to get my ashes to wear on my forehead. While I am aware of the purpose of lent I can't say I ever really embraced it. I have always tried to give up something for every lent but never mange to make it the full time. I begin to wonder what does that mean for me that I can't even sacrifice something for my faith for the small amount of lent. (Note: Presbyterians do not always observe giving up something for lent but I always attempt it.) I never questioned this until I came to Africa and met a few people here. The faith of God's people in Kenya is something that I aspire to have one day.
I spent most of December helping out at the Nairobi Lutheran International Church and while I was there I was really shown what it is to give to God and his people. I have the pleasure of knowing one great family. While I will not give there real names, I will use fake names to tell their story. There is a man at the church called "Josh". He is a very faithful amazing man and is married to an equally amazing woman named "Judy". Josh's 1st wife died after a short illness, which no one could explain and left him a widower with a few children. He then met Judy and got married and had several children together. Josh works as much as he can as a tailor but does not make a lot of money so their family lives in a small room in one of the slums in Nairobi. Both Josh and Judy fell deathly ill at the same time and were admitted into the hospital. They were both told the devastating news that they were both HIV + and that was the cause of the illness. Luckily none of their children are HIV + and they count their blessings everyday. They have since devoted all they can to help with the AIDs outreach that the church runs. What little money they do have left over they use to make clothing of the AIDs orphanage the church also runs.
This is just one example of the amazing people I have seen in Africa. They already have so little but give so much of there time and what little money they have to help others. Isn't that what we should all be doing? In reading Mark 12: 41 - 44 I felt Josh's story is a real life example. Here is how it reads:
Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”.
What would the world look like it we gave all we could knowing God would provide for us all? I think we all say we give all that we can but is that true? Do we give all that we can to make sure that we still live comfortably? Do we give as much of our time to God and his works or are we too busy doing our own things?
I ask myself all of these questions and this year I am struggling with what will I sacrifice to our loving God? I feel as if I have given so much this year to focus on my faith but is it really enough? What is enough and when do we know? I hope that you all will take some time out of your day to ponder on these questions and figure out what you are really doing to further yourself spiritually and God's work!
God Bless,
Ellen
Today is Ash Wednesday, the day after Mardi Gras. Most of my friends are nursing both food and drink hangovers, while I am spending a beautiful day in Africa. For the past few years I have spent today attending SCAPC's Ash Wednesday service. I have not attended a service today but for the first time I really feel like Ash Wednesday makes so much sense.
Back in the states I felt a sense of pride because I went to get my ashes to wear on my forehead. While I am aware of the purpose of lent I can't say I ever really embraced it. I have always tried to give up something for every lent but never mange to make it the full time. I begin to wonder what does that mean for me that I can't even sacrifice something for my faith for the small amount of lent. (Note: Presbyterians do not always observe giving up something for lent but I always attempt it.) I never questioned this until I came to Africa and met a few people here. The faith of God's people in Kenya is something that I aspire to have one day.
I spent most of December helping out at the Nairobi Lutheran International Church and while I was there I was really shown what it is to give to God and his people. I have the pleasure of knowing one great family. While I will not give there real names, I will use fake names to tell their story. There is a man at the church called "Josh". He is a very faithful amazing man and is married to an equally amazing woman named "Judy". Josh's 1st wife died after a short illness, which no one could explain and left him a widower with a few children. He then met Judy and got married and had several children together. Josh works as much as he can as a tailor but does not make a lot of money so their family lives in a small room in one of the slums in Nairobi. Both Josh and Judy fell deathly ill at the same time and were admitted into the hospital. They were both told the devastating news that they were both HIV + and that was the cause of the illness. Luckily none of their children are HIV + and they count their blessings everyday. They have since devoted all they can to help with the AIDs outreach that the church runs. What little money they do have left over they use to make clothing of the AIDs orphanage the church also runs.
This is just one example of the amazing people I have seen in Africa. They already have so little but give so much of there time and what little money they have to help others. Isn't that what we should all be doing? In reading Mark 12: 41 - 44 I felt Josh's story is a real life example. Here is how it reads:
Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”.
What would the world look like it we gave all we could knowing God would provide for us all? I think we all say we give all that we can but is that true? Do we give all that we can to make sure that we still live comfortably? Do we give as much of our time to God and his works or are we too busy doing our own things?
I ask myself all of these questions and this year I am struggling with what will I sacrifice to our loving God? I feel as if I have given so much this year to focus on my faith but is it really enough? What is enough and when do we know? I hope that you all will take some time out of your day to ponder on these questions and figure out what you are really doing to further yourself spiritually and God's work!
God Bless,
Ellen
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