Home Again

I arrived home Monday night after a little over 30 hours in the air and in airports.  It was good to see my family and I am glad I am home, but as I said to Syl and the girls, part of me wants to be in Africa.  I love the many friends and students I have met and I feel I have contributed something, perhaps small, to their faith and understanding of pastoral ministry.  However, my calling is here and I see my ventures into Africa's mission as rare opportunities that our Lord has presented me with.  I am grateful Syl was able to go.  She sees what keeps drawing me back and someday maybe we will be blessed to return.  I am deeply grateful for my hosts in Nairobi, Sam and Elizabeth Ngewa.  They are my brother and sister in Christ and have taught me much.  I am grateful as well to my cousin's wife, Sheila Dilworth.  It was Sheila who first gave me an invitation to come and who has contributed immensely to my life over the years.  My last pictures are of them and also of Sheila's son, Rich, and daughter-in-law, Trish.  They too are serving in Africa and my last Saturday was with them and their 6 children.  It was fun.  So again thank you for your many prayers.  I came back healthier than I was most of the time there.  So as we all must learn, "My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness."

My friends and hosts, Sam and Elizabeth Ngewa





Sheila's grandkids



Rich and Trish, Sheila's son and daughter-in-law






August 13, Class over

My last class was yesterday, so I threw a party.  Three of us had August birthdays and one miracle baby of one of my students was born last August.  It was fun.  I felt I got to know my 5 students well.  Small classes have their advantages.  But as I said it was intense, teaching 5 hours a day.  It will be fun to introduce them to you because they are all fascinating people with very diverse backgrounds.  So after class one of my students, the happy one in the front on the right, took me out to Kibera, the largest slum in the world.  Her husband pastors a church there.  It was a wrenching experience, but I also saw the church of Jesus has planted itself right in the middle of this plight and is helping many.  There was light in the darkness.  I return home tomorrow.  Today I will spend the day with my cousin's son, Rich.  He and his family work in Africa and just happen to be in Nairobi.  I have missed my family, my church, and friends, but part of me loves being here.  By the way, for all you who have been praying for me, my body is healing.  I feel much better than I did a week ago.  So thank you.  See you soon, John

August 9, Nunguni

High in the hills southeast of Nairobi is a town called Nunguni.  Dr. Sam grew up here and on Sunday we headed up there.  I was going to say a prayer of dedication for their new building, which our church helped build.  Only half way up the pastor called and the guest pastor couldn't come, so you guessed it, I preached.  My text, "My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness."  It was the best I could do.  The building is beautiful.  They did a wonderful work.  The people were warm and welcoming.  I have gotten to know some of them and their two pastors, Pastor James and Pastor Ruth are doing a great job.  So here are some pictures.  I will tell you more later.  I am in the midst of teaching a very intensive course, 5 hours a day for five days.  Pray for me. 

This is the front of the church as you walk in.  Very beautiful!

This is the children's side of the church.  I tried to get them to smile.

This is the adult side.  Some smiled.  Sam's mother is in the third row middle.

Inside of church from front.  Note floor is done and windows. Our gift  helped with both.

And the children.  Does it look like it was cold?  It was.  Kenya is not warm in August, but no rain.  They need our prayers

August 5, Time to Pray

Sorry its been a few days to update.  I had to celebrate my birthday on August 3.  Sam and Elizabeth Ngewa, my hosts threw a fun party.  Elizabeth baked me a pumpkin pie from scratch, and then they sang a new version of Happy Birthday I had not heard.  They have been very kind.  Then for a birthday present I got a nasty cold.  I haven't had a cold in years, so the bugs here must be mean little viruses seeking new blood to attack.  Last night I taught my second Homiletics class and learned as much as I gave.  It was great fun.  It is a small, but diverse class, two scientists, an attorney, two young pastors, and an American working at a mission organization here in Nairobi.  Then I went home and took as much medication as I could find to try and make it through the night.  Thankfully Sam, my host, had some cough syrup that helped immensely.  The next big event is to go up into the coffee hills, south of Nairobi, to a town called Nunguni, where I will take pictures of the church we helped to build.  I will participate in the service and probably eat a delicious traditional African meal.  It will be fun as long as my cold improves and Sam's car doesn't leak to much exhaust.  Then Monday I begin a class on Theology of Ministry.  I do covet your prayers and know that I continue to pray for you, my church family.

Can you believe this.  I am freezing in Nairobi.  We have had fires for the last 3 days.

For my birthday Elizabeth made a pumpkin pie from real pumpkins.

Now I am going to eat it!! And they sang happy birthday in a version I never heard.

Sam and Elizabeth's house on campus of African International University.

My happy class on homiletics.  I made them smile.

Monday, August 1

Today is a sad day for me, Sylvia is going home.  But we have had fun and Sylvia has made a great impression wherever she has been.  I am particularly glad we did the Alumni Seminar together so the Tanzanian pastors could meet a real female "pastor."  In their country women can only be designated evangelists, even though they do the work of a pastor in a local church.  Things are slowly changing and  many do support ordaining women. 

We came early to Nairobi in order for me to see a doctor.  I got a strange growth called a hematoma on my backside.  It is a collection of blood and can be caused by many things.  But rather than go the route of surgery, which one doctor said I needed, I took the surgeon's advice and went conservative with medication.  It has been helping.  So please keep praying.

Yesterday we went to a huge church in Nairobi, the Nairobi Baptist Church.  They must have had close to 7 or 8 hundred in the service we attended.  We were a little sad that they primarily did western praise songs with a full band.  But at least we felt at home.  Sheila, my cousin, who is traveling back to the states to see her daughter, and her sister, Andrea were with us and took us to an Ethiopian restaurant.  Wow, was that different.  We ate a lot.  Then last night we were finally with Sam Ngewa.  His uncle had died and he been gone all week, home to his village for the funeral.  Today he is off to take a cousin's son to a hospital because he injured his knee.  Sam is very busy.

I will be helping him teach a class on homiletics this week.  That is the subject of preaching.  Then a week from today I start my class on the Theology of Ministry.  But I took time out to learn how to wash clothes African style.  Elizabeth Ngewa thought this quite funny, but wanted to put a cloth on my head and an African wrap around my body so that everyone would say, "Who is that tall African women?" 

John learns a new way to wash clothes.

But he doesn't like it and would like to hang himself on the line.

 Enough for today.  Pray for Syl on her journey home and pray for me.  You are in our prayers daily.  Out of Africa, John

Sylvia enjoys all the beautiful African flowers on campus.

John enjoys the bananas in University garden.

An ibis who has a diabolical laugh.

Saturday, July 30

Today is a day of rest.  We are just hanging out at NGEST, which has a new name, "Africa International University."  Much better name.  We are staying at Elizabeth and Sam Ngewa's home on the campus.  Sam actually isn't here.  He had to go home to his village because an uncle died.  But Elizabeth is fun and we are having good theological discussions with her.  She also is a good cook!

I am feeling better.  My cousin Sheila's sister is a nurse in Nairobi.  She knows all the good docs and she sent me to a good surgeon.  He said the conservative approach is best and so he gave me some new medication that is already helping.  Thanks for your prayers.

Here are some pictures for you to show we are still alive. By the way is anyone reading this!? Please let us know YOU are alive!

Women from the village come down to the edge of Lake Victoria to bathe and to get water to irrigate their garden.

Sheila, John's cousin who was born in Kenya and has served in Tanzania for thirty years. And Sonya, Sheila's daughter who is serving as a teacher in a village 13 hours away by bus. She came home for the graduation. Both are full of joy and love and God's strength. They are my new heroes!

John with Buto, Sheila's very capable handy-man and with Jeremiah, a pre-med student.

July 29

We finished our last class at Nassa Theological College yesterday morning. Saying good-bye to these faithful pastors was hard to do. We flew into Nairobi last night and drove through crazy traffic for two hours before getting back to Elizabeth and Sam Ngewas. Fortunately our driver was skilled and we made it safely. John has not been feeling well so we went to a doctor here today that was highly recommended. He gave John some meds and we hope John will feel better soon. Pray for him.
Driving back from the doctor's office we passed so many people living in slums that it was heartbreaking. The vastness of the poverty is overwhelming.

Blessings,   Sylvia

July 26

While walking back from our classroom this morning, I followed a small boy herding two very thin cows, a woman carrying a huge load of sticks on her head and a church choir that burst out into perfect four part harmony. At the house I saw a pack of mongoose running through the brush.I didn't have my camera for any of this! Drats!

Here are photos of  the road from Sheila's house down to the classrooms, the flowers along the way, and the persimmon tree in the back yard.  Also is a photo of four elderly pastors who were honored at the graduation. One was 100 years old. Two had leprosy when they were younger. They had served the Lord faithfully for decades. The woman kneeling in front of them is one of the professors here. She is offering to wash their hands before supper.

Our class was challenging this morning. I taught on the worth of women in the kingdom of God. Some of the men have a very traditional view of women and their roles. John then taught on what an egalitarian Christian marriage looks like. Some of the men seemed open to this.  Hopefully we helped others see how Jesus honored women. 

Blessings,   Sylvia

Sheila Dilworth's House

 

 

 

Classroom

Hi all,
We had our first day in the classroom today. There are around 25 pastors and businessmen and NGO administrators here. They all have graduated from Nassa Theological College. They are here this week for an alumni seminar and we are the guest lecturers. This is where culture shock is hitting me more and more. The poverty that these pastors must endure is heartbreaking. Most of these men have families and live in very rural conditions. Most have little access to health care. Their stories are overwhelming.

John taught today from 2 Corinthians on the ministry of compassion.  I  taught on the worth of children in the kingdom of God. I was nervous!

John's cousin, Sheila is taking good care of us. She has lived here in Tanzania and raised her children here. She is a great source of knowledge and joy.

We took a walk last night and the stars are amazing!  We saw the "southern cross" which of course you can only see from the southern hemisphere. God's beauty is all around us.
Blessings,   Sylvia

The Serengeti

 We had a fabulous day in the Serengeti. Saw a whole pride of lions, 12 of them in all, just feet from our car. A little scary!  Tons (literally!) of hippos and every other kind of animal you could think of! I'll let the photos speak for themselves.
 Love, Sylvia

Graduation Day

Today was the big day here in the village and for the college; Graduation Day!  It started last night with killing a cow for the feast and the ladies were up early this morning cooking beans and rice over open fires. People began arriving at the grassy center of the school and were seated on benches and chairs under the big acacia trees and tarps. The graduates and the professors and John (!) all slowly walked/danced in to music. By the time the program began there were over 500 people sitting about. Many, many children!  John did a great job giving the address to the grads and had a terrific interpreter. Choirs sang and danced, grads gave their stories, we sang several hymns in Swahili and there were many prayers. Three hours later the graduation came to an end and then out came the huge bowls of rice and beans and well done roast beef.   Imagine feeding five hundred people by cooking over open fires and you can have a sense of how hard all the ladies worked. No papers plates or Costco here!

John spoke with genuine love for the grads and they all appreciated his words.   I was VERY proud of him!

Love, Sylvia

First Day in village of Bulima in Tanzania

We flew from Nairobi to Mwanza, Tanzania early Thursday morning, July 21.  John's cousin's daughter, Sonya, picked up at the tiny airport and took us out for pizza!  After a day of doing errands with her and her friend, Julie, we arrived late in the village where Nassa Theological College is located.  We were suffering from jet lag so we went to bed  early and slept great.  We woke up to the choir of African birds, crazy roosters and a busy morning.  It was rehearsal day for the graduation ceremony.  We went and John met all his students and friends from the college.  Sylvia got to meet all those wonderful people John had been talking for the last few years.  You can see the graduating class and their wives.  We were pleased that the coming graduating classes are much more balanced between men and women.  We were invited to go and visit John's special student friend, Jeremiah Ngosso,, who always provided a cold soda for him after teaching every day.  His wife Monica and four children are a beautiful picture of Africa.  Pray for us tomorrow as John will speak at the graduation ceremony.

John and Sylvia Made it to Nairobi

We arrived safely and are recovering from a long day of flying yesterday.  Here are some pictures from a stroll around the school of theology.  It just got a new name and now is known as Africa International University.  We are staying with Sam and Elizabeth Ngewe, who are professors here at the school.  Elizabeth is seen with some of the student's children in one of the pictures.  Sylvia is overcoming jet lag by riding in a wheelbarrow!  We are off to Tanzania tomorrow.  Please continue to pray for us.  John and Sylvia