The Rabid Wasp, Or was that the rabid wife?

You wouldn't believe what happened last night (our first night in Kenya). I was brushing my teeth getting ready for bed, when I heard this BIG buzzing sound. I looked around , even checking my hair, for a buzzing bug. Sure enough I spotted a HUGE WASP. It was at least the size of 2 or 3 wasps put together. I ran out of the bathroom, with my mouth full of toothpaste. I shut the bathroom door, hoping to trap the wasp in the bathroom. When I looked at the top of the bathroom door, there was a gap a foot high, the entire width of the door. Good trap that would be. Since that wouldn't hold the wasp too long, I went to tell my husband that there was a BIG WASP in our bathroom. With toothpaste still in my mouth, I tried to tell him that there was a BIG WASP. He had already taken out his hearing aids, so without even looking at me told me he couldn't hear me and to talk louder. Again I tried to tell him, in a louder voice, that there was a BIG WASP. Finally I got him to look at me and while foaming at my mouth, signed BIG and shouted WASP. I think he was as afraid of the rabid wasp as I was, or was that the rabid wife? 

Then my DARLING husband (this is now being written by the husband) realized that something was not right.  The wasp was hovering by the opening above the door but my husband could not hear it with his hearing aids out.  He opened the door and the wasp came out and hovered by the floor.  It was now clear to him that there was a BIG WASP in the room.  Rather quickly, he retreated (or as the wife says, he ran AWAY) to the other end of the room.  Thinking it would attracted to the light, my husband figured we should turn the lights off and open the outside door.  The wasp had moved back into the bathroom so it wasn't a problem to get to all of the light switches and turn them off.  We opened the front door, turned off the lights and stepped back.  In what was a few seconds, but felt like much longer, the wasp realized it could be free of these people.  It went directly out the front door and was gone.  Didn't take long for the front door to slam shut and peace and order was restored (again, the husband is writing this now).

Devotional - Saturday, August 7th

Psalm 131



a psalm of humble childlike trust in God
stilled and quieted his soul in God,
as a child to his mother.


Heavenly Father, thank you that I can trust in you like a child trusts in his mother. Thank you for being a loving God, protect us as we go to Africa and help others trust in you too. Amen




Paul Malcolm

Feels like coming home.

For most of us the overwhelming feeling has been one of returning home.  It's not a foreign place anymore and although there is still a sense of wonder and excitement generally we're all just ecstatic to be back.  Even Tim mentioned feeling like he was picking up family from the airport as opposed to a new team.  It's rare that he has teams where he knows so many of them by name right off the plane.  Of course the caveat to this whole paragraph would be Janice and Colleen…Janice is constantly giddy and Colleen has a perm-a-grin.  In fact when I asked Janice yesterday what her first impression was, she vibrated, literally.  

Even though it feels like home there were many things that surprised me again.  I forgot how many people walk.  They walk everywhere and for miles a day and generally any road you travel has masses of people walking somewhere.  In amongst all those walking people on the side of the roads is a plant called Sisal.  I love Sisal, I think it might be my favourite plant.  I know that's weird but really it's great stuff, very very very useful.

Not only were there old things that surprised me but lots of new things too.  They actually have new very drivable road most of the way to Athi River.  It was amazing to see it done and although I know it's not the norm for most of Kenya it was still amazing to see it and drive it.  Also on the sides of the road are plant nurseries where you can buy plants of every shape and size and while that's not new the plot gardens beside them are.  I found it ironic that something that's grown so much in Calgary in the last two years has also grown here.  Although I suspect it has been in Kenya for longer while at home it's just the 'Latest In Thing' that hopefully will stick around in the long run.

Our timeline yesterday was mostly about keeping us awake.  We got to Kenya before the sun rose and after a short trip to Lukenya and some much needed breakfast and showers we had some orientation time with Tim.  It was a good review and very interesting to hear all the changes that have gone on in the African Brotherhood Church.  It will be exciting to watch what I think is the start of a new very prosperous era for them in the coming years.  

After lunch we headed out for our first safari drive and although we did see a lot of water in places that either never had water or had so little it might as well have been dry it was still sad for those of us who've been here to realize how many animals died in the drought.  Colleen and Janice both thought they got to see plenty of animals but it was a drastic change from what we had seen before with entire species missing in our head count.  Although it's saddening and scary it's a good learning experience for the team as the next time we hear the words drought we will all have a much better understanding.

At lunch today we'll leave for Machakos and then later in the week to Mwingi.  We have no idea what our internet will be, if we have any, but we'll keep you updated as best we can and then post about it all when able.

Sending our love to you all!

Devotional - Friday, August 6th

Ezekiel 47: 1-12



This scripture is the one Altadore Baptist selected as a metaphor or reflection of our church during our second look at our Vision statement. Its rich imagery has drawn me into a wonderful sense of God’s presence and purpose in our personal lives and in our global fissional Church life.


The small spring begins at the Temple, the place for worshipping and building our intimate relationship with our God. It is the only source for what becomes a rushing river, unexpectedly widening and deepening the further from the source it flows. It moves in real time and space, and causes a miraculous change in the landscape and even impacts the Sea it flows into as the deadly salt becomes fresh. Life abounds within it and all around it and food is plentiful for those who need to eat, and at the end is the promise of healing. God is present in our world, whether near or far.


As you look at this passage while we are in Kenya, I pray that your small springs of love, care, hope, generosity, and purpose will unexpectedly widen and deepen as we together sense God’s presence in the actions and obedience of the people of the African Brotherhood Church. We have come a long way to see what God has done here, and to learn how flooding spiritual water can make everything fruitful, fresh, teeming with life and full of healing.


I am curious about the “man” in this passage who leads Ezekiel through this experience. For me it is as if Jesus was there with him, someone with knowledge and authority, who has a measuring line in his hand (v.3). For the Kenya team it is Tim Bannister, of course. Please pray for him today, and Diane too, as they have a significant role to play on our behalf as we all safari ya kikanisa.


David Littel

Kenya

We have arrived in Kenya after an overnight flight from Amsterdam. All our bags arrived. We are heading to Lukenya for our first night and orientation. More to come as we are able to connect with the Internet.
Sent wirelessly from my BlackBerry device on the Bell network.
Envoyé sans fil par mon terminal mobile BlackBerry sur le réseau de Bell.

Devotional - Thursday, August 5th

Prophets of a Future Not Our Own

-- Archbishop Oscar Anglo Romero (martyred on March 24th 1980)

It helps, now and then, to step back and take a long view.
The Kingdom is not only beyond our efforts,
it is beyond our vision.


We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction
of the magnificent enterprise that is God's work.
Nothing we do is complete, which is another way of
saying that the kingdom always lies beyond us.


No statement says all that could be said.
No prayer fully expresses our faith.
No confession brings perfection
No pastoral visit brings wholeness.
No program accomplishes the Church's mission.
No set of goals and objectives includes everything.

This is what we are about:
We plant the seeds that one day will grow.
We water the seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future promise.
We lay foundations that will need further development.
We provide yeast that produces effects far beyond our capabilities.

We cannot do everything,
and there is a sense of liberation in realizing this.
This enables us to do something, and to do it very well.
It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning,
a step along the way, an opportunity for the Lord's grace to enter and do the rest.


We may never see the end results,
but that is the difference between the master builder and the worker.
We are workers, not master builders,
ministers, not messiahs.
We are prophets of a future not our own. Amen.

Amsterdam

We have arrived in Amsterdam and have a LONG lay-over before our flight to Nairobi. Everyone is doing well. No problems with our flights.
Sent wirelessly from my BlackBerry device on the Bell network.
Envoyé sans fil par mon terminal mobile BlackBerry sur le réseau de Bell.