A Story of Friends

Hello all,
Our team has had a very abnormal week as most of you are aware of by now and it also marked our 3 month marker since entering Kenya. We had the opportunity to trek into Nairobi to renew our visas for another 3 months and coincidently stumbled upon some American food, hot showers and nice beds during these few days. It was great. So instead of going into detail on this week I want to tell you a story just to share a little of God’s unpredictable but awesome nature.
Story #1
I want to tell you about a man who’ve I’ve (and our entire team has) grown to know. Thomas is Kipsi (for short), from the Kalenjin tribe, living just outside of the main town of Chepilat where we are stationed. In the first 2 months of living here I would irregularly run into Thomas on the street. Thomas always seemed to remember my name despite our previously short encounters and his constant states of intoxication. In fact, to us, he just appeared to be another one of the examples of a hopeless, discouraged, frustrated and idle men of this town. One day George was with us when he stopped us in town and upon returning to our apartment George was eager to tell us the story of this man who had found unusual interest in us. Thomas is the son of a man named Jonas (who recently passed away) who’s name is very well known in the area for being one of the original Kipsi’s to sponsor the growth in this town and thus came upon heavy influence for the area in political matters. The Kipsis of the area hold Jonas’s family, especially his sons, in very high regard and the Kisiis, though they don’t necessarily recognize their “authority” as the Kipsiis do, are forced to acknowledge the influence and importance of this family. We were informed that Thomas, his brothers and even their wives were very active in the stirring up and post election violence of this specific area. Thomas himself was one of the instigators of the violence. This blew our minds to hear especially considering his friendly demeanor and average appearance to us. However we knew that this very well could be an open door from God into this community as we seek peace and reconciliation.
From the first day that I had met Thomas God had laid him on my heart and though I never saw any dramatic advances in my relationship and opportunities with him I found myself with a heavy burden and compassion for this man. No difference at least until a few weeks ago when he invited us to his home…
We went one morning to his house for tea because he had been insisting we visit him for many weeks and once we arrived I was discouraged and disappointed to not find him home but only his wife. Yet by the end of that day his wife had accepted Christ and determined to become a member of our church (which still lacked more than one other Kipsi). Only 2 weeks later, we were attending our church fellowship at his house and in the middle of the sermon Thomas walked in. George took this opportunity to minister towards him and within that hour Thomas was on his knees accepting Christ and confessing his violent past. And no it didn’t stop there. Thomas stood up at the end of the service and shared his life story and problems to date all while having tears run down his face. He appeared such a different man that I hardly recognized him. But he wasn’t finished… Thomas ended his story saying that he had been moved to give a portion of his land for our church! This had been a prayer this church had been praying for since it was first opened last May in a small burned building that is rented monthly. Wow. God did this much movement in Thomas in a matter of weeks. What a blessing to be part of it. I don’t know where Thomas’s walk will go from here with Christ and though many here doubt his promise to give part of his land I can tell you that all I saw in him was genuinity, from the day I met him, to the time of brokenness where he kneeled before Christ, in view of many people whom he had fought against a year ago, and confessed his short-fallings. What matters is not if Thomas does give the church land (because Christ will get the land for the church in his own time and manner) but that this man from this background, a background that this community would suggest is too much to find forgiveness in Christ and its Body, has been reminded and reaccepted what the meaning of this life is really about, just to serve the one true God and be obedient to his call before we rejoin him and approach his throne where we will be held to account for our short lives.
Thomas has an amazing story. I have only seen a very small portion of it and even less have I been able to express to you today but his story makes me think about many things. Last Sunday I preached and at the end of the service encouraged people to begin praying for God to open the eyes of our hearts because this prayer moves much more than the physical which we often pray towards, it moves the spiritual and opens up awesome opportunities for God to move without boundaries in all our midst. This prayer allowed God to give me an unexplicable compassion and heart for a man that appeared to be “just another hopeless cause” seen in uncountable amounts of drunk men in this community. Being open spiritually allowed God to bless me, my team, Pastor George and the church with the opportunity to carry the message of salvation to the very doorstep of a family that held so much hatred a year ago they seemed to lose Christ completely. We have been blessed with the relationship to Thomas and his family and he will forever serve as a reminder that God’s plans and what He sees are so much larger and greater than what we can comprehend. Two lessons come out of this.
One is that (as Thomas once stated) it was simply our friendship with him that opened the door for him to receive Christ. Secondly, God is on the move in Chepilat (and all over the world) and we can be blessed beyond our imaginations if we decide to get on board and be used by Him or we can continue on in our busy lifestyles and miss out on these opportunities God is looking to give out. It is funny how we pray to God for him to use us and yet we grow frustrated with the silence we receive while we daily drive by hundreds of homes that are hurting and in need and while we walk through the stores and rush by at work glancing at faces that are unknowingly crying out and seeking the very truth we hold in our hearts. These are the homes and these are faces of people that God places in our paths every single day that are opportunities and blessings we look over. I don’t want the regret someday of knowing there was some many people so near to me that I was just blew past without thought. We are accountable for those who God places in our paths, those closest to us and those who’s faces are yet unfamiliar to us (but familiar to God), and one day we will be asked why we never stopped and listened. Our team stopped for Thomas but how many opportunities before and since have I missed that God has placed in my path by my own prayers and just not noticed or paid enough attention to? This thought challenges me and may it challenge you as you begin to take notice of every single person God places around you each day…they aren’t there by accident and there are no coinicidences, God is giving us opportunities to advance the Kingdom if we just open the eyes of our hearts to His will all around us.

All for His glory,

Colin


Praises:
-safe travel to and from Nairobi
-smooth renewal of visas
-continued growth in Chepilat Mennonite

Prayer Requests:
-continued opportunity to minister to the community
-sensitivity to God’s opportunities and discernment in God’s will
-continued protection in physical health
-strength for every day
-Brook and his adjustment to new responsibilities and expectations
-Stefan in his time of counseling, mentoring, healing and growth of personal and spiritual
matters