April Fool's Week

Welcoming Party:
Last Sunday after church Dave and Lucy had Lillian, Asumpta, and I over for what would turn out to be my "Welcome to Kenya Party" (it was supposed to have taken a place a couple months ago, but got delayed). Also, a young man by the name of Charles, who is now staying with the Chaves attended. Charles is a Kenyan who had spent the last six months as a missionary in the U.K. and Ireland, and before that took part in the New Beginnings Internship Program. He returned this past Saturday. Lucy made us dinner, then we watched 'The Pursuit of Happyness', after which I learned that the get together was my welcoming party. It was great food, and a fun time!

Terrific Tuesday:
There is a restaurant here in Nairobi called "Pizza Inn," and on Tuesdays they offer a buy-one-get-one-free special; aptly titled Terrific Tuesday. After work Lillian, Charles, two of the interns, Suezette and George, and I took advantage of the deal. The pizza was delicious, and a taste for sore buds. It was really good, and half off! However, once we finished our feast the sky was black, but it was only 6pm (the sun sets at 7pm year-round in Nairobi). There was a huge storm coming. It began to drizzle. We caught the first matatu we could but Lillian, Suezette, and I had to switch just a couple of minutes down the road. By the time we got out a solid rain was falling. About 5 minutes and 25 full matatus later, it was a down pour, and we remained huddled beneath a palm tree at the same intersection. Resigned to the idea of finding any space on the matatus we decided to make a break for it in the rain. We made it safely back to Church Army, but not before again being soaked through with mud and water. The pizza was definitely worth it.

Prayer Day:
Today was the official Church Army Prayer Day, as it also marked the first day of break for the Academy. All of the teachers, and the majority of the Church Army Staff met in the school's cafeteria to thank God for the work that He has done in the school, and to ask Him for further intercession. It was full of prayer (obviously) and worship, and it was an overall very moving morning.

April Fool's:
After the prayer service I met with the interns to discuss how they were coming along in a Purpose Driven Life. Dave was sitting in on the meeting. As we were coming to a close Suezette informed us that we either had to stop reading the Purpose Driven Life or she was quitting the internship. She said she didn't believe anything the author said and that the book was horrible. Nobody really knew what to say, and Dave tried to calm her down, which ultimately led to her storming out of the room. Before long she returned with a large April Fool's smile, and announced her deceit. It was quite a performance.

Easter Weekend:
I have Friday and Monday off, so this will be the last post I will be able to make for a week. Tomorrow all of the interns and I are going over to Dave and Lucy's for an 'Intern Retreat' which should be an entertaining and bonding experience. I will then be attending Christ Church for the Easter Service. I will write about the experience upon my return.

Uganda Mission:
On Monday I will be leaving for Northern Uganda for a week. We will be taking a 12-14 hour bus ride through East Africa before arriving in Lira, Uganda. Lira is an area that has been ravaged by the power struggles of Ugandan Rebels and government forces. Many of the people have lived through many vicious horrors. The rebels are known for killing women, children, and the elderly. They often cut off lips and ears as a calling card of their indifference. We will be visiting schools and houses in the region in the hopes of bringing the word of God to the people. At night we will hold open-air crusades, trying to bring people off the streets to listen to lessons on Christ. My main charge will be to capture and document these activities. I am looking forward to this great experience, and am sure I will have much to share upon my return. Please pray for a safe and successful trip. Thank you.

I will be again posting in a little over a week. Have a wonderful Easter!