Ruminations and visitation

Kenya is a land of contrasts. Shadow and light overlap. Natural beauty and poverty's blight share the same landscape while waves of goodness and caring erode obstacles of corruption and suffering. The west is no different, other than these contrasts are easier hidden in our busy, comfortable lives. Change is occurring, but we have to realize it is not in our province to know time or circumstance. God has a will and it will be done. He gives us the gift of empowerment when we seek His will and not our own.

It is Sunday and unbelievably, three weeks are almost up. Hanna and I have been talking about our experiences here, how to make sense of them; how we may be changed. We wonder in what ways change will be expressed in our lives at home. These thoughts tend to be overwhelming as the answers are complex, and how they play out unknown. I contemplate Psalm 147. Peace that surpasses understanding, knowing God’s thread is woven throughout the fabric of our lives.

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David and Ann, their daughter Terry and the rest of us pile into the minivan for a Sunday drive, Jeff at the wheel. We head west through Kisumu towards Majengo dodging potholes and cows. We climb upwards high above Kisumu, the road narrowing and more hemmed by trees. Finally we turn on a dirt track and park. David’s former primary school teacher and her husband greet us. Her husband is 80 and spry, still raising a garden, chickens and has a gas operated Poshe mill for grinding maize into flour. Earlier, as a young man, he had farmed coffee, working with some of the largest growers in Kenya. Unfortunately, in years past the price of coffee dropped dramatically and much of the plantations were pulled out and replaced with tea. Later when we return we will enjoy sodas, avocado and ground nuts (peanuts) with them, but for now our goal is the equator!

David leads us up the red dirt cart track past the Friends Church where he attended as a boy. Our walk gradually leads up a steeper path and we are joined by some of his acquaintances, one who is a community health worker that had just finished a circumcision clinic for the village. HIV/AIDS prevention is gaining wider acceptance in Kenya and there is an emphasis on circumcising boys, which has been shown to reduce transmission. Because so many births are home deliveries circumcision doesn’t occur after delivery and is delayed until the boys are older, sometimes teens. Youch!! When a village has circumcision clinic compliance is good and few boys hide. Apparently peer pressure to show up, and the promise of partaking in a village feast after the clinic are enough motivation. I asked her about bleeding and infection complications which are not common, and treated with herbal preparations if they occur.

As we climb higher past tethered goats, calves, and small farmsteads with maize and ground nuts the landscape is more rugged. The hills are littered with boulders, some as big as a small house. Tucked between are cultivated fields of maize, bananas, and millet. The sky is blue but hazy and I breathe hard. As we walk the trail levels and is cut into a side hill shaded by eucalyptus trees. To the horizon are more of these hills, farms, boulders, and people working their land. I imagine a movie set design team carefully planning how to build this illusion, but it is no illusion—this is real. What is more amazing than the terrain is how these farmers have blended their homes, farms, and lives to fit the landscape, rather than the opposite. Stunning is a subtle adjective for our surroundings, breathtaking only marginally better.





David with Terry on his shoulder takes us past his old primary school. Again the school is nestled among beautiful trees which he helped plant as seedlings, and huge boulders. Cisterns catch rain water from the roof as there is no running water or electricity. He shows us his class’s industrial arts project from years ago, an outdoor kitchen made from mud bricks they produced and built with. We walk on to his family home, but his father is not there. The walls are thick and roofed with corrugated metal. The garden surrounding the house is slightly terraced and there are many trees for shade which David planted as a boy. Our walk crosses a narrow swale and then goes up, leaving behind the small farms as we pass more and more rocks. A narrow chasm through opposing boulders finally leads us up to the highest point of the hill. We are standing on the equator atop a massive rock promontory with 360 degree views. To the SW lies Uganda, Lake Victoria and Kisumu to the east, and in the foreground all of the farms we had passed by.

Looking east towards Kisumu and Lake Victoria



We all enjoy the view, a water break and pictures before heading down. We stop at David’s namesake’s home. Mr. Isuvi was a laboratory faculty member at the University of Nairobi for many years. Following retirement he returned to his family home where he farms and mentors others in the community. He has a beautiful farmstead and has been working to reclaim some wet land for planting bananas. He is not a young man at 76, but he moves like a cat down the rocky trail, talking about wanting to bring electricity to the community. Selfishly, I ponder what changes would occur. We part company at a fork in the trail and move down to David’s teacher’s home, where after a brief visit we leave for Anne’s mothers for Sunday dinner.

Mssr's. Isuvi



We shared several meals with Kenyans in their homes, but were surprised that often the guests are fed while the host waits; only eating after the guests are done. We were greeted by Mamma Anne and her son, Anne’s younger brother. Anne’s father passed away many years ago and her brother was the elder or Mizei, of the house. He brought a basin for us to wash hands and we all sat family style at two tables passing ugali, chapatti bread, rice and a freshly stewed chicken. Following the meal we washed again and had chai. Anne’s mother gave her a parting gift of a live chicken which found its way beneath one of the seats. We also had a quick stop at David’s sisters to say hello. Shortly after leaving we stopped at another “official” equator monument for pictures. The road on this side of the hill leading to Kisumu was in perfect shape! There is hope!

At Mamma Annes's with Hanna and Terry Isuvi





Meeting in the middle!



August 2

Masai Mara, safari time

Masai Mara grasslands



Part of our Africa experience was visiting the Masai Mara game reserve in southwest Kenya, abutting the Serengeti plains and Tanzanian border. We loaded into a Moto Line minibus early in the morning and drove for around 5 hours. Our trip took us out of the valley up into the green highlands and tea plantations. As we passed south the landscape became arid, with high rolling, dry hills. Tea transitioned to wheat fields and scrub land. As we descended into Narok, which is the leaving point for tours going into the park, we began to see a tall people, draped in red and black tartan like wraps around their shoulders and midsections, carrying long staffs and herding sheep and Brahma cattle. The Masai.

One of 42 tribes in Kenya, the Masai are herders, but not nomadic. They live in stick fenced villages. The huts are made of mud packed onto stick frames that look like flat, brown, bread loaves. Each night they herd their cattle into fenced circular paddocks, again made out of sticks and briar wood to protect them from predators. They are not farmers and depend on their animals for food, including drinking a mixture of milk and cows blood. Unfortunately, from what I could see of their land it was horribly overgrazed and the animals thin from lack of grass compounded by drought.

We met Joshua, our guide for the park at a petrol station in Narock. Hanna, Steve and Sherri Danielson, Brianna, Emma, myself, and Ombedi, who has lived at Nehemiah for ten years, loaded into a pop top minivan for the long drive to camp. Joshua was friendly and knowledgeable, but had a theory about unimproved road driving. The faster you went, the more time and distance you covered airborne, then the smoother the ride. Even after having experienced Kenyan roads and driving I was not prepared for this. Thankfully we arrived at the Ololaimutek entrance and drove up a dry wash to the Kenia Safari camp. We had planned to stay in a tent camp which was full, so instead had adjoining cabins made of cement block, each with 3 beds to a room and a sink and toilet. The camp ran a generator for lights a few hours each night and early morning and had a cook house which served basic, but tasty food. “Hot” showers were available in a block of 3 shower stalls with water heated by a fire under a drum. Unfortunately, if you were in the last shower downstream, all you got was a trickle of cold water, but no complaints. We were “roughing” it.

The evening we arrived we drove into the park for what was to be a 2 hour tour and enjoyed seeing zebra, gazelle, an ostrich and some elephants and cape buffalo along a stream bottom. The park has rules that you don’t leave the vehicle and the vehicle has to stay on rutted tracks or the main road, but not drive on the grass. Joshua at one point pulled off the track a van width and was stopped by a ranger. A long pleading, back and forth argument in Kiswahili and we went on with Joshua telling us he had to pay a fine of $10,000 schillings (130 dollars), or he would be banned from the park for a year. We returned to camp and Joshua went back to the park office to “negotiate”. I’m still not sure the outcome, but he suggested if we paid a bribe of $3,000 schillings the matter would be closed. It was decided that if we paid the fine and got a receipt we would deduct the amount from the safari fee, but he declined. Our friend Ombedi made it clear to Joshua we were “not going to walk in darkness, but in light”. We would help him with a fine, but bribes were not an option.





Morning and the Wildebeest migration is starting. They had come from Tanzania earlier—over a million animals crossing the Serengeti to graze and breed. In August they return, crossing the Mara River. We drive south and west through the park. Gazelle, zebra, antelope in large numbers move across the scrub. Large ostrich run around with featherless legs as if they forgot to put on pants. Elephants seem to float through the grass in small groups, so graceful and fluid, and in no hurry. The land becomes hilly, topped by thickets, and above the short tree tops giraffe in twos and threes browse on thorny brush. Creek bottoms provide cover for roving herds of Cape buffalo which snort and belch as they graze with birds perched on their backs eating ticks. We begin to see more Wildebeest accompanied by small bands of zebra. Climbing out of the bottom land a young male lion is perched on a knoll either resting after a meal, or picking out his next. Oblivious to his audience and totally nonchalant, it is hard to imagine how quickly and powerfully he can move. Close to the Tanzanian border the land becomes flatter, but still rolling. Prairie grasses extend beyond the eye and I can only imagine that this could have been the American west 200 years ago dotted by buffalo. Building herds of Wildebeest move south, grazing as we arrive at the Tanzania-Kenya border. We stop at the Mara River and are escorted upstream by a ranger named Michael to the point where the wildebeest cross. Hippo lie in pools with their noses barely above water and their tails flipping water onto rough, gray backs. Some sunbathe in the sand grouped like a family beach outing, while a 20 foot crocodile is parked on the waters edge. I have seen this place in the Planet Earth documentary. At the peak crossing over 1.5 million animals plunge into the river. Some drown; some are dragged downstream by crocodiles laying in wait. Most make it to return the following year as the cycle continues. The crossing so far has been easier since drought has resulted in low water levels. The drive back to camp is quicker with a stop at Keekorock lodge which has an elevated boardwalk above a hippo pool. You can sit and enjoy your drinks while watching them move at dusk to graze in the grasslands.





Our last day in the park was a sunrise game drive for two hours. We were almost nonchalant watching zebra and buck when we came upon a pride of lions with a fresh killed wildebeest. Though there were a number of vehicles parked nearby, the lions seemed nonplussed. Two cubs were sitting near and would sneak over to feed and then be pushed back. A black backed jackal hung back picking up leftovers as the lions ate, vultures hopped nearby. Finally, two of the lions bit into each of the carcass shoulders and dragged it to the edge of the bush to finish their meal. Joshua told us the females tended to make the kill; the male would eat first and then lie in the bush nearby while the rest of the pride ate. An amazing sight for our last morning.



In true Kenya fashion our hired matato didn’t show on our arrival back at Narock. Ombedi and Joshua pounded the dirt streets trying to figure a way to get us back to Kisumu. Joshua was going on to Nairobi with Sherrie and Steve who were leaving for the states in the morning. It was decided we would also ride to Nairobi where it would be easier to hire a bus for Kisumu. In the end, it was a good diversion since we saw another part of the Rift Valley and the highlands. Nairobi is crowded with vehicles, trucks and people. Not a place I would chose to spend time, however we did see a beautiful suburb when we left Sherrie and Steve at Hampton House, a transient hostel for missionaries entering and leaving Africa. Moto lines provided us a matato and driver for the 6 hour drive back to Nehemiah. We left at five o’clock which meant we were traveling partly at night. Not recommended!! Large trucks constantly coming towards us, always with their bright lights on, no highway markings, bad roads with sometimes 3 foot drop offs at the shoulders. I was quite frightened for the people walking the shoulders. Thankfully we arrived late without incidence and were thankful for this part of our journey to end, and a good nights rest.

July 30th-Aug 1st

School Visits

Chiberer School



Kenyans value education and it is apparent in the number of schools we saw. Primary public education is funded by the government, but additional costs include supplies and uniforms which can be beyond the reach of the Kenyan farmer. Secondary education, or high school, is not government funded. While students may pass their entrance exams to high school, it means nothing without the means to go on.

Schools are both government run and private. Some of the private schools have boarding facilities. The neighboring villages of Miwani, Karunga, Chiberer, and Kano each had a primary school through form 9. The buildings were simple. Long, partitioned mud, or sometimes block buildings. Window openings were shuttered, but when opened, provided soft light. Roofs were rusted, corrugated iron. The classes were open rooms with painted blackboards along one wall and simple, worn benches. If the school had a lunch program, the kitchen was often a mud walled building behind the classrooms where Ugali, rice, or beans were cooked over wood fires. In schools without lunch it was common for kids to be in school from 7:30 to 4:30 each day with only water or Chai (tea) for the day. The mind doesn’t work well when the stomach is empty.

Hanna and I had met Madam Idalia, the baby school (preschool/kindergarten) teacher last week when our team went to visit Karunga village. We had enjoyed reading with the kids and returned with more books to share. Karunga School is about a 2km walk from Nehemiah on the road, joining a dirt path that winds through part of Karunga village. As we walked kids collected around, wanting to hold hands and escort us past woman putting maize out to dry, scrubbing pans with sand and water to clean them, or washing laundry in plastic tubs. The men were absent, most already out hoeing in the cane fields or tending stock and working their own shambas (gardens). As we crossed the field, many of the teachers were sitting under a tree, and Madam Idalia was not present. Unfortunately, not an uncommon practice in Kenyan public education. Teachers may not show, or show up late. Often teaching means putting a lesson on the board and having the students copy it while the teachers take tea and visit outside the classroom. Marit explained that while this is cultural and accepted, one of Nehemiah’s goals has been to partner with village schools in providing materials, books, and in mentoring both students and teachers. The lunch program at Karunga is also supported by Nehemiah.

Meet your sub, Ms. Hanna!



Our role of guest became that of substitute teacher! I lost count but there were at least 35 squirmy kids in a circle on benches. Like kids everywhere some were shy, some were clowns, and some full of mischief. We had a great time doing numbers, shapes, colors, the alphabet, and reading “Clifford, the Big Red Dog” and “Blueberries for Sal.” I’m sure known of them knew a blueberry from a bear. It didn’t matter, fun didn’t get lost in the lack of translation.

At all of the schools we visited, we were welcomed as friends. Nehemiah and those that have served with Nehemiah built those bridges. We saw evidence of the wonderful partnership and relationships in the students, teachers, and headmasters greetings. At Miwani School they were so proud to show us the beautiful murals Anna Schuler had painted from a past visit, and to show how they had stocked their libraries with donated books. Today, however, was special! The girl’s choir from Miwani had been selected to go to Mombasa for a national choir competition and the government was going to provide a bus for transportation, but the school needed to fund the other expenses, and was still short of the full cost. Our team had allocated funds for projects as part of the trip budget and this was a perfect opportunity.

Miwani School



We assembled in Doreen’s (headmaster) office with her assistant Tobias and asked if we could also have the choir director join us. Their excitement on learning we were going to partner with the choir in helping fund the trip was only surpassed when the director had all the students, teachers, and even some parents assemble outside for an impromptu choir performance. Before starting to sing, the director told the choir and assembled teachers and parents, their trip was going to happen. Absolute delight—smiles, hand clapping, jumping, and shouting. The open air concert was wonderful, a blessing to us and a joy to share in their excitement.

Beyond Karunga village, at the base of the escarpment was Chiberer School. If I could pick a place for a hideaway, this might be it. The backdrop of boulders and hillside with the long open valley and cane fields beyond was beautiful. The school is an extended building, divided into classrooms and set in a grassy open field with large shade trees. A breezy, open space where you simply want to sit and enjoy your surroundings.





The day prior, Marit had arranged for donkeys to meet us at the end of the road so we could pack supplies and more books up to the Chiberer library. A schedule in Kenya is not time dependent, but simply when one decides to show up. Since the donkeys didn’t show, we packed feed sacks loaded with books up the trail, two of us each carrying an end, or on our shoulders. The trail was dry, even, and the trip went quickly. We enjoyed a tour of the classrooms and hearing about the headmaster’s wishes for a lunch program and teacher housing. He was excited to show us how they had neatly placed the previously donated books on pallets in their best, secure building. The students assembled outside for photos with the new books, and sent us off with a group thank you and prayer.

July 28th-July29th

Shared work, shared friendships

Within the farm compound, cows are queen (it is a dairy after all!). David Isuvi manages the herd for quality milk production and has worked hard to get the best dairy animals. His choice of genetics both in purchased stock and his use of artificial insemination for breeding, have been very successful. The cows are fed chopped maize and Napier grass twice a day along with hay, molasses and a dairy meal. Milking is in the morning and evening. Some days I would go down to the dairy barn to shovel feed, or its byproduct. Cows can be entertaining, but my favorite time was spent visiting the dairy hands. Rose is a Nandi who sets the standard for dairy fashion. She wears a necklace and a dress every day. Her smile is bigger than Lake Victoria and her laugh could make Mona Lisa giggle. Steven is thin like most Kenyans, but strong and good natured. Both became great friends.

Milking the old school way





The surrounding Miwani valley is chameleon like as it takes on a different character with the changing light. Early morning with the sun rising and a slight breeze, the cane fields running to the escarpment reminds me of Kauai, yet in the evening, under thunderheads and shadows cast over the fields, the surrounding farmsteads have the appearance of hayfields and ranches buttressed against the west slopes of the Madison range in Montana. No matter, it was always changing and always beautiful. This evening was particularly memorable as Hanna and I rode bikes to Miwani village. Returning at dusk, weaving by cattle and goats being herded, we passed others returning home from the fields. Long shadows cast on a broken road touched amber by last sunlight. Simple, and beautiful.











July 27

Settling In

It seems I am no longer part of an Alice in Wonderland story, sliding into a new world of peculiar and exotic experiences; every sensation, taste, and smell on overload. Africa has become home for now, and each day has a rhythm and pace that is becoming familiar. Living in community doesn’t force relationship, but allows it. You experience it from the minute you wake—you cannot escape it; and why should you. You belong.









Conversation permeates almost every encounter. You welcome it like the warm breeze of midday. Passing older women or farmhands on the road or trail, working on a farm project, or sharing a meal; each of these times is fragrant and brings a simple joy. Whether a greeting in passing, (usually accompanied by a wide smile and two handed shake), wishing the boys a good day after morning devotions, or helping Rose and Steven in the dairy. Friendships grow from the rich earth of community, and the truth that all of us are grafted into the same vine. This has been a time to meditate on, and converse with God. Life is not random events without purpose, meant to frustrate or confuse us. In fact life is an opportunity to taste heaven on earth. We can experience life abundantly both in trials and celebration, when we allow God to wrap himself around us. The ebb and flow of each day begins with a cup of chai or coffee, and brief devotions with the boys before school. We gather and give thanks, offering this day to His service; seeking His wisdom, blessing and guidance. 10,000 miles and a continent away—sometimes the greatest lessons are found in unexpected ways.

July 26th

HIV, lost boys, childrens prison and babies

I always assumed Kenya was the exception when it came to African nations. That it was democratic, stable, and relatively free of corruption. Contrary to this assumption I found it to chronically suffer from political instability, permeated with a culture of corruption, and a history of political suppression including imprisonment and political murders dating back to its independence from Britain following the Mau Mau uprising in the 1950’s. Consequently government funds as well as foreign aid money has been siphoned off, programs that benefit the rural poor are limited, and problems with deforestation and the introduction of non native foods along with the rampant growth of HIV infection have left Kenyan’s health worse now than 30 years ago. The good news is that many NGO’s, both faith and non faith based, as well as in country organizations have strived to impact the average Kenyan through improving public health, maternal/infant health, nutrition, and restoring the natural environment and water quality. While tribalism and cronyism have impacted democracy and the rule of law, there are many voices throughout the country calling for, and working for change.

Nehemiah serves the local community not only through intentional living, responsible and sustainable agriculture practices which are economically sound, but through service to their neighbors. We had the opportunity to visit several area schools which are single room, block buildings with tin roofs, but no power or water. We were always greeted by the children as we walked up the path, holding our hands, shouting “how are you”, and taking us into the class. Kids are kids the world around. Squirming, poking each other, laughing. It was hilarious reading stories that had a western context and having the teacher translate into Kiswahili, or Luo. The kids have to learn not only the trade language of east Africa-Kiswahili, but English, as well as their tribal dialect. Nehemiah has visited these schools often, supporting the communities and their teachers with encouragement, supplies, teaching lessons, monetary support and helping villages develop a vision for their children’s education.

Karunga School, baby class



Central to a new Kenya is how it has, and will deal with it's social and public health issues. The problems are huge, and the answers complex. Rather than just giving aid dollars, it seems imperative that partnerships with Kenyans, NGO's, and the government for the long term will lead to real change. We had the privilege of learning about some of the activities that are making a difference. Kincoship is an HIV/AIDs testing counseling service which is village based, that provides initial free testing and education about HIV and related diseases. They provide both referral for medications and home follow up and support groups for HIV positive clients. This outreach program mirrors functions that public health facilities in the states provide, but with far fewer resources. I really enjoyed visiting with the counselors about their work and seeing Ashley Bice, who is a community health educator working at Nehemiah, build relationships to support not only their work, but also helping other villages with health related issues. These included forums for open discussion of HIV/AIDS and prevention of transmission; sanitation, and water improvement programs.

Miwani health center team with Ashley Bice, community health educator



Our visit at Miwani town’s Kincoship included a visit to the community health clinic. George, the health nurse, and his lab technician provide basic health care, prenatal care, immunizations, and OB/delivery services to the greater Miwani area. He sees 40+ patients/day, with a basic table for exams; a microscope for malaria smears, TB sputum smears, and stool studies for parasites. He has no running water, electricity, and only a propane refrigerator for his vaccines. He has a heart for those he serves and a vision for how he can improve services to his community. I made a promise I will never complain about frustrations with practicing medicine in the US, without stopping to think of George. I really felt good about representing Nehemiah while listening to his story, and to provide encouragement that Nehemiah would support his work including plans to build a clinic facility on the farm compound which would augment the work that he is doing. This facility has been in the planning stages for over a year and should be built out and functional within the next year, providing space for a nurse and rotating providers to serve the Miwani villages.



One of the more powerful experiences for both Hanna and me was visiting Agape Ministries drop in center for street boys in Kisumu. This ministry provides a place of refuge, meals, and an attempt to rescue, redeem, rehabilitate, and reintegrate boys who by choice or circumstance live on the street. These are wild, tough, boys—ragged and torn both in clothing and spirit. One out of one hundred actually makes it to the rehabilitation phase where they are housed, go to school, and reintegrated with their families. We were cautioned that they might be physically aggressive towards the girls on our team and to watch our belongings as they could easily disappear. They have a high use of glue and often are intoxicated on it, but they are not allowed to bring it into the center or to bring in weapons. On arriving, as expected we were mobbed a bit, but didn’t feel threatened and within a few minutes felt at ease. The staff was wonderful; balancing control while still being a friend and providing fun for the boys. There were soccer games going on, a table with boy’s intent on creating drawings, and an impromptu steel drum ensemble pounding on old oil cans. Some were nodding, lying in old tires, sleeping off the effects of glue. Hanna and I got involved in a no rules, no holds barred volley ball game. I will always remember Matthew, a boy of probably 12, on the fringes. In spite of his appearance you could tell he had a soft heart, and probably was at the bottom of the pecking order on the street. It was a joy to bring him into the game, show him how to play, encourage him to hit the ball and see the smile on his face. As the morning went on I had the vision of an onion, of all things. Onions have tough bitter and bruised skins, and as you peel each layer back, it becomes fresher, sweeter, and makes you cry all the more. So did these boys—below the dirt, toughness, and addiction; at their core, these were children who needed love and attention. All of them were a Matthew.

Street boys-drop in center, Kisumu



In Kenya, being young, on the street and not quick enough to evade the police will land you in prison. Children’s prison is for “offenders” younger than 15. Some have committed crimes ranging from stealing to murder. Most, having been abandoned by their families, become wards of this form of social welfare. There is no segregation by age or crime, only by gender. While the facility was clean and improvements have been made (according to Evelyn who has visited many times), the kids are locked in at night in wards with no supervision. They do receive schooling and meals but I wonder about their personal safety. Our group did have the opportunity to visit with them, take and share digital pictures, sing some songs and give a message which was interpreted by our friends from Agape ministries. In my heart I know that Christ cares deeply, loves completely, and has a plan for each of these lost kids. We are not the instrument of change but the vessel that change will occur through prayer, petition, and ongoing relationship. Pray for these kids.

"Inmates", childrens remand center







Many aid programs in Kenya are faith based, and often started by the vision of a few who are called to serve. New Life Home is an organization that serves abandoned babies. Placement at New Life occurs between birth and one year of age. They provide an adoption service and the oldest child at the home is currently 5 years. These kids are often abandoned on their door step or sent after being abandoned at a hospital or left on the street. The babies may have developmental disabilities or cerebral palsy. We were warmly welcomed, given a tour of the facility and given a chance to just play with the kids. The staffing ratio was incredible and each of the staff seemed to have a joy and pride in caring for these kids. I’ve never seen such a suspicious look from 2 year olds as those we played with in the sand box. It must have been overwhelming to see a group of giant “muzungu” (white people) descend on them. After a while they loosened up a bit and we had fun dumping sand into buckets and riding the merry go round. The best pleasures are simple. Moses has Cerebral Palsy and can barely crawl, but we had a lot of fun when I put him in a bean bag chair facing upwards and spun the chair round and round. Laughs and giggles from him; I must have gotten something in my eyes as they were a little watery.

Playtime, New Life Home

Nehimiah, living in faith

Nehemiah Miwani farm started in 2000 and has grown to include the family homes, church, a 21+head dairy herd, goat herd, machine and wood shop, equipment shed and the individual families goats, cows, and family gardens. The farm activities are focused on organic practices both in the dairy and gardens. The dairy, which generates income to sustain the farm, provides milk to its customers and is known for high quality milk and hygienic practices. The goat milk, which is more easily digested by infants, is used at Disciples of Mercy which provides care and feeding for HIV + infants or infants born of HIV/AIDS infected mothers. David Isuvi, the Kenyan herdsman, is exceptionally well trained with backgrounds in crop and dairy science as well as training in veterinary medicine. His herd is very healthy and high producing. The farm is able to meet its feed requirements through rotating crops of Napier grass and maize which are grown organically with manure, and tillage for weed control. Silage is made from corn and Napier, used as additional feed when fresh cut feed is limited. I will never look at a carton of milk in the same way after helping chop corn for silage, shovel feed, and see the hard work and management practices that are necessary for a successful dairy operation.

Where's my mama?



Caffeine, the newest Nehemiah arrival



Afternoon milking



chopping corn for sileage




The cows are milked twice a day using a vacuum milking machine. The evening milk is refrigerated and then combined with the morning’s milk and delivered fresh daily. The dairy crew was great to work with always greeting you with a smile, handshake, and a traditional greeting. It was a social event more than a necessity to walk to the dairy barn each evening to get the house milk for our use. Fresh from the cow, the milk was used whole or centrifuged, separating cream for butter, skim milk for yogurt, and made into a soft cream cheese. Our meals were from the garden and rarely included any meat. We also ate a more traditional African diet of maize flour made into a wet loaf called Ugali. Maize, beans and rice served with a green called sukuma wyki are also traditional foods.

Central to the farm is the community of faith. While things of value as measured by the world’s standard are limited, faith and trust in God’s provisions are the capstone that holds all the activities of the farm, all the relationships, and all of the outreach into the greater community together. From the moment we arrived Hanna and I were welcomed not as visitors, but as part of their family. Prayer is integral to all of the day’s activities. Prayer is not superficial or self seeking, but earnest and heartfelt. A deep and serious discussion with God for his will and his protection. It is a way of sharing burdens and uplifting each in the community.

For some the day begins at 4am for milking, but for the rest of us and the boys it begins at 6:45am for morning devotions with songs, prayer requests, words of thanksgiving and a short message. Wednesday evenings include worship and singing, and Sunday a church service. The church also serves as a place to host visiting church groups, have a community potluck which we thoroughly enjoyed one Saturday evening, and for showing a movie on the wall.

While faith is the hub of the community, outreach to the greater area is the natural expression of a desire to serve God through service. Outreach activities have, and continue to grow. Hanna and I had the great opportunity to participate in these ministries, which opened a deeper look into Kenyan life.

July 17

Nairobi to Kisumu

After travelling for 21 hours from Seattle, and spending 2 hours clearing Kenyan immigration, I joined Hanna in Kenya. A joyful reunion for sure, including a hug so hard, her nose started to bleed. Wolfgang and Heidi had kindly made the 7 hour trip from Miwani to meet her flight from Malawi, and mine from Amsterdam. As it was not safe to travel at night by road, we spent the night with Dr. Shon and Kim Remich in Nairobi. Shon is involved as a physician with the administration and accountability for HIV/AIDS funding by the US government in Africa and previously participated in malaria research in Kisumu, where he and Kim had become acquainted with Nehemiah Center. The Remich’s were wonderful hosts for my first night in Africa. Sleeping soundly, reality hit at 3 am when I woke to the chanting call to prayer from the mosque next door. I truly was in Africa!

Kenyan HOV lane


We drove the next day from Nairobi to Kisumu. It was a dance between passing vehicles, pedestrians, herdsman with their goats and cows, and dodging potholes sometimes the size of quarries. Wolfgang was an apt driver, but there were several testimonies to those less able. I saw a burned out hulk of a gasoline tanker, a newly wrecked truck with fresh mud, bent metal and broken windshield just retrieved from the ditch, and a stake bed coke truck that a passing semi had ripped the side from. Glass and broken plastic boxes everywhere. The countryside varied from the green, almost subalpine valleys of the Nairobi Highlands, to arid bottomlands of the Rift Valley. We passed Acacia trees and zebras; lakes from a distance that appear to have an algae bloom, but are actually covered with Pink flamingoes. We passed tea farms and forests. We also saw poverty, camps for displaced people from the election violence of 2008, and hawkers desperate to sell their produce along the roadside.

Kisumu is the third largest town in Kenya, on the shores of Lake Victoria. It is a commercial center for the sugarcane farming industry and home to one of the highest HIV infection rates in Kenya. The central roads are packed with people, diesel belching trucks, buses, and mattatos (minibuses). Kiosks and roadside stands are everywhere, surpassed only by garbage on the streets. The road from Kisumu to the farm was rebuilt 5 years ago. It is littered with potholes, a result of substandard design for the weight of the sugarcane trailers that take their loads to the mill, and degraded by the corruption that resulted in even less money available for the materials that were specified. This is the reality of Kenya today, but not necessarily its future.

Nehemiah International Center, Miwani farm is in a beautiful, lush valley, the floodplain of Lake Victoria. The valley is farmed by third generation Sikhs whose grandfathers came from India at the turn of the last century, to work for the British building the Trans-Kenya railroad. Sugar cane is the only crop raised commercially and a dairy farm is a previously untried venture here. To the north rises a 2,000 foot escarpment which we were to discover, is an incredibly beautiful and very different place from the valley. The valley people are Luos and those that live in the highlands, Nandi. Each has a different language and traditionally, they would raid one another’s herds, which still goes on to some degree today. There is no garbage out here. This is a subsistence culture where very few consumables are available, let alone purchased. The villages are mud huts without running water or electricity. What you eat is what you grow, or barter. Cattle and goats are hard currency. Currency for a dowry, to pay for secondary school, or medicine if you are lucky enough to see a doctor. People are visible because there are few vehicles to ride in. You walk or bicycle. Bicycles are the equivalent of delivery vans. They carry riders, firewood, charcoal for cooking, and water. They deliver milk, maize, and even coffins. Single speed, heavy; patched together. A bike is a luxury.

Kenya's future, Chebirir school




July 14-15

Narnia-African style, July 13th-14th

Lucy, Edmund, Peter, and Susan, transition from war torn England to the mysterious, parallel world of Narnia. After hiding in a wardrobe which magically becomes their conduit to a land hopeful for salvation and the restoration of truth and righteousness, they experience evil and the greatest good, both in Narnia and in themselves. So begins C.S. Lewis’ parable that tells the story of a fallen world hungry for redemption, and the defeat of evil through the death and resurrection of the lion Aslan. In journeying to Kenya this summer, it seemed as if I to had entered that wardrobe, not fully understanding the place my journey would take me, both in time and space; and within myself.

Modern Africa mirrors this parallel world Lewis wrote of. It is a place of brokenness. This is a place where people deal with poverty, tribalism, corruption, disease, and crushing need. Some have said that Africa is beyond repair and that the west would be better to simply turn its collective back to this misery. That further aid is useless, propagating more of the same tragic results. On the surface I understand this, but now, in my heart, I see a people full of hope, joy, and thankfulness. These are giving people that in a short time have taught me that authentic faith and friendship are expressed through living their lives for God and in Christ. They live simply, but abundantly. This is a story of hope and transition more than a story of defeat and hopelessness. This is the story of Nehemiah Center and Miwani farm.

Miwani Valley from Nehemiah



Nehemiah International Miwani Center and Miwani farm is a ministry of International Fellowship. Nehemiah is located in Miwani, Kisumu district, Kenya. The farm is a christian cooperative community centered around a working dairy that includes 4 Kenyan families who have opened their homes to 12 boys between the ages of 12 and 17. Some of the boys have been on the farm for over 5 years. While the boys are not adopted, they are receiving the same love and care as one would hope for in any family. Each of the families has committed to working the farm and participates in decision making around activities of their work, and contributing to each boy’s daily needs, formal education and technical training. The boys attend Kenyan school, and on the farm have responsibilities tending livestock and doing home and farm chores. Though the farm is communal as a working dairy, and in its Christian fellowship, each family has their own home and may keep their own livestock and grow a house garden which supplies the majority of their food. Additionally, there are several Kenyans who walk to the farm daily to assist in the dairy and with farm chores, but also participate in the fellowship on the farm. Wolfgang and Heidi Oecshlagel from Nurnberg, Germany are full time missionaries on the farm who also care for 3 of the boys. Part time missionaries include Evelyn and Josef Tschernek, also from Nurnberg. Jeff and Marit Krueger, their children Lexie and Katia from Bainbridge Island, Washington and Jeff’s parents, also serve in Africa part time, and work to raise support for the farm and its mission at home.

For me, Africa was a place to go someday. There was no timetable, no plan. That suddenly changed this last winter when my daughter Hanna chose to do a summer field study through Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota. Many options were available, but she chose Africa—Rwanda specifically. Hanna also looked for opportunities to extend her African stay as she felt going to Europe or other destinations more accessible could come later; but Africa was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Her decision opened many doors for her both in Africa and at home. After making the decision to go to Rwanda to study and teach, she became a “team of one”, with the help of Jeff Lander from Children of the Nations. Her 5 week stay in Rwanda was extended to another 5 weeks doing photojournalism for COTN in Malawi. At the same time Jeff and Marit Krueger announced through Cross Sound Church on Bainbridge, that they were returning to Nehemiah for a short term mission and wanted to take a team with them in July. Hanna was open to joining them and I felt blessed to have this time to experience Africa and to spend an extended time with Hanna, working and learning together. Though the decision to leave was easy, it would not have become reality without the help of my wife Bonnie, my staff, and Dr. Jennifer Ekin. Their willingness to cover my practice allowed me this incredible opportunity.