Sunday night Njokie and I left Nairobi with the Reach-a-Million worship team to go with them to Mombasa. Many people go to Mobasa because of the beaches, we went to take Justus and David to see their families. I had been told by Sammy (lead for the team) that they came from very poor families in Mombasa. And I had been told both families were struggling. The team felt that if we are ministering to many we need to also help our own team members
Some of you may remember the story of David. When we returned in January on the Peace Bus Bishop David asked us to present in the Nairobi church. We drove in from the last IDP on Sunday morning. If you remember I didn't know Sammy before he went with us on the Peace Bus. He was one of the 30 people Bishop had sent to go on the trip to Eldoret visiting the IDPs. Sammy asked me if he could sing when we did the presentation in the Nairobi church. I didn't even know Sammy could sing. And he ask me if he could have someone join him. Praise God I said yes. Sammy called this young man named David who took a bus all night from Mobasa arriving early Sunday waiting for us. At the appointed time, Sammy went to the keyboard and David took the mic and sang a song that worshipped in a way God came down from heaven. The Bishop was touched when he noticed David didn't have shoes - he was too poor even to own a pair of shoes. Sammy and David wrote a song that evening called "Pray for Peace for Kenya" and the next day he and David recorded it. Many of you have heard the song.
When Partners for Care launched Reach-a-Million and we joined sports evangelism under SN the worship team added another young man from Mombasa - Justus. Like David Justus doesn't just sing - he worships with a voice that is so powerful again you are witnessing God come down to join the worship.
I have learned the greatest joy and what brings the greatest pain is to listen to a person's story. I had been listening as David told me he was the 12th born and how poor his mother was and that his father was sick and how concerned he was for his family. I listened to Justus tell how his three older brothers died after in a Muslim area he decided to follow Christ. He told me his mother was a brewer, and an alcoholic and she and his three younger siblings were being evicted from their house. His father had left the family. His mother had no phone for him to communicate with her and Justus was relying on the good will of neighbours to tell him how his family was. He was very concerned for his mother and his younger brother and two younger sisters.
Only God knew why when He told me we must go to Mombasa to try and help these two young men's families. One of the many things I love about the people of Kenya is how they love their mums. Everyone I know here in Kenya loves their mums so much. And because so much of the older generation is poor the younger people work to help support their mums. It seems in our culture moms are giving to their children - here the younger people are working to give money to their mums. What support we are able to give to the worship team they send to their mums. I see that they will do without places to live themselves, new clothes, even food so they can send money to their mums. They make sacrafices for their mums. It also seems they are not ok unless they know their mums are ok.
First we went to David's home. We followed all the cultural traditions of this area. His mother is a believer but his father is not. His father is very old, ill and has a second wife. They wanted the guys to slaughter a goat It is a great honor to be given a goat. While that part was hard for Njokie and I we didn't interfere with tradition. They then roasted the goat for our meal later that night. They prepared chapati and tea for us. When you sit to eat the family doesn't join you - David served as the family representative. After you eat the family is brought in for introductions and at that time you can talk.
David's mother, through interpretation, told us how with David gone to Nairobi the whole village missed him. The voice of David was now silent in their village. She told him and us how she missed him so very much. He was the one son who helped her the most. He was her last born and she loved him so. You could feel how David was struggling to hear that and see the pain of his mum.
David (bottom left) with his familyWe then walked to Justus' house. We would return later to David's for roasted goat.
We walked through the trees, down a footpath to Justus' village. These villages where David and Justus live are a collection of little mud-like small homes without electricity or running water. As we approached Justus' home children were running to greet him. Justus called them all by name. He told me he was their Sunday school teacher and their music teacher. The children were delighted to see Justus. Neighbours were calling out to him welcoming him home.
Justus' mother is a very frail and small pretty woman with very sad eyes - Rachael is her name. I sat with her on the wooden bench outside a small home where the children lived. It is a home Justus built. Rachael slept in a small little place that Njokie said was like a chicken coop. I held her hand and even though I couldn't speak her language she knew I cared.
The church was right behind and we walked to see Justus' church. The whole team was touched as Justus told us this church building was more than a church - due to all the problems in his mother's home and the Muslims he slept in the church on the wooden benches for three years.
Sammy, George and Njokie began talking with neighbours to understand what was happening with Justus' family. The property was owned by a Muslim woman who wanted Justus' siblings to help her like slaves and she also was taking the brew from his mum without paying. She wanted the children evicted because they wouldn't help her but she wanted the mum to stay so she could have the brew.
We met a Christian family living next to the church who agreed to help. The team developed a plan to rent a house for the mum and children and move her. The team would pay her rent and help start a small buisness. There are many things she can sell in this tourist town of Mombasa. She would have to give up brewing if Justus was going to move her and help her start a new life. She agreed as she was tired of the life she was living.
We all walked back to the house and it was very moving when Justus took his guitar and led the village children in singing Remember Me. When I asked Justus if he would be taking his guitar back to Nairobi with us he told me he was leaving it for the church group to use. Justus' voice was once again heard in this village to the delight of all the neighbours.
The plan was to leave the money with this Christian neighbour who would help them move. After Rachael is settled and she has stopped brewing the team will help her with a small buisness.
It was now dark - and there were no lights you could turn on. I told Justus I wanted to speak to his mum before we left. My plans were just to reassure her Justus was doing well. God had a different plan. I wanted to sit outside on the wooden bench again but Justus led me inside the small house and asked me to sit on the bed. His mother sat beside me and his brother and sisters huddled around. Taking his mum's hand I asked her if she knew Jesus as her personal savior. Justus interpretted for us. She said no. I told her I was there because of Jesus love for me and for her. I asked her if she wanted to accept Christ as her personal savior - to be born again. She said yes. I asked George to come in and pray for her leading her to Christ. In the dark with only a small light George knelt and held her hands as she received the gift that will transform her life. I asked the children if they were born again and they are.
Justus (center) and his familyJustus then gave his only pair of shoes to his brother who had no shoes. The rest of the team joined us to celebrate the new beginning for Justus' family. Justice gave his sister his phone so he could communicate with them. Justus asked the children if they had school uniforms. They have one they share. One wears the top and one wears the bottom.
It was so clear that these two young men that God has gifted with a talent to sing and write songs were the best these mums had in a village so poor. Justus wrote the song Remember Me in the house where his mum had just accepted Christ. The team is committed to grow as a music group that can impact others for the kingdom. They are committed to Reach-a-Million with the message of the gospel and HIV prevention to help create a HIV-free generation.
Praise God for the blessing of understanding these two young men's story.
In kibera slum the day before Bishop David preached the story of the Isralites when God saw their suffering, heard their cries and came down. Here in a small villagge in Mombasa, Kenya God saw their suffering, heard their cries and came down.
Blessed to watch kenyans care and reach others for Christ, Connie
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