Battling Circumsion

In my last entry I left you hanging as to our last ministry vision idea. It is a daunting task, as I will explain.

This vision is the most important and in some ways the most dangerous. The Kuria do male and female circumcision during the month of April. Most tribes have an initiation process into adulthood. These almost always involve witchcraft of some kind and often include a sexual initiation. We are not sure of all that is involved with the Kuria's tradition but we know one thing - it is more evil than most.

Whereas some witchcraft is usually involved, we feel that the Kuria traditions are much more tied to Satanic rituals. I will tell you why we think that. The Kuria people have different clans and not every clan circumcises every year. The leaders of each clan come together at a certain place at a river. They place food offerings on the ground and then turn and leave for a little while. When they return, whoever's food was eaten are the clans that can circumcise.

Then the highest ranking boy from each clan comes to that sacred place in the river. They go under the water and when they come up they have been circumcised. The pastor who was telling us about this truly believes that this happens. He is a strong man of God that we highly respect. I am not sure what to believe, except that I believe Satan has the power to do it.

There is another story, one even more scary. A female government official who was not Kuria came to this region and began trying to enforce the laws against female circumcision. One night the spirits came while she was sleeping and circumcised her. She left immediately. Was this Satan or was she drugged and attacked? I cannot say. I just know that it is evil.

Our plan is to create an initiation process that glorifies the Lord. It would be a time when the boys or girls are gathered together and taken through a time that signifies the entrance into adulthood. This would include some physical tasks as well as teaching Biblical principles about being a man or woman of God.

Our process would start with bringing this to our pastors, gathering together other evangelical pastors, and bringing in teachers from places where it has been done successfully. We would then look at our particular people group and make a plan that would be the most meaningful.

This is risky business because it is where Satan reigns over these people. Breaking this could be a huge breakthrough in reaching the Mara area.

Please continue to pray for us. Bathe this in prayer. We have not yet taken these ideas to our pastors, but hope to do so soon.

Blessings.

Vision

Well, it has certainly been a time lately! We have had some great praises - our crate arrived! That has made us quite busy, but in a wonderful way. We have put together shelves and finally starting unpacking boxes! We even have an armoire and hung up clothes! It's amazing! There are quite a few stories of how Africa works - or doesn't - with all this, but I won't bore you with that.

We had a great meeting with the Eastern clusters. During that time, God began to show me a vision for our ministry and I want to share that with you so that you can be praying with us.

One thing we have not done is worked on a people group world view. This is done by surveying random people as you drive through the area and ask questions about their life and beliefs. Examples of questions might be: Do you believe in a single god or many? Who do you worship? What is love to you? What does friendship mean to you? These questions can give us important insight as to how we communicate the gospel.

Another idea that I feel God is leading us to is providing clay water pots that clean water for drinking to some of the people in the neighborhoods around our two town churches. These pots are made by local people in Kenya. As water seeps from the original pot to a second pot it is cleaned enough to be drinkable. This project would communicate the love and concern of our Baptist churches to the community and create a more known presence. Baptist are almost unheard of in this area and we need to communicate who we are and why we are here. Of course, an important part of this project would be deciding who would receive the pots. We would probably focus on older people and ones who are taking care of orphaned family members.

The last idea that God has led me to is the most important and, in some ways, the most intimidating. I will tackle that one in my next entry as it is a long explanation.

Please be in prayer for us as we approach our pastors with these ideas. If they agree then we will begin to make plans to proceed. Pray for our wisdom in all these decisions and that God will use our every action to His glory.

Blessings.

Discouragement vs. Gratefulness

This has been a difficult few weeks. That is one of the reasons why I have not updated the blog. When I am discouraged I turn inward and have a hard time communicating, which is not good because that is when I need prayer the most.

It has seemed as if everything conspires against us. The littlest tasks become long, drawn-out challenges because something breaks or can't be gotten in town. Ministry tasks are thwarted by sickness or flat tires. All the little things build up and even the normal annoyances that we live with become great burdens to bear. These sound like little things, but when you are thwarted, frustrated, and downright blocked on every side it becomes too much to bear. And there were some quite larger disappointments and struggles which I cannot share so publically.

And I started wishing we could just go home. I think that in the last month I have wanted to give up more than I have since our first term - and that is a very normal first term reaction to all the major adjustments of living here. For the first time I have truly regretted moving from our beloved (though also annoying at times) Malawi. I have been pushed to the point of asking God what more He expects of me, how He could possibly ask any more of me, how He expects me to make it.

Then He, also, conspired against me, but for my good. A dear lady wrote concerning my last blog - where I waxed eloquent about a thankful heart. I was reminded that this is foundational to me, to what I believe, to how I manage to make my way through life.

My Bible reading was then a mild scolding.

 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. Romans 8:18

For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. Romans 8:24-25

But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, "Why did you make me like this?" Romans 9:20

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12

I could go on with the verses. This is also where Paul talks about missionary call, how can they believe if they have not heard? So, basically, God told me to get over it. I cannot fathom the mind of God. That is not my place. It is my place to glorify Him in my life through thanksgiving and through doing the task He has set our hands to do. Even if the task is hard. Even if it is impossible - for nothing is impossible with God.

The more positive voice would say, "I can't wait to see how God is going to overcome in these situations." I sometimes have a hard time being positive. Right now it feels as if we are buried under an avalanche. But the cornerstone is that God is good. I am blessed. I can't forget that.

If you think of us, pray that we would pursue thankful hearts, for it is a choice. Pray also for protection against all the things that drag us down, especially ongoing illness. And pray for our children. The two at boarding school are extremely content. They have so many wonderful things in their lives. The youngest will homeschool at least another year. For reasons that I can't share here, she is not ready to go to boarding school. And yet, this is also a great trial because there is nothing for her at home and she is often very unhappy. Our children are a higher priority than ministry, and yet they also sacrifice.

But God has also promised through many rich verses in Isaiah that He will love and take care of our children.

In all things we will remain thankful. Any other way leads to death of the spirit.

Blessings.