Spirit of stupid?

So, I'm back in Kenya now. Flew in at 4:30am and I'm at the airport in Nairobi waiting for my flight to Kitale at 4:00pm. 7 1/2 hours down...4 to go.

Italy was great. I spent 4 days in Rome and 4 days in Florence. It definitely wasn't long enough either. I'm totally beat from walking like 6 hours a day and Capoeira classes at night. I've got to go through the pictures still so I'll talk a little more about the trip when I get the photos up.

I'd like to share what's really been on my mind since I landed in Kenya. Everything I do here is more difficult than it should be. Communication with people is probably the worst of them all. It's not just when I try to communicate with people. Every missionary I talk to says the same thing. And it not just us white folk that experience it. Noah, being Kenyan himself also has trouble communicating with many other Kenyans. Common sense, rational thinking and good judgment all seem to be clouded. There's so much fear of everything here. The people are very religious. The corruption is very bad and poverty runs rampant. There's drought and famine. I hear many stories of brutal killings and tribal wars. Witchcraft and other demonic African religions are still practiced here and I know contribute to the problems. I won't even get into all the crazy stories about witchcraft that I've heard.

I'm convinced there is a spirit, or spirits, that have a tight grip on this country. I want to find out what they and how they came to have this grip on the land so I know how to fight them affectively. I guess I need to start by talking to people and learning the history of the area. When the strongholds are discovered we'll cut off the head. You can fight with me. Please do.

I met an Angel on the streets of Rome...

It was almost midnight and I was walking back to my B&B after an awesome capoeira class. I passed a man on the street and when we greeted he relized I speak English. His name is Angel and he left Bulgaria to try and find work elswhere. While trying to get to his friends in Italy ran out of money. He was just wandering the streets. I was able to bless him with engough money for a place to stay and his train fare. I asked Angel if he knew Jesus and he said that he does. I prayed for him, told him how much his Heavenly father loves him, and blessed him as we parted ways.

I was quite overwhelmed and slightly agoraphobic when I arrived here yesterday. So far things have been great and I'm really loving it. I found a great capoeira class that I really enjoyed. Well, I'm of to see the sight's now. Bye!

Well it's 3:30am and I'm sitting in the airport sipping on a cup of Java House coffee while waiting for my flight at 4:50. I'm pretty stoked about going to Italy but it's kind of a bummer I'm traveling alone. Hopefully I can hook up with some capoeiraistas while I'm there.
I've always wanted to check out Italy. I'm stoked I get my chance. The art and architecture there is incredible. I don't know what all the Lord has in store for me but he's the one that's leading me to Italy so I know it's gonna be good. Globe hoppin with the Holy Ghost. Should be fun!
I'll be spending 3 days in Rome and 4 in Florence. I thought about going to Venice but it sounds like it's just a fancy sewer. Have any suggestions? Let me know.

2009 so far so...fine...

Well I've got to leave the country. January 23rd my visa expires so I'm gonna get out of Africa for about a week. It's looking like I'll be headed to Europe. Actually my visa expired November 28 but I couldn't leave then cuz I had a team coming in from the States. I was illegal for a week, got a week extension, illegal for another week, then got a month extension. I gotta get out 'fore they kick me out. I'm thinkin' Rome...

The houses are looking great. We need to fab and install our cabinets, finish the counter tops, paint and install our fixtures. Tedious stuff.

Ryan got robbed in Nairobi a couple of days ago. It's a long story but I'll give you the gist. He's alone at night and three guys jump out of a car and stick guns to his head. They took 2 Iphones, his laptop, documents, basically everything he had. He flagged down some college kids in a car and they took him to the police station. Apparently these guys would hijack a car and at gunpoint make the person drive around while they would jump out and rob people. They hijacked a few different cars and robed over a dozen people that night. There was also a report of someone being shot.

On a lighter note...I got a new German Shepherd puppy yesterday. She's going to be a guard dog at our compound. I've forgotten how much work these little things are. Since I started typing this blog she peed in one room and pooped in another. Yes...Bud and Kim...in your house...but don't worry it wasn't on any of the carpets :)

Back to reality...

Not that my reality is a bad thing. Just difficult. Before I came here I pictured it being like a working vacation. Not even close...this is the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. Nothing is easy here.
Having the team here and hanging out with my brother really reminded me of all the comforts and conveniences I had begun to forget about. It's a good thing though. I realized how numb I had become to so many things. Things that I wanted to change for the better but instead they've just become an accepted part of my surroundings over the past 7 months.

Well, my brother is on a plane headed home, so I'm back to work. It was so great getting to hang out with him, especially this last week in Kitale. For the first time since I've been here I was able to forget about my work for a little while. Now I'm back home and remembering everything I still have to do. I just have to remember, one thing at a time...

I'm planning to move into a bedroom in one of the houses either today or tomorrow. My own space...finally...No working plumbing yet but I've got electricity, peace and quiet. I can hardly wait! By the way, Kenyan television programs and gospel music really suck. Oh, sorry...no offense to you Kenyans...it just isn't my cup of chai.

First thing on the "To Do" list:
Pictures! It has taken me most of the day to get these things uploaded. Like I said, nothing is easy here. Enjoy!

This past week...

has been AMAZING! Nairobi was a lot of fun. I usually can't stand Nairobi but it was nice to be in the "modern" civilization for a little while. The accommodations at the Hampton house were amazing. I got to eat tons of American style food...amazing. Hanging out with the team was...amazing. Everything was...okay, all together now...AMAZING!

The team went to a little revival meeting at a church in Nairobi. I had a messed up ankle so I spent most of the meeting at the hospital. When I did finally make it I could barely walk into the building with my cane. I felt the healing anointing as I entered the church. One of the ladies from our team grabbed me and started praying for my ankle. Right away I felt the swelling go down and I ditched the cane because I could now walk just fine. We had shoulder, back and hip pains and many other conditions healed. There was even a lady that had tumors in her abdomen disappear.

TheCall had some discouraging parts and some really incredible parts. The kids that Joylyn brought were by far the best part for me. To watch these kids pray is just, well, I only have tears to describe it. The kids went into the crowd to pray for people. I saw the Spirit begin moving in an area of the crowd so I had one of the leaders bring the children over. As the kids walked through the crowd people just started falling over. One lady almost took out a couple of the girls. I could go on and on about theses kids but I'm gonna stop here. I've got like over a hundred pictures of little kids praying for people.

We've got a lot going on in the next week. We're working on the houses, drilling our well,attending a huge children's event and all the other little things that seem to pop up every day.

Sometimes creative titles are just hard to think of

Dang! A month since my last post? That baby coffin thing was way to heavy to leave up there for a month.

I've just been stupid busy trying to get one of these houses to the point where it can be lived in. I feel like it's "Extreme Makeover Home Edition" and we've come down the the final moments before the the family arrives. Except I don't have a bus so I think I'll have to park a cow in front of the house. "Farm hand! Move that cow!" OK, so I thought I was funny. Unfortunately, I'm the only one that gets my jokes here. I'm close but still not where I was hoping to be. I got power but no plumbing yet. At least the team will get the "true African experience" by pooping in a hole and bathing from a bucket. I've actually come quite fond of the "squatty potty". I think we need some in the States.

Heading to Nairobi tomorrow morning. I'm hoping to catch a capoeira class in the eventin. Can't wait to see the team. The Expression 58 team arrives tomorrow and the Dinuba crew on Thursday. TheCall is on Saturday so we'll have a couple days to experience the madness that is Nairobi.

I need to sort through some pics so I can get some more up. If you're like me, the pictures are my favorite part of a blog.C