Some news from Pokot

Hello again...

I will try to write a little bit about whats happening here in Pokot. We are very busy and have been doing so much lately that I can’t tell you about everything. Yesterday was a very special day though, and here is something I wrote yesterday, but I didn’t get to go on my blog to post it then.
I have to tell you about today. We were supposed to participate in a youth camp in a small village called Kongolai. We prepared everything and packed our stuff and then drove over there. But when we got there, there was no youth camp. They had cancelled everything without informing us, this is not unusual in the African culture.

So instead we decided to go back home. But on the way we stopped next to a big river. We have never gone swimming other places than swimming pools here in Kenya. But it was so warm and we were planning to wade in the water. But it ended up that we all were soaking wet, and we also had a water fight with the local African children that were washing themselves in the river. It was so much fun! And people gathered together to watch these crazy wazungus(white people). The river was not deep at all, maybe 2 feet, and Im sure it looked very funny.

But it came something good out of it. We decided to sing some Christian songs for the people that had stopped by the river. And then we gave them a little free “flyer” about Christmas. But they didn’t leave after that. They started asking us to preach for them. So a little bit later I was standing on the back of our land rover and preaching about the lost sheep, and how Jesus is the shepherd. Many times I feel that I get courage to do things that I wouldn’t imagine myself doing. And it wasn’t a very small crowd either. Someone counted to more than 150people. So we really feel that God is using us were we are.

There is a sad thing going on close to where we are. There is a mountain called Mt Elgon were there is a civil war. There are people inside of a tribe that is fighting against each other. And it has gotten so bad that people had to escape and run away from their homes. Two of the evangelist of ELCK(the evangelical Lutheran church in Kenya) which is the church we cooperate with, lived in this area. And one week ago the police burned down their property and the whole village is destroyed.

So these two evangelist and their families are now refugees here close to were we live. And some of their kids have been really sad because of everything that has happened. We have been praying for them for a long time, and today we got an idea. We decided to invite them over for some food. And it was amazing, they were so thankful, you should have seen their faces! We made waffles, and had crackers, fruit and lots of candies. And these poor people have lost everything. They only have one bag of clothes, one bag of food and a few other things. Someone has helped them to find a small cottage where they can stay for a while. But they are really trusting God. And the first thing they said when they came, was that God had a plan for them, and that it was maybe his plan that the youth camp was cancelled. I think it’s amazing to see people that have run away from their homes, and have nothing, but they praise God for everything. They are so thankful for his protection, and believe that he will still take care of them, no matter what. We really have something to learn from them.

Well… I could write and write. There is so much to tell. Most of all I wish you could be here and see everything for yourselves.
Everyday we see new things and meet nice people.

Last week we went on a hike to a mountain. That was very cool, and we had such a great time. It was amazing to sit up in the mountains at nighttime and see the moon rise, and all the stars above. We also saw the sun rise over the plains, and it kind of reminded me of Lion king.

We also went to a dessert area, and me and another girl had fun looking for scorpions.

Hello...

Hello everybody!
Im not dead... but it’s hard to get on the internet. There is only one line, and often it doesn’t work, or it is so very slow, that it takes 2 minutes to open one email So that’s why I m not writing a lot. We are also very busy. In the weeks we have bible study from 8am- lunch. And in the afternoons or evenings we go different places, to help the missionaries, to see something special or just to the town were there is a marked and you can buy the most necessary things. Wherever we go, people point at us an call us “Mzungu”, which means white person. Lots of children yell “Haavearyou” we almost feel like famous people. It was very funny in the beginning, but we are starting to get more annoyed by it. You can blend in with the mass anywhere. Our white skin is drawing lots of attention.

We have also experienced the African daily life. Last weekend 5 from my group(me included) when out into the mountains with one of the missionaries. It was kind of a seminar where the local people learned about Jesus, but they also teach the women about their rights. Another important subject is health and how to avoid common diseases. After it got dark we put up a generator, projector and video player, and then they could watch the Jesus movie in their own language. It was amazing. About 300 people gathered in a small classroom to watch movies. They were almost sitting on top of each other. This was in a village were there is no electricity or running water(in the houses). It’s amazing to see how they live with so little. They are very poor, but they are full laughter and joy. These people are thirsting after the message of Jesus. We are selling books, and they are crazy about them. It is so special to see how much Jesus means to them. They are almost fighting to have a testimony at the Sunday services. Everybody wants to tell about their saviour.

One fantastic thing that I just have to mentions from our trip up in the mountains is the sky of stars. It was just amazing to lie in the grass and look up at the million of lights. With no electricity in miles around, it’s just increadible!

I hope all of you are doing well. Im am thinking about you, even though you don’t hear so much from me these days.

Mungu akubariki…. Means May God bless you

Aud is out of web accessible

This is the big sister, trying to reach the world trough the NORWEIRDO. On Auds permisson I am telling you the news from her stay in Pokot. There are not much hearing, just trough sms. But this is the lates news:

They have left Nairobi to spend some weeks in Pokot. She told me by a few words about traveling trough the Great Rift Valley. And now they are in the highland of Kenya.

To day I got a message that they met som very interesting carnivore ants. And they also ate some other fried bugs. Thats right. Delicious...

They are having busy days and a lot of things to do. Tomorrows program lasts from 7am to 9 pm...

She hopes to be on the web soon.
God bless you all.

Dorthea Eriksen

Kawangware

Yesterday we went to the slum areas in Nairobi for the first time. We went to a church called Kawangware Lutheran Church, where they had a presentation of their work for us. They told us about their youth ministries, their rehabilitations program, nursery school and their HIV\AIDS program. It was very interesting. But nothing compare to meeting all the kids there. They were smiling and wanted to play with us all the time. Even when we were in church, they wanted to sit on our laps. It’s hard to think about their past and future. These are kids with little hope in a big city, where there are lots of homeless people. Nairobi is a city with big differences. You can drive 5min from the slum areas, and you’ll find luxurious houses with big fences. They even put broken glass and lots of electricity to protect their property. Im sure it’s necessary, because everyone would try to get in if not.


But back to the Kawangware slum, we were visiting and were supposed to eat with them…We had decided to give them a meal as a thank you for letting us come. But we were so confused when it was time for lunch. They had made a super nice delicious meal for us, with white tablecloths and really nice food. And there we were, supposed to help the poor and share and play with them. But instead they made the best food they could provide for us. It shows us a whole lot about African culture and kindness. Even when they don’t have anything at all, they share whatever they can. It made us feel bad, but we had to eat, or else they would be very disappointed and offended. But it made us all think about the big differences in this world. We rich people are sitting there eating from an almost royal table, while the children right outside the door are looking in with a hungry look. Oh, how I wish I could have gone out there picked up a child and let that girl or boy, take my seat at that table.


But at least we got to play a lot with the kids. And I think that made their day. We also sang some songs for them… And the different groups in the church were singing for us.

There was also a very special case at the church. A older sister came running with her baby sibling. This baby was very sick because of AIDS, and the parents didn’t see the needs of baptizing the infant. So because this baby was dying, they baptized her in the name God Almighty, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

Even though we saw a lot of bad things today, we saw that it really helps. This church is doing a lot for the orphans, youths and HIV affected people in this area. Jesus is there for everyone, and he is their only hope. I read this verse for the kids in church today, and I think it’s a very important verse.

Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them. Jesus said, “Let the small children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Matt 19,13-14.

I hope and pray that we can be a tool to bring kids and grown ups around the world closer to him, and that we are not rebuking them because of our wealth and their poorness.

Twiga=giraffe in swahili

We went to a giraffe park, where you could feed the giraffe. I will let the pictures speak for themselves...