Where In The World Are You Going?

I used to hear my momma ask that question when I was trying to sneak out of the house at night.

The answer that I would give never passed the test. I was always sent back to my place of origination... waiting for another opportunity to sneak away.

Today, that question has a different meaning...

"Where... in the world... are you going?"

Africa! That's where I'm going.

Wyandotte County, Kansas! That where I'm going.

My children's room! That's where I'm going.

That secret place... to be along with God. That's where I'm going.

As I get to where I'm going... I pray that all God has gifted into my personality... will touch lives for the Kingdom. According to Acts 1:8... I pray that you and I be able to be witnesses of His grace and glory in Jerusalem (at home) in Judea (the community)... in Samaria  (our enemy's place)... and to the ends of the earth.

Where... in the world... are you going?

God Speed

Golden Davis

Homeward Bound

It is 8:40 am London time as we wait for our flight to the US. Debi and I have been traveling since 10:30 yesterday morning and still have 11 hours of flying ahead of us. We are caught in the waves of adrenalin and exhaustion but look forward to being in our house tonight.

It has been a privilege to share this adventure over the blog. Obviously, words and pictures cannot completely capture the reality of such a journey. In fact, we are certain that the full impact of all that we have experienced will not be known for days, if not weeks, to come. It may even take a lifetime to truly appreciate the gift of the past few weeks.

Thank you again for your prayers and encouragement during this time away. Our trip may be coming to an end but the work related to the two orphan villages is just beginning. We hope to return in October with a larger group to continue the process of changing lives ... and having ours changed as well.

Blessings to all.

Chuck and Debi Wolfe

BLOG UPDATE

There may be a hiatus in the blog for a few days. Jim, Heather and Golden leave this morning to return to the States while Chuck and Debi stay on for a couple of days with Peter and Emma Maseko. Internet access will be limited if available at all. We will post more pictures when we return. Pray for safe travels. It was an unbelievable experience and one we look foward to sharing with everyone in person! Above are some pictures from our arrival in Malawi.

Blessings,

Chuck

Our Daily Bread

Today was spiritually surreal.

It started with seeing the property where the Pothawira Orphan Village will be located. Consisting of approximately 50 acres, it is our hope that this beautiful parcel of land will one day contain 32 homes, a medical clinic/birthing center, a church/primary school, and a boarding secondary school. We prayed over the land and celebrated the gift from God that it is and will be.



We then engaged in the "Salima Spiritual Life Tour," where we visited 5 of the 12 churches that Peter Maseko oversees. (We had stopped by 2 of the churches yesterday enroute from the airport). Each church provided a special blessing through the encouragement and fellowship with their members. Some of these churches were in extreme remote locations, accessed through a maze of dirt roads washed out by the seasonal rains and rutted by the wheels of oxen carts. Goats and chickens scattered in every direction through fields of cotton and maize as we rolled into each tiny village of straw huts and a simple church.

That's when the pandemonium would begin. One child would yell to announce our arrival and what seemed like the entire village would run to the church to greet us in song and celebration. This experience was repeated over and over, each time in a slightly different manner, but always with the same effect. We were honored and humbled to receive such a welcome.




As we left one village, the children sang a beautiful song. We asked Peter what it meant and he replied "When we get to heaven, there will be manna."



This expression of faith is not taught in seminary or found in a how to book. It is a gift of the Holy Spirit, such that despite their meager possessions and limited opportunities, they have found contentment and joy in life. So even if they don't have daily bread here on earth, they understand that their Heavenly Father will provide manna in heaven.

I pray that we might have such an understanding of God's love and compassion.

The Pope of Malawi

I'm not much of a pastor...in fact, I need a new job description! I've seen the MAN, and his name is Peter! Let me just give you some of the facts about Pastor Peter: He's a trained physician who works full time at the State Hospital in Salima. He pastors 12 (that's TWELVE) little churches that are spread out all over God's great creation. He speaks 6 different languages. He has single-handedly bought up 50 acres of land for our orphan project and developed a compelling Non Government Organization (leadership team) to oversee the project. He has raised 8 (thats EIGHT!) children, all of whom are BEAUTIFUL and successful as doctors, accountants, pastors, etc. His wife Emma is also beautiful and the matriarch of the entire community. She spent last weekend so far out in the bush that it took us an hour of dirt roads to get there. She was teaching over 200 women about the Bible and leading them to full discipleship. They would meet till 2 a.m., sleep till 5 a.m., then resume the meetings following breakfast.

Did I mention that Peter and Emma just adopted an infant that was abandoned in a plastic bag and left for dead. So that's 9: 8 girls and one boy! That baby stays with Emma all day; she has infinite patience and grace.

Every little church we went to had 40-100 people. They all welcomed us with singing and dancing, smiles, handshakes and love. When Peter spoke, it was so quiet one wondered if people were even breathing. Peter and Emma are fully devoted...I've got some growing to do.

I can't wait to share more with Colonial on Sunday.

Blessings,
Jim

Aslan is in the Land

It is a strange sensation when one experiences the twin emotions of fear and awe at the same time. Perhaps it is at the moment a 777 loaded with passengers and jet fuel leaves the ground and you wonder if, then how it can fly. Or maybe it is when your child is born and your heart leaps for joy at the sight of new life but you are anxious to know everything is okay.

Or if you happen to be in a national park in Africa at dusk, this inner conflict might occur when you come face to face with a male lion, like we did the other night.

In the world of safari, this is the utlimate experience. We stumbled upon this lion and a lionness as we were leaving the park. He stared at us for minutes with a deep, penetrating glare that revealed both his strength and power from which you want to retreat as well as a majestic calm to which you are magnetically drawn. It was possibly a once in a lifetime encounter.

In reflecting back on this night, I can't help but think of Joe Knittig's sermon at Colonial a couple of weeks ago entitled "Aslan is in the Land." If you have not heard it, you can watch the video here. Based on C.S. Lewis' classic The Lion, the Witch and The Wardrobe, his message was a tremendously powerful explanation and illustration of why we are here in Africa to work with orphaned and abandoned children. God is on the move. There is a deeper magic at work in the lives of many individuals, churches and organizations to embrace this cause.

Orphan care is intimidating because the need is so great.

It is life changing because God is even greater.

Shalom,

Chuck

Home

Take a moment to think about the goods and services that are available to the residents of Makuru Shanti. Today, I stand convicted of referring to them as slums. While there I visited two of the apartments. They were both very well kept, decorated and clean. Both places were about the size of an average deck or restroom. In both homes, there were two rooms. A living room, complete with television and something to sit on and a bed room. A single sheet separated the living room from the bed room -- As is the case with most people you meet for the first time, I was not invited to view the bed room-- I wonder why?

Now. Think for a moment about the decisions you have made that have landed you where you are right now. Think about your community, your town or village, think about your home and hometown. While I'm sure there have been trying times -- that place and those times are still home... and while we know there are more sexier places to live, home gives us something intrinsic. Something higher. God provides home for His creation... those of us who can provide homes for ourselves. And for those who cannot provide for themselves... we work to provide for them. As for the residents of Makuru

When you visit the Makuru Edition of Nairobi, Kenya... you'll probably leave there as I did. Convicted of the thought that I had somehow achieved a higher class or status. No. You'll see that they have something that most Americans long for -- TRUE community. That's Common Unity... community!

By the way, of all the amenities, the goods and services -- there stands in the middle of this community... a small church.

This church has the heart to care for the children who have no parents... the orphans. They sang for us... and as they sang... I asked God to grant me the privilege to leverage my influence and resources to join their ranks... even from America. Come... join me.

Golden Davis, Sr. 

In The Fullness Of Time

It has been said that sometimes in life... you pick the time. And at other times... time pick you. I think time picked us for this one. We met a man today who on his 50th wedding anniversary donated 2 1/2 acres of land to the local PCEA church. That happen 20 years ago! Twenty years to bring about a golden anniversary wish. Land in Africa is expensive. It happened that God set into motion a series of set ups and set backs to bring about a ceremonial ground breaking that I was a part of today. It is estimated that 500,ooo people live in the Makuru Shanti Edition of Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya. 

Makuru is the second largest of such communities in all of Africa... and the largest in the nation of Kenya. It has, among other amenities, butcher shops, bakeries, barber shops, beauty shops, shoe shine parlors, car washes, laundry mats, fast food vendors, television access, mass transit excess, utilities, and even monthly rental payments... and they call it home... as well they should!

A man's dream gift to his wife... a chance for two churches on two different continents to move... and a man from Hilton Head, North Carolina.

Golden Davis, Sr.

Poor Americans

Just a note before my blog: Thank YOU for praying this week. I felt a lot of prayers going up on my behalf on Saturday night (8 p.m. our time, noon your time) as the LORD led me to delete my planned sermon and start over! The message came, and I believe it was what the LORD appointed me to communicate. I was a tortured soul for the 48 hours leading up to that time, so again, thanks for praying! I'm grateful for Heather's hard work, and the steel nerves of our tech team at Colonial for pulling that off. It's never as easy as we hope it's going to be!

Now, for some thoughts that have been building up this week...

It happens to me every time I come to Africa...I don't want to leave.

And it’s not because it’s so beautiful here…although it’s breathtaking, particularly in Malawi where we are now. And it’s not because the people are so nice…though they are the NICEST people on the planet.

It’s because I see God here in a way that moves my soul. I see God in the passion and the sincere faith of Africans that I rarely see in America, or in myself for that matter. We have much to learn from a Christ-centered life that has escaped the film of materialism. We have much to learn of what it means to be a community. We have much to learn about what it means to care for one’s neighbor. We have much to learn about the quality of human life as it relates to any particular standard of living.

Today I stood in a hand made, 10x14’ building made of bricks and mud with a tin roof. The benches of the church came right out of the ground, again made of bricks and mud. The church family consisted of 20 small children and a few older children who had waited for “the visitors” for 5 hours. When we arrived, they greeted us warmly, shook our hands, and then sang a song of praise in their native tongue that was the most powerful, beautiful music I have ever heard. I realized that again, in spite of all I’ve learned this past week and on former trips, I had judged these people because they had no shoes and live in mud huts. The truth is, I was the student, they were my gracious and patient teachers, and God was instructing me to expand my world view to include His powerful presence in the faces and voices of those who are His beloved children.

There is no correlation between joy and a high standard of living…I’m convinced of it. Those who live with little have discovered the truth of contentment: simplicity and dependency upon the Living Lord. You would have to see and hear it to fully understand it. Inevitably I come away from such experiences wondering if I have not missed what life was always intended to be because I’m so wrapped up in the complexity of materialism, institutions, and hectic-manic days. The difference is also clearly marked in the power of community. Community happens naturally and powerfully every day for the Africans; it’s something that we find draining and difficult. The power of living in community is a richness and fullness that God intended for each of us to enjoy. As Americans, we have traded in that commodity for home entertainment systems, Direct TV, and our recliners. We bypass relationships for our obessession to work hard, gain financial independence, so that one day we can have time to have friends and enjoy our lives. Something's wrong with that picture.

Americans may have more money and stuff, but when the scales of joy and contentment are applied to our two cultures, I suspect the average American would be found quite lacking in comparison to the average African; at least as Christians are compared and concerned.

By the way, as we were ready to leave, a teenage boy strolled up with grilled whole field mice on a stick—about 20 of them. Turns out grilled mice are a delicacy for these folks who have so little. We bought the mice…for the kids in the church! My faith is growing—but I’m not ready for mice cream!

Keep praying!
Jim

Goodbye Kenya, Hello Malawi

It is 11:59 pm in Nairobi and our ride for the airport comes in six hours. We will be leaving Kenya and heading to Malawi in the morning. There is still much to say about our four days in this beautiful country, but since I still need to pack and get some sleep, here are only a couple of highlights from the day:

• We worshipped with our brothers and sisters today at Bahati Martyrs church. It was an incredible experience of praise, prayer, and celebration ... it was an Encounter! I am sure the others will share more about it later.
• The technical transmission did not go perfectly. But God is good and we hope you still enjoyed it and were blessed! The fact we were able to transmit anything was a miracle given 1) there is not a single fiber optic cable in this country (they are getting it this year) 2) the electricity went out in the middle of the service and we switched to a manual generator with no lights in the church (a common occurrence with Kenya electricity) and 3) the transmission point for uploading the video file was fluctuating like the stock market in terms of capacity and power. Three cheers to Heather Bass for pulling a McGyver and doing what she did!
• We had a great meeting with the Session of the church to discuss the next steps in the project. They will be a good partner for Colonial Global Oprhan Project.
• Finally, we did a quick safari at the Nairobi National Park and saw the basic wildlife until we were leaving at dusk ... we saw four lions, including a large male who was resting alongside the road less than 6 feet from our vehicle. It was phenomenal! Golden got some great pictures and we will post them in the slideshow tomorrow.

Blessings and peace to our friends and friends. We appreciate your prayers and encouragement during our journey.

Until Malawi,

Chuck Wolfe

Field of Dreams

If we build it, they will come.

You have probably noticed my movie theme this week. I'm not sure why but it seems to fit.

Field of Dreams rolled out in theaters in 1989. It is the story of a farmer who sees a vision of a baseball field and hears a voice whisper, "If you build it, they will come." The character Ray plows his corn and builds the field. A year passes and nothing happens. Then Ray begins to "see" baseball players from the past. This fantasy/drams ends with Ray being reconnected with his father.

In 1989, Samuel Kibiku and his wife wanted to memorialize their 50 years of marriage. So they dontated 2.5 acres of land to the Bahati Martyrs church in Nairobi where Samuel had been a member and elder. (I liked Samuel immediately when I met him - he attended the University of Missouri in 1963!)

Samuel and his wife probably thought "give it, and they will build." But the church has been sitting on the land for two decades, not sure what to build or how to do it. Until now.

Yesterday we broke ground on what will be an orphan village for 240 children. It will provide a warm house, food, clothing, education, spiritual guidance and a loving "momma" for each child.

As in Field of Dreams, we hope the children will "see" life in new ways, including a relationship with their loving, heavenly Father. Unlike the movie, however, this is not a fantasy that fades or disappears in the cornfield.

It is an eternal reality that will last forever.

Slumdog Ordinary

Many of you have seen the movie Slumdog Millionaire. It is the story of a young boy named Jamal who comes out of the slums of India to win the top prize on a television game show. He uses his "street" knowledge to answer all his questions. It is a feel good movie with great music and a compelling storyline. It won Academy Awards. And it is fiction.

Today we walked the streets of the Mukuru slum, if you can call them streets. They are broad paths of dirt and concrete filled with mud and debris ... and lots and lots of people. More than 1/2 million residents call this home and have created a community that defies logic and reason. Children smiled and played. Friends gathered together to talk about whatever. Vendors had goods displayed for sale. Some of the "shops" even proudly displayed signs complete with phone numbers, made possible by the crude telephone lines strung to the delapidated shacks.

All of this in the midst of extreme squalor that is impossible to describe in a few words or illustrate with a few pictures. But there are lessons to learn.

Contentment is a condition of the heart, not the product of one's environment. The little children singing for joy in the 12' x 15' "church" testified to this reality. They don't know the deplorable condition of their lives ... but they understand the blessing of daily bread.

Sometimes a select few are annointed for greatness to serve those left behind. This was almost the story of Jamal. I believe it will be the story of some of these children who find their way to the Neema Orphan Village. We don't know who they are ... and it doesn't mean that the children left behind are any less significant. They can still find contentment in the chaos.

As a final note, some of the children sang the Lord's Prayer for us. I wondered if they knew any other prayers. Probably not. But then again, they probably don't need anything else.

"... for thine is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory, forever. Amen."

Pass The Jam!

In the art/science of driving there is this phenomenon called Right-of-Way. Generally speaking, it is a set of rules both written and unwritten that govern appropriate driving behavior. The overall goal is to eliminate traffic accidents and fatalities. In Nairobi, Kenya there are very few traffic devices... almost no stop signs and very few stop lights. Traffic in Nairobi is an event. It can take up to 2 hours to go 30 miles. The Kenyans call this event "The Jam"... it can last from very early in the morning to as late as 8PM at night. The Kenyans have developed and intricate "dance" of man, vehicle, animal, bicycle, signs/symbols, and space to produce a relatively simple system of navigating traffic. The simplicity is profound: Take what you understand of "Right-of Way" in America... and reverse it. The issue of right-of-way in Kenya seems to favor the most disadvantaged. That means a car on a side street needing to get into the flow of traffic simply pulls out into traffic. It then becomes the responsibility of the free-er flowing traffic to stop to let the disadvantaged driver in... the result? In America and abroad... somebody PLEASE... pass the jam!

What if we took what we understood to be right-of-way issues in our lives, loves, and legacies... then applied them to our own biblical expressions of reality. The Kenyans are simply exercising grace, mercy, patience, and good will to their daily driving experiences. The result... in all that hustle and bustle, with 3.2 million people moving around ... in mass... we have yet to see an accident. They seem to live a very controlled pace of life. 

So go ahead... pass the jam! 

In Jesus' Name I remain,

G. Davis, Sr.

Our Plan, God's Purpose

We had a plan for today. It was rather straightforward. We would meet with the Mayor of Nairobi at 10:00 am, visit for a while and then go to the 2.5 acres that will eventually be the site of the Neema Orphan Village. But God had another purpose.

And we had a breakthrough (literally - but we will save that for later).

When we got to the City Hall, the Mayor had been expecting us for an hour. He thought the meeting was at 9. We were told it was 10. He then made us wait for 1 1/2 hours and gave us a courtesy greeting but had to leave for another meeting. He asked us to return at 3:30. We agreed but did not expect much of the new opportunity.

We left for lunch and returned in the midst of an urban traffic nightmare. There were cars, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles, pull carts, and thousands of people everywhere on the street. No crosswalks. No traffic lights. Just survival of the fittest. Our driver Charles is a pro. It was amazing and frightening at the same time. (Much like the thought of rescuing so many orphans.)

After arriving safely and thirty minutes ahead of schedule, we were walking into City Hall and one of the members from Bahati recognized the current Town Clerk. He was supposed to be at the morning meeting but was never told about it by the Mayor's staff. So he met with us for about 20 minutes.

Then two members of the Department of Social Services showed up and listened to our story. They were followed by a City Council member who was also the chair of the Social Services committee with the Council. We also finally met with the Mayor but quickly realized that the value of the day was the other divine appointments that were set for us.

So we had a plan to meet with the Mayor. The Mayor had a plan to ignore us. And God had a purpose that was bigger than both.

Proverbs 16:9 says "In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps." This was true for us today. And probably will be tomorrow and the next.

So that was our figurative breakthrough. The literal breakthrough occurred when Jim sat on the edge of the Mayor's coffee table and cracked the glass. Maybe it was symbolic and God will crack his heart to find a place for the orphans. In any event, he will have a constant reminder of his visitors from Kansas!

Tomorrow will bring new adventures. We will tour the Mukuru slums and visit the 2.5 acres. From the Mayor's Palour to one of the worst slums in the world in less than 24 hours. That is the extreme gap we are trying to bridge.

Thanks for your encouragement, prayers and support! Be sure to check out the new slideshow of pictures.

A Little About Kenya

Nairobi, Kenya has 3.2 million people. The 13th largest city on the continent of Africa, there are 42 different tribes who call Kenya home. All tribes fall into one of three categories: The Bantus (pronounced ban*2's), The Cushites, and The Nilotes (pronounced ny*lots). Each tribe has a specialty as it relates to way of life. The Bantus are farmers, The Cushites are ranchers, and the Nilotes are fishermen. Within each categories are further delineations of how the tribes are identified. For instance, the Nilotes who are fisherman live either on the plains of Kenya or near the lakes of Kenya: Hence the tag... Plain Nilotes or Lake Nilotes. Upon my arrival, I was immediately told what tribe I belong to: I am of the Abaluya Tribe in the Nilote category.  (I was told I look like a Nilote) With this being my first trip to Africa... I am proud to be a part of the best looking tribe in Kenya! My name is Golden Davis and I pastor The Exciting Mt. Olive Church of Kansas City, Kansas. Our church, much to my humble appreciation, is doing much of the same work at home as is being done here in Africa: Ministering to Homeless Youth, Feeding the homeless and disenfranchised, raising the awareness of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in America's urban centers, Youth Mentoring and focusing on becoming more of a hands-on ministry-based church. I'm both proud and humbled to be here. My sincere thanks to all who made this trip a reality.

For the duration of our time, I'll work to bring interesting tidbits concerning this beautiful nation of beautiful people.

Today we met the with the major and a few of his worship's key people. God granted us favor. Tomorrow we will visit one of the largest shanties (slums) in all of East Africa. 

Pray for the well being of my family, the church, the team and myself.

In Jesus' Name I remain,

G. Davis, Sr.

Call to Pray

Dear Colonial Family,
Though it's been two years since my last visit, my deep love for Bahati Martyr's Presbyterian Church has not waned. This large, evangelical African church was quick to accept me and my friends from Hilton Head back in 2005, and after they visited in the states and our second trip to be with them in 2007, there existed a deep and abiding love attributal only to the blessings of God's Holy Spirit.
Sadly, upon our arrival this morning, I discovered a cloud of gloom covering my friends and the leadership of the church. As is common with many great churches, the enemy has chipped away over the past few months until he was able to infiltrate by means of a petty, insignificant polity issue that has led to hurt feelings and the possible departure of their beloved Sr. Pastor. In addition, my recent move to KC left many wondering if I had led them to high hopes, only to disappear and never be heard from again.
I find all of these signs to be very encouraging! Why? Because the enemy does not attack a stagnant church. The enemy does not bother flustering a church with no Kingdom potential. Such is not the case here in Nairobi. However, these "light and momentary troubles" PALE in comparison with the POWER of God's purposes. These pains serve only as a reminder of our need for humility and faithfulness. I'm convinced that God has led our team to reignite the fire of this great church family, and that through the power of the Holy Spirit, we will begin a great work that brings hope to thousands of orphans and abandoned children.
I'm calling all Colonial members to pray for our brothers and sisters at Bahati. Pray for healing, restoration, and forgiveness. Pray for their Pastor, Rev. Kanga, and the "appointment committee" who have deemed it necessary to move him out of Bahati and on to an undisclosed location. I'm not convinced that God is in on that decision. As I understand it, there may be time for God to work a miracle in this situation. So let's pray that God will heal the church, and perhaps keep Rev. Kanga at Bahati if that is His will; otherwise, that the call will be clear for all as to who will bring senior leadership from the pulpit.

Please also pray for our meeting with the mayor of Nairobi and the city council. Pray particularly that I will have God's wisdom and that my words will bring collaberation and progress towards God's agenda to rescue orphans.

Finally, please pray that our team will continue to experience good health and multiple opportunities to share the gospel with those we encounter. Pray also that we will see, hear, smell, and understand exactly what God desires so that we will become more and more like the One who died to set us free.

I love you and miss you,
Pastor Jim

Habari from Kenya!

"Habari" to all our friends and family. This means hello in Swahili. It has been a great first day in Nairobi.

We arrived at 6:35 am after a pleasant flight from London. All of our bags arrived in tack and we breezed through customs ... so thank you for all your prayers with those issues.

Jane and Charles from the Bahati Martyrs Church picked us up and took us to the Presbyterian Guest House. We were able to check into our rooms, grab some breakfast and then rest for a couple of hours. After lunch, we went to the Community Rehabilitation Center where Bahati works with former "street boys" in providing housing and educational opportunities. We also met the Ambassadors of Good Hope, a group of HIV positive woman who are living positively in their faith in Christ. They shared stories of pain and promise and celebrated the lives of those members who have gone home to be with the Lord. It was a sober, moving tribute and testimony of God's faithfulness and love in the dark moments of life.

Tomorrow we meet with the Mayor of Nairobi to discuss our relationship with Bahati and the development of the orphan village. Pray for their support and cooperation from a civic standpoint. It is an important partnership for the long term success of the project.

Until tomorrow, lala salama or good night.

London on Speed Dial

We did a blitz through London in about 6 hours, including 2 hours on the Tube. We saw many historical sites, heard many cosmopolitan sounds, adjusted to the time zone and got to know each other as a team. We are now checked in for our 8 hour flight to Nairobi and ready for the real adventure to begin. Here are a few pictures from today.





See you in Nairobi!

Meet the Team

Here we are at the aiport in Kansas City before our flight. We arrived safely in London about an hour ago and have set up base camp in a "day" room at an airport hotel. We will catch the Tube later this morning and spend the day seeing the sights before heading to Nairobi tonight.

From left to right in the picture are Debi Wolfe, Chuck Wolfe, Jim West, Heather Bass and Golden Davis.

1:44 am is 7:44 am in London! So it is actually the middle of the night for us.