Day 5 Experiences

Monday 6/22

Well, today was our second day building the church. It went much like the first day building, except that it did not have the same number of kids at the work cite just hanging around because they were at school. Very unfortunate, but it was still a good time and we made good connections.

-Future spoiler alert from what we now know as I am writing this. The building contractor whom David Reynolds spent a lot of time talking and chatting and getting to know, as well as many of our other people like Bob and Pastor Dan and Michael, has decided to seek out the Lutheran Church in his area (Kibera) and is going to get baptized along with his wife and two daughters!!! God truly works in amazing ways! We were here working, and our team and David reached out to him with the Word of God, and our entire team created a strong Christian environment, and the contractor (Samuel) was then led to be baptized! I believe the baptism is happening this Sunday (7/5) if I understood correctly. Truly something to be joyful for! Our presence made a difference, even if just him and his family.

2 Corinthians was read at some point today.
Passage 2 Corinthians 9:9-15:9 As the Scriptures say,
“They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.”
10 For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.
11 Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. 12 So two good things will result from this ministry of giving—the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God.
13 As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. For your generosity to them and to all believers will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ. 14 And they will pray for you with deep affection because of the overflowing grace God has given to you. 15 Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words!-

It really does fit in so well with what we are trying to do here. At the national youth gathering a few years back, we talked about how we are tools for God. Normally, in todays slang, you call someone a ``tool`` and it is a bad thing, but we talked about how we are ``tools`` for God and that is better than being anything else. That is exactly what we are trying to do here, be tools for God. We are here hoping that men praise God because maybe we were able to do something for them, just at the verse states. Anyway, that was a very meaningful verse for me today.

-I am quite thankful for the alarm clock courtesy of a certain Dan Schelp. It has proved most valuable to me and I have not been late yet (and still havent been late even at the time of this writing, day 14)! Thank you thank you Dan for your gift, and thank you for all the others who provided things for me for this trip. It has ALL been useful and appreciated. Thank you for all who provided not just for me, but also provided things for the work we are doing here!

-You men back home better not be trimming your beards. Certain individuals made a pact not to shave as I am not, and I am holding them to it! You will all look beautiful!

Well, not much else to report for this day, long day of working at the church. Last day of church building is the next day. Hope to continue doing Gods work and connecting with and helping the people here at Kiambu.

Lots of love!
Joseph