Big Moses Little Moses

As we were getting ready to leave Eastleigh and Made In The Streets ministry there yesterday I started talking with a young boy who I later found out was named Moses. He asked me in his poor English if I would take him to America with me, ( I don't think he was serious) but I told him he would not fit in my suit case. The humor did not translate. So I told him that if he prayed to Jesus and trusted him that he could do anything he wanted. He could even go the Farm, learn a trade, get a good job and earn enough money to come to America and visit me. He ran off apparently board with that conversation.

A minute later he was back this time with Big Moses, one of the young men who works at Made In The Streets. BM told me that he could not understand what I said and he wanted BM to translate for him. What an opportunity. So I repeated everything I had just said through our translator this time and Big Moses added that he needed to come to their Tue and Fri programs to have a chance to move to the Farm. I am not certain what goes on on Tue and Fri but I tried to reinforce the fact that he needed to go. I got a promise from Little Moses before we left that he would go every Tue and Fri. I then told him I would be praying for him. BM said that LM was 12 years old so he still had a chance to get to the Farm. I forgot to tell Big Moses that I would be praying for him to but Renee got his email so I will let him know. As usual he said "don't forget us."How could I possibly.

Another cool thing happened at MITS. I went with a group in the afternoon to tour some of the bases, the areas where the boys hangout and feel safe, their turf. We were told that we could take any pictures we wanted inside the compound but don't take any at the bases without their permission. MITS has been baned for the past 6 years from one base because a visitor took pictures there without permission. As we were leaving the first base where we found mostly adults, a cute little girl came out of nowhere and grabbed Becca's hand wouldn't let go. She would have walked right out of the base with us if they had let her. Her mom asked if anyone had a camera. Dan and I did not hesitate. We ended up taking several pictures of the girl and a little boy with Becca, Kristine and their mom's. Felt like we had made a small break through As we were leaving again they asked if they could get a copy of the pictures so Moses said we could email a copy to him and he will see that they get them.

Feels like the toughest part of our ministry is over. For the next three days we get to see the results of the successful ministers and some people who have been rescued from the streets. The bad news is that this involves long bus rides. These are not like bus rides on our freeways. They are the bumpy dusty Kenyan roads so it is not a total picnic. Know what an African Massage is? Any trip driving down a Kenyan street. That from our first bus driver.

My biggest fear right now? That we come back from our mission trip to help the hungry and starving having gained weight. The food here at Heart and in the restaurants we have visited has been so good. Even when we go into the slums the people want to share with us and are so generous with what they have. And I like Kenyan cooking. They make things just a little spicy, just the way I like it.

Finally today is a national holiday so all Kenyans will turn out to vote on the national referendum for the new constitution. This is the biggest event in this country since independence. Pray for Kenya.

Bob