The Saint Boys

The thing that I have always felt as the biggest pull in Kenya has been the street boys, newly renamed by themselves as the Saint Boys. The Saint Boys Project is a part of Only Servants Ministry. It takes boys who live on the street off and helps educate them, teach them about Christ, and show them the unconditional love that Christ shows us. These boys, before they come into the program, have no one to take care of them or watch over them, live in the streets, are normally addicted to sniffing glue to get them high, as well as sometimes addicted to other drugs and alcohol. They are looked down upon in the community, sometimes considered criminals, and also looked upon as untouchables. This program gives them a place to come, learn, have fun, learn about Christ, and see that there is much more to life than the lifestyle they are currently living. A place that they can come and be accepted as they are, and not looked down upon. The purpose is to help make independent people that can be successful, and make healthy disciples of Christ. To help show them that they do not have to be a part of the street for their whole life, that they can be much greater than that.

These are some amazing boys. I love spending time with them. I look forward to the things we are able to do with them. They are very open and love to be around you. They are very excited to see us every time we come. I love just being able to be in their presence. I feel very blessed that I have had the opportunity to work with them as much as I have.



We have been able to do a lot of different things with them so far. We have done arts & crafts with them (mainly a salvation bracelet). This bracelet has different beads meaning different things including, black for sin, white for purity, red for Jesus’ blood, and green for growth in our relationship with Christ. They really enjoyed making these. We have also played different random small games just to get comfortable with each other. We also made up a scavenger hunt to do with them, where they had to work in teams against each other. Of course we had to play futbol (soccer) with them. They are really really good. It just amazes me how they are able to have such joy and fun in whatever they do with us. It also makes me think how selfish and ungrateful we are, as Americans, because we complain about doing some small thing that we don’t like as much.

This has really made me think a lot and made me somewhat disgusted with myself. When I think of their situations, and how they act, compared to how we as Americans, with myself included, act. It sickens me. It is unimaginable for me to think of how I would react if I was in their situation. I can NOT imagine not having parents or family to take care of me. I can NOT imagine not having shelter or a place to live. I can NOT imagine not knowing where my next meal would come from, or if I was going to eat again today. I can NOT imagine being an outcast and looked down upon in my community.

Thinking about this has really made me sick. To think about when we do have SO much and yet we are so picky, greedy, ignorant, and ungrateful. We get upset or frustrated when we don’t get to eat exactly what we want to eat, when they just want something! We don’t eat everything we have, when they just want to eat! We get angry and upset with our parents, when they just want parents or someone to take care of them! We say our house isn’t big enough or nice enough, when they just want some shelter. We want new and extra clothes, when they have just 1, maybe 2 pairs of clothes. We have numerous pairs of shoes, when they have 1 pair, mostly old and torn.

We are so ungrateful! They have so little but can have so much joy when they are doing things, even if it is just the little things.

This really breaks my heart. I can’t imagine being in their situation.

I think the thing that pulls me towards this program above all else is that I think this is the exact thing we are supposed to do as Christians. This is exactly what God wants us to do. He wants us to go and meet the unbelievers where they are, and accept them. He wants us to go and show them the Love of Christ. He wants us to love them where they are, not where we want them to be. He wants us to show people that there is more to this life than the things of this world. He wants us to show people the joy he has given us. He wants us to do the dirty work, to get uncomfortable. He wants us to do the uncomfortable things, that no one wants to do. He wants us to go touch the untouchables. That is exactly what we do as a part of the Saint Boys Project.

First Few Days

My first few days in Kenya have gone really well. We made it safely to Nairobi. We made all of our plane rides. The only trouble we had was from flying to Philadelphia to Amsterdam. Before we took off in Philadelphia, we were taxing to the runway they came over the speakers to tell us that there was going to be a delay. The pilot said that “sorry ladies and gentlemen, it seems that we are going to be delayed for a little while. There appears to be something on the runway stopping us from taking off. It appears to be a turtle.” We thought really a turtle? We in this big plane can’t take off because of a turtle? We had worried about volcanic ash closing the airport, but instead we get delayed for an hour because of a turtle. wow. We were able to make our Amsterdam flight in time even though we had to nearly run to make our flight. We made it to our gate with about 5 minutes to spare. Then we slept most of that flight and made it to Nairobi safely.

Our first few days have been great and filled. We have been able to deliver food to some of the schools we will for the rest of the summer. We have gone to meet some of the partners of Chris & Lindy’s ministry, the people we will be working along side for most of the summer. We have also been going and hanging out with the street boys. Hanging out with the street boys have been some of my favorite things to do. They just love to be around us. They also are very open and will say or ask whatever is on their mind. It is really awesome to hangout with them. They are just so happy that we are willing to come and hangout with them. I love it.

We have just been doing smaller things around the house getting ready for teams to come. We have been cleaning things, arranging things, and just doing small things around the house.

Things are going good. Thank you for your prayers, and please continue them. I will blog again later this week and include some pictures in that one.

Grace be with you.

Kev

The Journey

I would just like to let everyone know my journey begins May 25th. I will be traveling to philadelphia then to Amsterdam finally to Nairobi. I will be flying with the other 2 interns for the summer, Lauren and Grace. We will be returning on July 29th. Please keep us all in your prayers during our trip and during our traveling.

Please pray for our safety, pray for peace for our families while we are away. Also pray that we do not let anything get infront of our goals. That we don't put our own selfishness, laziness, comfort level, or anything get infront of us giving everything we are to be servants to others. Also that we show the Love of Christ to everyone we meet. Thats what it is all about. We are wanting to show what Christ is about. We want to people to show the Love of Christ. God tells us in the bible that Love is the greatest thing.

• 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments" (Matthew 22:37-40 NIV).

There is nothing more important than showing the Love of Christ to people the way that it has been shown to us.

That is what I want to do above all else on this trip. Show people the Love. Show them the Joy that they can have in Christ. Let them see that the 'Joy is Rising'.

Radical? Nah I just call it Expected.

Radical? Nah I just call it Expected.

Some people have told me that going away for a summer to do missions work is 'radical' or 'crazy'. People say that they can't believe I would give my summer to go help these people in need and to spread the Love of Christ. When I tell people what I am going to do with my summer, and they respond 'wow, thats radical' or 'wow that's crazy'. I think to myself 'is it radical? is that crazy?

Wouldn't it be more comfortable to stay here? Of course it would be more comfortable to stay and have a good, relaxing summer in North Carolina. But God doesn't call us to be comfortable. He doesn't call us to do what is easy. He calls us to be different, to do the hard things, TO BE UNCOMFORTABLE! He tells us to put my selfish desires aside, to put daily things of this world aside, and to put the comfortable things of this world aside.

When I think about that I think NO its not radical!!! Jesus calls us to give Him EVERYTHING we have. To give HIM EVERYTHING we are. ALL of our strength, our focus, our time, and our lives. Jesus wants to be the center of our lives. He wants to be 1st place in every aspect of our lives.

People have also said 'wow, 2 months thats a long time. I don't think I could do something like that for 2 months. That is a long time, or thats your whole summer!' I think to myself I'm doing what God has called me to do. I couldn't think of a better way to spend my summer. If we truly love God and want Him to be first, then how is that a long time? Are you not willing to give your time to God? But you are to friends, work, summer vacations, or just having time off? What do you love then?

Now I'm not saying that you have to travel to make a difference. A 'mission field' does not mean it is across the ocean or you have to travel to get there. Our mission field as christians is everywhere there are non-believers. Which is EVERYWHERE! There are non-believers everywhere, in your work, school, neighborhood, local stores, everywhere you go. So just because you aren't leaving your town this summer. You are still called to do God's work, to be His hands and feet. You are still called to show His love. SO please show His love to everyone you meet this summer.

Our lives aren't supposed to make sense to non-believers. "Having faith often means doing what others see as crazy". Do non-believers see a difference in your life?

I think to myself 2 months out of 12, thats not radical. I am giving Jesus 2 months of my life to be completely controlled by Him, and to do what HE wants. To do what HE has called us to do. To take away distractions of this world, and focus on HIM and giving everything I have for HIS GLORY!

2 months to do what Jesus calls US as christians to do "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations". Thats what I am going to do. To make disciples of Christ Jesus.

Background

This blog is to show how the Joy Is Rising for Christ in me. This name I stole from my brother's cd, but I think it is a great title and can really help me show the things going on in my life, and the things that are going to go on.

I will try to blog some while in Africa this summer doing missions work with Chris Thompson. I will be there from May 25th - July 29th. Please pray for me throughout this trip.

The whole purpose of this is to just show how The Joy is Rising. To show how my relationship with Christ is growing, and hopefully to give other insight on the things I am learning, and to possibly help them as well.

I am just wanting to be His hands & feet. To be a light in the darkness.

with love,

Kev