Courageous Life

Today was the first day I woke up feeling rested and it was a good thing! We went to Maruri slum. Brenda needed to meet with the sewing ladies there and weekly visits with an elderly lady named, "Grandma". First however, I got to meet Pastor Frances who is a dentist but left dentistry years ago to pastor a church. Now he his being asked to rebuild what once was a medical clinic. Altho his congregation and colleagues are turning their cheeks and not helping him he is not complaining and moving forward with his own money. He is very excited and provided me a tour of the building. It will mainly be for maternity, sick visits and denistry. You will have to see my pictures. Let me just say you don't want to have a baby there or teeth work done. But for these people it will one day be a safe haven, a place to be cared for and a place for treatment. They do have a "doctor" some hours of the day now. They were very thankful for all the medicines I took them. At ...

I don't really know how to put the past two days into words, but I am going to try. First of all, let me just say Lauryn is getting better. No hospital for her. Praises to God. Thank you to my family and friends. I love you and am grateful in new and deeper ways! Yesterday, Jessica and I got to visit the ladies of Jacaranda sewing ministry in the Kibera slum. This slum is possibly the largest in the world. The guess is somewhere around 3 million people in relatively small area. Brenda has meet the sweetest ladies and connected them with a building just outside the slum where they go sew. They were very excited to see Brenda and to meet us. These woman were smiling and laughing, happily sewing and planning what next to learn to make and dreaming of open markets to sell their goods locally. These woman are all HIV positive. Some feeling fine, some not. But they were excited to take us into the slums and into their homes. Walking through that slum is truly unbelievable. Brenda...

I am laughing at myself and the title I gave this blog. Who knew my ability to place my trust in the Lord would be so tested. This is day 2 in Nairobi. My thoughts have been consumed with my daughter, Lauryn back home. What we thought was "just" the flu has turned out to be a pretty bad pneumonia, almost complete left lower lobe. I have prayed most of the night and pray now that she wakes up this morning feeling much better, no fever, less pain. And when she gets to the doctor today her blood work is improved and they feel she does not have to be admitted to the hospital. A tough test for me to not be there caring for her and feeling some control. But thats just it.... my hope can only truly be in the Lord. A tough test for Lauryn to be more sick than she has ever been and her Mom in Africa. Crazy! But I admit she has a pretty good dad! So, life here in Nairobi....well, as I write this I am overhearing my friend Brenda talk with and try to encourage their frien...

Jessica and I are here, Nairobi, Kenya! Although here inside the Kean home I feel like I am just up the street on Mill Brook Circle in Stonemeade. That's the thing with good friends, no matter how long it has been since you have seen each other it always feels like just yesterday. The plane rides went well, no delays, no problems getting through customs. Jessica and I passed the H1N1 screening. ;). She is feeling good. Her cough is aggravated today... the air in the plane is dry and drier here too. But no big deal. Making her drink a lot today. Last night I thought it was just fatigue not allowing me to find things and think clearly, but today we have learned our luggage was stolen from. Nothing we can't live without, but a clear reminder of the fallen world in which we live. And we are sad that some things we were excited to give the girls here are gone. I haven't seen much outside the comfort of this home yet, but I will say driving at night in Nairobi is ...

Less than 24 hours Jessica and I are on a plane heading to the much dreamed about Nairobi. Thankyou, Thankyou, Thank you for all your support, prayers and encouragement. This trip would not be possible without YOU!! This week has been incredibly challenging with health issues and concerns but we are experiencing healing and truly believing that we are "supposed" to go. Amongst the many prayers and encouragements I have heard this week, one comment a friend made in regards to Jessica's 102 plus temperatures is, "what an inconvenience". I read that and thought truly that is all this is, "an inconvenience" at most and at least an attempt to tharwt our trip. But greater is He that is in us, than he that is in the world. Now, Lauryn is sick and to be honest I am fighting fatigue and a sore throat but it is all just an inconvenience. Still God is greater. Lauryn and I had some great prayer this afternoon and she is sitting up actually tolerating some ...

It has been an emotional ride these past 5 weeks. I have visited with family members of a special young women that passed away last November from Melanoma, spent healing time with one of my brothers, my oldest daughter turned 18, old friends from Maryland visited for a couple for days after 10 years of not seeing one another. Each of these events have been emotional from crying to laughing, from hurt to gratitude, from loss of the past to excitement for what lays ahead. Mostly for me much humility. Really there is so much story in each of these events I feel rich in the reality of Christ. He is the common theme in all these relationships. Reflecting in these moments I realize that His timing is perfect. I am strengthened by each of these relationships and ready as I can be for Nairobi. I will never forget joining hands in my living room with my family and Valerie's family as Rita (Val's Mom) prayed for us. Valerie was 25 when she died last November. Yet, in their gr...

Ok, How do you correct spelling esp in a title after you have saved the blog? I blame it my elementary education...those formative years I was in Australia. Seriously, is there anyway to fix this??? Anyone out there? RH