Praise God for a sunny day Friday to replace the transmission and brakes on Atkinson's van. The Kenyan mechanics earn their meager pay: no hoists, no shop, not even concrete surfaces. Notice the few tools in that toolbox. Neil called me at 3:30 a.m. Morris time notifying me the amount of Kenyan shillings to send Francis to pay for the parts and labor. While the mechanics were busy back at Mary's compound, Francis and Neil drove their van to Sengera to conduct ROCK (Reach Out to the Children of Kenya) interviews and teach in Hellen's church.
Francis brought the van to the police station for safe storage until needed to drive it back to Nairobi. Neil's dear friend, Chief David, retired last fall, and he is very much missed. There seem to be 2 provisional assistant chiefs until Chief David's replacement is appointed. Francis will try to arrange an appointment for Neil to speak to the provisional assistant chiefs about the rape of one of the daughters of a ROCK caregiver. The rape was reported, and the man was facing life imprisonment. However, his charge was reduced and the caregiver and her children were instead driven out of the city. She now lives 2 hours away.
Francis and Neil are staying at Hellen's house until Saturday, when they will minister in Christopher's village and return to Mary's. The churches are miles apart, so it is a lot of travel on bad roads. For meals, Hellen has begun substituting avocado, rice, potatoes, beans, tomatoes, and onions for Neil in place of ugali. They are experiencing a torrential rain that is turning the streets to grease with rivers of water. Francis cut a staff to help Neil stay on his feet, especially for the night-time trips to the latrine.
Friday, Neil and Francis drove from Sengera to minister in Christopher's church and interviewed our ROCK children and their caregivers. Mary and Bill joined Neil and Francis after the interviews. In another village, they met with the woman who had been abused by her husband, who has been removed from being a pastor. He has also now abused their daughter. The mother was in a daze. Mary brought the daughter to her house for safety, and they are looking into legal assistance for the mother. There is a group of women lawyers in Kenya who defend women in these circumstances. We are praying they will agree to take on this case. Neil said the desperate cases he encounters on his trips make the annual visits so worthwhile. Neil said that the former pastor's winsomeness had fooled Neil and the other pastors for a time, but now Jesus has exposed the dark deeds done behind closed doors. On the other hand, Christopher, who is much less impressive on the outside, has the healthiest of all the Kenyan churches Neil visits. It is what is in the heart that matters. I told Neil that I am so thankful he has always been the same on the outside as he is on the inside. Like Jesus' disciple Nathaniel, Neil is a man in whom there is no guile.
- Jesus, the former pastor's wife is in such desperate need of protection and provision and healing and legal help. We bring her to you, knowing you are her shield and defender. We pray for her daughter, also.
- Jesus, we trust you to help those who prayed to overcome the spirits of alcoholism, that they will be given strength and determination from your Holy Spirit as they continue on their path toward total freedom.
- Lord, you are Jehovah-Jirah, our provider. We pray for funds for the Food Shelf to increase for the added numbers of HIV/AIDS sufferers coming for help through Bible study and prayer. We also ask for healing from that disease.
- Thank you, Lord, for the mechanics who were able to put Atkinson's car back into working order.
- Lord, we pray for safe travel for Francis and Neil on the muddy roads as they continue to work among the churches in the hill country of the Kisii District.