day 12, 6-28 (an emotional day)

I forgot to eat breakfast this morning… It’s usually not a big deal but I’ve been getting used to eating breakfast. Everyone was treated to a small square of chocolate because Mark was rejoicing after breaking a 4 day fast. We were at the church by 9 today because Mark and I were guest speakers at one of the local churches. It’s a reminder to me that today is our last day in Kisi. I’m a little sad because I’ve rather enjoyed my time here. It’s only been a few days, but I’m sad to leave. Mark and I had a little bit of time to kill (Hurry up and wait…) so I reminisced about dinner last night with our Hosts” Israel, his wife, and his sons. They prepared our dinner and served us in their living room.
Eventually the pastor of the church that Mark and I are speaking at came and found us. I shared my testimony at their service- I talked about the different things that I thought were so wrong in my life, the different struggles I had, and how God had been there all along taking care of me. I talked about how I came to realize all of the GOOD things that God had put in my life. During my sharing, I started to cry, and was honestly embarrassed. I don’t like to cry in public, and I was terrified to share my testimony. But, God let me know that someone in my audience needed to hear the words I had to say, and needed to see my tears and witness how God has truly done a work with my life. Mark spoke after I did, and he spoke on Jericho. He did an amazing job! The Pastor then asked us for the usually money and children’s supplies, neither of which we had. We walked back down to the main church. We were early- Pastor Jim was still teaching! So, at the end of THAT service, Jim convinced (well, volun-told) Mark and I to introduce ourselves to the crowd and share a word or two.
Brad was next to join us, and we ate lunch shortly after his arrival. (Ugali, “soup”, beans, oranges, and potatoes.) Jan and Mike were the next two to make it back, and we all had a good laugh when we found out that Sharon (who was late getting back) had to get here by Motorcycle! In a skirt! I was a smidge envious, because going on a motorcycle ride on a dirt road (with no speed limit) in a foreign country just sounds like a ton of fun! I was sorry to have missed out on that!
When everyone finished eating and the team was all together, we went to Protus’s mother’s house. It was a beautiful drive, and their property was so green and pretty! We went inside, and things were going smoothly, until Titus got a phone call. The news was bad- so please bare with me here, because I’m getting angry just writing this. Someone tried to rape Titus’s 6 year old daughter. Specifically, Titus’s BROTHER tried to rape his 6 year old daughter. The other women cried…. I was pissed…. Brad looked murderous…. Mark and Mike were unnaturally calm (in the scariest way)… Jim was the one who suggested that we pray. So we did. We prayed… and we asked God to help us see past the red, and past the things that we WANTED to do to this pitiful man- and to help us focus on getting Titus home to his family, and for little Joy (titus’ daughter) to be alright and unharmed.
There was no way for Titus to get back home that night, as it is was already late afternoon and it highly dangerous to drive at nighttime in rural Kenya. We did the best we could- we prayed along the way that God would set our path to get titus home, (and for joy, continuously) and we left Kisi IMMEDIATELY. The trip back was quiet- I don’t know what everyone else was thinking, but I was personally thirsty for vengeance against this person. How could someone be as selfish and evil as to ruin the lives of a little girl and 2 families??? God reminded me of my own sin. Now I’m mad and guilty.
HOWEVER…. We got another call from Titus’s wife. She took her daughter to the hospital. The doctor looked her over, and found out- PRAISE THE LORD- that the man who had found the man with Titus’s daughter had found them before Joy could be hurt. The police were called, and the creature was arrested! Hallelujah! There was great rejoicing and tears from everyone, and Brad led us all in a beautiful prayer of thanks and praise to God.
We stopped at the Sunset hotel, but there were no rooms available, and we went instead to the Nyanza. (I’m in room 405 with Sharon!) We went out for dinner (spaghetti) and had icecream (vanilla) and coke. The best part was that we had Showers and Beds waiting for us!!!!
All in all, it was an emotionally exhausting, and yet astounding day today! We welcome tomorrow!