A Real Kenyan

I have been told that the experiences I have had in the last week have made me a real Kenyan.

Over the weekend, I traveled to Shaan's house in Kiberia (not to be confused with the slum Kibera). At night the traffic is really bad and we were stuck for a long time. People are not considerate drivers in Nairobi, because if they are, there will be no possibility of moving anywhere. When there is a traffic jam in Nairobi and the area surrounding it, it really is a jam. Vehicle narrowly miss each other by less than a foot sometimes.  People drive onto the sides just to squeeze in wherever they can. Some people were pretty mush stepping off of the matatu (small bus) to ensure a spot for them in traffic.
When I arrived, we had authentic African supper. We ate rice with some sort of goat stew over-top of it. There were six women staying in a small two room house. Compared to the surrounding homes, this place was like an oasis. They had their own garden and laundry on the line. Their home was part of a compound holding 4-5 other families, from what I could see.
On Saturday, I had a shower, which was an adventure all in itself. The people I was with were kind enough to heat the water. We use a bucket on the floor and just bend over and slop it onto yourself. Washing hair was similar to washing it in a sink. I ate some pancakes for breakfast, which are more like crepes. They tasted like they had nutmeg in them or something of the sort. They were very yummy!! I spent the day reading and watching movies. In the afternoon, I went across the street to purchase a Coca Cola. When I went outside there was no one really in sight, but as I was waiting for the cola (2 minutes) the children were standing around, wary and gawking at the same time. After that, Sheila (one of the women of the house) told me that it would be best if they didn't take me for a walk that day.
On Sunday morning I had the same "shower" and went to Church via public transport. We had to leave about 2 hours before Church actually started, to ensure that we would not be late. Thankfully, traffic wasn't very bad and we arrived quite early. There is no rhyme or reason to how long it takes to get anywhere by public transport. I took a large bus from Kiberia to the city central. It was quite a ride. For all those who love sitting in the back of the bus because it's the bounciest place, should ride in a bus here. I was bounced half a foot out of my seat several time during the course of the travel. When I arrived at City Central, I them took a matatu to a stop about a ten minute walk away from the Church. Matatus are chalked full of seats and there is barely enough room to get into the back seats. They fit about 14 people into a vehicle that is about the size of a mini-van.
Church was wonderful. I love African Church!! The worship was so nourishing and filled me in a way that I was desperate for. I was feeling spiritually dehydrated, though I thought I was just feeling overwhelmed by the culture. I drank up the wonders that are the LORD, yesterday. I sat and watched the children's service. It will be very different, as there are no tables for doing crafts. The children sit on chairs and the teacher tells them a story and asks them about the meaning afterwards. I am not good at just standing in front of people and talking. I prefer to do something while I talk. Alas, our God is stretching me in yet another way. I am terribly nervous for next week and need some inspiration and peace.
In the afternoon on Sunday, I spent my first time alone in over a week. I didn't know that I was craving some time alone until I was given the opportunity. I allowed myself to cry a little as I really needed it after a week of not feeling like I was being useful, and feeling inadequate for the tasks I had been given. I later talked with Brenda and she gave me so much encouragement. She told me that it was good to cry and that it didn't make me any less brave for doing it.
Today, I awoke from my first night by myself. I saw the beauty of God's creation and spent some quiet time in His presence. I am feeling refreshed and spiritually filled. I prayed that God would show me a purpose for my being here, and He surely did that. From the morning and all through the day, people were delegating things to me and giving me things to accomplish. I was doing accounting in the morning and went to see a boarding school in the afternoon. I also went shopping for materials that the children who will be boarding at the school, will need in order to start on Wednesday. The school would have been nothing too impressive if it were in Canada, but here, this is a place for the children to feel safe and be cared for every day. Often the children in the slums do not have enough food each day and often miss school because their uniforms aren't clean. In a boarding school, they will be educated on a regular basis and will have all that they need. These children will be brought to the school with the parent's consent, but it is still hard for these mothers to say good-bye for the time being.
Shopping wholesale was an sight to behold. I wish I could take pictures. It is nothing like a Costco. Basically, there are bundles of item along the roadway and there is little nook in a building where the patrons stand to give their orders to the employees behind metal bars. There are bundles of things hanging from the ceiling and encroaching on what little floor space there would be if it was cleared. I had someone shake my hand and tell me that it had been a long time since he had seen a mzungu (white person). He just wanted to have the pleasure of shaking my hand. Everyone was staring at me. Even when I went to wait in the car, people were peering in the open windows at me. I couldn't tell whether it was a blessing, not to understand the language at some points during my trip today. I am so thankful to George, who drove us to do our errands. He kept checking on me as I was waiting for our order and never strayed from sight. It was a great comfort to know that he was there standing guard when I was waiting inside a parked car with open windows. On the way home, I had the pleasure of having raw sugarcane for my first time. For those who don't know how to eat sugarcane, they people you buy it from, peel the bark off of it a cut it into large chunks. Then you break pieces off with your teeth and suck the juices out. Don't attempt to eat the cane, though, because it tastes like you're chewing strings of thread mixed with a distinct woody texture.

I was told today that by the time I return home, the only part of me that will be Canadian, will be my passport and my skin colour. Shaan said this because I have tried and done many things in my first week, that many mzungus are afraid to ever try or do. I am feeling built up by these words, and the comments that the ladies have given me to indicate their joy over my being here.

Blessings, fond thoughts and prayers to my Canadian family and friends.

In Nairobi

Family and friends,
I am into my second full day in Nairobi. Sorry for not contacting all of you sooner, but internet is scarce.
It has been kind of a whirlwind couple of days. I arrived late at night on Jan 14. I am sleeping in a little room for now, because the missionaries I am with have not found a house,yet. Please be praying that it happens today. They are in a meeting right now to see if they can get a house they really want and need.
I am going to be teaching Sunday School this Sunday. Please pray that it will go well. On Friday, I will be going to see the school I will be teaching in. Please pray for me as I venture into the slums.

The temperature is warm and it is a welcome change from home. According to the Kenyans, however, it is unusually cold. It has been raining since I arrived, but not in they way my fellow Lower Mainlanders know rain. It is sopping one minute and the next minute it is beautiful and sunny. Right now it is sunny here. I have not really gathered any pictures of Kenya yet, because I am just taking it all in. There is greenery everywhere and the flowers are spectacular. There don't seem to be any steadfast rules about driving here. We don't have to stop at red lights if the roadway is clear. We can drive in the middle of the road, unless someone going the opposite direction is coming. There are speed bumps and traffic circles everywhere. Right now I am living in a place of Nairobi called Runda. This is the area with all of the embassies around and is, therefore very safe. It seems as though everyone talks and even texts while driving. This could be because everyone has to drive slower due to traffic and so many speed bumps. The lack of rules are only things that I have noticed. They are not stated and so I could be wrong.

To the comfort of all back home, I am being well looked after and am blessed by my hosts and a wonderful Ugandan lady named Shaan, who is living in Kenya and working with Jacaranda. I will be traveling to her house on the weekend. She lives with her spiritual mother and sisters, as her biological parents are Muslims and kicked her out when she became a Christian. Please be praying for her father, who is battling the final stages of cancer. Also pray for her mother who is battling Rheumatoid Arthritis and is in a lot of pain. Most of all, please pray for Shaan, that she would know how to pray for her family who do not believe.

Thank you for your support and continued prayers. Please keep praying that my health continues to be good. I have to go now, but I will post again when I can. This may not be for awhile. Thinking of all of you at home and wishing we could experience this together, I have grown spiritually in just the two days I have been here. Blessing to all of you
Hannah

Leaving Soon

Hello again my esteemed family and friends,

I can hardly believe I am leaving today! This is so exciting for me and I hope it is exciting for you, too. It means so much to me to share this journey with each of you. Thank you so much for all the support you have each given. This would be impossible without your prayers and financial giving. Please continue to pray for me as I venture out into the world God has called me to.

I have been reflecting what has gone on in these last few months, lately. What a journey Christ has brought me on, and I haven't even left my home yet.

When I didn't know what to do after I found out that I couldn't go to Malawi, God came near and He gave me hope and vision for a new situation. Even though I will be doing things in Kenya, that were not originally part of my plan, I believe that this situation will offer me many more opportunities for growth. God want me to cultivate my gift of teaching and to stretch me through many things. The most obvious one right now, would definitely be the language barrier. I have never been very successful at trying to learn new languages. My Dad tried to teach me Greek; I tried to learn French in school. I can honestly say that I remember hardly anything. Part of my lack of success in the past could be due to my lack of desire to learn a new language. Before now, I didn't really have a reason to learn a language that I wouldn't use. I will need to learn Swahili in order to communicate with my pupils. How can I teach them English If I can't first communicate something to them? I don't know. If I have learned one thing, however, it is that God meets His people in their weakness. I know that I will not want for heavenly support.

When I was preparing to go to Malawi, I felt like I had everything under control. I could get to the mission field and support myself while I was there; no problem. Missions is not about self reliance, as I have learned. When I switched my location to Kenya, the budget started to grow and it kept growing until there was no way that I could support myself. Without God changing the plan, I would not have had to trust Him and trust each of you for the support I needed. I would not have found out just how much people are willing sacrifice for God's plan. And I would have been excluding you from the glorious work He will accomplish. God's ways are truly the best.

I have learned to trust so much more in this journey leading up to the literal journey. God needed to do many things within me so that I am ready for what is ahead of me.

I pray for God's blessings on each of you. As I said to a friend, don't stop praying now that your prayers have got me to Nairobi, Kenya. :)

A Place to Belong

,

Hello friends,
Although I do not know how many people actually read this blog, I thought I would throw my freshly laid plans out there for whomever to see.

I am now going to Kenya. As mentioned in a previous post, I will not be going to Malawi. God has had other plans for me and I am excited to experience what is in store for me.

I will be leaving from the Vancouver Airport on January 12. This is a Saturday, so that people can come to the airport. I know that it will be an evening flight. I think I will have to go through the gate of no return at 6:30. If anyone wants to come and say good-bye before that, I would love to have you. I will be arriving back in Vancouver on April 12 or 14. in the evening, I think.

While in Kenya I will be working with families in the slums outside Nairobi, Kenya. I will be teaching the children how to read in English. I do not know if they know any English at all yet. I will also be running a daycare for the young children of the moms who come to sew things to selling the market. These things will be anew part of Jacaranda called Jacaranda Kids. I will also be running the children's ministry for the churches that Brenda and Garry(Missionaries that I'll be with) have. I will be traveling to a different Church every Sunday to teach children about the Bible. The third project I will be working on will be sewing with the ladies that come to make things to sell in order to support their families. This is the ministry called Jacaranda Creations. In truth they will probably teach me more than I will teach them.

These are my three major projects that I will be working on while I'm in Kenya as well as anything else that needs doing. Because I am doing all of these things, I need supplies. I need things to teach children how to read and write in English. I need learning toys for a nursery. I need sewing supplies. I need Bibles. I need Children's Bible stories and Children's Church curriculum. All of these things I need to put in two giant bags to bring with me for my ministry. If anyone out there or anyone you know could help me in this, I really need it.

Malawi's cost of living is very low because it doesn't have as strong of a currency or economy. Kenya, however, has a high cost of living and has different dangers that require extra precautions. The cost of living for me will be over $1,250/month. My initial budget estimate of about $5,000 has turned in a budget of over $8,000. This is just another way that God is telling me that this trip will be accomplished in His ways, not mine. With the $5,000 budget, I would have been fine, but because the budget is significantly higher, I have no way of covering the extra with my own funds. I am relying completely on God to make this happen. I would be lying if I said that this is not just a little bit stressful, but every day I bring it back to Jesus and trust Him. Please be praying about what you can do. I need more support. Thank you to my faithful donors and prayer supporters.
Until next time. May the LORD bless you and keep you.
Hannah

Am I Enough for You?

There have been many changes in my life and changes in what make up my identity. With everything going on with Lifeway Church, I really felt God asking me "Am I enough for you?" Could I lose my main cultural identity? Was I more caught up in the people than God Himself? These are questions that rolled through mind in the days following the dissolution of Lifeway Church. I found my faith strengthened along with my resolve to keep God first. A couple weeks ago, I received a cryptic email that said the following "I just had a conversation with my director, Matt Janes, and he has recently been told that you will NOT be able to go to Malawi. This is a solvable problem. :)" There was more to the email but this is the gist of it. For four days I went through an emotional roller coaster of asking why and not understanding why the plans had to change. Did it have something to do with me? I went through the emotions of questioning what I had heard from God as my calling. Did I hear Him wrong and read my own desires into His plan? Nancy  was a big comfort and encouragement during this emotional turmoil. When she started out with the dream to go to Africa, God prevented her from going. To hear that Nancy has been to 35 countries and that none of them have been in Africa, helped me to understand that God has told me to go to Malawi, but maybe He wasn't giving me the first step in my missionary journey. Maybe I'm not ready yet. Shawna also helped me in reminding ma about Hayden's calling to be a full time youth pastor. God has not brought this to fruition yet. Shawna asked me if I thought that Hayden had heard God incorrectly? This, too helped me to understand that God gives us dreams, but there are often many unknown steps to realizing these dreams.
I found out on a Thursday evening, that I could not go to Malawi, but I had to wait until the following Monday, to find out why. In hind-site I see that this allowed my emotions to calm down, before I had this Skype meeting. There are a number of reasons why I can not go. They are all very logical reasons, and if I had found out at the beginning, I would have gladly chosen another place to go as I do not want to detract from any missions ministry. I am going to serve and I will serve wherever God sees fit. I went through months of training and planning for my trip.
The case is one of over-site. I do not say this with bitterness in my heart towards the people who are responsible. I honestly believe that God had this plan in mind all along. God did not promise me an easy road, but He promised me I would get there. God used this instance to further stretch my devotion to my Steadfast and never-changing God. I am so thankful that when everything is up in the air, we have a God that is always the same. God used this change in plans to ask me again "Am I enough for you?"
My identity has been changed and reformed, but God is still the forefront of what make up my identity. Losing ones identity comes with the culture shock of the missions field. This loss doesn't usually come into play until one is one the mission field. My loss happening before I leave gives me a leg up for knowing how it feels and how I will react when it happens on the mission field.
I know it is a lot to take in, so I will sum it up. I will not be going to Malawi, but I will be going somewhere. For those who have given, thank you very much. I want you to know that your generous donations will not be lost. I have narrowed down my choices and will either be going to Nairobi, Kenya or to Kolkata, India. I will have to make a decision early this week, so please be praying for God's divine guidance. I am going somewhere in January, and I will soon have an update on where that is and what I will be doing. Thank you for your prayers as we journey together; closer to what God has for each of us.

PS. If you know how to change the name of my blog and Facebook page, I could really use some help :)

 Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.

Preparations

Readers,
This will be my first real post. Right now I am putting together my budget for the trip and honestly I'm coming up with more questions than answers. That's okay, though. I have a great team of people behind and in front of me. They're pushing and pulling :) I'm having a lot of fun with this process and it's starting to sink in about how much work it is, too.
I have been given a Grandparents exercise as part of my training. This means I have to find a person from Malawi, who now lives in the Lower Mainland and can teach about the philosophies and traditions of the culture. I tried to find someone today, but to no avail. If anyone has any ideas, they can post them to my face book page or drop me an email (hannah.hughes01@gmail.com). I am getting excited to meet someone from my host culture. By the time I go to Malawi, I might know more about Malawi than I know about Canada. All of this will be head knowledge, though. I'm sure the experiences I'll have will teach me just how little I do know.
My Pastor has been helping me with prayer cards, and I hope to have them finished and ready to go by the weekend. If you're not someone I see regularly, but would like one, please let me know via face book or email. I would love to include you in my list of contacts and have you praying with me in this wonderfully exciting and spiritually and emotionally stretching time. I am seeing God work in me to shape me into the person He wants me to be when I go.
God has been providing for me along the way. Over the last few months I have really seen His work in my life and seen Him answer many prayers.

If I could say on thing that might encourage you, it would be this: don't stop praying because you don't see or hear God's answers to your prayers. Keep trusting and following His guidance. He will supply all your needs and blow your mind in the ways He works. He wants to erase any thought that you could accomplish the hard things by yourself. He wants to bless your life. Give God a free hand and see what happens. These are lessons that I am endeavouring to learn, also. I know that God has not done great things in my life because of me, but in spite of me. Jesus calmed the storm in spite of the fishermen's lack of faith.

I appreciate your support during this time and hope you will rejoice with me in God's faithfulness. :D
Hannah

1st post

This is my first post as I prepare to go to VOH Malawi in January 2013.