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Destination - Nairobi
Nairobi, Kenya. Yes, that was our destination. Fellow church member, Tay Poh Gaik, and I went on a missions trip to Nairobi in November 2000. The trip was spiritually uplifting and reminded us over and over again of God’s faithfulness to His children. In the 12 days that we were there, the Lord enabled us to successfully conduct a five-day Domestic Skills Workshop for 17 street children and three teachers, teach in two adult Bible Study classes and share in a Leadership Seminar for lay leaders. We also visited a home for abandoned HIV positive children and the dormitories built by Calvary Church, Kuala Lumpur, for the street children. Poh Gaik and I are fully aware that we were never alone in what the Lord encouraged us to set out to accomplish and we are grateful for all the support Calvary Church has given us.
God honoured our efforts. Even before the Workshop was completed, a businesswoman approached Lucy Njenga, the supervisor, to make arrangements to hire one of the trained girls as soon as possible. She had sat in on the first day of training and was impressed.
God also used the Workshop to heal girls who had been hurt from sexual abuse. In African culture, sex education and awareness is a taboo subject. Lucy Njenga, supervisor of the programme for street children, wanted us to deal with the topic and to encourage the children to speak up so that we could help them. The children were encouraged to write down the questions they were too embarrassed to ask. The slips of paper came in so fast I had a tough time answering all the questions. After that we prayed with the children and assured them that when Jesus cleanses, everything is washed away and they are brand new in Jesus. It was touching to see the change in their countenance. We give all glory to God.
God is True to His Word Eight years ago, Calvary Church, Kuala Lumpur, sent Tony and Christine Phang as missionaries to Nairobi, Kenya. They "sowed" in the Harvester’s Institute of Ministries (HIM) - a Bible School conducting classes at night for lay people. Today, many of its graduates are pastoring churches.
Lucy Njenga was one of their pioneer students. She is now an ordained pastor and a recognised and licensed social worker for her community. Her husband was an unbeliever when she was in HIM. He is now a believer and Lucy’s partner in God’s work. Lucy oversees the feeding of 126 street children, the schooling of 420 orphans and underprivileged children, and looks after the 66 orphans staying in dormitories.
Alex Mwangi and his siblings are also HIM graduates. His whole family serves the Lord full-time. Two of his siblings are leaders in the River of God Church, pastored by Tony Phang. The church started in November 1999. In nine months, the attendance grew from 20 to 100. The children’s Sunday School started with the two Phang children. The attendance now exceeds 78. Through the children at least one whole family has come to believe in the Lord
"Do not be deceived. God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up" (Galatians 6:7-9).
God is Real The God who spoke to Moses out of the burning bush is real. His Name is "I AM", not "I am supposed to be" or "some people think that I am."
One Monday morning, a ten-year-old boy who was attending the Sunday School died of HIV and its complications. Before the body was sent for cremation, the boy’s eight-year-old brother wrote down the Scripture verse they had both been memorising for Sunday and placed it in his hand. It was the most precious thing he wanted his brother to take to Heaven. It touched our hearts to see how real God is to these children.
God is Unchanging God never changes - "Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting You are God" (Psalm 90:2).
On an earlier trip to Nairobi in 1997, the Lord protected us during the pre-election riots. It was only on our last day there that we read of the blood baths. On this trip, the university students caused a riot on the Wednesday that we decided to stay back in church for a Cell Group meeting. Apparently the police and army were called in and people were warned to stay away from certain roads. When we returned to Christine’s home after the meeting, we noticed that the place was quieter than normal but it was only after the Workshop had been completed on Friday night that we heard what had happened on Wednesday. "For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways" (Psalm 91:11).
My life has been impacted by this trip. The street children are a vivid reminder of how far God has brought me. Many years ago, I too,—a child in an underprivileged family—was facing a bleak future. God sent someone to invest in my life and to teach me to put my trust in Jesus. I am where I am today because God is real, unchangeable and faithful.
Before the end of the Workshop, I prayed and asked the Lord to lead me to give someone a specific challenge. During our simple graduation exercise, I turned to a girl, looked her in the eye and asked, "Would you like to be able to do what I am doing?" Jesus can help you." Wide-eyed, Eunice Wangeci nodded a "yes." "I will pray for you," I said. I took off my name tag, gave it to her and said, "When you see this, remember what you want God to do for you." Later on, I found out that she was a Dormitory Monitor. God had led me to the right person.
Jesus is coming back. Even if He tarries, I will be going to meet Him eventually. My desire is to be where He wants me to be, to do what He wants me to do because this is what will count for eternity.
Shereen Wong is a member of the NECF Commission on Women’s Concerns. She worships at Calvary Church, Kuala Lumpur, where she serves as the Coordinator of the Women’s Ministries. |
