Psalm 113:7-9

"He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes, with the princes of his people. He settles the childless woman in her home as a happy mother of children. Praise the Lord."

 

MITS first started in a community called Eastleigh. Eastleigh is next to the Mathare slum…one of the largest in the world. Mbuvi grew up in Mathare and he said that their view of Easleigh was that it was where the "rich people" lived. He was on and off the streets starting at age 11. He was able to live with his family and go to school as long as his parents were making money. Unfortunately, most of the time they weren't and so he was forced onto the streets to provide for himself. He moved to the Eastleigh area and when he did his family called him "one of those rich people" but he knew this was not true. He tried to convince them otherwise, but his attempts failed. He was not rich, and neither were the people of Eastleigh. Richer than the people of the slums? Absolutely. But nowhere near the image they once gave the people of Eastleigh. Even today, Eastleigh is over-crowded, filthy, dangerous, and home to the largest group of Somalians that have settled in Kenya.

Today we went to MITS in Eastleigh. It was an unbelievable sight. The combination of exhaust, dirt, road-side vegetables, animal stenches, and burning trash made for a smell that cannot even be described in words. There were people everywhere. Cars were inches from side-swiping each other as they each tried to drive down the narrow roads. And when I say roads, I don't mean paved streets. I mean dirt paths with rocks…no, small boulders… all over them. For those of you who have been to Kenya on the past 2 trips with GCR – do you remember the roads to Dirubi through Sondu? Take that and double it. I definitely regretted leaving my Bonine at the house.

Once we got to MITS, we met with Larry, the man who (I think) runs this MITS campus. Maureen and I then met with the single mothers who are a part of the program along with a few of their kids. We played a few games and then we sat inside and talked with them. Maureen told them the story of Esther and told them that just as she was humble before the Lord, we should all be humble. And that she stood up for her people and tried to help them, just as they should try to help the other girls on the streets. It was a wonderful experience talking with these young mothers who had no hope before MITS took them in. Many of them still struggle with the highs of the streets, the main one being glue. This drug has captured so many Kenyans and is the main drug on the streets. Maureen quoted John 10:10, telling them that the enemy does try to steal, kill, and destroy and he will use anything he can to do so. She told them that Satan uses even these highs as a way to distract and overtake people and that God wants to save them to give them life. These mothers are realizing that if they continue, their entire life will become dependent on those highs. Instead they are learning to be dependent upon God and to share that hope with the other people on the streets.

 

Jason went with Larry and a few other people to the different "bases" around MITS. These bases are groups of people living on the streets that gather in groups and create their own base to live together. They have no shelter, no beds, nothing. They, too, are horribly addicted to the highs of the streets. Jason said it was absolutely crazy seeing these people just as high as could be, completely strung out, and to just see the desperation and emptiness in their eyes. What was incredible was when he told me that they seemed to pull themselves together and actually have a sense of understanding and became more coherent when the MITS team came to talk to them about God and the hope He can provide. There were some awesome stories and things that happened. I loved spending time with the mothers at MITS, but I definitely hope that when we return to Eastleigh next week I will be able to visit the bases with them. I know the Spirit can have such affect on these people and I know the Lord is doing amazing things through Larry and the other MITS team members. "He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap…"

 I would give anything to be able to witness and be a part of that… so hopefully next week I will be able to!

 

That's about it for tonight. Hopefully by tomorrow the jet lag will be completely worn off and we won't be as tired…

Please keep the prayers coming!

-SG