Mountain View Journey

Me and John Wambu enjoying the shade.

     This past Sunday afternoon I had the distinct pleasure of spending the afternoon with the MITS resident mzee (old, wise man), John Wambu.  John Wambu was born and grew up in the Kamulu area and has been one of the main driving forces behind our current setting out in Kamulu.  He is responsible for all the buildings that currently reside at the Kamulu complex and continues to build more as we speak. Wambu has been promising me for weeks that he wanted to drive me out to the 40 acre property that MITS owns out to the South of our current Kamulu property.

Moses and John Peter looking off the rock into the distance.

     Quickly following worship on Sunday, I met John outside the building and we departed for our journey into the Kamulu wilderness.  As we were driving, i received a quick and small history lesson on the Kamulu area.  Apparently in the early 1900's, there was an American man who owned much of the surrounding land where Kamulu now sits.  The man's name was Drummond and he lived in this area from around 1914 to 1974, before his family began to sale off some of the land.  And ironically, the boys compound sits on Drumvale road, which apparently this area was named in honor of Drummond.  Drummond's business was dealing in cattle and growing some crops in the area.  As we drove out to the 40 acres, we passed many buildings, offices, and cattle equipment that signified the prominence of and now long since departure of Drummond.

One of the many views from Mountain View.

     After about an hour of driving on bumpy, windy roads and passing several small herds of zebra and gazelle, we arrived at an outbuilding on the edge of the property that served as the caretaker/watchmen's house.  From there I was led by a young man named John Peter, who walked me over the property to give me an idea of the size of the property and to admire the nearby views.  While walking the property, in some sense I felt like I was standing in a part of Southern New Mexico.  The land is vast and wide open, covered with small scrub brush trees, dying grass and brown dirt.  The clouds, flanked by a vast ocean of sky, were stacked up like soldiers in formation, casting their long shadows like spears thrown to the ground.  From some of the different vantage points you could see from horizon to horizon, witness the towering buildings of Nairobi in the distance and even site the rising slopes of Mount Kenya as they disappeared into the looming clouds above.  To put the finishing touches on our journey, John Peter walked me up to a towering rock that soared above us in the distance that lied just outside the edge of the MITS property.  As we neared the rock, John told me that we could not approach any closer for several different reasons.  First, there was a wild pack of hyenas (mostly nocturnal predators) that inhabited a cave beneath the large rock overhang.  Secondly, the climb up would require us to climb over rocks and brush and apparently this rock was infested with snakes of all kinds.  After taking a few pictures, John and I quickly resumed our journey and made our return back to the outbuilding where Wambu was waiting.

More mountain views

     This story/journey is important to me because it teaches me the value of dreams. That as people of God we need to be planning for the ways that God can use us, bless us and how we can use his resources to be a blessing to our communities.  You have already witnessed (or at least i hope you have) some of the amazing work that MITS is doing in the lives of young, street kids . . . but now imagine they are also continuing to plan for the future and for other ways that they can be faithful servants in God's continuing Kingdom work.  I am reminded of Jesus' words in Matthew 25, when he exhorts his followers with the Parable of the Talents.  A parable that reminds us that we have been blessed (especially in America) with many wonderful talents (physical and spiritual) that God expects us to use in furthering His kingdom.  Jesus' words to the faithful servants reads like this:  "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness" (Matt. 25:21)! How are you serving in God's kingdom? How are you dreaming of the ways that God can use you and use your (really God's) resources for God's glory?

The big rock with the hyena pack and snakes.

     Everyday I spend with these kids I am reminded of so many of God's qualities (his goodness, his faithfulness, his power, his love). But everyday that I spend here, the one quality of God that seems to flash before my eyes every day, is God's hope. The hopes and dreams of young kids who are beginning to realize their potential and see how God can bring joy and happiness into their lives despite their backgrounds. I am reminded of Paul's word to the Philippian church when he writes, "I can do all this through him who gives me strength" (Phil. 4:13). God can do anything through people who commit their hearts and their lives to serve him. God is doing amazing things in these kids lives here, who are dreaming of a better place for them and their community in this country. How are you dreaming to be in God's Kingdom work?