Ending The Race Well

I still can't get my mind around the fact that I have under 4 weeks to go before I am back in South Africa. And with 3 projects on the go, 3 more home group meetings, 3 church services, and approximately 3 more times to steal a real Masai for Rachel (it will look good on the stoep she says), it's almost time to say goodbye to Kenya, albeit for a small portion of time.

Looking back onto this past and future month I have seen how much God has heard me, when I asked that I would be able to give as much as I could before I left. I never really thought I would be finishing off my last two months with 4 schools, and I am really happy and excited that this is happening. One of the many things I have been taught when growing up, (besides not to suck my thumb in public and never run onto the highway unless being chased by my mom), is that we need to be aware not on just how we started something but also on how we complete our time. How people remember us, how much impact we have made. My greatest prayer is that I end my time here well. I want to look back and know that I did more than I thought I could have done. Looking back to see what has been achieved, and know that I did what God wanted me to do. Maybe not perfectly, but only Unicorns are.

I will do my utmost to send out a final newsletter before I go, but if I don't I will make sure there will be at least an email. Or a knock on your door, whichever comes earlier.

This year in Kenya has been one of growth both spiritually and mentally. One that has allowed me to spend much more time with the children of Kibera and leave what I pray is a long lasting God legacy of what He called me to do. It has a been an emotional year, with many months pushing through on faith in financial or mentally challenging circumstances while at the same time being hit by the Luo arrow of love (Luo being Millicent's tribe.) Being able to teach and form bonds with the school of St Catherines, to my last few weeks being involved in 3 new schools. From moving to a new church plant of my previous Vineyard church to becoming a part of an amazing home group that is a family with people that I love. I have been blessed by a strong friend and mentor here, that has seen me grow and guided me when I needed it, and I have been blown away by such an amazing gift of my Millicent that just over 4 weeks became my fiance (and whom you will hopefully meet in November.) I look back on this year (with more to happen here before I leave at the end of this month) with thanks for all of the above.

And an extravagant thanks to you, my sponsors and friends, who have been through this year with me, in love and support, prayers and finances. You have been a part of what God has been doing here in Kenya, in Kibera, in children and family's lives. We have seen children grown in their education and understanding of God's heart, heard about their lives and their fighting spirit and child's heart that allows them to see life in ways that we struggle to. Their passionate love for life, laughter in times that we would struggle to, and seeing hope planted within them is exciting and so rewarding. We have taught them more than just life skills but about not giving up in what they see for their future. Friendships have been made with these beautiful children; I have been so blessed to have been allowed to enter their lives and to listen and appreciate them for who they are. I have loved being with them, in good days and bad, and I will leave with a very heavy heart due to this but with a hope of seeing them again one day.

I cannot tell you what it has meant to be sponsored, to have given me this time, this part of my life back to these amazing beautiful children, to the community of Kibera, the friends I have made along the way. Since 2012, my sponsors have grown and I want to thank you with more than you will know, for your love and confidence in me to do what God has called me to do in this beautiful country of Kenya. To have walked with me in everything I have been doing, changing communities, touching lives, seeing the extreme need and poverty first hand in Kibera and helping where I can, loving the unloved, and being loved in return. And in allowing me to do all of this, you have been doing it with me too. You may have been outside of Kenya, but everything that has happened has been because you have sacrificed part of your finances and time. And have always been a constant voice of support, love and friendship.

As I write this, a lady in her flat across my way is singing a KiSwahili song, in such a beautiful peaceful voice. It fills me with a sense of longing. A longing to be back to visit South Africa, and a longing to stay in Kenya and live amongst what I have become used to. I will not lie and say it has been always easy here. Many times I have missed home, many times I have wished to knock on your doors and come in for a meal and a chat, a familiar face and type of food, but within it all I have known that God has placed a song for more. For now it is Kenya and I believe God id going to use me in more countries in this beautiful amazing continent that we are so amazingly lucky (well I don't believe in luck)...blessed to be living in.

Africa is more than just the politics and problems we all face. Africa is beautiful. Africa is an embracing continent that accepts you for who you are. It is hope, it is peace, it is a fertile land for God to use us in, and in all of the wars and the diseases, the one thing that will always remain a constant forever and ever, is that love always wins. God's Kingdom is coming to earth, is coming to Africa, and we are part of His plan no matter where we are, no matter what job we have or what area or country we live in. I have never left Kenya (albeit in 3 weeks or so time) with so much passion, so much loss but so much hope, for this amazing country. And I know I will be back next year, in a different capacity but at the same time giving my time to be with children however this may occur, and to continue to be used by God to help see His Kingdom come to earth every African day.

As I finish this final newsletter in Kenya for this year, I have two things I would like to say. Firstly, I want to share a verse from 2 Thessalonians that really speaks to me and I want to pass on as a blessing to you of what we have been doing here. It says in 2 Thes 3:5, "May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ." God has not finished with us yet :) I know that He definitely has not finished with me yet, and I know that I will be coming back to Kenya next year. Things are changing in my life, in marriage (yay!!) and in where God wants to use me. But more of that when I am back in South Africa. I look forward to having a hot chocolate or a pizza or a braai with everyone of you, you will all get to meet Millicent as she visits for November (yay again!!) and for me just to see my family again will be amazingly special. I cannot wait to touch down in Jozi at the end of this month.

Thank you again for your amazing sponsorship so far, with the Rand being so terrible I lost a lot of money to the friendly bank and exchange rate and without your continued support I would have been in a lot of trouble.

I would like to remind you to please continue your sponsorship up til the end of the year (November and December.) As in the previous years I have needed it to get me back on my feet as I come back, to be able to pay rent and food wherever I am staying, sort out my car, petrol and all the day to day living. And to put some savings away if I can to plan for the future ahead. You are all a huge blessing in my life, I love all you guys lots and I look so forward to seeing you again very soon.

Much love!!

Gareth

For Those Who Have Little

Due to many blackouts and a lack of internet, this newsletter comes a little later than normal. It's amazing how rely on the basics of electricity that if it black outs, we complain about the powers that be and wonder what we can do while we wait expectantly for our appliances to turn on again.

I do the same thing too. When the power cuts, my wifi goes down, my tv with my series I watch is on hibernation mode, and my trusty p3 from many birthday presents ago goes quiet. I can't play my fifa, see the football scores, see what the news is happening outside of Kenya. And somehow we survive. My girlfriend, Millicent stays in an area that has more blackouts than me. And instead of complaining, out come the candles and stories are introduced into the flickering light to her children, and early nights are handed out. I have thankfully gotten to the place that when their is a blackout, especially when it is raining, I use my laptop for awhile, plan for a shower in the morning due to my electric shower head not being able to boil the water, and take an early night. In Kibera there are flickering candles, and is part of life. You see, when you are used to something being a part of life, complaints are not necessary, and you make the best of life that you can. I bitch and moan about my internet or tv not working, when the people I work around, my community, have so so so much less than me, and the children are struggling to do their homework in the faint flicker of light. When there is not enough light for the children to fetch the water, mostly needing to take long walks there and back, This is not safe, but people do what they need to and make it work. And so, when my power cuts out, I am learning quickly not to moan, because that would really belittle the reality of where I am. I am grateful for what I have, internet or not. And shockingly, football or not ;)

August has been a very interesting month. The schools were on holiday for the month, and I had to ensure I was involved in other things until the schools were back and I could reconnect with my children I have grown to love so much. I linked up to 2 new schools in the area of Soweto and Olympic in Kibera, basically one is next to my school and the other is about 20 minutes walk away from the school, opposite direction to where I am staying. These schools are small and have no way of getting money to assist them in the amazing things they are doing to ensure that the children in the area are receiving an education. To ground them in hope, and to keep them off the streets that can easily pull them into bad environments that can set them up for a life of drugs to crime. These schools really touched my heart, and I promised to ensure them a working and well designed website before I left at the end of next month. There are photos still needed to be taken, updates to be written, and the pupils to meet, but things are going really well. This will continue it's work into my school time at St Catherines, but incorporating it into my time is not that difficult at all. Once they are both finished, and up on the internet I will pass on links. 

So this week I have been back at St Catherines, besides Thursday due to me learning a life lesson, that is not buy any food around the area of the school because the chapati and bean makers etc. are cooking along the flowing ditch from upper Kibera that sends down all the waste, dirty water and more. So after having a supper on Wednesday of chapatis and red beans, that night and Thursday was not a happy time. Besides that, the week was great. It was fantastic to see the children again, and teaching them hangman and charades was a great way to start the week and bring fun into teaching. We also have time after the lesson has been taught, where they are allowed to ask any question they want. Which at times can be challenging but it is rewarding because it gives them time to be listened to chat about themselves or me. It also opens up an awareness of where they are in life, what are issues or what gets them excited and makes me happy. Very exciting and worth the 25 minutes or so walk through the slum. As in all jobs, I have to kick my butt once in a while to get going, but it's all worth it :)

A final story from the school is that over the holiday the school was looked at for needs and what was damaged. There have been at least 60 to 70% of the benches/desks that were so damaged they had to be thrown out. Also, the plywood wall separations of the classes were so damaged that they had cracked and fallen apart.  So now there is no separation between class 6 to 8. Which makes life interesting to teach both classes. And somehow the school continues, teachers still teach and revision is completed. I would not choose another school, no matter what the needs are, and in my small way I am doing my best to do what is needed and I have been called to do. With around 6 weeks of teaching and website design left, I want to end my time here well, leaving 3 schools and children in a far better way than when I first began in February. The last 2 weeks of October are off from school, due to the need to pack and move everything out of the house. So I am praying I can make as much of an impact that I can while I am stay here. I love what I am doing and I am blessed being here. The sponsorship of the 2 children we are involved in, is still in the process of being finalised, but will be completed soon. I will keep you all in the loop of the process.

So "boom there it is" so far. I am missing you all, and am so thankful for
your continued giving into what I am able to do to here. You have all helped to make positive and God filled influences in so so many children and the community as a whole. Thank you and be blessed in all of this awesomeness. 

Much Love!

Gareth

Love and the way forward

Habariako my friends :)

As we come up to the end of July, I have now been here for almost 6 months. One that I look back on and I amazed of what has been happening in my life in such a short amount of time. I think my mustard seed of faith has been watered a lot! In fact it may be sprouting leaves. This has been a time to look back on and see the change and growth God has done here as He has worked in my life and the children's lives at St Catherine School.

I have been forming bonds with many of the children, since they first set their eyes on the South African umzungu in February. Their excitement as I come into the classroom is quite a boost for me, and it is something that means so much to me. Just being in their lives is so special, being able to speak into their lives and for them just to keep me young and still funky. This week I have been mainly with Class 5 due to timetable movements, and this has been really fulfilling. It is my favourite class, although I love all the classes! Today we had a challenge between the boys and the girls, with questions based on what we had studied up til now. The prize was a lollipop to each person in the group (the boys or the girls) and by the end of the competition, it was sounding like a travelling circus with the shouts and the jumping around, all the students wanting to win those prized lollipops. The boys managed to take right at the end (go boys) and I think the excitement of winning was more about beating the girls and ensuring they knew it :) So tomorrow, the 6 boys (there are more but they were absent) will be getting their "bom boms" aka lollipop. They cost around R1.25 and the joy that one of those causes makes me realise that life is actually not so bad if we look for the small things in life that we can find joy in, and thank God for them.

I promised to keep you up to date with my permit application, and due to the reasons in my previous email I sent at the beginning of the month, my permit has been denied. I have tried twice to get it through, and the final answer was that they saw me as "church hopping" and not having the right education (they wanted theology or something close.) A quick recap regarding the "church hopping": This is due to someone I had paid to organise my permit in 2012/2013 - when I applied for this Missionary Permit (after waiting 3 months til I was told I could come and see if it is ready) I was told someone had already applied for me a year ago and I was given 3 years to stay in Kenya. It had not been paid for by the person, and due to this it had been closed. I was shocked to say the least. This was the first time I had ever heard of that, and because of this, I was seen as someone who was moving from church to church, with reasons they could only understand. I told them the whole story about the previous person etc. etc. but they did not want to hear.  So in basic terms, I am now not allowed to apply for a missionary permit anymore, and I can apply for another 90 days before they ask me politely to leave.This means I will have to come back to South Africa by the end of October. Somehow I would have managed to legally stay in Kenya for 9 months, which is great. The bad news ofcourse is that I cannot come back as a Missionary, that door is closed.

How not to do a 3 point turn in a bus. In Kibera. :)
Kinda like I am feeling, a bit confused.

So what does this all mean? Most importantly it means this needs a lot of prayer, I need a lot of prayer. I am not sure as of yet what this all means, and what the future holds for me from next year. As you all know, I have an amazing girlfriend and best friend here in Kenya, Millicent, and we have been speaking about getting married for awhile now. Coming back to South Africa will obviously make things a lot harder, as I will not be able to see her and her 2 beautiful children for quite some time. It will also be extremely hard for Millicent and family, as we have bonded so well together and we love each other so much. I am hoping to bring her over to visit for November when I leave Kenya, and meet my family and all of you lovely people. This of course is up to how much money I can save for a ticket, but I am holding thumbs. And Kenyan shillings.

Please pray too that I will know what to do next year, as I do not know what God is saying in all of this. I am very confused, unsure of what is coming, and I cannot seem to hear what He is saying. Could you please pray into this, and if you have any verses or words or pictures, please email them to me. I am slightly struggling, (I do still have a hand on what I am doing and loving the kids and Kenya :) and in this time I really need your prayers and asking God what He is saying.

Thank you everyone for your continued support, it is keeping me going especially in this world of the Rand being used as a punching bag and support wise. We will all be able to support 2 newly arrived orphans for the rest of this year, for their schooling, food and uniform. I will keep you updated in the next newsletter with photos (if allowed) and how they are doing. This my friends, is all your doing. I am just here to be able to see it implement and see it happen. As the schools go on holiday in August, I will be visiting 3 other schools in the slum area, and help them in the form of creating them a website for each school. Very exciting!!

I pray you are all keeping well, keeping a mixture of sanity and insanity and a huge love for jellytots (cos I cant get them here)

Love you all!!

Gareth

God Is Bigger!

Greetings oh flavoured sponors :)

Welcome to the start of May, heading into my 4th month already!! How crazy is that. Rhetorical question me thinks. God has definitely pulled and guided me through so much in the short time I have been here. This has been quite the experience up til now, going from sleeping on the floor, black outs (yes we have them too!), eating basic meals of R10, getting gas and learning how to cook, breaking my bed and then getting it fixed. Getting sick for near 3 weeks. And the awesomeness (I claim the word) of my relationship with Millicent, it is growing strong and heading towards the future. More to come :)

The big news here is that Kenya is still being randomly attacked by unorganised fringe dissidents. There have been attacks in Mombasa and Nairobi over the past week. The news is that there have been 7 attacks in a week, which is quite a bit more than the norm. Sadly, yes I have to say the norm. The scarier one was when a bomb went off on a bus near the city centre. Thankfully it was empty at that stage, so the death toll was very small. Why I call it dissidents is because the bus attacks in Nigeria showed a serious force to reckon with. Now the attention of the world is focused on Nigeria because of the 250 schoolgirls abducted. I will never understand how humans can do these kind of things, and I never will. All I hold onto is the truth that God Always Wins - Love Always Wins. So if you are looking for a prayer request or two, please pray for peace in Nigeria, and safety in Kenya. We prayed for these things in home group on Tuesday, and it was an amazing time. Once a month we have a prayer evening and I love it.

Speaking of home group, I am really enjoying it and growing. I am also the "resident" worship leader, which really excites me. It is so awesome being able to get back into helping with worship and being able to bring in free worship times as we do at MJ. I am also going to a new church, which is a church plant from the Vineyard church I was going to last year. I feel very comfortable there, it is small, I think about 50 people with half being children. Worship is a keyboard, guitar, and a jembe, and at this point no sound system. Yay! Funny enough I have only been once for Easter but I feel at peace that this is where I should be going to and serving in. It is called LVC (they are trying to be like MJ) which stands for Lavington Vineyard Church. Millicent and I were discussing churches and how we would be going to two different churches and how that would affect us. Without me asking, Millicent said she and her children want to come to LVC now, and this really means a lot to me. I feel this is another step towards our future, which between us all, is going really really well.I used the marriage word and where I think me and Millicent are heading towards when talking with Rachel, and she told me if it looks like a horse, neighs like a horse, and smells like a horse it is a horse. So what I took from is that I have to buy a horse in exchange for Millicent to marry me. And to buy her perfume.But I do have a feeling I missed out on the real meaning. Watch this pasture.

April has been a month of being sick, following up on my permit that is still being worked on but I managed to get a 3 month extension, and planning for what I can do to make money here when I stay longer in Kenya. The sickness was from one of my medications running out 2 weeks before it should have. Somehow from Dischem to here it disappeared. I will just say that a bearded dragon came one night and stole the pills, and leave it at that. As you guys will know, I am on meds for an old case of epilepsy (that God healed about 10 years ago) and also for some mood control, mixed in with other happy drugs :) The one that ran out was a mood stabilizer and I have never been cold turkey on it.Let's just say that if this is how cold turkey feels, I would rather have a cold chicken if possible. I could not sleep, struggled to speak Chinese and I could not play the banjo. Yes, that bad. I have to say thank you to Brendan and Claire hugely for running around for me sorting out my meds and sending them off at great speed. I think they are sponsoring me to ensure I stay in Kenya, but that's just my guess :)

Schools are back and I am meeting with the headmaster on Monday to see what my next term is looking like. I want to be doing more at the school, so we will be planning over a lunch where I can be used. I am loving my Class 4 and Class 5's, I just need a bit more to do. I do have options to work on going on what timing I have left over from the school. There is a Film School in Kibera that teaches youth in need of guidance and a career, in essence taking them off the streets away from a life of potential crime. As you will know, I have a lot of experience in filming, editing, script writing etc. so I will be able to help in that if I have enough time spare. God has been telling me two things - 1. To continue doing what He has called me to do (i.e. St Catherines school teaching) and 2. He has big plans for me this year and will bring these out when as I continue being faithful in what I am called to now. So it's all exciting at this point. My Merrell shoes have been fixed (they lasted me 2 years without needing a fix up) and my ankle is back to normal, so its up up and away (or is that down down the Kiberan dirt and rock covered roads to Soweto) and it's all good, time to bring more of God and His love to the beautiful kids at the school and around!!

I end this with a prayer request - that the Rand sorts itself out and gets back to being healthy and stronger than the Kenyan shilling. Yup, the Kenyan shilling is stronger than the rand and due to this I am getting charged around R250 per R1000 I withdraw. In basic terms, I am losing R3000 per month off my sponsorship. Scary yes! There are bank charges but I have checked up on the exchange rate and it is correct. So please can you pray that the rand sorts itself out, and a secondary prayer is that I can get a few more sponsors to counter this loss of much needed sponsorship. If you are aware of anyone who is interested in sponsoring me for the rest of this year, please let me know. You can always pass them onto these blogs or onto my website - http://beanycc.wix.com/the-intrepid-umzungu or my email address beanycc@gmail.com

Thank you for your sponsorship that has allowed me to buy gas, a cooker and a 19litre refillable water bottle this month (April). And to pay my rent ;) I am learning how to make Ugali, a harder version of pap. I need to get my head around it and enjoy it. I will keep you posted :) I even bought a small metal kettle to boil up a cuppa tea or hot chocolate now that Winter is coming. I may have to start wearing jeans soon...even a beanie.

One last thing I want to let you all know is that I am working on a business plan to start a film and media company for when I get to stay in Kenya. I have already got 2 interested parties and if this is right and gets off the ground, then I will be able to become financially stable. This is a goal for the future for when I become Mr Millicent, and I can then be the other half of the financial giving to the family. I am also wanting to create a secondary section of the company which would be able to impact organisations that work with children. All of this is still in my head, but I believe this is the way to go due to my past experience of filming and media work.

I love you all hugely, miss you all hugely and I look forward hearing how you guys are doing! I know have home landline so I am now available cell phone, landline, skype an whattsap :) And a visit is always allowed too!

Love Always Wins

My Milli :)

At Nyawira's Wedding with the Maphala's

The intrepid Umzungu missioning to bring Heaven to Kibera and beyond
Skype: africabeany
Cell: +254700377052
Home Landline: +254205205784

Bring On The Bouncing!

"I don't see much sense in that," said Rabbit. "No," said Pooh humbly, "there isn't. But there was going to be when I began it. It's just that something happened to it along the way." - Winnie the Pooh

I just love that, it really sums me up a lot of the time. I do things that a lot of people do not seem to make sense at all, and yes when I am in the middle of it I wonder what I am doing, but then my brain kicks into gear and I realise that the only person that I have to be concerned with their view is Piglet. Wait a bit. Did I just link God with Piglet? Well ok, if we are walking down this way let's see if Winnie the Pooh can be at all mixed with God. And please take the following as totally tongue in cheek. So....God would obviously be Christopher Robin because he knew WTP (I just can't continue all of that typing)  before anyone else. They had their closest times and is always the one he goes back to. Owl would obviously be the Holy Spirit because he is always there for WTP, friendship, care. direction, and huge wisdom. And he is always awake at night. which is always helpful while offering peace when needed. And now here's the hard one. I think I would say Jesus would be Kanga mixed with Tigger. Tigger because Jesus is just so awesome, exciting, fun, passionate, living life outside what others think are the safe ways of living. He bounces throughout our lives and invites us to throw of all our concerns of other people and come out of our of comfort spaces and jump into something new. And Kanga because Jesus is so loving, always aware of our concerns and makes it his priority, cares for the whole of the forest, the whole world actually and most definitely our personal forest/world and gives help in times of need. And a random fact is that Kanga is one of the few characters that Tigger does not bounce. Not sure how relevant that is, but it's a pretty cool thing to bring up at your next dinner date when the silence is tangible. 

So how have I been besides bonding with Winnie The Pooh... Sorry that my newsletter is out a bit later than the previous, but with internet issues and then my laptop crashing, these last 2 months have been stretching to say the least. I came here feeling I had to believe with faith that all the rest of the money I needed for my startup costs would fall from the sky, opening up the floodgates of heaven so to speak. Well, after realizing I did not need my umbrella anymore on standby, I realized that faith comes in many ways.  And it is something which I have realized is something so important in my life. Just because God said I must have faith, it did not mean in my own understanding that I wanted. I have been living off faith the last 2 months (and rice and beans with an occasional smoothie), and I have learnt how to squeeze my budget like an enraged meerkat shaking a chicken for any information on it’s stash of eggs. The school where I am based in the area of Soweto, Kibera (yes Soweto here was actually named after Soweto, in South Africa) called St Catherine is an amazing school. The children are beautiful and hungry to learn, (mixed with a chapati or 4 each day for my lunch,) brings me so much joy. The children do outweigh the chapattis tho ( I have so many photos of the school, the children etc. and following this sentence is a link to the photos.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/121337603@N05/sets/72157642895731134/

Or go onto my website which is  http://beanycc.wix.com/the-intrepid-umzungu where you will see the newest photos starting off the slide show. I also have mad a special blog page, where I will leave the latest newsletter with all the others linked back to the blog site. My Life Skill teaching is going really really well and I am bonding more each day. It's a wonder what an hour to an hour and half of just hanging out with the children for their break time does. With everything going on, they are worth it all and it's really awesome being able to have the opportunity to talk about God in my life with them too. I am still settling in, like my walk of about 25 minutes that is mostly a dirt road with rocks, holes and rain drenched areas. I have damaged my ankle twice from these roads with my trusted Merrels coming apart quite fast now, so I will be looking into getting “new” shoes (2nd hand cheaper at local market) with a better ankle protection. That has been a little frustrating. Also what has been more than that is acquiring my Permit. I am still awaiting on this process that has taken much longer than I expected. It was all supposed to be ready a while ago, then paperwork was required from me that was not previously asked for, and am now expecting some final paperwork from the organisation. And then it's just a matter of dropping it off at the Immigration office. It takes less than a month, so it will come in place at just the right time flavoured with what is less of my stress. Which I have to say is almost used up for now :)

So this is me so far, still fresh and new here, but learning as I go. I have found it easier fitting back into Kenya again, although being the only umzungu around is still something I have to get used to. I went to a local church here, called Nairobi Pentecostal Church, where I think there were 2 other umzungus there :) It was a really good service, very loud and passionate worship and thankfully not an over zealous preacher as normally heard here. A microphone made for shouting it seems, but I think the message is good if my head stops rattling. This past Sunday tho there was a guest speaker and he used the microphone as well, as a microphone. Really good message on Moses, and the questions we need to ask - the "Who am I?" and "Who are You?" (God) Really good for me to hear while being here. I am not really drawn to going back to my previous church I was at previously due to it's size.The Vineyard church is 2 services with I think between 500 and 800 per service. They are planting a new church nearer to me and it is much much smaller, and that is why I am drawn to it. SI am obviously more used to Melville Junction, and therefore will probably be happier at the soon to be newly planted Vineyard next month. I still go to my homegroup from the Vineyard, from last year, and I am loving it.

So I am growing in God, and am in a good environment to help with worship, to be prayed for when needed, and to input into other people's lives.

I love you guys a lot and again I thank you for continuing and not forgetting your sponsorship for me - this coming month of April should be so much better meaning I can buy gas and start off cooking for the first time since being here. And maybe even a buy a doughnut or something close to it. Sugar :)) Speaking of sugar, I am off to a wedding this weekend, for MJ's one and only Kenyan who met a Kenyan in South Africa and is now back in Kenya to be married, Nyawira! And yes I do have a date and yes, her name is Millicent ;)

Thank You again for keeping on giving, you have and still are playing a valuable role in my life, and my calling here. I hope your month has been a good one, know I am always thinking of you all, and please send me any prayer requests I can pray for.

It's always good for me not to navel gaze....I spelt it naval gaze at first, so um I will send of a few prayers into the blue yonder with a warning hoot from the ship.

Have a great rest of the month that is left and here's to a good April!Gareth

”If you want to make a song more hummy, add a few tiddely poms.”

― Winnie the Pooh

More Than A Survivor

Karibu!

 

So after leaving South Africa for Kenya last Monday, there is a rumour that I am still alive. Yes, if the news has not trickled down via social media pages, MJ or other assorted people, it is indeed the truth. My apologies if this news is only coming through now! I am alive, have arrived safely, party sorted out my place where I am living, and I am now involved at St. Catherine’s School in an area that is much deeper inside the Kiberan slums than where I was in the previous 2 years.

My first 2 weeks here have been mixed with difficulties and good old fashioned stress. I am one that still does not like change (surprise!), and when it happens it sends me down the “freaking out pathway” to the” I wish I was with my friends and family plaza.” It has been difficult due to me being short of my start off funds needed to kick start me in Kenya and plain old adjusting. I had to use some of what I had raised, to organize my medical insurance for the year, and upon arriving in Kenya I found I had very low funds. Through this God has shown me He is still there even if I sometimes tried to work out in rational terms if He was or not. After a panicked message to my brother, he awesomely leant me the money to pay for my first month’s rent (+ 1 month’s rent in advance) and as the end of the month arrives I will be able to pay him fully back. I managed to get a bed and mattress, and my sleeping bag is my best friend at this point. My kitchen has at this point has a smoothie maker Rachel/Dean gave me, that managed to make it all the way through to Kenya without it being lost, a bowl, spoon, knife, weetbix and peanut butter/marg and bread. Thank you to all who put in extra this month and to the one off sponsors to help me get on my feet. So much more appreciated than you will know. Thank you all for being on board for another exciting adventurous crazy God filled year. Your monthly support is huge huge huge to me and I would not be here if it was not for all of you.

My major food at this moment til month ends is 1. Smoothies and 2. A local sit down place. Mangos at R2/R2.50 each and bananas at R1 each are brilliant for a smoothie. Add some yoghurt for R4, some water and that is supper folks. Very healthy I must admit. And I cannot say how much I love mangos , or as my nephews are taught…really really like J (loving someone to loving food?) 2. The local sit down place starts off with food from R10, being rice – beans – local spinach – chick peas. I do not have this every day but when I do it fills me, but am thinking I should get some herbs or something to add some flavor. Maybe I should ask the Vally’s for some of Brendan’s famous chilli blend. But I do not want to complain. My breakfast is my mainstay, and one that I would struggle to change. Good ol Weetbix or as is know here, Weetabix or Sunnybix. I could go into the difference, but all I need to know is that Sunnybix is close to the original and added to boxed milk and sugar, a banana -  it works for me. As some may know, I really enjoy 

Cornflakes but at R50 a box that in SA cost R25 or less I think good ol Weetbix will suffice. 

So food and money aside, the biggest thing is that I am working in St Catherine’s school – have a look at their official website @ -, a school inside the slum that takes 120 children and has a home for around 20 orphans. As you know, I have wanted to start studying teaching this year (if money allows) and especially in the field of Life Skills aiming towards teaching the 8yr to 9yr old class. Exciting amazing news is this – I am officially a Life Skills teacher here at St Catherine’s for Class 4 (24 students) which is for the pupils between 8 and 9 years! Say what?! God is definitely watching out for me and has made a way for me to do what I have wanted to do already. The children have yet to know what is coming – a crazy Umzugu with some wacky lesson plans J Oh, from next week I am teaching Class 5’s too! I have only been with them a short time, but bonds are already forming and I thank God hugely for putting this into place. Yup, He loves me – and yes, love always wins!!

So that is me in a mango skin (ok that creates a really weird picture, unless you are in the fashion business or have watched the movie Zoolander) and yes even though it is a tighter month, God has provided hugely and I know I will not go hungry or have to sleep on the streets thanks to Him,  to you my sponsors and 3 kick-start donors. I will be back in touch month end, but you know the drill by now; email, whattsap, skype, whale talk (aka Dory in Find Nemo) me whenever with a one liner or a full book. I really love hearing from you guys, and never underestimate anything you send; hearing from you picks me up and keeps me going especially in this time when I start off getting used to being back in Kenya. Being the only umzungu in the whole area is definitely culture shock to say the least! 

I love you guys, you all mean so much to me and know that we are all in this together – missioning to see God’s heaven come to earth. Here in Kibera, Kenya and wherever you are in the world. He is here, He is wanting to see all of the bad and the nastiness gone in this world – we are here to help see that happen.

Love you all, I hope you are all doing well and know one thing…. Love Always Wins.

Gareth 

Kenya 2014!!

Hi all you amazing people!

I am aware that many of you are still coming back from holidays, or settling in slowly into the impact of the first week of work. So I thought I would update you on the exciting news for this year, and then I will be in touch with everyone personally. :)

So as the subject subtly says, yes I am going back to Kenya!! And here is the really exciting part - I have been given a Class E, Missionary Work Permit which basically means I have a one year permit, (yes no more short term visas!) which is renewable every year! And it is only for amazing price of R400 :) This means I can volunteer in Faith Based Organisations (FBO) which opens up new chapter for me. I have prayed into this, and before all of this happened I had spent a lot of time with God asking Him what are my plans for this year. I asked Him to open up doors so clearly that I would know I should go back to Kenya, specifically the Kiberan slums. The passion and love for Kenya, Kibera especially and the amazing people that I have always been in touch with.

As you will know last year ended with 2 months in Uganda. I spent time there seeing if that was where I could pour my heart into, and for many reasons I realised it was not right for me. I came back in December feeling unsure as to where I should be this year. At that point I had no way of getting a permit to be in Kenya without a huge amount of moolah passing hands(which, yes, I chose not to do!) So I prayed into where I should be, and with a permit now organised I can now go back to where I believe strongly that God wants me in. Serving, loving, living out God to the children and families.

So how did this permit come through so quickly. Well, honestly God could have only made that happen! It was organised through a bishop heading up a section of Kibera, who runs a school and children's home. And there was also help there too, a young lady called Millicent. I worked with her last year, and God has really placed her on my heart that she could be the person for my future. So it's something amazing that God has an extra joy for me in Kenya (why am I still surprised that God can use our situations for something more?)

I have many options to be placed in, due to Haki (the previous organisation I was with) not being a FBO. My heart at this point is to be going to St Catherine's, a school and home to orphans in the area of Kibera, to be involved there and see how I can be of good use. They are working on buying a plot of land to become self sustainable in food for the children, school needs etc. This really excites me, and I have had experience with this in Uganda. http://stcgreenhouse.com/Home.html There are a few other organisations that want me, which are also based in Kibera, so I am not in want of places that I can aid their impact with the Kiberan community. This is an exciting time for me, and as you will know next to South Africa, Kenya is such a big part in my life, and I am really really looking forward to going back and seeing all "my" children from last year, and friends I accumulated from just being where God placed me.

I have saved enough money for a plane ticket, medical insurance and the likes. I am basically ready to leave! Literally give me a week and I am on my way :) I am also making plans to study teaching through Unisa from this year.This is also really exciting and is one step closer to me being self sustainable in the future.

Will you partner with me again this year and continue your awesome sponsorship for me over 2014? To continue being the intrepid umzungu missioning to welcome Heaven to Kibera, impacting the people, children and families and allowing me to continue what God has made me to do and where God is continuing to call me to.

Love'ya all!

Gareth, aka Beanie, aka the Intrepid Umzungu