Welcome Home

"This is what happened when one left one's home--pieces of oneself scattered all over the world, no one place ever completely satisfied, always a nostalgia for the place left behind." The Lotus Eaters 

I'll start this post with my last week at Joytown, which already feels so long ago. For weeks, I had been praying for closure and a sense of peace going back to Mississippi. And that's exactly what the Lord gave me. Our last weekend in Thika was filled with many sweet memories with staff and kiddos--including one more tea party! At any event in Kenya, it is traditional to give short speeches of gratitude before everyone leaves. So at the end of the tea party, I was expected to thank everyone for the last six months--almost impossible to put into words:) How do I express my thanks to these people who loved me and included me in their lives for so long? Joytown has a portion of my heart, and I am forever grateful for that. But it was time to come home. All of my goodbyes were so sweet--filled with more laughs than tears. I've got to say, the most difficult was telling Naomi goodbye. She looked at me and said, "Gray if I don't see you again in Kenya, I'll see you in heaven...and I won't be in this wheelchair!"

Lord, thank you for Joytown School. Thank you for BethanyKids. Thank you for letting me tell their stories. 

I loved showing my parents Joytown and Kijabe. It was such a blessing to share this place with the people I love most! We spent a few busy days in Kenya and then a relaxing time in South Africa on the way home. My incredible friends greeted us in the Jackson airport and I have never been happier to see home. This past week, I have been overwhelmed with love by phone calls, texts, long coffee dates, and just genuine interest in my time in Kenya. I cannot thank you all for making Jackson the best place to come home to:)

 Dinner at Francesca's with her sweet baby, Jeremy 

Hugging my friend Naomi before leaving

Thanks for reading this blog of my ramblings and thoughts. Hope I brought a little bit of Joytown right to you:) 

Safe and Sound

Last night, I received a huge welcome home in the Jackson airport from my wonderful friends and family. Will post much more about the last few weeks in Kenya once I am coherent and over this jet lag!

From Spurgeon's Morning and Evening devotional:

"My unmoving mansion of rest is my blessed Lord....I am a pilgrim in this world, but at home in my God. In the earth I wander, but in God I dwell in a quiet habitation." 

Highlights

My last week at Joytown has been filled with so many precious memories. I have be able to spend time with the therapy team, and even more with the kids. Some highlights from the week:

• Great weekend with friends in Kijabe. Toured a gorgeous tea plantation and ate homemade dairy-free apple pie one night:)
• James was enrolled at Joytown Secondary School. Happiest boy I've ever seen! (I asked for prayers for James right before Christmas...you can read his story in my newsletter)
• Special AB class party. This class contains the most severe mentally and physically handicapped children at Joytown, and of course the ones with the biggest smiles. They were literally shrieking with happiness the whole party. The staff even performed a song and dance for the kids, which was a big hit!
  
• Singing rap songs with my sweet friend, Faith. Everyday, we meet in the gym and talk, laugh, and sing anything from Ludacris to Beyonce. Yesterday, I taught some of the girls the pretzel--they loved dancing!
• Dr. Bransford's visit to Joytown. It was so encouraging to see Dr. Bransford, especially at the end of my time here. He brings hope and vision to this school, and tireless motivation to glorify God in all things.

Tea plantation near Kijabe

James--so happy to be going to school

 Happy happy Special AB children

 Dr. Bransford explaining to Mary that her disability won't stop her from following her dream of becoming a writer. Wish I had this on video!

I thank God for His protection over these past 6 months....

"My help comes from the Lord, 

Who made heaven and earth.

He will not allow your foot to slip,

He who keeps you will not slumber.

Behold, He who keeps Israel

Will neither sleep nor slumber.

The Lord is your keeper,

The Lord is your shade on your right hand,

The sun will not smite you by day,

Nor the moon by night.

The Lord will protect you from all evil;

He will keep your soul.

The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in

From this time forth and forevermore."

Psalm 121

Thank you for all your prayers this last week and for my preparation for home. I cannot wait to see my parents in the Nairobi airport Monday night and show them a portion of this beautiful place. See you in the U.S. of A!

Disability is Not Inability

Today,  I was the cheerleader for the Joytown basketball game! Yep it's true, children with disabilites can even play basketball. These kids don't let anything stop them from having fun--such a great reminder to enjoy the life you're given. It was such a fun afternoon and I enjoyed talking with my sweet friends on the sidelines.

Tip off for the big game

 Boys soccer game--Daniel on the far left is playing with no arms. You can read his whole story under "success stories" :)

My girls--Every afternoon, we sit outside the dorms talking, laughing, and of course playing with my white girl hair.

"I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you."

John 14:18

Good Friends

The Lord has truly blessed me with great friends in Kenya. Some very unexpected and from all different backgrounds...but still great friends. Thought I'd post a few pictures of my long weekend in the beautiful Kijabe.

 Hiking Mt. Longonot with Marisa, Chandler, and Steve

 Fun birthday party in Kijabe

 Sweet Susan let us stay at her house all weekend

Going away dinner for one of Susan's roommates. This is their awesome backporch. 

 Everyone made their own homemade pizza!

Hope Haven

Last week may have been my favorite week at Joytown. A team from Iowa called Hope Haven brought new wheelchairs to 25 lucky students. To see the smiles on these children's faces...indescribable. I was in charge of snapping pictures the whole week, a job I was more than happy to do. The team of 5 Americans taught our BethanyKids staff the in's and out's of a wheelchair--from minor repairs to modifying the chair for a specific child. This team was such a blessing to everyone at Joytown. I would have appreciated Hope Haven in September, but after living with these children for 5 months...I have learned that a wheelchair is their world. And Hope Haven was able to make their world a little better. Please visit their website to find out more about this incredible ministry (www.hopehaven.org) and enjoy the pictures!

 Measuring Fatuma for a new wheelchair

 Antone just loved all the attention (this is the boy in the main picture at the top of my blog)

Rose accepted Jesus as she was waiting for her wheelchair. She called her mom crying, "Mom I am born again!" I will remember this moment for the rest of my life:) 

 Rose with the beautiful smile

Calling home with the good news

Joytown Needs

There are so many needs at Joytown....Children need to be pushed to the dining hall. Some need help to eat. Some need a new uniform because theirs is so tattered. Some have wounds that need dressing. Most need hours of physical therapy. It can be absolutely overwhelming, but there is one need that has been met.
For about 5 months now, BethanyKids has been building new bathrooms at Joytown. Never thought I would say this about a bathroom, but they are just beautiful. Joytown consists of 9 dormitories, each with its own bathroom. Right now, they are awful. They do not have a sink to wash your hands and wheelchairs cannot fit into the stalls. This means that children must climb out of their wheelchairs and crawl to the toilet.

 Using the current bathrooms

So new bathrooms were a must. They are bigger, better, and have plenty of room for wheelchairs. They also have a sink and shower in each stall. Children with spina bifida use C.I.C. (Clean Intermittent Catherization) to empty their bladders and this is nearly impossible in the current bathrooms. They will be able to perform the process in a much easier and cleaner way in the new facility! At the moment, only 2 bathrooms are being built, which leaves 7 dorms with old bathrooms. Please pray BethanyKids will be able to raise funds to provide these great bathrooms for all the dorms. Read more about BethanyKids efforts at www.bethanykids.org.

New Bathrooms!

"Oh God you are my God;

I shall seek You earnestly.

My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You,

In a dry and weary land where there is no water. 

Thus I have seen You in the sanctuary,

To see Your power and Your glory.

Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,

My lips will praise You.

So I will bless You as long as I live;

I will lift up my hands in Your name."

Psalm 63:1-4 

                             Happy Birthday to my sweet roommate Marisa!

What a special friend to experience this journey with--I am so thankful for her! We enjoyed a wonderful bday lunch at The Coconut Grill  (hotspot of Thika) and then did a little grocery shopping at the local supermarket, Tuskys.
Before lunch, I took some pictures of a typical day at Joytown and thought I'd share...Enjoy!

                  
                      Samuel just lounging around. He has a pressure sore so he's on bedrest.

                             Housemother trying to help this little boy stay in his wheelchair

                                                              Can I take you home?

 

Rehab team:)

Home Stretch

During my first weeks, maybe months, at Joytown I would breathe a sigh of relief each Friday. Another week down, which means a little closer to home. I know it is a terrible thing to admit, but I am saying this because of course my heart has changed. Yesterday, I arrived at Joytown after being away for far too long, and I had no idea how much I missed this place. I missed all the unusal sounds of this school. The firewood being chopped outside my room every morning at 4:00 or the baboons that run across my tin roof at night. But I especially missed the sweet sound of wheelchairs and walkers scraping against gravel. A sound I can find no where else. Endless laughter and singing at all hours of the day.

I was greeted by the love of my life--Isaac. This adorable six year old has captured my heart. Even though the only words we can exchange are a simple "hello" or "how are you"....I have missed his smile. That smile just brings tears to my eyes. So instead of counting down the days til home, I am praying that these last 6 weeks will drag on and on.

Back to Reality

Sorry it's been awhile since my last post-- SO much has happened! I spent the past 11 days in Dubai enjoying a wonderful Christmas and New Years with the Terney family. Riana and I go wayyy back...since the day she was born to be exact! Our grandparents are close friends and she visits the U.S. with her parents every summer. So I was very happy to finally get the chance to visit her in Dubai. The Terneys opened their home and let me be a part of their lives all week. They were my family away from Jackson, giving me the best holiday season I could ask for! I am incredibly grateful for their hospitality and friendship:)

Riana, Gulay & Steve Terney & I on Christmas morning

A few Dubai activities:

There is plenty do to in Dubai--I could stay another month and still not see everything. Of course we shopped at a few of the massive malls. The Dubai Mall has over 1,500 stores. Insane. Shopping is an experience in Dubai and all the Christmas decorations just made it even better! We saw the Burj Al Arab--the first 7 start hotel in the world and the Burj Khalifa--the tallest building in the world.

Burj Al Arab--designed in the shape of a sailboat

Riana and I in front of the Burj Khalifa. Watched a great firework show here on New Years!

We also saw the historic side of Dubai, which I really enjoyed. We toured the Dubai Museum and walked around the older part of town called the Bastakiya. We had a great tour guide--Riana's dad, Steve!

Hindu Alley--including a Hindu temple which is uncommon in this area

Made a few friends by the docks of Dubai Creek

Fun boat ride across the creek

We visited a few hotels, which are all extremely luxurious and beautiful. My favorite was Atlantis Hotel, which had its own aquarium inside.

We enjoyed Christmas Day at the Terneys with a few other guests. My sweet mom sent me presents with Riana so it felt just like home. I also watched my family open their gifts over skype--I just love technology. I met all of Riana's wonderful friends, who made me feel immediately welcome. We spent alot of time laughing and eating good food: ) It will be hard to eat hummus back home after having it fresh in Dubai. It was an exciting and eventful break that I will never forget!

Today I am spending the day in Nairobi with my close friend, Julie Carter, who is serving the Lord in a hospital in Kapsowar. Please keep her in your prayers and follow her journey at http://kapsowarkenya.blogspot.com. It's good to be home!

Merry Christmas Y'all

I can't believe it's already the week of Christmas..I have been listening to James Taylor's Christmas album for weeks now:) I went for a long walk this morning around the beautiful RVA campus and realized I really miss walking with a friend. Walks have been a time for my friends and I to really catch up, laugh, and even pray together. But as I was walking today, I never once felt alone. The Lord's presence was absolutely overwhelming. For a brief moment that made my heart race, I could actually feel Him holding my hand. You may think I sound crazy, but in all my aloneness in Kenya, I have found my dearest friend. My ever faithful Savior. He has drawn near to me in a way I never felt in Mississippi. I am reminded of a wonderful passage from Charles Spurgeon's devotional Morning and Evening...

"Job's communion with God was intensified by the failure of all other consolations."

Yes, the Lord has blessed us with the incredible gift of friends and family. But even our friends and family can fail us. However, the Lord never will. Sometimes we don't feel His presence, but when we do...it replaces any and every emotion this life could offer.

So this Christmas, may we bask in the irreplaceable gift of Jesus Christ. And may we be His hands and feet to a watching world.

Merry Christmas Y'all!

P.S. I will be traveling to Dubai in just a few days to spend the holidays with a wonderful family. Please pray for safe travels!

Kijabe Hospital

Since living in Kijabe, I have shadowed a few surgeons at the hospital and interviewed them for stories. It has been such an eye-opening experience. I have never been in the OR back home, but I am pretty sure it's very different. Kijabe Hospital runs almost completely on donations. Only about 5% of patients can actually pay for their medical care. And BethanyKids has never turned a patient away if they could not pay. It's incredible to see the people of God financially support a hospital they may never see. I can feel the Lord's presence at this hospital...before and after every single operation, the surgeons pray specifically for the patient. I have met many doctors who dedicate months and even years away from their home to serve the Lord at this hospital.

I watched one surgery of an infant whose mother had accidentally spilt tea on him. The baby's burn had become severely infected because the family waited a week to bring him to the hospital. In most African countries, a lack of education or poverty result in poor medical care. This mother probably tried to help her child on her own, underestimating the burn. But seeing the relief on the mothers' faces in this hospital is heartwarming. They are truly thankful for Kijabe Hospital, and the doctors immediately give all the glory to God.

Sweet baby with an awful burn

Happy, happy mom--her little girl with hydrocephalus just successfully came out of surgery, putting a shunt in her head. The mother was crying and praising the Lord:)

Slow Down

I just finished one of the most inspiring books I have ever read-- "Three Cups of Tea" by Greg Mortenson. I have been meaning to read this book for awhile, and glad I finally had the time! One part sums up my impression of Kenyan culture. Mortenson is talking about his mentor, Haji Ali in Pakistan...

"That day, Haji Ali taught me the most important lesson I've learned in my life. We Americans think you have to accomplish everything quickly. We're the country of thirty-minute power lunches and two-minute football drills. Haji Ali taught me to share three cups of tea, to slow down and make building relationships as important as building projects. He taught me that I had more to learn from the people I work with than I could ever hope to teach them."

As many of you know, African time is very different than American time. Things run more slowly and projects are not "accomplished" as quickly. Years from now, when I look back at my time at Joytown, I'm not going to remember how many stories I wrote. Or even how effective the reading program was. I am going to remember the people that loved me. So I am very thankful that the Lord is slowing me down to appreciate others in a whole new way. And read "Three Cups of Tea" if you haven't already!

Happy Turkey Day!

First Thanksgiving away from Greenville, MS, but I am grateful to be right where I am. A few things I am thankful for today....

1. Space. Marisa and I moved into Steve and Judy Cochran's home today to housesit for the month. I cannot express how grateful we are to this family for letting us use their home in Kijabe. Kijabe has been my saving grace in Kenya and I am ecstatic to live here for an entire month. I have my own bedroom! And clean water from the sink--with ice cubes. And 2 couches in the den:)

2. New friends. The Cochran's only request: walk and feed their rambunctious dogs--Boots and Bell. I'm excited to have jogging partners around this gorgeous campus overlooking the Rift Valley.

3. Connection. We have unlimited and FREE connection to the outside world for the next month. This means... skype with people I haven't seen in months, checking my email at anytime, downloading videos, I could go on and on.

4. Turkey. Yep, I got turkey in Kenya on Thanksgiving! Marisa even tried turkey for the first time in her life.

5. Package. My sweet momma sent me a package with DVDs and other fun things, and it arrived on Thanksgiving Day! What a great surprise.

6. Family. I know everyone thinks they are thankful for their family on Thanksgiving, but I think I win:) I was able to skype with my entire family this morning and felt like I was right there with them. My parents have listened, cried, and prayed with me so many times since I have been here and I cannot thank the Lord enough for their love.

7. God's Faithfulness. Last but certainly not least, the Lord unfailing faithfulness in my life. I am more aware than ever of my wavering heart. But His grace abounds all the more. The Lord never leaves or forsakes me. He is here when I am homesick, doubtful, anxious, and even in the midst of my sin.

When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears

and delivers them out of all their troubles.

The LORD is near to the brokenhearted

and saves the crushed in spirit.

Psalm 34:17-18

Hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday and eat plenty of sweet potato casserole for me!

His People

"For the Lord's portion is His PEOPLE." Deutronomy 32:9

One of the saddest things I have seen at Joytown is the mealtime ritual. The Sunshine Class for the mentally handicapped is located at the bottom of a steep hill. Everyday before each meal, two teachers must push all of the students up the hill to the dining hall. This process takes at least 30 minutes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Today, I helped push the children and once again, I am humbled. I enter the crowded dining hall, lined with hundreds of wheelchairs. One housemother asks me to feed two boys who cannot feed themselves. As I am spoon feeding a 15-year-old boy, I start to cry. This boy could not wheel himself to the dining hall. He could not lift a spoon to his mouth. He could not even form the words "thank you." He is completely dependent on others. Yet, he is the Lord's portion. The Lord delights in this child.

There are times here when I think my heart cannot break any more. There is sadness that I cannot fix, but then I remember....we are not made for this world. And one day, one glorious day, these children will dance at their King's feet. All the brokenness of this world will finally be restored.

Thankful

I am so thankful for the children at Joytown. On Sunday, we had a farewell party for the primary and secondary students in the spina bifida support group. I have not had a chance to meet the secondary students yet, and they blew me away. They are such an encouragement and a living testimony to the younger ones. They prove that it is possible to live a clean and normal life with C.I.C. (a person must empty their bladder using a catheter). One older girl gave a small speech and thanked God for her condition. She said she knew that God had a purpose when she was born with spina bifida. I nearly lost my breath. I am perfectly healthy, and yet, I question God’s purpose for me. This girl, with a life-altering condition, is praising the Lord for the way He made her. I will praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Lord, thank you for examples of children who praise You at all times.

Another blessing lately is a child named Gideon. This boy was born without arms or legs and almost completely illiterate at the age of 19. My first week here, I was given the challenging task of reading with Gideon everyday. After a few weeks, I realized I was hurting more than helping since I do not have a teaching degree. I was frustrated and very confused why the Lord was using me to help this boy. Until yesterday…I met one of the Canadian BethanyKids board members and casually mentioned Gideon’s story. Gideon is in a classroom with children more than 10 years younger. Last year was his first year at school and he needs one-on-one attention.

This gracious man has offered to help find Gideon a tutor to work with him daily. This would drastically change Gideon’s progress in the classroom. The Lord is always working—even when it’s not the time we expect!

God is Working

The Lord is truly moving here at Joytown. I have seen teachers and BethanyKids staff pour into students day in and day out, investing precious time into precious children. Yesterday, we invited the Class 8 boys to their tea party after school. We had over 20 guests and they were all very well-behaved! We taught them the same dining tips and manners as the girls, and enjoyed tea and cookies. Then Major Samson talked to the boys about becoming men of God. He reminded them that the decisions they make today will determine their future. It was so encouraging to see these boys soak up the advice they were hearing.

Today Joytown held a 2 hour prayer service for the Class 8 students. Some of the children gave speeches and performed songs, then all the teachers joined hands in prayers around the class. They prayed for wisdom in the exams, for health, and for the students' future. It was an incredible thing to see teachers love their students so deeply. They ended the service by blessing each one of the students. The Lord is using this school to prepare children for the real world and how to boldly live for Christ!

The teachers blessing students of Class 8