My life has been going pretty well. So well that i forgot, once again, to update for so long. and for that i am so sorry. Life here has been going so well and I have so many things to be grateful for. i have been staying very busy and I am happy that God has started to give me some friends who i can just sit around and watch movies with. I am so happy to say that I have a small group of guys that i feel completely comfortable with and with who i can just joke and talk and be wierd with and all that. it is really great, because i did not have that for a few months.
Thank you all so much for praying for rain, i am happy to say that we have now been receiving lots of rain which is good for food, animals, and humans. (in fact, the farmers in my area have been saying that we are getting too much rain). Today a draft version of the New Kenyan Constitution came out and they posted the entire thing in the newspaper. For those of you who dont follow world news you may not know that the political situation of kenya has been a bit sticky and shakey the past few years, so we are all very happy to see the steps that are being taken to improve on the political situation in kenya. please continue to pray for our government.
Well, allow me to tell you a few things about my life which have happened over the past month or so. at work i have been pretty much only doing stuff for PSS (psycho-social support - working with orphans and vulnerable children) but its been really great. PSS, as i have said before, was almost completely disbanded, but the TYS and I have been working hard to revive the program in our territory. At the end of October, i had a chance to travel to a medium-sized city called Kisii and was able to spend time with the PSS group there. We were able to play games, hold a seminar for the leaders, do home visitation, attend the Kids and Youth (KAY) Club, view the Income Generating Activities (IGAS), and many other things. I was able to teach the children some new games and had a chance to give a few talks on working with children. I also did a trust fall from 6 feet up into the arms of a bunch of scrawny young men. i was surprized when they caught me, but then they started throwing me up and down and i was totally impressed.
We also had a chance to view the IGAS in a place called Kakrao, where they have some very impressive businesses which help raise money for school fees and medication of the HIV/AIDS positive children. I was really touched to see the way these two communities reached out to those who are affected by HIV/AIDS and tears came to my eyes when i learned the horribly sad stories of some of these youth. but it was great to see the love and hope that the PSS group was bringing to the children and the community. They even had several youth who they saved from sex trafficking, so they can honestly say that they have saved some of these young girls' lives.
Then, a few weeks later, the TYS and I hosted PSS Refresher Course as the final step to our revival process of PSS. We brought together 28 people who have been trained in PSS in the past and brought them together to discuss our current situation, review the lessons in which they were trained, and discuss the way forward. it was a really fun time where i learned a lot, played a lot of games, and got to meet a lot of really great people. It was good to see that many of these people have a testimony connected to PSS and we hope that this sharing of experiences will allow us all to continue the PSS program in our areas.
We had a really epic water fight which ended with me dumping a huge bucket of water on my own team mate who popped me with a balloon in the back. we were able to play a bunch of games, team building exericises and so on with the children of the neighborhood and it was a great learning experience for us all.
I have been so happy to be given a chance to be more involved in my corps (church). i am now leading a guitar class in which i have 7 or 8 members, 3 of them being brand new. plus, i am sure that the number will continue to grow. there are 2 young men who have picked it up really quickly and have been performing hymns on Sunday Morning. it is so nice to see its wonderful how the old ladies of the church are so happy every time they play.
today i received a notification in the mail about my entry permit......it has finally been approved. thats right, as of today i can legally be in kenya. its a great feeling and now i dont have to worry so much about all of that. it has been a big worry on my heart, and so i thank God for taking care of it. In two weeks i will travel to Nairobi to be registered as an "alien" and then it will all be official.
Please pray for:
-My family back home
-My future plans (that God would reveal them and that I would listen)
-The PSS Program
-My Corps (Kakamega Citadel)
-Wisdom
-Language
-The Territorial Youth Program
-The Kenyan Government
Apologies for the not so great update and the long time in between entries, hopefully it will not always be so.
Thanks y'all. Much love
Justin
First of all, I want to give an update on PSS. PSS is the program that I have talked a lot about which works among orphans and vulnerable youth who have been affected by poverty, violence, or disease. The TYS and I have been workig very hard to secure funding and trainings for this program and we are happy to say that this program is soon to be fully revived in the Territory. Leaders have been identified, calendars have been prepared, and funding is on its way. We are very pleased with this news, but ask you to continue to pray that everything continues to go smoothly. In the last few months PSS leaders have been able to speak at several youth seminars and trainings, hold way forward meetings, and come together for encouragement and support. I was even able to travel to anoher PSS training in Kisumu in order speak and encourage the young people. 
At the beginning of October we had a big event which took up most of our time and energy. We had a visit from the Salvation Army International Secretary (IS) for Africa (the bossman for all the Salvation Army in Africa) and it took a lot of delegation, preparation, and work for everything to go smoothly. His visit was a great encouragement to us. He arrived early in the week and had a small tour of the Territory and conducted reviews and interviews. Then, on Saturday, we held a big celebration to officially open the new building. The IS officially opened the building and it was a meeting filled with dancing, singing, tree planting, horn blowing, and the like. It was then my responsibility to give tours of the building. We had a great theoretical system in place where each tour guide would take around a group of 15 people and would be seperated from the other groups; but it turned out more to be just a giant heap of people going whereever they wanted (which is what happens whenyou try to show a building to 600 officers (pastors) within a half an hour time). 
The next day, there was a big Territorial meeting planned, and this meeting ended up being very intense. I started off at 630am in order to arrive on the opposite side of town to begin the brass processional. The band was to march from one end of town, to the middle of town (where we were met by all the other Salvationists), and then through every single street and alley of the town, onto the final place which was to be Bukhungu Stadium (the soccer stadium in town). So we marched in our matching band uniforms through the whole town playing African tunes. There is no written music, no set duration, just a bunch of people playing drums and horns and 6,000 Salvationists marching behind them with people singing and laughing and dancing on the side of the street as we pass by. Thats right...6,000!!! Thats also right...constant spontaneous dancing!! When we reached the stadium there was a march past in which every single soldier marched in front of the IS. It took over an hour and our African tunes were blaring in the background the whole time. 
The meeting at the stadium was so good. People came from far and wide to be present for this meeting and were happy to sing, dance, and fellowship together. There was a gospel dance presentation from our youth in Kitale, who danced in bow ties and white socks. Our scouts set up a tent in the middle of the professional soccer field and did all of there scouty things. It was just a great day of worship and fellowship for people from around the territory.
While in Mombasa I went to a really old fort called Fort Jesus which (apparently) is built to look like Jesus stretched out on the cross. The Fort is in a really great area called Old Town that has dozens of Mosques, tiny roads, and thousands of people. I also had a chance to see most of the city, take a ferry across the river, and travel up to the beaches. At the beaches I swam in the Indian Ocean, saw monkeys, held a huge snake, and ate a crocodile (not very delicious).
After I left Mombasa I had a chance to travel Nairobi which (even though it is the capitol) I had spent no time in. I was able to go around and see the downtown, many Salvation Army corps and compounds, and had a chance to worship and play in the band of the largest Salvation Army corps in the world (Nairobi Central, with over 3,000 Senior Soldiers). I then traveled with an officer friend to the area around Machakos, which is a very dry and dusty place. It was the driest place i have ever been, and yet it wasn't overly hot. Right now in Kenya, we have a water crisis. Much of the country does not have enough water, rivers are drying up and wells are very low. Because of the water crisis, crops are failing and cattle are dying which is causing food shortages. We also are going through a power crisis, which means that we are going through a lot of power rationing (so there are some days when we just sit around the office and chat). But God is good and is really helping his people.
After Machakos, I went to Nairobi and picked up Mike Steinsland from the Airport. Mike is the coolest and decided to come and spent 10 days with me. He was here for my birthday, he brought me many gifts from many different people at home (thanks everyone), and we had a really good time together. I had a chance to show Mike a little bit of my life and he was able to meet my friends, coworkers, and officers. Mike even had a chance to slaughter his first chicken. He had never even touched a live chicken before (we are so proud of him). However, we forgot to tell him to hold the chicken for about a minute after the head was off. So he let go of the chicken and blood got everywhere; all over himself, me, the walls, plants, our friend Kerry's shirt, everywhere.
At the music school I was able to be in the brass band, the staff band, and the united chorus. Mike and I both had the chance to give devotions and we were both greatly blessed by the music, bible studies, and people we met through the week. During the talent show, we were able to see 30 presentations (there were only 100 people) of people's talents. We were also able to take part in a Cultural Night where we saw a traditional Turkana War dance, a circumsion ceremony (minus the actual curcumsion), a Kekuyu presentation of a woman's responsibilities, and the cleansing of a house after a death in the family. it was really fascinating. I even talked about the Corn Palace and Mike said he likes loud music. it was great. 
The final concert of the Music School was held on Sunday morning and we were able to do a very loud and wonderful crusade with all of the bandsmen, singers, and timbrels (tambourines).
I am now back in the office and am trying to catch up on all of the work that I missed because of being away for 3 weeks. I am almost there, but as soon as I catch up I know more will come, its just the way it is, and its ok.
This is “The Little Mandate” which is at the heart of the teachings of Catherine de Hueck Doherty who started the Friendship House and the Madonna House and moved into poor neighborhoods to live among and serve the poor. 
Since my last post I have been keeping busy, but not too busy. I have been enjoying the company of those around me, have been getting more involved in my corps (church), and have really enjoyed working on our farm. We could start a salad company, since we have more lettuce and cucumbers than we know what to do with.
On the 10th of July I had the opportunity to go visit a friend named Mike in his hometown of Moi's Bridge. It is a small town, but with a lot of Salvation Army ministry occuring within it. Mike is an active PSS member (as defined in earlier entries) and is the leader of 4 PSS groups within that area. I had the opportunity to lead a meeting where we discussed the Way Forward for the PSS program and discussed ways of how we can work together. I was then taken to see the PSS ministries that are occuring within the Kaptien Outpost (a church plant by the Moi's Bridge corps). When I arrived in Kaptien I was greeted by the community who was excited to have a visitor, since I was the first person from THQ to ever visit the outpost. They showed me the income generating projects that they are doing to raise funds for the youth and then allowed me to be a part of their Kids and Youth (KAY) Club. 
On Saturday, the youth arrived and we have a day full of seminars and teachings. The youth were so excited to be together and praise God. They listened intently to every word the TYS (the man in charge of all youth in Kenya West) and I said and were eager to put it into practice. On Saturday afternoon we held a very wonderful crusade, where the youth marched proudly and sang loudly. One child held my hand, and when the others realized I would allow them they all grabbed on. I had one child on each finger and several on each arm. During the open air, which was filled with dramas and dancing, i was pulled onto the "stage" and was told to dance. I tried my best.
When we travel to other cities we use a vehicle called a Matatu (which means "for three" but I'm not exactly sure why). They vehicles are kind of like Hippy Vans and are used as buses. They are only supposed to hold 14 people, but they will not leave a city with less than 20. So it is common to be sitting in the aisle on a piece of wood or to have someone leaning on you or sitting on your lap. I have several interesting matatu stories, including oddities with breastfeeding mothers and vomiting grandmothers, but perhaps another time.
Thank you all for continually praying for me and reading this blog. I really feel your love more than you can know.
We visited a Salvation Army school and I am quite certain that I have never been stared at more in my life then I did by those children; it made me feel very awkward. The place where we were was very rural, and most of these young children had never seen a muzungu (whitey) face to face before, let alone touch one. So every single child wanted to greet me. They wanted to shake my hand and say "how are you?" which they repeat over and over again. So i created a mass handshaking system where i shook about 40 hands at a time, in order to make it through the 300 students of the school in a relatively short period of time. 
On Saturday, we were with all of the youth. There were about 600 youth there to worship and learn from us. We sang, danced, and taught them and then went on a huge crusade. We marched for 10 kilometers, 5 miles, each way and then held a very wonderful open air, and then returned. At the end of the 10 mile trek of dancing, i was quite tired, but the youth were all very happy. They even stayed up until midnight singing and dancing. All they need is a Yamaha keyboard that plays drum beats and they go on for hours.
The following day I led Sunday School at my corps and tried to make all of the youth act like lions (simba), but they wouldnt. There was only one boy who tried to act like a scary lion and the face he made literally scared me a little bit. I then went to a soccer game which was the district championship for High School teams. There is a Salvation Army school near my office which I often visit and both the girls team and the boys team made it into the finals. This was an amazing thing for them because they are small and new. The teams that they played were big and old. But our team (called Kakamega Township) did very well, but sadly lost. However, the next day on the National News they interviewed the principal of the team that one and he made a reference to a "Salvation Army Muzungu" who was in Army uniform and was rooting for Township. Then the people on TV made fun of me. I was quite proud to be known as "the white man in all white" (which is our sunday uniform, which is quite schnazy).
The Salvation Army was started by William and Catherine Booth. William was both really cool but also really crazy (in a good way). But let me just focus in on one of the reasons why he was really cool: he knew the importance of children in the church.
On the 6th of June, I went to a PSS meeting in Kisumu and had the opportunity to learn, teach, and encourage facilitators and new members as they planned on starting new programs in their area. I like PSS because it works for mental and relational healing in youth through counseling and play. That's right, play! During the PSS seminars we play lots of games. We become childlike in order to win children for Christ. I like it. We shout, run in circles, sing rediculous songs, shake the bootay, and all that fun stuff. I really think that this is a good program, and I feel like this is one of the reasons why I am here. This program is important and God wants to see it vibrant again in this place, and so do I.
Two weeks later there was another PSS meeting but this time in my hometown of Kakamega. This meeting was two days long and sought to teach counseling techniques, how to start Income Generating Projects (which PSS uses in order to raise money for school fees for the Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC's) that they work with), Kids and Youth (KAY) Clubs, loss and bereavement, and so on. This was a great time where i learned a lot. We had plenty of opportunity to dance and play here as well.
Many other great things have happened this month: I have preached the last two weeks and feel fairly good about the messages, I know God uses even me; I marched in a parade for the day of the African child; I somehow became the Deputy Bandmaster for a Divisional Band (even though I told them no and I wasnt there, they voted me in anyway); and many other things.
My friend situation is becoming incredibly solid and I thank God for sending me some young guys to be my friends here who keep me from going crazy and working all the time. We pretty much just talk about soccer and band, they sometimes talk about girls but I try and stay quiet. They all make fun of me because my soccer team is West Ham United (Ian and Green Street Hooligans have hooked me).
this is my house
This is a baboon.
