I am writing to you from the beautifully warm and sunny weather of Kakamega while most of you are knee deep in snow. All I can say is “suckers!” As you are shoveling your walks and deicing your driveways I am letting off a slight sweat and eating garden fresh veggies. Again I say “suckers!”
I am doing well and would like to share with you a little bit about what has been happening in my life over the past few months. I must admit that they have been quite busy, but that they have been filled with a lot of wonderful experiences and memories of which I am so grateful for. At the end of November we had the annual Commissioning service for the Salvation Army of all of Kenya (which is the time when the students in the Salvation Army seminary get ordained as pastors). This was a wonderful weekend where over 10,000 Salvationists came together to worship and celebrate the new officers who were commissioned. The weekend was filled with long band processionals, dancing, singing, and a lot of “flowers”. When some is going through a big life changing event (graduation, marriage, etc.) all of their friends and families buy them plastic sparkly neck ornament things (like the Hawaiian leis). It was great to see the happiness of the people as they celebrated graduating and the graduation of those they loved.
In the month of December I spent a lot of time traveling from place to place in order to meet with and encourage youth and youth leaders from around the Salvation Army. The middle of November marks the end of the school year so most youth are at home and free during the entire month of December, which makes it the best time to meet with the youth. We were able to travel to Eldoret, Moisbridge, Tongaren, Migori, Kisumu, and Agai Sondu in order to hold PSS community follow ups and Fun Days. During these visits we did home visitations, encouraged leaders, and held games and tournaments amongst the local youth. Highlights: I lost in a hula hoop competition to a 5 year old girl after 4 seconds, we were able to financially support some groups in order for them to start some small businesses and become stable and independent, played so much soccer, and tons of others. It was really great.
Christmas break was really great, but it was much too short. I felt busier during Christmas than I did while at work. By the time I realized I was on leave, it was over. But I am not complaining, it was a really great time. On Christmas Day I went to church where we had plenty of Christmas festivities. In Kenya, everyone goes to church on Christmas Day. We started the morning with doing a brass band march and processional of Christmas Carols through the neighborhood. I was playing the bass drum which is at least 25 pounds and is a beast. From there we started the church service which was filled with singing, dancing, and a lot of old ladies walking up and down the aisles shouting and praising. The service ended with us all feasting on Christmas Cake, something that I think all churches should adopt. After the service I was chosen as a judge for youth group competition. The youth groups from all the outposts (church plants) were told to prepare a song and dance and a memory verse and it was my job (along with my sidekick Wiseman) to see which youth group was the best and should get to take home the trophy. It was excellent because the group that won was from a tiny little outpost called Musa. They were so happy to have the trophy that they marched up and down the road dancing, shouting, and singing the “We won a trophy” song (yes there is such a song; as well as a song for cutting a cake and opening presents (singing and dancing cultures are awesome)).
After church I went to my friend James’ house where I was able to have Christmas dinner with him, his wife, his daughter, and some friends from church. It was a really great time of conversation and fellowship. It was not the same as being at home (where my older sister got engaged on Christmas morn) but I definitely felt loved and surrounded by good people. I then traveled outside of Kakamega and had a chance to attend my first “Mass Wedding” where four brothers (who were all in their 50’s and 60’s) were all “wedded” at the same time. Apparently all of them eloped while in their 20’s and had never gotten around to having a service. It was a great to see these old men make their vows and make the marriage “legal”. I then traveled to stay with a family in a village called Butiti and lived the village life for a few days, which was wonderful.
On New Year’s Eve I had a little party-ish thing at my house where a bunch of guys came over and we watched movies and I got them hooked on my American music, Taylor Swift and Nickleback (joke?). We then all went to church for the New Year’s Eve praise night. Pretty much all we did was sing and dance for about 6 hours straight as we brought in the New Year. Spending New Years at church was probably the best way I could have done it. The next day we were all at church again to celebrate the New Year and to dedicate the year to God.
I thank God for his faithfulness and love to me this year, I can truly say that God is good and that his mercies are new every morning.
Please pray for:
- Wisdom
- Against laziness
- For the Territorial Youth Programs
- For my corps (Kakamega Central and Mayfair Community)
- For my family back home
- For the Kenyan Government
God Bless everyone,
much love
JUSTIN ARTHUR ROSE III
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. 