April 2, 2016 NAIROBI, KENYA
Valerie and I are now settled in to our accommodation in Nairobi. This week we have scheduled a series of appointments with various members of our WorldComp staff. Having a healthy, open and honest relationship with these brothers and sisters is one of our top priorities. We will pray for them, counsel with them, work out relational issues, hear their hearts and assure them of our love and commitment.
All that we are doing here is built upon these relational foundations. Over the years I have watched many an organization flounder and fall because the men and women who carry the weight of the organization were not cared for in their personal lives. Please pray for us as we enter a pastoral phase of our ministry here.
I want to thank all of you who prayed for Valerie in the past few days. We were very concerned because she had a bacterial infection that could have put her stay here at risk. But God! Dr. George put her on an antibiotic that we have never heard of and it was obviously the perfect remedy, because she bounced back miraculously. Not that I am under-estimating the power of prayer, mind you. I know that God is watching over us.
Tomorrow we visit the Church, which meets in our children’s feeding center in the Kibera Slum. They call it Exodus Church and it is indeed a place where people can come out of, and find refuge in, one of the darkest places on earth. We had Pastor John and Mary Idagiza over to our house today along with their two wonderful daughters, Lydiah and Lilian. We were able to play Santa Claus because several of our friends back home sent them gifts of clothing, school supplies and tuition money for their college fees. How we love this precious family– they are truly heroes of the faith. Rather than running from the slums, they have devoted their lives to helping people there.
You are all in our prayers and in our hearts.
In Christ Service
Richard and Valerie