Immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine...

Kijabe is blessed with a wonderful group of chaplains that work throughout the hospital, ministering to the patients and families and sharing Jesus with them.  I have previously mentioned Mercy in this blog, and she has come in during the middle of the night on many occasions to help a family struggling with loss.  Also, many of our visiting teams have worked with her and been welcomed by her.

April 2014

July 2013

Another young chaplain is named Steven.  We have gotten to know him during our time here, and he invited us to preach at his church in Kambaland (sort of near where ABO was - about 4 hours away).  After many attempts to find a weekend that worked, we settled on last Sunday.  Because of call issues, I couldn't go, so Rick and Steven set out about 5:30am together.  As an aside, Rick and I have made a policy not to drive here when the sun is not up, but this was a tricky situation due to the distance.  Being at the equator, the sun rises and sets at roughly 6:30 everyday.  Remember that.

Their journey took them towards Nairobi, then around the Nairobi bypass, and north for a few miles to a town called Thika.  Thika is the center of the pineapple industry in Kenya, and Del Monte has a large presence there.  After passing through Thika, they took a series of smaller roads through the pineapple plantations and dry, scrubby acacia forests until they reached the area around Mwingi.  Mwingi is in the traditional home area of the Kamba people, who are the fifth-largest tribe in Kenya.  It was a real treat for Rick to visit with Steven’s family and have chai with them before they all headed over to the local church.

Some time before the trip, Rick had asked Steven about how long he should plan to preach.  Steven nonchalantly replied, “about one hour.”  Sermons are, by modern American standards, long - but probably similar to sermons in early America.  Kenyans do not get too uptight about schedules and, although the service was scheduled to start at 10am, the fact Rick and Steven arrived at the church after 11am, was "hakuna shida" or "no problem."  In fact, Kenyan friends have told us that as long as you arrive at an event before it is over, you are not late!  Most of the service was in the Kamba language, but Rick preached his message on Acts 1:8 in English, with Steven translating for him.  After the service they enjoyed a traditional lunch of rice and a meat and potato stew with the church elders.

 

On the way home, they stopped to visit Steven’s sister-in-law in a local hospital, who was recovering from wounds suffered in an accident with a pikipiki (motorcycle)...an all-too-common event here.  Rick texted me to let me know they would be leaving "soon," already past the time that they could hope to make it before dark.  We had previously talked about Rick staying the night in Nairobi to avoid driving in darkness, but he felt obligated to get Steven, Steven's father (who also works at Kijabe Hospital), and Steven’s son home to Kijabe that night, since they were all riding together.

Speed bumps (and sometimes rumble strips) are very common along the highways in Kenya - not well marked, but common.  They can be found in pretty much every small village, and sometimes open highway, and serve to bring traffic down to a reasonably safe speed through the town (either by causing you to brake - if you see them in time - or by taking off several important metal things that hang down under the car).  Rick actually reported no surprise speed bumps that day but, about halfway home and before they got back to Thika, Rick started to notice a disturbing noise coming from the front end of the car whenever he slowed down for one of those bumps.  Given that trained mechanics are hard to find in the rural areas and there is no AAA 24 hour service here, he decided to press on and try to get the car home.

So, at 6:10pm, I got a call from Steven's phone (Rick's wasn't working!):  it was Rick saying the car was broken down on the far side of Nairobi, maybe near Thika.  It was a very short conversation that involved some quick brainstorming and that was all.  I wasn't really sure where they were or what the problem with the car was.  At 6:30pm, I got an emergency text from the US Embassy, saying that there had been 2 bombings of buses in Thika and to avoid that area.  Let me summarize:

-Car broken down

-Phone not working

-Pretty much dark now

-In an unfamiliar area

-And, maybe near bombings

Cool, now we pray and watch God at work!  (Ok, honestly, I wasn't exactly excited about this scenario, but it turned out to be a pretty neat way to see God at work.)  I tried to get in touch with Rick again, but his phone still wasn't working and no one was answering Steven's phone.  I called our Kenyan friend, John, who went to pick them up, but we knew that the car would be gone if we left it there overnight.  So, after everyone is safe, what to do about the car?  

I found out about an hour or so later (When John got there, we could communicate via his phone.), that they were past the bombings and the issue with the car prevented the front wheels from turning at all.  A real problem, without a tow truck.  I suggested lifting the car and putting the front end on the back of a pikipiki - I mean, if they can be used to transport goats, cows, and large furniture like sofas, then why not?!  

Sofa on piki - courtesy of Jullie Taubitz

Here's where God provides when you've got no viable options:  an orthopedic resident from Kijabe Hospital and his wife, who is a nutritionist on the pediatric floor "happened" to pass by.  Rick wasn't sure if they were driving or walking, but the wife recognized him and they came to help.  As it turns out, her cousin "happens" to be a competent mechanic, and she offered to call him.  He came within a few minutes and saved Rick from all the wannabee mechanics that were surrounding the car and trying to offer solutions.   This all happened in sort of a sketchy area with lots of bars, and it was impossible to know if any these guys were actually mechanics or just trying to finagle some money.  This sweet couple stayed with them for 2 or 3 hours - with an 18 month old!  They provided WAY more than moral support and a contact with a good mechanic - it really wasn't a safe area and having Kenyan advocates there who knew the area and dangers in the situation was a huge factor in their safety.  We are so very thankful for their presence and generosity - they could've passed by without stopping, and no one would have ever known.  They could've come and called the cousin and left, which would have been totally reasonable.  They are busy, had a young child, and needed to get home themselves, but they chose to stay until the end.  What an example of God's generous love!  I am pretty convinced that God sent them to help Rick, in a time of need when there were no other options.

So, how did it turn out?  Well, the problem was too great for the cousin mechanic to fix on the side of the road, and the problem was that the front wheels HAD to turn in order to move the car.  No one else liked the piki idea and, evidently, there were no tow trucks available.  The best idea was to take big pieces of metal from under the car until the wheels moved, and then drive it home.  One-and-a-half hours on very poor roads, in the dark, and down a steep hill into Kijabe.  Seriously!  Obviously, I am not a mechanic, but that sounded weird enough that I had to AGAIN bother our next door neighbor - who knows a lot about cars - and ask him if that sounded safe.  He said he thought it was fine.  Here are the pieces in the backseat:

Did you know these car parts are optional?!  Sort of like your appendix...

I called John after another hour or so to find out the status.  When I asked if I could speak with Rick, he said, "No, because he is driving the other car."  John followed them home, which made everyone feel so much better, and they arrived home before 11pm.  In another selfless move, John (whose business is being a driver for hire) wouldn't accept any money for his time and effort.  We are surrounded by generous, loving Kenyans and expats here!

Here is a takeaway from this experience:  Don't ever doubt that God is able.  And He may not pick from one of the neat little choices that you have laid out for Him - you may be out of options, like Rick was.  I have to admit that I was able to relax after I found out about this couple that stopped to help them - I knew that God was a part of this situation, so I didn't need to worry.  I am ashamed that I don't always behave with such confidence.

Love,

Sarah

Ephesians 3:14-21

For this reason I kneel before the Father,  from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.  I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,  so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,  and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.