Update from Jeff....

KENYA UPDATE: Tuesday March 4, Langata, Nairobi Kenya:

Today we got an early start, leaving the Langata, Nairobi Children's Center at 7:30am for a two-hour drive to the Maasai village near the town of Ilbisel. Ilbisel is just 20 miles north of the Tanzania border.

The drive was an adventure in and of itself. As you may be aware, the roads in Kenya are not exactly like driving the Interstate highway in the US. In fact, half of the drive was over a dirt roadway that was so bumpy and potholed, that we actually drove off the road for a smoother ride. But we got a grand view of the Kenyan countryside as we drove through the Rift Valley. It is very lush and green this time of year; little purple flowers were blooming everywhere, and we even saw some wildlife--mostly gazelles.

Ilbilsel (more commonly called "Bisel") is a completely Maasai village, which looks like most Kenyan towns, with the open-air markets, shanty huts and long, single-story strip malls made of brick & concrete walls with corrugated tin roofs. People are mostly on foot everywhere we went (outside of Nairobi), while those who have bikes, donkeys or motorcycles, typically have loads so full it's a wonder they can even stay upright. We saw a motorcycle carrying four people driving on the highway, and many others--bikes, carts and cycles alike--carrying loads several times the hight of the vehicle. One must marvel at the strength and dexterity it must take to keep their vehicles balanced.

The campus of the Church on the Rock ministry compound was another 15 minutes from Bisel. It truly lies in the bush, in a beautiful part of the country where there are rolling hills and vast landscapes in every direction. The first building we saw was the brand new church, which looks like it can hold around 300 (typical service is around 150, which seems amazing considering there appears to be no-one living nearby). It's a beautiful stone building with glass and partial stained glass windows. Two other buildings under construction will house boys in one and girls in the other. Then there is a school building made mostly of tin siding and lumber. The school building is currently divided into three classrooms for younger children, pre-primary through third grade.

Pastor Zeph was the man who hosted us and gave us a tour of the facility. It was his vision to bring the church and ministry about. He was the first Maasai in the area to be saved, and part of his vision was to give 15 acres of his own land to CMIA (Childrens' Ministries in Africa) to partner with the Hatley's in the church building and school. What impressed me most was that one of their key focuses is to rescue young girls from genital mutilation, which is still widely practiced among the Maasai. Part of this ritual includes marrying girls off at age 11 or 12, to a man who may already have a number of wives. One man we heard of had as many as 8 wives, but two to four did not seem to be uncommon.

The young girls are anxious to escape this predetermined life that has been handed to them, and so they run away seeking refuge. CMIA gladly receives them and gives them safety and shelter for as long as they wish to stay. They often join the church, and some of the girls have already gone on to later return to the center to help rescue other girls. So it is very clear that the facility they are building among the Maasai will be an important investment and place of haven for many more young women in the years to come.

When we arrived, we were welcomed by the children with a song they had been practicing, and we shared a song or two in return. The kids were dressed in their little uniforms, with yellow shirts tucked under green sweaters with matching pants or skirts. They were so well behaved, and the teachers were doing an excellent job. By the way, the school just opened in January (the start of the school year in Kenya) and the church just had its dedication in December of last year.

Outside the school building, we met about twelve Maasai women, both young and old, who were all brightly dressed in Maasai shawls and dresses of various red, yellow, and blue patterns. They were adorned in traditional Maasai jewelry which consisted almost entirely of beadwork. The older women had thef most elaborate jewelry (pictures to be posted soon). Although many of them did not speak English, they were very friendly and welcoming. You could see the pride these women have in their culture and heritage by the way they interacted with us, and how they carried themselves. Most of them were sitting out in the open while chatting with us, taking care of their infant children or preparing food, while a few others were inside a tiny mud and stick structure where they were doing all of the cooking.

It was a fantastic visit. Getting a glimpse of the Maasai culture and the ministry the Hatley's are doing alongside pastor Zeph was amazing. And I learned a lot, from several perspectives. One of the things I learned was how difficult it is to reach the Maasai men. They are resistant in part because they do not like the idea of having only one wife, but I'm guessing there are other cultural practices, along with their pride, which they do not want to give up. Facing these cultural challenges has not been easy for the ministry. But in fact, great progress is being made, and with the younger generations being more open to change, the ability to reach out to that generation is encouraging.

Another barrier to outreach they are facing, is the expanding Muslim influence. With a very purposeful plan, Muslims have been moving north from Tanzania to build schools. They entice children to join their schools and receive education under Muslim influence--which includes indoctrination and taking on a new, Muslim name. The influence of the Muslims is strong and powerful, as they are backed by businessmen and supporters from many nations who have a great deal of power and financial resources (in fact the president of Iran had visited the village not long ago). Therefore, the planting of the CMIA Church On The Rock in this location among the Maasai is very strategic.

After a good hike up the hill to the edge of the property, where we were able to get an amazing view of the landscape, we returned for a very good lunch of traditional Kenyan food prepared by the Maasai. Sorry, folks, but they did NOT gives us any blood and milk to drink!

Tomorrow, we leave at 4:15am to fly out west to Kisimu, near Lake Victoria, where we will begin another leg of our journey on the road for the next 5 days. Our last stop before returning to Nairobi will be a two day stay in the Grace Children's Center for Boys in Nakuru (also part of CMIA).

Thank you for your prayers and support!! We have some stomach issues, but at the moment, everyone seems to be doing well and healthy. The days have long and tiring, but in a very good way. We are very blessed to be here, and so happy to be a blessing to all the people we have crossed paths with here in Kenya.

Blessings in Jesus' Name!
Jeff Long