Layers

Jerusalem is a city of many layers. I thought I knew a little of this fascinating city's history before coming here. Now I know how little I knew. There are thousands of years of history reflected in many multiple layers. When you're walking on the street you may be walking over the site of an old church, or home or another street. There might be Roman columns or Mameluke arches under your feet. You walk downstairs to see the purported "upper room;" you go into a basement and see an old roman street or a cistern that has a solid wall blocking it. Then you go into the building next door and see the other side of that wall and the other half of the street or cistern. You see half an arch over the street you're walking down and go into a building to see the other half incorporated into an inside wall. Things here weren't cleared away over time, only built on or next to.

I'm experiencing many layers of emotion as I make this trip. Excitement, curiosity, laughter, sadness. You name it, I've probably felt it. It will take time for me to work through those layers.

One of my favorite layers are the layers of a falafal sandwich on pita bread that we've had for more than one lunch here, yummy!

Martha

toward the end

Tomorrow is the last full day of the trip. We will try to add a few more posts - even upon our return so don't give up on us yet.

Part of our experience hear is to learn about the complexities of the current religious and political situation in this region. As we all know it is complex indeed. On Sat we took in a lot via an acquaintance of the Mackie's. Tomorrow we will meet with a team from World Vision. I trust that we will continue to grow in our compassion and understanding as we see this amazing place through the eyes of some of it's occupants. Perhaps down the road we'll be able to bring teams here to learn and serve but that is yet to be determined.

In the meantime, we are all well and safe. Thanks for following along with us.

Rich

Goat is Good

We are in Jerusalem now, but I want to share a little bit about a meal we had on Tuesday.

We drove for two hours south of Nairobi to a village where the Masai people live. It is a small village. This coming summer James will lead a team of people from Blackhawk back to this village to administer tests for HIV/AIDS. About 30% of the women in the village are HIV positive.

The Masai are a nomadic people group who were very kind to us. We visited with a Pentecostal Bishop who oversees 26 churches (Francis). Beacon of Hope will work with Francis and his church to help the villages around that area.

To show his appreciation for our coming, Francis invited us to a local restaurant to enjoy some Masai food. It was a very small place. We ate boiled goat and potatoes with our fingers off of a common plate which was really a hubcap turned upside down.

Goat is good. And the love and hospitality that Francis showed us has been the highlight of the trip for me so far.

Got to go.

Chris

great day

we've had a great day today. but there is much to process and it is too soon to reflect on it publicly. so, we'll just let you know that all is well and will describe our learnings in a later post.

rich

partners

We have been amazed and encouraged by our partners in both Kenya and Jordan. In fact, there are tremendous similarities between them - visionary leaders, who have developed strong leadership teams, whose best asset is their people, who are quite bright, who come alongside the vulnerable and the last, who are involved in holistic ministry, who are truly empowering those with whom they work, who are making great impact, who have tremendous plans for the future, who are full of faith, and are noticeably dependent on God.

Of course, this is but a list. We'll be happy to share the stories that fill in the gaps when we have a bit more time. We are thankful to be in partnership with such amazing people.

Rich

WOW

Wow has been the word of the last two days. Yesterday (Thursday) we used it as we walked around the Roman ruins in Jeresh. From the acoustics of the amphitheater to the mosaic floor of a former church we were amazed by the ingenuity of the engineering and the extent of the restoration (and only about 25% of the original city has been uncovered). We were wowed by the generosity and hospitality of our hosts. At lunch the table was laden with many dishes including 2 huge platters of delicious rice and chicken -- yum, yum. Then we were told many inspiring stories of their work with underprivileged children and women. Amazing work is being done; transformation seen mainly through the vehicle of a caring adult willing to spend time listening.
I'm sorry we had such a short time to spend there.

This morning we took a bus to cross the border into Israel and onto Jerusalem. I'm sure the six of us, each dragging our luggage behind as we walked to the Damascus gate to meet the Mackies made an interesting sight. What a fun reunion we're having with Tim and Jessica. After a quick stop in our hotel (with an amazing view from the rooftop of the Old City) we started walking. In a very short time we saw the Syrian church purported to be located on the site of the Upper Room; the western wall and part of what is believed to be part of the fortifications built by King Hezekiah -- Wow. And this was supposed to be a day "off." Can't wait to see what the next few days bring.

Martha

time for tea

As someone who grew up in the south I love sweet tea. What I'm not so used to is sweet tea with a lot of milk and served scalding hot. I have come to love it. Kenyans drink a lot of tea -- it's a sign of hospitality and welcome. During our time in Kenya, I loved seeing the tray with empty mugs and the big thermos filled with already mixed tea, milk and sugar. Tea symbolized shared time; a chance to sit down, converse and find refreshment. Our hosts were often in the middle of a busy work day with endless tasks that would seem to need all their time. Their willingness to stop, sit down and share that time with us was a living example of openness and friendship that I hope to remember and emulate. I will treasure the memories of sharing tea with Jane & Ken Wathome on their beautiful veranda; of having tea waiting for us after a long, hot walk through the Kware slum doing home visits with the Beacon of Hope social workers and; of sharing tea with Pastor Francis and his staff in Masai country.

Martha

P.S. We arrived safe and sound in Jordan this afternoon. All is well -- no worries.

from Becky Dolson

I am here & am amazed at how Awesome God is. I have definitely been stretched beyond my comfort zone. I am humbled by what I have seen. I was worried about cold showers, but the people I visited today have so little and seem so thankful to God for what they have it makes my worries seem insignificant.

We all had a very exhausting day physically today, but very invigorating emotionally & spiritually at the same time. I haven't done this much walking in a long time.

I do love the weather here! Now I am trying to convince Chris that we need to move to Nairobi. Just kidding. Maybe not. Too many palm trees & flowers here to even imagine the snow in Madison. Did I mention that I love the weather?

Becky

Chris visits a VCT

VCT stands for Voluntary Counseling and Testing which is one of the services that Beacon of Hope offers for those who visit their clinic. What they are testing for is the HIV virus. Today I was tested for the virus and received counseling from the nurse who works for Beacon of Hope.

Before Rosemary, the nurse, conducted the test she asked all the other members of our team to leave the room. Everyone laughed except Rosemary. She was serious. She was being professional and the questions were confidential. This included a pop quiz on HIV. I failed.
All in all, she represents some of the quality staff at BOH.

We also visited several women in their homes who have tested positive for HIV. We walked several kilometers thru Kware, a slum of about 60 thousand people who have very little hope. Beacon of Hope brings hope to people like Florence. Florence tested positive for HIV at Blackhawk's medical camp last summer. James Bigham, one of our team members, led that trip last year when we gave free VCT's to many people from Kware slum.

The walk thru the slum and the visits with our sisters in Christ, has had a powerful effect on all of us on this team.

For those of you who were wondering; my test came out negative for HIV.

Chris

karibu

Karibu means welcome and it is one of the significant cultural values in Kenya. We have greatly appreciated the welcome we have received.

After a morning at the National Park, appreciating the wonder of Kenyan natural beauty, we spent the rest of the day with our friends and partners, Jane and Ken Wathome. They welcomed us into the home and their lives with great hospitality. God is deeply blessing this relationship. We lingered on their veranda, speaking of our lives and ministries. It was a great time of growing our partnership. We continue to be amazed by Jane, her faith and obedience, but mostly the amazing God who is inspiring and leading her work among the slum women infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. We are learning much.

Today we have had the privilege of attending church at Nairobi Chapel - under a tent in 80 degree weather - and then having an extended lunch with Pastor Oscar. Our learning has continued.

We trust and believe that in God's grace we have extended our own version of Karibu and that the blessing has been mutual.

Rich

WE MADE IT!

After traveling for 24 hours (16 of which were airborne), we arrived in Nairobi last night. Shrouded in mosquito netting, we had a good night of sleep last night. This morning we will travel to the Nairobi National Park and then off to spend time with Jane, the founder of Beacon of Hope at her home in Karen.

Please pray that our time with Jane and her family will be fruitful and that in all we say and do that God would be glorified.

James

Please pray for our trip

I’ve built several houses in the slums of Mexico; but I’ve never been on a trip like this. I’m very excited. I’m also excited that my wife Sunshine will be going with me. When I come back and want to sell our house and all our possessions, she might be able to help me rethink my passionate reactions. Might.

Jesus was poor. He lived and worked around poverty. I’m rich. I live and work in one of the wealthiest cities in a very rich country. Wealth can bind us to time and blind us to eternity. Money is a root of all kinds of evil that plagues our culture and our churches.

I would appreciate your prayers for our trip. That God would help us, as leaders, see the world the way He sees the world so that we might be followers of Christ who help others follow Christ.

Chris

Kenya, Jordan and Israel, Oh My!

On January 25, 2007, seven of us will depart chilly Madison, WI to cross the equator and into the Kenyan summer. This team includes, Rich and Martha Henderson, Chris and Becky Dolson, Mike and Gail Anderson, and myself, James Bigham.

While in Kenya, we will spend several days visiting our partner in ministry, Beacon of Hope, around Nairobi. While there, we will witness in person the devastating face of poverty by doing things such as going on home visits in Kibera, a Nairobi slum of over 1 million people .

Following the Kenyan leg of the trip, James will return to Madison, and the remaining 6 members of the team will cross back over the equator en route to Jordan to work with individuals we support as a church. After a few days in Jordan, they will move on to Israel to see Tim and Jessica Mackie who are currently living in Jerusalem. This time will be spent exploring the possibility of forming a partnership with a ministry in Israel.

During this trip, these key leaders desire to witness firsthand what God is doing at our partner sites and to dream about how we might expand Blackhawk's presence around the globe.

James