The Smells of Fire in Africa

Journal writing at Vuma Hills tented camp,
Mikumi National Park

One of the joys of working for Kulea, is taking volunteers to experience Africa, to see the beauty, to feel the needs, to meet our friends, and to serve on a Kulea project. Each evening, we gather as a team to share reflections on our day. Additionally, some travelers keep a journal. It's a pleasure to share this excerpt from the journal of one team member, Walter Huston. Thanks, Walter!

20 August 2012

Kimotonge Hotel, Chalinze, Tanzania

8.30 PM 

Building a church in Chalinze, Tanzania

     The smell of a wood fire as I walked back from the other guesthouse reminded me of home. However, it is also my first sensory reminder of Africa. The smell of a burning fire is everywhere here in Chalinze. It was present in the homes we visited yesterday and it was present as we walked home tonight. It smells like it does when one walks through a campground on a summer night. The difference is that the campers back home are choosing it to relax, to get away, to connect with nature. Here, it is a way of life. There is no other house to return to, no other life to continue. This is it. They live, they breathe, and they survive by the fire.

     God does not call us to live by a campfire but by a different fire, the refiner’s fire. Not just a fun,‘get away’ fire, but a fire that consumes, devours, and causes only the purest to survive. A fire that glows with the highest, hottest flames and is so brilliant, we close our eyes due to fear and also in sheer reverence. As we walk closer, we tremble with fear but a Guiding Hand comes around us and assures us that though it may hurt, the fire will never completely destroy us but will only refine us in order to purify that which is hidden by human eyes.

Playing Simon Says in Chalinze

     We walk through the fire feeling the flames as they touch us and begin to feel the scorching of our flesh. We cringe, we cry, and even begin to scream. We don’t think we can go any further, but further we must go. We beg to stop, for something to ease the pain, but there is nothing except the Hand that continues to push us through to the other side.
     And to the other side, we finally emerge. Not as a lump of rock or coal but the most brilliant gem we are supposed to be. Some will be like diamonds while others like rubies, sapphires, and emeralds. All will be precious to the King. 

Kulea's August 2012 Team visits the future site of Ubazi Children's Village

Busy days in Exeter, NH

This weekend the United Methodist Church in Exeter, NH welcomed Kulea for the weekend! I enjoyed every minute -- busy, fun days! On Friday and Saturday, church members held a yard sale to benefit Kulea's September travel team. We met church members, and enjoyed the air conditioned indoor sale! We appreciate Amy Salyards-Frye, who took the lead in organizing the yard sale. Her son is currently on a mission trip for 7 weeks in Malawi  with Teen Mission -- see Teen Mission's Travel Update. He is 16 and hasn't been able to communicate directly with mom and dad (can you imagine that?).  However, the family gets updates from the ministry.  He's been away 4 weeks, so 3 more to go. Wow! What a huge sacrifice from this family. Hang in there, Amy!

I returned Sunday to the UMC in Exeter for worship, anxious to hear Reverend Cynthia Nickerson preach. Cindy is the Pastor of UMC, Exeter and has recently joined the Kulea USA Board of Directors.  In September she will travel with Kulea's Visit Africa team to Tanzania. She wore an Africa themed stole as she spoke and The Kulea Story 2013 video was shared at the end of service. The video moved some to tears, including me! Each time I watch this simple slide show, I am moved to tears, so overwhelmed with gratitude to our Father who has rescued these precious children.

 I'm so thankful He made a way for them to be in a loving family and to get an education.  I rejoice that I can be a part of His plan. I'm overwhelmed that this vision or dream he put in my heart in 2008 has become a reality! Each little face has a story and I know them well. I've held them and hugged them and reminded them they are loved by us but so much more by their heavenly Father. Their past stories of hunger, abandonment, brutality, or neglect do not define them. God has given them a new life and their future is bright!
After the worship service our September team gathered for lunch and a travel planning meeting. I shared my testimony, how God pursued me despite my stubbornness to start the Kulea ministry.  Seriously, I was a rebel when He asked me to do this work, telling Him he had the wrong person! (I think Jonah is my distant cousin. I completely understand why he ran to Nineveh - Story of Jonah). In the end, I am so thankful that God did not give up. I feel so privileged to participate in His work.
Our Visit Africa team is full of talented women preparing to go to Tanzania in September! Our project is three-fold: to paint the exterior of the Kulea home, facilitate an afternoon women's ministry event, spend time in the Kingdom Kids preschool providing training for their teachers. This team will visit the local clinic, a secondary school, the Maasai, local markets, and our land called Ubazi where the children's village is being developed. In addition, we will participate in a special dedication ceremony, thanking God for the well and the pure water now flowing at Ubazi, Kulea's land. At the end of our meeting, we took a photo

and named ourselves Timu Wanawake 2013 which translates to Women's Team 2013. I cannot wait to serve with these women in Tanzania! We look forward to the challenges and joys, expecting God to do great things!

Playing for good health!

Kulea volunteers had a great time Saturday, attending the African Health Cup 2013 in Lowell, MA.We met many people, had perfect weather, enjoyed African music, exciting soccer matches and of course, vendors selling African food, crafts, etc.  It was exciting just to be present and network with so many people. One of our volunteers for the day, SaRah LeBlanc, said she felt a little like she was back in Tanzania!

The Health Cup, an annual soccer tournament, is held to increase HIV prevention and education to African refugees and immigrants living in Massachusetts. It is organized by AFIA, Africans for Improved Access, part of the Multicultural AIDS Coalition. www.mac-boston.org

At the event, free onsite rapid HIV testing was available as well as other screenings for things such as diabetes.  Between the games, speakers addressed the players and spectators, sharing knowledge and testimonies from those living with HIV.
We enjoyed meeting Delfine Masongo, keynote speaker for the day. She is passionate about this work and is able to break down barriers and reach young people with her message. Delfine works as a peer advocate for AIDS Action, www.aac.org.

We met people interested in traveling with Kulea and the Head Men's Soccer Coach from Roxbury Community College, MA, Joseph Ashley, stopped by to visit. He offered to come with us to Tanzania or Kenya and teach soccer for a week to community youth.

We are looking forward to another community event this week in Exeter, NH -- a yard sale, benefiting Kulea! Join us if you can, at Exeter United Methodist Church, 307 Epping Road.  Friday 7/19 from 3pm - 7pm and Saturday, 7/20 from 8am - 1pm.  http://www.exeterumc.org/

It's a privilege to meet new people and share the Kulea mission with them. We continue to pray for God to open up the hearts of people because if everyone helps a little, we can make a big difference for orphans and vulnerable children in East Africa! Truly, it takes a village!

Does it Really Matter?

Ramadhani (Rama) the day we took him
to his forever home with Kulea

A drop in the ocean....a small act of kindness amid an endless sea of need.  Does it matter?

In East Africa, I see so many needs. It seems endless and every story breaks my heart. I wonder, "Are we doing enough? Does the little that Kulea does, make a difference? It seems we need thousands of dollars to make a dent..."

Then, I see the smiles and hear the laughter of just one of our Kulea children such as Rama, and am reminded that for THIS child, what we do is everything! THIS child had no mother, no father, no one to hold him at night and chase away his fear. At age 3, he had no security. The uncle he was sent to live with after his parents both died, abused him. He was sent to live with a different uncle, but a year later that man became sick and died, leaving Rama alone once again with no idea how to find food. At age 7 he faced the world on his own. We picked him up, dusted him off, wrapped our arms around him and promised him a forever family. We've given Rama the love of a mom and dad, brothers and sisters, the security of three meals every day, the opportunity to attend school, and the hope for a future. Now, THIS child -- Rama -- laughs and loves with abandon. It seems unreal to him that he was rescued just in time.

Rama today, confident, secure, happy!             

Today, Rama loves science and math and would someday like to build homes or be an engineer.  

Rama is now the one opening his arms to the next child we find abandoned and hungry, in need of rescue. The next child alone in this world and struggling to survive. If you've thought of sponsoring a child with Kulea, please do! Your contribution may seem small to you, like a drop in the ocean, like… maybe it doesn't matter. But, it means EVERYTHING to one child, your child.

Ramadhani Kisimikwe
Gender: Male
Birthday: July 29, 2003

Would you sponsor Rama or one of our other children? 

"We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop." 
         -Mother Teresa 

               

New Sponsors!

This week many people have joined us through child sponsorship to help us rescue children. We are grateful for each commitment. One of the newest children in our child sponsorship program is Dorcas. While Dorcas does not live in a Kulea home, we are helping her aunt care for her by providing school fees and additional funds for medical care and food. Why? Here is her story.

 DORCAS

DATE OF BIRTH: December 23, 2006

My name is Dorcas and I am 6 years old. I live with Aunt Joyce and two cousins, Michele and Mercy in Likoni, Kenya. I grew up in western Kenya where my father was killed when I was small. My mother then left me with my grandmother, but never returned for me. I was so unhappy with my grandmother, because most of the time, we went without food. In the evenings she gave us Busaa, homemade alcohol, to help us forget our hunger. There was no money for school fees so I stayed  home everyday. Then one day Aunt Joyce came, saw my situation and decided to take care of me.  We went nearby to stay with our uncle, but he got tired of caring for us and angrily told us to leave his house. Aunt Joyce brought us from western Kenya all the way to Mombasa, the east coast. We came to Manna Bible Church and were introduced to Kulea. Since then I have been attending Hilltop Preschool in Likoni. I am in Kindergarten and eating three times everyday! Sometimes I wonder where my mother went, but Aunt Joyce says not to worry, because God is taking care of me. Imagine! Kulea has even bought me a mattress which I have never had before. Because of all this, I know God loves me and I thank Him very much for helping us through Kulea. 

        Children like Dorcas need additional sponsors. Can you help?

Can you hear the African drums?

Last Saturday, Kulea took part in the African Festival in Lowell, MA. Fun day! We met so many great people from countries all over Africa. And YES! We could hear the African drums! African Drums in Lowell The Festival, in its 13th year, was well organized with food booths, educational booths, non-profits, and African crafts. Many people wore traditional dress from their country and one lady looked like the Kenyan flag! A highlight was the performers on stage. Great photos from friends at Howl Magazine Lowell. 

One of our team members who traveled to Tanzania with us in 2011, Richard, dressed as a Maasai and garnered a LOT of attention, particularly because he is not African or African-American. He even added some red hair dye which he's still trying to wash out! What a great sport! We are thankful to the many Kulea volunteers who came off and on throughout the day to help in our booth. They spoke to over 400 people about the work Kulea is doing in East Africa. Winners of the most dedicated volunteers of the day are: Madeline and Helen. 

We are also thankful for the many people who took a moment to visit with us and hear about the needs in Kenya and Tanzania. Several took a step to help by signing up to sponsor a child and others signed up to travel with us in 2014. Next door to our tent was a group from the African Health Cup. Their main event takes place on July 13th all day in Lowell (soccer enthusiasts come on out) and features more African music, crafts and foods as a backdrop to the soccer games.Well, it was a great day! If you wanted to come, but couldn't make it you can watch this very short clip and get a glimpse. Quick view of Festival Too bad you can't smell and taste all the food! Mmm!

A Boy's Selfless Sacrifice

Some days I see and hear things that make me jump for joy, while other days I want to curl up and cry, so great is the heartache. This is the privilege and responsibility of directing a non-profit that rescues orphans in East Africa. The story of Lucky the Bear was one of those ‘Jump for Joy’ sort of stories. Afterwards, I reflected on what the boy did. Still…there are no words that can capture what I felt. God is in the business of connecting the dots: connecting deep needs with compassionate people who will tell others, and then connecting those people with others who end up generously filling the needs. It’s a marvelous circle.

I love going to garage sales and online to Craigslist to shop for needs in Africa. Some things are always on ‘The List’: black school shoes, graphing calculators, luggage, Bibles, and learning games/toys. Last July, I was looking for clothes for an infant boy and a little girl to take to Tanzania because we knew of two newly orphaned children in need of Kulea’s care.

I found dresses on CraigsList and arranged to meet a lady in Manchester, NH. Prior to meeting her, I explained who I was taking them to. She told the story to her son and daughter that night. Her children wanted to send the orphans a toy; the little girl (age 6) surveyed her many toys and chose a Little Mermaid doll. The little boy (age 8) stood in his room with his mom and looked at everything he owned. Then…he made up his mind. He walked straight to his bed and picked up his stuffed, white teddy bear, named Lucky. His mother knew that this was his most prized possession and wondered how the boy would sleep without Lucky. She said, “Are you absolutely sure you want to give Lucky to these children in Africa?” He said, “I have all these things and a home. They have nothing – not even parents. It’s okay, I can give him, because I want to give the best.” 

I couldn’t get those words out of my head – to sacrifice so much at such a young age and to a child he would never see? The parallels to God’s own sacrifice were overwhelming. That boy had never met baby Musa or 6 year old Habiba, yet chose to give away his most prized possession. Wow! End of story? You may think so, but now Lucky needed a ride to Tanzania to be placed in a little girl’s arms, a girl who owned no toy and only a few tattered pieces of clothing. I packed him in my carry-on

and off we went to Tanzania via Delta & KLM.  

Once there, I would have given anything to have that little boy with me to watch what happened next. 

When we arrived at the humble dirt and stick home of the elderly widow caring for Habiba and Musa, I asked to see Habiba. We told her through a translator a story of a little boy about her age living all the way around the world in America. We said that he learned that her mother and father had died and he was sad for her. He decided to send his love to her by a gift – the very best thing he owned. Habiba listened to this story (translated to Swahili) with big, serious eyes. Then I opened the bag and pulled out Lucky the Bear 

and suddenly the biggest smile came across her face. She held Lucky tightly and 30 minutes later as we left, she had not let go of him. Within a month, arrangements had been made to move Habiba into our first Kulea home. Thanks to a boy near Manchester, NH, Habiba felt great love and joy that day. Thanks to Kulea sponsors, we were able to add her into our full-time care sponsorship program. When you see a Teddy Bear, remember Lucky & the smiles of Habiba and Musa.

Be compassionate for the sorrows in the world.  We cannot cure the world of its sorrow, but we can choose to share our love with one child in need. What would happen if we all chose to love like this?