gachunia

A speech for Sudan Mission MBI Dinner on 29th Saturday 2008

Its great privilege and honor to have all of you here for this dinner tonight, the lords bless you because you came. We are here to celebrate the love of God, the gift of God and the calling of God in our lives.

David submitted in my favorite Psalms 122 that I was glad when they said unto me let us go to the house of the lord. Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God will shine forth. I shall enter His gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise. Therein we savor the safety of hiding under his wings and the clarity of His leadership. The old hymn writer put it so well what a friend we have in Jesus, All our sins and graves to bear, and what a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer.

2nd Samuel 6: 12 Narrates the story of a man called Obed Edom the Gittite. Due to David’s incapacity to take the ark into the city of David it got a temporary residence in this man’s house for three months. The report got to David that “The lord has blessed the house of Obed Edom and all that belongs to Him because of the ark of God. So David suddenly created time and brought the ark to the city of David with gladness. He danced before it all night wearing linen of ephod and the rest of the story you probably know it.

Of my great concern is how accessible the blessings of the lord are to those who live in the marginalized areas called the Frontiers. I believe that all who are gathered in this meeting share the same believe as I do that the blessings of the lord come together with His knowledge and sincere informed worship. There are millions of people within our reach in this country and in our neighborhoods who are still alien to these blessings as we know and have experienced them. They worship countless gods and they are lost in life sucking rituals. The question is if we believe the Bible enough that there is eternal damnation to those who do not believe and follow Jesus? We thank God for the labor and the sacrifice of white missionaries who never lacked in zeal to introduce to us the blessings of the good news. The demographics are clear in our country that the places where missionaries went first became the forerunners in all things raging from education, agriculture, infrastructure and religion. This is because the gospel that we preach is holistic in nature and the blessings of the lord are all encompassing.

This brings to memory one lady in my village Mama Githaiga who is today a hero of faith whose amazing story may never be told. They were among the first evangelicals to receive the faith and were more than zealous to make it known in a hostile zone. Not once was she stubbed by her husband and thoroughly whipped by the area chief for praying out loud and disturbing the status quo. They fought the battle of faith at the home front and we must therefore embrace the challenge and take the battle a little further to our neighboring countries, Africa and the world at large.

The missionary journey is both an exciting and a lonely journey. I have traveled it for two years and I thank God for that little experience. Words fail me tell you the adventures of missions and the fun and adrenaline thereof, missions proved to be my best learning moments. Its here that we learn to appreciate God for small things and praise when there is no ‘crisis for the day’. It’s here in the words of a Congolese missionary that we accept gratefully the plan of God to oversee the running of this universe. We learn that we are not going to introduce God to anyone in this planet but he is already there and at work. Only waiting for us to take action that he can manifest His being to His lovely people of the world.

However, my colleagues and I longed and talked about home with nostalgia. In our low moments foreign languages irritated us to the core and we yearned to speak our mother tongues, we relished Ugali and Sukuma Wiki and longed for the smell of Nyama Choma, at times we even missed funny things like a crowded street and traffic jam. Many time we got sick with no plausible explanations and some had to be deported in the process. But all this faded in comparison with the joy of making the blessings of God available to someone who had no access, when we became the feet and hands of Jesus in some little unknown places to people who are different than us. When we became in the words of Mother Teresa the only Jesus they will ever see.

I read a missionary website mobilizing for missions and paradoxically they suggested to us 10 great almost romantic reasons why we should not become missionaries. Here you go:
• Ignore Jesus' request in John 4:35 that we take a long hard look at the fields. Seeing the needs of people can be depressing and very unsettling. It could lead to genuine missionary concern.
(John 4:35 "Do you not say, `Four months more and then the harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest."
• Focus your energies on socially legitimate targets. Go after a bigger salary. Focus on getting a job promotion, a bigger home, a more luxurious car, or future financial security. Along the way, run up some big credit card debts.
• Get married to somebody who thinks the "Great Commission" is what your employer gives you after you make a big sale. After marriage, embrace the socially accepted norms of settling down, establishing a respectable career trajectory and raising a picture-perfect family.
• Stay away from missionaries. Their testimonies can be disturbing. The situations they describe will distract you from embracing whole-heartedly the materialistic lifestyle of your home country.
• If you happen to think about missions, restrict your attention to countries where it's impossible to openly do missionary work. Think only about North Korea, Saudi Arabia, China and other closed countries. Forget the vast areas of our globe open to missionaries. Never, never listen to talk about creative access countries
• Think how bad a missionary you would be based on your own past failures. It is unreasonable to expect you will ever be any better. Don't even think about Moses, David, Jonah, Peter or Mark, all of whom overcame failures.
• Always imagine missionaries as talented, super-spiritual people who stand on lofty pedestals. Maintaining this image of missionaries will heighten your own sense of inadequacy. Convincing yourself that God does not use ordinary people as missionaries will smother any guilt you may feel about refusing to even listen for a call from God.
• Agree with the people who tell you that you are indispensable where you are. Listen when they tell you that your local church or home country can't do without you.
• Worry incessantly about money.
• If you still feel you must go, go out right away without any preparation or training. You'll soon be home again and no one can ever blame you for not trying!


Despite all these romantic reasons, we are looking forward to send The Osborn’s to Bor in Jonglei by mid January 2009 and I believe that’s why we came. We are challenged and impressed at your commitment. This must be a clear putting God and His vision ahead of your checklist kind of situation. God will honor that commitment since he more concerned with the lost more than you or we ever shall be He cares about the lost and the fatherless. He is in the business of gathering them together like a chicken gathers her chicks. We understand that you have no Insurance cover but our word and promise to stand with them both in prayer and financially. The statistics of giving to International Frontier Missions is less than 2% of the church giving, this is not encouraging news especially in our city of Nairobi, but that will not deter us. Kenya is ripe to act what the prophets have said over the years as a sending agent in our region, Africa and the whole world. A quick analysis of our region especially our neighbors to the North starting from our very own unreached Northern Kenya, Somalia and Sudan its clear we can only feed them. If we sit and watch we shall only be absconding our duty and responsibility to our neighbors at the time of their great need. Kenyans must appreciate that we are endowed beyond measure and it is time for us to stop being inward looking and start looking outward, Stop whining and take our privileged position in our region and for us Christians to the advantage of the gospel. If we allow us to move at the heart beat of God and get hurt by his concerns of a hurting world and shed tears at the question of Phil Bogosian "What would we do about it if the 66,000 who die every day in unreached people groups were individuals trapped in a well?" - This is a huge calling by any standards brethren but I believe that all of us gathered here together we can say ‘yes we can’!
God bless you again.

Gachunia

Mission Base Initiative(MBI Africa)

Programmes Manager

Lately the lord has been teaching me from the small Richard Fosters book celebration of discipline!!He illustrates the discipline of study, meditation, celebration, and guidance among many others. I spent sometime last week in a quiet retreat center along Athi River in Kenya. This place is extremely quiet and peaceful and right now i feel like some sort of a contemplative.

Brother Dostoevski wrote and said

love all God's creation , the whole and every grain of sand in it, love every leaf, every ray of God's light, love the animals, love the plants, love everything. If you love everything , you will perceive the divine mystery in things. Once you  perceive it, you will begin to comprehend it better daily.

I write

The divine mystery in nature

i see the river flow

the noise of the water so serene

it's unlike the hooting of the cars

it resonates with something deep inside me

feels like aligning my heartbeat and brain wave

The waters so amazing

looks like fate has conspired

they go to the ocean and become salty maybe..

yet they hurriedly go to that appointment

uncomplaining

taking time to dance with the rocks

slowing down to rest at the pool

and keep moving

blessing the people on the way down 

cleaning them up

adorning their farms and keep going

with an unrelenting passion to wherever their master calls.

Gachunia Simon 

Oh what a blessing

to arise and breath

the fresh air of the morning

a mind unperturbed 

ready to listen divine whisperings

rapturing forth in silence

 soaking up the fears of the day

as the monkeys enjoy the bliss

up the trees they long for mornings

birds clatter for it

welcoming it with praise

a sweet song 

i long for the blessings of the morning 

None should miss this blessing

in the allure of blankets

and a fake comfort

Gachunia 

    A toy rabbit and a toy horse were talking. 'What is real?'asked the rabbit one day as they lyin side by side near the nursery fender just before nana came in to tidy the room.

'Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick out handle?'

'Real isn't how you are made, said the skin horse. 'It is a thing that happens to you.When a child loves you for a long long time  not just to play with but REALLY loves you, then you become real.'

'Does it hurt?'asked the rabbit "sometimes,said the skin horse for he was always truthful,When you are real you dont mind being hurt.'

Does it happen all at once,'said the rabbit, like being wound up or bit by bit.

It doesn't happen at once,'you become and it takes a long time.That is why it does not happen to people who break easily or have sharp edges or who have to be very carefull kept.Generally by the time you are real most of your hair have been loved off and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints very shabby.But these things dont matter at all,because once you are real you can't be ugly except to people who don't understand.

Coffe, body and soul

First drink it with your eyes.

Gives you a kick when you need one

In europe i heard you are not mature before you learn bibbing it

It is what keeps the discussion going for hours

All offices are equiped with the coffee machine

I have a friend whose fast stop is the coffee machine.

He adores b4 and after work and carries some to work.

This smart thing.Where does it come from?

Who cares!It comes from the supamarket.

It has red berries intially though it is black

It is so heavy and waterly during the harvest.

It grows on short trees.

It scratches the hands when picking,

strains the neck.

The factories are always far

Bruises adorn the backs that delivers it

miles to the millers.

Ha ha

It is sold on the world market by some cartels

They sell it on the fall of the hammer.

They seat back to enjoy their 'smart' labour

And of course a refreshing cup of cappuchino

They have smart policies.

I wish the farmers in kenya and brazil would know

How sweet coffee is?

Unfair markets will ensure

Many die without ever tasting a descent cup of coffee

or worse living a dignified life.

chuns 

Diplomats are usually very highly esteemed.That is why they usually retain the title ambassador even after retirement. If you represent your country in a country where they have very high interests like business or political unions then your stakes are very high.

But i tend to think that it is a very funny lifestyle too.You definately have to face the challenge of adapting to the peoples culture.Learning how to live away from but with one mandate to represent home.You live with home ideals abroad.Have your country's flag and laws governing you but live away.It is hard to own property in these country's since since you can be moved any time.You can be recalled home.Like the Danish ambassador in the Iran just did after a cartoon tragedy.I think it always a cost to count especially if you have kids and a lot of stuff to take care of .You just sacrifice for the sake of your noble country.I guess thats why they are respected.Kudos to ambassadors.

I had an interesting experience one in high school where my ambassadorship was put to test.

..my experience with this in a hockey tournament.

I was in playing as forward player number nine and we were headed for finals in this tournament. I got a chance to have a fast break and i had the ball alone with the keeper. I cannot forget how sweet it was to hear the shouts of my name from outside the pitch. The deep males voices and more so the sharper female voices. It was my moment of glory and i wanted it so bad. It was a chance for me to feed my ego, a chance to prove myself before the coach,peers and impress all those who were watching from outside. What a chance i had,my adrenaline was at an all time high. All i saw was myself and the goal keeper who was at my mercies and my hockey stick. Suddenly a guy from nowhere appeared and i had to deal with him. He was small bodied for comparison purposes .I figured out a way of handling him. Unfortunately or fortunately small charge send him to the ground. I put the ball inside the cage and no sooner had i done that than i heard the referees whistle shouting and calling a fault. I had never been so angry. I threw my stick up and was headed to face the referee. I was so disappointed and my head was exploding,i was ripe for action and face consequences later. Suddenly i heard the gentle voice inside me say remember boy who you are and the world is watching you!

2cor 5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for christ as though God did beseech you by us!

What a job we've got.

Simon

Lonely at the train station i met Lovett

Sitting on edge at the far side of the hallway

I thought of it and turned back

It could have been me

Blond and tall.A face that once was

The outline of a story with a wayward plot

Endowed with rags and homeless

He looked at me with hollow eyes

A painful shot at his right hand

Internal central heating system in his terms

Drug gives him an exotic ride from reality

A trip from truth,pain and suffering

Tears fill my eyes and break my heart

Who will tell Lovett's story

A talent of music burried inside, a clogged up well

Who do we blame:God ,goverment,self,me i have no clue

The only dollar i've got in my empty wallet

barely one cup of coffee to enhance his eternal heating

Who owns Lovett? What gonna happen to him at night

Will he freeze to death?

Ain't no blond but life has given so much to me

I've got a passion that lives on inside

I've got a roof,I've got food and i've got care

Thanks Lovett you reflected life to me in a new way

Am forever grateful i met you boy

Chuns

Hey guys!

I had a swell time this week.I met some of the kids i have been working with and visiting over my stay here.They did a fantastic show and thus went to congratulate them!

One of them gave me a band written WWJD!

Of course i have seen this before but it came to me in a new light.I have read the book In his steps that develops this discipleship ideal.

As if God was not done with me.I met my mentor and he challenged that i must always look at Jesus in the eyes.I was startled coz the idea that Jesus actually lives in my room and ever present sounded new.But i new all this before why does it sound new.

It is one thing to believe these things and the other to live them out.I challenged myself to always look at Jesus in the eye and see if i have the confidence to  say these words.I know you died for me  but i will still do what am doing.I will still say what am saying.I will still write what am writing.I will still read what am reading.I will still listen to what am listening. 

Wondering what it feels like

Being a highlight in the streets of Kampala

Tracking hardstreet boys in Alalay

Cruising the jungles of Peru.

Sounds like a hollywood movie

I guess it's breathtaking to star this movie

When NRK news becomes a reality

Enjoy the nerve of adventure

Thanks for stepping out

Accepting to live on the other side of the globe

How's the ride on the bumpy dusty roads?

Have fun with your natural washing machines!

This crazy world must be spinning pretty fast

Spinning on an axis outside and higher than itself

Putting a smile to the poor and the dying

Giving comfort to the lonely and distant

Across the globe we all have a laugh and a tear

Tranquility of the fjords here,warmth and colour across.

Threads of securalism tearing society,poverty and corruption tearing society

Its a beutiful and a sad world.

It'll never be the same again

With an enlarged heart and vision

Always will be a stranger to many

A lifetime of chasing eternal values beyond me.

Strangely warmed up hearts

Despite the weared out and tarned bodies

Life such a thrill

When lived out on the edge

Tribute to all my schoolmates the Norwegians out there from Hald.

Norway is fun but even more fun when you guys are around.

Be strong to the end.

God vesigne deg

Simon

Stavanger

CULTURE SHOCK

We all attended an uncalled for conference

To fill up everytime at our disposal

The fear of the unknown

Taking up comfort in the familiar

Reporting every detail of the trip

Excited by what should and what should'nt

Letting the fingers do the walking

Present in everywhere else in the world but the present

Long hours of break becoming torture

The fear of knowing and being known

The instinct of survival in a group

The tension of facing the strange

The ice thaws with time

The strange become the familiar

The snow becomes obviously white

Hours for the uncalled for conference reduce drastically

Reporting news diminish by the day

Cameras take longer to fill up and MSN subscription dwindles

Breaks becomes fun and unfortunately shorter

Strangers become brothers and sisters!

What a beutiful world to behold

Everything works alright

The bus leaves on time a system build on trust

It's time to sign autographs in Ålgo

Men before you settle and be part of

Suddently it's time up

Boy you got to dust your papers

It's time to sweat and make the world yonder a better place!

Simon Gachunia

A tribute to all international students.Thanks guys helping each other go through all these faces.The infield course was such bomb .If the noise you elicited is anything to go by then we had fun!