Family Worship Centre

Hello from Bible boot camp!

This week has been an eye opener for me. I don’t think I have ever worked so hard in my life. I didn’t realize that this Bible school is more like a Bible boot camp. We are up at 4:45am jogging for about half an hour. After that we go spend some time getting ready and doing our devotions. Breakfast comes and then classes start at 8:15 and go until 12:45 when we break for lunch. After lunch we work on the compound for 2 and a half hours and then play games until 6pm. Dinner is served at 6:30pm, Chapel starts at 7:30pm and then we have a study session till 9:30p. We come back and do devotions in our dorms and our lights are out by 10pm. We sleep for 6 hours and get up and do it all over again.

It’s been a challenging week but a victorious one. When I was learning about our schedule and what was expected of us, I was nervous. I hate to run and I am terribly out of shape so the idea of getting up early to go jogging with Kenyans who happen to be some of the best runners in the world didn’t appeal to me at all. But I am happy to report that I survived and even kept up with the pack. I also am not used to the hard labour these guys do. For work, I started by pulling big weeds in one of the fields. After an hour, my poor white girl hands already had blisters. The others were totally fine. The next day I was asked to wash the cars so I did what I had been taught. The guy whose car I washed looked inside and said, “You didn’t do the carpet.” I said, “How I am suppose to do the carpet without a vacuum?” “With the rag” he replied. So I scrubbed the carpet with a dirty rag. But through all these challenges, I am trying my hardest and the people here are seeing it. I can’t do as much as they can but I do my best.

As I sit here writing this update, outside my room some of the girls have gathered around a friend with a guitar and they are singing some of my favourite worship songs. I can’t explain how happy I am to be here. Last year I knew I wanted to do some sort of bible school and I really wanted to do it here in Africa. I wanted to learn with Africans from Africans in Africa. I love it. Our class conversations include things like African ways of life, farming techniques, matatu culture, church in Kenya, local politics, etc. During our breaks, we grab a cup of tea made with fresh milk from our cows, turn on the radio and dance and sing until it’s time to go back to class. At night we play football (soccer) and there is nothing like watching African boys, who’ve grown up playing barefooted on dirt pitches, play soccer. And when our classroom gets too dark and gloomy, we pick up our chairs and move outside to resume class under the acacia tree. Doesn’t that sound dreamy?

We have 18 students who are mostly Kenyans. We range in age from 18-29. Slowly we are getting to know each other and love each other. One person in particular who has been so amazing to me is my roommate Rahab. Rahab and I actually met last April at Word of Life in Mombasa. We reunited a week ago and are inseparable. I can’t explain what a blessing she is in my life. Today she showed me some simple techniques to wash my clothes by hand. She always makes sure that I stay on time and that I have everything I need. Plus, she gives me a good laugh. She is one spunky girl. I am so thankful for her in my life.

Yesterday we had a day off and I had a chance to go visit one of the staff members’ family. He had told me that he lives in the ghetto and I sort of laughed about it. When we drove in, it was definitely the ghetto of the ghetto. I was in awe of what I was seeing. It wasn’t a slum per say. It was a ghetto. Broken down brick buildings, dusty dirty roads, gangster music booming, children playing soccer with rolled up plastic bagsWe crammed into his living room with his entire family and watched a copied version of Home Alone 2. We were served tea as we sat and laughed while McCauley Calkin played his pranks. As we left, I sat in silence most of the way home processing what I had seen. God has given me this ultra compassionate heart that I can’t leave somewhere like that and not think about it. It’s not a bad place to be, its just different, simpler, humble. I guess I was able to see how good our God is after seeing where my friend had come from to where he is now.

This week is bound to be another challenging one. I have to say that I am quite enjoying the tough schedule. It keeps me on my toes and is very challenging. But I love it. I love being here in Kenya. The weather nourishes my soul. The sun is so amazing. I ask that you pray for my health. I have been having a bit of discomfort in my body and I am not sure what it is from. Also pray for personal time. I really love being with people but I need time to myself in order to rejuvenate. That is really hard to come by here and by Friday night, I needed a break. And pray for my scripture memory. By March 27^th, we are expected to have memorized 60 verses. We will not be able to graduate unless we do this.

Thanks for your love and support,

Nikole

P.S. To update you on the cilantro situation, we had decided to bring some back to the chef here in the kitchen. We have been having cilantro in ALL our meals, even breakfast. I am just hoping that it will run out soon. Plus, one of the cars I washed the other day was the one we filled with the cilantro.