One of the couples we met and worked with there was Larry and Hollye Conway who went on to work in Nairobi, Kenya. Today I got a copy of a newsletter text about their work. It applies to so many things that I wanted to share it with you.
Hello everyone, the last few days I have had the opportunity to watch Kenyan fishermen go out with their nets and gear to catch fish. These men are professionals. This isn’t a rare occasion for them. They do this daily. While there are many things they do that I can apply to my life, one trait they possess is consistency. It doesn’t matter if the weather is favorable or not, they consistently go out and work. If it is hot, they go out. If it is raining, they still go to the water and cast their nets in order to bring home results. Consistency is a good thing.
Sometimes, people ask me what exactly do you do in Kenya? When working with street children one needs to be consistent! There’s that word again. Consistency is important to street kids because they have lost trust in others. Somewhere along the way there has been an authority figure, a parent, teacher, a friend, or someone else who has broken trust and lost credibility. In order for us to share Christ and the gospel with street children, trust and credibility have to be present. Therefore, the team makes visits to the street kids out on the street, garbage pile, under the bridge, under the tree, or wherever they may be. Very few people actually go to visit street children where they live. Many people are afraid to go to where the kids are because they have heard that they are all dangerous, or criminals who will rob you or harm you if you get close to them. The Great Commission is a mission to go fishing. Therefore, my co-workers and I do our best to consistently go where others are and share the good news. A part of consistency that helps to get results with street children is to consistently do what you say you will do. We, in order to build trust and credibility, make extra effort to consistently do what we say we will do. For example, if we say we will bring medicine to help someone who is sick, that is what we will do. If we say we will buy their lunch next week then, we buy their lunch.
We consistently share the good news in a language street kids understand. Street kids use a language called ‘sheng’. Sheng is a mixture of Swahili, and some local languages called Kikuyu and Luo (and sometime other local languages). The ‘sheng’ language changes often, they keep introducing new words in order to keep authority figures like the police from understanding what they are speaking about. I consistently write down new words in the ‘sheng’ language to help me to remember because if I don’t write them down I can easily forget the new word.
Kenyans love to tell and hear stories. Therefore, we don’t read the Bible often with street kids but we tell Bible stories. The stories are kept short and to the point. Short stores are easily remembered. Recently on a visit to street kids living under a bridge near a huge shopping mall, I shared the story of Joseph from Genesis 39. Street kids love the story of Joseph because it is similar to their story. I emphasized that Joseph didn’t actually do anything wrong but he endured mistreatment from others. The story resonated with the street boys because it is common for them to be mistreated by the police, or people who are just passing by. Sometimes, people call them awful names or people mistreat them by being violent towards them. Another point emphasized from the story was that Joseph loved and trusted God throughout his ordeal of suffering. Before finishing the story of Joseph I have as many street kids as possible tell the story again or repeat some of the main points of the story. We do this consistently in order to increase understanding and to emphasize that anyone can tell the story.
Good things are happening with street boys in Nairobi. Recently, Alex graduated from vocational training in carpentry. He is working as an apprentice in Nairobi. The former street boys John, Franco, and Kamweru are in vocational training. John and Franco are studying automotive mechanics and Kamweru is studying sheet metal fabrication. Brian, a young boy (aged 9 or 10) who lives on the streets, has suffered a hand injury. The team helped him get medical treatment and we have located a children’s home for him to go to beginning on Monday. He can be safe, loved, educated, and cared for while at the home.
We are very thankful for the consistent financial and spiritual support we have received over the past thirty years. Thank you. There is a lot of work to be done in Africa. The Great Commission is clear. There is still a lot of fishing to be done. Our Lord still wants to fill the nets with new souls. We will continue to consistently tell the message because it is the greatest message ever told.
Until next time, The Conways
So very true. God is consistent with us, loving us and challenging us each day with His grace. Our work here is very different than what Larry and Hollye are doing, but consistency is still paramount. Paul said it like this: "Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction." (2 Tim. 4:2)
Rain or shine, whether we feel like it or not, whether we think our efforts will make a difference or not - we go out and fish. In our area the analogies to sowing make more sense, but the truth is the same. The farmer goes out in wind, rain or shine. God grants the increase.
Thank you for being consistent in praying for God's kingdom - around the world - and for living in His grace each and every day!
You can find Larry and Hollye on Facebook if you would like to follow more of what God is doing through them in Nairobi.
