Debbie's Kenya UpDate Weblog

On Getting Old … er

Debbie — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 04:54:41 +0000

me on left - age 13

This is a repost from yesterday’s blog – I hope this is a little easier to read!

I remember getting old a long time ago. I had gone to youth camp to visit with the kids. I went looking for my brother’s then girlfriend, (now his wife) who was a camp counselor and was told I could find her in the girls’ dorm. When I got there I found it difficult to get into the dorm because it was one of the several times I was sporting an ankle to thigh cast. Seeing one of the girls at the door I asked her to get Heather for me. A few minutes later Heather appeared with a puzzled look on her face. “Oh, it’s you” she said. “The camper told me an old lady wanted to see me”. I was in my early twenties.

I was enjoying a meal with a missionary family and some of their visitors at Kericho. A young man seemed to take an interest in me plying me with all kinds of questions. I began the story of how (and when) I began my missionary career. His face became clouded as he began to realize how old I must be – he thought I was 18! I was at least 42.

Age is a number!

And by God’s grace I celebrate another decade. I must have been a fighter (my mother said I cried a lot as a baby) because I only weighed 2lb9oz. when I was born. I didn’t stay tiny for long!

For sure, God had a purpose for me! Through the active time of childhood and the tumultuous time of youth I was always conscious of God’s call on my life to serve him. I remember how excited I was when our youth group travelled to Perth for a youth event.Just imagine all the way to Perth from Kingston.

I can’t walk like I used to when I was in Congo but surely God continues to give me strength for each day. For the most part, I am in good health. What I do is by God’s grace.

On Getting OLD…er

Debbie — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 17:42:00 +0000

me on left – age 13

I remember getting old a long time ago. I had gone to youth camp to visit with the kids. I went looking for my brother's then girlfriend, (now his wife) who was a camp counselor and was told I could find her in the girls' dorm. When I got there I found it difficult to get into the dorm because it was one of the several times I was sporting an ankle to thigh cast. Seeing one of the girls at the door I asked her to get Heather for me. A few minutes later Heather appeared with a puzzled look on her face. "Oh, it's you" she said. "The camper told me an old lady wanted to see me". I was in my early twenties.I was enjoying a meal with a missionary family and some of their visitors at Kericho. A young man seemed to take an interest in me plying me with all kinds of questions. I began the story of how (and when) I began my missionary career. His face became clouded as he began to realize how old I must be - he thought I was 18! I was at least 42.Age is a number! And by God's grace I celebrate another decade. I must have been a fighter (my mother said I cried a lot as a baby) because I only weighed 2lb9oz. when I was born. I didn't stay tiny for long!For sure, God had a purpose for me! Through the active time of childhood and the tumultuous time of youth I was always conscious of God's call on my life to serve him. I remember how excited I was when our youth group travelled to Perth for a youth even! Just imagine all the way to Perth from Kingston.I can't walk like I used to when I was in Congo but surely God continues to give me strength for each day. For the most part, I am in good health. What I do is by God's grace.me with a Samburu lady

Sometimes I flash back to the memories of childhood days like picking wild strawberries in the woods on the way to school or shelling peas on the front porch. And I give praise to God for his faithfulness.

Eldoret UpDate

Debbie — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 04:17:02 +0000

Four of the Ocampo6 were confirmed to be tried for crimes related to the Post Election violence in 20072008. Security was high in the Eldoret area but the area has remained calm. thank you for your prayers.

Special prayer request

Debbie — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 10:28:32 +0000

Pray for Kenya as the International Criminal Court will make a statement tomorrow on the outcome of the preliminary hearing for what has become known as the Ocampo Six. One of the six is an MP for a riding in the Eldoret area. Extra security has been put in place in Eldoret to control any potential violence that could erupt as a result of the announcement. I am traveling to Nairobi today.

Walking in Obedience

Debbie — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 15:07:31 +0000

One of the first words a child learns to say is “no”. The self will always want to be boss. Obedience is not an easy concept to accept or to follow whether it be to parents, to teachers, or to authority of any kind. And we can offer every “reasonable” justification for disobedience and even get away with some of them. That is the human condition.

The 2012 Christian Education theme is “Walking in Obedience”. Jesus’ final words to his disciples before his departure are found in Matthew 28:18-20 – what we know as the Great Commission. “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (NIV)

We are quite willing, at least in principle, to the actions of going, preaching, baptizing and even teaching but if we were to take it one step further we might just resist a little – “teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” If my understanding is correct, to teach obedience to Jesus’ commands, the teacher must first understand what those commands are, then must obey them before teaching them. No wonder James tells teachers that they will be judged more sternly! (James 3:1) Jesus didn’t say “teaching them nice Bible stories”. Wow!

I am excited as I think about the possibilities of what God can do in our lives as we learn and obey the commands of Jesus – “love one another, forgive one another, seek first the kingdom of heaven, give to God what is God’s etc. I believe that God wants to transform his church in Kenya this year – 2012. I believe he will do that as we learn to obey. I believe that God is going to do amazing things this year. Pray that he will and that he will begin with me.

Trust and obey, for there’s no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

2011 in Review

Debbie — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 12:09:23 +0000

I suppose I had better write something on 2011 before 2012 really gets into full swing. This time last year my computer had crashed and I then was hospitalized for 4 days. The rest of January and into February was time for “catch up” and “hurry up and get stuff done” before going to Canada in mid-February.

I took a couple of weeks to acclimatize myself to the cold and snow and in March began visiting churches literally across Canada – one of the first places to visit was Montreal for a Youth Congress where I gave 2 sessions on missions and preached on Sunday morning. I was thrilled when the youth choir from Quebec City sang in Kiswahili (a song that I knew) from Kenya. On Sunday afternoon I tackled a subject with the Quebec pastors that was new for me – planting churches in Canada from a missionary perspective. Discussion following the session was lively.

What a wonderful time to renew old acquaintances and to make new friends in the many churches that welcomed me. The weeks flew by and I found that there were more invitations than I could accept. A heartfelt thank you goes out to all the churches who have supported me in 2010-2011.

I am glad that my schedule now allows me to attend General Conference. What a time of blessing to see so many people. I felt that I had been at camp meeting, having opportunity to allow God to speak and call us to a higher level of service. Some of the topics discussed (i.e. acts of piety and compassion) have worked their way into the Kenya Modular Bible School curriculum.

In June I visited a college friend in Michigan and we were joined by another for a girls’ weekend in Frankenmuth – that was fun!

My Dad became ill during Wesley Acres I Camp and was hospitalized in the Picton Hospital until a bed could be found for him in rehab in Belleville. My Dad is a feisty man and would not settle to stay in the hospital. He embarked with zeal all the therapy given him and before I returned to Kenya in August, he was released to go home. I was so glad to be in Canada during this time so that I could be with Dad.

Before leaving for Kenya I spoke at 3 camps – Maple Grove, Wesley Acres and Pine Orchard. These were also times of spiritual refreshment. My last Sunday in Canada I attended my home church, Whitby, along with my 2 sisters and their husbands and 2 nieces. They participated with me in a special prayer for us as they would accompany me back to Kenya in just a few days.

in honor of our mother and dad

We were 12 as we landed in Nairobi, Kenya on August 12. They had the opportunity to experience “my world” first hand and how fun to see Kenya from their perspective. What had become “ordinary” to me came to life in new ways.

I enjoyed teaching 2 courses:Disicpleship and Membership Training and Pastoral Theology in the December Bible School session in Kericho. Then we were off to the extension school in Jinja, Uganda for the graduation of 3 students.

Graduates, teachers with Bishop and Mrs. Dingili

Work continues on the Bible School property and we hope to be operational enough to hold the April Bible School session at the Eldoret location.

the Crooked … Made Straight

Debbie — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 16:12:56 +0000

Keriyo Valley Road

Not long ago I was discussing with a travel agent about getting a refund on a hired vehicle that wasn’t used for one of the days that it was needed. She questioned me, did you go on any bad roads? I began to describe the worst roads that we traveled on, then stopped dead in my tracks. I turned the question on her, “Can you tell me any good roads in Kenya?”, I asked. I had her, and she laughed in response. Surely there are very few good roads in Kenya, some being more pot holes than actual road.

Now this would hardly seem like a Christmas theme. However, as I began to think about the crooked being made straight, Isaiah 40:2 came to mind with God’s promise of a Messiah to deliver his people from their sin.

Now I am particularly fond of looking up even common words in the dictionary and so I did with the word “crooked” and found the meaning “Bent or twisted out of shape or out of place”, suggesting unscrupulous, fraudulent and corrupt. We talk about “a crooked deal” or a criminal as a “crook”.

Now, here I am in Kenya where the most corrupt agency is the police whose by-word is “toa kitu kidogo” meaning “give me something small”. The list goes on of corruption in Kenya but we are well aware that Kenya is not the only place. It would seem that we all have a tendency to “bend out of shape”.

The shepherds rejoiced when the angel announced to them “… there is born to you this day, a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord!” What wonderful news for we also have a Saviour who can deliver us from the bent to sinning. Jesus came to “make the crooked road straight”. This is the message of Christmas.

Kenya Family Memories – Benches etc.

Debbie — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 15:03:49 +0000

Everyone was eager to set to work!

On Wednesday morning the materials for making the benches had finally been delivered to the site at Leberio. While most worked on making church benches, some “entertained” the children, others cleaned but all enjoyed the fellowship.

Kenya Family Memories 4 – On the Job

Debbie — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 09:09:12 +0000

How excited all were to begin work on the projects on the Shekinah Room and the Leberio Free Methodist Church Eldoret. Until now, these places were nothing more than names. With expectancy the Hogeboom family set out but TIA – (This is Africa)!

The first challenge was getting to the church. We got stuck en route! All part of the “African experience”, I said

Getting stuck

What do you do when there are no building materials or supplies? Marilyn enjoyed entertaining the children with her own rendition of local songs. (The children enjoyed it too since they never seemed to tire of singing as they followed Marilyn.)

Follow the leader and sing!

It was an opportunity to interact with the people.

Kira and Jennifer "hanging out"What fun!

Pastor's 2 childlren

Family Memories 3 – the Great Rift Valley

Debbie — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 16:11:29 +0000

The Great Rift Valley is a geologic depression (rift) that extends from Syria in south western Asia to Mozambique in south eastern Africa. It takes the form of a series of valleys and bodies of water that are bounded by parallel fault lines. It extends 3000 miles from N. Syria to into Mozambique and can been seen from outer space as two parallel lines traversing east Africa. Many hot springs and volcanoes are found within the Rift Valley.

We travelled to Eldoret on the Monday morning following along the Rift Valley.

misty view

Marilyn, Cathy, Debbie and Mike