Ripcord

The ripcord syndrome.

I think it was John Brown who described this to me, but I'm not sure. There is something about a short stint or even a long stint where your mind at all times acknowledges the fact that you only live where you live on stint for a short period of time. For me it is only 9 weeks, 2 of them already completed. There is a sense of security knowing that I will be returning before I know it. This is the cultural ripcord, that now within 7 weeks I can pull the ripcord and parachute home. This is one of the many things that separate this experience from the future experience of moving to Kenya.

It is interesting thinking through the culture and the place with a long term vision of living here. I might be more observational because of it. I think being in the security of the Omondi's home and being with the team has caused my adjustment to be quite easy. Tomorrow or the day after however, I will be moving into the Glory Guest House where I will spend the remainder of my time. Here I hope to be better at talking to people in the area and building relationships on my own. At the Omondi's, all I have to do is stay put and 5-6 people will cycle through the apartment. Dennis calls it Grand Central Station. A lot of people know the Omondis and come often to visit. The picture above describes their house perfectly (hint: it is culturally accepted that you take off your shoes before you enter a house).

What is good about this last week has been preparing for teachings that I will be giving this week. Monday through Friday we are having another Pastor's conference where I will be teaching through the sermon on the mount. I have been working hard on these messages that have a certain theme of Being and Doing. We must act out of a flow of our transformed being. The Holy Spirit lives within us and His power must flow out of us like streams of living water (John 7:38).

Please pray for these pastors we will be teaching that God may speak to them through His Word and my feeble attempts to preach it.

Thank you.