So, here I am in my office at the hanger, doing “pastor” things when all of a sudden God chooses to make a temporary change in my job description.  One of the pilots enters my office and says; “Hey Gary, what are you doing for the next few days?”  Well, my response was ” not sure, Why?”   “We have a four day trip to South Sudan planned and we have a need for a flight attendant. %

As we formulate this update we are preparing for a day of prayer at the AIM Hanger.

As we review the many different ministries in Africa, and read of the prayer requests coming in from the missionaries and their families,  we are brought to a place in our own lives where we realize the importance, and power of prayer.  Especially while serving the Lord in Africa!

Here are just a few:

* Refugees fleeing Northern Sudan and the violence and brutality brought by the armies.  There are now over 15,000 homeless, shelterless, possessionless, people of all ages trying to exist and make a new beginning in Southern Sudan.  AIM is currently making food drops as quickly as possible.

* Tumaini Counseling Center, which ministers to the needs of missionaries all over Africa.The professional therapists and Psychologists deal with all types of trauma, and adverse situations in individuals and families, helping them to understand and deal with what has happened in their lives while on the field.

* The many missionary families who decide to board their children at Rift Valley Academy while they serve in remote areas of Africa.  The teachers, support staff, and dorm parents who serve at RVA need our prayers as they become much more than just teachers and workers in these kids lives.

* The many doctor’s, nurses and workers (all missionaries) serving at Kijabe Hospital in Kenya.  Some of these missionaries are volunteering to serve in the over-flowing refugee camps in Dadaab.

* Those missionaries serving and teaching children and illiterate adults in the Kibera slums.  Kibera is one of the world’s largest slum communities, with over 1 million people in one square mile.  Pray for their safety and health.

* On September 12th a massive explosion occurred in a leaking pipeline in one of Nairobi’s slum communities.  More than 120 people were killed, and many more injured.  Pray for those who are now without any place to live and forced onto the streets to survive.

* All the missionary families who have heard the call of God to come to Africa and are trusting Him for their needed support.  The cost of living in Kenya will increase approximately 17% in 2012.

* Pray for AIM AIR to continue seeking direction from God.  Pray that the Lord will raise up more men and women who hear the call to come serve in Kenya. There are so many needs; pilots, mechanics, computer (IT) support, clerical, etc.  If you are willing to say “I will go” there is a ministry for you!

Well, there is so much more that we could share with you.  If you will commit to pray for AIM AIR, more missionaries, clear direction, and God’s wisdom and protection, that would be great!  We are both healthy, safe, and every day is an adventure with God.  Please feel free to comment, or contact us anytime.

Serving the King,

Gary & Chris

gary-chris.bailey@aimint.net

We wanted to share a letter we received from friends who live in a community of another faith.  For their safety and well-being of their ministry we will not mention names or places:

This is a month with a different rhythm.  Everything has changed as our neighbors observe the 30 day fast required as a pillar of their faith.  Here’s how things have changed:

No one eats or drinks during the daylight hours: 6:17 am to 6:03 pm.  They are very legalistic about this, so they don’t take medicine or swallow spit either.  The exact times of the rising and setting of the sun are published in the newspaper.  Some people are allowed to eat: children, old people, and infidels; women who are having their monthly period also can eat as they are considered unclean and not allowed to pray during that time.  They will have to make up the days they missed later to fulfill the 30 days.  Pregnant women do fast.

The fasting is burdensome, so they try to pass the time during the day, waiting for the sunset prayer signifying  the moment to eat.  In the meantime, they are suppose to spend time reading their book or in prayer.  Many stay up late at night and try to sleep as long as possible during the day, or look for distractions like fishing or organizing soccer games.  When we get up at 6 am the morning prayer has happened and the village is quiet.  Most people have gone back to bed.  BUsiness in town starts later, most offices are only open a half day and running with minimal effort.  Food is generally not being sold in the morning, as no one will be cooking until the afternoon.  The usual snacks and juice are not being sold.

By 10 am the teenagers are waking up (there is no school right now) and we have two who regularly come in to sit in our chairs and chat and listen to music and wait for supper.  At 3 pm there is the afternoon prayer, and women begin to cook supper, called “Futuri” – the evening feast that breaks the day of fasting.  There is lots of activity as people buy bread and meat and drinks and wait.  The village has also organized soccer games for the afternoons.

At 6 pm the call sends the men to pray, and the kids home for dinner.  The women start eating, and the men do a turbo version before scooting home to feast.  From 6 pm to 6:40 pm our street is empty!  In fact the whole village is lifeless.  Then there are more prayers at 7:30, and the evening life begins.  People snack and visit and stores open for shopping and offer sale prices.  Our neighbor has been showing pirated American shooter action films in the public square outside our house every night for the men to sit and watch and cheer.

The youth gather at a sandy lot dimly lit with coke bottle oil lights for “mrenge” (loosely) organized prizefights accompanied with singing and drumming.  The prize is bragging rights (or injury).  By 11 pm the movies and the fights are done, and everyone heads home to eat again, and to sleep.  At 3 am a youth comes around with a drum and calls, “Wake Up! Pray! Eat!” and everyone get up for another heavy meal. At 5:05 am it all starts again with the morning call to prayer.  The big finale is on the 29th or 30th, depending on the moon.  That is “Eid”, the big celebration where everyone feasts and everyone is suppose to have new clothes and give gifts.

As we prepare this blog we can hear the call to prayer from the nearby Mosque.  We hear it every day, several times a day.  During this season God is revealing Himself to those of another faith like never before in history.  Please pray with us for many to see Jesus.  Please continue to pray for us as we learn to walk and live where God has placed us.

Gary & Chris Bailey

Our training in Machakos has been anything but boring.  We have had our faith challenged, studied Biblical and cultural differences, African culture and values, and how to stay healthy and safe.  We have had the privilege these last three weeks of hearing from very qualified teachers on the subjects of African Culture, witchcraft, taboo beliefs within certain tribes, multiple wives(which is widely accepted in many of the villages), demon possession, FGM (female genitle mutilation), HIV/AIDS,  and much, much more.

Our AIM group consisted of about 40 people including children.  We had families from Canada, Brazil, Australia, USA, Scotland, England and some with children as young as two years old.  Chris and I were the “senior “couple of the group and really enjoyed our time as one big family.

Our day started with breakfast at 7:30, worship, devotional and studies from 8:30-12:30, with a Chai break at about 10:30 every day.  The children had a planned day teaching them many of the same things we were learning.  The chai is black tea and milk boiled together and served with a fried bread (mandazi or samosa), but often with small pieces of sweet potato instead of bread.

Our meals are all served in the small informal dining room with long tables and old metal/wood chairs.  Might insert here that testing the chairs strength looked to be a good idea a time or two!  Breakfast was usually corn flakes, white/wheat bread not toasted, peanut butter, jam, honey, either hard boiled eggs, bacon or sausage, chai, hot milk for chocolate and coffee that Gary made every morning and brought down to breakfast.  Lunch/dinner meals consisted of any combination of chicken, potatoes, white rice, spaghetti noodles, beef stew (more stew than beef), sacuma, which is locally grown and similar to spinach, ugali, which is made with corn flour and water boiled and served in chunks to eat with the sacuma (you take a piece of this doughy substance and flatten it with your hands, then use it to pick up the sacuma). Hands are more acceptable to eat with than forks or spoons.  You can see we ate well in spite of news reports of famine due to drought.  Both do exist but we were well cared for.

The local help washed our clothes by hand (very hard work) and either laid them on grass or lines to dry.  After trying to wash for a family of up to 8 some families were happy to pay the fees!

Power outages are a very common thing in Kenya.  They can last for a few minutes or a few hours.  Internet at the school was also very sporadic and often dropped us in the middle of some communication.  There are pictures of people wandering the grounds trying to find just the right spot to connect.  It seemed that the teeter-tooter was one of the better locations!

One of our weeks there was shared with a Kenyan orphanage of about 150 mid-high school age children.  Gary & I attended a couple of their evening bible gatherings and observed how Americans tried to minister.  It was clear that having some culture training is necessary in so many ways.

The planned trip to a mosque was canceled and could never get rescheduled.  Ramadan started and probably added to the problem.

Within the context of Spiritual Warfare we discussed curses, black magic, demon possession, idol worship, prosperity gospel, and extreme pentecostalism.  Let us just say in summary of these areas that they are very real, very powerful, and widely seen in Kenya.  We knew before coming that these strongholds were here, but until you come and experience the darkness it is hard to explain.  Please do not cease praying for us!

Our leaders sent us out one day in teams to experience the town of Machakos on a culture scavenger hunt trip. Sunday’s we were sent out in groups of 5′s to different churches and we were free to choose our mode of transportation.  So our last Sunday we ended up walking 45 min to town then climbed 90 stairs to the roof of a market where the new church was meeting (Chris counted the stairs).  We decided to take a tuk-tuk back home.  Debriefing after church was quite interesting as everyone’s times were unique yet with overlapping experiences.  African’s do love to worship in their own language and style but when it changes to English it is quiet subdued.

We arrived back at Mayfield Guest House in Nairobi on Tuesday afternoon and prepared to start a week of language training on Wednesday morning.  We have been told that we will also be given the keys to our new home, which is having plumbing repairs.  In about a week we will begin to purchase everything for the home. The home we will be is in an estate, but don’t let your western thinking go to big and fancy when you hear “estate.”  It simply means a walled and gated community with a guard on the gate.  We are happy to report that we will be living in a safe environment.

We have located a 2001 Subaru Forester all-wheel drive that we want to purchase.  The only problem is the steering is on the wrong side (right side) and Kenyan’s drive on the left side of the road!  We actually may have enough funds to buy it soon.

We have been on an emotional roller coaster since arriving two months ago.  God has been so very faithful to see us through every situation and trial, and He continues to say “go and I will show you.”  We know that we are to minister to the AIM AIR family, which is about 160 people including families, but we also believe that God is preparing us for things yet unseen.  We would ask you to pray with us as we seek God at every turn and stay alert to those opportunities to be used by Him.

We have included several pictures that we hope you enjoy looking at. Well, until the next chapter in our lives is ready to be written, we just want to say that we love each of you very much.  Please e-mail us once in a while so that we may know how to pray for you all.

Serving the King,

Gary & Chris

gary-chris.bailey@aimint.net

As I begin this particular update for you all, I am reminded of what Paul meant when he said he was content in plenty and in want.  We are completing our first of three weeks here at Scott Theological College in Machacos, Kenya.  We have placed a couple of pictures on  FaceBook for you to see and hope you have enjoyed them.

This has been a particularly difficult week for some of the families here with kids.  We have kids from about 1 year to mid school age.  One family has 6 kids!  Imagine trying to prepare for a remote part of Africa with that size of a family.  We have seen the daily struggles of being ready for breakfast by 7:30, lunch at 12:30, and dinner at 6:30.  I might add that in between meals there is “Chai time.”  Chai is the traditional tea made with boiled milk, water, black tea and lots of sugar.  It is usually served with some type of bread (Mandazi which is a fried dough, or samosa which is a fried dough filled with minced meat (hamburger), or sweet potato.  It is served at 10:30am and 3:30 pm.

The food here is quite different from what we are all used to having for meals.  Breakfast might consist of any of the following combinations: white/wheat bread, peanut butter, margarine, honey, corn flakes, bananas, apples, oranges, hard boiled eggs, sausage, and of course Chai.  Usually it will be cereal, bread, eggs, not everything mentioned.

Lunch is always served hot.  Almost always white rice, potatoes either cut and fried or boiled, and a stew (this is quite thin with a small amount of meat), and sometimes local fruit which can be Papayas, oranges, or bananas.  Filtered water is serve with all meals.

Dinner may consist of anything we had for lunch plus things like Sacuma (a leafy green grown locally which is kind of like collard greens), Chapati’s, which are similar to a tortilla but thicker, sweeter, and soft (very good), and of course more fruit and water.

Now, as you can imagine the menu is not something any of these families have had on a regular basis before, especially the kids!  Thus, culture shock, and even some tears at first.  The fruit and breads have been the biggest hit!  The hard boiled eggs are OK but since the eggs are not checked like in the US, you could get more than you wanted upon eating!

The kids do have a program that teaches them while the adults are in sessions, which is good to see.  They also have a small playground with swings and a teter-toter.  The adults are in various sessions from about 8:30 am to 5:00 pm daily, where we are being introduced to many different aspects of Africa.  We just completed two days of exposure to the Muslim faith, what they believe and how it can be approached from the Bible.  Let me just say at this point that everything in Africa is about relationships.

Let me give you an example:  when walking and approaching on-coming people it is expected that you will verbally greet them, shake hands and probably converse before moving on.  Well, depending on the amount of people you come in contact with it may be a long walk.  When visiting in a home you will always be served Chai and usually a bread or biscuit, and you will be expected to partake.  Building the relationship always comes long before any business discussions, in fact you may never get to the business that day!

Chris and I have been very fortunate to have remained healthy through the first 7 weeks, despite the numerous times we could have been struck with some illness or worse.  Some of the families here are starting to “hit the wall” after traveling from all parts of the world to be here, they are beginning to feel the change of living. We are beginning to see illness, fatigue, and just plain being worn out.  Chris is in bed with a sinus infection, please pray for her recovery.

I am sitting under a tree writing this story so that I can have internet access (it only reaches so far from the server).  Often we get dropped or it is so slow that we cannot complete what we are trying to do on-line.  We will never complain again about phones or internet in the US!

Some of us are preparing to visit the local Mosque today at 3:30, which will enable us to observe their call to prayer and all that is involved.  I am not sure how involved we will be, but some are a little nervous about attending.

In spite of all the hardships we see and experience, we are continually being blessed by those who live here, have so little, and are content with what God has provided them with.  We are humbled that God would bring us here to see and experience life in Africa.  We do not know what God will do with us once we finish training and language, but we can hardly wait to see what/who He places in our path.  Our thankfulness is not in what we have, but in who He is in our lives.

We have added pictures for you to see a little of what we are seeing.  We hope you enjoy them!  We will try to update our experiences weekly until we finish training.  Let me just conclude by saying that we attended a local church service Sunday which lasted about 3 hours.  The African music is something you have to experience, it is amazing worship.  So, next week when you are looking at your watches and wondering when the pastor will finish, I want you to remember that worship is an event that should be the center of your day, not just one hour of your lives that you give to God.

We love you all and pray for you.  Thank you for praying for us!  Make sure that you check facebook.com/gary.chris.bailey and feel free to e-mail us anytime.  We love hearing from you!

Serving the King,

Gary & Chris

The past two weeks have at times been a whirl wind and at others a turtle’s pace.  We spent time living side by side with a Kenyan family.  Valuable time getting to know the nuts and bolts of Kenyan struggles and just everyday living.  Their home was in a town called Ngong which is by the clock 1-2 hours from downtown Nairobi.  It’s all about the traffic or as it is commonly called “jams.”  Gary & Pastor George leave home 7:30 am for a 15 minute walk on an uneven dirt road to the highway where they hop onto the local transportation called a matatu.  With music blaring and seats nearly full you squeeze in for a 30+min. wild ride to church.  It was there Gary spent his long days till about 6 or so and return home the same way.

Chris on the other hand spent her days with Silper (Mama Grace).  We traveled the same dirt road but we rode in a bus which is a step up from a matatu.  Not to say music isn’t blaring most times or finding seats are easy but you definitely have a little more space and you can stand up to walk.  Our ride is much longer because we end up in the heart of Nairobi.  It is hard to describe the work environment except to say it is cramped, low lights, and very loud. Nothing made sense as to how anything was ever accomplished.  I just sat on a little backless stool trying to be as small as I could with no where to go.  Yet Mama Grace runs a little business in about a 4′X4′ cubicle that held a copy machine, scanner, desktop computer, a couple of shelves mounted to the wall and a stool where she held the keyboard on her lap.  This happens 6 days a week!  Most days did not end before 6, putting us home never before 7:30 pm, because we stopped at the local shops to buy groceries for the evening meal.  From there we catch a taxi back up the dirt road because by now it is dark and unsafe to be walking. Taxi’s are necessary carrying bags but cost families much more money from their income.  Once home Mama Grace goes directly to the kitchen to prepare nothing less than amazing meals from a one burner butane tank and a coal burning unit outside that is used to heat bathing water.  No pizza or McDonald’s for this family!

They had the most captivating boys, Billy Graham & John Wesley (that really are their names).  Wesley, 5 years old, warmed up to us immediately. Billy, 9 years old, took time but as we prepared to leave I think he cried to himself as I said goodbye in his bedroom.  The best thing we ever did was let the boys take pictures with our camera.  They really enjoy looking at themselves!

After about a week of this life we packed up and headed “up country” near the Tanzania border, close to Lake Victoria, where life becomes even more challenging.  After working all day we came home, packed and headed off for Nairobi in a taxi (1.5 hrs) to catch a 7 hr bus ride (we left Nairobi at 9:30 pm and arrived in Migori about 5 am). We found a small eating place called a hotel and had breakfast (samosa, mandazi, and chai) where we waited long enough for the sun to be up before heading to our next stop.  So we hopped on a matatu with all our baggage and drove to another town(can’t remember the name) where we carried our bags up a dirt road to wait what seemed another 2 hrs for another taxi to take us another hour on what was nothing less than miraculous driving on impassable (by our standards) roads before arriving “home” for the next 4 days.  Needless to say, we arrived very tired but Gary was scheduled to speak at the local church that afternoon.  I forgot to mention, that 7 hr bus ride was riddled with speed bumps every village you passed through so most of the night is spent on how to stay in your seat because no seat belt worked!

Once in this village (George’s home village), we went around greeting everyone we met.  Every walk was on dirt roads that you shared with the cows and bulls being herded or goats .  There were several places whereon where pigs were tied up as well.  Once Chris took off running as a little pig came running after her.  This made Mama Grace laugh because she wondered where I would run to, and besides that, it was tied up!  To this Chris replied, “I don’t know where I’ll run but I hope I can outrun a little pig!  Besides, how do I know the rope won’t break.”  They have a great sense of humor and we offered them many opportunities to laugh at our mistakes!

Greetings are very important.  Everywhere you walk people first see you from afar, wave, then walk out to shake hands and greet.  Not uncommon that on return trips you will be invited in for chai, tea w/ milk and sugar.  There were probably two main events; first there was a goat delivered by piki piki, motorcycle to be slaughtered the following day in our honor.  Gary participated in every aspect but I was no where to be found to take his picture.  Not my thing, for sure!  They eat everything but the hoofs and brain although we never saw the head presented at a meal.

The second thing was attending the local school with about 240 students and 8 teachers.  They were all called out of class and gathered around the flagless flagpole where Pastor George, Gary and I were to address and encourage the students.  It was the school Pastor George attended while living there so he was definitely a guest of honor.  Gary & I were for many students, the first “muzungo” white person they ever saw.  In their words, “We have soft hands.”  They all wanted to greet, and greet they did, as we turned to see a wave of children coming at us.  We shook just about every hand we could reach.  Of course you can’t leave w/o oodles of pictures.  All good things must pass but as it was already known by the Lord beforehand this occurred on our Spiritual Birthday 7-7!  Truly a day we will never forget.

It was now time to return from “up country” and return to the hustle & bustle of city life where things never seem to get done without complications.  But we are learning something everyday.  We have seen God’s kindness, faithfulness and provision for everything we need everyday.  Thank you for your continued prayers as next week we will be heading off for orientation for 3 weeks then a week of language training to follow here in town.

In His Care,

Gary & Chris

You might wonder what monkey’s, camels and beach have in common.  Well, these were some of the sights Gary enjoyed while at Men’s Retreat this past weekend.  He had a wonderful time getting to know the hearts of the men he will be ministering to and alongside while here.  There were times of silliness and times to search ones heart before the Lord.  Again, God just confirming we are exactly where He wants us to be.

So what was Chris doing while apart from this wonderful experience at an incredible resort?  Well, choosing not to stay alone she spent the time at the Mayfield Guest House just 15 min. from “home.”  There she suffered with home cooked meals and meeting many missionaries as they filtered through Mayfield before leaving to their assignments.  More stories than the pages can hold!

Chris was able to attend Calvary Chapel Nairobi (our old stomping grounds from our 1st time out) and had a wonderful time of greeting old acquaintances.  We were not forgotten among all those who pass through on short term trips and hope to develop friendships even deeper.

For those of you who have been praying about our adjustment here we thank you!  Just to give you a flavor of African Church we attended one way on the other side of town last week with other missionaries and it was quite exciting.  I leaned over at one point and whispered in Gary’s ear, “This is what I expected church to be all along.”  Lots of singing mostly Swahili but some English.  Sermons are translated but that the sounds bounced all over so it was difficult but not impossible to understand about 70%.  Greetings are very important and so are visitors.  Every visitor stands and gives their name, where they are from, confirms they are believers and in our case very mindful to say our church sends a greeting to them and they in return accept it.  Then after church (3 hours later) there are personal greetings that are always started with handshakes.  That sounds simple but there are “many” ways to shake hands; for instance there is the shaking while there other hand is placed on their forearm (displaying honor), I haven’t figured out whether or not I am to return the same response or if it is an insult, more to learn.  Then there is the handshake where they pull you in and kiss both sides of your cheek or the handshake where it starts off quite normal then it switches to grabbing the thumb grip and back to the normal shake.  Not at all sure what that one is all about.  All this while you are trying to understand their name of which some include their profession before their name.  Then it time to have a little conversation.  Then it starts all over with the next person!  As it turned out we were invited to a member’s home (we were unprepared with gifts to take but our friends had us covered) and spent the next couple of hours eating and visiting as they shared their testimonies and God’s faithfulness in hard times.  Never once did we hear a complaint but we did hear songs of praise as the Mama prepared dishes for us to eat.

Today Chris stayed home while Gary went to the Hanger to minister.  So upon returning home like any other outing one is faced with laundry.  It is quite the challenge here learning a whole different method.  Wasn’t exactly sure of what the quick instructions were before our Aussie host family left last week but shortage of clothes meant I had to try.  So I hooked up the water hose and turned on the water holding it in position then walked in the house upstairs only to find out that the hose slipped off and was wasting precious hot water (only because I can’t figure out how to get the cold water on.)  Fixed that quickly and put in clothes (color doesn’t seem to matter here).  Started the wash cycle for 9 min then tried to eat some breakfast.  Oops, hear the washer stop so I go out and turn switch to drain.  Then I take out a small amount of clothes and put them in the spin bucket and set the timer for 2 min only to discover that was too long.  Then you take them out and continue the spinning process till finished.  Everything is line dried but the lines are high so I’m on tiptoes to hang clothes.  (Thank you mom for teaching me these things with a Maytag washer and hanging up clothes.)  So on to the next batch and wouldn’t you know I forgot to change the dial from drain to wash and was loosing my precious water once again!  Well, clothes are washed & hung now we pray for enough sunlight and no rain:)  Then I had a horrible thought …. I never considered a rinse time so we will see if this is the Kenyan way of washing or not.  Till the next adventure this is daily life here.

Here are a few pictures…………..