This Is Home

Dear Family & Friends,

Six months have passed since my trip to Kenya, one since my return from Colorado. From trudging through the sewage strewn streets of Kibera, to hiking Pike’s Peak at over fourteen thousand feet. From fighting Malaria and poverty with the Gospel of Christ, to battling conflicting worldviews that fight for the heart. From filming the former president of Kenya, His Excellency Daniel Arap Moi, to filming world renowned speakers David Noebel, Jeff Myers, Ryan Dobson, John Stonestreet. From giving piggyback rides at an orphanage to children with aids, to showing students how to truly love God with their minds.

Today, I sit in an old swivel chair, dreaming, tucked away in the cozy basement of a small house in Redfield, Iowa. The chair in which I reside spins lazily in a continuous clockwise circle, my head cocked aimlessly in such a way that I catch fleeting glimpses of an off-white ceiling through half opened eyes. Incoherently, I hear the all too familiar sound of my bare feet sliding through thick carpet, as the distant ticking of a clock on an adjacent wall keeps time. This is home.

After seven months of nonstop running, it is nice taking this short break. I use the word “break” loosely, for even as I swivel, my mind is also ever turning. Between finishing long overdue graduation thank you cards and editing through seventy hours of Kenya footage, I have my work cut out for me. Then there are thoughts of my future in general: Universities to attend, internships to pursue, places to go, things to do, and yes, even trying to see how a girl might fit into this collage I call my life. I have ideas, aspirations, and vision. Though, how exactly to pursue them I am still at a loss to discover.

If my life were a movie, what would come next? Is this the part were I return to Summit Ministries for another summer of intense spiritual growth, or do I buckle down and work hard saving the money I need for Full Sail University in Orlando? What of other internships, such as Sherwood Pictures, or doing work for Ryan Dobson? It’s comforting knowing that regardless of what I choose, Christ will be glorified. That, my friends, is my only real precept; Christ’s glorification. If any of these options would in anyway diminish from that aim, it would cease to be an option. Though as none of them do, all that is left is for me to choose. Pray, yes; but in the end I need to make a decision.

A shrill beeping interrupts the silence. Thoughts redirecting, I plant my feet bringing my chair to a quick halt. Working habitually, I reach over to retrieve yet another tape from a slowly dissolving pile, now facing eighty-six square inches in LCD monitors. It’s time to get back to work.

As I go about my now daily routine of importing tapes filmed in Kenya, my mind flashes back to the locations they were filmed. Nairobi, with its vast city landscape, submerged in poverty. Kitengela and the amazing glass city we found across its thin wire bridge. Rongai, where John Stewart taught forty hours of apologetics and church history. Naivasha with its hippo, monkey, zebra, giraffe, boar, snake, flamingo, and every other animal imaginable. I remember a late night watching a beautiful lightning storm on a neighboring mountain and praising God for His creation. It brings a smile to my face when I glance back through my old blog posts and reminisce on the thoughts I had in writing them. It amazes me just how much God has worked in me since my first post only seven months ago. Praise Him!

I would be lying if I didn’t say Summit Ministries had a big part to do with my spiritual growth. Manitou Springs, Colorado is another place I am proud to call home. At God’s prompting I left my family and friends in Iowa and jumped on board with Summit last May. For me, the idea of stepping out of my comfort zone away from familiarity is enough to keep me awake at night. While independent, I don’t do well alone. Though, God used that time of change to draw me to Himself. I know I could have served Him in Iowa, but being lukewarm when God had something better in mind, seems like a waste; and to put it plainly, I refuse to waste my life.

Where does this put me? I am left praying that God would make it clear where He wants me this summer and in the years to come. I know that wherever He sends me I will be satisfied to go. To quote John Piper, “Christ is most glorified in us, when we are most satisfied in Him.” My prayer is that I would always be satisfied in Christ. I’m not sure where it will take me, but I can’t wait to find out!

I want to thank each of you for your support of me in one way or another. I am always appreciative of your prayers and letters. In the high likelihood you have received this correspondence via the US Postal Service, I would like to direct you to my blog, www.VideoKRUE.blogspot.com It contains my posts while I was in Kenya, along with my thoughts when I was in Colorado this past summer. Or, if you’re viewing this online right now, I want to thank you for being a faithful reader. In any event, I would love to hear from you. So please feel free to leave a comment on this post or write me at:

1504 Taylor Street

Redfield, IA 50233

Also, if you would like to keep updated with where the Lord is taking me in the business field, you can visit my home website at VideoKRUE.com There you can glace at a list of my recent projects and find clips to some of my work.

May He Be Glorified,

Andy Krueger

“Wait for the LORD. Be strong and let your heart take courage. Yes, wait for the LORD.” Psalm 27:14

Summit\Life Update 002

Dear Readers,

A lot has changed for me since my last post a month ago. Interestingly enough, by simply typing out my frustrations, I was able to better see for what I needed to be praying. God has been working in my life accordingly and I am pleased to say that a lot of what was bothering me last month no longer holds relevancy. Today, I reread that post and had to marvel at how quickly He works in my life. Yes, many of the things that I mentioned are still somewhat on my mind. But my outlook on much of it has changed.

A few weeks ago most of the staff here at Summit changed out for new staff. I was once again stuck in the cycle of saying goodbye to friends and learning new names; neither of which I am skilled at. Though, to my joy, God made this transition easier then I initially expected and I found myself content to abide in the knowledge that HE is unchanging.

When I first arrived in Colorado I had some frustration in my position change from Lead Staff to Intern. I had the mentality that my work here was almost a step back from what I had been doing at Hidden Acres in Iowa. After opening my heart to what God could teach me here, I have found that I had a lot more to learn then I thought. Through Summit, I am reminded that humility is always a place in which I could use growth. Also being able to create good connections with many of the speakers has been beneficial on a variety of levels.

Earlier, I wrote about a void I felt in my life. I was lonely and longing for some sort of consistency in my ever-changing world. After reading back through what I had written in my post, I got the impression that my desire was to fill that void with someone besides God. As this is not what I wanted to portray or live, I apologize if you received that impression. I am now even more convinced that Christ is all satisfying and can fill any gap I may encounter. That being said, if I ever do decide the time is right to pursue a girl, it won’t be because I need to fill a void in my life. HE is my everything!

Thank you for your prayers and comments on my last post. The power of prayer never ceases to amaze me.

As a quick update, I am very excited to see all that Christ has been doing in my life and in the lives of new friends around me. Summit is going very well and I am thoroughly enjoying serving here. Nonetheless, my exhaustion reminds me that it will be nice returning home the second of next month. Please be praying that my endurance will hold out and that the hearts and minds of students would be open to what they can learn here. Know that I am still praying for a lot of you back home and look forward to catching up with you all upon my return.

To God Be The Glory,

Andy Krueger

Even While I Wait

(Dear Friends, thank you for waiting so long for this blog post. Since my return from Kenya, a lot has happened and time for blogging is lacking by far. I started this specific entry over a month ago and am only now finding time to finish it. Please note that segments of this post are more of a journal entry than anything else and will contain my numerous thoughts, feelings, frustrations, and prayers. As more conservative readers might count a teenage boy’s thinking as insolent, I encourage you to read this in stride, trying to understand from where I am coming. That in mind, please pray for me and those with whom I interact. I’m not anyone special, my writings can be juvenile, and I have a tendency to question the happenings of my daily life. In the end, this post is nothing more than just another life story.)

O’Hare Airport, Chicago. Sunday, May 23, 2010. 7:29pm. Final destination: Colorado Springs. I sit here alone, waiting for yet another flight. To my left, an elderly lady glances frequently at the clock, restlessly waiting for her plane. A few seats to my right, a couple of teenage girls giggle, enveloped with an inside joke. But what draws my attention the most is the young African-American couple sitting adjacent to me. One of them is reading the latest issue of USA Today while the other steals quick glances of the game via the monitor mounted in the ceiling above my head. Both of them are preoccupied in their own way, lost to the rest of the world. I look up from my typing and can’t help but wonder where they are going and what has brought them here, seated not five feet in front of me. For what purpose are they traveling? Why this airport? Why with each other? What drew them into a relationship in the first place? The latter of these questions catches me off guard. Food for thought.

Two weeks prior, I had driven out to Manitou Springs, CO with my mother and father in order to launch an early summer internship with Summit Ministries. After settling into the rustic hotel nestled near the base of Red Mountain, I was quickly acquainted with the fellow staffers with whom I’d be spending the next couple of months. During initiation week, each staffer is encouraged to help with hotel maintenance in a wide variety of areas. Anything from painting long neglected halls to replacing old toilet tanks can now be found among my list of accomplishments. Roughly a week later and the first official summer Summit Session (try saying that three times fast) had begun.

Something about filming for a nonprofit ministry adds bliss to my otherwise habitual daily routine. The idea that I can do what I love to do, all the while bringing praise and glory to God is encouraging to say the least. It makes me glad that I have found a hobby that is both financially supporting and a blessing to those around me.

It’s now 5:27pm, six days have passed since my last flight, seven since my graduation. I sit here, in the Summit cafeteria, alone with the exception of a fellow staffer who spends her free time completing

college graduation thank-you cards, something I should consider doing soon. For now, I am simply enjoying the silence a cool Colorado afternoon brings. It’s odd knowing that only a week ago I was walking across stage in front of my homeschool graduating class of 124 and their families. Now, 680 linear miles from home, I find peace in prayer as I share my thoughts and frustrations with God.

Yes, there are a few frustrations bottled inside, seeking a voice. This blog seems like a decent enough place to work through these trials. My change in role from ‘Lead Staff’ at the largest camp in Iowa to ‘Summer Intern’ in a small hotel lost in the mountains of Colorado has been frustrating. Not being able to see the friends I have accumulated over the past thirteen years of camp leaves a longing inside. Through different camp directors, God used my two years of employment to teach me about leading by example. I loved my time at Hidden Acres, and I know that if I were there this summer, God would teach me so much more.

So why am I in Colorado? One reason that prominently sticks out in my mind is that camp was beginning to become a distraction from God. I was becoming so fixated with the camp experience, I lost track of whom it was that desired my praise. God caught onto that and like the jealous heavenly Father He is, He relocated me. If you’ve read my past few blog posts, then you know that God spent the past nine months of my life stripping me of everything I held above Him. He broke me of almost everything I held in high regard, including the value of my own life. Though, as it turned out, there were still things I held to be of greater importance… Camp Hidden Acres, friends, and family, to name a few. Thankfully though, God didn’t burn down the camp, kill off all immediate relatives, and have my friends disown me. Instead He moved me to a place where I can no longer be directly distracted by any of these things, and for that I thank Him. Moreover, I praise Him for knowing what needed to happen in my life and seeing to it that those distractions were removed!

It’s time to start fresh. New location, new friends, same God. The last of these is very encouraging. The fact that God is also here in Colorado is nothing short of comforting to someone who has had a lot of change in his life. Though, to be honest, now that I’ve had to ‘start over’ in the field of making friends and creating a legacy, I feel distant. Not distant from God, by any means, but almost secluded within the realm of my own office space. I desire a good friend. Someone with whom I can simply talk or share my ever-changing thoughts, dreams, and doubts. Yes, I am making new friends and enjoying the simple conversations that take place on a daily basis. Yet something is missing; or so I think.

A few stray staffers enter the still dining room from a side door, throwing me friendly smiles. Soft piano music resonates in the background. I wonder how one could ever feel so out of place in this close-knit community. Nonetheless, in some ways I do feel out of place, possibly even alone. Though, not in fault to Summit or its caring staff. I love it here at Summit and now that I am away from “ordinary life distractions,” I am able to take another step back in examining my life.

With my best friends elsewhere, I find myself relying a lot more on God as a daily comfort. And while He already knows my every thought, I am now sharing more of my experiences and sorrows with Him via prayer. Whatever time I used to spend talking with David Mahlum and others is now spent chatting with God about daily experiences and what He is doing in my life. This is a good thing, yes. But it doesn’t lessen my desire for someone with whom to converse on a deeper level.

Several weeks back, I filmed Ryan Dobson as he interviewed a couple of Summit students and staff on live radio. It is now the 27th of June, and more opportunities are opening up for me as I interact with Summit speakers. The past couple of days have been quite hectic. Going to bed at 1am only to wake at 4:20am has become a common occurrence. However, I justify my poor sleeping habits by the amount of work I get done during my time of consciousness.  I have put in some decent hours filming for Dr. Jeff Myers, founder of Passing The Baton International. All of which should look splendid on my resume; that is, once I find time to update it. I have made many new friends with both staff and students alike and took time out last week for one-on-ones with my roommates. God is good, and while my heart longs for light on the road ahead, I am content to abide in Him.

Having just graduated from high school, I find numerous people tend to ask the same question of me: “What do you want to do with your life?” For most students, this short, oblique question is usually responded to with a quick direct answer, normally involving the name of a school, a planned major, or the idea of “taking a year off.” For me, I am hesitant in my response. I don’t want to simply tell them, “I don’t know.” For I do have a couple of ideas and a generalized plan involving digital media production, but at the same time, I don’t want to bore them with some long run-on sentence about where God is working in my life, and how He brought me to where I am now, and how I hope to serve Him based off of these experiences, and where this may eventually take me. Because, to be honest, come September when my time at Summit Ministries reaches a close, I am unsure specifically what life will hold for me. Though, I am comforted to know the One who does.

This reminds me of the best reply I have heard yet to the “What do you want to do with your life?” line of questioning. It was directly after my graduation ceremony, at a time when you ask pretty much every graduate there with the hopes of remembering at least three of their responses. I was casually making my way toward an exit when I bumped into an old camp friend and tossed the question in her direction, with the anticipation of a standard, habitual retort. Instead what I got was this: “Andy, I want to glorify God.” That’s it. No school name, no ostentatious plan of moving to California and becoming a heart surgeon. Just, “I want to glorify God.” I paused. How do I respond to that? “Oh, that’s nice. Have fun with that”? I honestly didn’t know what to say. But I will say that I had a hard time falling asleep that night, as my heart and mind were opened yet again to the question of what I am truly living for.

What am I living for? Jesus? Yes. Myself? Yes. Alas, I have found a comfortable compromise in which I live for God by day… and when the proverbial sun has set and the line of sight from coterie is distorted… For whom do I live? Who holds my heart??? I find that when I am alone, I begin to question where God has me in life. Understand that rarely do I doubt what it is God wants me to do in life. I know Colorado is where God wants me, and I know how He desires me to live. My problem lies in my reservations toward fully following that desire… and by my hesitance, I question His very omnipotence. I sound silly just saying it, yet that’s what I’m doing. By sinning in any way, I am saying, “God, I know what you want for me, and it sounds good and all… but I think my way is better.” How naïve. How foolish. To think that my ideas could in any sense be better for me than His design. But that is what I am asserting when I stray from the path He has laid before me.

So, for whom do I live? For whom should I live? Many times in living for myself, I am living for Jesus. I find that my desires line up perfectly with what God desires of me. And while this isn’t always so, it is a place I am overjoyed to find myself in often. I want to live as Christ lived and love as Christ loved. I find pleasure in going out of my way to glorify Him through the helping of someone in need or by going above and beyond in my work. I enjoy giving of my time and love being able to praise His name through my gifts and talents on a daily basis. If only now I could be fully satisfied in Him alone. Sadly, though, my heart desires more, and I easily become impatient waiting on God’s perfect timing.

As weeks pass by and I continue adding to this post, my mind constantly reminds my heart that “good things come to those who wait.” And while I don’t actually believe that statement in its entirety, wishful thinking and continuous prayer cause me to repeatedly quote this fallacy to myself as I fall asleep each night. Yes, waiting is a virtue. Waiting upon the Lord, though, can be tedious and, at times, heart breaking. The other day, I looked around me and saw friends in abundance. Though, at some point I must have blinked, for things have quickly changed. People disappeared, friends moved on. I moved on. This new relational inconsistency in my life is inconveniently painful. Constantly making new friends only to move on for the process to restart brings me to a point where I feel as though I walk alone through a sea of indifference. Yet, I move on, making the most of the time given to me. Wishing… praying for someone with whom I can share my life and all of its bizarre events. Someone consistent.

New friends around me have dated, are dating, will continue to date. Yet I wait. Sometimes I wonder if it’s even worth it, to be so conservative, that is. I question my choice to reserve my first kiss, the habitual “waiting-not-dating” policy I live by, and my generalized abstaining from intimate relationships with girls, period. I forget that what God has in store for me could possibly be better than simply living for the moment. It’s then that I wake from my stupor of self-pity and look around me once more. I know that God has me at this specific place in life for a reason and that my singleness has opened many doors, both in the aspect of location and of emotional freedom. It has given me time to refine myself and better understand how to love God with my everything.  I also see the girls around me that, like me, are outgoing, but not going out. This only makes it all the more worth it, knowing that I don’t wait alone. So, how long will God have me wait? A few months, a few years? Either way, I know that it’s worth it. Yes, Christ is worth the wait!

Allow me to close this blog with an excerpt from an annual succession of letters, namely the “My Beloved” series I am writing to my future wife. The following is taken from what I wrote last year:

“My Beloved,

I am writing you this letter of my own accord to better inform you of the extent of my love for you. As I write, I know not who you are or if we have even met. Nonetheless, I think of you daily, dreaming of the day we do meet, waiting on the Lord’s timing…


…It seems that not a day passes without me wondering about the times we’ll share and what adventures shall await us in our new life together. I tend to ask God who you are. What are your character traits? What are your hobbies and interests? Will we like the same types of foods? And enjoy the same style of music? Do you also enjoy video production? What do you look like? Will any of this even matter? Oh, how I long to meet you!…


…My Beloved, I pray for you every day: That your determination to wait for me would be even stronger than my determination to wait for you. I pray God will use this time we are apart to prepare us for a life together. That you will be the wife I need and I the husband you deserve. Together fit to lead a family towards Christ…


Waiting for You,
Andrew”

Excuse me your Excellency...

BOOM Thunder shakes a neighboring mountain. BOOM, BOOM It’s lightning tonight in Kenya. I sit here alone, watching God’s epic light show. It’s just me, my camera, and a lapBOOM …and a laptop. The surreal beauty of this event brings an unwarranted reminder, ‘I am nothing’. Compared to the greatness of this mountain I now face, the power of the lighting smacking into the side of it, and the knowledge that an all powerful Being created this… I am nothing. Nothing but another flawed human, one among millions, that is trying to make sense of this life. And yet He loves me. This thought alone takes my breath away. Though, it doesn’t stop me from asking, why am I here... filming a mountain in Kenya, in the dark? What divine inspiration caused me to ask the Stewarts to tag along on an overseas adventure? To forsake an otherwise uneventful lifestyle for this? What caused them to say yes?

Sometimes, I tend to give up and resort to, well ‘who knows the mind of our God?’ when trying to present reasonable motivation behind His actions. Though, looking back over the past ten years of my life and the events that unfolded to bring me here… I can’t but help to marvel at His handiwork. Every event, every friendship, every step, has played an indispensable part in the writing of my life story. I am so blessed.

BOOM Time to go inside.

Ever look at your life through the eyes of a camera? It’s probably just me, but I can’t help thinking I’m living from a script. Kind of like the Truman Show. Though, I never was a good actor, just ask anyone in my drama group. Still, I find myself thinking that my life is only a small part in a bigger story. Here I am living life. Yet, to what advantage? To what benefit am I wasting oxygen and depleting other natural resources? To be honest, I’m not willing to waste my life. By word of mouth I’m living for Christ. But do the words I say line up with reality. My friends seem to think I’m doing it right, but what does the camera see when my friends aren’t around? Would my family give me the same props my friends do? Should they?

Sometimes I’d have to say no, they shouldn’t. I’m not living for Christ all the time. The fact I’m not alone in this, is a weak excuse. I don’t grade my life on a curve and neither will He. I find one of the hardest areas to give my all is when it comes to my wallet. I mean, I give to the church and I pretty much drained all my savings in order to pay the difference for this mission’s trip. But, between my Oakley sunglasses and other worthless purchases, I have to ask myself, ‘am I really living for Christ when it comes to finances?’ I visited another slum today. This time it was in order to see a friend’s family and home. Did you know that a good salary for them is about $100 a month? Dude, I used to spend one afternoon working a concert and would make that much…and it takes them a month of hard labor. How wrong is that?

I have so much to think and pray about.

On a different subject, why is it the one day I forget to take my malaria medication is the same day we spend the night in a malaria danger zone? Why is it also that tonight I’ve seen more mosquitoes in my room, and received more bites than in all of the other nights combined? Which explains why I’m typing you from the safety of my bed, under the mosquito netting, listening to Lecrae on my iPod. Oh, yes, concerning malaria… one of my new little cousins from Liberia has it. Please be praying that the doctors would know exactly what type of medication she needs and that she would get through the tough stages with God’s help! My knowledge of how malaria works is limited, but I believe it has lifelong repercussions. :(

The other day, on the way to see his Excellency, President Daniel Moi, we ran into a slight delay. And when I say “ran into I slight delay,” I really mean “drove into a crater the size of Houston, TX”. Let’s just say, based on the amount of wheel damage received, one spare tire wasn’t going to cut it. What’s that, three flats in two weeks? On the bright side, not only did we have car insurance, but we left three hours early to see the president and actually made it with time to spare.

Oh… ok, so, I’ve been having stomach pains for the past hour and actually had some Rolaids about a half an hour ago. While my stomach is now doing slightly better, I had the sudden urge to find a porcelain seat… for the third time in under an hour. I just took 500mg of Levaqin, a strong prescription antibiotic I brought along for such emergencies. I don’t know what I ate that my body is rejecting. Probably just something washed in the Kenyan’s water. Oh well. That’s Africa for you. :)

Our time with president Moi actually went quite well. The training I received beforehand on how to great him and what to say was both nerve racking and helpful. Apparently, he is to be addressed as ‘your Excellency’. What I found to be most amazing is that most members of parliament can’t even get an audience with him. Also, his face is on every single coin here. So, why in the world he took an hour from his schedule for us is beyond me. I also didn’t realize just how old he was until he entered the room. Born in 1928, he’s almost old enough to be a Wall-Mart greeter. Though, he is a true man of God, who took time to pray with us both before and after the meeting. How many former heads of state do that? I probably shook the man’s hand four or five times. During the last of these handshakes, I recalled that a strong grip shows respect and dignity. Though, I may have squeezed too tightly, because I felt a pop as one of his fingers came momentarily out of joint. Like I said, the man’s old. I wasn’t even sure if that’s exactly what had happened. Though, I think I saw him suppress a grimace? All things considered, he didn’t have me beheaded and the meeting went quite well.

As we were preparing to leave, I began to think of the dozens of different music artists I’ve had the privilege to work with over the years. And the one thing I most regret is not having a picture taken with each of them. So, I decided that while the former president of Kenya isn’t a Barlow Girl, Newsboy, or TFK member… I still might look back in a few years and regret not fully seizing the opportunity I had. So, with this in mind, I rose to me feet and addressed him, “Excuse me your Excellency, but if it’s not too much to ask, may I have the honnor of taking a picture with you?” Thankfully Moi has a thing for kids and my handshake of pain hadn’t taken place yet, so he agreed. As of this month, I’ll now be starting a photo album with pictures of me and dignitaries. Who’s next, does anyone know Obama?

Today we went out into the wild again, where I chased more baby giraffe and filmed more zebras. The hippopotami where in hiding, but we did spot some far off buffalo. Also, monkeys, antelope, and sa few weird looking ground squirrels where in sight. We even stopped at a snake exhibit featuring the dreaded ‘Black Mamba’ and its lesser cousin, the ‘Green Mamba’. Oooo, ahhhh. The glass cages in which theses snakes where contained weren’t exactly built to code. In America, the zoo’s snake exhibit features thick sides and bullet proof viewing glass. The locks are designed as not to easily be tampered with by foolish visitors and there is a special security force armed with knockout darts and nets. Not so here. Here the thin cages couldn’t keep in a determined gerbil. Not to mention that the girl working there opened most of the cage doors so I could get a better picture. Then she asked me if I wanted to hold one, and while I have touched several snakes in my lifetime, none of them were an African Python. So, I did.

The place where we spent the past two nights was quite nice; amazing view and beautiful landscaping. Though, it doesn’t have heated water. But in order to get around this, each of the showers has a small electric heater attached to the top of the shower head. So, when it came time to wash a layer of sweat off, I began searching around for a way to operate the heater. After a minute, I found the switch that turned it on. As I flipped it, I watched the lights significantly dim and had second thoughts about all of this. Something about a power hogging electric devise poised above my head, heating my shower water didn’t seem safe. Though, by this time, I would rather be unsafe then have a cold shower. At least I’d go to heaven clean, right? So, I turned on the heater, followed by reaching over and turned on the cold water. It took all of thirty seconds before the water was at a bearable temperature, so I stepped in. Though, it still wasn’t quite as hot as I wanted it to be.

About this time, I realized there was a switch on the electric heater with symbols next to it that clearly meant something. Assuming that the switch controlled the heat, which I later found out it did, I reached up to change it. Now, let’s recap. Here, I’m standing in a shower, an electric heater is above my head, water is running from this heater onto the cool tile floor, and I am now reaching my wet hand up to adjust the electric devise. Well, I’m definitely not the smartest guy alive. The moment I touched it and began to slide the switch, I saw a flash. And wither the flash emanated from the device, or I simply saw it in my mind, I still don’t know. Though, what I do distinctly remember is the fingers in my left hand going numb, along with my left shoulder and the front of my left foot. It kind of caused me to take a step back, like a goat bumping into an electric fence, I was slightly dazed and unsure of what just happened. After collecting my thoughts, I reached over to turn off the power switch in the wall and the lights faded back up. I then tried adjusting the temperature again, only to realize it was already as warm as it could go. Maybe I don’t need a hot shower after all.

Well, another day has passed and we drove back to ANU, where I have internet, for a meeting John and Laurie Stewart are now in. Tonight is our last night in Kenya before we head out to Dubai and then on to California. If all goes well, I should be safe at home within a few days. Though, a volcano erupting near Eyjafjallajokull (who named this place) has caused the closing of several airports in Europe airspace. After a few days, the problem of ash pollution in the air is actually worsening and may interfere with our flight tomorrow evening. I actually have a friend stuck in London right now, though she doesn’t seem to mind much. :) Lord willing, my next and possibly final blog post will be from home. Though, if you are interested, I may just put out a bi-monthly blog when I am working at Summit Ministries in Colorado from May to September.

Anywho, I pray everything is going well at home! Family, I do miss you… kinda, if just a little. Oh yes, It will be nice getting back home, though I will miss the experiences I’ve had here. I tend to write more short stories then I do general experiences and feelings. So, if you haven’t gotten out of this blog what God has really been doing in my heart over the past few weeks, I apologize. Yes, I’ve eaten new things, experienced a poverty stricken culture, and survived the Kenyan roads. And while these are fun to write about, there’s more to the story. While different, everything here has been a good reminder that there is so much more to life then what’s in front of you. I’ve gone a couple of weeks without a television and survived. So often, we spend our lives waiting for God to take us somewhere; waiting on His timing and for His blessing before acting. I say, why not look to where God is already working… see where His blessing already is and join Him. Don’t let “there’s always tomorrow” become your excuse for not acting today.

I know that these experiences have changed my view on life. I pray that my experiences here would also help to change your perspective.

In Christ,
Andy

PS. I want to give a birthday shout out to David Mahlum. He’s pretty cool, so if you don’t already know him, you really should change that.

James 4:13-14 “Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes."

Here kitty, kitty

Kenya, how do I describe you? I could talk about your culture, or your vast roadways. I could express my interest in your economy, or possibly name your different foods. But, what draws my attention the most is your people; and what lies within their hearts.

Created individually in God’s image, each person in Kenya is unique. Though, the common bond of friendship gives me fresh look at life. After only two weeks in Kenya, I don‘t believe I am qualified to say I know everything about how things work here. However, I do now have a better understanding of what people think and why they believe what they believe. Kenya is a very Christian country, with a majority of its population professing a relationship with the creator. For those that I have had the privilege of meeting, their love for God and for each other is easy to recognize. Yes, there are those with mischievous agendas, but the majority lives for Christ. Praise God for that!

In Kenya, bartering is how things are done. Street venders will come up to the cars trying to sell you anything and everything. At one traffic jam, I purchased a hat for 300ksh ‘shillings’. Turns out, it doesn’t even fit me correctly; go figure. At another stop, I bartered for a large knife and bought it at 500ksh (Around 7 dollars). I just have to remember to check it in my luggage, as I doubt the airline will let me carry it on. (:

The other day, after filming Mr. Stewart's teaching for another five hours, we decided to do something fun and dropped by the Nairobi Safari Walk. Now, I’ve never really liked zoos, if only because when I was younger, my family all had free passes. So, we would go all the time. Mother’s Day, Birthdays, Easter, Groundhog Day, Kwanzaa, you name it and it was a trip to the zoo. In my opinion, when you’ve seen one monkey, you’ve seen them all; or so I thought. However, this time things were different.

First off, there’s one thing you need to know about most Kenyans, they can easily be bribed. It’s just how the society functions. With that in mind, after walking through the front gate of the Safari Walk we were quickly greeted by a guide. What was nice about showing up a couple of hours to closing was that we had this guide to ourselves. He was young, maybe in his early twenties, and was a student at a nearby university; a nice kid. So, as we were walking along, he was pointing out all of the interesting animals that are native to Kenya and we were really enjoying ourselves.

Eventually we came to the rhinoceros’s habitat. There was another small tourist group there, viewing the great animal. Though, it wasn’t long before they moved away, on to the next exhibit. Once they were out of sight, our guide was quick to leap over the fence into the same cage with the rhino. Being the courageous Iowan I am, *gulp* I swiftly followed him over the fence, as the Stewarts watched from the safety of the path. The guide and I then proceed to pet the two ton, mud coated beast, taking care to avoid his horn. After exiting the exhibit, I was quick to confirm that we really weren’t supposed to do that. Though, or guide was a nice and we were Americans that tipped; end of story.

At another stop we saw the great cheetah, known for its amazing speeds of over seventy miles per hour. Now, I’ve never really liked cats (sorry Tinkerbelle) but I wouldn’t mind owning a cat like this. Though, the wide pit, followed by a tall, high powered electric fence was a subtle reminder that these creatures can be very dangerous. Did that stop us from entering the cage without permission? Nope. Our guide said a few quick Swahili phrases to another employee with a key. All the while, he kept watch for any official guards that could get us all into trouble. After slipping him a few dollars, we snuck into the cheetah’s cage, broomstick in hand. By all appearances, if things went south, our guide would beat off the killer cat with a cleaning appliance. Encouraging, yes.

Fifty grit sandpaper is how Mr. Stewart likes to describe the cat’s tongue. When it started licking us, I thought it just wanted to see what white meat tasted like. Though, the moment it sat down beside us and started vibrating, I knew it probably wouldn’t kill us. All in all, it was a good day.

Today we went to the Masai Market. It’s pretty much a huge indoor farmers market with lots of handmade trinkets. There were probably fifty different vendors, each trying to sell you their product. All of them will great you, ask your name, and where you’re from, trying to make friends. Many of them will grab you by the hand and literally drag you over to their collection of homemade jewelry and carvings. They will individually pick up their items and attempt forcing them upon you at unreasonable prices, justifying all of this on our new friendship. After placing your first bid, they may laugh at you, as if your suggested price is so low, you don’t deserve to be taken seriously. If after bartering you decide not to buy the item and tell them ‘Hapana’, a few of them will actually stalk you. They will follow you around the market, seeing what catches your eye. If you walk past the same booth twice, they will remember your name and remind you that you ‘promised’ to think about their merchandise. It brings a smile to my face thinking about it.

It came to pass that we were to cross the bridge of Kitengela. This so called bridge, as pictured below, was made of nothing more than thin wire and glass beads. To cross it, you must first sign away your life earthly possessions, and firstborn. No seriously, the natives had us sign a cheesy waver, before we could cross. It wasn’t the fact that the bridge looked like it was made out of tinfoil, or that it was seriously swaying that made us nervous. It was the 75 foot drop into the rocky riverbed below. So, what else could Mr. Stewart and I do when it came time to cross back over, but to race? I am proud to say that I currently hold the fastest time in crossing alive.

Oh, but I’ve been telling you about all the carefree, enjoyable times in Kenya. Though, most of our days have been spent either speaking, or driving somewhere to speak. But, the time we have had for some recreation has made for a nice break. Early tomorrow morning we will drive two and a half hours to another town, where we will be staying a few days. During that time, we will most likely not have access to internet or other means of communication. Our plan is to meet with the former president of Kenya to discuss plans for the establishment of a new law program in Kenya. Please note that Daniel arap Moi is not a Christian. So, prayer that he would have an open heart and mind to what John and Laurie will be discussing is vital.

Also, Mr. Moi is a former president. To grasp the importance of this encounter, imagine sitting down with George W. Bush to discus American education. I pray that he will allow me to film this meeting, as it will make a great addition to Rolling Stone Ministries’ video outreach.

I pray for all of my friends back home, that they would be encouraged by the work God is doing in Kenya. May you know that His hand is guiding the teachings of the Stewarts and is His love is working in the lives that we have reached. To Christ be the glory!

-Andy Krueger

Psalms 119:74 - May those who fear you rejoice when they see me, for I have put my hope in your word.

Contentment

Dear Blog Followers,
I want to start out by thanking you all for reading my posts; random, though they may be. I know my parents have received some great feedback from the church and I always enjoy reading the comments some of you leave. Additionally, my grandparents have been printing out each post and saving it in some sort of fancy binder… So, no pressure Andy. You may have noticed it’s been a few days since my last post. This is only because each day I seem to be waking up earlier and returning even more exhausted in the evenings. To say the least, I no longer have the will to type. Even the Stewarts, with whom I am staying, have already called it a night, a few hours ago. Though, this one’s for you mom. (:

Over the past half-year, Complacency is an area in which God has really been working in my life. From the loss of my father’s job, to the loss of a brother in Christ through a tragic car accident, to landing myself in the ER after a stupid dirt-bike accident, to the loss of my great grandmother and great aunt, to dad mistakenly cutting his thumb off with a power saw, to being the first responder at a car crash, trying to pull a young girl from her car as she bleeds to death… and through many other dire circumstances, I have been learning the true value of life. The lesson found in Luke chapter twelve, should remind us how short life truly is, “You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?” The question, “What am I living for?” has seriously caused me to reconsider the way I spend my time. The things I’ve wasted my money on, the things I hold in high regard, the things I’ve measured as worthy of my attention, are all pointless for the sake of Christ.

Sad as this may sound, friends are temporary. However, that being said, God is forever. What then am I to do? Please man who is finite or glorify God who is eternal? Sadly the former tends to play default when I don’t take time to think about my daily actions. Though, I can now see that God has been using the past six months to prepare me for something bigger. We are all living for something, whether we care to admit it or not. I earnestly pray that I would live full out for Christ, prepared to leave the temporary things behind. Between Kenya and Summit Ministries, I am giving up a lot… and to be quite honest, it hurts. My flesh doesn’t want to miss most all of my friends’ graduation parties, a friend’s wedding, my senior prom, saying goodbye to high-school friends, or working at Hidden Acres (which I have considered to be my second home). Much less missing all that time with family. Yet, I am fully content… I need to become fully content to follow Christ wherever He may lead... to Africa, to Colorado, and beyond my imagination. To leave my comfort zone and pursue His glorification. Here am I, send me!

Then why is all of this so much easier to say then to do?

In America, being content with one’s present situation isn’t something we are usually taught. Television ads tell us we are incomplete, that we are less of a person without a certain product. It would seem that our apathetic lives can’t be lived to their full potential unless we become something we are not. That isn't what I’ve learned from the Kenyans. Now, maybe it’s just because we don’t have a TV, but I find the lifestyle here to be one that is more centered around religion. Kenya, while corrupt in government, is a very Christian country. Most people here know how to be truly thankful to God for the things that they have. This is partially due in part to the fact that a lot of them have nothing.

Yesterday I visited Kibera, the second largest slum in Africa. Kibera accounts for less than 1% of Nairobi's total area, but holds more than a quarter of its population... at an estimated density of 1250 persons per acre. (So, just imagine sending 825,000 campers to Hidden Acres at once.) The smells and sight of raw sewage running down the garbage littered streets, still rings fresh in my mind. Tiny tin houses, no electricity, no running water, hardly any food. These people truly have nothing. Yet, the one place that was beautiful, the only place people could all gather under one roof in unison, was the church. Community funded, it is obvious to see where the people’s passion truly rests. The music heard floating through the air, is a sweet reminder of God’s faithfulness amongst the poverty stricken. Sorry Joel Osteen, no prosperity gospel here.

The grass is always greener on the other side. Oh, if only we could all remember that true contentment is found in the pursuit of Christ!

After Kibera, we visited a nearby orphanage. At least half of the children there are tested as HIV/AIDS positive. Did that stop me from picking up every single one, not on your life! I spent the next hour giving piggyback rides, racing the little boys across the yard, swinging with the girls, and giving rides on an old scooter. They would come up to me, take me by the hand, and walk with me. And I couldn’t help but to tell them just how much God loves them. Leaving was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. Of course before we could leave, they all broke out into song from the movie ‘Annie’. “Who cares what they're wearing, on Main street, or Saville Row. It's what you wear from ear to ear, and not from head to toe, that matters…” At the end of the day, “You're never fully dressed without a smile!” seemed to be the motto the kids stuck by. The memory of their unconditional love for each other and myself will stick with me for life.

On that note, I shall bid you all a wonderful evening. And to you, my faithful readers, I ask for prayer that my focus would remain on Christ and on the work that He accomplished in and around me. That I might forsake all earthly desires and become fully content to go where He sends me.

Forever His,
Andy

Better Test The Horn...

When Paul, in 1 Corinthians 6:12 & 10:23 writes, “Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial” he was probably referencing the Kenyan tap water. The repercussions of drinking this bacteria filled liquid are not to be taken lightly. As proper washrooms are few and in between, I now carry a roll of paper in my shoulder bag... Enough said.

Yesterday, our rental car acquired a flat tire. Being the experienced Iowan I am, our problem shouldn’t have taken more than two minutes to resolve; three tops. Little did I know that the car manufacturer had installed a special bolt into the wheel, to prevent the tire from ‘disappearing’. Five phone calls and two extensive searches later... Mr. Stewart located the adapter that would allow us to entirely remove the tire. We now pray that the full size spare holds out on the diverse Kenyan roads.

Today the weather was hot, maybe too hot. After awaking to find myself not in Iowa, I was alarmed by the sudden change in humidity. My senses informed me it had rained last night. Possibly due to the fact that it is the rainy season in Kenya… or that Mrs. Stewart told me it had. All of this of course, registered before I even opened my eyes. It was a new day, a fresh start. Time to film stuff.

After a quick breakfast of cold cereal, a quick glass of hot chai, and a quick shower of warm (bacteria filled) water, Mr. Stewart and I headed out to Manna Bible Institute. While there, he would be teaching and I would be filming him teach… for five hours straight. Surprisingly enough, five hours a day, five days a week, for two weeks, of Church History and Apologetics, isn’t as boring as it sounds… and I soon found myself actually learning. Though, little did I know that what was about to happen would make my life a little bit more extreme. Hence the narrative.

We were halfway through the speaking engagement (of the day) and I was assigned with a very new and important mission. Apparently, it was essential that I return to African Nazarene University, where we were staying, to receive an update concerning our top secret travel information. Normally, we would have simply used the phone, but it wasn’t working again; go figure. So, it was up to me.

Being the good videographer I am, I propped my camera upon a box, aimed it in John’s general direction, pressed record, grabbed the car keys, and rushed outside where I sprang into our rental… Only to discover the steering wheel was missing!! Oh wait, no, it was there… It has just been installed on the wrong side of the car. Silly Kenyan mechanics.

Leaping from my seat, I rushed around to the other side of the vehicle, and dived headlong into the left driver’s seat. From here, I believed I could properly operate this car. Never mind that it had a manual transmission, or that everything was backwards, or that legally I can’t even drive in Kenya… I was on a mission. Throwing the car into reverse, I pealed out, leaving ruts in the grass, narrowly missing a tree (Hidden Acres all over again), and dodging screaming pedestrians (slight exaggeration), I backed out onto the blacktop.

Using my left hand, I put the car into first and away I went. Everything went seemingly smooth at first, that was until cars started coming at me in my lane… then I remembered that when in a left-handed car, one should probably drive on the left side of the road. Though, with your seat aligned on the middle of the road, not the shoulder.... blah, blah, blah... So much to remember… even the blinkers and windshield wipers where on the wrong sides. Better test the horn… PEEEB …should have guessed. The only thing that wasn’t completely reversed was the gas, brake, and clutch; thankfully.

All in all, things went smoothly and nobody died, the end.

Yawn... It is now way past my Kenyan Kurfew, so I bring this post to a close with a quote:

"It takes 8,460 bolts to assemble an automobile, and one nut to scatter it all over the road."

Don't worry mom, I never brought it over 65km\h

Goodnight.... and God Bless!

“Are you meditating?”

Camera… check. Money-Belt… check. Fresh Battery… check. Pocket Bible… check. New Tape… check. Tripod… no, I left that in Iowa. Anything else…? I think that’s about it.

The idea: To capture the beautiful sky God has provided, on video, this afternoon.

The plan: To find a nice open area where I can point my camera skywards; without the use of a tripod. Then to wait a full 62 minutes while the camera empties a tape. Meanwhile, the pocket Bible comes out, therein drawing me closer to God through the reading of His word.

Sounds like a good plan… right?

After walking around the African Nazarene University for all of seven minutes, camera in hand, I came to the perfect place to complete my mission. About ten feet off from the main sidewalk, right out in front of the University’s apparently abandon central building, I found a small cement slab. More like a monument, actually. None the less, it was something to prop my camera against. After five minutes of struggling to position the lens in a semi-skyward position, I came to the conclusion that I would need something to help support the camera. Reaching into my pockets, I withdrew the only two items I could find… My wallet and pocket Bible. Reluctantly, I ended up using both to bring the camera to the angle I desired and pressed record. Now comes the wait.

As my pocket Bible was in use at the moment, and I couldn’t exactly leave, (for fear my camera would walk off on its own) I decided to sit it out, while praying. A noble desire, possibly? Though, has anyone ever tried to sit perfectly still, while the sun bakes their skin for an hour, and just... prays? Trust me when I say it sounds a lot easier than it actually is. “Dear Lord, thank you for allowing me to come before you in prayer today. In your word, which is currently under my camera at the moment, you tell us that…” Oh look, an African beetle. Wait, focus… sorry about that Lord. Now where was I, “In your Word, you remind us that the prayer of a…” Is that a speckled rock?!? No wait, seriously, that rock has green speckles… Oh, sorry Lord. *cough* “In your word, you tell us that the prayer of a righteous man is both powerful and…”

“Are you meditating?”
“Hmm, what?” –Me
“Are you meditating?” asks a passerby with a heavy accent, on the sidewalk not more than ten feet from where I am sitting.
“No… no, I’m praying… and videotaping” -Me
“Ok… well, have a nice day.” –Male Pedestrian
“Thanks, you too.”

At about this point, a class must have gotten out or something, because a steady stream of students started to pour out of the central building, in front of where I was still sitting. Little did I know, that over the next fifty minutes, several hundred students would continue to exit the building as classes dismissed. There goes any hope of solitude.

Now, I was positioned in place as far away from trees as possible. It was basically an open field with a sidewalk going right through the center of it. So, I was pretty easy to spot by any passersby. And as God would have it, everyone on campus did glance my way. Now, it probably wouldn’t have been so bad… except every single student here is black… and many of you may recall, I am not. As the only white teen for kilometers, I tend to draw attention. Not to mention, I’m just sitting in the middle of a field, with my back to a rock. As people walked by, eyes would turn and heads would follow. Everyone stared. I would just sit there, smiling, daring to make eye contact, not willing to interrupt my camera’s recording. The hour continued to trickle by, as did the students… pointing at me with their eyes, whispering in Swahili to each other, a few saying hello. I would return the greeting, wishing I could be alone, cheesy grin plastered to my face.

I was different. And even though I was surrounded by God’s children, I felt alone. One teenage girl passing by must have noticed this, and thus dared to venture off the path to see the strange white boy.

“Hello,” she greeted me.
“Jambo,” I replied in the native tongue.
“How are you?”
“I’m good,” I responded unconfidently, then thought to ask, “How are you doing?”
“I am doing fine,” she responded. “What are you doing?”
“I’m filming the sky.”
“Oh.”
[Awkward Pause]
“Ok.” More akward pausing, “Are you a student here?”
“No. Are you?” -Me
“Yah.”

Needless to say, the conversation was brief after that.

Another passerby, a teacher by appearance, later stopped to ask if I was alright. I really wasn’t sure how to respond.

Let me just add, I’ve never been happier to see the ‘Tape has reached the end’ display on my camera.


Disclaimer:
This is simply my discreet way of saying I’m homesick.
Please be praying for strength, as God continues to teach me to fully rely on Him. Thanks!

On second thought, I’ll have water.

Bwana Asifiwe,
(Traditional Christian Swahili Greeting, Trans: ‘Praise God’)

April 3, 2010
Only a few days have passed since my last post and yet so much has happened. My solo flight to California went as planned, with little to no known complications. Once in CA, a quick trip to the local Wall-Mart for ‘forgotten necessities’ was in order; go figure. :) After a good night’s sleep, I jumped aboard a flight from California to Dubai, with Mr. and Mrs. Stewart. And while it was long, (fourth longest commercial flight in the world), it went quite well.

During the flight, you are with people form pretty much every nationality in the world. Less than half of these passengers know English, which is probably why the flight crew speaks over eight major languages. Everyone is really nice and they even serve you familiar beverages in foreign labels. My Coke never tasted better, at 8,000 feet, with Arabic writing.

About halfway through the flight, the stewardess came around with her cart, for the fiftieth consecutive time, taking drink orders. After one too many Sprites, I felt it was time to change things up. “May I please have a root beer?” The stewardess, looking slightly puzzled, replied, “We have Budweiser.” Taken aback, my response was quick, but it should have gotten my point across, “No, no, no… Do you have any soda-pop root beer? IBC, A&W?” My now confused stewardess reaches into her cart, withdrawing a metallic can, and replies in broken English, “I don’t know what you talking about… We have Budweiser.” Now, I’m not the type of guy to refuse a lady in a fedora… But, I didn’t think an international flight for a missions organization was the best place to start a bad habit. “On second thought, I’ll have water.”

I found the Dubai airport to be pretty much indescribable. Though, if you think ‘immaculate’, you’re on the right path. It was exactly like a huge mall, exception for the guys in bathrobes bearing machine guns. Dubai is pretty much insane when it comes to industry. World’s tallest building, indoor skiing… this place had it all. For those of you who know the Owl City ‘Ocean Eyes’ cover, it pictures the world’s only seven star hotel, which is found in Dubai. I even considered staying the night there, though with rooms starting at $7,000 a night, I figured I would wait for a different weekend. One thing I found interesting was the ‘call to prayer’ that was announced throughout the whole city via an elaborate speaker system. The next morning came around and it was time to leave. And oh my, the culture shock was pretty bad when I finally landed in Kenya, the following afternoon.

I suppose the Kenyan airport wasn’t too bad. It’s what happened when we drove roughly a mile away and hit the mud roads that reminded me, I wasn’t in America anymore. In fact, it was the roads themselves, or lack thereof, that was a pretty good indicator of this society’s poverty. For those of you who have been to Hidden Acres Christian Center, in Iowa… Just imagine the dirt road leading back to the Prayer Tree, after five days of nonstop rain. Now multiply the amount of mud, potholes, and ruts by three, throw in some small front wheel drive cars, a few disoriented campers, add a hint of unpredictability, and you have most of Kenya’s roadways. Kind of scary, actually. Apparently pedestrians never have the right of way and bottoming out one’s vehicle is a common occurrence.

Now on to what really matters. The people here have an unmistakable love for God. It is evident from the way they greet each other, to the way they welcome us. In fact, there was a big ‘silent’ argument, concerning as to whom has the honor of putting us up for the night. It was amusing, to say the least. Most Kenyans have a certain flare for Christ; that is particularly shown through their worship. My first evening, I was amidst a festive praise service, which I found to be quite refreshing from our typical American worship. An interesting thing being, that during the end songs, several thousand large, winged insects decided to join in. The thousands of locust\moth things added a new element, as the circled about the room, bumping into and landing all over the congregation.

The following day, I filmed my first Kenyan wedding. The unprofessionalism of the event would probably have any average American bride tearing her hair out. The wedding was scheduled to start promptly at 10am, though no one really bothered to show up until around noon; with the wedding finaly starting around 1:30pm. Cars dropping people off were getting stuck in the mud everywhere. The sound system produced more static and feedback then vocals. The hired photographer was using a small off name brand, point and shoot, camera; and blocked everyone’s view by standing five feet from the couple. The bride was wearing a plastic crown with flashing lights and the groom was... Well, I think you get the idea. It just brought a smile to my face. All in all, putting aside those trivial things, from what I saw of it, the ceremony was lovely! It reminds one that the wedding day isn’t about the flower arraignment, music selection, or ice sculptor. It’s about a man and a women uniting as one in Christ. And it was beautiful!!

What I do find to be trying from this trip is the slight language barrier. Back home, I took three years of Spanish in preparation for what? Everyone here speaks Swahili! Haha. Though, most do speak some English, which helps. And the occasional French I toss in spices up conversations. From the gentlemen around my age, who can speak decent English, I have made good friends. I enjoy telling them all about America as they enjoy learning and sharing the ways of their own culture. One such young man, by the name of Moses, enjoys watching Joel Olsten, believes Opera to be genuinely nice, and thinks highly of Bill Gates. You may also find it interesting to know, that Moses has also watched several American movies and indirectly made the assertion that our movies portray real life. In summary, he was wondering if one could easily hack into online bank accounts to steal money, if everyone worked for the government as assassins, and if Jason Bourne really could tell him the license plate numbers of all six cars parked outside. Though, in all seriousness, I found all our conversations to be quite enjoyable and very uplifting in the faith.

The assortment of smells found in Kenya is something worth beholding. From raw sewage mixed with the smells of fresh cooking food, to harsh diesel pollution mixed with the fresh fragrance of beautiful flowers. Though, oh is Kenya beautiful! As the rainy season is now upon us, green vegetation is everywhere and flowers are also vastly overwhelming. And while the rain doesn’t exactly add to the roads’ overall maintenance, it does bring a freshness and cleanliness to a usually dusty land.

It is now Easter morning and I still haven’t found a reliable internet connection for updating my blog. Though, I will continue to fill this word document in the faith that God will soon provide a way to post everything. Even though, by the time you read this, God will have already provided… Please be sure to thank Him for my ability to post it and for the future availability of wireless internet. We serve a God who works outside of time, so your prayers are not sent up in vain. :)

Christ has risen. Who could ever have known that these three words would have such an impact? That they would make or break the very foundation of our faith? To paraphrase the apostle Paul in his first recorded letter to the church of Corinth, “If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain, our faith is in vain… our faith is worthless, and we are still in our sins” (1 Corinthians 15:14,17 NAS) But praise the Lord that Christ has risen! We have been forgiven.

Church today was a completely new experience. For those of you who don’t know, a typical Kenyan Church service may last up to five or six hours. There wasn’t really an order of events, things just happened as the Lord led the worship leaders. Which, I thought was pretty much awesome incredible. Once again, the Kenyans love for praising God shined through. The only thing that could have made it better is if I actually understood any Swahili.

What was most unique about this specific church was the way they took up offering. Those willing to donate would make their way to the front of the church, where the amount they were giving was promptly stated by the minister; for the benefit of the remaining congregation. All the while, the pastor ‘highly encouraged’ everyone to give and would pick out specific people to donate, that had yet to do so. He even mentioned that us Americans shouldn’t feel shy, if we wanted to give. The offering probably lasted for a good fifteen to twenty minutes. Though, all in all, I found the change up to be both refreshing and a great reminder that coordinated worship isn’t always necessary. We even lost power twice during the whole event, which I believe only added to the overall ambience. I have to stop and smile when I think of the Kenyans.
Good afternoon. It is now Monday the 6th and internet is still unavailable. When I do find a way to post it, I hope you will still enjoy reading all of this. (Love ya mom!) ;)

Ah, the past two mornings went quite well, as they were the first two scheduled days of teaching, for John Stewart at Manna Bible Institute in Ongata Rongai, Kenya. For those of you who don’t know, John has quite the history when it comes to public speaking and teaching. He’s written a few books, Hosted and Co-hosted multiple nationally-syndicated radio shows (including “The Bible Answer Man” and “John Stewart Live”), has been on “Good Morning America”, ABC, NBC, CNN, and American Journal. Has had articles published in Time Magazine, Des Moines Register, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Orange County Register, Christianity Today Magazine. Is a lawyer, a renowned teacher, has been making professional presentations since 1986, and was officially “Pro-Life Broadcaster of the Year” in 1989. To say the least, it has been quite the honor to work with both him and his wife, in Kenya!

Today is a special day! Why, you may ask? Because this is the day that the Lord has made! Thus, I shall rejoice and be glad in it! It is currently three o’clock in the afternoon in Nairobi, Kenya. The sun is shining, the clouds are soaring marvelously above our heads, and as can be expected, the power is out. It is a wonderful day! Morning is now just coming upon my homeland. I can imagine my family is still asleep, dreaming of… things. Mr. and Mrs. Stewart are both reading different books, reclined in strategically placed chairs. John is reading, “I Don’t Have Enough Faith To Be An Atheist” by Norm Giesler; a book I loaned him. While, Laurie is enjoying, “Forgotten God” by Francis Chan. Whereas, I am draining my laptop battery, in a semi-productive fashion.

And now we have power and internet. Please hold as I send this out quickly before we lose it again. :)

Thanks for your prayers! May God bless you and keep you, and may He cause His face to shine upon you!

Yours in Christ,
Andy Krueger

One Day Remains

Greetings in Christ,

One day now remains between me and a 17 hour flight to Dubai. After arriving in Dubai, I will have a one day layover until my flight to Kenya. Anxiety has begun to set in and I find myself having to fully relying on Christ for strength. Curiously enough, I realize that at such times, when I am weakest in spirit, his love is most evident in my own life. That being said, I pray that He would continue to be glorified through every aspect of this trip.

Prayer is playing a very vital part in the success of this mission. I would be blessed, if you would pray for me in these areas:

Vision - Pray that God would reveal his purposes for this mission trip and that I would make my last minute plans accordingly.

Teamwork - Pray for unity among those involved in this mission.

Prayer - Pray that I would be devoted to personal prayer and to seek growth in this area.

Ministry - Pray for open hearts for those in Kenya and that my heart would also be opened to what they can teach me.

Travel - Pray for safe travel and on time flights.

Witness - Pray that I would continue to be a witness for Christ in word and action. Pray for sensitivity to use the outreach as a means of sharing my faith.

Warfare - Pray for protection and that I would continually seek the Lord for ways to penetrate the spiritual darkness.

Ministry - Pray for Rolling Stone Ministries, for whom I am filming.

Kenya - Pray for the Holy Spirit to prepare the way for us. Pray for the civil unrest throughout Kenya.

Church - Pray that the mission trip would be supported by the whole church. Pray that God would use us to spread the vision of the great commission.

Providing our internet connection is stable, I will be starting a blog. The current link is:

videokrue.blogspot.com

Thank you all for your prayer support!!!

Mungu Bariki, ("Bless God" in Swahili),

Andy Krueger