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