Horses for healing?

Apparently there is a therapy out there that uses horses for physical, occupational and speech-therapy sessions for people with disabilities.  Huh, the things I don't know about (there's a lot).  I also learned that Kenyans don't carry over a size 11 shoe to my sad disappointment, alas, life goes on.  Anyways back to yet another beautiful, tiring and awe inspiring day.

Inside a room in the bible college.

outside of the bible college.

The day started with our trip to Kibera, the second largest slum in Africa.  This was again eye opening.  We went to a bible college that Chris helps to direct and is run by Kenyans.  Here's the thing I am starting to learn here and I'm sure I'll process more once I get back to the states (I've only been in Kenya for 10 days so I don't know much).  But after talking to a few people who have lived here, it seems that for change to actually occur in Kenya, Kenyans must change Kenyans.  I'm not sure if it can really start with white people coming in here and expecting to make a dramatic change that will impact millions.  Ok, I know white people have done a lot of good, but money doesn't just fix things in Africa, especially in Kenya where the government and police are corrupt beyond belief (Chris and Graig have stories you wouldn't believe).  So money isn't the whole answer.  The Gospel, I believe is the only thing that changes hearts, so that needs to spread and heard...I believe that helps (and I do believe that a team like the one I'm on, coming into Kenya and showing Christ's love to them is huge, and it's awesome to see their faces).  But what I've seen and heard that really makes a difference is Kenyans pouring into Kenyans (I'll pry come back to this point at some time-been thinking about it a lot).  That is what a lot of these missionary organizations are trying to do here, or at least the ones I've talked too.  They are creating jobs, opportunities, building relationships and sharing the gospel with Kenyans so they can live a life of their own, not rely on outside funding and impact other Kenyans.  I think it's brilliant and am curious if God sees me playing a part in it.  That's what we saw today when we went to the Bible college.  We were able to see Kenyan pastors, teaching the word to other Kenyans who will have a biblical foundation in their lives and will go out and live a life for Christ while influencing others in their community.  Kenyans know their culture, they know their people and they know how to interact with other Kenyans.  If we can pour Christ into them, and send them out to witness and live with other Kenyans, that's change baby.  Anyways, just a quick thought on things I'm learning.  But the bible college was great, we sat in a class about Jeremiah and I was a witness of God speaking through the professor there.  Twas epic and beautiful.

We didn't walk around Kibera a ton, but drove through it and yeah, it was poor.  Trash, people, shacks, the whole nine yards....again, another humbling experience and makes you wonder about life fa sho.



After our trip to the slum we went to check out some horses (ah ha we're coming full circle from the beginning, boom).  This place was beautiful.  I'll use the word epic again to describe the beauty.  But it's a horse ranch that helps disabled kids by putting them through hippo therapy.  Let me tell you that was an experience.  To be honest I was nervous at first.  I'd like to think I'm fairly good with kids, but I wasn't so sure how to interact with these children.  But God really blessed my time there and it was great to help out where I could.  I was able to walk with the horses while the kids rode and see the joy in their faces, which was priceless.  They took two groups of kids out and after I was done with the first group I stayed back and sat with the rest of the kids.  It was freaking awesome.  I started asking them questions and taking their pictures.  They loved my iphone and wanted me to take videos of them constantly.  I told them I would if they would dance, so they did and it was awesome (check out video to the left).  It was a honor to be there with those kids and love on them.  To be honest, a lot of them had a lot of problems which was heartbreaking to see.  Again, in the midst of such sorrow and pain, I was privileged enough to see his love and joy for these kids, which truly amazes me.   Twas innnnnncreddddible. 

This is where the horses and Kids rode around.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnmBXXVzAG4&feature=related (Brandon watch this)

This is Leaky- he's got some dance moves

Helping load the kids on the horses

The walk to the stable-aaaaamazing.

The rest of the day was again, a lot of processing, planning my devotion (which I still need to finish) and just hanging out in Africa haha.  That makes me chuckle...We did have an interesting conversation with one of Chris's friends who was an atheist.  Pray for her.  Pray that she may know Christ, she was very curious and God spoke through several of our team members. 

So yeah, another full, tiring, but beautiful day.  Also, fyi- some of the pictures I have taken that seem a tad bit more brighter are from my iphone..I bought the hipstimatic app. which makes pictures twice as epic...boom, buy it now.

Pray for God to move tomorrow and for Him to speak through me.  Hope you are all doing great!  God bless!

-cam