Heart Connection

July 2006

Pastor Karau and his wife visited us this month. What a beautiful couple! I was excited to meet them, although nobody would have guessed. I am shy and "unable" (or to be honest, perhaps I am unwilling?) to assert myself with new people or in new situations. Another reason I am glad the trip has been postponed. I need to be confident of who I am in Christ before I trek halfway across the world and all I run into are new situations and new people!

I met them on two separate occasions as Mrs. Karau was delayed in Kenya with Visa issues. Praise God it all worked out! Pastor Karau is a tiny man with a HUGE heart! Christ in him draws you to listen to him and look into his eyes. You know he has walked a road with God - whew, the stories he has to tell. Times of when his life was literally on the line. The Mathare Valley can be a dangerous place. Mrs. Karau has the biggest, brightest smile ever! She is beautiful in spirit as well. She is bold in her faith and believes that we are to be "iron that sharpens iron" (Proverbs 27:17). She made some accurate observations about Americans while visiting us. We were all challenged to do some self-examination!

Here are some facts about the Mathare Valley - one of three large slums in Nairobi, Kenya. It is 6 square miles and houses approximately 800,000 people! Mathare Valley Worship Center provides prayer coverage for the church and the community literally 24/7. Pastor Karau himself spends 3 night a week at the church with others interceding.

Mathare Valley Worship Center is MY church, it's just thousands of miles away. It struck me as we listened to them talk about their ministries. We are two different cultures yet there are no cultural boundaries in the ministries we have. I sat in wonder as I listened to them describe the same things we do here. Thousands of miles do not separate the heartbeat that we share and the vision God has given both of our Bodies.

It interesting to have my mind and heart expanded to begin to understand the work of the Body of Christ. There are no cultural boundaries when it comes to accomplishing what God has set before you.