Joe's Most Memorable Stories

My [Joe] 11 years of serving here in Kenya are winding down.  By the middle of August we will say our last Goodbye and board the plane to go back to America.  As I reflect on all that has transpired since I arrived in Kenya on January 1st, 2004, I recognize that I am a much different person.  I have matured and grown in so many ways.  And hopefully God has used me to impact lives here for His glory.

For my own sake (and anyone else who is interested), I decided to look back on the most memorable stories of the past 11 years.  It has been good for me to reflect back over the years.  Some of the stories are good, positive and encouraging; others are heartbreaking.  But all are memorable.  For those of you who have been journeying with me since the beginning, these will be stories you have heard before (maybe even many times).  For those of you who have joined along the way, they might be new stories to you.  As I read through them again, some bring tears to my eyes, others bring a smile to my face.   

For those who read this, I hope it will also stir some emotions within you.  Maybe it will encourage you to put your heart on the line more often because it seems like the more of your heart you put into something, the deeper the sorrow you might feel, but also the greater the joy God rewards you with

My Most Memorable Stories... 

Face to Face with the Mob - Every Kenyan and every person who was in Kenya during the after-math of the election in 2007 has their own story.  Mine consisted of looters threatening me with machetes and rioters chasing my vehicle with torches to burn it, but ultimately it was a story of God coming through for me once again!

The Run-Away - She was a CGA student and a Suba Laker who I was close to.  She was so talented and had a bright future ahead of her, but after making a few mistakes, she ran away.  I searched the country for weeks to try and find her.  Though I never succeeded in locating her, the chase gave me an opportunity to save the future of another young girl in a similar situation.  

Almost Blood Brothers - In an attempt to save the life of one of our CGA students, I threw him in the vehicle with a couple of family members to rush him to a nearby town with a better hospital in the middle of the night on New Year’s Eve.  I did everything I could including giving blood, but it wasn’t enough!  

National Champions - Our Suba Laker girls have struggled to prove they are some of the best in Kenya.  After falling short for many years at the Primary School Nationals, the Suba Lakers finally helped the Lake Region team win Nationals for the first time ever.

Elephants, Flat-tires and IV’s - It was a story that included a little of everything.  It was definitely not how I planned to return to Kenya, but God was able to use all of those negatives to teach me something positive. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.

Losing Your Only Loved One -  With all of the death here, I have been to dozens (or maybe hundreds) of funerals in Kenya; including old people and young people, those I knew very well and those who I didn’t know very well, but knew their family.  None of them impacted me the way the funeral of our 1st grader’s mom did. 

Sentenced in Court - A little fender bender turned into a big fiasco that ended with me thinking I was headed to jail for one month.  Let’s just say that the police, judicial system and jails are a little different in Kenya than they are in America.  Part 1, Part 2 

Being on Top of Africa - Climbing Kenya’s tallest mountain and Africa’s 2nd highest peak is always an adventure, but doing it during rainy season makes it a little more exciting than normal! 

Biting the Hand that Feeds You -  A former student that CGA had invested so much time and energy in, decided that he wanted to get more out of CGA.  Unfortunately, it left me chasing him through the bushes and eventually facing him in the police cell.  

Lessons from a Dead Mouse - Life is challenging no matter where you live, but sometimes in a foreign culture it can increase the stress level and the disappointment.  With that being the case, it is important to look for mini victories… even the death of a mouse.

The Martyr - My good friend and mentor that came with me to Kenya the first time , helped me to hear the voice of God and even housed me for quite a while lived an extraordinary life.  And he died an extraordinary death.
 

Playing Detective and Police - Selling my old vehicle should have been a simple thing until a mechanic tried to pull a fast one.  The police required my help in apprehending the criminal and putting him in jail.  

A Comeback for the Ages - Being down 2-0 against the reigning champions in the 2nd half of the semifinals at Nationals, it would have been easy to give up.  I’m glad we didn’t because it turned out to be one of the most exciting experiences in the lives of those young primary school girls.   

This Little Light of Mine - I was escorting one of our young Suba Lakers home after arriving late from a tournament.  I have given many gifts away during my time in Kenya, but this one was clearly directed by God, a little painful to me, but so rewarding for everyone.   

Young Players Maturing - The goal of competing in sports is winning, but ultimately it is in glorifying God and growing as a person.  During the KYFA tournament, a few individual stories helped to encourage me that the club is doing the right thing.

Caught with His Pants Down - One of our CGA secondary students thought he was much more clever than the rest of us until his pants came down in the police station and the truth was ultimately revealed!

Would You Rather Take These 300 Students and Educate ThemYourself? - CGA faced many battles in trying to register the school with the Kenyan government.  None of those battles were as fierce as this one with some of the community leaders who were standing in our way.  The school was almost shutdown, but God came through in the end. 

Champions at Last - Two of our Suba Lakers have overcome great odds to reach the end of High School and also to reach the Secondary School Nationals in their final year.  Hear their story of perseverance and determination.  

To Bribe or Not to Bribe - Helping a student required mud-bogging, posting bail and a lot of time and energy, but it is all worth it. The Conclusion of the Story.


God is My Provider - After much prayer, God provided the perfect vehicle in a way that only He can.  He has done it so much in my life that it shouldn’t surprise me anymore, but it still does!  

What’s Most Important? - A heartbreaking loss in the Finals gave me an opportunity to share the Gospel with this young group of girls football players, some of who had never heard the Gospel before.  This was one of our big motivators for starting the Suba Lakers Football Club. 


It was challenging to narrow down this list to these stories.  A few more of my memorable stories are summarized in another blog.