Lendim Lai

It happened!! I have been spending every day possible in Maasailand lately and really getting to know some of the people out there.  I've felt like we are really becoming friends, but I have always wondered what their perspective of me is.  Do they see me as a friend?  As a teacher?  As a missionary?  As a white guy with money?  I know how I see them, but how do they see me? 
There is one young man that works with us in YWAM ministering to the Maasai.  He himself is not a Maasai, but has a deep passion for them.  He comes from a different tribe, but left his home to come to Engikaret and has been here for almost 5 years now.  He has become almost fluent in Maasai and you can always find him out at the Bomas.  I have begun a new Literacy class about an hour drive past Engikaret and this young man, Elia has been coming with me.  Whenever we go we have about an hour to talk and encourage each other, but I have always seen a huge difference between the two of us.  Wherever we go, every Maasai recognizes him!  They can see the heart he has for them and I have always seen him as a really important example for me.  I want to be a missionary like him.  There is this one thing, though, that I continue to see and hear that I have coveted.  When his dear friends see him, they have a specific way they call him.  They say, Elia Lai.  In Maasai, the way you claim something as your own, you put this word Lai after it.  If you are describing your mom, you say, "Mama Lai", my mama, "Alayuni Lai" my son, "Lalashe Lai" my brother.  I always hear them call to Elia, and they say, "Elia Lai, Elia Lai" My Elia, My Elia!  Oh, every time I hear it, I ask the Lord, when will be the day that I am theirs?  Will they every see me as more than just a missionary passing through, or a westerner with money? 
This week, as we completed our third week of class out in Kaserian, it happened!  It wasn't anything spectacular, it wasn't a profound moment, it was just an everyday, run of the milll, request for a ride, but it happened!! One of my students, as I was getting in the car to go home, called out, "Lendim Lai!"  Lendim is the Maasai word for forest.  I have become known out in Maasailand as Lendim and the moment I heard it, my heart was filled with a feeling of victory, of acceptance, of God's faithfulness.  My Lendim!  Maybe to anyone else this would be no big deal at all, but to me it meant the world.

The Song of Songs says, "I am my beloved's and he is mine".  It is really easy to read that and understand it to be some kind of simply possesive term, but it is so much better than owning or some kind of controlling authority.  It is belonging.  I belong to him.  Just like that old hymn says, "Now I belong to Jesus, Jesus belongs to me.  Not for the years of time alone, but for eternity!"  I belong to Jesus and He belongs to me.  I find my home with him.  I find my worth in him.  I find my place, my portion, my reason for being.  I belong.  I am His Nick and He is my Jesus.  In the same vein, the Maasai belong to me and I belong to them.  I am their friend and they are my friends.  I am their Lendim and I am so very greatful!

Hope in one hand

               Every once in a while when I was growing up, things wouldn’t go my way and I would start to whine.  I would say, “I wish I didn’t have to clean my room” or “I wish I didn’t have to pay for my own gas in my car.”  My older brother loved these occurrences because he would have an opportunity to one of his favorite colloquialisms.  I would I wish and wish and wish and he would turn to me and say, “Wish in one hand and poop in the other.  See which one fills up quicker.” 

               Why, you may ask, would I relay this ridiculous sampling of an American Proverb?  Because I was teaching my literacy class last week and just frustrated.  I was frustrated with the students, frustrated with the Engikaret base for not having a place for us to regularly meet in class, always shifting around, which leads the students not to take things seriously and therefore not showing up to class at all, let alone on time.  I was frustrated with myself, feeling like there was more I should be doing to entice and entertain my students so they would be more willing and invested in coming to class.  I started making those I wish statements again.  “I wish…I wish…I just wish…” when I saw a little bald, dusty Maasai girl’s head pop to the class for a peak.  There were only three students that showed up that day and they were busy with their work so I went out to see where she came from and what she wanted.  I found her out the door with one of her friends and both of them were so proud of themselves.  So I asked, “what are you two doing here this morning?”  Out of a little old pouch around their necks, they both pulled out their own beat up, batteryless, cracked and worn cell phones someone must have thrown out.  They held on to them like they were state of the art cell phones.  I asked one of I could see it to look at it.  And she ran off.  I didn’t think much about it until I was back in class and that little bald head popped back in to sneak a peak.  Again, my students were hard at work, so I went out to see what she wanted and this time she had what I thought was the cell phone concealed in both hands so I could look at it.  She placed it in my hand, removed her hands from the top of it, and then took off running as fast as her little legs could carry her.  When I looked down to see the present she brought me, right away I remembered my older brother.  She placed in my hand a huge cow tird!  She thought she was so funny!  Both of the girls rolled around laughing and laughing and I was left with my wishes in one hand and poop in the other.  And I assure you, the wishing hand was not nearly as full as its neighbor. 

               I have been thinking about this for a several days now and thinking about a whole slew of verses that are laced through the Bible about being dissatisfied and not one of them is about wishing. 

“Let us hold unswervingly to the HOPE that we profess, for he who promised is faithful…the widow who is really in need and left alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help…That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people…For what is our hope? Our Joy? Or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes?  Is it not YOU?...Therefore since we have such a hope, we are very bold…

And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.  Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produes perseverance, perseverance produces proven character, proven character produces hope.  And hope does not disappoint.” 

               Wishing is a silly, whiny kind of thing to do, but hoping is entirely different.  I wish for the things that I don’t have but that I think that I should.  I hope for the things that I know I will have because, in finishing that verse, “God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”  Wishing in one hand will never fill up as fast as pooping.   But with hope in my hands, hope in the Living God who is savior of all people, well that will never disappoint. 

               This month I have had over 11 students coming to class, mostly men.  Some of them even show up on time!!!  We began a new literacy class in a village an hour and a half northwest of Engikaret called Kaseriani where I now have 22 students!!! In both classes there are old men and young warriors, old grandmas and young mothers, and all are learning to read and write for the first time. 

               Hope in one hand and poop in the other.  See which one fills up faster…

The War is Over

We just wanted to send out a little update to say thank you for your prayers.  The war in Engikaret is over.  The chiefs were able to talk it out and they have turned on the water to Engikaret.  We are so thankful for this.  Nick is heading out today to do his literacy class and will see how everything is while he is out there.  Thank you again for your prayers.  This is the best possible outcome!