 |
| Teacher Kiaruuh at his desk |
 |
| He teaches young Muslim students at a private school in Garissa |
 |
| These are his students during recess. The girls wear full burkas over their heads. You can see the ABCs on the walls. They learn to speak and read English. |
From Garissa, we carried on with occasional messaging as friends, and I meanwhile stayed in touch with the Kenya Sister Missionaries by email, as they kept in touch with Kiaruuh by phone. But they could not go and visit the areas outside of Nairobi, as is the mission rule. (Not because of danger, but because so many are coming into the church in Africa that the missionaries are required to stay within areas of focus, so that the infrastructure of the priesthood and leadership can support the amount of growth).
The missionaries also said that as they called and talked to him over the phone, he started to become less interested. As weeks passed, it became apparent that the warmth and excitement of the gospel message began to fade, and there wasn’t much I could do from the limitations of facebook messages to communicate to him the importance of what special and vital truths and blessings we have in the church. It became an empty promise. I was becoming so frustrated, as our messages began to lose their impact and importance.
I had a few days of hope when I learned online that you can mail someone something to Africa by using a general phrase instead of an actual address (such as “the purple house on the hill by the mango tree”). Knowing the name of the school that he taught at, I prepared a package and we used a good chunk of our dwindling resources (Brad continued to have extreme adversity in the job search) to mail Kiaruuh a Book of Mormon, with some Kenyan money tucked inside the spine in case he needed a way to get to the church in Nairobi after reading it. Unfortunately, to this day, the book has never made it to him.
I used messages to mail verses to him, but the scriptures that I shared didn’t have as much of an effect on him as they used to, and I could see that he was also giving way to the worldly things of facebook. I tried to start up conversations of things of the spirit, but we would end up talking about things like foods, coming to the US and how it is almost impossible to get residence here, arguing about whether or not women should wear trousers or head coverings, and other less meaningful things. The path was going cold, and we knew that the messaging days were going to end soon.
I made a mental checklist of all of the possibilities of getting the word out to them:
The only thing left would be to personally fly to Kenya and hand deliver them a Book of Mormon! What a radical thought ...although I have to admit that I sometimes would allow myself a happy little ten-second dream of going all the way to Kenya to share the gospel with these people, but in reality I knew that it was just a selfish and zealous dream, and I was intent on doing things the right way! That would mean only one thing, and that was going through the established missionary program of the church, with called missionaries holding the priesthood, etc.
So, while brainstorming for another way to do it right, I thought of one other thing…. I realized that a local Kenyan ward member living in Nairobi has no rules or limitations to permit him from going out to the bush, right? So I looked on Facebook for someone in that area of Kenya who seemed to be solid and on fire with the gospel, and found a young returned missionary named Lawrence. I invited him to be friends with me, and, surprisingly, he accepted. I began to tell him why I contacted him, and what it was that I was hoping to do. He got a little bit quiet, but asked questions, so I sent him a copy of the email that I had sent one of the Sister Missionaries about what had come about with Kiaruuh. His response was:
"I have the same story forwarded to me by other person. In a different name! Sorry I cannot help you."
He then blocked our conversation, and I could no longer contact him.
I had no clue where that came from, since he and the sister were the only ones who had received that email. Without anymore options, I felt so discouraged, to tears. Brad tried to tell me that I was being too persistent and that the Lord would do things in his own due time. But I felt so strongly that he WAS trying to do something! I wouldn't give up. These people, their love for God and the beauty of their faithful, trying souls, were worth it.
I went to church the next day with a prayer in my heart, not knowing what I could do next.
A high council speaker was speaking in the ward, and what he said in his talk seemed to speak straight to my heart, with a great impact:
"When faith replaces doubt, when selfless service eliminates selfish striving, the power of God brings to pass His purposes. There are feet to steady, hands to grasp, minds to encourage, hearts to inspire, and souls to save. The blessings of eternity await you. Yours is the privilege to be not spectators but participants."
(Thomas S. Monson, Willing and Worthy To Serve, 2012 General Conference)
"Your worthiness and your desire will shine in your face and your eyes. You will be excited about the Lord’s Church and His work, and it will show. You will be His disciple 24 hours a day in every situation. You won’t need to build up your courage for one great moment to speak to someone and then retreat. The fact that most people are not interested in the restored gospel will have little bearing on what you do and say. Speaking what you believe will be part of what you are.” (Henry B. Eyring, A Child and a Disciple, April 2003 General Conference)
Within those words, deep in my heart I felt that some answer was found. For the first time, I considered that it might be me who brings the gospel to the bush of Kenya.
I soon dismissed the thought, not allowing it, as I began remembered our financial situation, and fearing that my zealous heart was probably where the thought came from. I still wanted to do things the right way, and was committed to it.
So Kiaruuh continued to periodically chat from his school job about this and that, mostly just passing the time as I wondered what to do. I didn’t like having no purpose or meaning to the chats.
Apparently neither did he, and he eventually did the mature thing. Mid-September, he called (and I returned the call, as he never could afford a call to the US), to tell me that it was time to be done messaging. He said “No need to chat anymore. We can be grateful to God for those messages we have had, but I am tired of borrowing a phone every day. Now it is time to stop talking about empty things such as packages, about addresses, or other things that are only empty dreams. I have my job, my Kenyan home, and my family here. You have your family, your baking, your land and your people. We have good churches and we are saved, and may we meet again in heaven.”
He said it was the end and thanked me for the good times and experiences. I was sorry to hear it, because I still felt like I hadn’t fulfilled the purpose, but what could I do about it? We respectfully said goodbye.
I spent a week missing hearing from my little brother in Africa, and I felt a very long way from Kenya. My heart missed it.
One week later, a new Kenyan person (one of Kiaruuh’s friends) popped up on my phone with a message:
Kioko Kilonzo 11/3, 2:54am
My fb has problem plz help me -kiaruuh
I hv changed my password and can’t get in.
Christin Francom Shumway
Hi
Kioko Kilonzo
Am kiaruuh
God told me to continue chatting with u so please help me to unblock my fb
Christin Francom Shumway
Tell me something so that I know that you are Kiaruuh
Kioko Kilonzo
Am the one Christin, ask me what u want to know
Am kiaruuh
Chat faster, owner of the phone wants to go
Christin Francom Shumway
Ok I will set up a new account for you and then invite you from on my side.
Kioko Kilonzo
Xtin plz talk
Christin Francom Shumway
I have just been asked to share the story of my faithful brother in Kenya, (I was asked to share the story in a Relief Society lesson) and the faith that we have shared. There will be many who
hear about you, and your goodness and love of God will inspire them. Thank you for being an example of faith, Kiaruuh.
It will be shared in church, with my people.
I will be preparing for it in my mind and grateful for our messages
I don't understand why you want to borrow phones again and chat, because I thought you were done with that...
Kioko Kilonzo
God told me to chat with u
Christin Francom Shumway
For what reasons does God want you to chat with me?
Kioko Kilonzo
I dnt know my sister. Pray and god wl tel u
Christin Francom Shumway
Will you please go back to chatting about spiritual things?
Kioko Kilonzo
Dnt ask me more question about chatting bcz i feel to cry
Christin Francom Shumway
Why?? Why so sad?
Kioko Kilonzo
Bcz am sorry bcz i told u to stop chatting
Christin Francom Shumway
No problem brother! I am happy to chat with you but I really hope that you will have spiritual chats with me. It is the answer to
healing and strength and God knows that I have much for you that I have not yet shared spiritually.
Kioko Kilonzo
Are u going to tell ur church members story about me today?
This time round i shall talk in fb mostly on testmony
Christin Francom Shumway
Yes I will tell them. I am happy about it.
I am glad to hear it because I believe that God wishes us to strengthen through trials
I need to go soon
Tell kioko thank you for letting us use the phone, from me
Kioko Kilonzo
Good byee tel them to remember me
He has greeted u also
Christin Francom Shumway
Worship him today and increase in spiritual strength this Sabbath day
Kioko Kilonzo
Amen
Christin Francom Shumway
I can chat later if you can but I must go now. Please pray about why you have been told to chat
I think I know why already but it is you who needs to find it out
Kioko Kilonzo
Tel me plz
Christin Francom Shumway
One other thing, when I make a new fb account for you, may I please use a real photo of you? I am getting a little tired of chatting with a mango (which had been his profile picture for a long time)...ha ha
Kioko Kilonzo
Do as u want
Christin Francom Shumway
Byeee brother Kiaruuh!
So we were back in touch again, until a few weeks later, when logic took over again, and he again decided that it was too expensive and he was beyond tired of borrowing peoples phones each day, time to say goodbye again.
But then a few weeks later, he contacted me again through his friend Kioko (he kept using Facebook wrong and getting locked out of it), motivated this time by some good news that he wanted to share with me.
Kioko Kilonzo
Hi
Am kiaruuh
How hv u been?
Christin Francom Shumway 11/15, 12:01pm
HEY KIARUUH BROTHER!! I AM SMILING!
I am doing great! How have u been?
Kioko Kilonzo
Am fine my sis
Kioko Kilonzo
Our results are out and i passed well and am happy bc many hv failed
Christin Francom Shumway
CONGRATULATIONS!
Possibly because you knew the "dangers of the Internet" ? Ha ha
(your big exam essay )
Kioko Kilonzo
Infact its true
Thanx
Christin Francom Shumway
When is your graduation?
Kioko Kilonzo
Next year
Christin Francom Shumway
I am very very happy for you. Your family must be so happy as well. How are they?
Kioko Kilonzo
How is ur husband? did he got a new job
They are fine
Christin Francom Shumway
My husband is here, and he says hello to you, and congratulations. He has a new job starting Monday, but only a little pay and only for a short time, temporary.
Do they have plenty of water now?
Kioko Kilonzo
My family are very fine and happy becaus of my postive results and graduation. thats all unles u hv a quez
Water, Its worst now
Christin Francom Shumway
That is a big problem. What can they do?
Kioko Kilonzo
Just strugle until rain season
Christin Francom Shumway
I will pray for the skies to deliver rain early and often
Kioko Kilonzo
Pray for that to be
Christin Francom Shumway
I will.
I will also have a special fast for rain in Kenya. My family also will fast. Please tell your family this, and that we care for them
Kioko Kilonzo
Has God communicated to u about ur husbands job?
Christin Francom Shumway
Not so much, it is only a temporary job. It doesn't pay well and it will end at the end of the year. We ask God daily for guidance but
sometimes he knows it is good for us to struggle so that we may be humble, and grateful, and strengthened through hardship. This job will be only a temporary relief
Christin Francom Shumway
So our concerns have not yet ended. But I do feel by the Spirit that something good is coming
Kioko Kilonzo
We have been told we are almost at the last days
Christin Francom Shumway
This by your prophet?
Kioko Kilonzo
Yes
Christin Francom Shumway
It is true that these are the last days.
Do you prepare for His coming in spirit and in deed?
Kioko Kilonzo
Am prepared seriouly
Christin Francom Shumway
God bless you for your faith, I'm sure it will serve you well.
Kioko Kilonzo
Also god bless u
NEXT PAGE: 6- Dates & Changes
No comments:
Post a Comment