From Geoffrey to You; Eager to Serve

Sunday May 10, 2009

Eager to serve

I moved into my hotel on Wednesday and since the move I feel completely at ease. My hotel is on one hundred percent lock-down and has a substantial amount of security twenty-four hours each day; I don’t think I have felt this safe and secure since I left home. I have bars on my windows and a fierce deadbolt keeping my door securely locked. No one else has a key which means no one is going to be able to come in and steal anything, it also means that I will have to pull out some of my fancy foot work and kick down my door if I lose my key… or I’ll just have to pay for a new lock. Not only is my safety secured and my fears history, but also this place has become a paradise for me.

I love being here, truly I do, I normally have an entourage of children following me or and flocked by friends, which is great don’t get me wrong, but it is just really nice to have a refuge of my own to retreat to. This place is my get away to be alone with God, to pray, to read, to watch movies and to think. Alone time has been nearly nonexistent since my arrival, but now I get as much time to myself as my little ole’ heart desires. After playing with kids all day, traveling a great distance on the dreaded public transportation, making numerous house visits, praying for the sick or leading small groups… I am exhausted and need a place to unwind and now I have one. Besides security and personal space I have truly been blessed with a toilet and a shower, I actually have running water! I know it sounds kind of inane but you would probably react the same way if you had lived for two months without a toilet or running water (that’s right can you believe it has already been about two months since I left home?!?).

Besides being blessed with safety and running water, I have made a new friend; Mutuku. I’m not sure exactly what job title you would give Mutuku because he and his partner both do so much. He cleans the rooms. He does my laundry (apparently no matter who washes your clothes [me, Mama Carro, William, or myself] with the type of soap and the water found here your underwear still comes out stale each time). He cleans the facilities. He fixes things. He seems to be a handyman, janitor, caretaker, gatekeeper, security and concierge all wrapped up in one. He is up later than I am and wakes up before I do. He is ALWAYS here and ALWAYS ready to meet any and all of your needs. I need to take a few lessons from Mutuku when it comes to serving.

Whether I am leaving my room at the beginning of a new day or whether I am dragging my fatigued inert self into bed, Mutuku is always there and is ready and eager to greet me. He asks me if I need toilet paper, towels, or soap, but the tone in which he says it is as if my life depended on it, everyday he says “Mr. Geoffrey what can I get you?” or “Mr. Geoffrey can I do anything for you?” When I take out my trash or make my bed it is as if some immeasurable amount of gripping fear as well as disbelief have engulfed his body and he stands completely in awe with his mouth gapped open, as if I insulted him by doing his job. Anything I need or anything I want Mutuku is more than willing to get for me and I learned that apparently the good Lord forbid I do something for myself. The smile on his face and the joy in his heart as he serves and meets my needs is ever present.

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that Mutuku doesn’t have much. He has been working in these owners for thirteen years and by the look of his clothes and appearance of his living quarters he hasn’t obtained much wealth from it. It also seems like he never seems to be off the clock; always working and always on his toes waiting to meet the needs of another guest. He lives to serve, while on the clock or off the clock. I have known Mutuku less than anyone else here and yet his zeal, attitude and sheer will to serve has already blown me away as it is accompanied by his hospitality and benevolence.

He bends over backwards to make sure that I am being taken care of. He offers me food and fruits whenever he has some. He runs to greet me in the morning. He has no shame in his career, he is proud of what he does. He gives this job everything he has. He may not be making large amounts of money, but the joy he displays surly makes up for that. He is happy and content. Whether he is scrubbing toilets or mopping floors, he has a smile on his face as he serves with everything he has! He reminds me of two scriptures:

1 Peter 4:11 “If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.”

Ephesians 6:7 “Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men.”

Matuku isn’t working a white collar job. He doesn’t have a 501K. He doesn’t own a car or have many luxurious items. In this job field not everyone will be treating him with respect, some guests may even look down on him and treat him like a lesser being because of his career choice. His job is labor intense and he works pretty brutal hours. Most of us, including myself, would never want to work this type of job especially for his pay, but Mutuku doesn’t look at it like we do. Whether he is serving a millionaire or a pauper he treats them with dignity and respect as if he were serving God. He goes the extra mile whenever it is possible. I can almost guarantee that if I were in his shoes I would have quit, I would complain, I would be muttering all sorts of swear words under my breath all while an extreme dislike for others continually built up. I wouldn’t give this job 110% I would do just enough to scrape by, and nothing but money would persuade me to do more than I was obligated to.

As I look at Mutuku and his situation something inside of me is stirred, I realize something that he has I need. When you look past his well calloused hands, torn slacks, and faded shirts he takes more honor and dignity in his line of service than I can even hope to come close to. Whether he is taking out trash, opening doors or scrubbing a toilet he lives to serve and does it with a smile. I feel like if things aren’t done my way or if my specific conditions aren’t met then I wont do it. I lose my zeal and ardor to serve others if I don’t see the point or if I don’t reap an instant reward. Mutuku, however, works as if he is working for the Lord. I want that and I need that.

Asante Sana,

Mwendwa

Prayer Requests:
Carro and her surgery. Her mother is really scared.
Funds for a generator
I’m still a little sick
Our new medical center

Randoms:
I was walking home from church with two friends. We heard a loud noise and my friend scremed as she looked back. I looked back and there was a mini-stamped of bulls…. When I say mini I mean mini. One bull came pretty close to stomping on us… but I screamed and freaked out and so did my other friend, in response to the initial scream. When I looked back I only looked at the one running towards us and assumed the entire herd was stampeding…. So I ran off the road… boy do I feel dumb now.
I guess me newly acquired shower had a clog or something was blocking the drain because my shower flooded, but I didn’t realize it until after I was done… my room flooded and all of my books got drenched… DANG
When I was walking to church at the butt crack of dawn, two wagons passed me. They were the old fashion kind, made completely of wood and have wooden wheels. They were being powered by bulls.
At church today there was a really “inquisitive” little boy. He found a sewage drain and took the lid off. Apparently the lid was too heavy and it pulled him into the sewage… he bumped he head and cried a bit but was fine. I just thought it was hilarious that he fell in sewage… was it wrong of me to have laughed? I only laughed after I knew he was okay… no one else laughed… I guess its an American thing to laugh at this sort of stuff huh?
I watched the God’s Must Be Crazy yesterday… seriously cracks me up each time… especially the part about the car.
The building I am staying is run partially by solar power (don’t think it is fancy and hoity toity cause it isn’t)… I am just surprised that in a third world country, in a broken down hotel, in a place filled with poverty there are some buildings with solar power…

Word of the Day
Siagi ya jugukaranga jamu mkate
See-ah-gee yah jew-goo-car-on-ga mmmmmmm-cot-aye

Butter of peanut jelly and bread… that is the best I can do to say a peanut butter and jelly sandwich…I eat about two or three a day!

This entry was posted on Monday, May 11th, 2009 at 1:35 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.