From Geoffrey to you; looking Back

Saturday August 8, 2009
Looking Back
I was a pleasantly plump kid, the fat kid that loved cake. I remember over the summer break from school in high school I decided to go cold turkey with the soda and began the battle of the pudginess by exercising and I lost about 30 or 40 pounds. I never even realized I was losing weight, I remember I kept on looking in the mirror and in an exasperated way I would roll my eyes and sigh because I felt like all of this exercising wasn’t working. I looked in the mirror and I couldn’t see any difference. When I came back to school that fall it seemed like everyone noticed that I has lost weight and I looked at an old photo of myself and I realized they were right and I had. How can I lose so much weight and physically look so different and yet not even see a difference? Because change is the only constant and it is so gradual and subtle that you never realize that it is happening until what’s done is done.
This past week has been touching to say the least. I spent a lot of time delivering food to those with none. It is pretty easy to look at that last line and keep on going, I wish that these weren’t just words you were reading and that you were able to realize what it is like to be privileged enough to deliver food to those without and what that actually means. People are going hungry and are crying out to God and praying for an answer, a breakthrough or some sort of deliverance from this affliction and God allowed me to be a part in that. I was able to travel from home to home delivering gifts from God and speaking, encouraging and playing with the have not’s and the least of these. We brought in a team of eight American doctors, dentists and opticians and for the past few days have been treating HUNDREDS of people. Those people who have been bedridden for days, suffering from an infection in their gums or who have been blinded by cataracts and couldn’t afford treatment otherwise are walking away healed. As an aftereffect of my mother having cancer she developed cataracts and was practically blind, when she received her vision again he life was completely changed, we are so used to hearing about people having cataract surgery in the states, for someone here it is a Godsend and their lives will never be the same again. We hear about groups coming and doing things like this but we don’t understand the impact it actually makes on a life. Each day I have been able to play with the thirty or forty seven year old shadows, a lot of whom aren’t able to go to school. I imagine that streets kids probably don’t get treated the best, when I look at their situation, behavior and appearance I realize that they have gotten the short end of the stick and probably don’t receive the most attention. How incredible is it that a group of almost twenty Americans has traveled half way around the world and is completely focused on loving, playing with and throwing in the air these street children.
A young lady named Ann came to Masii about two months ago to live with her sister. Ann is VERY involved with our church and can never be seen without a smile from cheek to cheek. Every time I see Ann I feel like she breaks my heart, yet again, with another story of her sister. At times her sister would lash out at her or put her foot down and command Ann to not spend time with Janet or to be so involved with church and ministry. Other times her sister would verbally abuse her. The family, like many people, is suffering financially and doesn’t always receive adequate food. Recently she began to tell me about the suffering her family is enduring and how her sister is contemplating suicide. I took a young man with me a few days ago to just talk with Ann and her sister and to somehow try to reason with her. Tonight we ventured over to her home again and by the time we ended our “little discussion,” which ended up being over an hour of worship, prayer and us pouring out our hearts, this girl who was so tempted by suicide came to God and gave it all to him. Wow. God used a few messed up Americans and Kenyans to help a young woman turn all of her suicidal thoughts, depression and anger over to God. How does that happen?
I think that the change has been so gradual that I just didn’t realize it. I can’t believe that I am here, delivering food to those without any, being used to help someone turn from suicide to God, being involved with healing hundreds upon hundreds of people and to love on the people that no one else wants. I feel like I have been looking in the mirror for such a long time and haven’t realized where I have been taken. The things I have been fortunate enough to be allowed to do or be a part of I never would have thought I would be doing. When I look at the boy I was and the man I am I stand in awe and am dumbfounded.
Thanks,
Geoffrey

FYI – I’m coming home in about a month, on September 11th, and on September the 12th we are having a big party and I would really enjoy it if all of you can attend. Keep the date open and I’ll give you more details soon.
Also they announced that they are rationing electricity so I wont have as much access to the internet as I have had.

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