Re-Entry:Life back in the USA

I am reminded of the song that has the words, "I will never be the same again". This trip has profoundly changed my life. My priorities have changed. As I reflect on the 2 weeks I spent in Kenya, I realize that I have been challenged to live my life in a new and different way. Before going on this trip, my focus was on doing my job well as Economic Development Director and County Administrator in Grant County, West Virginia. Cooking and serving guests at our Country Inn was how I relaxed and unwound from a busy day at the office. After spending time in Kenya serving students at Africa International University, I realized that my heart and passion lies with those making big sacrifices to bring Christianity and hope to the marginalized and the people struggling for survival. I am encouraged by the challenge to help raise $10,000,000.00 to help African International University (formerly NEGST and ISAR) become the "world class" African School with Africa on its Heart. You can be involved with helping educate the future leaders of the Christian Churches in Africa by sending your tax deductible contribution to http://www.clafrica.com/.

While in Kenya, we were able to meet with and visit ministries where average people like you and me are committed to making a positive difference in the lives of those in Africa. One of the most compelling presentations I heard was from Dr. Amy Sherman who lives nearby in Charlottesville, VA. She serves as a Senior Fellow for both the Sagamore Institute and International Justice Mission (IJM). Her organizations seek to bring justice to many of the 27 million people in the world that are slaves. In Africa, 1 in 5 families, are victims of illegal land seizures. They are also helping to free some of the 2 million people involved in the global sex trade.

In Luke 4, Jesus talks about His 3 top priorities. Alienation-Evangelism, Deprivation-Compassion, Oppression-Justice are these areas of focus in this passage. The modern Evangelical Church has been very active in the first two, but where is the Church in the area of oppression and justice? IJM Kenya works to raise awareness and mobilize a response to these issues through churches and other community organizations. You can learn more about there mission at http://www.ijm.org/.

Another organization we were introduced to is the Hope and Restoration Center (HARC). They are a Christian based ministry that reaches out to Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) in Raila village in the Kibera slums of Nairobi (the largest slum in Africa) where access to food, water, housing, medical care and other basic necessities are an every day challenge. In the midst of all this, orphaned and vulnerable children are being raised by single parents, widows, and grandparents-most of whom are infected by HIV. You can come along side them as they provide prayer, feeding and counselling, empowerment, and a halfway house. You can e-mail them at hrcentre@yahoo.com.

There are several other Social Justice Ministries that are part of the Outreach of Nairobi Chapel and their sister churches. Here are a few of these ministry efforts started by average people like you and me. I would encourage you to research these and help where you feel led by God.

Cheryl's Children Home-www.cherylshome.net
Tumaini Kwa Watoto (Children of Hope)-www.kenyachildrenofhope.org
Tulip-www.tulip-ministry.com
Beacon of Hope-www.beaconafrica.org
Tumaini Clinics-Internships
Logos Christian School and K-Krew

You can learn about these ministries and more by going to http://www.nairobichapel.org/.

Time on Safari Amboselli

AMasai Giraffe wanders by. Mt. Kilamajaro

This female lion was patiently waiting for a tasty snack to come into its field of vision. We only saw one large male. In the Lion Kingdom, the females do most of the work, including hunting and raising the little ones.

We saw hundreds of elephants while on safari. It was amazing to see so many all in one game park. This park is located near Mt. Kilamanjaro. We were able to see 3 of the big 5 while there.

The baby elephants were fun to watch as they rarely wandered too far from their mother.

It is 2:00 on Friday morning. I woke up and couldn’t go back to sleep. My body must be anticipating the upcoming jet lag. Or perhaps my body is trying to maximize the last 24 hours in Africa. As I reflect on the last two weeks and the last two days here at Amboselli, there are many precious memories that flash through my mind. As I sit here, without power, I am reminded of how in the USA we take for granted things like 100% availability and uptime of electricity and internet access. While on safari, the power and hot water are powered by a generator so there are limited windows of opportunity to take a hot shower, or turn on the lights. I have come to realize that there is nothing wrong with going to bed when the sun goes down and getting up at the break of dawn.

These lacks of conveniences take me back to a time when I was much younger, a simpler time, and I wonder if we were not better off then. Things we take for granted like paved roads, good modern infrastructure, 24 hour supermarkets, air conditioning, and 24 hour access to news and sports come at a price. Are we better off with these luxuries or would we be better off if we lived a simpler life that places a greater emphasis on personal relationships, interdependence, a greater sense of community, and shared resources. In the USA we often are driven by success, financial gain, and our desire for material goods like the new car, flat screen TV, an elaborate wardrobe, but I wonder if maybe we have created a certain type of bondage as we strive to fill our lives with much more that what is required to live comfortably.

While in Kenya we have seen tremendous need. We have taught students that live on one meal a day and many only each 3 or 4 meals a week. These meals are very simple, and pale in comparison to what we may consider our normal lunch or dinner. We take for granted things like clean running water that we can drink right out of the faucet. In the Kibera slums, their tiny homes do not have running water, restrooms, electricity, and well stocked refrigerators, something that we take for granted. As we travel around Nairobi and Kenya, we notice a high percentage of the people are walking, not driving luxury automobiles. Most people rent instead of purchasing a home because interest rates are 18 to 20%. But in spite of all they may lack in creature comforts, Kenyan seem to be some of the happiest people in the world. Does that mean that our wealth and materialism has become a barrier to true happiness?

Having been here in Kenya has changed my life, I hope for the better. When I return home, I am committed to fasting more and eating less. Saving more and spending less. Spending less on me and spending more to help others less fortunate is my new year’s resolution. Taking the time to listen to and care more about others and their needs has become a new priority in my life. Committing more time to serving others and spending less time seeking my personal pleasure will be a big adjustment in my life but I think it will make me a better person. But most of all, I plan to spend more time in prayer and meditation seeking God’s purpose in my life. True peace and happiness must come from serving others and not seeking my own self interests.

These last two days on safari have been a great time to reflect on what I have experienced these last two weeks. Now that it is over, I wished that I had kept a journal to be better able to reflect on and process

Our Final Day of Teaching.....at AIU

We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. (Romans 12:6-8 NIV).

Since this is our last day of instruction, I was reflecting on the team and their individual gifts. I have been truly humbled to serve with such a grace filled and talented team. We were honored to have a special lunch today at Kijiji with Vice Chancellor Dr. Carew. He wanted to personally thank the team for their donation of laptops, computer monitors, server, thin clients but most of all he wanted to thank them for their time and dedication to teaching and serving well here at African International University. He asked the team to share their insights about the experience and asked how AIU could better serve us as we prepare to return. It was truly humbling to hear Dr. Carew ask how they could make the experience better for future teams.

The meal, hosted by Lois Shaw was our best meal yet. Her chef prepared an excellent African stew on rice with several fresh toppings including avocado, peanuts, slaw, tomatoes, green peppers, and much more it was a real treat.

At Chapel today, we heard a very compelling message by Dr. Amy Sherman. She is a Senior

Fellow with the Sagamore Institute based in Indianapolis and also a Senior Fellow with International Justice Ministries (IJM). She is a writer and shared stories of 4 victims and how they were redeemed through the efforts of IJM. She spoke of a pending partnership with one of the AIU schools, the Institute for the Studies of African Realities (ISAR). Having her speak was partially the result of a meeting Dr. Carew had with Jay Hein, President of the Sagamore Institute.

Dr. Sherman's message spoke to the hearts of many students and Pastors in the audience. IJM is seeking partnerships in Kenya and beyond to come along side their efforts as they seek to bring justice to the oppressed in Africa.

The day did not end without some excitement. Carol fell and broke her nose while returning from lunch. Ed and Polly accompanied her to the nearby Karen Hospital where they took a CT Scan and determined that she will be fine but should meet with an ENT specialist when she returns to the USA this weekend. I think Obama and his new health care team could take a lesson from the Karen Hospital. I paid the bill in cash and it was less than $ 200.00. That included all medication, diagnosis, cleaning and dressing the wounds, and a copy of the CT scan. God was really looking out for us as our nurse was the wife of a NEGST graduate and current professor here. Our thanks also go out to the AIU nursing staff that attended to her wounds and to Don Penny who arranged transportation and brought us home safely. Once we returned to HomeCare, Terraza prayed for healing for both Carol and Karen and we trust God that he will provide miraculous healing.

Our Thursday evening will conclude with a Vice Chancellor pot luck with AIU faculty and Dr. Sherman where they will hear more about systemic changes that can results from making Justice ministry a priority in the context of African realities.

It will be kind of sad to say our goodbyes as we have become personally connected to many of the students and staff here at AIU. It is quite evident that this university is at the frontlines of ministry and capably equipping the future Christian Leaders of Africa to serve well in the churches, communities, government, and the marketplace. It was exciting to come a be a small part of great Christian movement. We heard on Sunday from Pastor Oscar that the center of Christianity has shifted to the southern hemisphere. I can see that is true here in Kenya and in many other part of the world south of the equator.

This will be our last spotlight on our team tonight. As author of this blog, I feel a big uncomfortable shining the light on myself. My name is Ed Fischer and even though I have a great job back in West Virginia as the Grant County Economic Development Director and County Administrator, I also find it difficult to leave Africa when it comes time to go home. I always leave a big part of my heart behind when I leave. On my first trip to Dakar, Senegal many years ago to visit missionary friends, Scott and Lisa Hicks, I felt called by God to come and serve in Africa. Even though Carol was not yet ready, I think a Bed and Breakfast or hospitality venture in Kenya is somewhere in my distant future. Not long after going to Senegal, I read the book, "Half Time" by Bob Buford. It really spoke to my heart. What I experienced, is not uncommon to most men. As we approach 50 or near what most would call the "mid-life crisis", I realize that my life was missing real significance. As men, we ofter get most of our self worth and affirmation from our jobs or careers. We are looking to leave a legacy, to make a real difference. That is why I lead these short term trips or as some would say, a "vacation with a purpose". So I would encourage any of you out there that are looking for significance in your life to consider going on a short term mission trip. It just might change your life.

I also owe a great debt of gratitude to my wife Carol. She has kept me centered and allowed me to pursue my passions and serve those in full time ministry and missionaries. That is why we own the North Fork Mountain in beautiful West Virginia. We offer at least a 50% discount to Pastors and Missionaries if they can come Sunday through Thursday and enjoy the beauty and solitude of what John Denver referred to as "almost heaven, West Virginia".

Check in the next few days as we head to Amboselli and debrief the short term experience while enjoying the beauty and splendor of Tanzania on safari at the foot of Mt. Kilimanjaro.

Monday and African Realities...

It is Monday morning and we are back on campus were we are spending our last two days teaching the most advanced courses. Rich Stolt, our art teacher, has graciously allowed some of the team members to assist him with the daily art classes taught at the Pistus School. You can tell by the excitement and enthusiasm of the children that they have really enjoyed the time and teaching that Rich and his assistants, Meghan and Karen, have brought to their lives.

The internet was not working much of the day so we were not able to upload our Sunday and Monday blog posts until Tuesday when we hope it is working again. Part of the African experience includes the power and internet being unreliable. This is another stark difference between the US and Africa where service level agreements and guaranteed up time are taken for granted. But here, when they are out of service, life goes on as normal. Flexibility is the key to survival in the context of African realities.

Ed and Carol spent the morning working with Lois Shaw of Kijiji Guest House. Lois has transformed this lodging facility on the campus of NEGST into a warm and inviting facility. In addition to a fresh coat of paint, she has added many nice decorative touches. Her skills as both an interior decorator and hostess are evident as we experience the transformation. They will be updating their website soon to reflect the improved accommodations. You can check out their website at http://www.kijijiguesthouse.com/. If you are planning to visit Nairobi or African International University, I would suggest you e-mail Lois at loisshaw2020@gmail.com. You will experience world class hospitality.

Today’s team member spotlight is on Meghan Wilson. She comes to us from Cleveland, Ohio and works as an independent contractor of SAP working with International Marketing Group (IMG). During a strategic meeting with the NEGST executive team, Don Penny recognized that her Human Resource experience from her time working with the Baptist Health System (BHS) in Birmingham, AL and her HR work at IMG would make her a great addition to African International University team. Meghan was caught off guard as they offered her a job right on the spot.

Her impression of Kenya includes their sense of community, relationships, and their unquestioning faith and reliance on God to meet their needs even when they are in dire straits. She appreciated the beauty and splendor of Kenya. We are grateful to have Meghan on the team and owe a big debt of Michelle Moore who recruited her and encouraged her to join the team.

Sunday as a time of worship and fellowship

Sunday was spent with our host families attending their church. Carol and I attended Nairobi Chapel. I am always caught up in the spirit whenever I hear their worship music. You can really feel the presence of God as they use their gifts to lead the congregation and prepare them for the Word. On this Sunday, Senior Pastor Oscar, who had just returned from the US after being the featured speaker at Urbana, commissioned the new interns and pastors in training (some where students we have trained at NEGST). It was a very moving ceremony. It reminded me of the significant commitment they are making as they step out in faith to lead.

Pastor Janet gave a compelling sermon using the illustration of 4 friends. She asked us to write down the names of 4 people that we turn to for advice. She went on to suggest that if any of those 4 is toxic, that we avoid that influence in our life. Her recommendation was that we also avoid those who are negative. They will really drain you instead of being an encouragement. These 4 should also be people that are going in the direction you are going. If you are heading towards the same goals, you will be encouraged along the way. Finally, Pastor Janet said we should choose those who are not impressed with us. They most likely will be honest with us and will love us “warts and all”. You can count on candid feedback from these types of friends. After the service, some of the team were able to visit with Pastor Oscar (NEGST graduate) about his experiences dealing with the record low temperatures he experienced while at Urbana in Chicago and then later in Florida. He seemed to be very happy to be home and enjoying the "warmth of Africa".

As we left church to travel to the Carnivore to meet up with friends, we make one last trip through the Kibera slums. It is a stark reality of poverty, human trafficking, and desperation that is hard to erase from your mind. Many of the inhabitants there are refugees from Sudan. It is hard to imagine that Kibera is still a better place to exist than enduring the atrocities they experienced in Darfur and other areas like Somalia.

We ended the “all too short weekend” with a farewell meal with our host families at the Carnivore restaurant. This is always a fun ritual as we share stories of our weekend adventures and fellowship with friends that we usually see only once a year. The ostrich balls seemed to be a favorite among the team. We also were able to eat crocodile. The waiters brought a variety of grilled meats until we had satisfied our craving for meat. When the last person had finished, we laid the Carnivore flag on its side signaling we were finally finished. What a feast!

Our team member spotlight is on Judy Parker. Judy was part of the original team from Faith Missionary Church that began this effort to bring computer training to NEGST. Judy was a true pioneer developing the curriculum and providing much of the leadership with the teaching and training of students. Her insights and guidance continue to help us refine the process so that we can continue to improve the education experience. In addition to Microsoft Word 3, she also taught Publisher, which was a very popular course. Judy is married to Jerry Parker and they have 3 children and 7 grandchildren. One of their sons, Chris previously served as a missionary in Bolivia. When asked what has been the most significant insight after this 4th trip to NEGST to serve she said, “The students are so appreciative and learn so fast. I am blessed to be able to come and share the Microsoft Suite of products as they will need this knowledge in order to complete their PhD Dissertations and Master’s Theses.” Judy will get to stay a few extra days and go up country and visit some of her and Jerry’s relatives.

Saturday in Nairobi...In the middle of a new government

The weekend is finally here. Carol and I are spending the weekend with our good friends of many years, David and Patience Waweru. We first got acquainted with David about 10 years ago when the Nairobi Chapel band along with their Pastor Oscar came to the United States to begin the strategic partnership between their church and ours, Grace Community Church. We were able to host David and another friend Alfred in our home. This was the beginning of a great friendship. David and I refer to ourselves as “brothers with different mothers”.

A few years later, David came to visit us and was able to experience snow for the first time. We continued to build our friendship as we had a lot in common. We both work in telecom, he worked at Kenya Telkom, and I worked at Verizon. We both enjoyed outreach, music, travel, and he had a real entrepreneurial mind. We kept in touch by e-mail and always looked forward to our short term trips to Kenya. In fact David did a lot of the coordination for us as a host. He arranged for our ground transportation, our host families, the safari, and was always there to help us whether it was bartering at the Masai Market or taking us to visit his mother up country.

In fact, I was able to live vicariously through my Kenyan brother. We were blessed to hear about his courtship of Patience, pray with him during the dowry negotiations, and bless their marriage. We even were able to help them realize their dream of having a child. They had tried for years without success to get pregnant. About 2 years ago, David asked if we could locate for them a fertility product called Pre-Seed. It was not available in Kenya, so Carol went to the internet, found it and sent them a quantity to see if it would help. To their and our amazement, 3 months later, they were pregnant. In fact last year when we were here, Patience was in the early stages of pregnancy, and it took all the self control we could manage to keep it a secret. They wanted to make certain that she was several months along before telling anyone. Shana was born about 4 months ago and she is the most beautiful African girl I have ever seen. She has the sweetest disposition and holding her and singing to her is truly one of my greatest joys.

On Sunday, we will attend Nairobi Chapel with them and will be reunited with many friends there we have been blessed to know over the years. Afterwards we will treat our host families to dinner at one of my favorite restaurants, the Carnivore. This restaurant is similar to the Brazilian steakhouses where they bring many different types of exotic wild game and other types of meat on large skewers and carve it for you table side. In the past I have eaten ostrich, camel, crocodile, élan, zebra, water buffalo, and others. For those who want something less exotic they serve more common meats like chicken, beef, goat, pork, and lamb. It is always a lot of fun to fellowship with our host families. In addition to David and Patience, our host families include, Carole Kariuki, Chris and Elizabeth Kamuna, Marcy and Muhia Karianjahi, and Twity and Manaseh Uzele. We are very grateful for them opening up their homes and giving us a taste of Nairobi by experiencing life through their eyes.

Our team member spotlight is on Carol Fischer. She is sleeping in this morning, one of her favorite things to do. Carol grew up in on a farm in Eastern Kentucky. She was the youngest of three girls. An interesting fact about her family is that Carol, her mother, and both of her sisters graduated as valedictorians of their high school class. Carol went on the major in accounting at the University of Kentucky and later earned her Executive MBA from Duke while working at GTE. She held various positions in finance and accounting working in Lexington, Kentucky, Durham, North Carolina, Tampa, Florida, and Westfield, Indiana. She met her husband of 11 years, Ed, in Westfield. After 28 years in the corporate world, Ed and Carol realized a dream they had shared for 8 years when their purchased the North Fork Mountain Inn, in beautiful West Virginia. Carol enjoys the hospitality business and feels like she is living out her purpose serving those in ministry and missionaries that come to stay and enjoy the peace and natural beauty of our Inn in “almost heaven, West Virginia”. Carol is an excellent baker and cook. You can see many of her most popular recipes on our website at http://www.northforkmtninn.com/.

Perspectives from Carol: This is my 4th visit to Kenya. I think its part of Ed’s plan to convince me to move here. I always enjoy coming here and enjoying the beauty of Africa. While the animals, flowers and landscapes are beautiful, the real beauty is in the faces of the Kenyans we meet and especially the ones we have gotten to know over the years. The world feels like a much smaller place and makes me much more aware of things that happen outside the US. I am looking forward to the church service on Sunday and especially the music. After the first visit from Nairobi Chapel to Grace, I remember commenting that when I get to heaven, I’m going to find the Kenyans because they know how to worship. That’s even truer today. Even when the songs are in Swahili and I don’t understand the words, there is such a special worshipful quality in their voices that it penetrates my heart and I feel so blessed to be here.

It is Friday, we are looking forward to the weekend

This picture is from our visit to the Kibera slums earlier this week. Here a family is living in a small 9' by 8' room. but you can see from their faces, they are unaware of their poor living conditions.


It is another beautiful day here in Kenya. We have been blessed with amazing weather. This is another great example of God's provision for us. I understand we have been missing freezing rain, snow, and cloudy days back in the USA. It makes us all the more glad to be here. Some on our team have indicated that they not be coming home, that they plan to stay here. I certainly understand that feeling. That happens to me every time I come to Africa. If I did not have a B & B to run and job responsibilities back home in West Virginia, I might be tempted to stay also.


Today's team member spotlight is on Mike McDonald. In speaking with Mike this morning he commented, "I have been amazed at the hand of God which has continually been present on this mission trip. From the sudden and unexpected receipt of funds to cover the exact cost of the trip to the people we have been blessed to meet, it is clear that God is present and guiding this effort."


Dr. John Evans, formerly from Indianapolis came up to greet us. He was excited about seeing folks from Indy. He mentioned that he had gone to school at Heritage Christian School-which floored Mike because that's where his sons, Luke and Jacob go! Imagine traveling all the way to Kenya and bumping into someone from Heritage. John is training missionaries that will serve throughout Africa.


When asked about his impressions so far, Mike stated, "I've heard much about the remarkable hospitality and graciousness of the Kenyan people-but it cannot be fully appreciated until you experience it." He went on to say, "These are people on the front lines of poverty, dire financial circumstances and attacks on Christianity. Yet their reliance on God providing for their needs has made their faith, hope, and love very strong."


Mike works at Eli Lilly in Information Security. He has served 12 years on the Westfield Town
Council. He is married to Kathy, the mother of their 2 boys, Luke (10 years of age) and Jacob (6 going on 7 years of age). Mike serves in Grace Kids Company, Small Groups, and outside the walls of Grace Community Church he is a board member at Fletcher Place Ministries in downtown Indianapolis. This mission provides food, shelter, and education for the homeless and disadvantaged people.


Today we will be teaching computer classes and at 6:00 p.m. we will travel to Mamlaka Hill Church in Nairobi to meet up with our Nairobi Chapel host families and we will be spending the weekend with them seeing the world through their eyes. We will attend church with them on Sunday, afterwards we will take them to a nice dinner and then shop together at an outdoor Masai Market. The Masai Market is always a lot of fun as we get to try out our bargaining skills. They always start out with very high prices as they think Americans are very rich and can afford to pay more. I always find this is a great place to buy souvenirs for my supporters and to take home as memories of my trip. We now have a large collection of African masks and other items. I just tell my wife, "let's get these things so we can re-sell them in our gift shop at the Inn." That rationalization seems to work. You should see the paper bead jewelry and Kazuri Bead accessories that we have acquired this time. We will definitely need to put them in our gift shop. They will be great conversation starters and give us a chance to share about our Adventures in Africa.