Oldest to Youngest

Due to Internet issues and some additional obstacles it has kept me from my blog!  Sorry for that!  It is hard to believe that within a short week we will enter our last month with these precious five faces. I will get it together and post their official introductions along with how they are growing during his/her time with us.

Nairesiai (pictured to the right) is six years old.  She is the Maasai daughter of Joshua and Mary J. Kukan.  She is the oldest of our small group in Kids Training.  This time I have decided the order of introductions will go from oldest to youngest.  She is a shy young girl but gradually has come out of her shell in her time with us.  Which is a joy for me to see as each week passes.  She is very quick to learn and has mastered her ABC's.  She can write the letters very well which can be a challenge since the kids have very few hand eye coordination opportunities before training.  Her name Nairesiai has been the hardest for me to learn how to pronounce!  She is forgiving of that and runs to receive my hugs regardless of my poor pronunciation of Ma.  It took awhile for her to show me the full bright smile that she possesses but now it is the regular highlight of my day!            

Prayer Point~

• The Maasai culture is a very difficult one for a young girl to grow up within.  Especially one like my dear Nairesiai who believes in God and has now learned to open her arms to be embraced.  Pray that she will remember the biblical truths that fill her young heart so that she will not stray from them.  That in Christ she will have the confidence and strength to penetrate the culture she is growing up within so that they will be among the tribes of God.
• Pray for Nairesiai's parents Joshua and Mary.  Joshua is among the LARGE number of Kukan brothers we now have a part of Maasai Church Planters.  This is such a reminder of redemption with each brother that comes for they are the sons of a witch doctor.  Like Saul many hearts can be changed to be that of Paul!  Men who will shout proudly that they grew up in great darkness and now they know light.  A matter of prayer that I have on my heart for this family is that of female circumcision.  Out of some of the teaching it has come to our attention that this is a practice they see as a cultural one that at this point will continue for their daughters.  Now for me I know that this is a difficult cultural practice for the Maasai to abandon.  As a teacher who has a heart to empower and not shake a finger with a list of dos and dont's takes great sensitivity along with patience to hear.  I know this continues to be a difficult obstacle but it is very difficult for me to have the face of one of "my kids" who could possibly face it.  So, I ask that you would pray along with me that the teachings will penetrate Joshua and Mary's hearts that they will continue to wrestle with their culture being made aware of darkness by the power given to them through the Holy Spirit to bring a great light to their family and village.  
• I am teaching the parents this week the powerful blessing of passing on a heritage of faith to their children.  There are a lot of cultural pieces that can be difficult to wrestle with at times so please pray for wisdom. (especially since I already know that female circumcision is still on the table for this group)  
• Unfortunately, the incident of the bee within my ear that took place last October continues.  Parts of the bee remained inside my ear and infection has set into the left side of my face.  Thankfully an ENT in Nairobi was able to remove the infected portions from my ear canal and now I have medicine to clear the infection.  This was an extremely painful process but hopefully my ear will be able to now heal properly.  Pray for healing and that my hearing will be fully restored once the infection and swelling are no more.