Almost Home

It has been 70 days, 17 cities and 11 states since I left California in August.  Tomorrow I will be leaving Seattle and flying back to San Diego to spend Halloween with my brother's family and then go back home to my parents house in Hemet on November 1st.  It will be nice to unpack my bags and sleep in my own bed at least for a few weeks until I return to Kenya after Thanksgiving. 

God has been good through all of my travels.  I have boarded 14 different planes and I can't remember any of them arriving late or losing my bags.  I have had the opportunity to share with about 31 different groups so far (with a few more to come) including churches, small groups, sports teams, women's fellowships, college students, schools and other groups. 

I really consider it a blessing that when I come back "home" to America I have the opportunity to travel all over the U.S. and share about God's work in Kenya.  The highlight is being able to catch up with old friends in different parts of the country.  I have seen friends from elementary school, high school, college, graduate school, and places of employment; as well as relatives and other friends.  I truly am a blessed person. 

Now my focus will change from travelling and speaking to beginning to prepare for getting back to Kenya.  I am not sure what I am looking forward to the most when I get back to Kenya, but I do know that I am excited about going back.  I miss many things about America such as church, food, friends, blending in, etc. but I can't always think of what I miss most about Kenya, except that I just miss life there.  I guess it must be relationships, because that is what life is all about it, isn't it?  Relationship with God and relationship with others.   

I love sharing about CGA, Suba Lakers and my own story, but I really don't like fundraising (asking for money).  Through it all, God is good.  When I put my trust in him, all I need to do is share the stories and leave the rest to him. 

A Bright Future

Most people didn't have a lot of hope going into the match against the league leading Kakamega Muslims team. Last time the two teams met, the Suba Lakers suffered their biggest defeat of the year with a 3-0 loss, and that was with all of our best players. This time around, none of the secondary school students were available because of exams going on. Many of our younger girls had not even played a game in the Division 1 league season and it is not easy for 5th, 6th and 7th graders competing against much older women.

The game started amidst a mid-day downpour that soaked the players and also the field for about 10 minutes. Because of the poor condition of the field, Kakamega scored a sloppy goal in the first half when 2 Suba Lakers slipped and fell down and the goal keeper couldn't get solid enough footing to collect the weak shot that dribbled in. The young Suba Lakers didn't back down against the 1st place team and were able to battle back in the second half to equalize after Lenser Adoyo was taken down in the box. The resulting penalty kick produced a goal for Irine Achieng. Most of the game took place in the center of the field with the teams battling equalling. The Suba Lakers tiny midfield duo of Theresa Atieno and Brenda June were outstanding at controlling the ball and distributing it to the forward players. They were about 2 heads shorter than the opponent, but they set the tone with their aggressiveness. Lavenda Achieng was equally formidable in the defense, with some support from Eunice Anyango, Mourine Owiti and Nancy Okeyo. 6th Grade goalkeeper Lillian Awuor continued her stellar play over the past month by blocking many shots.

Unfortunately, in the closing ten minutes a Kakamega player dribbled it down the wing and around several defenders and put in a beautiful cross that was headed into the back of the net, leaving the goalkeeper with no chance of stopping it. It ended 2-1 in favor of Kakamega.

After the match, when the opposing coach heard that his team had just played a team made up entirely of primary school girls, he was stunned.

It looks like the Suba Lakers have a bright future!

Billings Gazette Article

Bighaus column: Rocky's 'Little Joe' keeps Hall on hold to help others

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Joe Peterson

Photo courtesy Joe Peterson

Former Rocky Mountain College basketball star Joe Peterson has spent the past nine years in Kenya helping children escape poverty and hardship through sports and academics.

2012-10-25T23:00:00Z2012-10-26T01:09:05ZBighaus column: Rocky's 'Little Joe' keeps Hall on hold to help othersThe Billings Gazette

2 hours ago • By Bill Bighaus

Bill Bighaus

bbighaus@billingsgazette.com

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Joe Peterson's induction ceremony for the Clara Klindt Athletic Hall of Fame at Rocky Mountain College has been on hold for a couple of years.

It may stay that way for a few more years.

The 36-year-old Peterson was a hard-charging, high-scoring basketball standout at the school in the late 1990s. For the past nine years, "Little Joe" has been serving as a missionary, teacher and soccer coach in Africa, working to help ease poverty and hardship in rural Kenya.

Peterson, who was visiting Billings for the first time in four years last weekend, said it was "kind of a shock" in 2010 when he received the news in the small fishing village of Mbita that Rocky had chosen him to be a member of its sports Hall of Fame.

"I don't know if I quite deserve it to be honest with you," he said. "But I'm very much honored."
The 5-foot-9 Peterson, a point guard, earned All-Frontier Conference accolades and some NAIA All-America recognition during his senior season at Rocky in 1997-98.

He went on to become an assistant coach for the Battlin' Bears for one season before moving on to serve as a Division I assistant for two years at Northwestern State University in Louisiana, and two years at Charleston Southern University in Charleston, S.C.

Northwestern State made it to the NCAA Tournament in 2001 -- and even won a game.
However, a few years later, following a short trip to Kenya, Peterson decided to step away from his promising coaching career. He sold all of his personal belongings and has been doing missionary work for Christ's Gift Academy in Mbita since 2004.

"My role with the young children in Kenya is to try to bring hope to them," Peterson said. "Bring hope for this life, but more than that bring hope for eternity for them."

Christ's Gift Academy, situated on Lake Victoria, was started in 1997 in response to the HIV/AIDs pandemic. It was developed to provide a quality education for orphans and other needy children in the community.

"Life is challenging," Peterson said. "But when you know you're where you're supposed to be, you just throw yourself into it and do the best that you can."

Peterson, a native of Lake Havasu, Ariz., returned to the United States in August and has been traveling across the country raising funds for the school, his own personal support and for the Mbita District's Suba Lakers Girls Football Club, which was formed in 2009.

"I couldn't live in Africa and do what I do without the support of the people here back home," he said. "It wouldn't be possible."

Peterson left Monday for Portland, Ore., and will also stop in Seattle. He has talked to church groups, at schools, to sports teams and at coaching clinics across the country.

Set to return to Kenya on Nov. 24, he visited friends on the Rocky campus Friday and watched the women's soccer team play. His visit to Billings, though, wasn't long enough for the school to organize a proper Hall of Fame ceremony.

"I think it will probably be two or three years before I come back again," Peterson said. "I've been talking to Bobby Beers, the AD. He just said next time when I know that I'm coming to make sure to let them know in advance and they can maybe plan it."

Peterson is committed to teaching, coaching and administrating with Christ's Gift Academy at least through 2014.

"At this point I'm kind of seeing that I might be there much longer," he said. "I'm very open. It could be 10 more years or 20 ... It's definitely home and it would be really hard to leave, but if that's what God calls me to do, I'll be ready for it."

Peterson lives in a small rental house on a compound near the school. He has running water, but no flush toilet or electricity.

"I have solar power so I can power up my television and computer for a few hours each night," he said.

As a college basketball player, first at Dawson Community College in Glendive and then Rocky, Peterson said, "I really feel like I worked as hard as I possibly could to be the best basketball player that I possibly could."

These days, he is putting forth the same energy as a soccer coach in Mbita, working mostly with young girls in the sixth through eighth grade. He is hoping that their enjoyment and success with the sport — along with his steady influence as a role model — will help "impact their lives physically, socially, academically and spiritually."

That combination of faith, sports and academics appears to be working.

"I think in my life I've seen the power of sports and how God can use sports to impact the lives of people," Peterson said. "It's fun to be able to do that in Kenya, and especially with a group like these young girls that are so neglected and have so few opportunities."

With the Suba Lakers, one of the requirements is that the girls have to stay in school to play. Peterson said only about half of the girls in the impoverished Mbita District will finish eighth grade, but progress is being made to improve that statistic through sports and academic programs designed to ward off negative influences.

"Every year they stay in school it decreases the chances they're going to get HIV and AIDs," he said. "It basically increases their opportunity to make more money in the future. They're, literally, breaking the cycle of poverty in their families."

While Peterson's exploits on the basketball court at Rocky — especially his determined drives to the basket — made him Hall of Fame worthy, his life-changing work as a missionary has earned him even more praise around campus in recent years.

"Sometimes that makes me feel a little bit awkward," Peterson said of the attention. "All of us, I think, are called to be missionaries and to serve and to love others and to help others."

Read more: http://billingsgazette.com/sports/college/frontier-conference/rocky-mountain-college/bighaus-column-rocky-s-little-joe-keeps-hall-on-hold/article_644222d1-0752-532b-b7e0-b19b0b628864.html#ixzz2AO9wL7wg

Christ's Little Gifts

Fall is a busy time for Lilllian and the Christ’s Gift Academy  Student Care Department.  It is when they begin selection of new students that will join school.  It starts by meeting the chiefs, education officers and other community leaders to inform them, as well as to get their input and support.  Then CGA staff post flyers all around Mbita so that everyone is aware.  Those who apply must bring their child’s birth certificate and the death certificates of the parents, along with a few other documents.  Most of the children are between 4-8 years old and the students applying for older grades take an exam to evaluate their proper grade level.  After all of that, representatives of the school and community visit the home of each child who was shortlisted.  During those visits they assess the living situation to see if their stories are true, how needy the family is and to get to know those who are caring for the child.    Previously, CGA selected 65% orphans among the intake; but in the past two years it has been 100% orphans due to the devastating effects of HIV/AIDS along the shores of Lake Victoria.  As they enter their new life at CGA, some are nervous and scared (sometimes because people tell them tall tales about white people eating children) while others are uncontrollably exuberated to join their relatives or friends at CGA.  God will be working in their lives over the next 10-15 years as he takes these kids who felt hopeless after the death of their parents and matures them physically, socially, emotionally and spiritually.  Many of those young kids who began at CGA in the late 1990’s are now back volunteering at CGA while others are in colleges and universities studying to become teachers, doctors, businessmen and pastors.  What will become of this year’s group?

 

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In Kenya…

The public school teachers were on strike for the first 4 weeks of school, but finally on September 24^th they came to an agreement with the government on a pay raise and returned to school.  It didn’t affect CGA because we are a private school, so school has been going on as usual.  The teachers, staff and students were all happy to be in school and working hard.  But it did affect all of our students in secondary schools and in colleges and universities; and it also affected all of our girls in the football club.  We are very happy that the strike is over and all of the kids are back in school.  They will have to extend the school year now and push back the national exams so when I return to Kenya at the end of November, I will find them still in school. 

One of the saddest things I have heard recently was a missionary in Mbita who said that a local prostitute was complaining that her income was down during the teachers strike because so many young school girls were around and they are a cheaper option for the fisherman.  That shows the difficult task we have battling against the spirits of immorality around Lake Victoria.

 

In the U.S… 

My travels have already taken me to Ohio, New York, South Carolina, Georgia, Minnesota, Louisiana, Texas and Montana with a few more stops to come in Seattle, Portland, California and Arizona.  I love catching up with old friends and meeting new ones while seeing the different cultures we have in each region of the U.S.  God continually opens doors for me to share with big groups, small groups, young people, old people, churches, schools, coaches, teams and other groups.  I am thankful for each and every opportunity I get to share about what God is doing in Mbita, Kenya. 

Please Pray:

1)      For God to use me while I am home to challenge and encourage the people that I share with

2)      For God to provide everything needed for CGA, the Suba Lakers Football Club, and me personally

3)      For the CGA High School students, Suba Laker players and all of the other Kenyan students as they go back to school.  Pray that they would be focused and diligent in their studies to pick up where they left off in early August and finish the year well. 

4)      Against the spirit of immorality in Mbita and around Lake Victoria.  Pray for His protection around the children and youth, especially the girls. 

2nd Half Kicks Off

The Suba Lakers opened the 2nd leg of their Nationwide Division I league this past weekend by taking the longest trip of the season. They travelled on Saturday to Naivasha to take on the Oserian Queens. In the very first game of the inaugural season the Queens defeated the Lakers in Mbita 2-1 and that was the difference in the standings between the two teams with the Queens holding a 3 point advantage because of that win.

Several of the Suba Laker high school players were not available this time around because of committments in their schools and so their travelling squad consisted of half primary school girls and half secondary school girls. The inexperience showed through in a 2-0 loss to the more mature and seasoned Oserian Queen players, but the standout performance was delivered by Suba Laker goal keeper Lillian Awuor who saved close to 15 shots on goal, inlcuding some acrobatic efforts that kept the game close. The 6th grader even caught the eyes of the opposing team.

The Lakers had some vehicle problems on the way home but eventually reached in the night and are now busy preparing for a home match this coming weekend.

Interesting Plane Ride

In a church I visited a few weeks ago, the pastor had given an invitation for people to come forward for prayer or just to spend time with God or any other reason.  As the worship went on I closed my eyes and saw a vision of many people coming down the aisle.  When I opened my eyes, no one was coming.  I felt God telling me that I had to go first.  If I would go down and kneel at the altar, then many others would follow.  I convinced myself that it wasn't really God.  It didn't make sense.  I was the "missionary" and it might look funny.  Others might think that I was just doing it for a show after having shared with the congregation, they could see it as a ploy to look spiritual and try to get more money or something (it sounds really illogical as I type this, but in the moment it was very logical in my mind).  So I didn't go, and neither did anyone else.  Afterwards, I was kicking myself for not being obedient and for caring so much about what others thought of me.  In the end, what does it really matter?  Even if some get the wrong impression, why do I care?  At 36 years old, why am I still so concerned about what others think about me?  Maybe God wanted to use me to "free up" many others.  I missed it!! 

So when I was flying to Montana last week, another opportunity came up.  It was a full United Airlines flight from Denver to Billings.  I sat down in my seat, but a few minutes later a couple of middle age sisters came and asked if I would switch seats so that they could sit across the aisle from each other and talk.  I wasn't too excited about sitting in the middle seat, so I suggested they take the two seats in my row and I sit in her aisle seat across the row.  They agreed and so I moved.  Shortly thereafter a guy claimed that I was sitting in his seat.  I looked at the "sister" and after looking at her ticket she realized her seat was the middle one.  Oh well, I thought, it isn't a long flight, I will just deal with it.  The lady sitting next to the window (Ashley) asked me if this flight was going to Billings.  I said yes and then she asked if Billings was in Montana or North Dakota.  Kind of a strange question, I thought.  What kind of a person doesn't even know where she is flying to?  Right before takeoff someone else came to Ashley and said she was sitting in his seat.  She looked at her ticket and realized she was off by 3 rows, but the man just decided to sit in her seat since the plane was ready to takeoff.  Again I thought, this lady must not be very bright if she can't even figure out which seat belongs to her.  So now all of us were in the wrong seats, but I think it was all God's plan.


The group sitting around me was interesting.  The two sisters were talking about getting to Montana so they could find a couple of cowboys to ride!  The young guy in the aisle seat couldn't finish a sentence without saying at least 2-3 curse words.  And the lady next to me (Ashley) was talking to herself.  All I wanted to do was close my eyes and catch a little nap.  I usually don't enjoy conversating with people on a plane, and especially not a crew like the one I was seated next to.  But during takeoff, I felt God telling me to start talking to Ashley.  Once again I tried to convince myself that it wasn't God's leading and came up with several reasons not to.  This time though I tried to obey.  I opened my eyes and just asked her why she was going to Montana.  She began to narrate a long story of struggles and challenges in her life.  I won't share the whole story with you, but the short version is she was working in the oil fields in Eastern Montana and married a man who didn't treat her well.  She was going back there to quit her job, get her things and bring her grown son and his family back to California with her.  She was trying to sneak in and out without her husband knowing and not having a clue what to do when they get back to California.  She had recently collected a large check of child support arrears from her ex-husband from 25 years ago and was definitely at a crossroads in her life.  I didn't say much except that the check was a huge blessing from a God who loves her very much.  After finishing, I just asked if I could pray for her.  I tried not to make a big scene on the plane, but I laid my hands on her and prayed for her and her family and for God to move mightily in her heart and allow her to see his incredible love. 

That was pretty much it.  She responded by saying that she really needed that, and I said that we all need that.  Who knows what will come of it and what will happen in her life from this point on, but I truly felt the spirit of God moving in a powerful way. 

Thank God for second chances and not giving up on us. 

8th Graders in the Big City

8^th GRADE TOUR TO NAIROBI

AUGUST 2012

As written by students James Okach and Alice Nancy Mokeira (who have recently learned touch typing)

It could not have been possible without the support and prayers of the following people:

PTA, pupils, parents, teachers and the larger family of Christ Gift Ministry. We owe a special debt of gratitude to the management for their prayers and contribution and we'd also like to thank our Head Teacher Mr. Gwalla for accepting to lead the team.

DAY ONE

Met at Icipe gate with 24 pupils, 3 teachers (Kenneth, Daniel and Lilian Asla), 2 PTA members (chairperson Jane and ex chief Elly Onundo) and our head cook (Julius Ooro).

Prayed and we set off for Nairobi using the Tom Mboya bus.
Picked Mr Gwalla and Wendy at Koyani market.
Proceeded to Rongo where we took breakfast.
As we approched Kisii from Rongo we saw soapstones.
We enjoyed the view of Narok where we stopped to take a snack of maize
Arrived at Nairobi Primary School at 6:00 p.m.
Took supper and had our devotion led by Teacher Kenneth from John 6:66-67 before heading to bed.

 

DAY TWO

We ate breakfast and left for Uhuru Gardens after morning devotion.

Picked a tour guide to help us since the driver was new in Nairobi .
We left for Kasarani through the Thika Super Highway.
We then headed for Wilson Airport. Both the staff and pupils enjoyed and took pictures.
Things learnt at the Wilson Airport:
Parts of aeroplane
Rules while landing and taking off.
Pupils were advised by the airport attendants.
Headed for animal orphanage next to Safari Walk where we saw different animals such as lions, giraffes hyenas, monkeys, cheetahs zebras, etc. We learned that animals can also be orphaned.
Left for Uhuru Park to take late lunch.
Went back through Nairobi National Park.
Had supper and devotions that were led by PTA Chairlady Madam Jane

DAY THREE:

Took breakfast and departed.
Went to Nairobi National Museum where we observed dried birds, various animals, the early man and cultural activities.

Left for parliament but it was a busy time so we went for early lunch at the stomach clinic
Came back and went to the parliament when the debate was going on. Pupils learnt the proceedings in the new parliament.
Visited the KICC. Most of us had never gone on an elevator. We took snaps and viewed the town from the 2^nd highest building in East Africa.
Came back to Nairobi Primary after shopping at Nakummatt


DAY FOUR

Took breakfast and started our return journey home.

On our return journey we enjoyed other views such as Mt. Longonot and a crater.
In Sotik we took lunch
Most of us bought avocados and bananas on the way.
Mr. Gwalla bought sugarcane for everyone

All of us were happy to arrive back at home.

THINGS LEARNT:

Social Studies made real.

Expanded our minds by learning more about the country.