The Man Who Loves the Cowardly Lion

I recently read something simple that impacted the way I view God. I have always struggled with God's image - I believe God is God you know what I mean? - but I often find difficulty in wraping my head around his character. I grew up learning that if you follow the rules and be a "good Christian girl" then God won't be angry at you or condemn you or strike you down with lightning. But yet God says that he is good and loving toward all he has made. So which is it? Is he good and loving? Or angry and condemning? It's taken many years but in my adulthood I've come to embrace that God loves me with without condition. Period. But let's keep it real...it's tough to reverse those negative messages you've been told your whole life. So really it's a continual journey to knowing God...like this line I read at the end of Psalm 62:

God has said, "I am strong and I am loving."

That's it. Too simple, right? Yet somehow the combination of the two words "strong and loving" struck a chord with me and this image from my childhood appeared in my head. I immediately thought of a person - someone I didn't even know that well - who embodied those two words. When I was in the 7th grade, one of my dance teachers introduced us to her then boyfriend, now husband. He was very tall, larger than life and looked strong and had very loving eyes. All of us 12 year old girls instantly loved him. He would tease us and make us laugh. He rode a motorcycle and had the ability to hurt someone if he wanted to yet he was tender and loving. He came to our dance recitals and competitions to cheer us on. He praised our dancing and told us how we cute we looked in our Wizard of Oz costumes. In my mind, he was a strong and loving man who could protect me if I was in danger and cherish me for just being me. Someone who thought I was lovely even dressed as the Cowardly Lion in hideous face makeup. That's the image of God I embraced that day...a God who thinks I'm lovely even when I act or feel unlovely.

It is not because men and women are good that God loves them, nor only good men and women that He loves. It is because He is so unutterably good that He loves all persons, good and evil...He loves the loveless, the unloving, the unlovable. (From Brenning Manning's The Relentless Tenderness of Jesus)

This is the God I want to know.

http://fromcalitokenya.blogspot.com

Nail Polish

Our Kenya Team meets every three weeks so we can learn about each other and talk about the upcoming trip. Last Sunday we met and I talked to a few of my teammates about the orphan girls at Hope Community Centre and how they love to get their nails painted. Apparently they've specifically asked that we bring nail polish colors "Red" and "Glitter". They will all line up and we get to paint their nails. So cute! I also heard that some of the girls will get their nails painted then go wipe off the paint just so they can get back in line to get their nails painted again. They just want to be touched and loved on. Wow how precious.

For her 6th birthday next month, my niece will be spending the night at "Auntie Mandy's" house for the first time. I think we'll be painting our nails...

http://fromcalitokenya.blogspot.com

GO, FIGHT, WIN, Kenyan Deafies!

One of my Google Alerts is set to "kenya deaf" which means every time there's a news article or blog posting anywhere on the internet with those two keywords, I get an email about it. Because of these notifications, I've learned some fascinating things and I'm even following the blogs of complete strangers. It's amazing how information gets around these days! Below are a few cool things I've found:

1) FEED 2 Kenya Bag

Too bad it's $195 and only available at Bergdorf Goodman in NYC or I would buy one! Handcrafted in Kenya by a coop of women and deaf Kenyans, each FEED 2 Kenya bag includes a $100 donation to the UN World Food Program's School Feeding operations in Kenya. Not only does this purchase support women and deaf Kenyan artisans, but the donation provides meals to 2 Kenyan children for one year. Each bag is hand-beaded and made with burlap and the iconic Kenyan Masai tribal fabric. The WFP school feeding program in Kenya is a needed support for a nation that is now dealing with a food crisis leaving 10 million Kenyans at risk of hunger. Click here to see video of FEED Founder showing the bag and interviewing with Good Day New York.

2) Peace Corps Volunteers Teaching the Deaf

I've read a TON about "Deaf Education" Peace Corps Volunteers working in Kenya. I'm very impressed because it seems a) these volunteers really don't know any Kenyan Sign Language going into their assignment and b) they don't have any formal training on how to teach...period. My degree is in Deaf Education and I know first hand how difficult it is to teach...let alone teach deaf kids. I can't imagine trying to teach when you don't even know the language. Kudos to these young volunteers for having the courage to try! Click here to see a short video clip from a school for the deaf in Mombasa. They are so cute and it warms my heart to see little deaf kids signing and to hear their deaf "voices". Love it. [Picture credit: http://www.hearkenya.com/]

3) Deaf Team in the Nairobi Basketball Association

The "Deaf Queens" made history by recently joining the Nairobi league. The article I read said they lost their first game but put up a spirited fight. Apparently they will be playing in the upcoming Deaflympics, THE olympic games for the Deaf. GO, FIGHT, WIN, Kenyan Deafies! Click here to read the full article published in the Daily Nation, Kenya's Daily Newspaper.

http://fromcalitokenya.blogspot.com

"In my dreams, I'm a Kenyan."

On Sunday, my roomate Kate and I took the trolley to the Rock N Roll Marathon in Downtown San Diego to cheer for our runner friend Janelle (we're so proud of her!). On the way back, we saw a man at the Old Town stop who was wearing a green shirt that said, "In my dreams, I'm a Kenyan." I assume it's referring to Kenyans who are famously known for running?? Kinda awkward to sneak a picture of a total stranger but I'm glad Kate made me do it! Part of me feels like when I get to Kenya and meet all the people, I too will dream about being a Kenyan :)

http://fromcalitokenya.blogspot.com