8 hours later...

I love hearing you news, so keep it coming and for those who haven't emailed yet, please do!

I got my hair braided. It took 8hrs, but fortunately a lady came to the house so I just sat there working the whole time. I've attached a picture for your amusement!

The New Adventure Church (see pic) is going on well and more are coming each week. In case I never fully explained, it was formed a few weeks ago when I was evangelising to a large group of young people who had so many questions. They've all since given their lives to Christ. But, one thing that's really concerning me is a few of them won't admit they're saved, because their business is hassling (selling stolen goods and electronic items found in rubbish tips). They won't give up their business coz it's their only means of survival. I really need to think of a business initiative for them, but I'm not business-minded. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

God's been so good to me; I've been praying for a job and I've now got one, and far better than I could have ever imagined. I'm doing social research for an Australian professor who's writing a book about youth's perceptions of life and visions of the future. I'm designing, conducting and writing-up the research by myself for a Kenyan chapter within the book. She also wants me to write some articles for some top academic journals . At first there was no funding available, so I wasn't sure whether to do it, but then the Centre of Commonwealth Education in Cambridge said they would fund me. The only condition is my work will be published as being co-authored by me and one of the Cambridge professors, but I think that will actually work to my advantage, because no-one in the academic world will have heard of Sarah Shucksmith! I'm finalising the research strategy this week and then can hopefully start the fieldwork next week. I'm really excited!

One thing I can say is when you're following God's will, everything fits into place perfectly. My friend has started calling me Favour, because I just seem to walk in abundant favour from God and man in every area of my life!

All my love

Sarah

Habari zenu?

Habari zenu? (how are you?)

Hope you are all well and not too swept off your feet with work. I’m v. good and just want to give you an up-date on everything this end:

I started bible college, Kingdom Academy, on 9th Feb and am really enjoying it. The first week was orientation and we were taken through the rules, domestics and standards of the Academy. All the different lecturers introduced themselves and gave us their views and tips for the course. They stressed it’s not a bible school per se, but a school of discipleship and a school of the Spirit.

The first scripture we were given was Luke 14:25-35 – if you’re not prepared to give up everything you cannot be Jesus’ disciple. It’s certainly not going to be an easy ride! The common themes in their advice were that it is only be God’s grace you will be able to complete - determination and will-power are not enough, maintaining a pure, right and good heart is what determines success or failure, and you will love the experience if you allow God to transform you, but not if you resist changing.

Before class starts we have to do domestics for about 30-45mins (cleaning, watering etc.) and then pray in the spirit for about 15mins (or 30mins today!) The first course is called Godhead and so far we have learnt about the main different worldviews and the Kingdom response to them i.e. Christian apologetics. At the moment I’m researching about Buddhism for a class debate on Friday, which should be fun.

The rest of my time is divided between witnessing to people in Kibera, co-leading the new hasslers’ church (which they have now named New Adventure), managing Sarah Junior School, bible teaching in a Juvenile Centre and spending time with friends. I’ve got a social research job starting soon (not sure when though), so some of those things might have to go if it all gets a bit too much. The research project is a cross-cultural study of young people’s perceptions of their lives and issues in the world and their vision of what the world of 2020 will be like. It is being done by an Australian educational/geography professor and I’ve been sub-contracted the Kenyan chapter.

Please keep emailing me your news because it makes me so happy when I receive emails from you.

All my love,

Sarah

My new home

Hope you are well. I’m doing really good.

I moved into my new home on Sunday. I’m still overwhelmed by how good God has been to me. I’m seeing more and more how He’s a loving Father that wants to give the very best He can to His children. I’m sharing a very nice new flat with another young lady from church. She seems really nice and we’re getting on well. She’s joining bible college at the same time as me, which means we can travel home together at night, which is such a relief. The location is perfect too; it’s a short bus-ride from bible college, about 1/2hr bus to centre of the city and 45mins walk to Kibera (where my charity school is).

I’ve been doing some evangelism in Kibera, which has been great. Today I met again with about 14 young people who I shared the gospel with last Thursday, because they had so many questions. A local pastor and another guy came to lead the group and after a couple of hours 6 of them gave their lives to Christ. I could tell (unlike last time) that they were serious and really understood what they were doing. What’s even more amazing is that the pastor believes at least 3 of them are in the Mungiki (a terrible sect that are responsible for taking control over parts of the slum, torturing, raping and murdering people across Nairobi).

They are so keen to keep having discussion and bible-study groups, so it’s going to become a weekly thing. They’ve decided our new ‘church’ is going to be called Pamoja (united) Hasslers!

Please keep me up-dated on your news so I can pray more specifically for you.

Love Sarah

The adventure begins!

I hope you are well and surviving the cold. Is there still snow around?

I arrived safely in Kenya last Monday and praise God my flight wasn’t cancelled or delayed. My host family seemed very happy to see me and I now feel settled in their home again. I am hoping to move soon though, because for a number of reasons I don’t feel it is right to stay with them for the long-term. I’m praying to find a young lady from church who I can co-share a flat with and in a location near the bible college.

From Wednesday to Friday last week I attended a Gender Workshop organised by the Centre for Commonwealth Education in Cambridge. They are doing a research project across E. Africa titled ‘why girls stay in school against the odds’. In the workshop researchers from Cambridge, Uganda and Kenya shared their findings from the pilot studies and we discussed the issues arising, adapted the methodology and planned the main research which will take place over the next 2 years. I found it all so interesting and even managed to contribute to the discussions, despite being exceedingly under-qualified to even be there (everyone was a Dr and academic professor with decades of research experience).

They were so kind and generous to me too, paying for my meals, taxi home and even tried to pay for a room for me at the hotel but there wasn’t one free. The best news is that on the last day they asked if I wanted to conduct the research in Nairobi’s slums (1 of 4 case study locations within Kenya)! They said they already have funding available to pay me and I would also get to write a paper of the findings and have it published in the top development journals! As my Kenyan friend said when I told him, I seem to have a special grace for attracting favour from people! It probably won’t start until about May and I’ll just be paid on a day-by-day basis, but it’s a good start.

One of the Cambridge lecturers (who invited me to the workshop in the first place) is also following up some potential research work for me with a colleague of hers. She’s got a contract to write a cross-cultural study on youth identity and I will hopefully be doing the research for a study in Kenya and will have a chapter in the book.

I’ve managed to catch-up with all my closest friends here now, which is really nice. It’s amazing how it just feels like normal, even though I haven’t seen them for 18 months – which gives me hope for when I come back home.

On the Christian-front things have been brilliant too. We had a brilliant church home group on Wed night talking about our identity as spirit beings in oneness with God. On Sunday, church went on for 5hrs! It’s amazing though how you don’t notice how long the service is, because you’re so wrapped up in the presence of God.

I have my interview for bible college on Wednesday and hopefully they’ll accept me! I had a good chat with the pastors after church and they joked I must have a lot of faith to come all the way to Kenya before even knowing whether I’ll be accepted.

I went to Sarah Junior School today and had a good time catching up with the teachers and taught the kids about God’s love (with a teacher interpreting). Exciting news is we’ve finally found a suitable plot of land to buy in the slum, so things could really start moving forward now.

That’s more than enough from me for now. Am looking forward to hearing what you are up to. I bought a modem today so can use the internet at home, so let me know when you are free to chat on skype.

All my love

Sarah