Pure Christianity

Picture (s) of the Week

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Connie and her mom, Winnie. Winnie is doing much better now, eating and her spirits are high.

Our good friend Beatrice, she does the girl’s hair for us, standing at her front door. Due to circumstances that were completely out of her control she had not been able to pay her rent for several months. We helped her catch up. (Not sure who the kid is, maybe a neighbor.)

“Yes I can ride this bike.”

Insidious Desires

I read the following this morning, and it resonated so much with me that I thought I would share it with you all:

To put this in religious language, the above story asks if perhaps the devil, far from hating our multitude of church activities, positively loves them, for it is in these very activities that we are able to become such productive agents in carrying out his insidious desires—making changes in the world that fundamentally ensure everything in the world remains the same.

Peter Rollins, from his book The Orthodox Heretic. (Thanks Skipperina)

I hate to admit it, but that describes much of my life. I participated in a religious system that made very little difference in the world. The changes that were made in me guaranteed that the world would remain the same.

It is now my prayer to be the opposite-- to live a life that affects a change in this world. A change that, once it happens, the world can never go back to the way it was. Don’t misunderstand me, I don’t have delusions of grandeur. I’m not talking about the whole world, just the little pieces I interact with each and every day.

Johnny Brooks

Quote of the Week

“We need the courage to differ.”

M. Tenzo

Get to know us..

Johnny & I would love for you to get to know us. Read about who we are, what we do, what we feel is important, etc... before you ever send us a donation or care package. Spend a little time with us, become our friend. You may love us or you may hate us. Either way, we want to build relationships with those of you out there quietly lurking about our blog.

WHO WE ARE:
We are Johnny and Kate Brooks. We come from South East Texas. We moved to Kenya in 1996 and stayed a year in 1997. After a few years of living back in the States, we felt as if we wanted to do more with our lives so we decided to move back to Kenya to help people in need as much as possible. Basically, we packed up and moved here on our own in Jan. 2005. We are not part of a mission agency or large organization. We passionately do what we do because we choose to, and we do it whether donations come in or not.

Johnny & I have 5 children: Andrew, Makena, Butterfly, Emma Caite, and a baby due probably by the time this article will be posted. Our children were quite young when we moved to Kenya. In fact, Emma was born here.

We have expanded our family to include 8 beautiful orphan girls as well as another Kenyan family, Ben, Pauline, Mercy, & Christine. We also have a home for boys we opened. It consists of Ali, Virginia, Joyce, Gregory, and 5 orphan boys.

We are working with people living with HIV/AIDS, people living in poverty, and other oppressed peoples in our community.

Great Video

A friend made this video about us, and we think it is awesome. So let me share it with you, and please share it with as many folks as possible.

Unity? I Think Not

Last week I attended some meetings that a missionary friend here in Nakuru was conducting. He had some friends from the U.K speaking at the meeting, and since I consider them my friends as well I attended. (Typically I avoid Charismatic/Pentecostal flavored meetings, which is what these meetings were.)

The visitors spoke on several topics, but one that was of particular interest to me was unity. Specifically unity amongst followers of Jesus. It was a timely message for us here in Nakuru.

Here in Nakuru the church is fractured. We have the normal divisions of denomination, doctrine, and style. However, our bigger divide is over ethnicity.

You chose where to attend meetings based on what tribe you come from. Leaders are picked not because it is evident that God has blessed them with something for the Body, but instead on their names. If your name is from my tribe, then you are chosen. Negative stereotypes abound amongst the body of Christ.

Put aside all the resources wasted on the pursuit of religion, and just think what could be done if we unified. We could change Nakuru overnight. The hungry would be fed. The sick cared for. The dead buried. The engaged married. The lonely embraced.

According to the visitors from the U.K. we had some sort of breakthrough during the meeting. I think they felt this was true primarily due to prayer, or something resembling prayer. Unfortunately I just can’t see it.

The preacher declared that those of us sitting in the meeting hall were unified. I didn’t even feel together with the others in that room. We have a long ways to go, and we need more than just prayers.

We need sacrifice.

Johnny Brooks

Pictures of the week

Happy 9th birthday, Makena and Beatrice!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quote of the Week

“What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans, and the homeless, whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or the holy name of liberty or democracy?”

Mohandas Gandhi

More from the Gem Rural Mission

This is more of Ben’s report. I am attending some meetings for the next three days, so the changes I talked about yesterday will be put off for a week or so.

Visited a number of people living with HIV/AIDS in Gem. Visited a school (primary) where almost 90% of the pupils there are orphans under the care of their grandmothers, who single handedly help feed, school, and clothe the orphans. I was touched by the story of one young girl (between 8 and 10 years old) who lost both of her parents to HIV/AIDS. She has no siblings. Soon she will be on her way to Mombasa as a house help. (Mary).

Actually just read that part about Mary, the young girl destined to a life of servitude as a maid. Will have to see what we can do.

Johnny Brooks

Gem Rural Mission

Kate and I had a little meeting this morning about the blog, expect some sprucing up real soon. I want to make it easier for people who don’t know us and what we do to actually get to know us and what we are doing. We will still update each day. The real change will be the side bar. I am creating a series of articles, pictures, videos, etc. that tell our story. The links will take you on that journey. Not sure how long it will take to get done, but as soon as it is we will let you know.

In the meantime enjoy this report of a recent mission to Gem (pronounced game.) Written by Ben, one of our Kenyan team members;

Irine got infected with syphilis, which ate her up as she kept it a secret. She shared with me about her ordeal and how the doctors had told her, she had to undergo a surgery to remove the damaged parts. She had great difficulty in passing urine until this last weekend Oct. 31st-Nov 1st 2009. As her cousins with much help from the Brooks family, we organized a quick harambee and raised 26,000/=. The Brooks family gave us 13,000/=. The rest was raised by us (Irine’s cousins.) She is to have an appointment with the doctor on Wednesday 4th November 2009 to chart the way forward. Victor, Joseph will oversee. I had to travel back to Nakuru to help my sick daughter (Mercy.)

A couple of things: First Mercy, Ben and Pauline’s daughter, has malaria. She is being treated and will make a full recovery.

I had to correct a few spelling issues in Ben’s note, but otherwise left it as it was. Harambee is a fundraising meeting. A group of people come together to help someone out. 26,000 Kenyan shillings is approximately $346 U.S. dollars.

Johnny Brooks