The Chicken House

For several weeks now Jason has been both facilitating and building a large chicken house. There has been a famine where we live due to the drought and many people are without food. Being here I have a mixed feeling about relief food because although it does provide food to feed a family for a week or so it does not teach a person how to survive wants there service is finished and when they are long gone these people go hungry once again. Our aim with the chicken house is to not only supply people with food but give training for people to be able to raise chickens and then they can take care of layers and sell the eggs to make some money. When I see a beggar in town, it breaks my heart for that moment, especially when it is a small child. It is my duty to give food, clothing, etc ( Matthew 25:35, 40 "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in." "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me") But too often than not Jas or I will offer to go and buy some food from a local restaurant and then the story is changed to "actually I need some money I have a sick relative at home". We are called to be wise as serpents and inocent as doves so when it is exposed that a person has lied about being hungry and really just is after money we respond "I have no money to give you". We see too many people strung out on the local drug called Miraa which I here is like a mild version of exstacy.

Back to the chicken house. It has been really cool to watch all the stages of the chicken house go up. There are many options of what products to use and some that are very cheap. Jason had to makes the decision to go more expensive but build a house that would last. I cannot help but sing "the rains came down and the floods went up but the house on the rock stood firm". There is so much truth in this childrens song both physically and spiritually. If Jason chose the cheaper route we would save a lot of money at first but in a few years walls most likely would collapse and more money would have to be spent to fix things. When the house is finished we will have to buy both broiler chickens to eat as well as layers to provide eggs. I was told we could hold 1,000 chickens at a time which will do a lot for the community. In this project we are helping all the 6 unreached people groups here in Garissa . They are beautiful people who wear colorful clothing and have been welcoming us from the very begining. Our main goal is to show the love of Jesus through our actions. We want to build relationships as we try to eliminate poverty here. Please pray with us that Jesus will be glorified! My prayer is that we would be prepared to lay the solid foundations spiritually in the months to come using the chicken house as a way into their lives.