Breaking out of the box

No HotS last week due to the security risks in Kibera, but this week we were back. No Pastor Shadrack, and no Eunice, as they are both recovering from their car accident. So this week, joining Godwill, Emily & myself, we had Judy. It was a first time for her, and it was another great week out on the streets.

Not that there were any dramatic healings this week. Yes, some people came in pain, and left pain-free. But no broken bones were fixed, no eyes were opened, and no skin diseases wiped away in front of our eyes. But that's not what it's about, though it is nice when it happens. What it's about is being a conduit through which God's love can flow to His people, and it's not up to us who comes along.

Up till the last few weeks I had been feeling a little disappointed when somebody wasn't sick, but asked for prayer because they need work. I had felt that praying for God to provide work was somehow less important than for physical healing. But over the last few weeks I've been reflecting a little on that, and realised that part of God's Kingdom coming in Kibera may well be that it becomes a place where people are able to support their own families, because they do have work. So today I was pleased that we had many people coming who needed, and asked for prayer for, work. We had one young man who confessed a desire for a wife, and it was a real honour to pray for God to bring a godly young lady for him to marry, as well as for him to have a job to support her and their future family with. We had another guy come who really wants to stop drinking, but can't do it by himself.

And that's a little bit of what I think God's Kingdom coming in Kibera might look like. Yes, a place where God physically heals people, but not just that. Also a place where God provides for people in all the ways they need Him to. I appreciate this doesn't fit the HotS model, but then I never do like to conform and be boxed in, and I see the model as a starting point, rather than necessarily the final answer.

So with Judy now on board, our small team is slowly growing. With another couple of regulars we could set up in a second part of Kibera too. It was circumstances that forced us to grow the team today, but I believe it was a God-inspired thought to ask Judy to join us. Who else will God bring to us to join in demonstrating His amazing love for His people of Kibera.