In our CHE team meeting recently we were discussing unconditional love. What does it mean that God loves his children unconditionally? We came to the conclusion that most things in this world have conditions. Something unconditional is rare. All agreed it was what we are supposed to do, but the realities of how to do it were tough. In ministry how can we love those we work with unconditionally? What kind of testimony do we give if we don’t love unconditionally?
The discussion was good but when the recent issue of the raiders the room got tense. Two of the four of us had family in the region of their attacks. Many people had been killed and most animals (people’s livelihood) had been stolen. There were many atrocities and it was personal. Could God want us to even love them? What does a loving response look like? There are no easy answers.
From scripture they came to conclude that we are to love unconditionally – literally. The raiders were an extreme case but we all have our lines where we cannot love by will power alone. It is only God’s power and grace that will enable us. Therefore we cannot focus on the event or circumstance; we must focus on God. Only by remaining steadfast with him can we love through all circumstances.
What do you think? Can we love unconditionally? How do we focus on God through the storm?
October 26 2011 | Ministry | No Comments »
Last week Erus and the local cluster of churches organized an evangelistic camp for three days in an unreached village. They went in small groups home to home sharing their testimony and the gospel message and then would gather in the evening to worship. The third day they waited to see if anyone would come to worship and be baptized. They didn’t have to wait long as 72 people came forward to profess their faith and be baptized in the river. Seventy-two people now know their God and see life anew for the first time. Where there was darkness there is now light!
-Chad
October 21 2011 | Ministry | No Comments »
March 12 2011 | Pictures | 1 Comment »
It is nap time and I am finally getting the chance to clean up our room. It has been very windy here and everything is coated in a nice layer of dirt. We just received several packages with cards, letters, and pictures in them and I have finally sat down and looked through the rest of them. Please know how much it means to us that all of you have taken the time to send Christmas cards, letters, pictures, and packages. I have been feeling the effects of isolation lately and reading all of our mail has really helped. Thank you to Chad’s mom, Ruth, for sending on so many of your cards (especially Shiloh people!), and thank you to my mom, Nora, for sending us pictures from her Stonybrook presentation. It was great to “see” all of you!
-Kara
February 01 2011 | Family | No Comments »
For those of you who have been asking here is our new wish list.
Cheetos, Fritos
Goldfish, Animal Cracker
Twizzlers
Peanut M&Ms
Pepperoni
Mac-N-Cheese Packets
Country Time Lemonade mix
Craisins
Color Wonder coloring books
Legos and small puzzles- these are for Elias during nap time since he no longer naps but the other 2 do. And for days when Mom needs a nap too!
Send envelopes to:
Chad and Kara Harris
PO Box 381
Lodwar 30500
Kenya
Send larger boxes to:
Chad and Kara Harris
PO Box 59322-00200
Nairobi, Kenya
East Africa
January 30 2011 | Family | No Comments »
We just got a motorcycle, or a pikki as they are called here, and were traveling from Lodwar out to our home in the village. Chad was driving the pikki and I was driving the truck. We arrived in the village and I drove to Maurice’s house to drop him off and then went on to our home. There is a path, but sometimes it is hard to see. And I always have a hard time finding the “road” after being at Maurice’s home. So unbeknownst to be I went right over the road and kept right on going. Things started to look different but I had no idea where we were. You would think in a sparse desert I wouldn’t get lost, but I was. The trees all looked the same, I had no idea whose hut I was near. I just kept driving, avoiding thorns and hoping to find something I recognized. I eventually saw Chad stopped at Lokai’s home which gave me some frame of reference and I somehow managed to stumble on the “road” and make it home. Everyone, including me, had a good laugh about it at Church the next day since everyone had seen my tire tracks.
2 days after my driving adventure, Nasuru asked where to put the milk after she made Chai and I told her to put it in the bathroom (abapu) instead of the refrigerator (abarap). She smiled and said no, the refrigerator. At which point we all laughed.
-Kara
January 29 2011 | Family and Turkana Life | No Comments »
I extended the chain for our dog this morning, but then when I went to let her off later I noticed she had only walked to the old length. She had never tested the chain to see how far she was capable of walking. I wonder how often we test our own chains to see what our limits are.
January 27 2011 | Turkana Life | No Comments »
Next »
