CMS Ireland Ronnie and Maggie Briggs

The Long Road 'Home'...Going Back to Kenya

2008-02-28T00:00:00Z

It has been quite a journey! But now after about four years, Maggie and I are able to make some plans for returning back to Kajiado in Kenya.

When we went out in 2002 we had planned to stay for at least 6 years but then when Naomi fell ill we had to come back home earlier to allow her to regain her health. Little did we think it would take this long and it has been a challenging time for all of us, to say the least. We praise God that Naomi is now beginning to show good signs of recovery and she is at last on the long road to recovery.

we always knew that some day we would be planning to return back to what feels like our ‘home’

Naomi has lost 4 years of school and is hoping to get back slowly into some kind of study again – she will start with working towards her driving test. We have already been out for a few lessons already. Susie is in her second year at Queens studying Social Anthropology which she is enjoying very much. Philip is already out in Kenya following his dream of becoming a wildlife photographer. If you have seen the CMSI Annual Project for 2008 all the video and photos are his work.

Maggie and I have missed Kenya very much over the past number of years and while I have enjoyed working in the CMSI office in various capacities we always knew that some day we would be planning to return back to what feels like our ‘home’.

If ever there was a time that Kajiado needed it’s partners to stand alongside them it is surely now. With all the political drama and the violence being played out in many communities there has been essentially no government nor leadership since the failed elections in December of last year. This vacuum will be filled with more violence if a peaceful solution is not found soon. Meanwhile the people continue to suffer and many of them look to the Church for help and support. Bishop Taama and the Diocese need all our support at this time and Maggie and I are looking forward to getting out there to begin the work and ministry that God has called us to.

We can use your help as well if you think you could offer your gifts and skills – as follows:

• Pray for Kenya and Kajiado – sign up to this blog and ask the office to send you link letters and all other pieces of information and you can pray with us in a more focussed way.
• Come and visit – we can use all manner of different talents and skills, just ask the office for details.
• Host a visitor – we really want to open up opportunities for people from Kajiado to visit Ireland to share their experiences of ministry with us – to challenge and encourage.
• Make a donation – all of what is planned in Kajiado will have a cost to it and if you wish to support in this way you can do so – either by a one-off donation or by Standing Order so that a little can go a long way! Just ask the office for details – or click on the donate button on the right hand side…it couldn’t be easier!

We have produced a leaflet setting out all that we hope to be involved with while in Kajiado and if you have not seen one of these please just ask the office to send you one in the post.

So, it has indeed been quite a journey – but an exciting one. The Lord has been preparing us during our time here in N.Ireland for this return and we are going back with renewed energy and commitment. We would like to thank all of you who have faithfully prayed for Naomi and ask that you continue to do so and also to pray for our return. We look forward to continuing this journey along with many of you as well and together we can make a real difference to many people living both here and in Kajiado.

Been and Gone!

2007-09-26T00:00:00Z

Now that all of the MPO’s have had time to settle back into the daily routine of their life back home, they’ve had time to reflect on their experiences in Kenya. Here are a few of their thoughts and feelings.

Don Todd, from Ballyholme Parish, used his IT Consultant skills to network together the computers in the ‘Health For All’ Clinic in Kajiado as well as installing computers into the Diocesan offices – all of which were donated by Altnagelvin hospital. Here is what he has to say about his trip;

“If you were to ask me what I remembered most from my trip to Kenya it would have to be the people. Certainly the people from the ACK in Kajiado were wonderful, gentle, friendly people, very appreciative that you had come to work with them and always, but always, giving off that wonderful aura of living their faith. There are so many examples of individuals who could only be described as “giants” in the community, models of how the church should be at the centre of people’s lives, working to improve their community.

What is also abundantly apparent is the respect which CMS Ireland and ACK have for each other in working in this partnership. It is only through seeing this working up close that it can be fully appreciated.

Other vivid memories of my trip would be the sights which we just don’t get at home:the lorries with “God Blesses” painted on the front;lots and lots of people walking; carts towed by donkeys; the legions of small minibuses (matatu) serving as local transport; the wonderful names of places (the Ya Ya Centre).

The overall experience is one I would highly recommend and does show that we all have some talents to contribute, and know that any contribution will be fully appreciated.”

Jenny Myers, from Lisburn Cathedral, using her Project Managing background, worked with the Planning and Developing Department to assist with producing information to help with the all important reporting process back to those who support the work in Kajiado. This is her reflection on the time she spent with us;

“Hamjambo, a ‘Mission Placement Opportunity’ was what it was called and what an opportunity!

I got to meet the people in their place of work, at home and at play, I became their friend, I found out all about them. Their families, their concerns, their hopes, we exchanged growing up stories, we discussed our different countries and cultures. We shared prayers, we joined in worship, we celebrated together, we ate together. We greeted each other with handshakes and hugs, sometimes we just nodded, smiled and marvelled at Gods creation. We joined together, one people with one God.  Bwana asifiwe”

Brian Howe, from Agherton Parish, put his accountancy skills to good use in the Accounts offices in Isinya and Kajiado, transferring accounts from books to Quickbook on the computer. This is what he has to say about his experiences;

“Would I be able to cope? Would I be able to make a difference? Would I really be able to help change things? Was life going to be the same again? – All these thoughts and more raced through my mind as I sat on the plane heading from London to Nairobi. ‘Enjoy the flight upgrade because it might be the last bit of luxury for a few weeks.’

Almost three weeks later and I was heading back home again after my sojourn in Africa. I had been working with the Anglican Church of Kenya, sponsored and organised through CMS Ireland and based at the Maasai Rural Training Centre, Kajiado. I had been reviewing the audited accounts for the various charitable and supported projects they undertake and I had been helping to install and set up a computerised accounting system.

Well the answer to the first three questions was yes but the answer to the last one was a resounding no. The welcome and support I received from Ronnie, Maggie & Naomi Briggs; the other team members; The Bishop; the members of the Church and the staff at the MRTC all made an indelible mark on my life. Of course I could cope; hopefully I was able to make a difference and help change things but it was I who came back changed. Unity in the Body of Christ [Eph: 4] is self evident in the work and witness in that part of the world. – Thank you and God bless.”

At the reunion which will be held on Saturday 29th September, we are all hoping to share even more stories and enjoy each others company. You could probably do something like this as well……. Just contact the office to find out how!

Is it an end or a beginning?

2007-09-10T00:00:00Z

Our time in Kenya is coming to an end and after 21 visitors over 3 months, more than 500 lovingly prepared evening meals, thousands of kilometres travelled over rough roads and hundreds of people befriended I think we can deem the Mission Placement Opportunity (MPO) experiment a success! With so many people on their way back to their various parishes enthused and encouraged by their contact with Kajiado then we can be sure that the partnership link between the Churches in Ireland and Kajiado will go on from strength to strength.

As we travel back on Wednesday the 12th, in time for mbrace , we can reflect on the first MPO mission successfully completed. Many unique relationships were formed. The various communities have been enriched by all the different kinds of people they have encountered, and the gifts they have shared. Churches have been strengthened and encouraged in their daily routine of ministry – even in their remoteness they are not alone. All this wrapped up in good humour and shared fun amongst new-found friends.

We came out to Kenya in the hope it will help improve Naomi’s health, and our prayers were fulfilled in the most unexpected way. After a diagnosis of Brucellosis, which has been in her body the whole time, we had to get used to the idea that she in fact doesn’t, and never had M.E! Three weeks on her medication and already a stark improvement has occurred. So much so that she doesn’t need her wheelchair anymore – how amazing is that! She came out here, to Kenya, depending on it, and now she’s going home on her own two feet. So she decided to donate the wheelchair to the ‘Health for All’ clinic in Kajiado and on Friday 8th the handover took place and the new chapter in her life began.

We don’t know how we can thank you all for your continued support and prayers for Naomi but it has truly been an amazing and miraculous transformation – thank you and may God continue to bless you as well.

Something Worth Thinking About

2007-08-24T00:00:00Z

The first week in August saw the third wave of Mission Placement Opportunist’s arrive here with us in Isinya. Six people in total, all with a range of skills from a nurse to a minister, a retired teacher, TEE support and a Mother’s Union worker.

They go off each day in different directions to carry out their work, and come together again in the evening to share the stories of the day. It’s always interesting listening to the various experiences and to help them to understand parts of the culture which they’ve encountered but not fully comprehended.

They all undoubtedly have an impact on the community within which they are welcomed. So far it has all been a positive impact, and as some have said, the MPO’s themselves feel they get more out of it than what they bring to the community. There has been such an impact in a place called Enoositet – an isolated community an hour and a half south east of us. We were invited there to help the community with their development – water, health and education etc. After several visits it became clear that something wasn’t quite right within the community. It soon came to light that two of the senior elders had a long standing dispute. We knew the community couldn’t move forward without this being resolved, so a meeting was arranged for them to come and air their grievances. All of this took quite a few visits, and with each one some of the MPO’s were with us. Eventually the two quarrelling elders managed to reconcile their differences and said they were able to work through it all by measuring their dispute against the love and concern the church was showing them. By visiting each time with an MPO, who they saw had travelled a great distance and were so concerned about the situation, they realised their quarrel was over nothing very much and wasn’t worth stopping the development within the community. Jane Corbett went to visit on Tuesday 21st August with the mobile clinic and there she saw the two elders both attending the clinic. This is a wonderful outcome and one which the MPO’s should be very proud of. This was something we did not envisage when we first set the concept of the MPO in place – definitely something worth thinking about!