Balancing Act: Father Dan balances his 5-month-old son, Dylan, on his hand. This is the family compound where the Power of Hope Kibera office and storefront are located
(SOURCE) It’s probably hard to imagine what life must be like in the slums of Africa.
The Kibera slum in Nairobi is six hundred acres of mud and filth. It’s not on any map because it’s squatters camp – an illegal, forgotten city, yet at least one third of Nairobi lives here.
Over the years the illegal slum has grown amongst the filth. Little businesses thrive with the inhabitants building and renting wooden shacks.
The slum is can also be a dangerous and violent place. The Kenyan Government has done nothing for Kibera. No title deeds, no sewage pipes, no roads. There are no services of any kind.
One American photographer recently traveled to Kibera to document a development project (Power of Hope Kibera at POHK.org).
Maureen Ruddy Burkhart describes her experience in her blog as a ‘journey of discovery; a discovery of virtue.’
‘With one eye I saw the ever-present poverty, lack of plumbing, and constant energy… and with the other eye I saw joy and love,’ she says.
Neighborhood Watch: In Kibera, everyone watches out for everyone else, including children watching out for other children
Neighborhood Watch: In Kibera, everyone watches out for everyone else, including children watching out for other children
We Won! Schoolchildren celebrate their victory in a contest for best hygiene essay at the POHK- and Global Washes–sponsored WASH Festival. (WASH stands for water, sanitation, and hygiene.) Burkhart said she was impressed that they didn’t ask what prize they got for winning.
Wire Jump Rope: Kelly found a wire and taught Evinta how to jump rope. She proceeded to practice the entire afternoon without resting. Burkhart said she gave Evinta a real jump rope at the end of her time there.
Photographers wish: Maureen wanted to honor her mother by giving whatever she could by volunteering her time and talents for someone who could use them. ‘Losing a parent really brings home the finality of this life; it represents the last phase because now you have become the oldest generation’
Life in the slum: Burkhart paid her way to Kenya and spent four weeks this past July documenting the people who live there
Learning curve: At first, Burkhart found her greatest challenges to be technical¿dark interiors, bright sunlight against dark skin¿and it took her a few days to get the hang of things
End Time Bible Prophecy 
“Thy Kingdom come Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Even as we are celebrating Thanksgiving here in our country. The world is in a perilous place. As we chow down the turkey do we really realize the urgency of the times we live and cry out “come Lord Jesus”. What or where on this globe is there any place that offers real permanent security? I have been trying to point to one singular set of events that seem more urgent. Not being able to do that, because there are so many imminent coming catastrophic events now happening and coming to the whole world. I’ll have to randomly place at number one earthquakes and volcanos. Not big news lately since there are still 500,000 displaced in the Philippines. The bible speaks of earthquakes in diverse places and they will increase. I ask anyone who is reading this to consider the words of Jesus in John 14, He said “If I go away, I will come again to receive you to myself that where I am you may be also.” Are you ready? I pray so.
Amen!
Has anyone stopped long enough to give thanks for electricity? I’m doing It now. Without electricity there would be no sewage disposal pumps, can you just imagine flushing your toilet and nothing moving, not just for a day but how about for weeks. There would be no fresh running tap water, the pumps would not run, meaning no showers, baths or the basic sanitation. No central heating nor air conditioning in homes or offices, most all high rise buildings today have no openable windows of fresh air ventilation. No refrigeration to preserve our food, having to have all food fresh to eat all the time with no way to freeze it, this was a way of life in a by-gone era when there were ample rural farms and gardens but not now, we have gotten too sophisticated. No electrical appliances, t.v.’s computers or lights, this would mean instant depression in many people. All manufacturing industry would come to a halt, employment would go non existant. No fast food drive throughs since the food could not be prepared or the money could not be exchanged. Farms and agriculture production would cease. Medical surgical and drug facilities would not operate because no lights or machines would operate. Supermarkets and mega- food chain stores would go dark with food and water being the first things out the door by looters. No gasoline or oil for our vehicles since the pumps would not work, transportation would come to a halt. No traffic signals or sign lights for traffic, this would be an unimaginable nightmare for traffic, it would simply not move Police, fire, and emergency stations would be blacked out hampering their capacity to respond to emergencies, anarchy and lawlessness would rule, our civil safety would disappear with 911 being a non-usable number. Would the government or the military be able to maintain control? absolutely no!!! sicknesses, diseases, violence, crime and death would take hold of the mainstream of our population to its ultimate destruction. Patients on ventilators heart and lung machines would quickly perish. In total, with no electricity, society as we now know it would absolutely crumble into dust and blow away. Think you are going to be the one to escape to some idealic mountain retreat and survive off the land, how’s the thought of 4 million people scrambling out of Los Angeles to the Sierra mountains to join you in your nature survival lifestyle, might get a little crowded. Then please don’t get a cut that gets infected and you have to go into town to get it treated, freeways will be owned and ruled by violent gangs. Just as an experiment as to the advantage we take to having electricity, take a favorite lamp light bulb and remove it for two days and then check yourself as to how much you miss that light, or remember the near panic that set in the last time the refrigerator stopped because the electricity went down for a few hours. Thank You God for electricity!! Have mercy upon our sin sick nation, heal our land forgive our sins.
Actually I do Ken, each and everyday. I thank God for everything that he has given me and blessed me with. Including the ability to enjoy such pleasures. Thank you Lord Jesus! Amen
Yes! thankful right along with you Gordon, thankful for every drop of clean water, even so watching, waiting and praying for Jesus’ return. I believe it will be at any moment.