Well, we had the big contract signing this past week with a company called Itabuild. They are going to build the Bethany Kids Children's Center for us. It went well and all were happy by the end of the day. Jim and the executive director of Kijabe Hospital and the director if BK went into Nairobi to get it done. I have mentioned before, that when you go into town (Nairobi) it is usually an all day thing. It was this time too. They left at 8:00 and got home about 7:00pm. They got stopped by the president's caravan again too! It seems when President Kibaki drives through town, he does not want to wait in the traffic, so he has his people stop traffic for him. It usually messes things up for hours! They got stuck for a little while, but Jim said he got a nap, so all was well. Here are some pictures of them at the signing:
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We are so grateful to all and are very happy to be at this point. The contractor will be here this coming Friday to do the site turnover. We had a small meeting yesterday with the hospital to check on the preps for that. Things still aren't done and there is a mountain of work to do, but they are geared up to do it and we are sure that they will meet the deadline. We are cheering them on!
Yesterday was open house at RVA. So, parents were allowed to come and sit in on the classes. I went up and found Trevor in his AP English class and Chemistry class. They were doing equations to calculate energy released from atoms as the electrons fall from one layer to another. Sounds like Nuclear Power School to me! Here are some pictures of them outside melting gummy bears:
Trevor is the one in the tan about in the middle
Melting Gummy Bears! (Poor Gummy)
I also found Sallie practicing for this weeks church service. It is Titchie Sunday so all the Titchies (elementary kids) sing and perform during the service. Timothy was in the middle of taking a math test and, since I looked over his shoulder, I could tell he was doing well. He is also a math wiz like his brother!
They started laying pipes on the sanitation system this week. Jim went out and gave them a lesson on using a string line. He said the men were very receptive and as he checked later, they were doing all the right things and asking the right questions. Way to go guys! Our next big step after getting all the pipe laid will be to hire a contractor to dig the oxidation pits and make the grit tanks that we need. At least it keeps us employed!
Hope you have a great week. Ours will be busy with site turnover, laying more pipes, the turnover of the Mother Child Health building too the MCH people and some visitors from BK.
I did a devotional last week about Truth and what the Bible has to say. I am going to paste my note to myself here and if you would like to read it you can. They are a bit cryptic because they were just notes to myself, but you can get the point. I got the ideas from a man named Dave Hunt on an mp3 sermon. Here is a link to the page where I found it: http://calvarypo.org/BOOKS/Topicalmp3.html It is The Truth of God's Word sermon by Dave Hunt on 4/18/2004. You can download it and listen on your mp3 if you are interested.
Bible Study
Sept 11
Truth
John 8:36 –
37
There are 2
types of truth: 1. Speaking facts as in
a court room. Science – Universe had a beginning (sun has not burned out
yet. But some people say no). 2. Jesus has spoken – he claims to be God. If we think that he is not what he claims to
be, then he is a liar or a crazy man.
“Everyone
that Heareth my voice hears the truth”
“I am the truth” “Thy word is the
truth” “The living Word of God” = Bible
Some people
say that the can believe whatever they want.
Example of a nurse not following procedures. Example of a pilot just doing what he
wants. We have procedures in life and
for taking care of the body (Nurse and Dr), but what about procedures for
taking care of the soul?
We know we
have a soul. Some things cannot be seen
but are true. Look at Justice. Justice is something but we can’t see
it. Does that mean it doesn’t exist? The judge follows the law (procedures) but
was justice served? Ideas and thoughts
are not physical things, but do they exist?
You are the thinker. The 2nd
law of thermodynamics governs the physical world – body decays over time and
when you die. But what happens to those
thoughts, ideas? The choices you make in
life – you are the choice maker and thinker (comes from the soul). Where is the thinker when the body dies?
Is truth
Absolute or Relative? In a philosophy
class 80% say relative and 20% say absolute at the beginning. Relative means do what you want because my
truth is relative to me! But, what about
procedures? What about that pilot? Tolerance – Can police tolerate crime? Can a doctor tolerate disease?
Math
23:24 “You strain at a gnat yet swallow
a camel.” Book DaVinci code is example.
People make
up their own truths – Mass cards: can
donate and have the priest lay the card on the alter so that a dead relative
can get out of purgatory. Scapular –
Whoever wears this will not burn in the everlasting fire. This was a promise from an apparition of Mary
given St Simon Stock. This promise was based on the Carmelite
tradition that the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to St.
Simon Stock at Cambridge, England in 1251 in answer to his
appeal for help for his oppressed order and recommended the Brown
Scapular of the Our Lady of Mount Carmel to him and
promised salvation for the faithful who wore it piously. [Does
it make sense that one would be with God forever just because he/she wore
something? Sounds like another way to
sell lots of things! John 8:31 -32
John 8:45-47 John 8:24 and 58 – claims to be
the “I Am” But all were angry with him
and they threw stones at him. John 8:59 – he hid himself and went out from
there.
What does
Jesus say about the truth: John 14:16 –
17 John 16:13 Jesus is not talking about facts of science. You receive Christ and then you have the
spirit of the truth = it grips your heart and changes your life! John 14:6 “I am the way………..”
Some people
say that the Bible can be interpreted anyway you want. Not true.
Some Islamic’s claim that their religion is Peace = Not true. They have the words of Mohammad that say
otherwise. So, you if want to make up a
religion you can, but don’t call it Islam.
Also true of some “Christian” religions.
Some claim to be Christians, but make up their own rules.
What does God
say about us? Need to go to the Book.
Jesus has
spoken and says he is the truth. We all
need an authority to lead us to the truth.
The Bible
offers its own truth. Prophecy – about
Israel (bible says they will be persecuted, etc) and about Messiah There are hundreds of prophecies about
Jesus, but none about Confucius, or Mohammad, or Buddha.
The Bible
says the penalty has to be paid. The
ticket is written out. Jesus paid that
penalty. No other religion has
this. Islam says that the judgment is
about weighing the good deeds against the bad.
What?! Can I say that yes I murdered
someone yesterday, but I saved 2 people from drowning last week? Following the law is what you are supposed to
do. You don’t get extra credit for doing
what you are supposed to do. But
breaking the law requires a penalty be paid.
Story of Billy Graham and the ticket (if time).
“The wages of
sin is Death, but the gift of God is eternal life” Romans 6:23
It is a Gift!! You can’t pay
anything for it (good deeds, church membership, and missionary work)! If you do, you reject the gift and insult the
giver! We come as unworthy sinners,
worthy only to be separated from God for eternity, but he has paid the penalty
and saved us.
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