Lunch with Simon

I was so blessed to hear from Roger DeYoung last week that he'd be in town talking with folks about their church's relationship with RCA mission, and with the extra grace that he could bring Pastor Simon Muntolol along with him. I met Simon last year on my trip to Kenya, so it was good to renew our friendship. Things are very, very tough in Kenya at the moment; drought has wracked the country with the death of thousands of animals. In a country where your wealth is measured in cattle and goats, that's a big, big deal. Simon's herds are right now somewhere in Tanzania, where they are able to graze. It's said that rain is coming, but it's feared, as well, that it will come in buckets. (Kind of like Georgia -- long time no rain, then rain all at once)
When I talked to Simon, I mentioned my Advent project of raising money for his daughter's surgery. He was very appreciative, and just a few seconds ago I received this e-mail from Simon (who is at the moment at NBTS for an evening meeting):


Hi Pst Paul.
What are good time I have meeting you this afternoon and we eat Lunch spent time together refereshing our memories about Africa and the different both in culture and style in life. I am happy that you want to use your time to speak about the water problems in maasai land. Again, about the fund raising for my daughter's hospital bill. I was really moved by your love. It was a relief, like a big truck has been removed from my life. This was my prayer always, for this bill to be paid off.
Thanks alot; keep in touch.

Well, so that's why I'm trying to raise money for Simon. He had been planning to sell off a part of his herd to pay for the bills. Then the drought has cost him several dozen cattle so far. If you can help in any way, please do so! Thanks!!! (Simon is up there to the right ----)

Hi. I hope you're visiting because you're curious about why I'm raising money for a friend. Last year I visited Kenya to see what's going on with the well-drilling project there. While there I met Simon Muntolo, a minister/evangelist among the Massai people in the Rift Valley. Simon's daughter had had surgery, and he and his family continue to labor under the weight of unpaid obligations for that surgery. I'm trying to raise around $4,000 total to help pay to relieve Simon from these debts. (While $4,000 sounds like a lot to us, in Kenya the equivalent is more like $40,000!)
During the season of Advent I plan to post something each day -- a poem or poems, a song, a lyric, a photograph, or some other image of something I've created -- to help stimulate your imagination as you observe the season. I'll be basing my works, for the most part, on the Daily Office. (I'll include Scripture links each day)
If you're blessed by what you read and experience, please send a check to Pascack Reformed Church (make it out to the church, not to me!!!!!) and note it on the memo line as the "Simon Muntolo Fund." The address is 65 Pascack Road, Park Ridge, NJ 07656.
I'm hoping we can relieve this debt by the time Christmas comes, so please, tell your friends to come to this blog and give it a look.
Thanks! -- I'll be sending facebook reminders as we draw nearer to the season of Advent....