Blast from the Past.......

One time, in the late 80s, I had been assigned by my Ag. Director, NCPD Mr. Peter Ondieki to deliver a paper on Population & Planning to a Maendeleo Ya Wanawake Organization workshop at the Outspan Hotel in Nyeri on his behalf (Don’t know if that Hotel is what became the Outspan Hospital? Never been back that side ever since). Now after doing my thing, I was relaxing in the Lounge in the evening taking the forbidden frothy liquids and got into a chat with my fellow imbiber in a huge Godfather hat and a full-size leather jacket. I told him that I was a Civil Servant and he informed he was a “sort of Robin Hood” as he takes from the rich and gives to the poor. He declined to elaborate further or even divulge his name except “Jimmy”. As I was seeing him off at the car park around 9.30 pm, (he was driving a sleek Range Rover) he informed me that being a struggling poor Civil Servant, he had left a gift for me at the counter. And true to his word, he had left me a crate of Pilsner! I enjoyed the booty with my GK “pilot” Okioma until ‘dangerous hours’. Bottom-line: God redeems and transforms even the utterly lost. The strongest drink I take today is a strong cup of black tea or mug of coffee.

Time Management Tips For Online Students

Time Management Tips For Online Students: One of the biggest challenges faced by online students is how to balance online study with their busy daily schedules. Read on for several important tips.

I DON'T LIVE THERE ANYMORE

Don't Judge People By Their Past Recently, I met a friend whom I had not seen for over 2 decades. I was so excited about seeing my old buddy that the first thing I said after greetings was that I needed a cup of tea. My idea was to have chat over a cuppa tea. But you see, my old friend saw me through the lens of what he knew of me ages ago. Then, my main worry was where the next glass (not bottle, but glass AND certainly NOT of tea) would come from. So he thought I was asking for a handout to go and quench my thirst. He actually handed me a 50 bob note AND even before I could protest or explain, he became "too busy" for a cup of tea with me, explaining he was meeting someone urgently. Later on, I met another friend who went to explain that he had earlier met our "mutual" friend who had come to see him about a small loan of 3k. Unfortunately, he could not be assisted due to "wrong timing". The amazing thing is that, had my long-lost friend sat down with me earlier on and disclosed his predicament, I would have easily helped him FOR when we met, I had just left the ATM over 15K richer and whatever I had intended to do with the money could be postponed indefinitely. BUT he preferred seeing me through the old lens. I would have told him that I DON'T LIVE THERE ANYMORE and that God redeems, even the worst of the prodigal sons.

The Offering (Author Unknown)

Here is a story about a nine year old boy who lived in a rural town in Tennessee. His house was in a poor area of the community. A church there had a bus ministry that came knocking on his door one Saturday afternoon. The kid came to answer the door and greeted the bus pastor. The bus pastor asked if his parents were home and the small boy told him that his parents take off every weekend and leave him at home to take care of his little brother. The bus pastor couldn't believe what the kid said and asked him to repeat it. The youngster gave the same answer and the bus pastor asked to come in and talk with him. They went into the living room and sat down on an old couch with the foam and springs exposed. The bus pastor asked the kid, "Where do you go to church?" The young boy surprised the visitor by replying, "I've never been to church in my whole life." The bus pastor thought to himself about the fact that his church was less than three miles from the child's house. "Are you sure you have never been to church?" he asked again. "I'm sure I haven't," came his answer. Then the bus pastor said, "Well, son, more important than going to church, have you ever heard the greatest love story ever told?" and then he proceeded to share the Gospel with this little nine year old boy. The young lad's heart began to be tenderized and at the end of the bus pastor's story, the bus pastor asked if the boy wanted to receive this free gift from God.The youngster exclaimed, "OF COURSE!" The kid and the bus pastor got on their knees and the lad invited Jesus into his little heart and received the free gift of salvation. They both stood up and the bus pastor asked if he could pick the kid up for church the next morning."Sure," the nine year old replied. The bus pastor got to the house early the next morning and found the lights off. He let himself in and snaked his way through the house and found the little boy asleep in his bed. He woke up the little boy and his brother and helped get them dressed. They got on the bus and ate a doughnut for breakfast on their way to church. Keep in mind that this boy had never been to church before. The church was a real big one. The little kid just sat there, clueless of what was going on. A few minutes into the service, these tall unhappy guys walked down to the front and picked up some wooden plates. One of the men prayed and the kid, with utter fascination, watched them walk up and down the aisles. He still didn't know what was going on. All of a sudden, like a bolt of lightning, it hit the kid what was taking place. These people must be giving money to Jesus. He then reflected on the free gift of life he had received just twenty-four hours earlier. He immediately searched his pockets, front and back, and couldn't find a thing to give Jesus. By this time the offering plate was being passed down his aisle and, with a broken heart, he just grabbed the plate and held on to it. He finally let go and watched it pass on down the aisle. He turned around to see it passed down the aisle behind him. And then his eyes remained glued on the plate as it was passed back and forth, back and forth all the way to the rear of the sanctuary. Then he had an idea. This little nine year old boy, in front of God and everybody, got up out of his seat. He walked about eight rows back, grabbed the usher by the coat and asked to hold the plate one more time. Then he did the most astounding thing I have ever heard of. He took the plate, sat it on the carpeted church floor and stepped into the center of it. As he stood there, he lifted his little head up and said,"Jesus, I don't have anything to give you today, but just me. I give you me!"

Am I political?

Not necessarily. I am just conscious of the socio-political environment in which I am living in AND I certainly don't subscribe to burying my head in the sand, under the guise of leaving political matters to politicians alone. In a similar manner, I expect even politicians to engage in discussing and propagating the Good News of Jesus Christ. We are all preachers occupying different pulpits “Anyone who either cannot lead the common life or is so self-sufficient as not to need to, and therefore does not partake of society, is either a beast or a god. ” ― Aristotle