TIK

Friendliness from strangers

Potholes, and lots of them

Horrid traffic

Matatus

Various sizes and shapes of buses

Tuk Tuks

Boda Bodas

Piki Pikis

Bicycles

Acacia Trees

Jacarandas

Swahili

Sheng

Kikuyu

Dancing

Drums

Melodious singing

Roasted Maize

Shambas

Road-side sausages

Java House

Dorman's

Sarit

Yaya

Galeria

Pizza Inn

Galitos

Creamy Inn

Dusty paths

Walking Everywhere

Chai

Chai Time

Milo

Samosas

Chapatis

Sukuma Wiki

Ugali

Githeri

Mandazis

Passion Fruit

Passion Fruit Juice

Free range goats

Free range cattle

Free range chickens

Bird calls beginning at 3:30am

Dust reducing rains

Hospitality

Smiles

Rugby

Football

Cricket

DSTV

Amazing sunsets

Non-vehicular policepeople

Bribes

Tusker

Mombasa

Wazungu prices

Bartering

Markets

Bottled Water

Maasai

Beads

Roadside plant nurseries

Slow internet

No night travel

Christians

Loud worship services

Joyous worship services

Muslims

Call to prayer

Peace

African traditional religions

Witchdoctors

Mangos

Vegetable ladies

Roadside butcheries

NGOs

Mission agencies

Poverty

Slums

Wealthy people

Mansions

School uniforms

Animals normally only seen in the zoo

.... much, much more!

What else do you think of?

Dear True Love by Sleeping at Last

Dear True Love
A writer without any words
I'm a story that nobody heard
When I'm without you
I am a voice
I am a voice without any sound
A treasure map that nobody found
When I'm without you
Dear True Love
I'm a lantern without any light
I'm a boxer much too afraid to fight
When I'm without you

So with this ring
May you always know one thing
The little that I have to give
I will give it all to you
You're my one true love

I am a memory
a memory bent out of shape
a child hurt already bruised with age
when I'm without you
So Dear True Love
I'm an artist without any paint
A deal that every one breaks
When I'm without you

So with this ring
May you always know one thing
The little that I have to give
I will give it all to you
You're my one true love

I am a whisper
I am a secret nobody keeps
A dreamer of someone else's dreams
When I'm without you
Dear True Love
I'm a farewell that came too soon
I'm a hand-me-down that dreams of being new
When I'm without you

| Sleeping At Last - Yearbook: February |
Official Website
Check out their February EP on The Drop

The Valley...

The valley is a dry, empty, nutrient less place.

My soul is thirsty,

My spirit hungry,

My body desires nourishment.

I let the sun bake down upon me

Not knowing what lies beyond the above ridges

There's redemption up there

Lasting comfort and love.

To make the hike is the mission.

A Marvelous Weekend

One of the very first people I met here on campus was a man by the name of Lucas Dibo, but everyone calls him Dibo. He’s finishing up his masters degree in the Religion Department here at ANU and is also a TA there. I will most likely be working a lot with him this year. Friday night he called and asked if I’d like to go over to his house the next day and then go to the organizing service of his mom’s church, called Soweto Church of the Nazarene in Soweto, Kenya, on Sunday. I said sure and was quite excited for the next day.

Saturday came along and Dibo came and met me at my flat here on campus. We then walked the one kilometer or so over to his house. Dibo is married to Jeanette, a current student at ANU from Oregon. They have a beautiful boy named Xola. Saturday it was great to just spend time making new friends and share fellowship over Monopoly Deal and tons of great food. We also spent some time walking around the area and visiting some local shops. I had more of my favorite Kenyan food with them on Saturday as well as some new foods such as Blue Band pasta. Those of you RVA friends will know what that is and may have some certain views on that once hearing Blue Band was in it:) It was a great day of getting to know the local culture more and meeting some awesome people of God. I’m excited to see where God leads that family.

This morning we woke up early and got ready for a busy morning/afternoon. We walked down to Magadi Rd a main road that takes people from Nairobi to Ongata Rongai (the town where the school is). At that intersection we got into a Matatu (A Kenyan mini-bus taxi that fits 14 passengers) and headed to one of the main if not the main train station in Nairobi where we would walk to our next Matatu ride. That walk took us right through a massive market. There were thousands of people there selling and buying a huge variety of things from fruit to shoes to furniture. Those of you who have been to Africa or a good global market before know what I am talking about. We reached our Matatu after Jeanette and Me were called various American names such as Michael and Steve for me and Mary for Jeannette. That Matatu would take us pretty close to the Soweto Slum where Dibo’s mom’s church was having their first organized service. We walked about a km into the slum again through very busy streets with various folks practicing their trade. The last time Dibo had been to the church it was in a different location in the slum and was about a year before. We had taken a wrong turn, but managed to find our way after Dibo called for help.

The church is not like anything you would ever find in America. I wish I had a picture from the outside, but it’s basically tree branches holding up a tin/metal roof with metal surrounding the building as walls. We had missed a good portion of the service since we were lost, but we made it in time for the official organizing of the church and in time to hear some great stories from people there. As well as sing some music as part of the worship time. At the bottom of this blog you'll find a video clip of the District Superintendent speaking.

It was such a great time with the people of the church there. I was reminded of the true global nature of Christianity today, not just with the people in Soweto, but as we were traveling throughout Nairobi via Matatu, I head the worship services of many different churches coming through the church windows and into the street. God truly is moving in and amongst his people in Kenya.

We had some great stew and chapatis for lunch with the church there in Soweto before following our same route back to Ongata Rongai. The Lovett’s, a missionary couple here, were kind enough to cut out the first leg in the Matatu by giving us a ride to the second stop. We had a refreshing glass of Fanta and a few more rounds of Monopoly Deal at the Dibo’s before Dibo pushed me (walked me back to) Campus at around 6:30.

I am so thankful for the neat opportunities which I had this weekend. It was great to take a deeper plunge into life here and to make new friends and visit a church on the other side of town.

Check out my photo page on here for more photos from the weekend.

Peace!

Roland

Support me Through Sponsoring a Kilometer of my run in the Nairobi Marathon

A marathon. It is one of the greatest running events in the world. It’s also a sign of personal achievement and determination. Last fall I ran in the Kansas City Marathon. Last week I began training for the Nairobi Marathon 2011. The race will take place on October 31, 2011 through the streets of Nairobi. Running has slowly become a passion of mine over the last 10 years. Only recently did I begin to get “marathon” serious about it, however.

I now have just under three months till I depart for Kenya. Many people have already given generously to my cause, and I am thankful beyond words for their kindness and generosity in doing so. I also have a few “deputation services” lined up in the next few months which will also help to continue to show God’s provision in this journey back to Africa. Good grades have also provided some vital scholarships for school fees while I take classes from Nazarene Theological Seminary online whilst in Kenya. But, the bottom line is that I am still in desperate need of continued support from family and friends.

A marathon is 42 kilometers. I have a challenge for you. If 42 people pledge $100, or in other words if 42 people sponsor a kilometer of the race, I will have a good chunk of my remaining funds raised for Kenya. You can feel free to sponsor more than one kilometer if you like. One question: Will you team with Roland and take him to Kenya? Whatever you feel led to do, please see the below information on how to support my trip to Kenya.

Tuition Expenses

Tuition expenses for the 2011-2012 academic year will be roughly $9,000. Support for tuition expenses is tax-deductible. While living here in Kansas City, I have a job to help pay for tuition, but as I go to Kenya, I won’t have a job, I will be doing mission work and studying full time. If you’d like to help with Roland’s tuition funds please send monies to:

Nazarene Theological Seminary

Attn: D. Martin Butler

1700 East Meyer Blvd.

Kansas City, MO 64131

Make sure to place “365m Scholarship: KENYA” on the memo line.

Non-Tuition Expenses

This includes everything from travel costs to Kenya, insurance, room and board, etc. The average flight to Kenya from Kansas City comes in at around $2100. If you’d like to help with Roland’s non-tuition expenses, please send monies to:

Nazarene Global Ministry Center

Attn: Molly Cole

17001 Prairie Star Parkway

Lenexa, KS 66220

Make sure to place “ROLAND TEDDER 365M KENYA” on the memo line.

Those who are part of the Church of the Nazarene will receive mission giving credit for their local church for funds donated towards Roland’s non-tuition expenses.

Online Giving

The 365 program is teamed up with Nazarene Mission Corps. You can check out my Nazarene Mission Corps website at http://web.nazarene.org/goto/rolandgoestokenya

Purchase Fair Trade Kenya Coffee From me, Support my Year in Kenya

Many of you know that I will be venturing to Kenya next year with a program at my school called 365M. I will be a missionary apprentice whilst still taking classes online from my school here in Kansas City, MO. My year in Kenya is not cheap, yet I know that God has called me and I can't turn away. You can support my trip to Kenya through purchasing some of the best coffee in the world! I am selling fair trade coffee beans for $15 per 1lb bag for Kansas City locals, and $20 for those outside of KC. I have purchased the beans from a company that pays Kenyan farmers at least 50% higher than the base fair trade regulations, sometimes as high as 100% or more. Not only are you supporting my trip to Kenya, you are providing a fair wage for local Kenyans. E-mail me at roland.tedder@gmail.com if you are interested!

I'm headed to Kenya next year!

Family and Friends,

Starting September 2011, I will be investing a year at Africa Nazarene University (ANU) in Kenya, just outside Nairobi. You are invited to “go along with me” on this jo

urney of faith!

Each journey begins with a single step that eventually leads to a divergent point. My life journey continues with my most recent divergent point coming in the form of a letter from Nazarene Theological Seminary (NTS), saying “Congratulations, you have been accepted to Kenya.” NTS in Kansas City, Missouri, is where I have been pursuing a Master of Divinity degree. It offers a program called 365M in which NTS students are sent to countries all over the world to minister and be educated in a cross-cultural setting.

Last year I was approached about joining the 365M program going to Ireland. While that would have been a fantastic experience, I hadn’t been released from my life and studies in Kansas City just yet. However, when the opportunity for Kenya opened, I applied. It was really a “no brainer” for me since I am a dual citizen between the U.S. and South Africa. I also went to boarding school for four years at Rift Valley Academy in Kijabe, Kenya, an hour away from Africa Nazarene University.

While I had my heart set on going to Kenya, I needed to make sure it was God’s desire as well. For several weeks I prayed for God’s leadership. One afternoon I was reading in the Gospel of Luke. I had been taking a class on Luke at the seminary where we were discussing God’s hospitality. The God we serve is a God who practices hospitality with his creation. His Son Jesus replicated this hospitality as well. Now, it is our turn to be sent out to show hospitality to others, empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Jesus sent out his disciples—whether they were ready for their mission

or not, whether they had materials to take with them or not. That afternoon, I knew that I, too, was being sent. Like it says in Luke 9:62, I can’t look back, for if I do, I am unfit for the Kingdom of God.

My assignment in Kenya will be:

--Teaching (both at ANU and via extension education in rural areas)

--Ministering in Ongata Rongai, Nairobi and other areas

--Building relationships with local students

--Ministering under Dr. Rod Reed, the deputy vice-chancellor at the university

--Taking online classes from NTS

--Embarking on many other journeys

I ask you, as I begin this new journey to Kenya, to partner with me in prayer. Prayer is a vital part of ministry and I feel strongly about it. My prayer is that the people of K

enya will be open and willing to hear the gospel through our friendship, testimonies, and shared experiences. So please be praying for God’s work already being done in Kenya and our work that lies ahead. Please pray for me as I prepare for this journey that will help shape the rest of my life. During my time overseas, I will be updating a website that you can follow at http://web.me.com/roland.tedder. If you prefer to go directly to the blog, check out http://web.me.com/roland.tedder/Roland Goes to Kenya/Blog/Blog.html. There will be pictures and weekly updates about the ministry being done in Ongata Rongai and beyond.

Not only would I seek your prayers, but your financial support if you feel led. Since I will be living overseas and will not be able to work at a paying job, I need to raise money for my year-long ministry by August 15, 2011. May I ask you to pray about financially investing in my overseas ministry. The cost of this journey is over $10,000 for the entire year. My previous life steps confirm God takes care of me—always. I am extremely grateful to, and blessed by, those whom God has prompted to support me financially. Thank you in advance for your contributions of prayer and financial support for my endeavor in Kenya. They will be thankfully accepted and wisely employed.

If you feel led to financially support my journey to Kenya, please choose from the contribution channels listed below.

Grace and Peace,

Roland Jerry Tedder

If you feel led to financially support my journey to Kenya, please use the following contribution details:

TUITION EXPENSES – for the 2011-2012 academic year will be roughly $9,000. Support for tuition expenses is tax-deductible and can be sent to:

Nazarene Theological Seminary

Attn: D. Martin Butler

1700 East Meyer Blvd.

Kansas City, MO 64131

Be sure to designate “365M Scholarship: KENYA”

NON-TUITION EXPENSES—includes everything from travel costs to Kenya, insurance, room and board, etc. The average flight to Kenya from Kansas City is around $1700. Monies for these expenses may be sent to:

Nazarene Global Ministry Center

Attn.: Molly Cole

17001 Prairie Star Parkway

Lenexa, KS 66110

Be sure to designate “ROLAND TEDDER 365M KENYA”

Those who are part of the church of the Nazarene will receive mission-giving credit for their local church for funds donated toward these expenses.

ONLINE GIVING

The 365M program is teamed together with Nazarene Mission Corps. You can check out my Nazarene Mission Corps website which has information on how to support me online at http://web.nazarene.org/goto/rolandgoestokenya.

Note:

My goal is to keep in contact with as many people as possible who want to know my steps since I believe God is pointing me toward full-time ministry overseas. My 365M steps are a big part of that journey. If you would like to be placed on an email list to get updates from my adventure, please email me at roland.tedder@gmail.com. Please let me know how you would like to keep up with my life steps in the journey God has placed me on for Him.