"Everything is going very well but there is a big problem buana." Samuel's voice on the other end of the line rang in my ears. He sounded more concerned than his usual self, his voice a tone higher. I wanted to ask him how everything could be very well if there was a big problem but decided against it as the words almost escaped my lips, remembering at the last second that in African custom you never greet a person with bad news.

" What's the problem Sam" I asked, speaking into the phone louder than necessary, subconsciously thinking that louder somehow compensated for the great distance between us. At the same time my brain in overdrive trying to process what could have gone wrong in the short time elapsed since I had been in Runo. Everything had gone remarkably well at the opening of the children's home before I left. "A teacher has been attacked sir and he is in serious condition in hospital" came back the answer with an element of alarm. "Who attacked him, for what reason?" I asked. "The children sir, some of the boys attacked him, they wanted to burn the orphanage down." Sam replied. I could hardly believe what I was hearing, now I was getting confused. Why would orphaned kids who had been homeless, abused, treated like slaves, want to destroy the very haven we had provided to care for them. It made no sense.

"Burn the place down. Why?" I asked, still speaking too loudly. Trying to envision a bunch of kids setting a concrete and steel building ablaze. How absurd. " I don't know sir, I have to do an investigation to find out who is at the behind of all this". Now I was beginning to wish I hadn't called. This was not what I had expected. I suddenly wanted answers, information, facts, anything to solve the problem, but none were forthcoming. "So what's the situation right now Sam" I asked. "I have closed the orphanage down for now and posted extra guards" he said. "I have sent the children away until you return and we solve the problem."

My heart sank. I was shocked. Just a month earlier we had opened the children's home amidst much pomp and celebration. Two hundred kids had raised the roof in song, it had been a great day following months of overcoming trails and struggles since the idea of a children's home had been conceived. Now it was closed down after a month. Where did the kids? What was I going to tell the sponsors and those folks who had supported me while building the project? How could I explain this? I didn't even know what had gone wrong. "What about the bus Sam, is the bus operating OK?" I asked. "No sir" he said, "there is problems there also." We had bought a used school bus to operate in the area, ferrying people back and forth to markets. The idea being that the profits generated would help support the feeding program and the overhead costs incurred while operating the orphanage as well as benefit people in the community. Now it appeared this venture also was going pear shaped.

"Why, what happened Sam?" I asked. "It seems the people don't think they should pay any fare and that they should ride the bus for free." he replied. "A few people have started rumors saying that the bus was donated to the community by a well wisher from America and you and I are making money to line our own pockets from the poor people so they refuse to pay." "That's crazy," I said, "If I wanted to make money I sure wouldn't have moved from California to Pokot." My remark was redundant, Sam knew that, but I was still trying to process how this was unraveling before my eyes. "Are you OK Sam?" I almost hesitated to ask, I didn't want any more bad news. "I am OK sir but I am sick with malaria." Another oxymoron. "Well, make sure you get treated and get some help, get the chief involved, don't try to handle this all on your own." I said "I'll call you in a couple of days. Hang in there my friend." I tried to encourage him, not knowing if I had succeeded. "Yes sir, I'll work around the clock to get to the behind of this." "Take care Sam." "God bless you sir, goodbye."

I hung up the phone and tossed it onto a pillow beside me as I sank back in the comfortable couch of my California condo. A picture flashed across my mind of Sam with his malaria sitting in his tin roof house with dirt floors half a world away. He had meant it when he said God bless you, if only he could see where I was. I stared at the ceiling trying to make sense of the words I had just heard. I wanted to fix this and quickly. I didn't want to fail. I wouldn't allow it. I contemplated booking a ticket to go back right away. I was angry and wanted to kick butt and take names. I prayed and soon settled down. God had me half a world away for a reason right now I figured. I had seen his providence and literally witnessed miracles during the past three years I had worked at Runo with Samuel. Perhaps now I was taking ownership, trying to take credit in a subtle way. Isn't it human nature to do that when everything is going so well? How many times had I read, 'I am the vine, you are the branches, remain in me, and I in you, for without me you can do nothing.' I laid it all down again as I had done a thousand times before and went to bed. Peace dispelled confusion.

Over the next couple of weeks I called Samuel several times and things seemed to have settled down although the orphanage was still closed. Finally the day came this past week for me to make the long haul back to Kenya. I was greeted with hugs all round when I arrived. Three year old Brittany greeted me with a red rose, I gave her new shoes, we were both ecstatic. She danced and giggled and hugged my legs. Sam traveled from Runo and we met over a simple dinner of rice and beans at Brittany's House in Kitale. I was jet lagged but anxious to learn what had happened at the children's home in Runo. Sam sat across the table devouring huge portions of beans and rice while he told me the details. I realized this was probably the best meal he had had in weeks.

Apparently the whole ruckus in Runo had occurred when six of the older boys in the home had demanded second helpings of food at suppertime before the younger ones had been fed. The caretaker had intervened and told them to stand at one side and a confrontation resulted with the caretaker being badly beaten and taken to hospital with a broken collarbone. The boys had been drinking a local brew of alcohol which, I'm told, is so strong 10c worth can make you blind and equally aggressive. The boys fled into the bush after the incident but returned the next day to confess and ask forgiveness for their crime. There is a certain small element in the community who resented the orphanage being built and are intent on seeing it's demise. They have resisted the whole way. It boggles the mind to imagine the reasoning let alone anticipate such things. But girls who were being abused and boys who were treated like slaves suddenly had a refuge and their abusers had lost resources. A cycle which had been going on for generations had been broken and the benefactors resented it. A rumor had been started regarding the bus and alcohol had been given to kids in an effort to stir up trouble.

I understand a little better now while Samuel was so passionate about this project, I had seen only a glimpse of what he has witnessed for years, I saw the face of evil. But we're told greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world and so, in a couple of weeks, God willing, we will re-open the children's home, but only for the kids 12 years and younger. The plans we had for future development at Runo have been suspended and moved to another community some twenty miles away, in Chemali. Work has already begun in building a school and a clinic there and a church will be planted. Where kids now meet beneath a shade tree as a classroom and sit on stones for seats, without so much as a blackboard to learn from, all of them sick with snotty noses, eye infections, malaria, ring worm and other parasites, a building will soon emerge from it's foundation and along with it hope. There is more resolve now, more determination, not to change a culture but to change conditions. What I had feared was failure is simply emerging as hope and opportunity. And all I had to do was let go and know with certainty it will happen if I remain in His grasp.