Kenya Village Ministry 2007

Back Home

2007-08-25T09:57:00.000-05:00

Well we all made it back home and had a wonderfulr trip. Please consider joining us in 2008 on another trip to Africa and expereience what God is doing with His people in this part of the world. God bless.

Lots of students

2007-06-14T08:12:00.000-05:00

Always lots of children everywhere we went but very encouraging as almost all schools allow them to teach the Bible and have Christian education in the public schools. Today we met with an all boys high school of 650 boys and it was great. They want us to come back next year and spend more time than we had today. Incredible young people.

Town of Chuka

2007-06-14T08:07:00.000-05:00

This is the town we were near and it was very small and congested. We were quite a site as no white people had been there for a long time. We did not see another white person for 4 days. We were definitely in Africa this week.

Hospital visit

2007-06-14T08:04:00.000-05:00

Hospital visit in Chuka. Lots of children in for Malaria and very crowded. the mom's have to stay with the children but only cribs in the rooms. Also visited maternity ward with lots of Mom's waiting or who have just delivered.

Road side market

2007-06-14T08:02:00.000-05:00

We stopped along the way to Chuka to pick up some vegs. Diane has a big yam, lots of roots and many bananas and Brittney loves the little ones, they are sooooo sweet.

Grinding grain

2007-06-14T07:59:00.001-05:00

The ladies also taugh us to grind grain with a stone that all young ladies by the time they are 7 know how to do this. thye do this many times to the same grain until there is just a fine powder and then they made porage for their families
Go guys you are doing well. The ladies loved seeing the boys do this as men never do this in Kenya.

Greetings in Villages

2007-06-14T07:56:00.000-05:00

All week long we were greeted by wonderful ladies singing and dancing as we arrivied in their villages. I have to admit we were treated like royalty.

Milking the goats

2007-06-14T07:54:00.000-05:00

We got visit several of the locations where we are raising the goats and we all got to milk the goats a first for all of us. It was fun and productive I might add. I am not sure we got it all but for first timers not bad. This is a great program that is helping the widows and orphans. You can still help by purchasing more goats so that we can help more.

Josiah playing drums

2007-06-14T07:51:00.000-05:00

Josiah got a real thrill when he was asked to join the drumers during the last act of Bomas. He did a great job. Not sure if any of the American has had this opportun ity to particapate before. Thanks for Richard and Judy for this.

Bomas center

2007-06-14T07:49:00.000-05:00

Phil really got involved with the dancers
And Samantha was right behind him

Bomas cultural center in Nairobi

2007-06-14T07:46:00.000-05:00

Here are a variety of dancers that we saw from the various tribes in Kenya. this was a great time.

Wedding fun

2007-06-14T07:44:00.000-05:00

More fun at the wedding. Brittney and Diane are loving the line dancing. Mirim was beautiful as the Mom of the groom and our girls with Judy.

Fun at wedding

2007-06-14T07:41:00.000-05:00

Last days in Kenya

2007-06-14T07:34:00.001-05:00

Since we haven’t been able to download anything for several days, we’ll have to send the updates from several days at once. Tuesday was our day to visit the goats and bee hives that people have donated through Global Action for families in Kenya, especially those taking care of AIDS orphans. We even had the chance to milk some! We learned that these goats produce a superior breed of offspring which produce more milk. They provide enough nourishing milk for the family and also some to sell, which they can use to pay for school fees so the children can go to school. The significance of having a goat became very real as we met the families and saw the children benefiting from them. It indeed is significant and a worthwhile, continuing blessing to these families who struggle so much just to have the essentials of life. We were also introduced to a new project, raising silk worms. The one we saw is a trial experiment, and so far, it is going well. There is great potential, also, in supplying the materials and worms to start this small industry that can provide income for the families. We have been awed by the beauty of the countryside; the vibrant greenness, lush vegetation, carpets of tea plants that cover the entire sides of slopes. There is breathless beauty here and rich, fertile soil. Our host homes, as well as all the ones we’ve seen, use every inch to cultivate plants to produce food. It’s amazing to see how much can be planted in a small space. Mangos, papayas, cassavas, pumpkins, beans, watermelon…..there is no spot of ground unused. In many ways, we observed that even though the people in the country lack in jobs, revenue, and education, health-wise, they seem better off than those in the city. At least they can grow nutritious food, and we have certainly enjoyed every bit of it. The Kenyans believe in feeding their guests well, and we feel as though we have eaten our way through Kenya.

We had the opportunity to meet with a group of Christian women connected to PACWA called the Kind Mothers. They are helping 120 orphans to have food and the ability to go to school, a remarkable group indeed, since none of them have a lot themselves. They are trying to start some projects with the orphans to weave baskets and make objects that can be sold to supplement their income. We then went to a secondary school where some of the students from far away board. The team had a great time with them singing, sharing, and presenting the gospel. We had just enough time to begin some serious Frisbee throwing, football passing, and soccer, but were invited to come back yesterday. It was a great time; we are still amazed at the total openness to come into public schools and share the gospel, pray and worship.

Wednesday, Diane shared with the women of the Chuka area who meet monthly for prayer, teaching, and encouragement. It was a great time of connecting with the women, sharing our hearts, praying together, and learning a bit more Swahili. It is such fun to participate in their singing and dancing; can they ever celebrate!

While the women’s meeting went on, the rest of the team was able to visit with two nearby schools, a primary and a secondary, again able to share praise and worship, teachings from Jonah, and clear presentation of the gospel. There are rarely ever any muzungus visiting in this area, so just our presence causes curiosity, but all the kids were anxious to get out and play with our team and a great time was had by all. It was a good, exhausting day, but very fruitful. The team went back to the secondary school and spent more time with the high schoolers. We are still so humbled at the thankfulness expressed to us just for coming; just for spending time with the people. It reminds us of the “power of presence.” The people of Meru have blessed us tremendously. Their hospitality, genuine expression of friendship and welcome challenges us as to how we should receive visitors in the US. In their meager circumstances, we have been treated as such honored guests, and we feel honored indeed.

Now we are in our last day in Kenya. We had another “divine appointment” for this morning. We met the principal of a boys boarding secondary school close to where we were staying and were invited to meet with the 650 young men of the school. So as we left for Nairobi, we got to meet with this wonderful group of young men, sing, praise, share, and pray with them. This is a public school, but their school anthem began as a prayer to God for their lives and future. It was quite impressive to hear about the school, their high academic record, and how many young men are trained for leadership, go on to university, and all with a Biblical base….in a public school.

It was so encouraging to see these young guys, to encourage them how important it is for them to become Godly men, husbands, and fathers. The staff and principal were so appreciate of our visit, even though brief, and asked us to bring another team to spend an entire day or two with them for more times of teaching and sharing. This is how it has been our entire trip; no matter where we go, and especially with these unplanned “divine encounters,” we are asked to please come back, bring more teams, and share more with the adults and children. So be prepared; we’ll be asking all of you to come!!

Now we are on the road back to Nairobi to regroup, sort luggage, and prepare to fly out late tonight. Judy and Richard Mbugua are treating the team for dinner at Carnivore, a well known restaurant that serves all sorts of exotic wild game. We have heard that it is quite an experience, and we know we are going to enjoy it and be blessed by it.

It’s hard to say goodbye to Kenya; we feel such strong attachments to the people, are so inspired the deep faith of so many, the wonderful ministries of our partners, and also so burdened by the tremendous needs. We’re got a lot to process, and it is a process. We all are challenged to truly pray and seek the Lord’s direction on what He intends for each of us to take away from this experience, how He wants us to respond. We know this; the Lord has shown Himself to us in amazing ways. He has pricked our hearts with compassion for others, to examine our own lives to see how we are obeying His commands to love one another, carry one another’s burdens, pray for one another, and care for the needs of the poor, especially those of widows and orphans. And we know that He will continue to work in us, unfolding all the dynamics of this time in Kenya.

A huge thank you to all of you who are praying for us, who sponsored team members to come, and for the encouragement we have felt during this journey. We could not have done it without you! Please continue to pray as we fly home, as we begin to unwrap this experience, and that we will glean all that we need to from all we’ve seen and experienced. Please pray for our ministry partners in Kenya: Judy, Miriam, Leah, and the amazing helpers they have here who are making a difference for the kingdom. And especially pray for the children and youth of Kibera and the thousands of orphans here. We are grateful that we were able to be here; our lives have been touched, and we will never be the same. Natumaini tutaonana; we hope to see you, Kenya, soon.
Bwana asifiwi; Praise the Lord!

Safari to Meru

2007-06-14T07:33:00.000-05:00

Safari! Monday we set off for the district of Meru, a rural farming area about 4 hours outside Nairobi with our hostesses, Miriam and Leah. The journey led us through lush, green farmland, terraced with tea plants, corn and various crops. It was refreshing to get out of the hustle and bustle of the big city; as I’m sure you heard, there was a bombing in Nairobi Monday morning. We’re still getting sketchy reports (you probably are getting more details in the US than we have been able to get, since we have little access to the news where we are). Apparently someone set off a small explosive at the entrance to the Ambassador Hotel, which is downtown near the Hilton. Reports are sketchy, but one person died and 37 were injured. We didn’t hear the explosion; we weren’t that close to the hotel, but traffic was at a standstill and there was much confusion as people began to converge on the scene. We avoided all of that and were able to begin our trip to Meru with no problems. We were so saddened by the event; from what several people told us, this is not uncommon in an election season (elections are in Dec.). The purpose seems to make people afraid and want to turn away from the current administration. There is still much emphasis on tribal origin, and most people want the president and leaders to come from their particular tribe. How sad that the striving for political power can drive people to such senseless acts.

After several hours on the road, we took a brief stop at a quaint, old hotel with beautiful lawns and gorgeous plantings. We had a cold drink under a huge umbrella on the lawn and continued our journey. At last, we entered the district of Meru and arrived in the city of Chuka. Miriam was born in this city; her sister is now the mayor. We stopped at the Chuka Hospital to visit the patients and encourage the staff, which is quite small for the number of patients. The present president has made improvements in areas of health care, and this small hospital has been expanded, but the furnishings and equipment were sparse. We were told that at least now, they have medicine (which is hard to imagine…a hospital without medicine, or water). We first visited the pediatric ward, a very crowded room of baby cribs with children from 1 month to about 3. Most of them were there for malaria or pneumonia. The mothers have to stay with their children (we wondered where they slept, since the cribs were small and there was no space for even a chair). We visited with the children and their mothers, gave them stuffed toys, and prayed with them. The children were precious, and we hoped that we could encourage their mothers. Next we visited the maternity ward; half of the room held women who were either in labor or about to, and the other side was for moms with newborns. Again, it was sparsely furnished, with little more than a cot for each mother. The babies we saw were no more than 1 day old, so tiny and beautiful. One young woman was on the floor writhing with labor pains. We prayed with and for her and her baby, hoping that we had encouraged all of these mothers.

The guys visited the men’s area, sharing and praying with them. Our young men certainly rose to the occasion, praying earnestly for each patient. Two young boys, about 10, were also there. One was an orphan with AIDS. He looked so frail and weak. He labored to walk out to ask Josiah for prayer; heartbreaking.

The head nurse who guided us expressed great thanks for our coming. She said that they need much encouragement and were blessed by our concern, which was our desire. For there, the team split into two groups to settle into our two host homes for our stay in Meru. Both Miriam and Leah live on small farms down deeply rutted, dirt paths. The quiet calm of the country was interrupted only by the sounds of an occasional dog barking or cow mooing. The lights run on generators, and they usually turn them off about 10:00. Once the lights were out, it was incredibly dark! We couldn’t see the hand in front of our faces.

Tuesday was a very full day. We went to see the goats that the women are raising to help poor families. As you may remember, in our gift catalog, we suggested giving goats and bee hives to families struggling to pay school fees so their children can attend school. Many of you did provide goats and hives, and we were able to see them up close. The breed of goats provided are of a stronger breed and produce better kids who can produce better and more milk. We all had a chance to milk the goats! Though we did manage to get some in the bucket, I don’t think any of us would want a full time job of it. But it is a huge help to these families. They now have very nutritious milk for their family and have some left over to sell. We also saw a new project, one of raising silk worms, that they also hope will bring in revenue for needy families. Next we went to a nearby church to meet with a wonderful group of women involved in outreach in Meru. We were greeted warmly and introduced to many of the orphans they are helping. There were a number of high school students who have lost one or both parents and are now living with another relative or guardian. Without the help of the PACWA women, they probably wouldn’t be in school. We asked them about their hopes and desires; they all wanted to continue to university and become doctors, nurses, teachers, engineers, and one a journalist. They were bright young people, and we tried to encourage them to study hard and look to the Lord to provide for their needs. Many of the younger orphans also came, and the team had a great time playing games with them and just being with them.

Our next stop was a remote public high school for mostly very poor students, including many orphans. Some who live by come to school for the day, but many come from so far out that they board at the school. We saw their dorms (furnished with rustic wood bunk beds and little else), their few classrooms, and gathered with the students in their chapel/dining room. Africa is characterized by song and dance, and the students had prepared a wonderful tribal drum dance to accompany a group of boys who did acrobatics, very much like we saw at the BOMAS cultural show. A great job!! The girls sang and danced, again with drums. The team led the students in singing and gave a presentation of Jonah, which they seemed to really enjoy. Phil did a great gospel presentation and we made salvation bracelets with all of them. I think having visitors of any kind is a rare occurrence in this area, certainly muzungus, but it seemed to bless them a lot. We ended our time there by introducing them to Frisbees, leaving a number of them for the school.

After a full and very satisfying day, we headed back to our host houses. We have had such wonderful opportunities to experience so many aspects of Kenya, from the inner city slums to the rustic countryside. Each area has its challenges, but there is beauty in the midst of it all. It is evidenced in the faces of the people, especially the children, in the beautiful landscapes, lush vegetation, and the mountain range containing Mt. Kenya. The people are so very gracious; we could not have been welcomed more. Our hearts are burdened by the poverty, disease, and hopelessness of so many, but we have also rejoiced with our Kenyan brothers and sisters. They show us so vividly what it means to depend totally on the Lord. They never seem to tire of praising the Lord, or of praying. Their intense desire for the Lord has spoken to each of us, and even as we prepare for our last full day in Meru tomorrow, we are already feeling that we will all leave a chunk of our hearts here in Kenya when we return home.

Kenya worship and culture center

2007-06-14T07:30:00.000-05:00

Another day to worship! We attended Judy Mbugua’s home church, which we attended last year. It was an amazing time of praise! With several worship teams, choir and instruments, we joined in familiar hymns in English and exuberant worship choruses in Swahili. We’re thankful that Swahili is a phonetic language so that we were able to sing along with the words on a big screen. Then there was a series of worship songs in various tribal languages, beautiful and joyful songs of praise to the Lord. Our team also sang the song that has become the “theme song” of this team, “Cry Out to Jesus.” It truly was a great time of worship.

After lunch, Judy hosted us for lunch in her home. The Mbugua’s home is a revolving door, always open to visitors, those in ministry, and anyone needing help. One of the couples hosting us in Meru joined us, as well as several pastors and their wives. We thoroughly enjoyed our time of visiting and the great food, and then dashed off to the Kenyan cultural show called BOMAS.

BOMAS is a show highlighting the native dress, dances, and music of some of the 42 tribes of Kenya. Dancers and musicians demonstrate the variety of styles in colorful costumes with drums and other instruments. Of course, the prominent instruments were drums, and can they ever play them! One of the boys with us on the team, Josiah, is a drummer and was especially looking forward to seeing the Kenyan drummers. Unknown to us, Richard Mbugua had made arrangements for Josiah to be invited to join in with the drummers for the performance with the amazing acrobat troop. You can imagine his surprise when one of the BOMAS men came up to him and told him to come with him to join in! It was such a treat for Josiah, as well as for us, for him to sit side by side with amazing drummers who graciously showed him some of their styles. Definitely a highlight for Josiah. This acrobat act is incredible, shades of Cirque de Soleil, complete with fire eating and hat juggling, as well as amazing pyramids and tumbling. During the last act, one of the dancers enlisted Judy to dance with him and the dance troop, then urged Phil and his daughter, Samantha, onto the stage. They were great sports and enjoyed the rhythmic steps of the Kenyan music.

Now we are packing up for the journey to Meru, which is a rural farming community about 3-4 hours from Nairobi (depends on the condition of the pot holes and if we encounter rain). We have been blessed by dry days, having rains only at night, so rain hasn’t interfered with activities; we’re praying for the same in Meru.

This may be the last email before we return home; we probably won’t have access to email in Meru. We’ll be staying in the homes of our two hosts, Miriam and Leah, who work with Homecare Fellowship and the Pan African Christian Women’s Alliance, directed by Judy Mbugua. Miriam and Leah have spearheaded the ministry in Meru, their country home of origin. Please do pray for us and the people we will serve in Meru. After arriving in Meru, we will go to visit in the rural hospital where many AIDS patients, both adults and children, are treated. There are only 70 beds available, but they often have more than 200 patients. We know it is going to be an intense experience, but we will be able to visit with patients, share and pray with them, as well as the health care workers of the hospital. We are praying that we can encourage and bless each person we meet in the hospital. Tuesday, we will go to a rural school and have total access to the students. Isn’t it amazing that here we can go into a public school, present the gospel and share scripture and be totally free to pray and share! We are looking forward to having this time with the children and know that it will be a great time for both the children and the team.

Wednesday, we will have a special time with the women of Meru. They face many struggles and challenges, and we will share testimonies, messages from scripture, as well as principles of basic health and hygiene and child rearing.

We do covet your prayers for our time in Meru. It will be a different environment from the bustling city of Nairobi, but we know that God has amazing things to reveal to us. We are praying that our hearts will be prepared to serve, that we can be sensitive and responsive to every opportunity to minister, and that it will be a blessed time for all.

We have all been so impacted by the graciousness of all the believers we have met. We have been made to feel so at home here. They have expressed such appreciation that a team from the US would come to be with them; just “being” with them seems to be a huge encouragement, the importance of which we are learning more and more. We have been struck by the level of commitment of the Christian workers, their passion and dedication and willingness to give and serve sacrificially. They have challenged us to examine our own level of commitment and how much we are willing to give of ourselves to minister to those in need, whether at home or in another country. Our time in Kenya has certainly stirred up a lot of emotions and questions about what it means to truly be a follower of Christ and how we flesh out our faith. We’ve got a lot to pray about and think through……and it’s a good stretch. The Lord is speaking to each of us in different ways, and although we don’t have it all sorted out yet, we are grateful that He is shaping and molding us, challenging and changing us.

I’ll close with some of the words from our “theme song” that are so very appropriate for Kenya. As you read them, pray for the people of Kenya, especially the widows, orphans, and the millions suffering in abject poverty.

“To everyone who’s lost someone they love, long before it was their time,
You feel like the days you had were not enough when you said good bye.
And to all of the people with burdens and pains keeping you back from your life,
You believe that there’s nothing and there is no one who can make it right.

There is hope for the helpless, rest for the weary, love for the broken heart.
There is grace and forgiveness, mercy and healing. He’ll meet you wherever you are;
Cry out to Jesus; Cry out to Jesus.

To the widow who struggles with being along wiping the tears from her eyes.
For the children around the world without a home, say a prayer tonight.

When you’re lonely and it feels like the whole world is falling on you,
You just reach out, you just cry out to Jesus,
Cry out to Jesus.

Final meal with the widows

2007-06-09T01:10:00.000-05:00

The meal was good and tasty. the main thing is that the widows received alot of food to eat today and then take some home . These meals maybe the only good meal they receive all week, so they are really happy for HSF is providing for them.

Making soap

2007-06-09T01:08:00.000-05:00

Breanna and Ethan helping the ladies make soap. They had to crush up the big pieces so they could run in through the grinder and into a sack. this was a very dusty operation. Then they mixed it with other materials and will let it see for a while and use it for laundry soap to sell to make some money for the widows.

Team sharing with widows

2007-06-09T01:05:00.000-05:00

Brittney is sharing with the ladies a word of encouragement. She did a great job.
Phil sharing with the ladies.

Ladies and team singing

2007-06-09T01:04:00.000-05:00

Home Care Spiritual Fellwoship Widows

2007-06-09T01:02:00.000-05:00

Every Friday 20 ladies come together to prepare a meal for themselves and our team today and have some Bible study and sharing of testimonies. they are also making bead necklaces and bracletts to sell, which we bot more. Here we are picking the leaves off of the syem to cook greens. they really enjoyed us joining in with them on this.

Elephant orphanage

2007-06-09T00:53:00.001-05:00

We found that young elephants are just like little children around the world they love to play and have fun.

Kiberia slums

2007-06-09T00:51:00.000-05:00

One million people living on 600 acres, the largest in Africa.

Experiencing Kibera

2007-06-09T00:43:00.000-05:00

We haven’t had access to the Internet in a few days, so we’ll try to catch up a bit.

“Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Dorcas…abounding with deeds of kindness and charity which she continually did.” Acts 9:36 This Godly woman made clothing for the poor, and when she fell ill and died, Peter, through the power of the Holy Spirit, brought her back to life, and as a result, many came to the Lord. We spent time with a modern day Dorcas, one of our ministry partners, who immulates the Biblical Dorcas in many ways. Dorcas has been a widow for 24 years, left alone with five young daughters. She has worked diligently to raise her daughters by herself, but even in her own need, she has always thought of others. Twelve years ago, she donated some of her land to begin a Christian school, which is now run by one of her daughters. She also gave land to begin a sewing program for young women in the nearby slum so that they could learn a trade and provide for themselves. So the sewing to provide for the poor connection remains with this Dorcas. In the past 12 years, 550 young women have gone through the sewing training, receiving spiritual training as well as a trade. We had the privilege of meeting with the current sewing class, hear some of their testimonies, and see what this ministry has meant to so many. It is their means to a better life, an opportunity to be self-sustaining, provide for their families, and know the God who created them. It was indeed an inspiring time.

We also had our first sojourn into Kibera, a slum of 600 acres and one million people, the largest slum in Africa. It’s one thing to see pictures and read about it; it’s quite another thing to walk through this incredibly dense area, maneuver through a maze of narrow dirt passages, and be struck by the pungent smells of garbage and all manners of refuse. The stick, mud and tin 10 by 10 rooms that can house as many as 12 people, seem to be stacked on top of one another in a sea of abject poverty. But, meeting the people reveals a different side of Kibera. Out of nowhere, children suddenly appear, deep brown eyes filled with curiosity as the sight of muzungus (white folks). Immediately there is a chorus of “How are you?” in thick accents, amid giggles and hands outreached to shake our hands. Though dirty and dressed in tattered clothes, these delightful children’s smiles instantly bring light and joy to the dismal surroundings. In no time, there was a crowd of children gathered, and the team staged an impromptu praise and worship time, leading the children in songs and fun activities. It was a joyous, spontaneous time, and for a few moments, you could forget about the immense problems plaguing these children and their families, if they have one. HIV/AIDS, hunger, lack of education, lack of skills, no jobs, mostly one parent households and many child-headed households….all these and more make Kibera a place of enormous needs and little hope. We visited a number of homes, mud shanties, with meager furnishings and mud floors. We listened as the widows shared their stories of great burdens and how they rely totally on the Lord for their strength and ability to go on. Experiencing Kibera can be overwhelming; it’s hard to feel hopeful when you see the desperate circumstances they live in. But, we know that no matter how impossible the situation may seem, with God, all things are possible, and He is the only hope. As great as the needs are, He is greater still!

We also had the honor of meeting with a group of HIV widows who meet weekly at the ministry center. They gather to pray, share, cook a nutritious meal (prepared and eaten here so that that they can be assured that the widows have some strengthening food that enables them to withstand antiretroviral treatment). We joined in singing praises with them, hearing from the scriptures, sharing testimonies, and enjoying lunch together. The widows have begun two income generating projects, designing beaded jewelry and making soap. The team jumped in the soap making, vigorously breaking up the chunks of material that would be fed into a grinder to produce soap granules. These women, who are scorned, ostracized, and rejected, were so encouraged by the team’s presence. They beamed as we joined hands with them in prayer and embraced them as sisters in Christ.

Tomorrow we take part in a program that our partners began a few months ago to 300 children of the widows our partners are ministering to. The team will share music, a Bible lesson, and love on as many children as they can manage. It’s going to be a wonderful time. In the afternoon, we will have the privilege of attending the wedding of the son of one of our hosts. We’ll get to enjoy the unique customs of their tribe and share in the joyful celebration, a rare treat.

Please continue to pray for the team, ministry opportunities, and that all we do will reflect Jesus to everyone we meet.
Diane for the team

Team pic

2007-06-06T23:30:00.000-05:00

Here is a great picture of our team and hosts

Sewing project

2007-06-06T23:29:00.000-05:00

On Wednesday morning we had the opportunity to go to a local sewing project that PACWA/GA is running. We are taking 20 young ladies from a nearby slum and teaching them the trade of sewing. These ladies have not had a chance to do anything but are now finding hope and a way to provide for their families. Since January all have become Christians. Over the past 12 years of existence the school has had an impact of 550 students who are now working. After they graduate in a year they take a government test and when they pass we give them a new sewing machine and materials to start their business. Some years when funds are low they might have to wait a while but they always get a machine. Machines cost $150.00 the old pedal style as they do not have electricity in their homes. This is there classrooms and they have to copy their patterns like the ones on the walls which are just made out of paper. The only pattern books they have are in Japanese which makes it a bit difficult to read the instructions.
Joseph is their teacher and has been since the beginning and is doing a great job and loves helping the ladies move forward with their lives.
They sang songs to us read scripture and gave their testimonies, just a great morning.

Pretty cool

2007-06-06T23:19:00.000-05:00

We got a chance to go in and pet some Cheetas.

Lions taking it easy

2007-06-06T23:17:00.000-05:00

More animals

2007-06-06T23:03:00.000-05:00

Monkey family

2007-06-06T23:01:00.000-05:00

Looks like the dad gets all of the attention, just like back home.

Various monkey shots

2007-06-06T22:59:00.000-05:00

Various animals

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All of these animals were together feeding

Flamingos

2007-06-06T22:56:00.000-05:00

Lake Nakuru is famous for having hundreds of thousands of Flamingos for as far you could see it was pink, an incredible site.

Lake Nakuru park

2007-06-06T22:53:00.001-05:00

We had a great time at the national park on Tuesday
Up close with the Rhinos
Lots of Zebras and the little ones
Water Buffalo by the hundreds this one was resting under a big shade tree.

Majesty

2007-06-06T00:48:00.000-05:00

“From the highest of heights to the depths of the sea, Creation’s revealing our majesty…Every creature unique in the song that it sings, all exclaiming: Indescribable, uncontainable! You placed the stars in the sky and you know them by name. You are amazing, God!”

This chorus expresses the awe and wonder we experienced today as we went to Lake Nakura and spent time in the game preserve. The journey there was quite an adventure; a large portion of the roads were like an obstacle course of huge ruts, pot holes, and “creative” lanes of traffic. But it was all worth the jarring ride to be up close and personal with an enormous rhino, watch the gazelles, antelope, impalas and water bucks bounding across meadows so lush and green from all the recent rains. Zebras greeted us, cape buffaloes eyed us complacently, and baboons scampered all around us, taking time to preen one another and watch after their little babies. An awe inspiring sight was to drive up to the lake to a majestic display of the salmon colored edging that encircled the lake made up of thousands of flamingos. This lake is the noted home of these beautiful birds, and it reminded us of a picture postcard or a scene right out of National Geographic. Truly amazing, powerful demonstrations of God’s power and creativity!

Stopping for lunch at a high point on the trail, overlooking the lake and mountains that eclipsed the clouds, we tried to soak up the incredible view, reminded that God spoke all this, all of life into existence with such intricate detail and design. From the distinctive stripes of the zebras to the unique designs of the giraffes, we saw the uniqueness of each creature, realizing that each person, the height of God’s creation, is fearfully and wonderfully made.

After snapping as many pictures as cameras would allow, we braved the bronco ride home. This was a reflective day, a special treat to be able to experience Africa in all its beauty. Tonight we spent time praying for the outreaches tomorrow to a school and sewing micro enterprise project we will visit. We’ll share the gospel and love on the children, as well as connect with the young women learning to sew so they can support themselves. Our prayer is that we can encourage them, remind them how precious they are to the Lord, and that they are His unique creations, created for a purpose and of great value and worth, which can be quickly forgotten here where life can be especially hard for women.

Visit to Masai land

2007-06-06T00:47:00.000-05:00

Only 15 kl outside Nairobi, but it might have well been another world. No water, no electricity, very few schools, and a constant battle to survive: this is the world of Masai. Cattle and goats are their wealth and means of existence. The women work morning to night to build homes, prepare food, take care of the children, milk the cows, and most importantly, carry the precious commodity of water. This may entail walking several miles to hours to get a gallon or two of water, strap it on their heads, and return home. Life is hard and challenging. But these women, who must do so much work each day, walked away from their tasks to walk miles to meet with us. Humbling indeed! We were greeted with enthusiastic songs and dance, all of praise to God for His goodness. Their faces, lined by the harshness of life, also revealed huge smiles. Their joy was infectious! The first meeting was with the Christian women who are learning to read; one dear lady read from the Psalms for us. This may not seem like much of an accomplishment, but she is probably a grandmother, and like most women, has never had the chance to go to school. She beamed as she read the scriptures, and we were reminded not only of the importance and privilege of education, but the power of the Living Word.

A few children drifted into the meeting, precious little faces, deep brown eyes. As Diane was sharing with the women, there was a commotion on one side of the room; a little boy about six years old fainted into his mother’s lap. Immediately, a number of women took him out and began to pray and tend to him. We learned that it was probably from dehydration and lack of food, a common condition here. We gave him our water and some peanut butter crackers. Kneeling to pray with him (his name is Shadrach) and his mother (Helen), tears were rolling down his mother’s face, a mother’s heart breaking because she cannot provide what her son needs. Most of us have never experienced that helplessness to that extreme degree, but we can share her passion for her child. We then had the privilege of visiting in one of the ladies’ home, the mother of the teacher who is working with the women. Sticks held together with mud, dung, leather straps and rocks, this is home to at least 10 people. The door is so low, even the shortest of us had to duck to enter. Stick partitions separated the “living” area from three stick beds, apparently a luxury. Usually only the man has a bed; the women and children sleep on the mud floor. The kitchen consisted of an open fire, gushing thick smoke, giving the only faint light in the home. It took a while for our eyes to adjust to the darkness and be able to see anything inside. One section was deemed “the study,” consisting of a stick cot and a low ledge/table. You’d have to use the small oil lamp to be able to even see the ledge, much less try to read there. Outside the prized goats were gathered; this is their life and wealth. We were welcomed so warmly and honored to be in their home.

We visited another area nearby where our partners have been ministering to the Masai women. Again, they walked a great distance to meet us, sang, worshiped, and shared. They have just completed a classroom to begin reading classes. However, they have no teacher or chairs to sit in. You would not have thought it was a hardship, though, as they praised God and thanked Him for His faithfulness! With thanksgiving, they prayed for a teacher to come; they are so anxious to learn to read, especially to be able to read the Bible for themselves. Mothers, grandmothers, and even great-grandmothers….how eager they are to learn! We prayed with them for God to provide chairs and a teacher…and they asked that they be provided in time to start classes the first of July! They pray with such confidence and expectation….with faith! While we were spending time with the ladies, John and Phil wandered up the hill to discover a public school housing 480 students, first through eighth grade….and ONLY 8 classrooms! Teachers…picture that! They started a spontaneous game of volleyball, and Phil was able to share with them that Jesus truly loves them.

The ride back was a sobering time; we were all struck by the enormity of their needs, their steadfastness in hard work, tremendous desire to learn, and how quickly and naturally praise and thanks to God streams from their lips. As the team prayed together tonight, we acknowledged how weak our faith can be, how we often neglect prayer, or don’t pray with great expectancy, and how much we take for granted. We prayed specifically for their needs, for Shadrach and his mother, for the individual ladies who as believers are greatly impacting their families, community and culture.

With lots of hugs and handshakes, we all noticed that we came away with a new aroma, a very distinctive perfume that even after cleaning up had not disappeared…and we thank God it hasn’t. We don’t want to forget the people, how they show us what it means to truly be dependent on the Lord, to rejoice in the midst of trials, and to trust and depend on the truth that our God is truly good, and that He would reveal to each of us what He would have us do in response.

Last meeting with ladies in Masai land

2007-06-06T00:39:00.001-05:00

This was the last meeting with the ladies in Masai village, another great time of singing, dancing and sharing.

Masai house

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You can see the size of the house we went into even the smallest of our groug had to bend down to get in.
The goats are everywhere.
Side of the house with rocks holding down the roof mostly made of mud and dung.

Masai house

2007-06-06T00:30:00.000-05:00

This was inside of a Masai ladies home. It was so dark inside that when I took this picture I did not see the lady on the right. They are sitting on one of the 4 beds in the house made out of sticks.
Goat in the house. In the pot is some brew that they will use to help with some pain in their back.
Another bedroom with a desk for the children to study at. They only had this oil lamp for light.
You can see how smoky it is in this hut. The lady sitted is Mom of Moses who also lives here but outside to protect the cattle and goats

Masai group

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Here is our group with some of the Masai ladies saying good bye
Here is our driver Jeffery throwing his first football, not a bad throw,

Phil and Joseph

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Phil had a chance to meet the head master at the small school in the village and was sharing with him in the small church. since we have the new build now the church is able to meet in our building on Sunday's and are really enjoying the cement floor and new chairs.
Phil also taught him to throw a football.

Reading Bible

2007-06-06T00:18:00.001-05:00

This was one of our highlights of the trip on Monday as this lady was reading Ps 62:1 to us. She has never gone to school but PACWA/GA has now built a building and provided chairs and a wonderful teacher, Moses who is working to train these mothers, grandmothers and even great grandmothers to reach for the first time in their lives. Moses is also teaching them math so that when they go to the market they will no longer be cheated out of their money.
This lady was reading the Bible to us in English. What a blessing this is.

Food/Mase

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Here is bag of maze and bags of beans that the PACWA/GA ladies brought for the ladies to grind up into porage which will feed about 20 families for a week.

Spend some money

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Now was the time to purchase some beads that the Masai ladies create and sell to raise funds to purchase food and water. This is their only means of income. I bet all the girls back home will want what Sam has. Cute!

Masai welcome

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We were greeted warmly and with song and dancing as we arrived in the Masis village by the ladies

Team interacting

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Beautiful children

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Leaders in Limurur

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This is the leadership team at Homecare Fellowshiop in Limuru.
40 Ladies showed up for a reall blessing.

Homecare Fellowship Limuru

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Samantha singing at church great

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Great singing

The church

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Who is the white guy?

Church under the tent

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Sunday worship service

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Madison and Samantha Bible Study

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Phil teaching bad habits

2007-06-04T00:59:00.000-05:00

First weekend in Nairobi

2007-06-04T00:55:00.000-05:00

For some reason we are not able to sent pictures across on blogger this morning so the following will just be updates over the weekend. We are having a great time and lots going on the first few days with each day following even more, no rest on this past Sunday.

Everyone is doing great and having a ball. We are off to the Masai village today.
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Jambo! We made it to Nairobi on Saturday night after a long 24 hours of flying from Houston to Washington D.C. then to Zurich and finally to Nairobi our final destination. We are thankful that we did not have any problems, even though 2 of our connections were about 45 minutes late. But thankfully there were more passengers later than us, so we had to wait on them and also their luggage. All of our bags made it, including the guitar and special drum Josiah brought so that he could play. Most of us took a few cat naps in flight, except for one girl I won’t mention (B.R.?) who did not sleep the entire trip.
As you can see, Phil was already leading the team astray before we ever left the Houston airport by teaching them the card game of Rook. He seemed like only he knew the rules and after Diane gave up after one hand, Madison took over and won the first with a perfect score of 360, which I don’t know what that means, but we were all quite impressed.
We got settled in our home away from home for this week, the Anglican Guesthouse, then off to bed and good night’s sleep for all.

Sunday morning started off with breakfast and then a drive to a local church, actually outside of town about 40 minutes. It was one of the 7 sister churches that Judy Mbugua, the director of our ministry partnership, belongs to. It was packed! As you see in the photos, there were well over 1,000 all under a tent. It was a really good service, and one of the worship songs they sang was great, even thought we did not know a single word of the Swahili, but it lasted about 15 minutes. Let me just say they we excited and enjoying the worship time. We got to share in their communion, which is always special, but the entire church was just finishing 7 days of prayer and fasting, and this was their breaking of the fast. Then Samantha Wegner sang a song and it was incredible; she really did a fantastic job and was so well received by the church.

We left church after 2 ½ hours, though the service had not quite yet ended. They were just winding down with the sermon from a guest evangelist from Nigeria. I think it probably went a while longer, but we had another event to join in on. We had a quick lunch and jumped back into the van and headed out to Limuru, which is actually where Judy was born so got a little history lesson on that. We went past a soccer field that she told us she used to play on in school, 6 miles from her home, but they walked there without a thought about the distance.

Limuru Homecare Fellowship center is the first of the 22 branches of the ministry in Kenya to have a permanent facility for ministry, one that took five years to build and was built entirely with funds raised from the women in Homecare. For women with little resources, this is quite a feat and testimony to God’s faithfulness and the women’s commitment to serve. Women meet regularly at the center for prayer, worship, encouragement, and service. We got to meet with the women who meet on Sunday afternoons, and what a joyful group of women they were. They had waited patiently for us for more than an hour while we fought through traffic, singing and praising. Yet they wanted to sing even more for us once we arrived. Though many of these women are grandmothers left with raising their grandchildren after losing sons and daughters to AIDS and struggle to provide basic needs, they have the joy of the Lord! Their heart is to share Jesus and reach out to their community with the hope of the gospel and practical help. Now that they have a facility, they are praying for equipment to set up vocational training so that people in the community can support themselves and care for their families. (Unemployment is extremely high in Nairobi, and so many are not educated or skilled to find any sort of job.) Their desire is to create a sewing business, a cosmetology school, and bakery. They have seen God’s miraculous provision for the building, now they are praying to fill it and put it to great use. Their demonstration of sacrificial giving is quite humbling.

The Wegners sang some worship songs for them, the team as introduced, and a devotional shared by Diane. Judy presented some new African Bible Commentaries that will now be available at the center for study, and we joined in the dedication and thanksgiving for these gifts.

Before we could get in the van to return to Nairobi, many of the neighborhood children gathered, and as always, there was singing, smiles, and laughter. After many digital photos, which delighted each one as they saw themselves, we headed back to the guesthouse, experiencing a big of “lag” at the end of the day.

It was truly a great first day for the team; we got to be a part of joyful, exuberant worship where Jesus is truly lifted up and met special people who love the Lord and want to serve him and see their city and nation know Him, too. We look forward to tomorrow when we will spend the day in Masai land with this very interesting Kenyan tribe. Many have come to know the Lord through the outreach of our ministry partners, and we are praying for a great time of praise, worship, and declaring with them the Good News. Today has certainly been a Karibou day….a day of welcome, and we already feel quite blessed.

Masai Warrior

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One of the many men we will be meeting this week.

Brief history of the Masai

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MASAI - KENYA
East African nomadic people speaking the Masai Sudanic language. The Masai (or Maasai) traditionally herded their cattle freely across the highlands of Kenya. Probably at the height of their power in the mid-19th century, they suffered from the British colonization of Africa and the resultant ecological and political changes. Rinderpest, an infectious febrile disease, apparently accompanied the British, decimating the cattle herds that supplied the Masai with milk and blood; famine and then smallpox followed. The weakened Masai attacked rather than cooperated with the new rulers. In 1904 and 1912-13 the British government relocated the Masai population to distant southern Kenya and Tanzania, where they now live.
Masai males are rigidly classed by age into boys, warriors, and elders. Girls often have their marriages negotiated by their fathers before they are born. Both boys and girls undergo circumcision ceremonies. Older women enjoy the same status as male elders. The Masai, most of whom are nomadic throughout the year, live in kraals, small clusters of cow-dung huts constructed by the women. Today the Masai number approximately 250,000. They remain a pastoral people.

The Maasai
I was fortunate on this trip to be able to spend time photographing two of the indigenous peoples of Kenya: the Maasai, and their close cousins, the Samburu. To Westerners, the Maasai are perhaps the best-known of the native African tribes of Kenya. Traditionally nomadic pastoralists, they developed a reputation as fierce warriors and lion killers, as they competed for grazing land with those great predators of the savannah. Their legendary vertical leaping ability was developed as a way of intimidating the big cats, who perceived in them not just men but men approaching ten feet tall.
The Maasai settled in Kenya about 1,000 years ago, moving south from Lake Turkana into the fertile lands of the Great Rift Valley. The British moved them into the more arid savannah regions of the south, but even there the Maasai have maintained their traditional nomadic way of life.
The Maasai graze their cattle over vast distances, and live in temporary villages, or manyattas, of huts surrounded by a thorn fence for protection. Their diet consists primarily of milk, some meat, and blood drawn from their cattle.
Today the Maasai have adapted to tourism, and have found ways to benefit from the influx of people into Kenya's game reserves. Villages in close proximity to the reserves will charge tourists an admission fee to take pictures, and also insist on selling trinkets, some of which are of distinctly dubious local origin. In our case, however, the experience was mutually beneficial, and as we spent time getting to know them as people, we found them warm and friendly, and eager to show their way of life to visitors from America.

The Maasai Culture
The Maasai are a distinctly patriarchal society, and the lives of males are punctuated by ritual. At the time of circumcision, around 12-15 years, males are initiated as moran, or young warriors. As moran, they wander from village to village, keep watch over the livestock, and defend the tribe against enemies. They remain warriors for about 15 years, until around age 30 they pass through another set of rituals, enuoto, which confers elder status on the men, who may then marry and have children.
While the men care for the livestock, the Maasai women do much of the work in the manyatta: caring for and teaching the children, building the huts, and making clothing.

Flash back to summer 2006

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These are the faces of last year and the many friends that we made. As you see their faces and smiles you will grow to love them as much as we did.

3 Days before we leave

2007-05-29T21:37:00.000-05:00

It is just three days before we will be leaving Houston and head off to Kenya for another great time of ministry with some incredible people. As pictured above, we will be working along side the Masai people during this trip. We met these wonderful ladies last August, and it was such a special time for all of us. They walked two different times from their village several hours away just to be with us. Now we are going to their village to minister and share with them. We will also be working with a local hospital with only 70 beds to care for more than 200 patients. We will have time to spend with the AIDS widows at the Homecare Center in Nairobi where we help feed them, provide for homes and help them to just survive. We will also be involved one Saturday in one of our feeding programs for over 300 children that are part of only 20 families in the Kibera slum. You may recall the Kibera slum where we minister to the AIDS widows and orphans, an area of 1,000,000 in 600 acres. That's 1,700 people per acre. It is an unbelievable sight when you are walking in the mist of all of these people, 70% of whom are HIV positive. With no electricity, running water, or bathrooms, life is hard for families of 10-12 people living in a 10 x 10 mud hut. Education is hard to access in this area. There is public education, but you still have to pay for your books and uniform or you can't go to school. Jobs are also hard to come by with 70% unemployment in Nairobi . Thousands of people walk into town each day to see if they can find some sort of work for the survival of their family. For all practical purposes, life seems hopeless, but when you get to meet the people, see their hearts and how they want to provide for their children and family members, we are reminded of Jesus' heart for these people, which is true hope, and we are compelled to do what we can to help. As Judy Mbugua, our wonderful leader in Africa, tells us we might not be able to do it all, but we do what we can. And it does make a difference.

So we are asking you to pray with us for the next two weeks as we minister in Kenya to those with great spiritual and physical needs. As much as we desire to serve and encourage the people in Kenya, we know from experience that they will teach and bless us in incredible ways as well.

Pray for our team: Breanna, Hannah, Brittney, Phil, Samantha, Josiah, Madison, Ethan, Diane and John. We would really appreciate it.

Check our blog daily to get further updates on our trip. God bless and we will see you when we return.