heading home.....

hello all.

the team just arrived safely back in nairobi and will be heading home tomorrow at 7:15am. we have alot more to update you on and will get those blogs and photos up as we have access to the internet which may not be until we get home.

pray that we remain patient with one another. it will be a loooong journey home. we fly to south africa in the morning and have a 10 hour layover before flying from south africa into newark, nj at 11am on tuesday. we hope to be back home by 2:30pm on tuesday.

we are excited to share with you some of the things that have happened during our time away. we are left with many new friends and lots to process. continue praying for martin. he is talking and walking again and has begun to eat as well. we are praying for a full recovery and will keep you posted.

thanks for your love and prayers!

faith

In-Step Ministries...BABY HOME

Hello dear family, friends, & loved ones. This is Andrea blogging again on behalf of the team.

Our days have been very busy! The guys have been working hard on random construction projects and we ladieshave been building relationships with the girls at the Neema Home. Yesterday, we had a special outing to work with a middle-aged married couple from Washington named Jeff & Carla Picicci. They began doing missions work in Kenya a few years ago and the Lord gave them a very clear vision to begin "Rehema Ministries" (rehemaministries.com). They have a home for abandoned babies/children. Last year when they began, they had around 30 kids and have doubled in one year....now housing 63 abandoned children and are calling them their own. They desire to raise Godly, educated boys and girls into men and women who will help to change their land and further the Kingdom.
As we drove over the very bumpy dirt roads (covered in potholes) to get to their home, the anticipation grew! We arrived & greeted so many tiny faces. Some of them were scared of us, but most smiled happily and welcomed us as playmates. Carla gave us a tour of their *beautiful* property - telling us story after story of miracles for how God provided every need and necessary funding. They have 20 acres, much of it used for farming. They have a huge water system that was donated to them - which is connected to an underground river source which they surprisingly found upon digging. We walked around the house and different buildings...seeing the kitchens, the assembly line of high chairs and feeding tables for the kids, the countless cribs and pack-n-plays covered in mosquito nets, and the very loooong changing table with a mound of diapers on its end. We learned that they go through 220 diapers/day, they take their diapers to the Kitale landfill on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays. Only 5 of the 63 children are HIV positive but most have TB. There are 29 full-time staff, 3 shifts/day of nannies ("aunties"). 

I walked around the property with the team listening to each incredible story of God's goodness and ways that He has led them as my eyes were brimming with tears of joy and awe. We neared the children again to play for a bit before lunch. I walked over to a section where the babies were propped up in a row on a couple of long mattresses. I was immediately drawn to one boy, whose name is "Teddy". Teddy is 7 or 8 months old, I would guess, but I could tell that something was very wrong with him. I picked him up and saw that his gaze was distant and unfocused and he had poor control over his body and neck movement. I just held him, rocking him, praying and singing over him. I silently spoke life over him and clutched onto his tiny fingers as they grasped mine, only to look down and see that a few of them were webbed together. At that moment, Carla came over and sat down next to me on the floor while Teddy had just fallen asleep in my arms and she told me his story while tears just rolled down my face. His young, alcoholic mother had abandoned him and they think he has fetal alcohol syndrome. 

Carla went on to tell me another story of a little girl who had falling asleep next to me on the floor. Her name was Sarah. Carla explained that Carla's mother was a teenage girl who had prematurely given birth to her in a latrine, leaving her to die. Sarah had landed face up in the waste and cried and cried until one of their workers found and rescued her. Sarah is now a strong, healthy little girl. The thing that shocked me the most about hearing this story was that before this trip to Kenya was ever even planned up, I had a very vivid dream about this exact story of Sarah. I woke up from that dream a little less than a year ago, crying, praying & journaling , wondering what God was trying to tell me...little did I know that I would be sitting on the floor in a Kenyan home next to the very girl that I dreamt about. I just sat with Carla, weeping so hard, telling her about my dream...and praying over these children! I can't imagine being a mom to countless children, remembering each of their stories (let alone names!) and trusting as God provides enough food and money to get by each day and month...being strong for kids with such unimaginably difficult lives...and teaching them about a God who is their faithful Father despite the abandonment of their earthly parents.

So, that was yesterday...and today we spent our last full day with our Neema sisters :) Today was a day of sharing testimonies and talking about baptisms because tomorrow me, Stephanie, & the Neema girls are all getting baptized. I joyfully shared my testimony and all that God has been teaching me over the last year as it's been a time of great restoration and learning about the Father's love. The coolest thing for me is that five years ago I was coming home from a missions trip to Romania and really felt strongly from the Lord that my next missions trip wouldn't be for awhile, but eventually would be to Africa to work with orphans, and that I should get baptized there. So that's all been floating in the back of my mind/heart for years...and, here I am, in Kenya, sharing my testimony with former street girls the day before we ALL get baptized together in a river outside of Kitale! How exciting!!!! :) 

We love you and miss you....thank you for battling for us as we are here serving and loving....we stand and move on your prayers! See you soon :)

URGENT PRAYER

Those of you following this blog know that the team in Kenya went to the funeral and burial services for Veronica, one of the children supported by TI, on saturday.  On Monday, we received word that Martin, Veronica's 4 year old brother was HIV positive and also had the chicken pox.  He was diagnosed monday and treated aggressively on tuesday.  Today, we got a call that they were taking Martin back to the hospital because he was having difficulty breathing.  We just heard that the doctors have admitted him and are treating him for pneumonia, meningitis, and chicken pox, all while being HIV positive.  This is a desperate situation!!!! We need the Lord to intervene and breath NEW LIFE into Martin's body.  

This community has suffered a lot of loss lately and their hearts are breaking.  Pray for LIFE.  Pray for PEACE.  Pray against fear and anxiousness for the children at HBF, the TI Team, the house parents, social workers, and teachers.  Pray for HOPE!!!

Thanks for standing with us in prayer for this miracle!  We are desperate for the power of God to made known.

-Faith-

NEEMA GIRLS UPDATE

Monday and Tuesday we went to the Neema house. Sunday night, we spent some time in prayer asking for God to bless our time with these women and ease our interaction with them. And let me tell you, the days were beyond blessed. God is faithful to answer. We met Olivia, Catherine, Elizabeth, Rebekah, Metrin (Mrembo), and Sharon. They are beautiful. Olivia is the most recent addition to the Neema house and she is flourishing there. We also met Joanne, Janet, and Joyce who are the teacher, house mom, and seamstress.
The night before we made our first visit we were told that the girls are very shy and not to be surprised if they didn't welcome us in with open arms. That night as we prayed together our hearts were encouraged and refilled for the following day. And do you want to know how God answered our prayers? They literally welcomed us with arms that were wide open!

Isaiah 60:1
"Arise shine for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord rises upon you."
60:3
"Nations will come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawn."

We came from the US to their light. Before we came to Kenya, I was reading my bible and read Isaiah chapters 60-62 and the Lord was telling me all throughout that these verses were promises to the girls of Neema. The Lord is clothing these women with a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair! These women were taken from the streets where they were made to believe that their lives and their bodies were worth little to nothing. A little over a year ago, the first girls were brought into a house of grace (that is what Neema means in Swahili). Now "Instead of their shame my people will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace they will rejoice in their inheritance; and so they will inherit a double portion in their land and everlasting joy will be theirs." These young women are learning to speak English and are doing very well but communication is still difficult. Nevertheless, the Lord has called them beautiful and that word we have all learned to translate - "Mrembo" They respond with a giggle and shy "thank you" to this praise, but I believe that they know it is truth. I pray that they do and that it is the Lord who is speaking it to them.

Isaiah 62:2-4
"The nations will see your righteousness,
and all kings your glory;
you will be called by a new name
that the mouth of the Lord will bestow.
You will be a crown of splendor in the Lord's hand,
a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
No longer will they call you Deserted,
or name your land Desolate.
But you will be called Hephzibah,
and your land Beulah;
for the Lord will take delight in you,
and your land will be married."

Hephzibah means "my delight is in her" and the Lord delights in his daughters of grace. We have been blessed to meet and spend time with these women and we pray that their hearts will be encouraged by our company as our hearts have been encouraged by theirs. We plan to see the Neema girls again this week.  Thursday will be another day to play and build relationships and friday we are having a joint baptism and then ending the day with lunch in town. Thank you so much for all of your prayers, this trip and everyone on it has been abundantly blessed. Please, continue to pray!
Hebrews 13:21
...may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory for ever and ever. Amen.

"It's okay, we'll worry about it later."

Daniel Jumma is an inspiration!  He has 7 children of his own and cares for 20 foster kids at his home.  We spent an afternoon at his home playing with the kids.  They were all so entertained just to run in circles with us, or jump up and down, or play hand slapping games.  Looking around his home, we noticed that the ceiling in the sitting room was falling apart.  Juma mentioned that he was expecting some funds to be wired to him in order to build a new ceiling.  Yesterday, Seth and I joined with Sean, Mark and Derek from TI, met Juma and his son in town at the hardware store to pick up some supplies.  

When we got back to Juma’s house we began tearing down the old ceiling.  I can’t even begin to describe how much dust and dirt rained down on us.  With the old ceiling down we were able to begin hanging the new one in it’s place.  Because we didn’t have anything to cut the ceiling panels with we had to leave two of the edges of the room unfinished.  The room is far from anything that we would see in America, but it brought a huge smile to Juma’s face!  Even the kids were smiling as they came home from school and saw their new ceiling.  

Anytime anything went wrong during the day – even when we had to tell Juma that we couldn’t finish the two edges – he would respond in the same way.  He would smile and say, “it’s okay, we’ll worry about it later”.  Juma is a man who currently has no electricity, no running water and no governmental assistance in caring for these foster kids.  Juma is a man who is filled with love and compassion.  He doesn’t focus on what he doesn’t have.  Instead, he focuses on God the Father who continues to provide for him.  .  

-Ray Smith-

Update from Eileen

Tuesday in Kitale our team split up to experience several different experiences. Revee' and I had the opportunity to join Daniel and Anne on some TI work. We walked into town where we met our first challenge - crossing a rather deep water pipe ditch on a 2 x 4. Fortunately Daniel was there to lend a hand across otherwise I'm sure I would have fallen in the ditch. We headed across the street to the hospital where we met up with Sopora, the Hope Bright Future Home manager. She was there with Martin and Stella who were receiving care for chicken pox and malaria. From there we met Anne and some Kenyan government officials at the Children's Welfare Department. Hopping into the back of a truck we headed fro the market to pick up rice and beans for the widow's project we were going to visit. I went with Anne to pick up the beans. She grabbed my hand as we wove our way through the crowded market place with Kenyan men calling out mzungu (white) behind me. We darted down an alleyway where on either side vendors were selling beans and maize. Mission accomplished we met up with Revee' and Daniel who had gone off to purchase a super sized bag of rice to go with the beans. Soon we were off on our primary mission which was to assess a widow's project which claimed to be taking care of 20 or more orphans. Daniel explained that thorough assessment is necessary because often times these claims are a scam. A few minutes into our trip the truck broke down but it wasn't too long before the problem was fixed and we were on our way toward turkana. When we reached our final destination we were welcomed by twenty or more women dancing singing and making some strange African sounds. As Revee' and I stepped out of the truck we were engulfed by the women giving double side hugs to each one before being led up to the porch where we would then shake hands with all the men. Soon we all sat down to hear the story of their need for support from the Children's Welfare Department. It didn't take too long to determine that the story didn't seem quite legitimate. One of the first signs of something off was when a rather well fed Kenyan woman got up to speak prompting us to wonder if there really was an issue with feeding the kids. Then the woman who they claimed was the teacher led the children in song, but the children didn't seem to really know the song or seem to have a connection to the teacher. Afterward we inspected the dwelling which again did not seem like it was really being lived in - very suspicious. Before leaving we spent some time interacting with the children who were supposed to be the primary focus of the meeting with this group. Daniel asked several of them if they lived with these women to which most replied that they lived down the road. It was pretty clear that they had rounded up some children to pose as their orphans. Daniel also pointed out that the children would have appeared more malnourished and shown signs of ring worm on their  scalp. Daniel's gut feeling was that what we saw was a scam which was hard to accept because we were hoping that there would be a legitimate need. All in all it was a fascinating experience to learn how Ti goes about investigating potential projects. Daniel and Anne's commitment to helping widows and orphans requires sound judgement and a discerning spirit. Kenyan children and people pull at your heart strings but today I learned that effective ministry means having a firm commitment to your mission. We can trust God with his decision to trust us as he leads us to those who truly are the neediest.

Shika Baba

In Swahili, "shika baba" means "hold onto the Father".  We have been learning what that really means.  Saturday was an incredible emotional day for the team, learning to extend love, comfort, hope, and peace to a group of 29 orphans and staff who were mourning the loss of precious Veronica.  We loaded up the matatu with the team and kids and headed to the burial.  The children sang then entire way...songs about how their lives our changed by God and they will be together again one day.  I wept.  Our team was large enough, along with the TI staff, to make sure that each one of the children had someone to sit and comfort them through the service.  All of these children have already experienced the loss of both parents, so this was painful for them too.  We were glad to be there to comfort them.  We were happy to end the day playing and offering them much joy.  Soccer, bike rides, hand games, hop-scotch, etc.  It was a great way to end our time with them.

Sunday was a day of rest.  Some of the group went to church, while others stayed behind to read.  Then we all met up in town for lunch together.  Some people experienced their first "boda-boda" (back of a bicycle with a kenyan driver) and "piki-piki" (back of motorbike with a kenyan driver) rides.  Some of the ladies and gents learned that you should NOT hold onto the kenyan driving you around.  That is too forward.  There are little handles under the seat and behind the seats that you should hold onto.  Meredith was racing around on her bike to get the attention of our group to tell them to let go!  It was comical.

We came home and began working on dinner.  Four of the team members had the opportunity to kill the “kuku” (chickens) for our stew.  It was an entertaining experience for all watching!  The laughter could be heard for miles as they learned to kill, pluck, and roast the bird.  Jeriah says she is now ready to survive in the wilderness.

We headed over to hang out in the home of Daniel Juma, a man who has taken 20 street kids into his home for him and his wife to care for.  He shared how the children are rejected by society.  Neighborhoods don’t want the kids near their houses and churches are also unwilling to accept them.  It is so sad.  After hearing their stories the team went outside to play, play, play!  

We came home, spent hours making chicken stew and chapatis for dinner.  Laughed over memories and food, prayed together, went over the plans for the day, and headed to bed.

Today (monday), the girls are heading out to spend the day with the 6 girls at the neema project.  We are hoping relationships are built quickly.  The boys will be building a chicken coop for the neema home.  

We are excited about a new week.  We are hoping that we can serve well, stay rested and refreshed and stay present with any individual we encounter.  Pray that the team stays unified.  we are around eachother 24 hours a day, which can be a challenge.  The Lord uses all those things to stretch you and scrape away many things.  We need grace to continue serving well together.

Thanks again for praying for us.  We are having a great time!!!!  What a privilege it is to serve here!

Faith

Update from Seth

Today, Saturday, was by far the most emotionally draining day that our team has experienced and will experience. If you read below on the last few blogs, you would see that we were attending a funeral for Veronica, the little girl who had been HIV positive and then recently came down with chicken pox. Ultimately, her immune system could not fight the chicken pox, and sadly she passed away. However, as death is always a surprise and full of pain, Veronica is rejoicing with our Lord and Savior. How sweet it must be.

Apparently, I am the “funny guy” of this trip. That really isn’t that hard when there are only two guys matched up with 9 girls. If you ever wondered what the lyrics “try to catch me riding dirty” would look like, picture 40 adults and children piling into a van(matatu).....max seating is 14. The shocks were reduced to nothing and every little bump we hit, our bodies were screaming. Not to mention, the van is hardly street legal with the driver flying down the road( if that’s what you want to call it ), with really no regard to anyone else. Truly an experience. Words don’t do it justice.

Our team was not really sure what to expect today. We arrived at the Hope Bright Future home around 9:30 a.m. and immediately the kids were swarming around us. As comfortable as the children were with us, it seemed as though the kids knew us their entire lives. They truly were just waiting to be embraced and wanting to feel a some sense of love. Something that this trip has definitely made me realize, is that I have taken for granted my entire life is parents who unconditionally love me, and wouldn’t give up on me when their lives got to hard.

We were able to play a few games with the kids including hide and go seek, which is not as easy as you would think since we were the only ones who really understood each other. After that, we then played red light green light. That was much easier and all the kids had a blast. Then we were off to the funeral.

                       

Entering the funeral was probably a spectacle in itself. 15 Americans entering a very secluded village that took about 5 minutes of driving, to get to. They were very hospitable though once we arrived. They had seats ready for us and the kids that were in the shade. Not all the villagers even had shade. The funeral service lasted over three hours. But this was definitely not a typical service. Veronica was an orphan, yet there were easily over 20 members of her family. At devotions tonight with the team, Meredith(TI Staff) said that in over 2 years, not one member of Veronicas family came to the home to see her. Yet, each member of the family; aunts, uncles, grandfather, brothers, sisters, and cousins all had something to say about little Veronica. Doesn’t really add up to me. But then again, the entire Kenya culture has thrown me for a loop since being here.

 

After the service our team was invited into the uncles house for a rice, cabbage, beans and potatoes. It was really goood, and I’m not just saying that. I even ate the cabbage. That says a lot!

Man, this post seems like its taking forever. Maybe Andreas wasn’t that long after all.

After lunch, we took the kids back to the HBF. This was the most fun I had this entire trip. We played 20 v. 20 soccer in the yard. The kids were nasty at soccer. Seriously. Kenya soccer is legit.

Okay, this “update” is turning into a minute by minute detail and I am beat. We ate grilled cheese and raman noodles for dinner. A touch of heaven…if your not lactose intolerant. I think Gatorade would have made it just a little bit better. A great thirst quencher. 

Overall, this trip I think has really just begun. This bubble that I have lived in for my entire life has just been popped and now the process of digesting what we(I) have seen and experienced has just begun. We are all very excited to see how God uses this trip to impact our lives in the near and distant future.

 -Mr.Windle-

Images from Kenya

Jeriah and Asha, one of the newest orphans to join Hope Bright Future Homr

Three little friends working hard to keep Seth out of trouble

Sarah and Miss Lina (a precious walking miracle)

Megan with two little men at the Hope Bright Future Children's Home

Stephanie and some of the Children at Hope and Bright Future School in the Soweto Slums

The team with the children at Hope Bright Future House

Today was a long day.  Thanks for praying God's grace was upon all of us and we learned to love in a way different than any of us ever experienced before.  I am weary and heading to bed.  Enjoy some photos.

Faith

Update from the Team Leader...

Greetings from Kenya!

I realize that Andrea just posted a huge update.......READ IT!

I will spare you all the details since she did a great job, but I wanted to share a few things about the team.  For anyone of you who know anyone of the team members, I want you to know that you would be SO PROUD of them!!!  I was nervous about bringing people to Kenya, because I love my kenyan family so much and wanted everyone to have that experience.  I was a bit nervous about taking the team from the airport, after 2 days of travel, to breakfast and then to 2 different slums.  

We arrived at 5:30 am and by 10am, this team was in the Soweto Slum visiting a school.  Andrea shared with you what they saw and experienced but I was to share with you the highlight of my day.  When the kids at the school were dismissed to play, I told the team they could go outside to join them.  I went to greet one of the leaders and my team had disappeared out the door that quickly.  After about 10 minutes, I realized I better go make sure everyone was okay.  When I got to the doorway I could barely get through, so I stopped and looked around me, I was AMAZED.

• SETH was on my left, on the ground surrounded by children.....laughing and giggling and taking photos with them.  there was no way he was getting up off the ground with out a fight.
• Right in front of him....EILEEN was pinned up against the fan with a group surrounding her.  She was showing them her book reader...this computer type thing that holds books.  Her face was radiating as she stood there sharing part of her world with them.
• Directly in front of me, MEGAN was swinging kids up and down off the ground.....giggles just kept flowing from the mouths of the children.
• Off to my right, RAY was just standing there, holding a child in his arms.  Such kindness and compassion in his eyes.
• STEPHANIE....seeing her was for sure one of the greatest moments of my day.  I looked down, and she was also so close to the ground with these precious faces surrounding her.  I saw such JOY and DELIGHT in her eyes.....it seemed as though they were twinkling.  I felt like her heart was getting bigger and bigger the longer I watched her.  It seemed as though I was watching a miracle unfold before my eyes.
• SARAH and REVEE had their cameras out capturing every moment.  They were having so much fun photographing the children and playing games with them.  Having been in Africa before they are naturals.
• ANDREA, LESLIE and JERIAH.....were all doing the same...playing, smiling......such joy.  

I will continue to share some personal stories of what I see.  I am so proud of this team.  In their weariness they have not only demonstrated a positive attitude, but have lavished people with love.  They are ministering to one another and to the kenyan people.

Many of them had tears in their eyes throughout the day.  It is a shocking experience.  PRAY for us, we have felt your prayers.  Tomorrow will be a funeral for a child, something we never thought we would be a part of, but we are prepared to go and LAVISH the hurting with the love of Jesus.  If ever there was a moment that we desired to have the purest and deepest love of Christ shining through us, it would be tomorrow, as we hold children who have lost their parents and have now lost a sibling.  These kids have experienced more loss than most of us will ever really understand.

Well, its 1am here so I really need to get to bed.  Thanks for loving us and sending us.  Your love and care for us is so encouraging.  Feel free to post comments.  I read them to the team each day and they encourage our hearts so much.

LOOK BACK FOR PHOTOS TOMORROW!!! 

I don't know how to blog...

This is Andrea for the team.

And the reason I don't know how to blog....is because it's feeling impossible to pinpoint how I feel...because I am trying to allow my mind and heart to digest what it is I (we) have experienced over the last 48 hours. 

I didn't even read what Sarah wrote - so I'm not sure where she left off...I think it was when we were still in the Accra (Ghana) airport. So, first things first - We have MANY praises: Our luggage all arrived safely. Everyone is safe and healthy. Our transportation has gone smoothly....and by smoothly I actually mean VERY bumpy and so unreal to any kind of American driving experience that I don't even get nervous looking at oncoming traffic because it feels completely unreal and out of body. Not only do they drive on the opposite side of the car and road than us...but the painted lines don't really matter...and, to me, the laws on the road is that there are no roads. Except, of course, that pedestrians must yield to traffic or you'll get hit.  

Now, if the driving experience here in Kenya is hard for me to explain...I'm beginning to get nervous about trying to search for words and adjectives to describe what we did yesterday (whatever day yesterday was....I don't even know what day it is today!?!)

We spent the day yesterday going to two slums. Both are in Nairobi (where we stayed in the hotel overnight). The Soweto Slums was the first slum where we drove in and visited with the Hope Bright Future School. My every sense was radically shocked as we bounced around the dirt roads and arrived at the school. We were greeted by 200 children who TI works with and funds. They sung, danced, and recited their memory verses for us. We were given a brief history of the slums, the school, etc. Toward the end of our time there, we were able to play in this open area with the children...we were tackled by them as they swarmed for us to chase them and take their picture just so we could turn our digital screens back to show them their photos! They were beyond thrilled. 

As we piled back into the Matatu (a crazy, crowded van of sorts...that would never reach any sort of inspection in the states)...we drove towards the Kibera slums and I asked Faith how Kibera could possibly be any worse than the circumstances we just observed. And she answered with a brief, "Oh, you'll see."

We pulled up to the Kibera Slums - the second largest slum in the ENTIRE WORLD...and had to take a ten minute walk into the depths of the slum to reach the Desert Streams School where we were going to meet the students/teachers there and see how that project was going.  ....and here is the part where I feel my heart growing heavy and words seem absent...there is no photo I could show you that could fully capture these slums. There are no words I could share with you because, as Americans, we have no frame of reference for such a place. Any bubble that I had been living in popped as I stared at my feet trying to avoid walking in the raw sewage with my flip flops on. In the first thirty seconds, I had a marriage proposal. I think I walked out with three. As I continued to walk, I tasted everything I was smelling - sewage, exhaust, rotting who knows what, etc. I realized after about 10 minutes of walking that I had hardly lifted my head up because I didn't want to make eye contact with anyone....out of guilt, of brokenness, out of extreme awkwardness, out of nervousness. There we were, a mass of white people walking into a place where white people don't walk...and children ran up to us screaming, "Hi, how are you?! Hi, How are you!?" because that was one of the only things they could say in English. They touched our hands and white skin. They, so innocently and excitedly, waved and we waved back...it felt as if we were some sort of American celebrities...but it was an absolutely awful feeling. As I met eye contact with the adults, I wonder what their thoughts were behind their straight, cold faces...some smiled...but others, I just felt, thought "Who are these white people coming in to observe our lives as if we're some exhibit to feel sorry for and then leave?" It was such a helpless feeling.

I went numb. I couldn't even recognize any emotion within me because my mind was so far from myself...until one of our teammates asked us when we finally arrived at the school and were seated if I was okay...and then the tears came. No. I was definitely not okay. After a couple minutes of trying to hide my tears, they managed to momentarily dry up. The starters of this school/ministry, Lois (I think her name is) and her husband Tobias, offered us tea. They made us their chai tea and opened up two bags of white bread and evenly distributed it among us. They had nothing and yet so warmly offered us the little that was available. The children were just ridiculously adorable, so well-behaved, such BEAUTIFUL and huge teethy-white grins that stretched from ear-to-ear. We were, again, sung and danced for by each individual age group/grade. We played with the children, getting covered in dirt and whatever was covering them covered us. (For one of our teammates, even ringworm.) But it doesn't stop us from touching them and loving them. 

I saw Jesus in the least of those children and people. I witnessed a people who were so absolutely poor in the eyes of the world, but yet, in spirit, they were SO RICH. Yet we, as Americans, are so often so rich in the eyes of the world and still so very empty inside in our spirits. In the midst of the darkness of those slums were great beacons of light and immense testimony of God's love and restoration! 

Tobias ministered to me and told me that there is great blessing on my feet - and that as I step forward seas will part and God's work will be done..... and the Holy Spirit just filled me up with the great joy and strength to love and serve and rest knowing that God is big enough for this...that He is more than enough for these people....and that He is more than enough for us. 

I left the slums, ignoring the marriage proposals and harassment, avoiding the sewage, and engaging with each person silently as I passed by. My eyes had been refocused while in that school from the great despair and poverty back to the Sovereign God that I serve...and I looked from Jesus straight into the eyes of every person I passed, offering a smile and blessing them and their land as we walked out.

My life has been changed. I wish each of you could experience this. 

So....we are fighting jet lag, we are blowing blackened boogers out of our noses, we are putting ointment on each other's rashes, we are learning what it means not to shower for days......but we are learning what it means to be truly rich in Spirit by God's love and life, we are learning to worship Him in all things....

And, tomorrow, (Saturday!! I finally realized what day it is...oh and remember we're 7 hours ahead of you)....is a day we really need to be covered in prayer. Please intercede.... because tomorrow we will be learning what it means to comfort those who mourn. Because of Jesus, we will be a presence that offers hope in the midst of hopelessness and life in the midst of death. Tomorrow we will be spending our first day out of Nairobi and here in Kitale - where we have been scheduled for quite some time to spend with the orphans....but it so happened that one of the orphan girls, Veronica, died a few days ago from HIV & a chicken pox outbreak. She was 5 or 6 years old, an orphan with two siblings. So on our scheduled day with the orphans, we will be attending a funeral with them for this dear child who is now fully restored and with the Lord. Pray for us as we give of ourselves and empty out Hope and Life and Love into such a tragic time for a children who are missing their friend and sister. God knew we would be needed there to intercede and love these children and it is not by mistake the timing of this. How wild it is that on our very first day in Kitale we will be attending a funeral. Wow.

Of course I wide awake because it's 4pm your time...but it's 11pm our time...so I better go to sleep.

THANK YOU for your prayers....and for reading this long post....hopefully your eyes aren't burning to badly from staring at your computer screen....whatever the words are I just shared really are a scratch on the surface for all that we've seen and experienced. We love you and miss you - thank you for battling on our behalf! We need you :)

Be blessed- (BECAUSE YOU ARE!)

Slappin da Bass

Ten hours later...

So here we are still in the Ghana airport- some sleeping, some taking pictures of people sleeping, some trying to lick their elbows, some playing games, some making funnies (seth), but all enjoying themselves quite a bit. 

With us, is a pastor, Matthew and his Grandmother, Lois who are  from California. Matthew is a pastor at Church Without Walls in Berkley, CA and has a heart for seeing the church stepping out and making a difference in this world. His Grandmother, Lois, is a gem! What a brave woman she is to make such a long trip! They are going to Kenya to visit Matthew's brother and his wife, and their new baby who are living there. Both Matthew and his grandmother have not met  her or the baby yet so this is going to be an exciting reunion for them! Matthew's sister- in-law is Egyptian and has been having trouble receiving an American visa so please keep their family in prayers so that the Lord might unite them together again. I firmly believe God brings people into our lives for a reason. We enjoyed some spicy, but good food with the two of them in the restaurant here in the airport. I enjoy sitting here on the benches while listening, encouraging, and pouring into each others life. That's what we are here for. Please keep these two people in your prayers. Pray that the Lord guides their footsteps, keeps them safe, and allows them to encourage their family members in Kenya. What a blessing it is to see the world outside our walls so that we may be a mouthpiece for these Kenyan men and women. 

I am excited to say that we are down to the end of our layover which means we will be stepping on Kenya soil soon!  Thank you for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers. It is a blessing to have our church, family, and friends interceding for us. Praise the Lord for already having such a story to tell in our travels thus far! What doesn't break us only makes us stronger, and boy is this team getting stronger! 

 go and be peace

   Sarah

KENYA TEAM 2009

Back Row:  Seth W, Ray S, Megan M, Jeriah G

Front Row:  Eileen R, Leslie G, Stephanie R, Sarah R, Faith E, Andrea W, Revee T

G-H-A-N-A

We have arrived in Ghana, Africa after a 10 hour flight from JFK airport.  All of our luggage made it here with us.  After checking for our bags, we were escorted to the departure gate and told that we would need to stay inside the 1 terminal airport for the remainder of our 12.5 hour layover.  So here we sit or lay for the next several hours.  Games, sleep, chat time, team prayer, snacks, internet, etc.  We are filling the time and making the best of it.

Here is the upcoming schedule.......

Wednesday:  all day in Ghana (fly out on Kenya Airways at 8:50pm)

Thursday:  arrive at 5:30am, head to breakfast, visit schools in Soweto and Kibera slums, eat dinner, and then head to bed early

Friday:  early morning wake up for our 8 hour bus ride to Kitale, Kenya

Saturday:  visit with Hope Bright Future children and attend the burial for 8 year old Veronica

Sunday:  church and prep for the week

That's it for now!

comedy of errors....

We met this morning at 4am to head to newark, nj to fly to atlanta only to find we would be boarding another plane to fly back to jfk in new york. We traveled 12 hours to end up 2 hours from home to begin our journey to ghana for a 12 layover then onto kenya. It has been good bonding time for the team. We are praying our luggage finds its way through all these various flights.

I just received word that one of the little girls at the orphanage we are going to on saturday died from contracting chicken pox while being HIV positive. The 26 children are in shock as are the TI team.

We see there is a battle before us. Our team did not anticipate being a part of a funeral on saturday but we will be there to mourn the loss of veronica and celebrate that she is in the arms of a loving heavenly father.

Continue to pray for safety, strength and peace. we are compelled by the love of a Father who knew this would be part of journey. May we be His hands and feet to those we encounter in Kenya.

Keep praying!!!

Faith


I apologize for sloppy writing but I am typing on my phone from the plane.

FLIGHT BOOKED!!!!!

It is with a heart full of gratitude and thanksgiving that I write to say..........the Kenya team has a flight confirmation to and from Kenya!!!  WOO HOO!!!!

I now have confirmation on all flights to and from Kenya and also confirmation on all transport to and from the airport.  This was a HUGE MOUNTAIN that is FINALLY REMOVED!!!!  Let's pray that it stays this way!  We will be arriving home on July 28th as originally scheduled but will be taking the long way home from Kenya, through South Africa, to Atlanta and then onto New Jersey.  Our flight plans are a bit long and complicated going in both directions and we will be traveling on a few different airlines.  We are hoping all luggage makes its way along with the team.

THANKS TO THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN PRAYING AND FASTING TODAY!  Our pleas have been heard.

• all transport booked.....CHECK
• Meredith feeling better......CHECK (I heard she is back to her usual fun loving self)
• The team filled with joy and anticipation......CHECK

We appreciate your continued love and support.  Great adventures are ahead and we are excited to take you along on this journey.  Check back for updates and photos!

I need to START packing!!! 

Faith

A CALL TO FAST and PRAY!

So, here is the latest news.......

As of today (Sunday) we have no return flight worked out.  Delta is supposed to call me tomorrow with final flight information.

One of the leaders at Transformed International came down with Malaria last week.  We are praying for a quick recovery and strength to serve with us.

The children at the Hope Bright Future Home, the orphanage we are scheduled to serve at on Saturday, have chicken pox.

We, the Kenya 2009 team, are thrilled to have the opportunity to go and serve in Kenya.  We are anxious to work with the TI team and serve the children and parents/guardians at many of their projects.  We are seeing that there is a lot of opposition coming against but we TRUST GOD.  

Please join with us for a time of prayer and fasting: Monday, July 13th from 8am-6pm (DELTA hours of operation).  Here is how to pray:

• For all plane tickets to be issued and settled by 6pm (or earlier) on Monday
• For restored health for Meredith at TI and the children at HBF
• For all other travel arrangements (transport to and from airport here in US and for all transport arrangements in Kenya) to be settled and run smoothly
• For good health for every teammate (those from the US and those awaiting us in Kenya)
• For a heart of courage, love and peace over each team member as we leave at 4am on Tuesday

Those are our most urgent requests.  Pray as you feel compelled, but those are the breakthroughs we are seeking during our time of fasting tomorrow.  Thanks for your care for this team and the trip.  We appreciate each one of you and are excited to share many good reports from East Africa.

With deep sincerity,

Faith
 

  

Prayer for Travel

Hello All.

Many of you may not know this, but we have been having several issues come up in regards to our travel plan.  DELTA booked our flight months ago and we were thrilled with the price and to find that we had a direct flight from Atlanta to Nairobi.  Well, a few weeks ago we found out that DELTA cancelled all flights to Kenya.  They began the process of rebooking our flights which lead to us having a LONG travel time to get there and we will be losing time in the country.  We will also be switching airlines throughout the trip, which can cause some issues with luggage.  Well, yesterday, I found out that our flight out of the country is cancelled.  They were planning on flying us home a day late, which isn't an option.  

Please pray that all of our flight information would be settled THIS WEEK!  I am anxious for this aspect of the trip to be settled.  Pray that all 11 tickets (going and coming home) would be in hand before we leave.

Thanks for praying.  

Faith (for the team) 

We're Leaving in 12 Days!

Thanks for reading and following our blog!
We're a team of 11 individuals from various backgrounds with one main passion and goal: to help and serve others in Kenya.
We leave in 12 days on a journey to show love to individuals in Kitale Kenya. We are being commissioned out by Providence Church, www.providencewc.org, and we invite you to be a part of our experience by keeping us in your thoughts and prayers.
Throughout our two week trip to Kenya, we will be serving and spending time with orphans and young women in Kitale as well as visiting schools in the Soweto and Kibera slums.
Please be involved in our journey by praying for us and keeping us in your thoughts. Some things you could be praying for include:

• Safe departure
• Safe arrival in Kenya
• Safety in all travel!
• Health
• Connection with individuals in Kenya
• That our hearts would be open and prepared to meeting new people of a vastly different culture
• Unity within team members

Of course we appreciate all of your prayers and thoughts!

Throughout our trip we will try to update our blog to let you know about our experiences.

Again, thank you for all of your support!

Keep checking our blog for more updates as we come closer to our departure to Kenya!