We are on our way home

This has been our first opportunity to blog since last time. We did not have access to a computer. We headed up to Mt. Elgon on Easter morning but due to the heavy rains, we did not make it to the church we intended. Even with a 4x4 the mudd on the mountain is so slick and thick that heavy rains prevent you from going to far. We were disappointed as we were looking forward to seeing our frineds again and they began preparing for our visit the day before. We did however attend a church lower on the mountain. It was actually really great. There was a woman who gave her testimony. She had been dispaced from her home higer up on the mountain. She had lost everything and yet here she was in a small church made of mudd and dung in the pouring rain, giving God thanks. These people never cease to amaze me. I learn so much from them.

We are now at the Nairobi airport getting ready to leave. This has been a strange trip in that we did mostly administrative work and less ministry. It was extremely productive but I missed spending time with my friends on the mountian. It was hard to say good-bye to lucy. She did her usual shut down mode the day we left. We had a real good time with her however.

Our plane should be boarding so we will see you all on the other side of the pond!

A Sea of Tents

Yesterday was a great day! After spending the majority of our time in meetings, it was great being out with the people doing ministry and having the opportunity to fellowship with them. We visited two Refugee Camps. The first was at the Show Grounds in Kitale and the second was at Endebess. Lucy was nervous to go to Endebess as this is where we found her. There are a lot of bad memories for her there. She stayed close to my side. There are 5,500 refugees at the Show Grounds and 8,000 at Endebess. It was a sea of tents at both camps. The small tarp covered shelters have now been replaced with large tents that can house a family. There was one family of seven that did not have a tent and was living in a 5x20 shelter on the camp. You have no idea just how small that is! This family was from Mt. Elgon. They fled their home and have no idea what will be left when they return. They had a 15 year old daughter named Sylvia that was so bright and had such a good heart. I could have spent all day talking to her. I sense God has great things in store for her. At these camps, you see people with what ever they were able to grab before they fled. Some were able to leave with their cows which would at least supply them with milk for their family. I spent most of my day with the children. All it took was squatting to their level, smiling, and extending my hand. Before I knew it, I was the Pied Piper with many children in tow. When my hands and arms were covered with the hands of my little friends, they began holding on to my legs as we walked through the camp. These children who had lost their homes and in some cases; families, amazed me. It was remarkable how a smile and loving touch could brighten their faces. There was one girl who was about ten that kept a bit of a distance yet every time I turned around, there she was. After extending my hand and giving her the traditional greeting, “Jambo Sana. Habari Yako?” (Hello! How are you today?) I gently touched the side of her face and told her she was beautiful. The smile that brightened her face will forever be embedded in my mind. Mike stayed at the house to get some rest. He jokingly said before I left, “You’re not going to bring back another child are you?” There was one small boy who was about 2 years old whose parents were killed during the violence. If it were not for an extended family that had taken him in, Lucy may have had a brother! Sr. Freda conducted a medical clinic at the first refugee camp. It was run so efficiently. I assisted in dispensing de-worming medication to all the children. Children in America hate taking medication yet these small ones lined up and could not wait to receive the treatment that would provide some relief. Most of the refugees at both camps were from Mt. Elgon. I was really surprised to learn this. It breaks my heart that these people are displaced. The Saboat people have been struggling for so long. It is the rainy season and they are anxious to get back to their shambas (farms) to plant so they will have food for the year. According to the Member of Parliament that was speaking at Endebess, the government will need to assist them with seed and fertilizer. Even if their homes were burned, it would be better to live in a tent on their own land then to be in the camp. I pray that God, through Fruited Plains, will reach every village on Mt. Elgon with “Miracle Maize” and fertilizer. How great it will be to reunite one day with the new friends I met in the camps back on the mountain as we rejoice together over God’s provision. The thought of this brings tears to my eyes! Please continue to pray for the spiritual and physical needs of these amazing people.

Green Acres here we come!

Another productive day in Kitale. This trip has been filled mostly with administrative meetings. Butaki’s vision makes me nervous. He can see things much further down the road then I can. Today we planted some avocado trees, orange tree, macadamia nut tree and grapefruit tree on our property. We are turning into quite the little farmers. “Green Acres here we come!!” I am literally a “red neck” as it is sunburned. I am even looking at egg shells, table scraps and corn stalks differently. I see them as a means to make compost (fertilizer) instead of trash or items to be burned. What in the world is happening to me?? ICM is going to start saving all of these things for us so we can make compost from them. They have a large kitchen where they cook meals for all the pastors at the school so there should be plenty available. What is one man’s trash is another man’s treasure!
The rainy season has begun! Our land is planted and God has now sent the rain to begin the growing process.
Please pray for Mike as we think he might have strep throat. This is the exact same thing that happened when he was here in February. We gave him a stronger antibiotic and he is taking Pretesone (a steroid) Freda is making a house call tomorrow morning. God bless Freda. What would we do without her?
Tomorrow we are going to travel with Steve Rutenbar, Don Thompson and Freda to various refugee camps. We will pick Lucy up in the morning from school and have her until Monday!!! That is all for now. We love you all.

We are officially farmers- yee haw!

Hi friends and family. We are now officially farmers!! We planted about 10 rows of “miracle maize and beans.” We had 22 people show up to plant. It was amazing!! I am turning into a complete dork. I can’t believe how excited I was to work on a shamba (farm). I Was so excited that the workers were laughing and joking with us which made it all the more fun. 5 acres is a lot!! Mike, Butaki and I prayed over the land. I Believe God is going to do things beyond what we can imagine. It is falling in place bit by bit. We continue to have a lot of meetings. All of which have been fruitful! It is way too much to blog but please continue to pray that we are obedient to what ever God calls us to.
Mike went to see Freda today and she took good care of him. He definitely has the flu but this evening he is starting to feel better. We went to try and spring Lucy from school Friday so we can spend a long weekend with her. Mike stayed in the van. As I walked towards the office 3 dogs came charging at me growling and barking. I turned around and ran for my life!! A worker at the school ran out of the building and stopped the dogs before they reached me. My legs were jelly. I was thinking, “Great, my friends are afraid I am going to be shot are attacked with a machete while in Kenya, and I end up being killed by 3 guard dogs!”
Tonight we took the boys to Pinewood for dinner (a tradition) It was so much fun. Mike and I recently watched Glue Boys before we left for Kenya and had a reminder of just how far these boys have come . To see where those boys were and where they are at now is just amazing. You would never believe these boys once lived on the streets. They are smart, happy and so loving. We are having a great time with friends and family here in Kenya.
We love you all and appreciate your prayers and blogs.

We are in Kitale

H I everyone,
This is our first opportunity to blog. We are safe. Mike has the flu so please pray for him. A few highlights: We saw Lucy and she is beautiful and happy! She has been having some severe neck pain and of course I jumped to the conclusion that she has meningitis. She does not have meningitis but does have Typhoid. She is on some good drugs and getting better. We are looking at having her attend a new school next year. We had a 2 hour meeting with one of the originators of this quality Christian school. We were very impressed. We have had several productive meetings. We are truly living the verse Hebrews 3:20 “Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us, He is able to accomplish infinitely more than you would ever dare ask or imagine.” Fruited Plains is getting ready to get big quick! Only God will be able to accomplish the vision He has given us. Please pray that we follow His lead in all things and not mess up His plan! There is a curfew here in Kitale. We have to be in by 7:00 every night. As most of you know, we have many evening business/fellowship meetings that don’t even start until this time. Although this curfew is a pain it is also a blessing as it forces us to get the rest we don’t usually get. The curfew is going on because the situation is bad. The military is all over the mountain shooting and bombing trying to find the SLDF. There are some radicals who have decided they want all their original land back which has caused many problems. Many innocent people are being killed. The military believes the SLDF is trying to hide out in Kitale which is why the curfew is in effect. We can’t imagine not going to Mt. Elgon!! This past year and half, although there has been danger, we have always been able to go as long as we had security. This time, security may not be enough. We are praying that we will get word that we can go. You all know how we love these people but we will not be stupid, we will not put our lives in danger so please don’t worry (mom, dad and Linda). It is hard though to come all this way and not be with our friends. Tomorrow Mike and I are actually going to plant our 5 acres (Well, at least a couple of rows) How crazy is that? Two city slickers! There is so much to share and so much to do. We love you all. Please continue to pray for us. We would love to hear from you.

Leaving for Kenya on March 13th

Hi friends and family,

We leave for Kenya Thursday. We will try and give daily updates but will not be able to until around the 17th when we arrive in Kitale. We have a ton to do and very little time as we are only gone 2 weeks. We would love to hear from you as well. Until then, Kwaheri! (good bye)