Kenya Trip 2009

We're Home!

2009-07-31T16:02:00.000-07:00

By this time all of us have returned to our homes. It's 6 p.m. as I write this. According to our Kenyan body clocks it feels like 2 a.m. Yikes! We are tired, but so glad to be home with our loved ones!!

Our journey home began very slowly in Mombasa. Our tickets didn't show up in their computers so we gave them the e-ticket numbers and they re-entered all of our flights...4 different legs of the journey for each of our team members. It took a while, but they did a great job getting us ready to go. The theme for that visit: hakuna matata!

All flights were on time and we made all the connections without a problem. All the luggage returned as expected so we were thrilled!

Thank you all for following our journey through this blog. We appreciate your thoughts, your love and your prayers. It truly made a difference!

And now......you will get to hear the stories from each of who traveled to Kenya! Enjoy!

Thank you!
Denise

Sunrise on Safari

2009-07-29T21:45:00.000-07:00

Elephants at the Watering Hole

2009-07-29T21:29:00.000-07:00

This is the view of the watering hole from our tent. It looks farther away in this picture. There were no barriers and one of the paths the elephants took to and from the watering hole was very close to us.

In the center of camp they had an observation deck from which we could see the water. There was a hippo family that lived in it.

When a guard escorted us back to our tent that night I asked if they ever had trouble with the animals. He said, "Yes, mainly with the elephants." I'm thinking, "That's a pretty big problem!" When asked what they did about it he said at night they would shine a flash light at them and they would leave. During the day it was not so easy. They had to blast some kind of gun that makes a loud noise and then they would leave.

No problems for us. :)

Monkeys, baboons, gazelles and other little critters roamed freely around the camp.

Inside Safari Tents

2009-07-29T21:23:00.000-07:00

Safari tents. Safari man.

Safari Tents

2009-07-29T21:13:00.000-07:00

The safari tents we stayed in were up on a concrete slab with a thatched roof.

Safari

2009-07-29T21:07:00.001-07:00

Giving Away Lunches

2009-07-29T08:52:00.000-07:00

Each day we are working in the centers we take box lunches from Voyager. They consist of items like: bread, fruit, meat - like a piece of chicken, a small bottle of water and/or yogurt. When we are in the centers we eat with the children and the food is good. We usually leave the boxed lunches to be distributed among the staff. On the day we went to Tiwi we didn't have time to eat at the center, but ate snacks we had with us and gave away the lunches as we drove out of the area. I think the look on this little girl's face says it all......and she doesn't even know what's in the box yet! It was fun!!

Tiwi - Jump Rope

2009-07-29T08:22:00.000-07:00

Liz is playing jump rope with the children in Tiwi.

Tiwi - Bubbles

2009-07-29T08:10:00.000-07:00

Eventually the rain subsided in Tiwi and we were able to play and talk with the children. Joanne is blowing bubbles.

Wednesday - Back at Voyager

2009-07-29T07:18:00.000-07:00

We're back from Safari and by now most of us have washed all the red dirt away. It's been very dry at the game park and the red dirt covers us from head to toe as we take the game drives.

We tried a different safari company in a different part of the park. It was a beautiful location. There was a watering hole on the property. With the dry spell there were always animals at the watering hole. I hope to be able to post some pictures to tell the story.

As for tonight, we will share our last dinner here at Voyager at the Italian restaurant. I think I speak for everyone when I say that if it were not for our loves ones that we long to see and hug we would stay in this place much longer. Pat commented on how hard it was to say goodbye to those we have come to love. Oh how true that is!

We will leave part of our hearts here, forever attached to these people whom God loves immensely and whom God has called us to reach out to with His HOPE, LOVE and FAITH. You have blessed us with your love and support. We cannot wait to hug each of you and try to tell you of our experiences in this far away land!

Denise

Monday - Tiwi

2009-07-27T21:32:00.000-07:00

Monday we had the opportunity to visit the center in Tiwi. Although we do not support that center it gives us a glimpse into the future of our centers. The school goes through grade 8. We had the privilege to hear the presentations of the children as they recited scripture, poems and sang for us.

It was a rainy day with a down pour coming during the presentation. We were glad for shelter. After the presentations we had the opportunity to interact with the students. We played with them and talked with the older students. As long as we talked slow they didn't have trouble understanding us. It was fun to hear about their hopes and dreams and what they liked to do for fun.

In the group of students I spoke with there were dreams of becoming doctors, lawyers, pilots and even a judge. Oh that God would open the doors to make those dreams come true! It is our prayer that God would allow us the privilege of helping to shape the next generation of leaders in these communities and in this country.

The trip to Tiwi itself is an experience in culture and history. From the liberty bell (warning of an approaching slave trade ship) to crossing on the ferry to seeing the communities along the day it was very enlightening and we are thankful for the opportunity!

After returning to Voyager we took those who were interested to a couple of shopping areas and a brief visit to an orphanage. The woman who started the orphanage has an incredible story and God has used her to provide a home for 35 children who have lost parents or been abandoned by their parents. It was heart breaking and a blessing all at the same time. It was deeply moving to see them and interact with them just for a brief period of time.

Today we are off on Safari. We will see and experience a different side of Kenya as we travel along the country roads to the game park. This is our time to finally relax, process and spend some time getting to know the wonderful missionaries we are privileged to partner with in Kenya.

Thoughts are strongly turning toward home about now and we want you to know how very much we appreciate your love and prayers for us! Thank you for sacrificing to make this possible. We are all deeply touched by the opportunity to represent you in this place. God is at work and we cannot wait to tell you about all we have seen, heard and experienced!

My next post will be after we return on Safari some time on Wednesday....Kenya time, of course!

We love you!
Denise

Church Service

2009-07-26T15:42:00.000-07:00

Because it was raining we were not able to hold the service outside. The church building was a sea of faces!

Team in Bomani

2009-07-26T15:33:00.000-07:00

Crossroads Fellowship

2009-07-26T15:20:00.001-07:00

Brian playing with the kids at the Crossroads Fellowship anniversary celebration.

Playing with Kids at Crossroads Fellowship

2009-07-26T15:08:00.000-07:00

Luanne and Kristy playing Duck Duck Goose with the children during the Crossroads celebration.

Falling in Love with Kenyan Kids

2009-07-26T14:34:00.001-07:00

Roger has become a kid magnet and is having trouble which one he wants to bring home!

Bonding with the Children

2009-07-26T14:25:00.001-07:00

Carrie is getting to know a group of children at the Vipingo outreach. She brought pads of paper and pens for them to write with. It didn't take long for this little group to grow into a large one!

Vipingo Outreach

2009-07-26T14:14:00.000-07:00

There were somewhere around 800 children at the Vipingo outreach. This is how they ate. Wow!

Jackson - Masai Warrior

2009-07-26T14:07:00.000-07:00

Jackson became a believer during last year's trip. It was so good to see his smiling face again and to hear that he is faithfully following God!

Sunday Outreach in Bomani

2009-07-26T13:41:00.000-07:00

We began the day attending church at Crossroads Fellowship in Mombasa. They were celebrating their 7th anniversary and had just over 1000 people in attendance. It was pure joy to worship with these believers. There were so many people in the auditorium that our team gave up their seats and most of them went to help with the children's celebration. It was a good morning.

After lunch at Voyager we headed off to the community outreach in Bomani. The property was filled with people from the community when we arrived. They had already had lunch and were waiting for us to arrive to play in the volleyball tournament. There were 4 teams. We were one of them. With about 5 minutes to organize we put together a pretty good team, but in the end couldn't win over the Kenyans. We didn't make it out of the first round. There's always next year! :)

During that time we enjoyed reconnecting with the teachers, staff and children we met on Friday. It began to rain before the championship game so we moved to the church building for the service they planned. The adult choirs sang, presentations were made and Guy had the opportunity to talk about the hope found only in God for this life and eternity. I'll try to upload a picture, but that little church had over 600 Kenyans in it. It was a wall to wall sea of faces! That didn't include all the people outside the church and on the property.

We took pictures with the team of Kenyans and Americans and shared a meal before leaving. It was 7 p.m. and completely dark when we left. It's the latest we've ever left a center, but all was well and we made it back to Voyager just fine. Some of the teachers from Vipingo came to enjoy the day as well. It was so hard to say good bye to all of our friends at the end of the day. We have come to love them dearly and appreciate all they do as our teammates - our hands and feet of hope, love and faith in Kenya!

Tomorrow we visit one more center. It isn't one we support, but it is a glimpse into our future, Lord willing. The school in Tiwi goes up to 8th grade. We will hear their presentations, feed them lunch and then spend time with the children. The older children are fluent in English and it's fun to talk to them. The trip itself is a lesson in Kenya history and geography.

Thank you again for praying for us! We are all well and soaking in all that God presents us each day!

Denise

Saturday Outreach in Vipingo

2009-07-25T10:37:00.000-07:00

What a day! Fox River and the Vipingo Team sure put on a great party in Vipingo today! Thank you all for praying and for giving to make this day possible. The weather held with just a few sprinkles for a few minutes. There were so many people there. I'm guessing the count would have been up to 3,000. They really enjoyed the soccer tournament, volleyball tournament, choir contest, acrobats, face painting, bounce house and the free food.

We enjoyed connecting with the friends we met on Thursday and many that we haven't seen since the outreach last year. Guy was able to give the gospel at the awards ceremony. We are praying that fuit will come.

It was hard for me to drive away knowing that it was good bye for another year. God is at work in that place and I am incredibly blessed to be vested with them in what God is doing.

Tomorrow we will be at Crossroads Fellowship in Mombasa where Jim Horne pastors. Their anniversary celebration will be held during the service in the morning. It is an English speaking church and I love worshiping God with these believers. The service is always just the refreshment I need at this point in the trip!

In the afternoon we will be making our last trip to Bomani for the community outreach. We are looking forward to one more opportunity to share the love of God and the love we have for these people.

Thank you for praying for us!

Denise

Bomani Group Picture

2009-07-25T00:34:00.001-07:00

You might be wondering why the building looks crooked. The children are actually standing on a sloped area and the photographer, our bus driver, framed it up so the line of children looks straight. His focus was on the children not on the building so the building looks crooked. It's really not. How important it is to remember that our focus is not on the buildings, but on the people we serve and the lives and eternities that are being changed! I love this picture!!!

The process of uploading pictures is still painfully slow. We are off to the celebration/outreach in Vipingo. I will try to upload more later this evening. Thank you all for your prayers!!!

Denise

Vipingo Group Picture

2009-07-25T00:22:00.000-07:00

Feeding Center in Vipingo

2009-07-25T00:03:00.000-07:00

Friday - Dinner at Hornes

2009-07-24T22:12:00.001-07:00

To Pat....and all who may be wondering....we are all well. Other than some jet lag and the tiredness that comes from the heat and the physical and emotional energy we give each day we have not had trouble with sickness. For that we are all thankful!

We had dinner at the Hornes last night. They always invite the church staff from the centers we support and from Crossroads Fellowship. Crossroads is the English speaking church Jim Horne pastors in Mombasa. Bobby Bechtel serves in that church as well. Also attending were several of their church members.

It was a delight to share some Kenyan food and get to know these brothers and sisters in Christ. They come from all walks of life and all share a common faith in God.

It is now Saturday morning. We will attend a baptism in the ocean this morning before leaving for Vipingo. Today is the outreach. The weather looks good and we are hoping for that to hold. There are many outside activities. The featured activity is a big soccer tourney, but there will be face painting, acrobats, a choir contest, play time provided by our team with the fun supplies we brought and a meal for all who attend. We're hoping that more than 2000 people will attend.

Thank you all for praying for us! We are missing home and loved ones, but so thankful for the opportunities we have been given!

Denise

Bomani - Friday - New Life

2009-07-24T21:44:00.000-07:00

After visiting the government school we spent several hours with the children and workers at the New Life Center we support. What an incredible contrast! There are 35 children in a classroom with teachers who love God and teach His Word along with the school curriculum. The hope they have goes beyond improving this life.....it stretches into eternity!

Just as we did in Vipingo the day before we had the opportunity to teach and play with the children. Donna and her helpers taught the kindergarten children while Guy taught the 1st and 2nd grades. Then the children were off to enjoy the painting, coloring, bubbles, big balloons, jump ropes, tug-o-war and the parachutes! What fun!!

Anne is the matron of New Life. She's like the mom. She makes sure all the children are well, plans balanced menus and oversees much of the staff. We have come to love her more and more. She sends her love to those of you who have taken the trip with us in the past and often asks about you by name. She said they look forward to our visit and only wish it could be longer!!

Anne and her staff made a delicious lunch for the children and for us. After lunch Donna met with the teachers to share supplies, encourage them and share from the resources of her experience. The teachers from a nearby MANNA center joined them. All of them have a special relationship with Donna! The rest of the team spent the time playing with the children during recess.

In the afternoon we went into the village to pass out tracts and invite the people we met to attend the outreach on Sunday afternoon. We're playing volleyball and having some fun with everyone in the community who will come. Before they leave we will serve meals to about 2000 people.

The village of Bomani is different from the communities we were in the day before. It is very tribal and there are clusters of homes around the area where an extended family unit lives. However the basic living conditions remain the same: homes of mud and dung with roofs that are made from the branches of neighboring trees.

We spoke with a woman who was cutting a plant along side the road and putting it in a bag. She would take it home and cook it up for supper. Corn is growing in scattered places along with a few other fruits and vegetables. With unemployment so high this is how they survive.

It was late afternoon before we said goodbye to our friends at New Life and boarded the bus to head back into Mombasa. The Hornes were having us all over for dinner.

Bomani - Friday - Visit to the Government School

2009-07-24T21:13:00.000-07:00

As I write this post it is 7:45 a.m. on Friday morning. I learned last night that the internet has been slow everywhere the past few days. I will attempt to upload more pictures this morning.

We began our day yesterday by visiting the government free school in Bomani. After looking around at the facilities we presented gifts of books and supplies. The children were as curious about us as we were about them. Although the people in this community are doing the best they can with the facilities and supplies they have it broke our hearts to see the conditions in which these children learn.

Most classes have no desks. They are in the process of cutting down trees in the area and making desks as they can. In the lower elementary classes we toured there were only dirt floors and 1 chalk board on the wall. In a school of 1500 children there was a supply/book room that was about the size of a small bedroom in our homes. There are approximately 100 children in each classroom.

And the saddest part for us is the fact that there are children in the community who cannot even afford to buy the required school uniform and pay the school fees necessary in order to attend the free school. Those would cost about $100 - 2 months salary for those who have a job. Unemployment is over 70% in this area and the only thing the government can do is to provide the land and the basic building.

In order to get into secondary school - our equivalent to high school - they must pass an exam. Fewer than 20% of the students pass the exam and of those there are not many in these rural areas that can afford the fees.

One of the Kenyans I spoke with yesterday told me that it's getting to the place where even cleaning jobs require a certain level of education. This is based largely on the fact that those with a higher level of education can speak better English. The 2nd graders in the school we support in Bomani are equivalent in English proficiency to the the 8th graders in the government school.

We have heard over and over again about how important it is to speak English. Without it the cycle of poverty continues. These children have very little hope of breaking free.

Denise

Vipingo - Thursday

2009-07-23T16:08:00.000-07:00

Thursday we spent the day in Vipingo. We were once again welcomed by the sights of smiling faces and the sounds of singing children. Once the greetings were over we all proceeded to the flag raising ceremony and then on to the church for a presentation from the children. It was their chapel so they sang worship songs as a group and then recited scripture, poems and sang by grade level. There are 3 levels of kindergarten classes plus grade 1 and grade 2.

I have been unsuccessful at posting video because of the poor internet connection, but it is a beautiful thing to hear these little voices praise God through songs we know and some we do not! Guy had the opportunity to share the account in scripture where the children came to Jesus and were refused by the disciples. He reminded the children about how important and loved they are by God and he reminded us as adults how important child like faith is!

After a photo of our team with the Vipingo team and the children we headed into the classes to begin our day with the children. Each year we take a foam visor for each child. We put their names on them and have the children decorate them. It's so fun to know their names for the rest of the day. Our names are personal and when someone uses our name it honors us. The Bible says that God knows our name. He is a personal God. It is such a joy to be able to call these children by name. They are not just 170 children we support in Vipingo. They are Eunice, Tabitha, Sarah.....and we love them all!

Donna had the opportunity to remind the children that they are each very special to God. We brought supplies to encourage the children to be creative by using markers, colored pencils and water colors. The older children decorated cross book marks.

It rained off and on during the morning so the outside activity was held in the church building. We stacked the benches and spread out the parachute. After some introductory practice with how to use it (thank you Donna for teaching us how to do that and thank you Paul for figuring out how to get 34 excited little children to listen to you long enough to follow directions!) the children played some of the games Carmen taught us the night before. I cannot tell you how much fun it was for them. The children were filled with delight!

We had the opportunity to serve lunch to the children. It is a joy to be your hands and feet as we have the opportunity to serve the food you have generously provided for them! To represent you in this place is an incredible experience!

After lunch we presented the team t-shirts to the Kenya team. Both teams will wear them so we represent one big team on Saturday at the community outreach. Donna met with the teachers during recess time. She always brings many supplies to bless them and enhance their teaching. They had a wonderful time brainstorming ideas for the problem areas they share in common even in such different cultures!

The rain finally let up so we were able to bring out some fun outside activities to play with the children during recess: jump rope, soccer, hacky sacks, bubbles - big ones!, and the big balloons that are always such a hit. Many just sitting or walk with the children and spend time with them. What fun!

When the teachers were done with their session they took us into the 3 communities to pass out flyers to invite people to the outreach/fun day on Saturday. We partner with the staff at Vipingo to put on quite a party for the surrounding areas and more than 2 thousand are expected to attend.

Going into the villages gives us another look into the stark contrast of how these children live. Life is hard and without opportunities to be healthy and educated there is little hope for escaping the cycle of poverty. Crossroads Church in Vipingo has certainly become a voice of hope in this community!

We returned to Voyager late in the afternoon tired and grateful for the ability to shower and eat a good meal. Although we had enjoyed the rice and beans served for lunch at the center we also enjoyed the food provided at Voyager. In conversation after dinner we were reminded that the children we left behind in Vipingo were unable to shower and what they ate with us at lunch was their only meal of the day. It increases our gratitude for all that we have and our determination to reach out in the name of Jesus to help those who do not even having enough on which to survive!

Tomorrow we head to Bomani to bless and encourage those in the New Life Center. Thank you for praying for health, strength and good weather!

Denise

Sorting Beans

2009-07-23T15:55:00.000-07:00

Carmen and Nora are helping sort beans to weed out the rocks.

Pictures from Orientation Day

2009-07-23T10:14:00.000-07:00

I'm having some trouble uploading pictures, but I'm going to try again this evening. This is a picture of Rosie standing by the bushes we planted 2 years ago in Bomani. They were nothing more than little sticks when we planed them and now they are taller than Rosie!

Orientation Day

2009-07-22T13:56:00.000-07:00

Today was a day to get acclimated and get ready for the busy days ahead. After taking the morning to sleep in, get settled and have an orientation meeting we spent the afternoon at New Life Center in Bomani. When we arrived the children sang a welcome to us as we got off the bus and each class had a presentation to make that included songs, poems and scripture.

It is so endearing to hear these sweet Kenya children recite scripture and worship our God in song! Some songs were in Swahili, but most were in English. One class acted out the Bible story of the woman who lost her coin. It was wonderful!

For those of us who have been to Kenya before it was a great joy to be reunited with precious friends: Anne, Pastor Abraham, Pastor Allan and all the wonderful teachers and workers in the center! They send their love and gratitude to all of you who pray for them and partner with them by supporting their ministry in the church, feeding center and school. Thank you!

We toured the center and enjoyed seeing some new facilities that have been added since we last visited: teacher's housing, a storage shed for supplies for the teen camp held each August, and sidewalks. The plants and trees are growing so quickly. The truth is that the children are growing quickly too! It is such a joy to see how they have changed!! They are thriving and doing so well!!

Before we left Bomani we were able to visit the dairy project. We have 2 acres of land and 3 cows that will eventually produce all the milk we will need to provide for the 210 children attending the school. One calf was born this spring and already they have enough milk for breakfast.

As it began to get dark we headed back to Mombasa and a supply run to Nakumat. We were able to exchange money and shop for things we would need this week and can purchase there. Supper was at Voyager and then our final preparations for serving in the centers tomorrow and Friday. One of the things God has provided for us to bring is a huge parachute for each center. Tonight we had a practice session in which Donna and Carmen taught us how to use it with the children and some pretty fun games to play. I think we might end up having as much fun as the children will!

So now we are ready.......as ready as we can be to be a blessing to the children and workers in Vipingo (tomorrow) and Bomani (Friday). The weather is a bit unpredictable and flexibility is always a necessity. Please pray with us that God will help us to bless Him and all those we are privileged to serve no matter what the circumstances.

Denise

Arrived Safely

2009-07-21T22:18:00.000-07:00

We arrived safe, sound and very tired at our final destination at 1:30 a.m. Kenya time. That would be 5:30 in WI so our total travel time was 29.5 hours. Needless to say we headed for our beds as soon as we could!

With the exception of a 30 minute delay in Nairobi we are so thankful that all departures were on time and each flight went smoothly. That's not to say that the trip was uneventful, but each of us experienced the trip differently so I'll leave those stories to tell when we return. :)

All luggage arrived with the exception of 1 piece of equipment we were bringing for the national pastor who oversees New Life in Bomani. It is possible that it's late arrival may turn out to be a blessing in disguise. Stay tuned!

This morning it is over cast and windy. Temperatures are expected in the low 80's so it's a pretty typical winter day in Mombasa. While we are enjoying the heat the Kenyans are cold! It is the beginning of many contrasts we will experience in the next 9 days. Thank you for taking this journey with us by praying that God will be at work in us and through us as we experience all He has in store for us!

Denise

Pastor's Conference

2009-07-20T03:22:00.000-07:00

Guy left for Kenya on Monday, July 13. He spoke at a Pastor's Conferece in Vipingo Wednesday through Friday and at the Bible College graduation on Saturday. He thoroughly enjoyed his time with these fellow servants as they discussed effectively communicating the gospel.

This morning the team will begin the journey to join him. We will meet at Mitchell International Airport just before noon and will arrive in Mombasa, Kenya at 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, Lord willing. Kenya is 8 hours ahead of Central Daylight Savings Time. That means we will spend 27 1/2 hours in the air or in airports.

Please pray that our flights will be on time, that the connections will be smooth and that we will arrive safely in Kenya tomorrow night!

FRCC Dedication

2009-07-18T21:06:00.000-07:00

Itinerary

2009-07-18T11:22:00.000-07:00

Thanks for stopping in to see what we are up to. Here is our itinerary just to give you a small taste of what we will be doing over in Kenya. Thank you for all of your support and prayers!

July 20 – 31, 2009
July 20: overnight flight to Amsterdam
July 21: flight to Nairobi and on to Mombasa
July 22: orientation, visit to a center
July 23 & 24: working in centers, outreach to surrounding communities
July 25: community outreach in Vipingo
July 26: community outreach in Bomani
July 27: trip to Tiwi to see the Bible College
July 28 & 29: safari, experience Kenyan culture

July 30 & 31: fly to Nairobi, Amsterdam, then home