Abiding with Him in Kenya!

Greetings from the road to Kwambekenya! We are on our way to our final day in the community...tomorrow we'll move to Molo and reunite with the rest of the team, which has been in Segera. We hear that they are doing well and that Gaylyn attended a 3 a.m. birth on their first night there...we are all jealous and look forward to hearing their stories.

Yesterday was a busy day in Kwambekenya. Harriet taught an 8th grade English lesson, while Parker and Gayle worked with the preschool kids. Ryan worked with a Kenyan team of men and women to dig a trench, which will be used to erect a gate at the medical center. Erica attended the international leadership institute training being conducted by Carey and Ben for 27 pastors in the community and surrounding areas. They did a great job teaching about intimacy with Christ and having a passion for the harvest. The pastors were hungry for knowledge and expressed their gratitude many times for the opportunity to attend the training.

After a chai tea and chipati break and lunch, the training continued while the rest of the team went on home visits. We walked about four miles around the beautiful valley of the community and took in the pastoral views of farm land, mountains, sheep and cows, with 4 or 5 kids following along with Parker, (our very own Pied piper) and several members of the community who helped us carry our provisions and translated for us. We spent time visiting with folks, hearing their stories -and praying over them and their homes. They are pleased to have visitors come to their homes, and they are so gracious. One gentleman offered us potatoes from the pot he was boiling over an open fire inside his tiny hut built in the traditional way, with a grass roof, and sealed with years of mud and smoke. God put the words in Gayle's mouth as she spoke His unending compassion and love over their lives and into their particular, oftentimes painful, circumstances. We learned late in the day that our friend Marion has suffered great losses this year, and yet instead of us being the ones to offer her comfort, she blessed us by saying "joy comes in the morning." And it does.

For today, please pray that we have eyes to see and hearts to hear when we meet those whose beautiful smiles belie the pain inside.
Pray that the pastors would receive all that they need and want from Carey and Ben today.
Pray for our health and strength that we may carry out God's precious will in Kwambekenya today.
Pray for a sweet time of fellowship as we say goodbye to friends both old and new.

Kenya Team 2011