A Posting From Kisumu

A final posting and a couple of pictures before 11 of us start our journey home. Andy and Brad will be going north in Kenya to the Pokot Tribe and Ashley and Elizabeth will remain behind and be part of serving here in Kisumu until the end of April.

The pictures are from the continuing ministries this past week in Kisumu. A favorite activity is coloring pages that go with the story we have just shared. Andy was able to hold his camera over these children on the mat as they were intently coloring. We usually gave each child one crayon and it was amazing to see the colorful pictures as the children would share their different colors with each other.

The last picture for today is of the team that went to a secondary school with the local Choose To Wait teacher for their weekly lesson earlier this week. We led the students in some songs and taught them a couple of new ones too. See if you can find the mzungu in the picture!

It's early (the best time to use the Internet!) and it will be a long day for us. Please remember us as we travel back home and for the team members that remain behind and their time of service in the coming week and months.

Blessings and Thanks to you all!

Thursday updates!

It is late Thursday Afternoon in Kisumu and we haven't posted any updates for a day or so. We (in Kisumu) received the following from those on safari: On Tuesday nine of us left for the Tsavo game park. The landscape was beautiful and we were blessed to see all sorts of wildlife.
Many of us felt guilty enjoying such comfort and plenty, but Darlene said that she was enjoying it all since it was all part of God’s creation made for our enjoyment. I am amazed at the beauty here but my arms are empty and I miss the children that we played with in Kisumu. (Dave)

The pace has slowed down a bit here and we have been able to visit at least one school each day. Yesterday the remaining TC team and four of the five Dutch split into two groups and spent most of the day at one of two nursery schools. It is always a surprise to us when we encounter a little one that takes one look at us and then starts crying and crying - because they have never seen a mzungu (white person)! After a while they will stop and if there is enough time they will even let you shake their hand.....

It has been great to have some time at the secondary schools too. Today we presented the parable of the wise man and the foolish man to a group of students in their 7th and 8th years of school. There were at least 100 students at this particular school and we sat outside in the shade with a cool breeze blowing. The students willingly sang the songs with us, listened to everything we presented and clamoured to shake our hands as we left. We ended with everyone (students too!) singing "My God Is So Big" as fast we could and the laughter from the students was truly a highlight of our day!

The rest of our time is spent relaxing or going to the market or planning for the next school visit. In many ways this time has been one of renewal - in friendships, in purpose, and each of us in our own relationship with God. It is good! Tomorrow is the TC Team's last full day in Kisumu(at least 4 of us with Ashley and Elizabeth staying 3 months). We expect to go to the Remand Center for one final visit.

The time is going so quickly and soon 11 of us will be homeward bound! In addition to Ashley and Elizabeth staying until the end of April, Brad and Andy will spend one more week in Kenya. We have all had a time of reflection, renewing old friendships and creating very special new ones, and time to renew our personal relationships with God. It has been amazing…….. H

One More Picture - For Now!

Here is Team TC - one more time!
Back row: Rebecca, Amy, Becky, Dave, Andy, Nathan, Teresa, Elizabeth, and Ashley. Front Row: Kelly, Caleb, Olivia, Heidi, Brad and Darlene. Do we look like we've spent some time in the sun????

Kisumu Friends

The staff from the Kisumu Office have fast become our very special friends and we wanted to share a picture. From left to right starting with the bottom row:
John, Pastor Martin, Jacob, Mama Desmond (Jacob's wife), Mama Felista, Joshua. Back row - Desmond, George and Mama Joskey (Pastor Martin's wife).
Just another newsy item - Desmond, George and Jacob have white shirts on because - as a special treat - they served us our dinner! Jacob even wore a black bow tie!

These are awesome people and we would ask for you to keep them in your prayers as they are the ones that work very hard and continue Christ's Hope ministries in their respective ways as international volunteers come and go.... H

Team Kisumu

All the smiling faces (and even those not smiling!) are the entire team from Kisumu moments before the safari group departed. We have heard that they arrived safely back in Nairobi and are now taking their safari! The rest of us in Kisumu are working with the Dutch volunteers at the primary and secondary schools. During our first week here the secondary school teachers in the public schools were on strike and we were not able to go with the Choose to Wait instructors to any secondary schools. Fortunately the strike is over and we have now been able to go to three secondary schools in two days!

Last evening we experienced a pretty wild thunderstorm - and as a result - the power went out! Thankfully the power came back on sometime during the night and we are all back-in-action! We will be returning to two primary schools today as we continue to share stories, songs, and other activities with the children.

I can't say enough how amazing it is here and even more - how amazing are the people of Kenya! Thank you all for your prayers and your encouragement. We see answers to those prayers constantly - God is so good!

H

From One Children's House to Another!

After our first trip to Kenya in 2007, the students and teachers from The Children's House Montessori School showed a great interest in our experience. When they learned that we were returning, they wanted to help in some way. It was decided that a new pair of shoes would be provided for each of the 24 children in the Chamah home. During December and early January, a pair of shoes was purchased for each child and many prayers were prayed that all the shoes would fit. In fact, every pair of shoes DID fit and here is the proof! - Brad

The team spent several hours at the Chamah house playing and spending time with the children Saturday afternoon. Most of these children are nieces and nephews that have come to live with Edith and Martin as a result of their parents having passed away. The Chamah's have also taken in other children when needed such as taking several children that had no place to go as a result of the riots last year. Martin is the Director of Christ's Hope Kenya and Edith is a certified Choose To Wait teacher among many other things!

The Dutch Volunteers!

At last! The Dutch volunteers that we all talked about in out previous posting... From left to right: Rogier (in the back), Riejanne, Annelien, Agaath, and Peter.

We would like to ask you all to keep each one of the Dutch volunteers in your prayers. They each came individually and are staying various lengths of time - but are doing wonderful things as part of the Christ's Hope ministry here in Kisumu.

Mid-trip thoughts

The first stage in our trip to Kenya is drawing to a close with nine of the US team leaving for Nairobi late this afternoon and then on to a safari tomorrow! The team members that are leaving have very mixed feelings - the excitement and anticipation of a safari and at the same time leaving behind overwhelming experiences. Dave, Becky, Caleb, Amy, Rebecca, Darlene, Teresa, Nathan and Kelly will have one final school visit this morning before they are on their way. It will seem very different once they leave.... we have really come together as a team - each of us recognizing each other's strengths and each person doing their part wherever we go. Brad, Andy, Olivia, Ashley, Elizabeth and Heidi will still be here until Saturday - then we split up even more! Andy and Brad will stay a third week to go to the Pokot tribe to see the well that was installed last year, Olivia and Heidi will return to Nairobi and meet with the rest of the team for our return trip home and Ashley and Elizabeth will be staying until late April! (As you can imagine - the logistics can be challenging!)

Knowing that last night was our last night here as the entire team in Kisumu we spent some time talking about how God had led us to come to Kenya and anything else we wanted to say. The following are a few of the comments shared:

• Darlene - came to Kenya as part of this team through Dave and Jen Bell. Darlene told us how much she appreciates her niece with all her help in getting ready to go and in taking care of her home while she is away - how grateful she is to her niece knowing she does not have to worry at all about anything back in Wisconsin while she is here.
• Becky - had hoped to be able to go to one school consistently to establish more familiar relationships - and when that did not happen Becky still was able to see how God was working as we visited several different schools.
• Kelly - This is the third time that Kelly tried to come to Kenya and finally made it after a 2-year wait! Kelly told us that once she determined she would go this time for sure - it was a long fight to finally make it - but what a huge blessing it has been!
• Elizabeth - As part of the 2007 team, Elizabeth returned home very ill and it took a long time for her recovery. The past year (since then) has been difficult but she also sees how the events of the past year have led her back to Kisumu - even as a lady just turned up interested in renting her apartment/home while she is away for three months!
• Peter - as one of the Dutch volunteers, Peter thanked the US team and has realized that maybe we cannot change things here but we all certainly can make an impact.
• Rebecca - a good friend (for many years!) of Becky Kase, Rebecca was visiting the Kases in Traverse City this past summer and learned about the team going to Kenya and decided to go! This is her first time that she has taken a vacation in at least 10 years! There have been many trials along the way such as illnesses with her parents and even having to have surgery herself early in December! Rebecca told us that all along the way and through everything that has happened God has been faithful and friends and family have helped provide so she can be here. Rebecca also thanked the Dutch team and how great it has been working with them!
• Rogier - As part of the Dutch volunteers, he told us that prior to us coming he was wondering what it would be like for 15 people from the USA to be here! He was not feeling well just before we came and told us that because of us and being part of what we have been doing he has found renewed motivation to keep going while he is here (for several months more) and that he especially enjoyed spending time with Caleb and Nathan.
• Riejanne - Also a Dutch volunteer, she has now spent her third week meeting with patients as part of Care and Compassion. She is a nurse and shared with us about one man in particular that she has seen that had a wound that he was not taking care of. The last time she saw him she was very discouraged and was wondering what could she do to make him do what he needed to to help the wound. She was able to visit the man again on Saturday and the wound was much better! Riejanne told us that she realized through this experience that that it is not what we do but what God does that is important. She shared that she is looking for God's will to see if she will come back to Africa after her time here with Christ's Hope - since that is what she is hoping to do.
• Olivia - last year was just a taste and she knew she would come back - even though Olivia was also very ill upon her return from the trip in 2007 - and God has been good and health has been restored. Olivia shared many of the thoughts that she has previously posted on this blog with the group here and believes that not many are willing to do this type of mission. But for those that do have a heart to come to do this then we need to do what God has placed on our hearts. The reality that God is here in so many ways is obvious to all of us.
• Andy - A team was being formed to go this past May but eventually that team was not able to go. Andy was asked by Dave Kase if he would consider returning to Kenya and help form another team??? Andy said yes and that was the start of the 2009 team! Andy shared that he knew that he and Olivia wanted to return but time and resources were the main consideration. Andy reflected on the many things that have happened since it was decided to form another team and how God has provided for all of us to be here. He also commented about his spiritual family (at home) and the importance of their prayers and encouragement.
• Desmond - our Christ's Hope coordinator in Kisumu! Desmond told us how much it means to Christ's Hope to see us, what what we brought and us being here. Desmond is committed to Care and Compassion and shared with us the privilege he believes it is to care for and share with people about God's love and caring with those that are HIV positive and have AIDS. Desmond shared some stories of his experiences especially the fact that 11 people have died that were part of those visited through Care and Compassion in just the past few months. He believes that while we cannot save the people that are part of Care and Compassion, we can show them God's love and do as much as we can to celebrate their lives while they are still here.
• Agaath - Another Dutch volunteer that was here only one week before we came - and was a bit apprehensive about all of us coming as well as what she would be doing too. The result has been that she told us how she has been able to share with us and the time has flown by since we arrived!
• Ashley - has experienced some struggles with planning - as part of the team and then thinking about being here after the team leaves. She thanked the Lord for being able to separate the two.
• Annelien - another Dutch volunteer - thanked the US team and shared that she believes we have given them an energy boost for the work they are doing here!
• Nathan - at first did not want to go - but on the way to church one morning decided that God was telling him he should go and so asked him mother if he could go.
• Teresa - (Nathan's mother!) had met Dave and Jen Bell at a conference and had also made two previous trips to Ghana with another mission organization and knew she wanted to return to Africa. Teresa had struggled with whether to go or not due to many reasons but when her son Nathan said he wanted to go she knew that moving forward with the trip was the only option!
• Brad - told us that he has been overwhelmed - in a good way! Brad was also part of the 2007 team and shared how much he loves it here and expressed his love for all of us - the US team, the Dutch volunteers and Desmond...
• Amy - (age 9!) told us that she wanted to go at first and then later was not so sure - but she is here! After visiting one of the schools Amy was able to be with very young children with one young girl in particular and is eagerly looking forward to returning to that school this morning and seeing that girl once again.
• Caleb - also was not eager to come but is glad he is here.
• Dave - As the USA Director of Christ's Hope, Dave has also been one of the leaders of this team. Dave shared that when he decided this was the time to go with his entire family it has been like riding a roller-coaster with many ups and downs including surgery in early December. He told us that up until two weeks before we were to leave he was still in quite a bit of pain and was not sure if he would be able to make the trip - and then the pain left and he felt ready to go!
• Heidi - my story is one of clearly seeing God's path for me to go. I also shared my appreciation for the members of our team that have come for the first time as well as for the Dutch volunteers and how quickly they became part of the team and part of what we are doing here.

As you can see - God has been working in and through all of us - but we are not done and there is another five days ahead - whether we are part of the team remaining in Kisumu or making the way to Nairobi and the safari - we remain committed to sharing God's love in Kenya. H

Will It Matter?

Sometimes I question the wisdom of coming all the way to Africa to minister to the poor, the sick, the hungry, the widows and the orphans. There's plenty wrong at home. It is an expensive trip in many ways. Some on our team came here only through the financial support of others. And we've all been saving for this for a long while. Should we have just sent this money to the organization here and prayed for these people?
I know that some would say - yes... For sure, prayer is the foundation for everything we're doing here. Prayers from home and prayers here.

But yesterday (Saturday) we talked about what we call the Ministry of Presence. When we visit people here - young and old - they are so appreciative, they grin from ear to ear! It seems clear to all of us that coming and listening and hugging and holding and helping these people sends a powerful message. And gives them hope. They begin to see the intrinsic value that they have simply because they are creqated by God. Everything we are doing here reinforces that to them. And it changes us too.

I told a sick 20-year-old man this week that I had come so far simply because I wanted him to understand completely how much God loves him. I quoted John 3:16 and he listened to loving words with tears in his eyes. It was a powerful moment for a dying man and for me.....

Will it matter? I think - yes....

He asked me to please come back, he wants to hear more of this hope... this man Jesus, who died in his place.
I'm going next Tuesday - and I can't wait.....
Olivia