Camp First Day

Today was so good. We met the high schoolers and Liz (Maisha Kamili "case manager") at the resort we will be staying at for camp. I have met all of the high school kids that Maisha Kamili sponsors. They are all so quiet and reserved. I'm learning more culture like how kids, even high schoolers and college students, don't feel like they can talk to adults. Getting them to open up has been like pulling teeth. But when one would finally start talking and I got a glimpse of their heart, it's beautiful. I cherish the opportunity to put not just a name with a face but a person. I am getting to know who they are and what they think. Bryan is one of the youngest here but he is so sharp and confident when he speaks. Jacob "Shuks" is sweet and fun and made all of us laugh just by introducing himself. My heart breaks hearing stories of where they've been and how far they have come already. Some of these, like Shuks, have been MKKs for years and for others, like Kiboni, this is their first year. I am so grateful for the opportunity to tell them that God has a plan for their lives. That, no matter what the world has told them, they are valuable and they are loved. I pray they believe it and love Him back.

Here's the new Google photo album for the rest of the trip:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/yoMXSToXrUoKeCEv6

Lessons from Sunday School

Today is Fathers Day. I'm glad I thought ahead and celebrated with my dad and Matt before I left. I did talk to Dad today. Rachel bought a bundle of international airtime so she could call him. We went to church a little early today. The men were serving breakfast and lunch and leading everything this morning in honor of Fathers Day. This isn't a normal thing but something that Rodgers is encouraging. I had several culture lessons today.

What stuck out to me the most was crayons. Rachel teaches the kids Sunday school up to 4th grade. She said normal is anywhere between 4 and 30 kids aged preschool to 4th. This week we had 20. She did a lesson, we sang a fun song, and colored. When I saw her putting crayons out I couldn't help but notice how small, few, and broken they were. My very American response was to fix it. I can easily buy her several boxes of crayons and send them with my parents when they come or I could go to the store with her here and buy some. But then my mind went through so many things. First of all, the fact that the church and team school I am part of have boxes and drawers of crayons that aren't being used. So many of them won't be used because they are "broken" but they are bigger and so many more than this class has. Then I thought, I could bring those here because these kids won't care. But no, we shouldn't be giving the things we would throw away. We should be giving the things we would want our own kids to have. And then I came to the point of, what's wrong with broken crayons? There's nothing wrong with these crayons. They work just fine and these kids enjoyed it. Every child in that class except one colored a picture. The one was coloring on the chalkboard with tiny pieces of chalk. There's nothing to fix except my own eyes. Not to say I won't ever send her crayons for her class but if I do it won't be because it needs to be fixed.

Perspective is important. My perspective is being shifted.

Adventures in getting to know Kenya

Friday and Saturday were spent getting to see and know this area of Kenya. Friday we first walked to the beach. My first time to see the Indian ocean. It really was beautiful. The beaches I've been to don't compare. White sand, blue water, and creatures we don't have at home. Then after lunch we drove to Mombasa county to go to Haller Park. We fed giraffes, walked around right next to tons of monkeys, watched them feed hippos and crocodiles, and saw a unicorn oryx (antelope). Then Saturday we drove the other direction to Malindi. There we went to Falconry of Kenya where they have birds and reptiles. That was really cool. I got to hold several different birds of prey. Then lunch was pizza. One of them had ham and eggs on it and another was a seafood pizza with octopus. That was interesting. And then we visited the Malindi tourist market before heading home. We got home later than we intended because, well, this is Kenya. I've heard that phrase a lot but now I'm learning what it means. Those two days were much more than sightseeing. They were learning culture and riding in the front seat of the car for hours with matatus, motorcycles, and tuk-tuks all around. There's so much that I've seen, heard, and learned this weekend that I can't put into words.

Pictures are in here:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/boiR5jguQUXLVH35A

Planes, trains, and automobiles!

God is amazing. Attentive to every detail. I left Texas Monday evening headed for Kenya. I wasn't able to choose my seat and I ended up between two strangers. I was somewhat anxious about the prospect of spending 10 hours so close to these guys so I started talking hoping to make it less awkward. The man on my right was on a business trip. The man on my left was visiting friends in SE Asia and mentioned he had recently retired from the IMB. Long story short, he is good friends with my aunt and uncle who also recently retired from the IMB. We were both blown away to find a connection like that on such a big plane and I was very much encouraged and comforted. God is so good.

My first stop was Frankfurt, Germany. I had a long layover, so I had the opportunity to explore a little of the old city, ride the bahnhof (metro rail), and sleep in a beautifully charming hotel. The mix of old architecture and new sky scrapers is really beautiful. It was an adventurous day but also soothing in the solitude.

The rest of the trip was less eventful but just as exciting. One long and one short plane ride later and I was in Mombasa hugging Rodgers. Then we drove the rest of the way to Kilifi. The difference between Germany and Kenya was expected but still shocking. I feel I've passed into another world. Today has been mostly hanging out, touring Kilifi, and getting settled. Tonight I sat in on a planning meeting and Bible study with the Kahindis and their pastor.

Funny moment of the day: at lunch when a bowl was brought to our table for us to wash hands and I just stared dumbly at it until Rachel told me what was expected. I've never washed my hands in a bowl before.

My app is not letting me include pictures in posts so look here for a few: https://photos.app.goo.gl/boiR5jguQUXLVH35A

2 Days til Liftoff

Well, it's here. The countdown to my trip is nearly over. In 48 hours I'll be in Houston getting ready to board my first flight. The excitement mounts everytime I think about it. Right now, Matt and I are on our way home from meeting his sister who is keeping our kids for 2 weeks while I'm gone and he works. Honestly, today was hard. Deciding they would stay with them was easy. It was the simplest answer, really. They will be well taken care of and they will have a blast. I know they'll be fine. They love these people and they've been there before. But putting my loves in another car and driving the other direction proved harder than I thought it would be. And here I thought they would be the ones crying. I know Monday's parting will be hard as well but then I'll be on a plane on an adventure with only Jesus to travel with and it's going to be awesome.

Please pray with me for:
*Confidence and direction as I travel
*J, M, and C to enjoy their visit with cousins and not be homesick
*High school camp preparation

Blog Restart

The last time I used this blog was June 2006 on my trip to Latvia to work with Buckner Orphan Care International.  June of this year (2018), I will be going on another mission adventure.  This time, I am headed to Kenya where my sister and brother-in-law live and work.  Their organization, Maisha Kamili, is focused on ministering to orphans as well as discipleship in local churches.  They are also beginning work on a life skills training center called Skills for Life.  Maisha Kamili means "full life" in the local language, so this new opportunity is quite fitting.  I am excited to see their ministries and life with my own eyes.  I leave Houston bound for Kenya June 11 and return June 25.  I'll be posting updates here as often as I can.  Please pray with me as I prepare for this adventure!

Valmiera/Lode

I know this is a little late, but better late then never. I've been back home now for about a week. I'll put a final post on here before too long, but before I do that you may want to know how Valmiera and Lode were.
We stayed in a hotel in Valmiera and drove to Lode for 3 days to work with the orphans there. We had prayer every morning at 6:30 with the church there in Valmiera. The kids in Lode were amazing. They were so hungry for our love and attention. They were also very polite. They asked us when they wanted candy and they listened to everything we said. We all fell in love with them so fast. It was very hard to leave after only 3 days with them. I hope someday to go back to that orphanage again. If I could choose one of the places we went, it would be there. They are so poor and groups have never gone there before.
On Thursday we helped with a Sunday school camp with the Valmiera church. We led rec for all the kids. They were very sweet and fun to play with. It was good to remember that there are normal kids out there too. I love the kids at the orphanages, but they are very needy and it was hard to be there so long.
Friday we went shopping in Riga and then flew home on Saturday. On Saturday, I was up for 28 hours straight. Lots of fun. Anywho, It's good to be home. I'll try to post again soon.