A few weeks ago in the weekend services at Cypress Meadows, member of our 2011 Kenya missions team and the opportunity to share what God did in and through us in Kenya. Here’s video Jennifer prerecorded for the service, in which she talks about her experience at the landfill and slums of Nakuru, Kenya.

A few weeks ago in the weekend services at Cypress Meadows, member of our 2011 Kenya missions team and the opportunity to share what God did in and through us in Kenya. Here’s video of Amir talking about how he saw hope and purpose through his experiences.

A few weeks ago in the weekend services at Cypress Meadows, member of our 2011 Kenya missions team and the opportunity to share what God did in and through us in Kenya. Here’s video of Connie talking about her experience at the landfill in Nakuru and spending time with the children at Springs of Hope Kenya.

A few weeks ago in the weekend services at Cypress Meadows, member of our 2011 Kenya missions team and the opportunity to share what God did in and through us in Kenya. Here’s video of Sandi sharing her stories.

A few weeks ago in the weekend services at Cypress Meadows, member of our 2011 Kenya missions team and the opportunity to share what God did in and through us in Kenya. Here’s video of Korin sharing her stories.

We’re back home. Sorry for the lack of updates on the blog. We spent Friday evening and all day Saturday at Springs of Hope where there’s no Wi-Fi and Sunday and Monday traveling to, on, and from Masai Mara where there’s also no Wi-Fi. So, we couldn’t post updates to this blog. Even though we’re back, I wanted to share some stories and pictures with you from the last few days.

Friday, July 15 – Roll with the Punches

We we supposed to visit two schools to bring shoes and other supplies to then and meet some of the children and teachers.  Unfortunately because the transmissions needed to be replaced on both Springs of Hope vans, we had no way to get there.  So, while one of them was in the shop, we walked to downtown Nakuru and did some souvenir shopping, got some lunch, and went to the store to buy food for our Masai Mara safari.

The lesson for the day is that things rarely go as planned in ministry and particularly in Nakuru.  You’ve got to roll with the punches.  If anything life is about perseverance and trusting God to help overcome the obstacles that inevitably arrise. Read more about the situation with the SOHK vans & help them overcome these obstacles.

Saturday, July 16 – Serving & Stories

We spent Friday night and all day Saturday at the orphanage with the kids and staff.  We served by sorting clothes, shining shoes, washing dishes, and sweeping floors.  We spent a lot of time playing with the kids too.  We made pizza and cupcakes for dinner and had a great time watching the reactions of the children as they tried them for the first time.

One of our other goals was to capture as many stories from the children and staff of Springs of Hope as we could.  You saw the Cypress Meadows story book. We’re creating a Springs of Hope story book too. We also wanted to capture some stories on video which we could share here on the blog and possibly in services at Cypress Meadows. (See pics and tweets from Saturday at Springs of Hope)

Sunday & Monday, July 17-18 – Masai Mara Safari

Early Sunday morning we said our goodbyes and left Springs of Hope for the last time.  We started the long (and bumpy) drive to Masai Mara – one of the best places to see Africa’s wildlife in the entire continent.  We did a late afternoon safari, which was relatively short, but remarkably full of all sorts of animals – zebras, impala, African buffalo, giraffe, elephants, lions, and more.  Awesome!

Then we headed back to a Masai camp where we had dinner, got to experience some traditional Masai dances (very cool!), and spent the night.

The next morning we packed up and headed back to the Mara where we saw more of Africa’s wildlife.  We saw hippos, lions feeding on a buffalo kill, and a standoff between the lions and an opportunistic hyena looking for a free breakfast. (See pics and Sunday’s tweets and Monday’s tweets from Masai Mara)

The Journey Home

Around noon we began the long (and did I mention bumpy) ride back to Nairobi to catch our 11:30 PM flight.  The trip back to Tampa was not without incident.  We were unable to find the van bringing our suitcases to the Nairobi airport, there was a power outage at the Nairobi airport which took out the runway lights, and on arriving in Washington D.C. Amir was detained by homeland security for 2 hours causing several of us to miss the flight to Tampa.  But in the end we all made it back home.  And in the middle of all that we had a beautiful walk and breakfast in Zurich, Switzerland. (See pics from Zurich and Tuesday’s tweets)

One of the things we’re all learning during our time serving in Kenya is that set-backs are a way of life here…

Set-back #1: A couple of days ago I tweeted/FB’d that all 4 tires were stolen off of one of the Springs of Hope vans.  Cost to replace them $1,000.  But even more disappointing is that there were 2 guards that were supposed to be on duty that night. These were not just employees, but friends of Mollies – people she had hired to help lead them towards a better life for themselves and their families. Both had to be fired.

Set-back #2: Yesterday on our drive to  East Pokot, the reverse gear on the new SOHK van stopped working.  There will be a cost to repair it.

Set-back #3: We also found yesterday that the old van (the one that had the tires stolen), needs a new gear box that will cost about $1,000 U.S.

Where will Molly get the money to cover these expenses?  From generous people like you who believe in what she’s doing here in Nakuru.  Not only does Springs of Hope operate the orphanage and the sewing center, but Molly is so generous to support the ministries of people like Pastor Ben and Pastor Chochoi who we ministered with this week and through whom God is doing such amazing work.

We believe that God is bigger than these obstacles!  We believe that God is going to provide.  And what intended for evil will be used by God for good, and he shows us all his faithfulness.  Please help make that happen.  Remember if a lot of people do nothing, it’s nothing.  But if a lot of people do even a little, we can accomplish a lot together!  Thank you!

Connie: Pokot was our mission today.  To meet with Pastor Chochoi and his wife Nellie, was a very warm and inspiring experience.   The work Pastor Chochoi does to help these girls fleeing from FMG, is not an easy task, in fact, it is a very dangerous one.  He has over 60 girls who live onsite.  God is at work in the heart of this place, providing the food, the resources, and the safety of these young girls and the pastor.  We were given a tour of the place,… where it all started, what it is today, and the vision and hope for the future.

The road itself was very long, dry desert-like, and extremely bumpy half of the way.  The thought that there are girls traveling from far distances (62 miles and more) on foot, is mind boggling. I ask myself, how is that possible?  No matter what their denomination may be,  the hope, the determination,  the will they all have to get to this place  can only lead to one answer…. God.  These girls are in His hands as He carries each and every one of them to this place to find salvation and hope for a brighter future, through the heart and word of God.

God was at work today, getting us there and back safely in a full van.  We weren’t sure we were going to make it home, but with lots of prayer, we did get home safely.  We also saw God at work today, providing pastor Chochoi the funds he needed to complete a project involving pipes to be installed to provide water to the bathrooms and the kitchen.  He was also provided items he needed for the girls, and funds to provide food for them.  I am amazed everyday, in all the ways God is working in every situation we have seen.

Amir: Today we traveled to Pokot to visit with Pastor Chechoi and his wife Nellie.  Pokot is about 3 hours from Nakuru but not a “Florida” 3 hours.  It really is in the middle of nowhere.  The road goes from paved, to pothole paved, to dirt, to rock – think of a landscape like Arizona with no infrastructure to support any fixes.  Some of the bridges over the dry river beds were washed out so we were “crossing” on makeshift passes. The pastor and his wife run a mission that rescues girls (some as young as from arranged marriages and female genital mutilation.  He has been doing this since 2005 as his life’s passion for God and now educates and trains 60 young girls.

There were 2 girls we met today that arrived at his place after walking 62 miles from their tribal village. God has blessed his ministry with 2 buildings to provide shelter and food.  They are working on building a self sustaining mission by raising chickens and vegetables (right now they rely on donations). Pastor Chechoi and the other people we have met and worked with in Africa really demonstrate that one person can make a difference; they have been an inspiration.  That is a lesson I will use as my life goes forward.  Even with the limited resources they have, they provided a warm welcome for us and a snack and lunch meal (very good).  Then they shared the food with their neighbors who were in need.

God really showed today that even in harsh circumstances or environments, His plans will still work. Pastor Chechoi’s son had also been admitted to the hospital in Nakuru overnight and we were able to take the Pastor with us back to Nakuru so  he could see how his son is doing and what healing God would provide next.

God also provided Pastor Chochoi with a way to get back to Pokot.  Some things that happen here in Africa do not make sense to me.  I will have to ask God what He wants me to understand and use that for His purposes as I return to the US.

Please pray for Molly and Springs of Hope Kenya that the vans can be repaired so they can continue their work for the orphans and the community.  Tomorrow we return to the orphanage to spend the weekend with the children before heading back to the US.  We probably will not have Internet access so please pray for our safe journey and the opportunity to provide a blessing to someone before we leave.  Thanks again for all your support of this trip.

Connie posted more pics on Facebook.

I (Paul) think we got the cell data issue resolved, so we should be tweeting and Facebooking again live tomorrow.

After a couple intense days of ministry, on Wednesday we took a day to enjoy the beauty of God’s creation at Lake Nakuru National Park.  After the safari we had the best choma – grilled goat – around!  I (Paul) shared pics from the safari on Facebook.

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Our apologies, this post was delayed by a day because of some Internet hiccups…

Today we visited the slum area of Nakuru known as Ronda.  The conditions in much of Ronda are not much better than the landfill.  Yet in the midst of poverty and disease, we saw God at work in some amazing ways and through some amazing people.  In our “debrief” time this evening, each person in our team shared at least one way they saw God at work today and we’re each sharing one of those stories with you here…

Amir

God was at work today by allowing our team to be in Ronda with Pastor Ben.  Everything did not go as planned and I think God did that on purpose.  But, since God turns everything around for good, we were able to take Mercy (a woman in her early 20′s) to the hospital late this afternoon otherwise, she may not have survived through the night.  One thing some of you may not know, there is only one ambulance in Nakuru to serve 250,000+ people (unless you have money to pay for a private service).

God also showed us that Mary was there, to work in the community providing caring, hope, and encouragement to the people of the slums.  Mary was with Mercy called Pastor Ben to let him know how sick Mercy had become and hoped that we would be able to help.  If our day had gone as planned, we would not have been in the community at a time to provide the help for Mercy.   There are more details about the community that will be shared later so you fully understand what we experienced today.  Please continue to keep us in your prayers.

Sandi

God is always working, moving all around us.  How often in our day to day tasks do we take time to step back and notice this?  He never stops wanting to have a personal conversation with us.  He wants to know how our day went.  He wants us to live out our faith in community and share our struggles and victories.  One of the highlights of trips like this to Kenya, is that it is our focus to see how God is working.  We try to seek out ways to be His hands and feet.  We take time to reflect in a group of peers.  We ask for prayer on the tough stuff of life.

Since our arrival in Nakuru, I’ve watched major foundational shifts in the hearts of myself and my team.  Sure, this is partly due to the hardships we see, but I think it is majorly because we make a conscience effort to open our hearts to whatever He wants to do in us and through us.  How often do we dismiss the workings of the Father as coincidence?  How often do we take the good instead of the best?  It really fuels me to know I’m living out a piece of the Grand Plan.  I want to make a shift in the way I do life; I want to be as open and transparent and willing to His Voice when I get back as I am here.  I hope you can make a similar covenant with God, too.

Korin

Ronda.  It is a place that is difficult to describe.  So much poverty, illness and heartache.  But a man named Ben showed me how God can work and show love and grace in such a place.  He is the hands and feet of Jesus to these people.  Day in day out he strives to help the neediest of people (both physically and spiritually).  When people are dying, they call him for help.  He is their lifeline.   They (he and his family) have taken in the homeless and help the orphans.  They rely on support from people who share his heart but have no regular income.

About 40% of people in Ronda have HIV.  We helped transport people to and from the hospital, visited and prayed with people in their homes and brought them food for the week.  We visited a church where there was a AIDS support group and distributed flour and mattresses.   They were so welcoming to us and had us sit up front (facing them) during the service.  I was just so blessed by the hearts of the people who do this on a daily basis and love these people and the souls of these people.   It broke my mama heart to see women with many children unable to provide food and safety for these families.  The joy of some of the children made my heart smile -wish I could send the video that I took of kids singing about Jesus in the worst of circumstances.  I could spend the whole day with those kids.    Not sure what this all looks like for me when I get home but I’m hoping I have just a portion of the heart of Ben to feed the hungry, and care for orphans, widows and the sick.

Connie

Today was like a whirlwind of events.  But the way we saw God working, was unbelievable.  We went to the slums of Rhonda today.   We visited quite a few homes of women who needed food and prayer in this community.  We also visited a local church and worshiped with them and talked to these women one-on-one and prayed with them while we were there.  Just before we left, we handed out bags of flour, and gave a few mattresses with those in need, because most of these families sleep on the hard, cold, bare ground.

The two situations where I saw God work the most was, first, we were able to help a woman, Milicent, who was admitted to the hosptial dying of AIDS 40 days ago, recovered enough to be released today.  She could go home, but she didn’t have enough money to pay her bill or to get a ride home.  With prayer, she was released and we were able to reunite her with her children.  Second, we witnessed God working in the life of another woman, Mercy, who we visited in the Slums earlier with a very high fever, not sure if she was going to make it.  After a short time, we were called to transport her to the hospital and we said many prayers for her.  As we left the hospital, we were not sure what her outcome would be, but the good news, is that we were told  they were able to help her get well.

The experiences I’ve had so far are heartbreaking, yet some are miracles, but they all seem to be in the hands of God.  The people who are truly amazing here in Kenya, are Molly Bail, Tonny, Daniel, and Ben.   These are the people here in this  community who truly have compassion in their hearts for these children and families in need.  They never stop serving, caring, praying and loving these people.  I see God through their work and passion.  Through it all, it has been an amazing experience.

Jennifer (by Paul)

It’s after midnight now and we’ll be getting up around 6 AM tomorrow. Jennifer went to bed, but I wanted to tell you how she saw God at work today.  When we did our garage sale to raise money for our trip, a neighbor who we didn’t know stopped by and when she heard we were going to Kenya gave us a cube that helps with AIDS prevention training.  Today, Jennifer showed Pastor Ben the cube and asked him if it could help him in his ministry.  He  told her that 6 years ago someone showed him a cube like it, but took it with him and told him he would send him some.  He never did, so Ben has been waiting for one of these cubes for 6 years.  Through Jennifer God answered Ben’s prayer.

Paul

Can you tell that in addition to being at work around our team, God was also at work IN our team?  Today was another day where we were thrown into circumstances we had never been faced with before.  The poverty, sickness, and unsanitary living conditions in Ronda are simply indescribable.  Yet, each member of our team jumped into each situation with confidence that only comes from faith that God is with us.  And in every case, God came through using each member of our team in different ways at different times. I am so grateful that God gave us the privileged of being used in so many ways today for his glory.  And I’m so grateful that our team got to experience God in these ways.  All we really did was show up and follow what God was leading us to do and say, and God did His thing.

I am also totally blown away by the faith and compassion Pastor Ben lives out every day.  This is a man who left his role and salary as the pastor of a church, to help people who are sick with AIDS and rescue children from abusive home situations.  He does what we did today… every day…  without a salary.  Through him God is at work every day in the slums of Ronda.

Connie posted more pics from Tuesday here.

Thanks to everyone back home for your prayers & encouragement! You can see live updates on Facebook and see more pics and updates from the first 5 days on Paul’s blog http://LiveIntentionally.org