Mon – Fri, March 16-19, 2009
I'm enjoying sitting out in the garden a little while each day. I find that I am still very weak and tired. My cough still continues. While l'm recovering here I enjoy the company of my friends as they come to visit me. We are also getting to know new missionaries as they stop here for a night or two. We have met Joe & Nancy Losee who have a home in Kitale at the base of Mt Elgon. They have taught Bible classes throughout Kenya for nine years. We will be visiting them when I am strong enough to travel. We also have been given other contacts and information on housing in the Mt Elgon area. Pastor Joseph and Gladys, who work with the street children, have also brought us good reports of the healing power of Jesus.
One young mother on the streets had cuts and an infection that prevented her from nursing her baby. She knows it was the prayers that brought healing to her body. She thanks Jesus for touching her and smiles all the time now.
A woman who had typhoid returned to regular duties after prayer.
A woman with diabetes has been healed. The diabetes is no longer found in her tests.
A husband has returned to his home and the marriage has been restored.
It is so good to hear all that God is doing J
Sunday, March 22, 2009
I'm on my feet and on the move.J it feels so good to walk through the slums again. Today I walk with Manley at my side. I am greeted by many of the children. I see them running down the path toward me and then many arms are wrapped around me. I did not teach the children or preach today. It was pre agreed that I would just come and enjoy the service as I still do not have all my strength back. I enjoyed seeing everyone so much. I had the privilege of introducing Manley to all of my church friends. They have prayed faithfully for his coming to Africa.
After the service the pastor came to me and said there was a problem. He asked that I join him outside. So I left the people and walked with him to a small vegetable stand made of scrap sheet metal. It was across the dirt road in front of the church. There inside this little structure, hardly big enough for one person to stand in was a woman near death on the ground. Someone had brought her there and dumped her. They had left her there to die. I got down on my knees and crawled in beside her. Her lips were dried and cracked. Her body was wasted away, only a skeleton remained. Her eyes were dull and slightly glazed. Her voice was ever so weak. As I waved my hand back and forth over her face to keep the flies off her I assured her there would be a car coming soon to take her to the hospital. Before I left her we asked the Lord to perform a miracle within her diseased body and with just a whisper of a voice she asked Jesus into her heart. (She passed away 3 days later. Her name still is unknown.)
As we walked out of the slums we stopped at Shem's place. Shem is the notorious thief that has asked Jesus into his heart. His eyes were clear and his face radiated the peace that only God can give. Two of his friends, Carol and Thomas, joined our visit and also asked Jesus into their heart before we left. They agreed to go to the church meeting this evening.
It is wonderful to see the changes taking place in these troubled lives.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Our bus leaves Nairobi at 9 am for Kakamega in western Kenya. It is a nine hour bus trip. We will make daily trips from Kakamega to Shinyalu village. Pastor Chris, Manley and I are excited to see what God is doing in this new church that was started in December 2008. We are traveling with study books on the Character of a Leader and Bearing Fruit. We also have Bibles, Sunday school material, crayons, reading glasses and a banner with the church name "The Lord Worship Center". We want to encourage them and bless them.
Friday, March 27, 2009
After a night's sleep in Kakamega we ride the buda buda to the matatu stage. Pastor Chris and I arrive safely but Manley is no where to be seen. His driver has pedaled him to another part of town. I remain resting in the shade of one of the store fronts with 4 year old Linda Jr. Pastor Chris starts walking to some of the other matatu areas and soon Manley is foundJ We have prayer with the ladies that are running the store and then board a matatu for Shinyalu village. It is a 45 minute ride on very dusty roads. Every inch of space is filled with a human body no matter how hot it is. Eighteen to twenty one people are enclosed in the matatu. Boxes of goods, sacks of rice and beans are tied on top. As we drive along we slow down for the cows, goats and sheep that are casually walking in the roads. We pass the air strip. The president has been here for a couple days and left for Nairobi earlier this morning.
At Pastor Chris house we are greeted by 3 other pastors. Bibles and study materials are handed out to them. After eating a wonderful meal of ugali, rice and chicken we visit with neighbors. Lucas needs prayer for his neck. He hasn't been able to move it without pain. His whole family is called together as we share some scripture before praying. Lucas and his wife fall to their knees as it is time to pray. Lucas neck is immediately healed. He turns his head this way and that over and over again. He begins to smile as the pain is gone. Lucas and his family members, being seven in all, accepted Jesus in their heart right there in his home. Later in the evening we greet the people at the new church before taking a motorcycle out of the village. There in the small gathering sits one of Lucas' sons that had accepted Jesus earlier in the day.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Before leaving for Shinyalu we loaded ourselves and our suitcases on four different buda budas. They take us across town to a different place to sleep for the next two nights. After getting settled we then start our journey to Shinyalu village. The Kakamega Rain Forest is part of our schedule today. The hot sun beats down on us and the dust from the roads rises around us. It is market day and Shinyalu is busy. We walk down past the butchers. Each one with large knives in hand has fresh meat to offer. The area for livestock is full of people buying and selling. There is something new in Shinyalu that I didn't see when I visited here in December 2008---"Telephone Poles". Many here now have access to electricity. Once in the forest we are greeted by several blue monkeys. Further in we see the colobus monkeys. They are not afraid of us at all. We see massive trees and even a brown bat.
Pastor Arthur invites us to his home for lunch. His mother needs prayer for her legs and extends an invite to speak at the convention for the Quaker women in December of 2009.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Today we travel in style. One of the newer modes of travel here is a 3 wheel taxi which carries 3 passengers at a time. Manley has wanted to see what kind of a ride they give J It was quicker and we had time to visit the Australian Guest House before church. They gave us info and numbers to contact for those interested in adopting children from Africa. I will make sure those who have contacted me are given the info.
We arrive at church and thirty or more people have filled the small room. Some stand at the window outside. This church began in December 2008 after the crusade. It is steadily growing and we thank God. We worship with accordion music. Some songs are in Swahili and some are in English. We are sad to hear that Pastor Martin's 14 year old daughter passed away last night with malaria.
We had a powerful service and prayed with many. Two people accepted Jesus into their heart. Sunday school material was given to the teacher. She was shown how to use the crayons. Most churches do not have such materials to work with.
We are thankful for the rains that started today. It is believed that a guest brings blessings and if it rains while the guest is there it will be double blessings.
We had a wonderful afternoon at Pastor Herbert's home.
Buckets were placed around the outside of the house to catch the rain off the roof. A lantern gave us light on the inside and singing fills this home made of mud.
Monday, March 30, 2009
We leave Kakamega and by matatu we travel four hours north to Kitale. Kitale is a very active town at the base of Mt. Elgon. It is here that we will meet our friends Joe and Nancy Losee. They have been missionaries here in Kenya for nine years. The end of April they will leave Kenya and move to Sudan to start a new work.
Our matatu packed full of people, chickens and luggage just makes it to the outskirts of Kitale when it stops. They try pushing it but it refuses to start. So with luggage beside us we stand at the corner and call the guest house. Soon someone arrives and delivers us safely to our new place to rest. We have a beautiful view from our window. A full range of mountains sits at the horizon with flowering cactus, bushes and trees in between.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
We spent the day with Joe and Nancy touring the area. They have taken us under their wing and shared so much with us. Their wisdom has blessed us so much. We thank God that he has put us together even if it is for a short time. They have been on the mission field for nine years here and they are pouring into us. They have been a tremendous help to us.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
We met Pastor Richard and his wife today. Also Gary and Beverly missionaries from Israel. We traveled with them to Mt Elgon where they held a Bible class for the men and women. Then later in the day we went a little further up the mountain to view their building project. This area is extremely poor. A days wages is 30 KSH /less than 50 cents. Before the vehicle stops many children came running. They walk with us and began to talk amongst themselves. I was told they wanted to be beautiful like me. That was my opportunity to tell them how special they are in God's eyes. Twelve children accepted Jesus into their heart there on Mt. Elgon. They were shown where they could go to church on Sunday. Then the pastor of the church was called and told to expect the children at his service. We also met a missionary couple that cares for unwanted babies. Many babies are found near dead in the forest or beside the road. Right now they are caring for 57 babies. They have been so faithful in this ministry that the police are now bringing them the babies that they find. God has blessed us with new friends in such a short time. We thank him for his leading.
Psalm 9:1
I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart. I will tell of all your wonders.
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