God's Love is Abundant

So, as you have prayed for our Kenya team, I know there have been some questions about why I am not going on this trip.

Since our last trip in 2013 my life has changed quite a bit.  I have had two incidents with my implanted defibrillator since our last trip.  My doctor has assured me that I can make the trip.  I feel like that it is better for the team if I do not go.  I do not want to slow the team down if I have another incident.

Also, the date of the trip is the anniversary of my father's death.  It has been a rough year for me.....speaking of broken hearts.  However it has been very hard on my mother, and I am planning on being with her during the anniversary season.

Those are strong reasons not to go, but I have been sad to think about not doing training for the lovely people of Africa.  I LOVE teaching in Africa.......I LOVE the African people.  God knows our hearts, tired and broken and He  gave me a gift.  I was approached by a pastor from Ghana.  Could I please do a training for his Sunday School teachers?  YES!  I can not wait.  I don't look at this as one more thing to prepare for.  I don't look at it as a ministry opportunity.  I look at it as a love letter from God to remind me that he has a GREAT plan for my life.

Pray for me, and the members of the Kenya team that are going to serve this church alongside me.

Pray for our team as they prepare for how God is going to use them in Kenya.

Posted by Elise:

Recently I read an article from Compassion International about a young man from Kenya that is living in Europe now, working in a research facility, trying to find a cure for Malaria.  He had grown up in Kibera and his life was quite desperate.  When he got a sponsor, his life changed for the good.  He started getting enough to eat, and he was able to go to school and now he is trying to make a difference for his fellow Kenyans.  I love this story for many reasons.  I love anyone who wants to annilate Malaria for children.  I love to hear how something as simple as a child being sponsored totally changed his life.  I especially love the fact that our church has the chance to be a part of similar stories!

 

You have heard a lot about our camps and training, but members of our team were also involved in 4 meetings with our Kenyan friends, working on our Vulnerable Childrens initiative.  They have worked very hard.  We are coming home with a big vision to share with everyone, and I believe you will be excited to hear what this team accomplished. 

 

In a few hours we will be getting on the plane for a long trip home.  We all have loved our time here, but we are all very ready to come home and be with you all.  VERY READY!  We are tired and our hearts are full and we look forward to sharing with the rest of our team, which is you.  Thanks Team!  Blessings to each of you!  With Love the Travel Team!

Sports Camp is almost over and our numbers have grown each day.  We started out with 370 children on Thursday, 430 on Friday and we are exspecting 500+ today.   

Beth is feeling much better and doing a fantastic job after recovering from Malara.  She ROCKS showing all the children the moves to Jesus is a Superstar and Deep Down Buggie.  The team is elated she is feeling much better.  Thanks for all your prayers.   

 Managing sports isn’t the only part of camp that requires a great effort.  Regina our logistics exspert  has had to organize snack for all our campers that attend.  Her daily visits to the bank and Nakumatt to pick up 500+ juice bottles and crackers to keep smiles on the campers faces has been a labor of love.  Regina has been the life raft that all of us hold onto. 

The sports we are presenting at camp this year are basketball with Virgil and Ryan, soccer with Elise, Max, and Caroline, and volleyball with Jeff.  We can’t forget the many Kenyan teachers who volunteered to help of teach the sports to the kids.

We are all having a wonderful time playing with the children and working with our new Kenyan friends.  We are all blessed.

Posted by Jeff:

Yesterday the team went to Kibera to visit a local school.  Kibera is one of Africa's largest slums.  Kibera is an area as big as central park and 2.5 million men, women and children live there.  I didn't know what to think as we drove up to Kibera.  My eyes widened and my heart fell.   I couldn't believe people could survive there, but to my amazement people flourished.  We picked up Pastor Micheal and George and Charles our 2 armed Administrative Police that were with us for our protection.

We drove to the center of Kibera on a road that looked like a balance beam with streams of trash, sewage, people, shops, and mud homes on either side.  We stopped and got out of the bus and followed Pastor down a dim path between several mud houses.  I felt like I was in a maze.  We twisted and turned through the mud buildings, passing Kenyans who couldn't believe there were "mazungoo" in the neighborhood. 

We finally arrived at the school and met the teachers who volunteer to work with the children. There was a small open classroom with a tin roof and 2 mud walls.  The children were of many different ages and learning about letter sounds and addition.  The team was a surprise to them and they put on a show of songs and bible verses. It was amazing to witness in such conditions their thirst for learning was in overdrive. 

Through conversation we found out they had a field where we could play some games. So we got out the soccer balls and journeyed to the field.  Once again we entered the maze of mud huts and sewer drainage that shared the pathway out of the slum.  We got to the field and had a chance to see them smile and play together. 

I know everyone on the team was elated to see the children play and interact with us. Spending this time with these children made it very clear that God works in wonderful ways.

Posted by Jeff Bectle:


What a wonderful place Kenya is to visit.  I couldn't believe we managed sports camp for 600 + children in Nandi.  Ryan, Virgil, Max, Caroline, Beth, Elise and our Kenyan friends Pastor Enock, Pamela, Ruth, Vickie and Ken have done a fantastic job.   It was wonderful to hear all 600+ of them singing as we walked down the road to the church.  


My first experience with the African wildlife was with my roommate Virgil.  As we were getting ready for bed Virgil noticed somethling funny looking on the floor. We walked over to it and looked close. I asked Virgil to pick up my shoe and give it a nudge.  On closer inspection we discovered it was one of Africa's deadly dozen... it was the dreaded bat balloon!  A balloon I had not used during sports camp had fallen out of my bag and was lying on the floor.  To say the least Virgil and I were relieved it didn't attack.  

On our way back from Nandi, which was an adventure in its self because of the roads and drivers, we stopped at Nakuru Wild Life Park.  This park has the largest concentration of Flamingos in the world.  It was a sea of pink.  While waiting to get into the park some of us wandered around snapping pictures of the monkeys and baboons that were walking around while some of us rested in the van.  A baboon decided to visit the van and steel a bag of onions, but Max who was quick on his feet jumped the harry thief and rescued Pastor Enock's onions.


This has been a trip of a lifetime and God has allowed our team to impact the lives of so many Kenyan children and adults.


On a more serious note Beth, one of our teammates, has taken ill with Malaria.  So please send her your prayers for a quick recovery.

Posted by David Magnet:

We received an email today that Beth Oaks has malaria.  Please pray for her as she recovers and the rest of the team as they continue to lead.