Update on Esther

This picture was taken at the first of December.

I talked with my Mom the other day and she updated me on my little niece, Esther. She came through her 4th chemo treatment okay. She was in the hospital for a week and a half and it was a very rough time for her. She is now getting ready to go into her 5th chemo treatment and then she will go through surgery. After that surgery she will have her 6th chemo treatment and then have a bone marrow transplant. The doctors have said that this is where they loose a lot of the children. Please keep Esther and the whole family in your prayers.

I woke up this morning thinking about my niece and the very rough waters that she is getting ready to go through and found myself wanting to crumble inside. As always God’s timing is perfect. Because I like music I listen to CDs a lot. I put a new CD in this morning that someone had given me. I didn’t really know which songs were on it. The song that came on was called “God Wants to Hear You Sing”. Once again I was reminded that a very caring and loving Heavenly Father is in control. I will try to get a copy of the words and post them so that they can be a blessing to you as well.

Continue to pray for Kenya as well. Things seem to be getting tense again. God bless and thank you for your prayers!

Children’s Bible Club

What an exciting night! For the last two evenings Kathy and I have walked around our neighborhood inviting the kids to our Friday night Children’s Bible Club. Tonight at the Bible club we had 26 in attendance. It was exciting to get it started again. The kids were very excited as well. The theme is Celebrating Life in Christ. The children as a group are supporting a missionary in Sudan. They want to help him share Christ with the boys and girls in Sudan.

Each child has a paper passport with their information in it. I have taken their photos and pasted them in the front of the passports. The kids were excited to see their pictures in their passports. They get to fill the pages with stickers for attendance, Bible verses, their worksheets, and for bringing visitors. I am excited to see what the Lord is going to do through this Bible Club!

3rd Sunday of the Year!

The Lord has blessed us with some wonderful Sunday services in this New Year. Junior church is overflowing with kids and when more come, we will just keep packing them in. =) Last Sunday we had 144 kids in attendance. I was literally exhausted when I got finished teaching. Over course we had them all in the same room, 8th grade down to 2 year olds. I don’t think we could have fit another person in. It was so packed!

We made some changes this Sunday. We split the babies off and I only kept in my room 1st -8th grade. I’m glad we did because we had 109 in attendance today. It has been pouring down rain for the last four days. Really 109 kids with it pouring down rain outside was an excellent attendance. The only trouble we had in the classroom was the rain beating on the tin roof of the room we were in. There were about five times I had to stop teaching because I could not talk louder than the rain. I heard they had to stop a couple of times in the adult preaching service as well. =)

We are moving along in are series “Living God’s Way”. So far we have talked about Anger or Self-control, Fear or Faith, and today Selfishness or Generosity. It has been great going through the Bible looking at what God’s Word says and learning about people who demonstrated these different attitudes. The kids seem to really be learning. My prayer is that it will go from a head knowledge to being put to practice in their every day lives. We still have 9 more lessons to go.

We are also working up to our Annual Missions Conference which will be the first weekend of February. With that in mind the kids have been learning about John Paton who was a missionary to the New Hebrides Islands. Our story ended today with John and his wife getting to the Islands. In the process of drying out some things that had gotten wet John was distracted by the Chief and the natives were stealing the stuff off the clothes line. =) The wonders of missionary life. I’ve never had stuff stolen off my clothes line, but I have had to stop teaching because the rain was too loud. ;)

Like I mentioned earlier, it has been raining for the last four days almost nonstop. What a blessing! Things were getting so dry. Some of our church people lost their gardens that they had planted and the grass for their cattle was dried up and gone. The rain has been a real blessing, but with it comes flooding. I told my kids to be careful going home today after church.

I pray you all had a wonderful Sunday as well!

Update About My Niece

Here is an update that was sent out by my brother in law about his daughter. I will just post what he wrote and also say thank you for your prayers.

"I know many of you were praying for her during her hernia surgery and we are happy to report that all went well. She is healing well and has been in very good spirits. We just returned from Oklahoma City yesterday, where Esther had spent two days at the Blood Bank harvesting stem cells from her blood stream. They were able to harverst more than enough stem cells for her upcoming bone marrow transplant. The transplant looks like it will take place in the month of march. Last night we started the fourth round of chemo. The medicines they use in this round are the same that they used in the first two rounds. They have had pretty severe side effects the last two times she had them so please remember her in prayer this time as well."

Mediation Talks

I got this bit of news from another missionary and thought I would share it with all of you.

"There was a glimmer of hope for mediation talks this week but the president just announced the formation of half of his cabinet as well as the position of vp. The announcement already set off some more outbreaks of violence.

On a different note - looters stole all the lumber from a lumber-yard at the coast last week. This week the owner announced that if the wood was not returned by the end of the week, he would put a curse on those that stole the wood. Today a steady stream of people returned almost all of it. Pretty funny but still sad at how superstitious people are."

Pictures of Sunday

Good Morning Everyone!

Well, well, you’re not still sleeping are you? =) I know that it is around midnight there in the States. By the way, January 3rd was my one year anniversary of living in Kenya!

Yesterday we passed out food to our families in our Church. The word is that there is food in that area, but the prices have gone so high they can not afford to buy food. On Saturday I went with Mrs. Novak and bought 100 1kg bags of rice, 108 (because of how they were bundled) 2kg bags of maize (corn) meal, and 100 500g of cooking fat. You should have seen the vehicle when we got it all loaded. That is one pic I did not get to take.

Sunday I started a new series in junior church titled “Living God’s Way”. Yesterday’s lesson was Anger vs. Self-control. The children seemed to really listen to what God’s Word had to say about having self-control and forgiving others that have wronged you. My prayer is that they take it home with them and put it to practice.

After church the Novaks distributed the food stuff to the adults. When they were finished I dismissed the children from junior church. Then the real fun started! =) There are several families were the children come to church, but not the parents. We wanted them to have food as well. So we began trying to sort them and get them in their family groups. My heart was overwhelming with happiness as I got to help hand out the food to the children and to see their faces. No one knew we were going to do this.

Continue to pray for Kenya. On the news last night they told us that there are over 300,000 people that have been misplaced from their homes.

Misc. Pics From all Three Weeks

How I felt after three weeks of camp. A good exhausted!

One of my campers!

A Few Pics From Week 2

Red team won for the week and the were excited!

Cabin cleaning took place every morning

Hiking back down Mt. Lukenya

Loaded up and ready to go hiking

Checkers

Connect Four

A Few Pics From Week 1

Some of the teachers I got to know from the Christian school

Chapel in the Morning

Evening preaching service

Counselor/Camper God and I follow up time

Memorizing James 1

At the top of Mt. Lukenya

Just a Few of the Hundreds of Pics I Have of Camp

Clare (the lady counselor I was teamed up with

the first week) and I became best buds!

Camp Lukenya

Camp Lukenya was started in 2004 by Joel and Mary Ann Weaver, who are second generation missionaries here in Kenya. There son Paul, who is a third generation missionary here in Kenya is the director of the camp. I had the privilege of helping at the camp for three weeks as a counselor. It felt very strange going to youth camp in November and December. The first week we had 3rd-7th grade kids from a Christian school. They were middle to upper class. I was teamed up with another lady counselor that first week and between the two of us we had 13 5th grade girls in our cabin. They kept me on my toes. =)

The second week we had 8th grade graduates that would be starting high school. That week I was on my own. I had 8 very sweet girls in my cabin. They came from different areas in Kenya, but they still mingled together.

The third week we had mostly high school kids and a few younger ones. Once again I had my own cabin. My group of girls ranged from 7th grade to seniors in high school. Some were former street kids, some came from the slums, and some were middle/upper class. I worried the most about this group mingling. The first night in the cabin we spent “cabin devo” time getting to know each other and talking about how we are all equal no matter were we are from, what are home life is like, or what color of skin we have. I enjoyed seeing those girls reach out and mingle, making friends.

The campers were given devotion books on James 1. They would have a time in the morning to do their devotions and then later on we had a scheduled Counselor/Camper time that we talked with them about what they learned in devotion time. They were also encouraged to memorize James 1. Many of my campers came close to memorizing the whole chapter before they left at the end of the week. Of course I enjoyed memorizing along with them and joining them in the game time. Each week the girls took one afternoon and hiked Mt. Lukenya and the rest of the afternoons they were free to play games outside or play board games inside. I played checkers, sorry, dominos, and many other board games with them. Not to mention I taught some of them how to play chicken feet and the rest of that week they continued to teach the others. I also enjoyed playing sand volleyball with them, but the highlight was the basketball game. I have never played the actual game. I learned very quickly that it is not a game that you can stop or pause. I was exhausted afterwards, but had a blast playing! Each of the three weeks the girls would usually open up the last two nights and ask me about modest dress, music, dating, friends, movies, and many other things. I enjoyed hearing what they thought and sharing God’s Word with them.

All three weeks I would try to go around and talk to each of my campers and find out if they were saved or not. On the third week one of the girls looked right at me and with conviction said, “I know Jesus is my Savior. Let me tell you the story.” She proceeded to tell me how she grew up in a home where they were not allowed to go to church. She graduated from primary school and went to a boarding secondary school (high school). While there some people came to preach and she got saved. My heart broke for her as she went on to tell me that she is still not allowed to go to church when she is home from school. She finished by looking at me and saying, “Teacher, I read my Bible but many times I have questions about what I read.” Before she left I was able to get her contact and I’m hoping to be able to keep in touch with her. In fact just about every week I get at least 2 or 3 calls from my campers.

By the way, you can send a kid to camp for only $20. If any of you would like to take part in sending kids that can not afford to go to camp, let me know. I will be glad to get you the information. Camp Lukenya is a camp where kids can come and hear the gospel, learn God’s Word, learn songs that have a message to them, spend time with godly counselors, and have a ton of fun!

The bags of chocolate chip cookies I made for the Church kids

The kids were to all hold up their cookies that they received,

but some were already busy with the eating process. =)

Christmas 2007 In My Own Home

Many of you have asked about my real first Christmas here in Kenya. It was good. Of course I missed not being with family, but I was with my brothers and sisters in Christ here in Kenya. At first I didn’t feel like putting out any Christmas décor. I am so glad I did. It helped me not feel so lonely for my family in the States. I’m ready to make my own Christmas traditions. I put out clear lights in my house, put out my nativity sets and of course all my snowmen. =)

My church sent a huge Christmas box filled with all kinds of thoughtful goodies. One very special treat was a video they did with different people saying things on it along with some of the church services recorded on it.

The day before Christmas I drove over to Chris and Christina’s house (two single lady missionaries that have been in Kenya for years). On Christmas Eve we went out and sang Christmas carols to their neighbors. It was so much fun since while we were singing we were in short sleeves and sweating. =) On Christmas Day another single lady missionary and a missionary couple joined us for dinner and the day. We each contributed to the dinner and I got to provide my Grandmother’s famous dinner rolls and her carrot and jello salad. In a way I felt that my family was right there with me. We spent the rest of the day visiting and playing games.

At that point we had already been told by the Embassy that we would need to lay low starting on the 27th, which was the voting day for the elections. So, I stayed and continued visiting on the 26th and that evening went home and prepared for the elections. Not knowing that it would be weeks before I would really be able to get out again.

Until this morning the Sunday after Christmas has been the only time I’ve been outside my neighborhood. We had a great junior church that Sunday. I made little bags of chocolate chip cookies for all the kids. The lesson I taught was on “A Special Day”. It started with the ordinary day that turned into a special day for Mary when the angel came and visited her. The lesson ended with talking to the kids about the special day that is coming when Christ will return and I closed asking them this question, “Are you ready?”. We had over 80 kids in attendance that day.

I just realized it is past midnight here. I will try to write tomorrow and tell you about the three weeks that I spent at youth camp.

God Can Do Anything By Ira Stanphill

God can do anything, anything, anything,
God can do anything but fail.
He can save, He can keep, He can cleanse, and He will,
God can do anything but fail.

He’s the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end,
He’s the fairest of ten thousand to my soul;
God can do anything, anything, anything,
God can do anything but fail.



Perfect Peace By Joe Zichterman

When life’s burdens get so heavy and it seems I’m all alone,
I cast my care on Jesus and come boldly to His throne.
I find His grace sufficient when His promises I heed.
For His very life He sacrificed, and He lives to intercede.

He is the Lord of Lords, and when He speaks winds and waves obey.
When Jesus whispers “Peace be still,” then darkness turns to day.
And as I’m trusting in my Savior’s Word doubts and fears all cease,
And beneath the shelter of His wings I’m at rest in perfect peace.

I will seek for souls in darkness, Calvary’s love with them to share.
Empowered by His Spirit I will follow anywhere.
For I know whate’er befalls me my Lord is in control.
And as my mind is stayed on Him perfect peace he gives my soul.

He is the Lord of Lords, and when He speaks winds and waves obey.
When Jesus whispers “Peace be still,” then darkness turns to day.
And as I’m trusting in my Savior’s Word doubts and fears all cease,
And beneath the shelter of His wings I’m at rest in perfect peace.