Teaching Chapel

Last week and this week I had the opportunity to teach in the chapel service at Mt. Kenya Baptist School. I really enjoyed teaching the kids two new songs. This Friday I taught the children about Samuel and how as God’s children we need to not just hear God’s Word, but obey it. “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, . .” James 1:22. Praise the Lord 16 children got saved today! I also got to pray with some other children about things in their lives.

In the afternoon I was in the school office working on some lessons in Swahili. At lunch break a group of the children came and wanted to talk to me. They had questions about the Bible, Jesus, creation, and what do we do as God’s children when we sin. We went out and sat in the field and had a really good time talking until it was time for their next class.

Well, I need to go get ready for tomorrow and get some sleep. I will be going out to Isiolo again. Praying you all are having a great day!

Too Cute!

These guys are out every morning playing with the side mirrors on my vehicle. =)

A Village Called Ereri

I went out this morning to a village called Ereri. I have never been so far out in the middle of nowhere. =) We got to the school and found some very excited children. With only four teachers and eight grades, each teacher is responsible for two grades. Most of the classes were made up of children of all ages. The parents of these children have never been educated and the school had to beg them to send their children. When the family’s herds have no more to eat they pack up the family and move, so much for going to school. I am grateful that this Bible Baptist Church started a school out there. At least the children are getting some education.

I really enjoyed being with the children. They were very well behaved! I greeted them, told them my name, and some about myself. I taught them a song and then taught the Bible lesson. It was all done in Swahili!!!! =) The children heard the Gospel in their own language!

I had a great day! I’m now home and very exhausted!

Ereri Pictures

Traveling to the village of Ereri.

On our way we passed many zebras and camels.

The school in Ereri.

Teaching in Swahili.

The children of Ereri and I!

The view I got of Mt. Kenya as I was driving yesterday.

I Stopped Dead In My Tracks

I woke up this morning and went into the bathroom. As I was shutting the door I had a surprise visit by one of God’s creatures, a very large spider. It was three inches in diameter. I didn’t scream, but I did stop dead in my tracks! After a second I figured out what to do. Of course, it was too big to smash. I got it into a cup and dumped it outside. Then I decided to smash it out there so it would not revisit me. =) Smart huh?!

After such an exciting start to the day I packed up and took off to the orphanage in Isiolo. Missionaries can have just as much fun as anyone. I got to do a very small version of Extreme Home Makeover today. Basically I rearranged the orphans beds and trunks to give them more room. I had found scripture posters in Nairobi and had them laminated. They really brightened the orphan’s rooms up.

Last week I took a box of gifts to each of the orphanages. The boxes contained tubs of crayons, paper, and biographies of men and women of the faith for the young ones and older ones to read. It was neat to see this week that the orphans had been reading them.

On my way home it began to rain. In Kenya you are always passing carts being pulled by donkeys. This time I passed a cart covered in plastic. The head of the driver was peaking out as he reached through whacking his donkeys with a long stick. =) It was funnier than I will ever be able to describe it.

Keep me in your prayers as I prepare to teach in Swahili on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Heart Stopping Emails

You know, I'm kind of tired of getting these heart stopping emails and phone calls, but its life. By the time I finished reading the email my family just sent me I had tears of gratitude streaming down my face.

On Sunday evening as my family was going to church a Mexican man hit our family van head on and totaled it. My Mom, brother, and two sisters were in it along with my four nieces and nephews. Mom had to have 11 stitches in her knee and all the kids came out ok, just shaken up. God is so good!!!! I am told they arrested the man. He had no insurance and was not the owner of the car he was in. =( Thankfully my parents had insurance on the van so it was covered.

I am so thankful that the Lord choose to spare my family once again. I think the guardian angels for my family have been working over time for the last couple of years. =)

New Baby Nephew!!!!!

Joshua James Travis was born on 5/17/08! He was 23 inches long and weighed 11 lbs. 6 ozs.

Sunday in Naibor

I traveled out this morning to the Naibor area. The church and orphanage are actually in a little village called Tumaini. I had another young lady who is a teacher at the Mt. Kenya Baptist School and who is also from the Naibor area go with me. We attended the Sunday morning service at the Bible Baptist Church of Tumaini. Since I was a visitor I knew I would be asked to greet the church and tell them who I was. I had worked out what I was going to say in Swahili and it was very simple. The time came and I said, “Ninaitwa Tracie” (I am called Tracie) and then my mind went blank, truly blank. =) How embarrassing! I forgot the rest of what I was going to say. The minute I sat down it all came rushing back to me. “Ninaitwa Tracie. Mimi ni missionary. Ninafundisha watoto habari za Yesu na Biblia.” In English, “I am called Tracie. I am a missionary. I teach children about Jesus and the Bible.” Not very hard to say, right? =) Next time I’m going to have it written down.

After church we had lunch with the orphans and community kids. Then we went out to the field and played all kinds of games. The teenagers played volleyball and football (soccer). We played frisbee with the kids and then I taught them “Duck, Duck, Goose”. It was so much fun to watch them as they caught on to “Duck, Duck, Goose”. I really enjoyed playing with the kids and talking with them in Swahili. It’s easier to talk in Swahili to kids then when you are facing a whole church full of people.


I want to introduce you to a dear little friend of mine that I met the last time I was in the village of Tumaini. She is about 7 or 8 years old. Both her parents are drunks and so she is mom to her 3 younger brothers. Her youngest brother is a little older than 1. She watches over them and even goes down to the river and gets water for them in a 20 lb. jug. Because there is no food in the house she brings them to the orphanage so they can at least have lunch. Around this world there are many children just like her who need someone to reach out and love them. I want to challenge you to reach out to the children that are in your neighborhood and in your cities. Make a difference in their lives!

Sunday Pictures in Naibor

Bible Baptist Church of Tumaini

Sunday school children presenting some songs and scripture memory

The children filled the Sunday school room

The Orphanage

The Youth playing volleyball

Playing frisbee!

This time I had a friend take some pictures while I got to play with the kids.

She is off the ground and smiling

Duck, Duck, Goose

Pastor John Chirchir and his family.

He is the Pastor of the church and the one who started and takes care of the orphanage.

Isiolo

I had a wonderful day today at the orphanage in Isiolo. On Saturdays they have the community kids come in for a children’s program with the orphans and then they are fed lunch. I didn’t teach the lesson today, but I did get to teach the kids some new songs in Swahili. After lunch we went out and played all kinds of games and just mingled with the kids. I got real good at saying, “Unaitwa nani?” Literal English translation “You are called what?” In proper English “What is your name?” =) Since most of the older kids knew some English I got by with mixing English and Swahili in my sentences.

Isiolo is about an hour and a half out from Nanyuki town. We had a safe journey to and from Isiolo. I say “we” because I took one of the preschool teachers from the Mt. Kenya Baptist School with me. She is around my age and is a sweet Christian lady. Asking her to go with me on this trip gave us a wonderful time of fellowship and a time of getting to know each other better.

Today I got to mix my English and Swahili. Tomorrow I will be going to an area called Naibor for Church and to spend the afternoon with the orphans there. In Naibor I will only be able to use Swahili. I’ll let you know how it goes. =)

I am so happy! When I got home (Nanyuki) today I got a text message from my family back in the US. I have another nephew! Joshua James weighed in at 11lbs. 6 ozs.! That is one big nephew!!!! Mom (my big sister) and baby are healthy and doing well. Praise the Lord! Sorry, this Auntie doesn’t have any pics yet. =(

Playing football (soccer)

I passed out suckers to the kids

It is kind of hard to take pictures when you are busy playing.

Which Way Do I Go?

That was the question of the day. I woke up to a beautiful sunny day. I loaded the last few things in my car and headed for the Mt. Kenya area. I have been very excited about this trip and looking forward to it until it came time for me to start driving. Then I wasn’t so sure about it. I looked at the map I bought at the store and almost turned around and went back into my house. It wasn’t a very clear map, but I took off with it in hand and my GPS system plugged in. Traveling up country is not as easy as it sounds. =) The roads here in Kenya are not always marked. In fact most often they are not marked at all. I made it about half way when I had to make a choice between two roads and I began to ask the question “Which way do I go?” After several u-turns I finally took the route that matched the GPS system and not the paper map in my hand. It turned out to be the longer, more confusing, and more scenic route. =) Oh well! I soon came to another “T” in the road and was back on the main route with the map and GPS agreeing.

As I continued on my journey I soon came to one of several tourist attractions, a curio shop. Since I needed a break from driving I pulled in and got out. I looked at all the neat things they were selling and managed to not be the typical female today. I left without buying anything, but I did check out their unusually clean toilets. =) Before I knew it I was soon passing the Aberdares and then off to my right I saw the beautiful Mt. Kenya. Today it was covered in rain clouds. I arrived in Nanyuki town just in time for it to start pouring. I thank the Lord for giving me a safe journey and I can’t wait to see what God has in store for me tomorrow and the coming weeks!

God's Goodness

I just returned home from a quick trip to the States. Two weeks ago I got a phone call to come home quickly because my niece who has cancer was not doing well. When I got there I wasn’t sure what was going to happen. Her liver has stopped working and she was swelling from the poisons in her body. While I was there we got the report back from her liver biopsy that 1/3 of her liver was still alive. I am happy to say that the Lord still works miracles. Her liver started working again and before I returned home she was well enough to be out of the hospital. Please continue to pray for her as she still has a long road ahead of her as her liver continues to heal.

I had a wonderful time visiting my family as well as visiting my Grandpa who was just diagnosed with cancer and is also having heart problems. My family and I traveled down to Grandpa’s house which is located in the midst of the few mountain ranges we actually have in southeast Oklahoma. We made some wonderful memories with Grandpa those two days we were with him on his farm. When we got there he informed us if we wanted supper we had better start catching the fish. My four sisters, one brother, Mom, Dad, and I headed out to the pond and began to fish. Grandpa joined us and we brought in a total of seven huge catfish and one bass. We ate all the wonderful catfish you could possibly eat that night!

The next day all of us kids with my cousin got in the back of my aunt’s truck with my Aunt, Mom, Dad, and Grandpa in the front. We took off and drove all over the mountains that surround my Grandpa’s farm. My Grandpa and Aunt surprised us with a picnic at a beautiful spot by the creek where my Grandpa used to take my Grandma for picnics. =) God has truly blessed me with a wonderful family!

It was also a joy to see everyone at my home church. I thank the Lord that he gave me a wonderful two weeks back in the States and that I did not end the trip having to attend a funeral, but spent a wonderful day visiting with my niece before I headed home (Kenya). I miss my family and my church family back in the States, but there is nothing like being back home here in Kenya. The Lord has some great things in store for this year and I am looking forward to sharing them with you as they happen!

My Mom, Dad, younger sisters, brother, and my older sister's husband and kids

Esther and I on my last day there. It was here third day out of the hospital and she was able to come to Church.

Pictures From Grandpa's

Fishing for our supper

Anna and Dad

Going on a picnic

Having a picnic at the spot were my Grandpa used to take my Grandma when they were young.

(Rebekah, Amy, and I)

Andrew

Grandpa and Mom

My family with Grandpa and my cousin (the one in the cowboy hat)

Mom and all of us girls!