Last Sunday

Today was my last Sunday here in Kenya before I go to the States for furlough. I have really grown to love the people at Emmanuel Baptist. I will miss all of them greatly!

I absolutely love singing in Swahili and today we, the choir, sang one of my favorite songs in Swahili. Then it was time for junior church. I knew it was my last day with the kids so I made cupcakes to pass out at the end of the class hour. The brother of the missionary’s wife is here on a short visit so we had him come into junior church to teach the kids. We joined together both junior church classes and we barely fit into the one room. Everyone was in attendance plus some! =) I believe the kids enjoyed the guest teacher especially when he tried to use Swahili. He even had all of us teachers laughing! He may have been slaughtering the language, but it pleased the kids that he was trying.

The church surprised me with the gift of a book. When I opened it I saw where several of the people had written notes in the cover. I will treasure that book forever! My single girls group also surprised me with roses and a card. I keep saying surprised because I was not expecting anything and was totally and completely surprised by everything!!!!

Today was the second Sunday of the month and so we had our ladies meeting after church. I really enjoyed having one more time of fellowship with the ladies. We learned a new song that I thought was beautiful. I was very blessed by the lesson that was given. I was challenged and decided that while I am back on furlough I am going to get back to memorizing the book of Philippians. I had started it when I was here in Kenya on one of my short term trips. I had the first two chapters done, but then got sidetracked. My goal is to have the book of Philippians completely memorized by the time I return to Kenya.

I thank the Lord for putting the people of Emmanuel Baptist in my life!

Prayer Request Update and Praise

I’m sorry it has taken me so long to update my blog. Thank you for your prayers for the missionary that was to have surgery. Mrs. Weaver came through her surgery well and she is back here in Kenya. They won’t know for a while if the surgery took care of the problem or not. If she comes to mind please continue to pray for her.

I also want to thank you for your prayers for my 6 year old niece, Esther. Please continue to pray for her and the family. The cancer has returned. She started out with two tumors in her abdomen. Within three weeks it had spread to her heart and bones. She and her family are back in the States and she started chemo this week. The doctors don’t hold out much hope, but she is in God’s hands. I find comfort in the thought that she is God’s little girl and He has her best in mind. This is not going to be an easy time for her or our family. Please keep us in your prayers!

My furlough is to start in one week. I will be back in the States traveling and reporting to the churches and people that support me. When I get back from furlough I will be moving up to a little town called Nanyuki. My ministry will consist of working in orphanages, teaching Bible in the village schools, helping start Sunday school and training teachers in the village churches, and teaching the ladies classes in the Bible Institute. A couple weeks ago I drove up to Nanyuki to look around at the housing. While I was there I got to be involved in the chapel service at the Christian school the missionaries started. Several kids responded to the invitation that was given. I helped the teachers divide them in smaller groups to deal with and I got to deal with three girls. As I talked to them I found that two of the girls were already saved so we talked for a while and then I got to lead the third girl to the Lord that day! Praise the Lord!