Mombasa, Kenya Summer Teams 2011

This summer, Lisa and I were so blessed to have 3 teams come from America to minister alongside us.  We were privileged to work with doctors, nurses, teachers, evangelists, preachers, athletes, children workers, construction teams, and lots of other amazing ”God-gifted” people.  Each team brought much needed school supplies, medical supplies, Bibles, shoes, clothes, and other precious gifts to give to the people.

Every person came to be a blessing but left with more blessings than they could imagine.  During the past three months we have seen many come to Christ,  several thousand fed and hundreds given medical supplies.  Our two churches were blessed to have all these visitors not only because of the gifts and love they brought but because many were added to their ministries as a result of their efforts.

Our prayer is that many more will come again next summer to experience all that Mombasa, Kenya has to offer!   Please consider joining Real 4 Christ Ministries in 2012 as we endeavor to share our love with those who need it the most.  Lisa and I thank each one of you for your prayers, love and financial support.

If you are interest in joining a team coming to Kenya next year please email us at real4christ@gmail.com

Glorious Day!

Today, we are leaving on a plane back to the states and going back to our realities. We all woke up knowing that we would not sleep another night in Mombasa until 2012, but we woke up with smiles knowing that we all have been forever touched. As we got to Mbewau Academy we were welcomed by the beautiful children singing and dancing. Tears flowed on everyones face and our hearts were filled with complete joy. After they welcomed us, we did a wonderful performance for the kids. They laughed and imitated us and it was glorious!

I hope you all enjoy the video, just as much as we enjoyed performing it for the kids! The video will be uploaded on Facebook as soon as we get to the states!

We love everyone and will be leaving at 8pm tonight (12pm your time). Keep us in your prayers and we will see you all at home soon!

In Him,
Jenny

The End

We have come to the end of this journey, but the dirt we kicked up won't settle any time soon.  After an amazing two weeks, and a final few days of fellowship in the midst of Africa's wildest plains, we concluded our evening with a terrific family style meal.  We have been on a grind for days, and even in those moments reserved for rest  task orientation has kept us moving.  Setting together tonight, at a long banquet style table, before a spread that could rival any family reunion, our team looked like a family.  It has only been about two weeks, but we all feel as if it has been a month.  Reflecting back on months of preparation, thousands of dollars raised, hours spent pouring ourselves into the Kenyans we were lucky enough to meet, I think everyone could agree that the twelve young Americans will leave this continent tomorrow altered the most.  Our perspectives have been skewed out of the comfortable little American prescription we grew up on, and just when we've begun to embrace our new vision, we must return to the old blur.  There is a surreal feeling creeping up on us, and leaving this place, and the love of our amazing hosts Chris and Lisa, doesn't seem possible.  Yet tomorrow we will make one final stop at Mbewau to say goodbye to the students and faculty, and then we jet-set back to reality.

There will be many good things waiting for us back home, but hopefully when we unpack our suitcases, the nooks, and crannies, and the clothes, caked with this red dirt will remind us of what the Lord has done in our hearts.

Wednesday, July 20th, 2011

Austin Lewis

His Creation is Beautiful!

Gen 1:24 And God said, "Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind." And it was so.

Today our team woke up at 6am.  This morning it was hard to wake up so early after having a day yesterday to sleep in!  But, the reason we were waking up so early was because....we were going on Safari!!!
The drive was about 2.5hrs, I slept most of the way, even though it was pretty bumpy (Kenyan's don't play when driving!! They are everywhere, and lines on the road are only a suggestion! lol!).
As we pulled into the park we were immediately approached to buy the safari hats, Elyse was already prepared with her AWESOME hat that even had a spot for her hair to come out:) It was legit!
I wasn't really wanting one so I declined but Jaylyn is now sporting a new safari hat and looks pretty awesome in it!
We had to wait about 20min for all of the paperwork to get done and then we were off.  As we started to drive thru the park we didn't really see much at first.  It took about 30-45min before we saw our first big find...zebras!!!  After that we started seeing all kinds of God's amazing creatures!! Elephants, Giraffes, Gazelles, Pumba's (you know,  like from Lion King!), and Hippos.  Then the most amazing thing happened!  We saw a Lion!! Not just any lion, a male Lion!  He was resting under a tree, and even looked straight at us when we were taking pictures!! It is apparently really rare to see a Lion, so we were very blessed by the Lord today!  After at least an hour maybe more it was finally time to go to the hotel, but as we were about to go, our driver got called by another telling him there were two lioness' nearby!  So we headed that way and got to see two more of God's amazing creatures hanging out on a rock ledge!  It was so incredible!  Seeing one lion is really rare but 3!  Wow!!
As we started to pull up to the lodge, I realized we were going on top of a hill, in a little Kenyan van, with a few sticks keeping us from falling off this mountain!! If you know me, then you know I have an incredible fear of heights, I was not very fond of the drive up!
However, as we pulled in and got out, we were offered a cool damp towel to clean up our faces (that had red African dirt all over them from sticking our heads out the roof of the vans), and then had a delicious lunch.  The view from the dining room is breathtaking.  Every where I turned I was reminded of the beauty of our Lord, and how He gives us wonderful things because He loves us.  He created this view and blessed us with it, I am in awe of Him constantly.
When lunch was finished we headed to our rooms.  Elyse and I are bunking together tonight.  The rooms are beautiful.  The best part is the french door going out onto the balcony, where you overlook the plains of Africa, with Elephants wandering in plain view, and a few baboons hanging out!
Once we got our things settled, we all met back at the dining room to hear Matt, Elyse, and Kaylene's testimonies.  I love hearing about each other, not only the good but the bad.  Every experience makes us who we are today and knowing these things helps us to understand what makes us tick.  Each and every one of us on this team have a completely different story, but we all have one thing in common...Christ saved us.  Saved us from whatever our pain was, took our burden and we accepted Him and haven't looked back.  We have found friendship unexpectedly in each other, we have created a bond, and have become family.  We now have more accountability partners than we probably know what to do with, but what a blessing.  I love each and every one of my team members, and can honestly say I am having the time of my life!
We ended the day with one more safari tour, a 5 course dinner and a round of Mad Gab.
Today was wonderful:)

Rachel

Vision is Power

I am in awe that we only have three more days here in beautiful Mombasa. I do not even know where to begin when describing this trip. Being that this is my third time to Kenya and being the leader of this trip, I have had a different experience than my team members. Most of the time I am behind the scenes figuring out plans for the days to come and organizing the next thing on our list of "to do's". I have been amazed at how much the Lord has grown me over the years, and how he keeps working in me not only through the experiences I get through mission work, but also through the members on my team.

Today was a lot of shopping, we took the team down to Fort Jesus and I got to see Victor and his wife (who I met in 2009 and got to spend time with them last year as well). They see me as their daughter, so it is always a pleasure to see another set of parents! I enjoyed watching the team "bargain" and basically shopped till they dropped, so just so everyone knows, you will be getting great gifts! Every member had their list out and were checking off family and friends names as they bought their gifts. Of course, Elyse found a new habit of loving African goods, so she kept coming back for more. Let's just say this morning was eventful.

After Fort Jesus, we went to the beach so everyone could soak up more of the sun! Some of us went shopping some more, while others played soccer with the Kenyans. Then for dinner, we enjoyed some hamburgers with the team, Chris, Lisa and the Windell Family. I am truly blessed to be around such amazing people and it has been a delight to learn more and more about one another each day. This is a family that will not be forgotten and we will all forever be connected.

Today, Allison gave her testimony to the team and she did a beautiful job. She is a wonderful young lady and the Lord is doing amazing things in her life. She has great faith and the Lord shines through her and I cannot wait to see what the Lord has planned for her future. Also, with everyone else on the team, I cannot wait to see our future's and be able to watch one another grow stronger in Christ.

As the leader of this team, I have gotten a different perspective. I have gotten all the questions and the late night Skype calls. I have seen the letters from family members discouraging my team members not to go on this mission trip, and then I have seen the anonymous donations come in that made individuals fall to their knees and cry to the Lord, "thank you".  I have been a part of 11 individuals lives and have gotten to walk beside them the past 9 months training them and preparing their hearts for these two weeks. So now with three days left I am beginning to finally sit and reflect. The Lord is doing great things in all of our lives, but it is now time to go back home and share that with everyone we see.

I shared a devotion yesterday morning from Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 and it talks about "two are better than one" I shared how accountability is very important and when we leave here we need to realize that we need to help one another stay strong in Christ. That is my prayer for this team, that this is not a mission trip, but that this is a trip will forever change every individual's heart. I pray that when they go home, they will not fall back into old habits, but turn their eyes to the Lord and want to make a difference in this world. I pray that the Lord rocks their world and and that everyday they yearn for the Lord even more. And I pray that they do not make prayer a ritual of everyday, but they realize that prayer is a life of a christian.

I will leave you with one more thing. On saturday when we were walking through the dirt trails of south coast, I was with Elyse and Austin and we ran into a couple men and sat down to tell them about Christ. They were already Christians, so Elyse gave her testimony and then they shared theirs and one thing that the man said really hit home with me. He said, "remember vision is power, but power is not vision."

So, I pray that the 11 wonderful individuals on my team, Rachel, Cayla, Jaylyn, Stephanie, Austin, Matthew, Allison, Tyler, Whitney, Elyse, and Kaylene strive for the Lord's vision in their lives. I pray that they do not lose sight of what the Lord wants for them, but they stand strong in that vision because with vision, the Lord will provide a path to walk and with vision the Lord will do powerful and mighty things in each one of their lives.

I love every one of them dearly and have truly been touched by my team and the hospitality of Chris, Lisa and the Windells.

In Him,
Jenny ("kiongozi": leader)

Sunday Service under the Mango Tree

The pastor speaks, "Praise God!" The conjuration answers, "Amen!"
           That is how we began church this morning. We started this beautiful Sunday morning with a church service underneath the mango tree. The people of Massai Church had built a shed type covering made out of wood and a tarp laid vertically across on top to provide more shade. Pastor Eric greeted the church and the visitors, allowing us to introduce ourselves. Then he moved on to allow the members of the church to introduce themselves. There was one lady in particular who stuck out to me. It was the same lady from yesterday that was on my team during some of the games we were playing with the kids. Picture this, "a lady shorter than me (For those of you that don't know me, I am 4'11''.) She was about 4'7'', a smile running from cheek to cheek, and more energy than any adult I have ever met." She introduced herself and told us how happy she was to have us there, continued on to tell us bout how good God was. She told of the story about how she at times has nothing, but still praises God or about the time when she was extremely sick, but still praised God. This woman was on fire. I thought her energy level was high; Her love for Christ was even higher. The coolest thing about her giving this testimony is that she was speaking it in Swahili. Even if we had not of had a translator, just watching her facial expressions and hand movements were enough for me to see how full of life she was.
          Part of the group took the children out to another tree for a Sunday school lesson, while Pastor Eric preached a sermon about taking off the old and putting on the new. Once church was over, the ladies of the church brought out food for everyone. It is called, "The hand to mouth ministry." We had rice with some flavor, meat, and potatoes (In my opinion the rice tasted like mexican rice, which was still yummy.) Next we moved on to the clinic and game time.
          Whitney, Matt, Rachel, Jaylyn, Kaylene, and I helped in the clinic. Matt and Whiteny played "doctor" diagnosing people while I assisted with temperature and other minor help outs. I got to practice my Swahili as I called out the number for people to stand in line. Jaylyn, Rachel, and Kaylene helped distribute medicine. Jenny, Elise, Allison, and Stephanie were playing all sorts of games with the kids, passing out hand made dresses, and "sweets." Austin and Tyler spent countless hours trying to keep up with the boys in soccer.
          We said our good-byes and head back to Mombasa to eat pizza, YES PIZZA, at one of our host homes, the Windells. On the bus back, Rachel bravely gave her testimony. It is never easy to tell people about your past, but it is truly a blessing to have her on the trip. I feel she held nothing back telling the team about her lowest of lows and giving God the glory for her highest of highs.  After dinner we shared stories with Windells about our day and played catch phrase. Allison told her story about how her camera was stollen from the tree she left it in. However, a boy remembered a man taking it and ran down the road to find him. When the boy found the man, he asked the man to take his picture. As the man was taking the boy's picture, the boy grabbed the camera and ran back. YAY! Allison's camera was returned.
         It truly was a blessed day. There was a few bumps in the road and chaotic times, but it all ended nicely with a warm shower. I feel that I have only covered half of what really happened. The views here are jaw-dropping, our team is getting along, and this has been a life changing experience.
         We serve a God that will be praised; the language does not matter.
Psalm 100: 1-2  Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
                             Cayla
P.S. Hi mom, dad, and Colton, I love you and miss you!

Inheriting the Kingdom

Waking up in an unfamiliar place can be a disorienting experience.  We awoke pretty early on Saturday morning, in a small room at the Grand motel on the South coast of Kenya.  Having a busy day ahead of us, we ate a quick breakfast at a local restaurant about ten minutes away.  I can already tell you that once we get back to the states, I will still be craving a good mandazi.  After an African breakfast, complete with chai of course, we loaded on to the bus to head another thirty minutes south to Masai Corner.  We were greeted with hand shakes and warm smiles by pastor Eric Chando and his companions, who were ready to get busy evangelizing the moment we arrived.

I was in the first group with Rachel and Stephanie, and we were led by Pastor Eric, and a married couple named James and Agnes, whose easy smiles made me feel all the more welcome.  We drove about ten minutes into the hills, and were dropped off to begin our trek.  At the very first house, we met a Muslim man that did not want to hear what we had to say.  He was polite, but this was the moment I had feared; rejection.  However, the group was not discouraged, and as the day progressed, we met many amazing people.  At one house, we met an older man named James Kimoso, who spoke good english and had a disarming smile.  Although he was having leg trouble, he still made it the two kilometers to Masai Corner this morning for church!  After that, we met a young man named Alfred Mgobo.  This is where is gets interesting.

Alfred was born in a Christian home, was raised in the church, and knew who Jesus was.  however, like many Americans, he was met by temptation, and fell away.  Luckily, Pastor Eric is a very articulate man, because Alfred needed some wisdom spoken into his life.  But by far the best part was when Rachel shared her testimony with Alfred, who was surprised to hear that even in America, people struggle and meet temptation.  But, our Savior is larger.  It was incredible to see the boldness that the Lord had given Rachel, and all day I could just feel the Lord's presence; it was more tangible than ever.  We finished our evangelism with a man named Wilson, who has a wife and four children.  All six of them are believers, which surprised me since most of the people in this area are either muslim or non-believer.  Wilson's three year old daughter, Esther, came out of the hut in tears when we arrived.  When we asked what was wrong, he simply said that she had malaria, as if this was a part of every day life.  I suppose that in this part of the world, it is.  We got to pray for Esther's health and for the entire family, and then we were on our way back.

The rest of the afternoon was spent in fellowship, playing soccer and eating with all of the people from the area.  It was an afternoon well spent, and I had overwhelming peace of mind for the entire afternoon. We were in the most beautiful land I had ever seen, playing with kids who were so grateful just to have your attention, even though they were lacking so many more things.  Everyone was in high spirits, and I feel like the team recognized how lucky we really were.  The team has really been bonding, especially with everyone giving their testimonies and spending so much time together.

In parting, I want you all to think about what you take for granted.  These people have little, but live like they know they will inherit the Kingdom of their Father one day.  Are you taking advantage of the things the Lord has blessed you with today?

P.S....  I spoke to our friend Wilson today when I ran into him at church.  He said that he could not explain it, but Esther was feeling better, and seemed to have much more energy than just twenty four hours ago when we prayed for her.  God is Good, All the time.

A day four ourselves.

For Friday 7/15, our kind leaders gave us a surprise! We woke up at an early 5am to leave for South Coast Kenya for 3 days with all of our luggage. We then headed off toward an unknown destination after checking into our hotel. Praise and worship songs filled the bus as we traveled towards our surprise. Then we pulled up to our surprise: a snorkeling boat trip! Praise God! What a great idea! Many of our team hurried into the water by jumping off a 10ft ledge and swam to the boat. Sea sickness was not absent from our team, but thank God, no one hurled. The water was so beautiful as we sailed out. Crystal clear waters paired with fine grain white sand was only a small part of what we saw of God's canvas. Palm trees and rustic African boats were gazed upon as we drank our cold cokes from glass bottles and had chia tea and mandazies(an African-like doughnut). Once the anchor was down, snorkeling gear in hand, Matt was the first to jump into the cool water. Everyone quickly followed. Squid, sea urchins, sea stars, an array of colorful fish, giant clams, barracudas, eels and sting rays were just a few of God's wonderful creatures we were privileged to see. Although for some, it was the first time, everyone loved the adventure and got the act of snorkeling down to an art. We finally ended up on a small strip of beach in the middle of the Indian Ocean where our team enjoyed soaking up the sun, collecting sea shells, and had a fun sand fight! After everyone explored the small 100m strip, it was time for lunch!
Lunch was at a small off the coast eatery where everyone tried fresh boiled crab, a seaweed/coconut roll, and a whole fish(scales, eyes, fins and all) sauteed in coconut maranara sauce paired with coconut milk rice. The view from the table overlooked the ocean we had just came from and everyone enjoyed the abundant food. For dessert, a yellow passionfruit, mango, banana, and Kenya's delicious oranges was presented to us. After lunch we got to take a tour of a small tourist town and coral/rock garden. We took a stroll on an old bridge which weaved in and out of the rock garden. The coral statues stood around 8ft tall and we were told at high tide, they would be at least half covered in water. Just as we left the garden, we were amazed at how much the tide had come in already, covering much of the earlier barren earth. Traveling back to our bus was much shorter of a ride and in no time our venture was over. Time to head back to the hotel.
We are staying in a... quaint hotel; simple, but does the job well. Before testimonies and dinner, we showered our now burnt bodies and took a small rest. Tyler gave his heartfelt testimony before dinner and we traveled to a nearby place to enjoy chicken, beef, veggies, french fries, and ugali(an African thick cornmeal). Coming back, Stephanie's testimony was told and stayed on our hearts as we got ready for bed.
Although the day was over 16hours long, it was just the break and refuel our group needed. We are getting up early tomorrow for more missions! As I lay here in bed, the radio from the streets seep into the paper thin walls. Although harsh Kenyan preaching is far from a lullaby, it will have to do for tonight.

Goodnight Africa!

Whitney Cloud(team member awesome)

Consumed

There is something completely overwhelming about waking up in Kenya while the sun is still rising, the birds are singing, and the air is cool. There is a consuming feeling of God's abounding love in this country. Our team has just come off of a 4 day stay at Mbewau Academy and although I was sad to leave, I was excited to see God move through us in a different location. We split into two groups today as half of us visited the children's cancer ward of a local hospital and the other half visited the local disability clinic for children. I was able to visit the children's disability clinic and was completely overwhelmed with emotion. This facility is used for rehabilitation for children with physical disabilities. They are also well known on the coast for their production of prosthetics. We saw children with club feet, bowed legs, no legs, cerebral palsy, bone diseases, and everything in between. They were completely positive, smiling, laughing, and just all around joyful. There is more joy in this country than anything I've ever seen before. Their use of pain medication is scarce, their mobility is limited, but the children at this clinic were joyful. After we spent time playing with puzzles, animal cards, and soccer balls, we said our goodbyes. The teams met back together and headed onto our next journey for the day. We then visited Shanzu, which is a handicapped women's ministry. These women have created a ministry where they sew purses, clothing, aprons, laptop cases, and many other products to sell, which enhances their independence and vocational skills. Once again, I felt pure joy talking to these women. They didn't complain about their disability, but instead used their skills to do good work. Our team was blessed to be able to shop in their store and support their ministry. After Shanzu, we visited some local stores and practiced our bargaining skills. We were definitely successful in that endeavor! We ended our afternoon with a devotion. I volunteered to lead the devotion today, because I had an overwhelming sense of urgency to do so from the Lord. I referenced Psalm 103 and discussed the concept of being consumed. I have truly been convicted by the Kenyan people and their consumption of God. They don't put him in a box and limit his amazing power. They submit themselves to Him and embrace His power to consume their lives, whether that life is messy, challenging, or filled with baggage. The team spent the remainder of the evening at Chris and Lisa Moore's home enjoying fellowship and a wonderful meal. We laughed at each other's secret talents and even shed a few tears. God was able to speak through Cayla and Austin tonight as they shared their testimony of God's great works in their lives. It never ceases to amaze me when people break down walls and become vulnerable enough to share their struggles and truth about their lives. God's glory really shined through Cayla and Austin, and our team parted ways feeling closer than ever. As the noise in the Moore home is silencing, I am reflecting on today and the overwhelming emotions of this trip. God has done a mighty work through Chris and Lisa Moore, He has done a mighty work through the Kenyan people, and He is doing a mighty work through the Mission Mombasa team. We are truly getting a glimpse of what our lives would be like if we allowed God to be our center, our ultimate focus, and consume every portion of who we are. I can't wait to see what else He has in store for us this trip. The recap for the day is short, but there is one overall message that explains everyday of the trip thus far: I have been truly blessed to be chosen for such a life-changing experience, and I know that my heart will have a permanent scar for the people of Kenya.


For His Glory,
Kaylene Ullom
 "Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name." Psalm 103:1

Wednesday July 13th in Africa

WOW! What a crazy day yesterday was! And for that matter, what a crazy week this has been. I am writing this post one day late so I am going to try to remember all the details. This whole trip has been such a whirlwind of emotions and each day has had some amazing teachings about who God is and how great he is! We woke up at 6am again in Mbewai and this morning the power was out. It was hard getting up in the dark and I was worn out from the past couple days of loving on these kids with endless energy. But starting the day with Morning Glory gave me so much strength. Like every day at Mbewai, we praised God and gave him all the glory for the day. After that, Allison did morning devotion. She talked about Romans 8:18-30, how creation groans and yearns for the coming of the Lord and how we have seen the beauty of God 's creation on the trails. But as beautiful this region is, the groaning and suffering is so much louder. Today was our last day of teaching at Mbewai. Cayla and I have been teaching in kindergarten3 class. When we got to class, the kids were just starting math. Cayla had prepared a ciriculum for the day so she took over and I helped out. We taught math by writing phrases and having the kids count the number of letters. Then for social science, we taught them the use of a ven diagram, comparing the similarities and differences between a motorcycle and bicycle. I left the classroom at 11am to prepare vitamins for the kids at lunch. We had been giving them vitamins each day at lunch. The baby class got liquid vitamins and everyone else got chewable. After lunch which each class, Jaylyn and I taught the kids how to brush their teeth. We had prepared bags for each kid with a toothbrush and toothpaste. It was really fun giving kids the lesson, as I would make funny noises while brushing and they would all laugh. Then, I joined our class again, and we finished the day with a craft. The kids decorated crosses and wrote "Let the children come to me" on them. They also made and decorated nametags. We passed out the toothbrushes and toothpaste to all the kids and re-emphasized the importance of brushing. Then it was off to go home with the kids. Before we left, we gave bags to all the staff with soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, washcloths and other hygeine items. My group went home with Brighton and Tumu. Our translator was Jackson. We walked about 15 minutes to get to the house. It was a mud house with a thatched roof. The greeting party at the house was 3 mommas, a grandma and a bunch of kids. Brighton's mom was deaf and was doing a another lady's hair in front of the house, which she did for a little money. The house was a two room house with noticeable holes in the roof. They were relatively well off for the area but that is definetly a relative term. We asked Jackson questions and he would directly answer since he knew the family well. One thing I noticed was that they kept toothbrushes on the outside of the house stuck in the mud wall. The whole trail experience has been truly amazing in getting to see how little these people have, yet they are truly content with only having God. Their reliance on God for everything is very refreshing. We got back to campus and left shorty after to head immediately to dinner at a nice restaraunt right on the beach. It was really good but such a different experience from what we had seen the past couple days. Going from the trails to the resort-style restaraunt on the beach had a lot of mixed emotions. We had a great dinner though. I had hawaiian pizza and italian icecream afterwards. We headed back to Chris and Lisa's and I got to go for a swim and play with Ilo (the awesome german shepherd that they have) before going to bed. I could go into so much more detail about today and everything that has happened this trip but I am short on time. God has truly been working on each and every one of us this week and I cannot wait for the everything he will teach me this next week. I want to send a shout-out to family and girlfriend back in the States. Love yall and miss yall!

El Doctore (Matthew)

I can feel the rhythm.

This trip has been 1000% better than I've ever dreamed. God  has a funny way of doing that. He has taken my expectations and completely thrown them away. His plans are so great and every day He proves it to me again and again. From the beginning God's hand has been in everything. Our group bonding, good travels, laughter, and overall experience in the village has been so positive and so amazing. My love for these people has grown so deep and I don't want to leave already!
There are so many things I have to skip over, and explaining can not express what it is actually like here. I think Tuesday has been my favorite day so far. It was a day of ups and downs for sure. Our team got to experience not only an extreme joy and happiness, but also heartbreak and pain of the level of the local people. Both of these experiences have shaped me and changed me for the rest of my life.
Fridays are usually chapel day. As a special treat for our team, however, they made chapel day Tuesday. What this means is that the "guitar man" comes in and plays the guitar, keyboard, and sings with the kids during music class and chapel at the end of the day. Music is a huge part of their culture and I was so excited to hear that we would get to be apart of that activity. We started out the day as usual with morning glory, chi, and mandazis. After that we went to our classrooms. Me and Stephanie are in the standard 1 class with Joseph. He is an incredible teacher, and has given us free reign over his classroom. The first day we taught every lesson which was crazy. Chapel day was a more laid back day though. It seemed like all we did was fun. We taught a couple interactive lessons, played games like Simeon Says and heads up seven up, but the part of the day that sticks out was music class. It seems like each child is brilliantly gifted when it comes to music and rhythm. Throughout everything they do in the day they incorporate singing. I find that so amazing. Between lessons the teachers will just initiate singing a praise song. They never forget that God is a part of their lives. Their passion is overwhelming. Anyway, in music class I got to hear the kids beautiful voices and witness the natural rhythm that they all have. Dancing comes so natural and to watch it brightens my day immensely. It was funny because in the middle of these 7 year olds I stand out like a sore thumb. I'm this white 19 year old with no rhythm dancing like a maniac! Even though I looked completely stupid it was the purest joy I have experienced. Just for a moment I felt like I had the child-like faith that they have, and that God desires. That was one of the high points of my day.
Another fun thing was recess and teaching the girls how to play Little Sally Walker. Their little accents are so cute and watching how shy they are is adorable. We also "balanced the ball" which is a song and is really only cool when you sing it with an accent. Everything we say over here we say in an accent too. Its hard for the kids to understand our American accent so we have all kind of figured out the African accent and how to talk slowly. Its actually pretty funny and now I find myself talking like that all the time. When I get back you will all get to see videos of these things! Our team has laughed over it a lot.
Chapel was the next part of the day. All the classes presented a Bible verse or a song which was really impressive. Even the three year olds had memorized scripture which is pretty special. It was so funny though because when my class presented I felt like the overly proud mom. I was cheering, taking pictures, and recording the whole thing. I haven't even known these kids a long time, but like I said earlier my love for them has grown deep.
Every day we split into groups and walk home with a child. The first day was a 45 minute walk which was a very long time. Tuesday, however, was only about 25 minutes. To get to the house I went to we had to walk through this overgrown cornfield and path. The trail was narrow and had a lot of hills. These kids walk this twice every day. It amazes me what they will do to get their education. Anyway, when we finally made it out of the corn forest the mother of the children we walked home with was waiting to greet us. She went in the house (mud hut) and brought us out stools to sit on. (We couldn't all fit in the house) The hospitality here is amazing. We sat there and just asked her personal questions. She was never upset or uncomfortable answering our questions even though in the US most people would be offended. Instead she answered with a smile of her face. The thing that struck me most with her was when I asked her if she had any hopes for her children. She said she had many hopes, but in reality didn't believe those hopes would come true because of their situation. Their mud hut was beginning to fall down, she was not married anymore, had 5 children, and was supporting them purely on the money she made selling fruits. They only had one pair of clothes which were tattered and the hut had only two rooms. Even with all of these issues she never complained. We asked what her prayer request was and it was just that her husband would come back to her. These stories are just so powerful to me. The people here seem so honored to have us visit them, but I don't think they realize how honored I am to visit them. I wish everyone could see the things I am witnessing. They have every right to be bitter about life and complain all the time, but I have not seen that once. I am astounded by that. As we left the woman asked us to visit again if we ever came back. I hope one day I get that opportunity. We left her house and found the other group who was visiting a different house. We got to see how they wrap the baby in the conga and also carry the buckets on our heads. We all tried, and for the most part epically failed. It was like a village block party. Everybody came out to watch the white people try to balance the bucket. Our teachers Mercylyn and Nixon then tried and showed us up. They were singing, dancing, and carrying the bucket. It was just a really awesome time.
The next part of the day was something I will probably never see again. A 7 month old baby that Chris and Lisa have been trying to help passed away that morning. It was very close to Lisa's heart because she not only loves these people, but also because she had been doing everything in her power to help this baby. There was nothing that could be done though. So at the end of the day the funeral was held. We got the opportunity to go and I am so glad we got to. Before we went Chris and Lisa filled us in on all the information about the family and what to expect. When we got there the women were all gathered around the casket dressed in their colorful clothes. We were told that the women wail at these funerals so I was expecting that. The outlook the family had on this child though was so eye opening. The mothers response to the death  of her child was actually "Now that burden is gone." In the US we have no concept of this. Here, however, death is very real. Also, when one is sick it creates a ripple effect. It is not just the sick one who suffers. Those who labor over the sick one also suffer. Its hard for us to hear that response, but in the light of the culture it is easy to understand. At the funeral women did cry. The men don't show very much emotion at all. They had a service which I could not understand at all because it was in Swahili, and then they buried the baby in a shallow grave they had dug earlier in the day. Music was also a part of this. Music weaves the pieces of their lives together. They express happiness and sorrow both with song. This is what made this day so amazing to me. I actually felt like I knew these people. I hurt with them, but I was also so joyful with them. Even though we come from two completely foreign places we have to much in common. Love is universal, pain is universal, and the rhythm of the music is universal.


I love y'all very much! I will be sad to leave this place, but also very happy to show and tell everyone about the amazing things God had done for me here.
See you soon! ish.


In Him,

Allison Stroud

God is Moving Here!

God is moving!
I think to start off this blog I just have to say wow! Kenya is beyond what I imagined and the most beautiful country I have ever seen. I am so in awe of God's power, and I truly feel His love for this place. I feel so honored that He would choose me to come here to do His work. It's so obvious that His hand is in this ministry. There is so much to say, yet no words to truly communicate what I have experienced here. Monday was our first day in school with the kids. When I saw each of those precious children walk into school, my heart just went out to each one of them. I just wanted to pour love on them. I was in awe of their morning routine. They were so well behaved, and they were just so joyful! They LOVE coming to school every day, even though some of them have quite a hike to even get there every morning. I started out in the baby class with the three and four year olds, but then Lisa asked me to help out in the medical clinic, so I switched to that. I learned how to treat the ringworms and other fungal rashes, so I would be able to do it the next couple of days. I loved being able to gain that experience while loving on the children that I treated. When we were finished in the medical clinic, I was switched into the KG3 class which is kindergarten. There I helped teach the kids English, and we also taught about the Ten Commandments and did a craft. The kids were so excited to have us there, and I couldn't have been more excited to be there with them. Their childlike passion is an amazing thing to be a part of. After school ended, we had the most incredible opportunity to split up into three groups and walk a child home. What an experience! This was the first time I was really able to get out and see the country. It is so beautiful that it's indescribable. Pictures and even videos can't capture it. God really revealed His awesome creation to me on the trails. My group walked home a child named Evans. The walk was 45 minutes long through very rough terrain, narrow paths, and steep hills. Many kids walk it barefoot and start walking it by themselves or with siblings at the age of three. It just blows my mind! When we got to the mud hut I was just in awe. It was so small that we couldn't even all five fit in it at the same time. We had to take turns going in. Chickens were roaming around in the house. The two kids that live there, including Evans, live with their grandmother. They all sleep in one room and the other room was for drying out corn. It was basically a huge fire pit. After viewing their home and asking them many questions, we had an opportunity to share the gospel with the grandmother! It had never been directly presented to her before. It was by far the best part of my day. I was blessed with the opportunity to share my testimony with her. So I shared my story, and then Cayla shared the gospel with her. She told us that she had things to take care of before she accepted Christ, but we planted a seed, and I know God will grow that seed. We have spent four days at Mbewau Academy and already I have been impacted. God is MOVING there, and it is so awesome to be there to see it and be a part of it! We are back at the host homes to stay the night here and have a big day ahead of us tomorrow. I can't wait to see what God has in store!
In Christ,
Jaylyn Gramer

Sunday, July 10: Church at Mbweau!

Today I woke up at 7 am, I could have slept at least another hour!  But I knew today would be busy and I wanted to be still for a bit.
Last night I shared my testimony with the girls on my team who were staying with me, and I had the priviledge of hearing Whitney's.
When sharing your life story, the good the bad & the ugly, you become aware of what makes each of us who we are. I feel much closer to Whitney now & I hope that relationship will continue to flourish.
After we woke up Whitney & I (the two coffee drinkers) made Kenyan coffee (so good!!) and we all had peanut butter toast.   We then got dressed and ready for church.
At 9am, Johnson, our driver pulled up in the bus.
We gathered all of our belongings and prepared to rough it for a few days at the school.  We then went to pick up the other half of our team from Chris and Lisa's.  Once there, we stuffed all of their luggage onto the bus along with the mattresses we would be sleeping on, which btw are 4 in. thick foam!
We then headed to Mbewau church.  Mbewau is absolutely beautiful!  Driving up there are mud huts and cows and goats!  But once thru the gates...wow!  Chris & Lisa have done a fantastic job building this place. We immediately took our luggage off the bus, placed it in the empty classrooms we would be staying in, and headed to church. Church is held in an open room, kind of a pavillion, this pavillion doubles as a feeding center for the children and staff during the week.  As church began the choir began to sing and you could see worship in their expressions. They began clapping and dancing and yelling AMEN!! I couldn't help but think, why don't we get this excited when singing praises to our Lord?!  It is such a different culture, one where expression thru music and dancing is not only the norm but a way of life.
Once the choir was done they began a short message, we of course didn't understand as it was in Swahilli. I do know however we read from 1 Chronicles 22:11-13 "Now, my son, may the Lord be with you! May you succeed and build a temple for the Lord your God, just as he announced you would.  Only may the Lord give you insight and understanding when he places you in charge of Israel, so you may obey the law of the Lord your God.  Then you will succeed, if you carefully obey the rules and regulations which the Lord ordered Moses to give to Israel. Be strong and brave! Don't be afraid and don't panic!"

To me these verses are so relevant to where we are at, at what Chris and Lisa have done with the ministry the Lord has given them.
Chris then came up on stage, he welcomed the "Mazoongos" (white people aka the team!)
He had them compete for who could clap the loudest for the team, it was great!
Then he asked each of us to stand and say who we were.  But as our side began to go, Chris looked at me and whispered "come here".  So I got up and went to him and then he said..."I want you to give a short testimony to the church....oh, and I want you to sing, you don't mind singing a praise song in front of 150 Africans right?"
WHAT!!!! I had a lump in my throat and started panicking!! My sister is the performer NOT ME!!
So back track to the night before a bit, when we were eating "Baby Baby" by Amy Grant came on the radio, if you knew me when I was younger, I loved her! So under my breath I was singing it, I know every word.  He happened to hear me and said "you have a good voice!"  I thanked him and thought that was the end of it...I THOUGHT WRONG!! LOL! So he didn't give me a song he just said sing, at this point my heart was pounding!  I could feel my face turn red!  And the only song I could think about was Amazing Grace.  So, I got up in front of 150 Africans, our team and Chris & Lisa, and I told a short version (very short) of my testimony thru a translator.  This part was such a blessing, just to be able to thank God for what He has done in my life and how far He has brought me in the past 5 years even!
Then, I started to turn to walk away thinking, he won't really make me do it.. wrong again!  Chris looked at me and said "Oh no! You are gonna sing!! They will love it!"
So, I sang the only song I could think of, and it truly was appropriate.  I feel I could have done 10X better, but I was super nervous!  I did it though!
Chris then got up and said "I know most of you think Americans live a perfect life.  That they don't have struggles.  But that isn't true, we deal with heartbreaking situations every day, and the Lord is good to deliver us from this.  The song she sang talks about the Grace God extends to us, about how we were sinners and now are saved."
It was beautiful.  It began a journey that isn't over yet, but one that had scarred my heart forever.  Africa is forever going to be a place I dream about, I hope for, and I pray for.
I will be working on pictures tonight and as soon as I have uploaded some we will add a link to think blog so you can check them out!

May God bless you! Amen!
Rachel Driskell

Off to the village!

Hey Everyone!

I forgot to mention this, but the team will be at Mtepani village from Sunday until Wednesday night. We will not have any internet access, so updates will come as soon as we get back into Nyali.

Eveyone will be keeping journals and writing down their experiences, so we will post journal entries and different things on Wednesday along with pictures.

Keep us in your prayers!

In Him,

Jenny

Overcoming Obsticles

God is good! We finally made it to Mombasa, Kenya!

As we left Thursday bright and early, everyone was really tired but super excited. We made it to the airport with no problems, but Satan was of course ready and waiting to slow us down. At check in, we had a slight issue with the airline promising us free baggage and then not getting it. However, God came through and we got past our first hurtle. First plane ride was short and sweet. We had some fun bonding time in the Miami airport doing handstands and playing catch phrase. Good times. Second plane was long but smooth. Then the fun began in London as we waited for our plane to Nairobi. First it was delayed as we waited in the airport, then we boarded and was in the plane for 2 hours before take off. I was lucky enough to sit next to a very nice Kenyan man named Ruben who works in Afghanistan as a humanitarian. He was so amazed at our purpose and journey to Africa. He had a ton of questions and was so supportive and excited for us. We finally arrived in Africa and was late for our connecting plane to Mombasa. We were directed to leave our luggage in the airport and run to our flight that had been waiting for 3 hours for us to arrive. Well, we finally made it to our host homes at 4 am Kenyan time. Our host family (Chris and Lisa Moore) are so warm and welcoming! Luckily our luggage came through today all safe and sound. I am so excited to be here in Mombasa and am ready and waiting to see what God does through our group and in my life!! 

Quick shout out to my family and friends! I miss and love you guys! Keep praying for our safety and for God to really move through our time here! 

I still can't believe I am in Africa! 

In Him, 

Elyse DeBuck

Landing in complete darkness and reluctantly leaving all of our bags in Nairobi, we finally made it to Mombasa.  Although it was not the preferred arrival time, and the airport literally re-opened to receive us, getting our first glimpse of this new world in the early morning hours was an amazing experience.  Cruising through half paved gravel roads only partially illuminated by street lamps and advertisements cast an eerie glow on the few citizens still out walking the streets.  Motorcycles rambled past and the team was silent in awe of the utter strangeness of this new place.  Arriving at the Moore residence exhausted we went to sleep to the sounds of Islamic prayers being pumped into the early morning air from the multiple Mosques surrounding the area.

That afternoon we woke to fresh fruit and the warmth and love of Chris and Lisa.  They treated us as if we were their own family, beckoning us to stir through cabinets and kitchen to find anything we like to eat.  Chris and a few of us then left for the airport to fetch our luggage that had hopefully all arrived at the Mombasa airport.  After a few cliffhanger moments, when only a few of our bags were visible, we found the rest in the lost and found luggage closet.  Seeing the city by daylight was a completely new and spectacular moment.  Crowded streets, bustling markets, roads without any real laws to abide by, yet Chris confidently navigated through the mad traffic.  Motorcycles weaving the opposite direction through traffic, while men, women, and children scrambled back and forth.  Never have I seen a such place so confusing and wild, yet totally alive.  There is a visible pulse here, but it is a pulse without God, and that is palpable.  

For the remainder of the evening we relaxed and enjoyed a delicious homemade meal, along with great team fellowship.  We are all getting closer every moment, and after dinner we met to organize our mission supplies to prepare for the rest of the mission.  While separating the contents of our bags the power went out, without falter we all grabbed our flashlights and headlamps, then continued in the dark.  We worked happily together through adversity.  Once the power came on we circled up and prayed for Gods presence in the the rest of the week, and Chris debriefed us on what to expect tomorrow.  

The journey has just begun and God is already working in our hearts in a big way.  Confident in Him we will do everything we can to proclaim his glory to the Kenyan people.  Of course regardless of what we do or do not accomplish, his Glory will be revealed.

Austin Lewis

We made it!

Okay, after 38 hours of traveling we have finally made it! We are all safe and sound in Mombasa, so praise the Lord! It is 5:10 in the morning here, so we are going to get some sleep then get up and get some work done tomorrow!

Keep us in your prayers!

In Him,

Jenny

College Station Missions Team!

Our second missions team of the summer will be leaving College Station today for Houston then on to Mombasa.  Please keep the team in your prayers the next two weeks.  They will post as often as inernet access is possible.  Below are the names of each team member.


Mission Mombasa July 2011 Team:
Jenny Jenkins
Rachel Driskell
Jaylyn Gramer
Allison Stroud
Elyse DeBuck
Stephanie Box
Cayla Newkirk
Kaylene Ullom 
Whitney Cloud
Austin Lewis
Tyler Hayes
Matthew Schilling


God Bless!