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!