Greetings to you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ! I thank my God every time I remember you and ask Him to bless you.
As I sit at my desk looking at the calendar and thinking about the past months of spring and summer, I try to visualize what the autumn season looks like in your area. Here in Kenya people don't have any idea what that word even means. There is the rainy season and the dry. No one here can imagine what it is like to see the beautiful fall foilage of the trees as they turn a golden, red, or orange. After the past year spent in our home town in Indiana, we can now see those brilliant colors in our minds. As beautiful as they are, the leaves begin to fall and then the work begins: rake, rake rake, until the blisters appear on your hands! You begin raking in October and you really don't finish until the end of November. But what a beautiful picture of God's creation: He is the One that told the trees when to drop their leaves and put them back on again in spring.
After having an eventful year in the US, we are settling into the routine of living here in Kenya once again. Every time we come back, it is only a few days and it's as if we never left.
Gary arrived in early June and got the house back in order and prepared to receive not only Hanna and I, but also, a 12 member team of people from the States. The team from Prak Chapel Christian Church went to three venues to teach first aid equip each person with their own first aid kit, as well as toothbrushes and toothpaste for their children.
One place we all went was St. Joseph's House of Hope. The school / orphange there was started by Carol, a member of Crossroads Fellowship. Carol had a vision to give kids from really poor families a place to only be educated, but as be fed once a day. Crossroads Fellowship partnering with Carol in order to build a schoolwith block walls, concrete floors and a tin roof. The current building has walls made of mud and stick, dirt floors and a roof laid with palm leaves. It is exciting to see what God will do over the next several months.
Mothers of children who attend the school came to be educated in first aid practices. While several of the team members taught the mothers, the children played and learned Bible stories.
The same teaching was done along side Dr. Kiage, an Ophthalmologist had set up an eye camp, sponsored by Lighthouse for Christ Eye Center. Patients received eye exams and also teaching on first aid.
The third venue was at another Lighthouse for Christ Church, hosted by Pastor Jarrod Okeno.
We were so blessed to have the team come and minister in a way we could not ourselves. They were a blessing to all who met them.
We have finally put a down payment on a piece of land for Crossroads Fellowhsip Church, but we are still waiting for 3 government documents which can affect our getting the land. Please pray with us about these needed permissions from the government. Until now we have been met with major opposition to "building a church in this area."
In prayer only can we stand against the attacks of the evil one!
Thanks for your continued support and prayers.
Labels: africa, crossroads, crossroads fellowship, family, fellowship, kenya, lighthouse for christ, ministries, missions, mombasa, park chapel, smiddy, smiddy family ministries
