Last week was to say the least, very busy for all of us back in Kenya as we made preparations and purchases of items for distribution on Friday the 2nd of December. The entire leadership team went round doing the purchases. We included Christabel in the team to help with the girly stuff and David was also present to take pictures. This marked one year of service in the orphan program. We began in December last year with fifteen sponsored children and we are now serving thirty children and counting. Glory to God. This time round we got several photos of the entire process and David is sorting them out and should be sending them soon. I wish you were here to feel the atmosphere on Friday as the blessings were presented to the children. There was ululation, screams, shouts of joy and celebration chants all over the place.
I pray that you get an account of the day from different people because we all felt it somewhat differently so here is my share of the same. While Joseph and I were busy having an interesting discussion on Witchcraft in our society with the guardians, Jack was busy teaching the little children about Jesus whereas Lawrence was busy with the older children discussing how they can be productive during this holiday season. During this time, Agnes and Judy together with one of our guardians were busy preparing a meal for everyone comprising of rice, beans, cabbages and chapati (We opted to prepare a meal instead of the usual bread and juice). We also had fruit salad being prepared for the children. The rest were kept busy sorting a myriad of items to be given to the children and as usual David was all over the place making memories of the day.
The monthly distribution this time was almost double their usual ration and it had
• Two litres of cholesterol free cooking oil.
• Two kilos of sugar
• Two kilos of rice
• Ten kilos of maize
• Four kilos of beans
• One kilo washing bar soap
• Two bars of disinfectant bathing soap
• Tea leaves
• A box of matchboxes
• Two kilos of cooking salt
• Four kilos of wheat flour
• Two kilos of baking flour
• One kilo of millet for preparing porridge
• Petroleum jelly
• Toothpaste and tooth brushes
• Four rolls of tissue paper
• Sanitary pads for the older girls
In addition to these Fredrick, Frida, Yvonne and Asman received 1 litre of Aloe Vera juice each and a 2kg pack of Amaranth to mix with millet flour when preparing porridge. This was just a start as the best was yet to come. Look at this added list of what everyone got and imagine the reaction of the guardians and children when they saw these items.
1. A pair of genuine leather black school shoes
2. A pair of canvas shoes for games
3. A pair of slippers and sandals for the younger children
4. School bags
5. Three pairs of socks
6. Three pairs of underclothing
7. An umbrella
8. Skipping ropes and teddy bears and dolls for the girls and toy cars, flutes and balls for the boys
9. Three handkerchiefs
10. A nail cutter
11. Suits for boys and dresses for the girls
12. Another set of clothes for both boys and girls
13. Belts
14. Marbles
15. A blanket for Chrispinus
16. Towels
17. Children Bibles and Bible story books for a number of children
18. Jane received a big suitcase for keeping her personal items
19. Combs and mirrors
20. Shoe polish and shoe brush
As you can see, this requires a lot of work and effort. We spent most of the day sorting the items , then there was fitting and checking sizes and finally distributing the items while taking snaps. It rained heavily and we finished late in the evening. We had not told the guardians what was in store and took the children aside, dressed them, then introduced them to the guardians. You could not help but smile at the facial expressions of shock and disbelief in their eyes. All the children looked transformed and were very happy and excited at the things they were getting. At this point, the camera was dead on battery power so some shots had to be taken using camera phones
Obviously not all clothes and shoes were a perfect fit and so the following day Christabel, Joseph and I went round again exchanging these items for the right sizes. Currently Joseph and I are visiting each and every home getting appreciation videos and better pictures which we will send to you later after we are done. We are also profiling the new girls to be sent to you by Joseph. Oh how I wish I could just send all these images at once as well as the videos. We are also working on a short video that shows how the orphan program works and we pray that it will shed a lot of light to many. Joseph is waiting for me to continue the home visits so I will catch up with you later in the evening. Till then…
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Scroll down for pics of Ed.....here is a Dec 5th report from Lawrence. Praise God!
As we see the rising of the sun and the falling of the same is a great reason to thank the almighty God. He has been faithful. The sponsored children have experienced a season of total transformation in their life this year; God has remembered them in every angle. As we marked the Friday events with great joy, some of the children have a reason to smile because they are getting to study computer. We had this plan as a team and requested the children to begin their lessons this Monday. Personally I begun studying computer when I joined TGD last year, so when I look at the way TGD has expanded until we have more machines to handle even our children as a blessing beyond description and the privilege the children have to explore the computer world an a great opportunity to them.
Dianah, Evangeline, Cythiah, Fridah and Gladys began lessons today. I offered myself to take them through this holiday computer training because this burden to have them learn computers has been in my heart for a long time and its fulfillment is great joy to my heart. We dealt with introduction to computers together. I am using a course book that is suitable for them and with simplified concepts that they can understand. They have shown great interest to learn more. I also introduced Dianah, Evangeline and Cythiah to typing tutor (mavis beacon), I was excited because Dianah begun with a typing speed of 10 words per minute followed by Evangeline who had 8 words per minute and Cynthiah was at 5 words. This encourages me to put in more efforts to give them the best. More will be joining others to go through this computer lessons. The children will be coming 3 or 4 days a week depending on the schedule that we shall lay.
Oscar had also requested me to take his student through Microsoft Publisher. When I finished with our children I began the lesson with the students. I intend to take then through this training until they are well equipped in publisher.
Blessings.
Dianah, Evangeline, Cythiah, Fridah and Gladys began lessons today. I offered myself to take them through this holiday computer training because this burden to have them learn computers has been in my heart for a long time and its fulfillment is great joy to my heart. We dealt with introduction to computers together. I am using a course book that is suitable for them and with simplified concepts that they can understand. They have shown great interest to learn more. I also introduced Dianah, Evangeline and Cythiah to typing tutor (mavis beacon), I was excited because Dianah begun with a typing speed of 10 words per minute followed by Evangeline who had 8 words per minute and Cynthiah was at 5 words. This encourages me to put in more efforts to give them the best. More will be joining others to go through this computer lessons. The children will be coming 3 or 4 days a week depending on the schedule that we shall lay.
Oscar had also requested me to take his student through Microsoft Publisher. When I finished with our children I began the lesson with the students. I intend to take then through this training until they are well equipped in publisher.
Blessings.
Ed brought gifts from Illinois sponsors directly to children! FUN!
Ben is so happy!
Praying with thankfulness
Ed loves the toys, too!
Reading letters from sponsors!
Joseph translating to Grace.
Trophosa life has improved tremendously!
Vivian gets her gifts.
Zainibu looking so pretty in her new dress from sponsor funding! Yeah! AND GIFTS! Giving is such a joy!!!
THANK YOU DONORS!
More Christmas gift photos coming in January!
Thursday, December 01, 2011
Frank, Joseph, Jack and Lawrence prepare for Christmas distribution!
You have given so much to these children and they are getting an excellent CHRISTMAS! There is still time to give for Christmas because the team can purchase gifts and take them to children's homes on visitation days and take pictures of what you have given. For now, with the several gifts given already, You have given a dream day! I authorized all children to be covered because I could not bear to leave anyone out and neither could the Team. How could we tell some child that their gift hasn't come yet? (or that it might not!) So thank you for all you have already given and please continue to open your heart to what the Lord is speaking to you. We REJOICE to deliver your gifts to our needy ones. Isn't it wonderful to get a terrific surprise?! These children are not expecting anything more than what they've been getting AND they are amazed at getting those supplies.
PICTURES ARE COMING
Here is a letter from Jack after their Thursday Dec 1st purchase day:
Just completed the purchases at 9pm and today, we wake up to a great event, a giant distribution. I can't Imagine the joy that will be there. The love being portrayed is immesurable. I know this event is going to capture heavenly attention and those angels on and off duty will attend.
The sacrifice and great love showed by donors to these children teaches us a lot.
Frank has suggested that we preach to the guardians a bout witchcraft. Am not sure whether there will be changes but this is the message that they really need.
Working with the lord is a good thing. Am happy to work under Godly leadership. All my colleagues are just purpose driven, working for Jesus. God bless them.
There will be a lot of activities to take place today and we invite our king of glory to take full control.
There is great joy in my heart as I write to you this night.
I wish I was able to see a great smile on the face of our Lord Jesus as His children fulfill His will.
THANK YOU, JACK!
Now what is this about witchcraft? It is VERY important! We want to teach the children to rely on the Lord rather than the witch doctor. We want to teach them the difference between superstitions and truth. However, they also see very real powers of darkness operating because the devil and demons are real. They are fallen angels and although their time is short, they will do what they can do thwart the work of God. Another fallout from this is that people will not look for causes and effects---they will blame a curse. They will not accept blame, but will say someone cursed them. They will not get tested for AIDS, but will say they aren't sure what that person died from (which we take to mean they died of AIDS) and they won't take measures to avoid the deadly disease. That means men continue to frequent the prostitutes and the women may sleep around as they please---all while children continue to lose their parents and even their own lives to this horror.
Therefore, we as God's people want to dispell the darkness. We preach Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as servants for Jesus' sake. Pray with us that we can turn the tide as it is written, the gates of hell will not prevail against us. We want to storm those gates and pull out the prisoners and set the captives free! We have been given all authority over the enemy and nothing shall in any way harm us.
God knows how deeply I long for these children to know, love and serve Jesus Christ as Lord and to have no other gods before Him. I pray we, too, will be set free from loving or trusting in anything but Jesus! (in Jesus' name!)
It is a very real problem there and I praise God for our team working for their good. If you just think of when you were a child and you thought that if you did such and such, you could make a wish. Or maybe you thought if you broke a mirror, you would have 7 years bad luck. Maybe you worried about stepping on cracks and breaking your mother's back? There are also superstitions about spilling salt, a black cat crossing your path, or your palm itching. See? We aren't so very different at all. Maybe you know of someone who did the 8 ball? Horoscopes? Ouija board? Again, same spirits. God deliver you if you went to a fortune teller or held a seance! Let's get free of lies and live in the truth. And remember that we are all trying to survive and if our child is ill, we will do anything we can to "bargain" with God to get power over that sickness. Have mercy on our Kenyan brothers and sisters and pray God leads them into victory forever. I BLESS YOU AND THANK YOU!
MAY CHRIST ALONE BE EXALTED AS WE CELEBRATE HIS BIRTH!
PICTURES ARE COMING
Here is a letter from Jack after their Thursday Dec 1st purchase day:
Just completed the purchases at 9pm and today, we wake up to a great event, a giant distribution. I can't Imagine the joy that will be there. The love being portrayed is immesurable. I know this event is going to capture heavenly attention and those angels on and off duty will attend.
The sacrifice and great love showed by donors to these children teaches us a lot.
Frank has suggested that we preach to the guardians a bout witchcraft. Am not sure whether there will be changes but this is the message that they really need.
Working with the lord is a good thing. Am happy to work under Godly leadership. All my colleagues are just purpose driven, working for Jesus. God bless them.
There will be a lot of activities to take place today and we invite our king of glory to take full control.
There is great joy in my heart as I write to you this night.
I wish I was able to see a great smile on the face of our Lord Jesus as His children fulfill His will.
THANK YOU, JACK!
Now what is this about witchcraft? It is VERY important! We want to teach the children to rely on the Lord rather than the witch doctor. We want to teach them the difference between superstitions and truth. However, they also see very real powers of darkness operating because the devil and demons are real. They are fallen angels and although their time is short, they will do what they can do thwart the work of God. Another fallout from this is that people will not look for causes and effects---they will blame a curse. They will not accept blame, but will say someone cursed them. They will not get tested for AIDS, but will say they aren't sure what that person died from (which we take to mean they died of AIDS) and they won't take measures to avoid the deadly disease. That means men continue to frequent the prostitutes and the women may sleep around as they please---all while children continue to lose their parents and even their own lives to this horror.
Therefore, we as God's people want to dispell the darkness. We preach Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as servants for Jesus' sake. Pray with us that we can turn the tide as it is written, the gates of hell will not prevail against us. We want to storm those gates and pull out the prisoners and set the captives free! We have been given all authority over the enemy and nothing shall in any way harm us.
God knows how deeply I long for these children to know, love and serve Jesus Christ as Lord and to have no other gods before Him. I pray we, too, will be set free from loving or trusting in anything but Jesus! (in Jesus' name!)
It is a very real problem there and I praise God for our team working for their good. If you just think of when you were a child and you thought that if you did such and such, you could make a wish. Or maybe you thought if you broke a mirror, you would have 7 years bad luck. Maybe you worried about stepping on cracks and breaking your mother's back? There are also superstitions about spilling salt, a black cat crossing your path, or your palm itching. See? We aren't so very different at all. Maybe you know of someone who did the 8 ball? Horoscopes? Ouija board? Again, same spirits. God deliver you if you went to a fortune teller or held a seance! Let's get free of lies and live in the truth. And remember that we are all trying to survive and if our child is ill, we will do anything we can to "bargain" with God to get power over that sickness. Have mercy on our Kenyan brothers and sisters and pray God leads them into victory forever. I BLESS YOU AND THANK YOU!
MAY CHRIST ALONE BE EXALTED AS WE CELEBRATE HIS BIRTH!
Monday, November 28, 2011
OBVIOUSLY THE SITE IS UP! YAY!!
And I have been having another whirlwind month. Thank you Jesus for sustaining me!
In Mississippi, my niece who is a daughter to me gave birth on 11-22-11. Nicole Alicia Bates Freeman delivered Rayner Bates Freeman at 5:35 pm in a birthing pool.
We are in LOVE!
I am a Grandmother! Grandma! Yes!
I love you, Nicole!
More about everything soon.......
In Mississippi, my niece who is a daughter to me gave birth on 11-22-11. Nicole Alicia Bates Freeman delivered Rayner Bates Freeman at 5:35 pm in a birthing pool.
We are in LOVE!
I am a Grandmother! Grandma! Yes!
I love you, Nicole!
More about everything soon.......
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
TGD site is down
I am so sad that http://www.tgdonline.com/ is down right now. My son hosts our webserver and he is in transition right now. He's moving to another address and then coming to visit us for a week for Thanksgiving. It should be up by Dec.1st, God willing. Please pray with me that donors persevere if they desire to give to the children for Christmas, in the name of Jesus. Several have asked about how to give Christmas gifts and so I am thankful God is putting it on people's hearts.
Our beautiful needy children have been blessed and their lives are improved and our TGD Kenya Team keeps working to make sure the children have maximum impact and support. Most of the children began with a mattress and mosquito net at the introduction to the program last year. Through the year, they have gotten shoes, uniforms, coats and library books which the team circulates through the whole program and even each child's school. We work to address their medical needs, which began before we started the program. Children like Cynthia and Gladys both have videos on my YouTube site www.YouTube.com/stephanietexasrivers showing their circumstances. Cynthia has malaria and Gladys had a fungal infection nearly septic (which doesn't usually happen.) We are working to address health issues in Abednego, Vivian, Sharon (the first Sharon,) Fridah, and Zainabu. I pray the Lord heals them completely, in Jesus' name! All Glory to God for the love the sponsors have for their children. Even now, I will go to prayer for my family, Cornerstone Ministries (pastors, churches, school, and donors), our Trinity Global Development family which is the staff, team, students, orphans, guardians, sponsors, donors and their families. I pray for many of these by name each day (by the grace and calling of God who loves them,) and I pray for them as a whole. God is able to make all grace abound to us so that at all things and at all times, having all that we need, we will abound in every good deed, according to His Word, in Jesus name.
Our beautiful needy children have been blessed and their lives are improved and our TGD Kenya Team keeps working to make sure the children have maximum impact and support. Most of the children began with a mattress and mosquito net at the introduction to the program last year. Through the year, they have gotten shoes, uniforms, coats and library books which the team circulates through the whole program and even each child's school. We work to address their medical needs, which began before we started the program. Children like Cynthia and Gladys both have videos on my YouTube site www.YouTube.com/stephanietexasrivers showing their circumstances. Cynthia has malaria and Gladys had a fungal infection nearly septic (which doesn't usually happen.) We are working to address health issues in Abednego, Vivian, Sharon (the first Sharon,) Fridah, and Zainabu. I pray the Lord heals them completely, in Jesus' name! All Glory to God for the love the sponsors have for their children. Even now, I will go to prayer for my family, Cornerstone Ministries (pastors, churches, school, and donors), our Trinity Global Development family which is the staff, team, students, orphans, guardians, sponsors, donors and their families. I pray for many of these by name each day (by the grace and calling of God who loves them,) and I pray for them as a whole. God is able to make all grace abound to us so that at all things and at all times, having all that we need, we will abound in every good deed, according to His Word, in Jesus name.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Don's Story
Greetings’ hoping you and your family is doing great and fine. Here in Kenya, am pleased to inform you that we are doing well. How about the weather there? Here in Kakamega, it’s raining a lot but we are quite pleased with that because we are assured of good harvest in the long run.
I know mum Stephanie it’s late to share with you my personal story but am pleased to get this opportunity to at least share with you my personal life experience till today.
I was born in middle class family and the best part of my life which I enjoyed very much is when I was a kid. My childhood life was the best anyone could imagine. I got the opportunity to have the best education in private school. During those days, life was so simple, comfortable and very splendid. When I turned fourteen years, I could do a variety of things even driving because my Dad used to have a car and he taught me and my brother how to drive. Sometimes, when he came back from work, we could steal the car and go to have fun with it.
Anyway, as the saying goes, life is full of changes. My Dad got an opportunity to travel to South Africa for his education. Things changed when came back from South Africa with my step mother and that was seven years ago. Life took a drastic change since my mother couldn’t bare it anymore and they decided to get a divorce. The funny part of my life was the fact that, my big brother and my only sister were given custody to my mother while my little brother and I were handed over to my father. Life was so unfair at that time since my little brother and I we were forced to live with my Dad’s Grandmother since we couldn’t stand our stepmother. Since then, Dad never gave us any help especially education wise coz we all qualified for a University entry but he didn’t dare gave any of us an opportunity to go to University since he could at least afford to pay fees for one of us.
What gave me hope was my mother; she sacrificed a lot for our wellbeing. She was forced to look for a job in order to cater for my little sister education. Am proud to inform you that my little sister she is now in grade eight and she is sitting for her primary certificate tomorrow. I came to realize that everything happens with a purpose and my Dad and my mum separation opened my eyes wide to realize that challenges do exist.
My biggest moment of my life took effect when I got the opportunity to be TGD student. At first, I almost gave up on my education since I wanted to look for a job to at least support my mother who by now is living with my big brother and sister in Nairobi. I really thank God who gave me hope to go on with my education. At TGD, I got the opportunity to have the best computer knowledge which any Kenyan University student is yearning for it .Right now, I give praises to God coz I can now do a lot with my computer knowledge. I can’t imagined am surviving well in the village with my Grandmother because am able to fix client’s computer problems, do a variety of tasks with my computer knowledge and get something little which I manage to support myself for buying clothes and even my buy something good for my little sister and mother.
Till now, I still thank God for everything because I came to realize that everything happens with a purpose and above all I Thank TGD family for bringing me this far. Am pleased to share with you my life history and even Bishop Titus knows my life experience. Anyway, send my regards to your family and if you don’t mind, please accept my Facebook request. I happen to have opened the Facebook account long time ago but I was in active. I opened it with my first and middle name i.e. Don Adrian. After accepting, please forward for me some photos you took while we were playing football with Kevin outside the church premises.
Gratitude’s,
Don Adrian Ingutia.
Friday, November 11, 2011
scriptures
okay, i got these from a site that seemed a little fearful for being a Christian, but these are the WORD OF GOD and so I copied the text and I am pasting it here for you. Number 2 is a personal fave memory verse and number five is something that I consider often....part of my natural thinking. I do not (in general) mind dying because I am no longer afraid. However, I DID scream when Steve ran a light and we crossed in front of the car who was running the light and coming straight toward us! Nevertheless, it would have been an awesome day to come face to face with my Beloved Jesus Christ!
Consider the power of the blood of Jesus!
1.“… that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” (Hebrews 2:14)
2.“He has delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” (Colossians 1:13)
3.“Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.” (Colossians 2:15)
4.“For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” (1 John 3:8)
5.“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.” (Revelation 12:11)
Consider the power of the blood of Jesus!
1.“… that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” (Hebrews 2:14)
2.“He has delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” (Colossians 1:13)
3.“Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.” (Colossians 2:15)
4.“For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” (1 John 3:8)
5.“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.” (Revelation 12:11)
Spiritual Disciplines
I'd like to write a book on Spiritual Disciplines, but I wonder if I truly am following the Holy Spirit.....or do I want to do something great? I am tired of the sin of Pride. Just today the Lord unvieled a whole new level. Honestly, I don't want to think about it. So that's why I decided I would make myself write about it.
First, I am always embarrassed to confess pride because I am sure that I am not measuring up to other people's standards of perfection in anything and so I feel I open myself up to criticism---and pride doesn't like that. Second, I want people to see my strengths, not my weaknesses. But really, God sees everything as it is and LOVES. So there is no fear in confession. People may reject or judge, but that is between them and God. I want to walk before God in truth.
So I would really love to write a book on the disciplines because God really has taken me from one spiritual place to another and He has done it by means of continual Grace. I believe He makes me sensitive to His voice by bringing me continually to Him. I believe many people long to grow in the Lord. It seems to me that people want to become suddenly "spiritual" and wise....as I did. But this book would have to be for the UNdisciplined.
As an undisciplined person, every habit I have has come by excrutiating effort! For some reason, I am naturally a retarded free spirit who is slothful and comfort oriented. The weirdest thing about me (well, hmmnnn....probably not the most weird, there is so much!) might be how I cannot do repetitive tasks in the same repeat manner. Praise God I do not work on an assembly line.
This peculiarity manifests itself in many ways. When cutting potatoes, I cannot cut them each the same way. I cut one or two in a certain way and then I change the process. When something is uncertain in writing or designing something, I will do it first one way and then the other---definitely ruins uniformity. I have always liked to drive different paths to the same destination. One day going the fastest, the next day going another route if possible.
I think that is what makes me a good choice to write a book about disciplines. It has taken such brokeness and well, I hesitate to say humility, but a distinct effort to look this in the face and declare it sin. That makes people SO UNCOMFORTABLE these days. People don't want to acknowlege their sin! But I see it this way....if it is a sin, I CAN REPENT! THERE IS DELIVERANCE FROM SIN! And I praise God for forgiveness.
The Word from God tells us that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. We know that we can approach the Throne of Grace boldly to receive mercy in our time of need. We don't have to stay in our sin. But we have to come humbly.
and maybe we don't have humility and that is why we can ask for it. We can ask God for anything. He truly does want to show us how much He cares for us. If we are in the growing process, He is SO GENEROUS with all that He gives! And He is faithful to answer prayers specifically and openly so that His children can see He is active and immediate in our lives. This often gives us strength to endure the parts of our lives that we find distasteful but must endure. He helps us to see He has not forgotten us during what we may see as a trial. Instead, He leads us through by His Grace openly.
Yet for a Christian who has been walking with Him for some time, He takes us higher by NOT answering prayer. Oh, do we trust Him then? He shows us how shallow we are because in the early days, we do NOT trust Him when we don't get what we want. We pout and get angry (hey, maybe I am speaking for myself.) and I think I still struggle here at times. Even all these 24 years later, which is nothing. I'm still a child in Him.
and WHY am I still a child in Him 24 years later? Because I loved Him so deeply at first but PRIDE was destroying me. I felt that I was more dedicated to Him than others. Pride comes before a fall and I had a terrible time that I call my Christian teen years. I doubted everything and did not get any joy from the Lord. I didn't want to belong to this Christian club anymore and wondered if I could fit in with the rest of the world.
THANKFULLY, I never could fit in with the world. Why? Because I never fit in anyway! Ha ha! But I interpreted it as the profound change in me due to Christ would no longer enable me to look at things the way the rest of the world looked at them. I STILL saw things through God's view. Except that now I had no consolation in terms of my good behavior. I wasn't reading my Bible, praying and wasn't really ever worshipping as I switched to listening to secular music. I yearned to know more of the world.
Again, I think I could write about the disciplines because God was so gracious in taking me through the book, "Celebration of the Disciplines" during this time. Somehow, He allowed me to crawl back little by little, but the amazing thing was every turn towards Him was met with such disgusting forgiveness and sappy love and acceptance. It seemed so wrong. But He really wanted me to understand, He saw my life from beginning to end--NOT the way I saw it as a big failure after some good growth. No, He saw how I would be restored completely and He made sure I knew that. Personally, it seemed like something ridiculous to imagine that I might actually believe in His Word again or really believe He existed, so it was sort of like mental gymnastics to flip flop between this part of me that was hearing and seeing God and this part of me that wanted to run away from God. But where do you run from God? He is everywhere and He is within. He won me over.
Everything was different coming through that and it still took several years to process. It wasn't until 2008 that God showed me the depths of pride in my soul. I'm glad He saved it for me until I could stand it. By then I was making sure my life was founded in discipline. I realized the value of coming before the Lord in mulitple ways across my whole life. As an undisciplined person, I struggled to orient myself to God in everything, but this was the beauty of Life. I don't think that sentence captures my meaning at all, since I can't really see a time since Salvation where I didn't know that everything related to God. But I guess I mean growing more and more to think like Him.
I am soooo weak and yet so loved by God. In my romantic moments, I am truly a martyr, a nun, whatever full devotion looks like--that's me. But living out day to day? Whiny, lazy, irritable and selfish. OUCH! Big difference. Practicing the disciplines of spiritual life have enabled me to be far more relational in my family and far more productive in my mundane obligations. This borders on miraculous when viewed from my own internal perspective.
That's the hope I wish I could bring to weak people like me. The transformation is so appreciated! So needed! God really FORMS His children! He is FAITHFUL. His Word is true and can be trusted. He is always right. He knows what is best. He is always ultimately good. He answers your doubts and questions. He puts you through fire and walks through it with you.
So how can an undisciplined person write about the spirtual disciplines? I don't know. By miracles, I suppose. I want something to pass on for all God has given me but it is only for those who don't care about external fruit but want to press on in loving God and making much of Him in spite of their own weak character. There is an audience out there, I know it. There are souls like me who adore Him but have much to be criticized for.....and I know that writing it out will bring so much more criticism!
Bring it on. Kill my pride. I want to live for the NEXT life and I want to bring as many people with me as possible. Perhaps some sweet soul who thought they loved God was really serving a god they created and by practicing disciplines, God reveals Himself to them and brings them forever into His eternal Kingdom! It could happen. We come to Him in so many ways.
I long to be a good evangelist but I seem to fail there despite prayer and effort. Yet God does use me to evangelize the heart of the believer. Whatever work He has for me, I want to be content in it. Yet I always want more of Him.
I meant to post about suffering, but that lack of discipline. ugh! I began reading St. John of the Cross: The Dark Night of the Soul and God showed me my immaturity in moment and it just stunned me. I'm such a baby Christian! And my reasons for wanting to be wise are just PRIDE!!! yikes! And that was why I wanted to be a missionary (He told me in 2008) and it just is always so ugly. But we must be killing pride. John Owen, a beloved Puritan, said, "Be killing sin or it will be killing you." and the disciplines really help with killing sin.
We go to God humbly and confess. We remember we died with Him on that cross and we invite His Life to come live through us. He forgives our sins because He paid for all of them. We thank Him for that blood that covers and cleanses. Through His Spirit, we follow a new way. The Holy Spirit leads us to that repentance that means we turn from that old way. We repent of our own efforts to do good or to change. This is DEATH and leads to pride again.
Acknowlege you have no good in you and invite the Holy Spirit, who lives in you if You have received Christ as Lord, to serve through you by His Power. He is all glorious! It is HIS work that is of value! You had no good in you ever, so repent of works and of efforts and yield and follow.
In Jesus' name, amen.
First, I am always embarrassed to confess pride because I am sure that I am not measuring up to other people's standards of perfection in anything and so I feel I open myself up to criticism---and pride doesn't like that. Second, I want people to see my strengths, not my weaknesses. But really, God sees everything as it is and LOVES. So there is no fear in confession. People may reject or judge, but that is between them and God. I want to walk before God in truth.
So I would really love to write a book on the disciplines because God really has taken me from one spiritual place to another and He has done it by means of continual Grace. I believe He makes me sensitive to His voice by bringing me continually to Him. I believe many people long to grow in the Lord. It seems to me that people want to become suddenly "spiritual" and wise....as I did. But this book would have to be for the UNdisciplined.
As an undisciplined person, every habit I have has come by excrutiating effort! For some reason, I am naturally a retarded free spirit who is slothful and comfort oriented. The weirdest thing about me (well, hmmnnn....probably not the most weird, there is so much!) might be how I cannot do repetitive tasks in the same repeat manner. Praise God I do not work on an assembly line.
This peculiarity manifests itself in many ways. When cutting potatoes, I cannot cut them each the same way. I cut one or two in a certain way and then I change the process. When something is uncertain in writing or designing something, I will do it first one way and then the other---definitely ruins uniformity. I have always liked to drive different paths to the same destination. One day going the fastest, the next day going another route if possible.
I think that is what makes me a good choice to write a book about disciplines. It has taken such brokeness and well, I hesitate to say humility, but a distinct effort to look this in the face and declare it sin. That makes people SO UNCOMFORTABLE these days. People don't want to acknowlege their sin! But I see it this way....if it is a sin, I CAN REPENT! THERE IS DELIVERANCE FROM SIN! And I praise God for forgiveness.
The Word from God tells us that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. We know that we can approach the Throne of Grace boldly to receive mercy in our time of need. We don't have to stay in our sin. But we have to come humbly.
and maybe we don't have humility and that is why we can ask for it. We can ask God for anything. He truly does want to show us how much He cares for us. If we are in the growing process, He is SO GENEROUS with all that He gives! And He is faithful to answer prayers specifically and openly so that His children can see He is active and immediate in our lives. This often gives us strength to endure the parts of our lives that we find distasteful but must endure. He helps us to see He has not forgotten us during what we may see as a trial. Instead, He leads us through by His Grace openly.
Yet for a Christian who has been walking with Him for some time, He takes us higher by NOT answering prayer. Oh, do we trust Him then? He shows us how shallow we are because in the early days, we do NOT trust Him when we don't get what we want. We pout and get angry (hey, maybe I am speaking for myself.) and I think I still struggle here at times. Even all these 24 years later, which is nothing. I'm still a child in Him.
and WHY am I still a child in Him 24 years later? Because I loved Him so deeply at first but PRIDE was destroying me. I felt that I was more dedicated to Him than others. Pride comes before a fall and I had a terrible time that I call my Christian teen years. I doubted everything and did not get any joy from the Lord. I didn't want to belong to this Christian club anymore and wondered if I could fit in with the rest of the world.
THANKFULLY, I never could fit in with the world. Why? Because I never fit in anyway! Ha ha! But I interpreted it as the profound change in me due to Christ would no longer enable me to look at things the way the rest of the world looked at them. I STILL saw things through God's view. Except that now I had no consolation in terms of my good behavior. I wasn't reading my Bible, praying and wasn't really ever worshipping as I switched to listening to secular music. I yearned to know more of the world.
Again, I think I could write about the disciplines because God was so gracious in taking me through the book, "Celebration of the Disciplines" during this time. Somehow, He allowed me to crawl back little by little, but the amazing thing was every turn towards Him was met with such disgusting forgiveness and sappy love and acceptance. It seemed so wrong. But He really wanted me to understand, He saw my life from beginning to end--NOT the way I saw it as a big failure after some good growth. No, He saw how I would be restored completely and He made sure I knew that. Personally, it seemed like something ridiculous to imagine that I might actually believe in His Word again or really believe He existed, so it was sort of like mental gymnastics to flip flop between this part of me that was hearing and seeing God and this part of me that wanted to run away from God. But where do you run from God? He is everywhere and He is within. He won me over.
Everything was different coming through that and it still took several years to process. It wasn't until 2008 that God showed me the depths of pride in my soul. I'm glad He saved it for me until I could stand it. By then I was making sure my life was founded in discipline. I realized the value of coming before the Lord in mulitple ways across my whole life. As an undisciplined person, I struggled to orient myself to God in everything, but this was the beauty of Life. I don't think that sentence captures my meaning at all, since I can't really see a time since Salvation where I didn't know that everything related to God. But I guess I mean growing more and more to think like Him.
I am soooo weak and yet so loved by God. In my romantic moments, I am truly a martyr, a nun, whatever full devotion looks like--that's me. But living out day to day? Whiny, lazy, irritable and selfish. OUCH! Big difference. Practicing the disciplines of spiritual life have enabled me to be far more relational in my family and far more productive in my mundane obligations. This borders on miraculous when viewed from my own internal perspective.
That's the hope I wish I could bring to weak people like me. The transformation is so appreciated! So needed! God really FORMS His children! He is FAITHFUL. His Word is true and can be trusted. He is always right. He knows what is best. He is always ultimately good. He answers your doubts and questions. He puts you through fire and walks through it with you.
So how can an undisciplined person write about the spirtual disciplines? I don't know. By miracles, I suppose. I want something to pass on for all God has given me but it is only for those who don't care about external fruit but want to press on in loving God and making much of Him in spite of their own weak character. There is an audience out there, I know it. There are souls like me who adore Him but have much to be criticized for.....and I know that writing it out will bring so much more criticism!
Bring it on. Kill my pride. I want to live for the NEXT life and I want to bring as many people with me as possible. Perhaps some sweet soul who thought they loved God was really serving a god they created and by practicing disciplines, God reveals Himself to them and brings them forever into His eternal Kingdom! It could happen. We come to Him in so many ways.
I long to be a good evangelist but I seem to fail there despite prayer and effort. Yet God does use me to evangelize the heart of the believer. Whatever work He has for me, I want to be content in it. Yet I always want more of Him.
I meant to post about suffering, but that lack of discipline. ugh! I began reading St. John of the Cross: The Dark Night of the Soul and God showed me my immaturity in moment and it just stunned me. I'm such a baby Christian! And my reasons for wanting to be wise are just PRIDE!!! yikes! And that was why I wanted to be a missionary (He told me in 2008) and it just is always so ugly. But we must be killing pride. John Owen, a beloved Puritan, said, "Be killing sin or it will be killing you." and the disciplines really help with killing sin.
We go to God humbly and confess. We remember we died with Him on that cross and we invite His Life to come live through us. He forgives our sins because He paid for all of them. We thank Him for that blood that covers and cleanses. Through His Spirit, we follow a new way. The Holy Spirit leads us to that repentance that means we turn from that old way. We repent of our own efforts to do good or to change. This is DEATH and leads to pride again.
Acknowlege you have no good in you and invite the Holy Spirit, who lives in you if You have received Christ as Lord, to serve through you by His Power. He is all glorious! It is HIS work that is of value! You had no good in you ever, so repent of works and of efforts and yield and follow.
In Jesus' name, amen.
Wednesday, November 09, 2011
The Lord is my Shepherd
Psalm 23
The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake.
Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.
Your rod and Your staff they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You annoint my head with oil.
My cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
I love this Psalm. It may have been one of the first passages I memorized as a new Christian 24 years ago. I used it as a prayer for Laura when she was a preteen and young teenager before she went to bed.
We had it printed out for her wedding as a group reading. Beautiful.
Today I am thinking about suffering. I am thinking about willingness to suffer.
I think suffering is easier to endure when you have a true faith in Jesus. It certainly is tested when you experience or witness intense suffering. So many people want to turn away from God in the face of suffering. How wise is that? There is an eternal one who runs the universe. What benefit is it to a small finite person to turn their back on their Creator?
When we suffer, we tend to say one of four things (maybe all of them.) No! Why? Help! and Ouch (or some groans from deep within and many tears.)
Our first instinct is to deny what is now inevitable. We dread the pain we are about to slide into. We fear it will consume us. Our whole world may have changed irrevocably in one moment and we want to get back to the immediate past and restore things, please. Please. No.
We are confused. We all long for the eternal joy and peace of heaven, but it is not here in this life. We feel cheated. We should not have to lose anything. We should not have pain. We hunger for a perfect life. Now it is worse than imperfect. Why me? Why now? Why? Why? WHY!?!? We demand an explanation from the universe. We grope for something to cling to for hope or we sink into despair.
Here it is so beautiful if we have given our lives to Jesus in a true switch--His life for our life. Here we can remember that this is HIS life we are living and He is our Rock. Our circumstances and our loved ones and our job or our health--those things are not our Rock. We are eternal and no matter how horrifying, these things will pass. We can endure all things because we endure forever with Him. I consider how God brought people through horrors like Nazi Germany or Rowanda and all genocide, abuse, and torture. Human beings can transcend these agonies because the Lord made us to live for all time and beyond into infinity. Once created, we cannot be uncreated. We are an eternal soul with a body.
I guess I was just thinking how thankful I am to know and love Jesus and to trust Him implicitly. Perhaps I will experience the most horrifying losses and question him profoundly. He will take me through. Besides that, I'm not LIKELY to experience intense suffering beyond general human experience but all of my suffering, and all of yours, is so deeply personal. We have to look to God for ourselves and find Him there with us because in Him we live and move and have our being. He is close. We usually ignore Him and trust all the world is telling us, particularly what we sense through our eyes, ears, and other senses. As if that reality is "real" and our invisible God is maybe real.
Oh but we will SEE! We will see Him as He is! and this temporal world will all pass away! It will roll up like a scroll. Eons from now, this world will be so remote. Our time here nearly forgotten. Some will be in everlasting life rejoicing. I like what Mark Driscoll says when imagining himself in heaven, living in eternity, sometime in the future and looking back, "I think I wore a hat." Yes, all our experiences will not be the primary ones!
and for those who refused to believe in Jesus as Messiah. Those who refused to trust Him. Those who wanted to keep their lives. Oh my gosh, the horror of it. Eternal damnation, just like the old Puritans warned. Easy to criticize and laugh them off. They were vying for your SOUL! They desired that you would be SAVED!!! It was LOVE of God and LOVE of man that compelled them to insist you come to Jesus--even as they were mocked and scorned and laughed at and dismissed. I feel their pain. I feel the agony of knowing so called Christians loving the world and everything in it and unwilling to die to this life. How horrifying their rude awakening. Now THAT is suffering! This life can do nothing to match it.
(to be continued....)
The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake.
Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.
Your rod and Your staff they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You annoint my head with oil.
My cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
I love this Psalm. It may have been one of the first passages I memorized as a new Christian 24 years ago. I used it as a prayer for Laura when she was a preteen and young teenager before she went to bed.
We had it printed out for her wedding as a group reading. Beautiful.
Today I am thinking about suffering. I am thinking about willingness to suffer.
I think suffering is easier to endure when you have a true faith in Jesus. It certainly is tested when you experience or witness intense suffering. So many people want to turn away from God in the face of suffering. How wise is that? There is an eternal one who runs the universe. What benefit is it to a small finite person to turn their back on their Creator?
When we suffer, we tend to say one of four things (maybe all of them.) No! Why? Help! and Ouch (or some groans from deep within and many tears.)
Our first instinct is to deny what is now inevitable. We dread the pain we are about to slide into. We fear it will consume us. Our whole world may have changed irrevocably in one moment and we want to get back to the immediate past and restore things, please. Please. No.
We are confused. We all long for the eternal joy and peace of heaven, but it is not here in this life. We feel cheated. We should not have to lose anything. We should not have pain. We hunger for a perfect life. Now it is worse than imperfect. Why me? Why now? Why? Why? WHY!?!? We demand an explanation from the universe. We grope for something to cling to for hope or we sink into despair.
Here it is so beautiful if we have given our lives to Jesus in a true switch--His life for our life. Here we can remember that this is HIS life we are living and He is our Rock. Our circumstances and our loved ones and our job or our health--those things are not our Rock. We are eternal and no matter how horrifying, these things will pass. We can endure all things because we endure forever with Him. I consider how God brought people through horrors like Nazi Germany or Rowanda and all genocide, abuse, and torture. Human beings can transcend these agonies because the Lord made us to live for all time and beyond into infinity. Once created, we cannot be uncreated. We are an eternal soul with a body.
I guess I was just thinking how thankful I am to know and love Jesus and to trust Him implicitly. Perhaps I will experience the most horrifying losses and question him profoundly. He will take me through. Besides that, I'm not LIKELY to experience intense suffering beyond general human experience but all of my suffering, and all of yours, is so deeply personal. We have to look to God for ourselves and find Him there with us because in Him we live and move and have our being. He is close. We usually ignore Him and trust all the world is telling us, particularly what we sense through our eyes, ears, and other senses. As if that reality is "real" and our invisible God is maybe real.
Oh but we will SEE! We will see Him as He is! and this temporal world will all pass away! It will roll up like a scroll. Eons from now, this world will be so remote. Our time here nearly forgotten. Some will be in everlasting life rejoicing. I like what Mark Driscoll says when imagining himself in heaven, living in eternity, sometime in the future and looking back, "I think I wore a hat." Yes, all our experiences will not be the primary ones!
and for those who refused to believe in Jesus as Messiah. Those who refused to trust Him. Those who wanted to keep their lives. Oh my gosh, the horror of it. Eternal damnation, just like the old Puritans warned. Easy to criticize and laugh them off. They were vying for your SOUL! They desired that you would be SAVED!!! It was LOVE of God and LOVE of man that compelled them to insist you come to Jesus--even as they were mocked and scorned and laughed at and dismissed. I feel their pain. I feel the agony of knowing so called Christians loving the world and everything in it and unwilling to die to this life. How horrifying their rude awakening. Now THAT is suffering! This life can do nothing to match it.
(to be continued....)
Monday, November 07, 2011
Christabel reports on Vivian
On the 4thof November, David and I attended Vivian’s prayer day at Bumamu primary school. Henry also accompanied us. They were glad to see us and gave us a warm welcome. We arrived on time, as it did not take long before the ceremony began.
There were orations from various teachers and parents. They also acknowledged our presence and Henry introduced us and gave a speech on behalf of TGD.
Most of the speeches were full of encouragements to the candidates.
We were also blessed with a word of God from a priest from the Anglican Church who happens to be the sponsors of the school.
We had a chance to meet with Vivian, encouraged her to put all her efforts together and do her best in her final examination, and told her to look for ways to be an active force in her own life. Take charge of her own destiny, design a life of substance and truly begin to live her dream.
She promised not to disappoint TGD and her sponsor. We are certain she will perform well because she has been the best pupil in her class.
Otherwise, we had a great time and she was very happy to see us there.
There were orations from various teachers and parents. They also acknowledged our presence and Henry introduced us and gave a speech on behalf of TGD.
Most of the speeches were full of encouragements to the candidates.
We were also blessed with a word of God from a priest from the Anglican Church who happens to be the sponsors of the school.
We had a chance to meet with Vivian, encouraged her to put all her efforts together and do her best in her final examination, and told her to look for ways to be an active force in her own life. Take charge of her own destiny, design a life of substance and truly begin to live her dream.
She promised not to disappoint TGD and her sponsor. We are certain she will perform well because she has been the best pupil in her class.
Otherwise, we had a great time and she was very happy to see us there.
Prayer for Vivian's High School Entry Exams...
Lord, we thank you for providing for Vivian and we ask that she excel in her exam. Help her to remember all You have taught her. Help her to answer every question correctly. Thank you that You are making a way for her where there was no way. Thank you for letting us take the burden of her education upon us, Lord. Thank you for letting us come alongside her guardian and extended family. Thank you in advance for the great blessing in her life and we ask that she be a light for Your Glory and give you praise all the days of her life. May you reveal Jesus to her and may she trust in Him alone. May you set her free in this life and the next, in Jesus name. Lord, we ask this for all our children, bless them and heal them and strengthen them in their spirit, soul, and body, in Jesus name. Grant them your salvation unto eternal life. Let them be a light to the nations, Lord, to carry the GOOD NEWS to other lands and other tribes and other peoples. Equip them, Lord. Guard them from temptation, in Jesus name. Be exalted in their lives. Provide for their needs and let them live generous lives. We ask all this for Your Glory, and Your Name, in the Name of Jesus, amen.
Sunday, November 06, 2011
Way behind......
Donors and Sponsors: We LOVE YOU! Thank you so much for caring for our Kenyan friends and family. You cannot imagine the gratitude that is poured out to God for the things you are doing.
I am a bit behind on some thing I'd love to do for you. I went down to see Anita and Titus last week and had a great time! I got to meet some sponsors and SOME LOVELY SAINTS WANTED TO BECOME SPONSORS OR INCREASE THEIR SPONSORED CHILDREN. Do I have the best unpaid job in the entire world or what?!? I could not be happier (well, if Jesus was visibly right in front of me.....then again, I might not be able to handle that. I need a glorified body first.)
This week I went to see my Dad and Alitya in Port Townsend, Washington (state). Oh we had a great time. A nice short visit (the way Dad likes em.) He turned 79 this year! wow! and great health. Steve went, too, and we all went hiking in the woods. It was beautiful.
You know, I think it would be nice to avoid some travel, but how can I avoid loving others! I love all of you! Now I just need a trip to Austin, maybe one to Tennesee for Elaine and one to Florida for Allison. and I am ready to go to Kenya again. I did not get enough time with my beloved students turned men and women and my precious children, the sponsored orphans and needy ones. They are really wonderful individuals and how I wish I would SPEAK easily with all of them. My Kiswahili seems to have abandoned me--but my heart overflows with love and joy for my Kenyan family. They all make me so proud of them and glad to be in community with them and glad to be participating with them in glorifying the Lord Jesus. I will try to get some pictures up here.
Kevin has taken some AMAZING photos of the animals we saw there and he has said if anyone buys any of the photos, he will donate that to TGD.
Blessings to readers! I am thankful you stopped by to visit us here on blogspot. May God bless you abundantly, in Jesus name.
I am a bit behind on some thing I'd love to do for you. I went down to see Anita and Titus last week and had a great time! I got to meet some sponsors and SOME LOVELY SAINTS WANTED TO BECOME SPONSORS OR INCREASE THEIR SPONSORED CHILDREN. Do I have the best unpaid job in the entire world or what?!? I could not be happier (well, if Jesus was visibly right in front of me.....then again, I might not be able to handle that. I need a glorified body first.)
This week I went to see my Dad and Alitya in Port Townsend, Washington (state). Oh we had a great time. A nice short visit (the way Dad likes em.) He turned 79 this year! wow! and great health. Steve went, too, and we all went hiking in the woods. It was beautiful.
You know, I think it would be nice to avoid some travel, but how can I avoid loving others! I love all of you! Now I just need a trip to Austin, maybe one to Tennesee for Elaine and one to Florida for Allison. and I am ready to go to Kenya again. I did not get enough time with my beloved students turned men and women and my precious children, the sponsored orphans and needy ones. They are really wonderful individuals and how I wish I would SPEAK easily with all of them. My Kiswahili seems to have abandoned me--but my heart overflows with love and joy for my Kenyan family. They all make me so proud of them and glad to be in community with them and glad to be participating with them in glorifying the Lord Jesus. I will try to get some pictures up here.
Kevin has taken some AMAZING photos of the animals we saw there and he has said if anyone buys any of the photos, he will donate that to TGD.
Blessings to readers! I am thankful you stopped by to visit us here on blogspot. May God bless you abundantly, in Jesus name.
11th distribution===ALL PRAISES TO GOD! Report from Jack.....
Lydia
ElizabethThe day was great. Most of the guardians were present together with their children. Diana, Vivian, Chrispinus and Evangeline are busy preparing for the national exams and therefore were not present at the venue. Their guardians were not there either and instead of giving them monthly supply, the team is now focusing on how they will make it to the high school. This is going to be a great challenge but we are believing the lord of miracles.
The meeting kicked off at exactly ten o’clock with the junior team and then the senior team joined later. Most guardians did not have questions during the session. I think this is because most of the questions were answered during the last distribution. They just came for their gifts and also get some information from the staff.
Christian morals of the children was the main topic. The team encouraged the parents to help their children to understand how the lord has loved them and pray for salvation to their children for there is no meaning in all of these when they are destined to go to hell. Joseph urged the guardians to unite in prayer and dedicate the team which is going to sit for national exams next week to the almighty God.
Frank highlighted on various things including the plans a head. He urged the guardians to work hard in whatever income generating activities they are involved in e.g. farming, small business etc. This will enable the guardians to become independent hence being able to take care of the children on their own. He said TGD is willing to help so long as they have a good plan and strategy.
Each child received the following items; 2kgs of sugar, 2kgs of rice, 2kgs of wheat flour, 1 liter of cooking oil,100gms of Dettol soap, bar soap,2 rolls of tissue paper, tea leaves, salt and mango fruits.
Special cases were as follows; Zainabu, Cynthia, Sharon and Lillian received sanitary towels. Fredrick and Yvonne received amaranth and aloe vera juice which has greatly boosted their general health. The following continues to receive money for buying milk to keep them throughout the month, these are; Emmanuel, Benjamin, Yvonne, Fredrick, Elizabeth and Asman.
There was lunch for the whole team. Children took fresh juice and bread while the guardians and the staff had sodas and bread. We shared these blessings together and their faces spoke much louder than words. After the meal all the guardian received their luggages. We had photos together and gathered for a special closing prayer by Joseph. We also had a short staff meeting after the distribution.
This program is a great relief to this impoverished society. We pray that our God helps our donors to really understand the critical role they are playing in the lives of these children. We bless them and may goodness and mercies of our lord follow them all forever more. Amen.
Fridah doesn't seem to be getting enough food
Friday, October 28, 2011
Henry and Joseph on their new motorcycles
Here is some news cut from an email from Frank:
Joseph has been working on the website to make it meet the specifications you requested.
Lawrence has been in charge of the newsletters and contents therein and has been collecting articles and other pieces of information from all team members so that he can put it all together. I requested him to also collect information we will put in the special edition newsletter but that will get a special review from both Joseph and I before sending over to you.I have Jack overseeing the rest in the various tasks they are performing as well as assign tasks to the other team members based on abilities. He is also sourcing the prices of printing the booklets for the pastors will forward the same to you for approval. We had a leaders' meeting and discussed the matter in detail.
In a previous leaders' meeting last week, we also discussed the various expense lines for the orphan administration funds and created a monthly budget for the same. I am working with Joseph in coming up with the document detailing how the orphan program works and we will have it as a document and also integrate it into our website.
I am also working on have some team members responsible for updating and keeping our Facebook fan page current so first I had to walk everyone through either configuring their phones or computers to receive TGD mail through outlook. It is faster, costs less because of shorter internet time and allows them to compose mail while offline and only make a connection when ready to send. Also all received mail are easily available on the local computer especially for reference purposes.
In summary I thank you so much for considering Henry and purchasing him a bike. You can tell from his facial expression that he is all happy and excited and we share in his joy as his trips and journeys have now been made more manageable. I have attached pictures for you to share in the joy. God Bless you so much.
On the side, I have made several attempts to send Kevin's glasses via Fedex and they refuse to take them without a prescription so I wrote to Kevin explaining the same and requesting him to scan his prescription for the glasses so that I can attach with them but I haven't heard back from him so I am waiting. I was also required to write a letter explaining that the glasses belonged to an American citizen and were forgotten in the vehicle while they were at the airport. Quite honestly I did not think that it was that difficult to send a pair of glasses to the States. Apparently they are classified together with medicine or something and so there is a process involved. Oh and in addition there is yet another form I have to fill. I don't mind the process but thought I should highlight the situation on the ground so that you may understand why the delay.
Okay, now this is Stephanie writing: I wanted to add that part about the glasses. It is very difficult to do things in Kenya that we take for granted. Many things take more process and more time. It's just hard. So when someone asks me to do this or that--sometimes I am not able to convey how difficult it can be going through the steps needed. The glasses are just a picture of normal business operations in Kenya. I pray God bring them the breakthrough!
Met with Titus! In the USA!
I had a great time in Southern Illinois this week. I drove down to see Titus and Rose. How exciting to see them in the USA! I had been planning to go see Anita ever since I've moved up here in April. But my personal travel schedule has been full and I've had a lot of wonderful visitors to my home. So it was God's timing and I rejoiced to make the 6+ hour drive with the beautiful changing tree colors of red, orange, gold, brown, green and just so many shades of beautiful.
I was so blessed to meet Anita's friends and see some I'd met before. I love Ed and Anita--they are Mom and Dad AND Brother and Sister to me. I've known Ed since 1987--BEFORE I WAS SAVED! And who knows if the Lord used him at that time? Jesus revealed Himself to me in December of 1987 and my whole world changed forever.
Anita was such a blessing to me as a young mom. She is very down to earth and loving and friendly. We are so much alike except that I was uptight about EVERYTHING and fearful and just plain inexperienced in life. Anita showed me the way of peace. She led me in serving the Lord with joy and abandon and Ed showed me how to walk with the Lord, learning His Word and obeying His Commands. We had a wonderful church family to raise our children (my children are about the same ages as Ed's and Anita's.)
Well, I ALWAYS love coming to Little Chapel! I first came for Rachel's wedding. Titus was there and oddly, we did not meet at that time! I did meet Joe Roberts, I remember.
but to come up again and meet friends at the Missions Board--what a blessing. People with the same heart as mine, loving the Lord and loving others. I really enjoyed visiting. I really enjoyed hearing Titus speak and even getting a chance to affirm what the Lord is doing in his community through him and Rose. He had a great video which was like coming home for me to watch. I love my Kenyan family! They are a part of me and it is my joy to serve them however the Lord makes a way.
I got to meet several orphan sponsors: Jody Williams, Cindy Winters, Heather Sais, Terah Ann Stearns, and Darla Martin. AND the Lord added Lisa and Jerrilyn to our family (Oh Jerrilyn, I may have misspelled your name because it is not right in front of me. I'll get it right soon! Hugs!) We had SO MUCH FUN (well, I had fall off your seat fun) talking about the children and my experiences in Kenya. Anita and I just really enjoyed it. These are her home group women and we had a blast. We laughed, we cried, they gave and I love them for it! Glory to God! THANK YOU WOMEN OF GOD!
I pray the Lord gives me some time to go back there. What a great time I have with Anita and her friends and family. Love Love Love.
All Glory to Jesus for those He knits our hearts to!! He is too good to me. I praise Him!
I was so blessed to meet Anita's friends and see some I'd met before. I love Ed and Anita--they are Mom and Dad AND Brother and Sister to me. I've known Ed since 1987--BEFORE I WAS SAVED! And who knows if the Lord used him at that time? Jesus revealed Himself to me in December of 1987 and my whole world changed forever.
Anita was such a blessing to me as a young mom. She is very down to earth and loving and friendly. We are so much alike except that I was uptight about EVERYTHING and fearful and just plain inexperienced in life. Anita showed me the way of peace. She led me in serving the Lord with joy and abandon and Ed showed me how to walk with the Lord, learning His Word and obeying His Commands. We had a wonderful church family to raise our children (my children are about the same ages as Ed's and Anita's.)
Well, I ALWAYS love coming to Little Chapel! I first came for Rachel's wedding. Titus was there and oddly, we did not meet at that time! I did meet Joe Roberts, I remember.
but to come up again and meet friends at the Missions Board--what a blessing. People with the same heart as mine, loving the Lord and loving others. I really enjoyed visiting. I really enjoyed hearing Titus speak and even getting a chance to affirm what the Lord is doing in his community through him and Rose. He had a great video which was like coming home for me to watch. I love my Kenyan family! They are a part of me and it is my joy to serve them however the Lord makes a way.
I got to meet several orphan sponsors: Jody Williams, Cindy Winters, Heather Sais, Terah Ann Stearns, and Darla Martin. AND the Lord added Lisa and Jerrilyn to our family (Oh Jerrilyn, I may have misspelled your name because it is not right in front of me. I'll get it right soon! Hugs!) We had SO MUCH FUN (well, I had fall off your seat fun) talking about the children and my experiences in Kenya. Anita and I just really enjoyed it. These are her home group women and we had a blast. We laughed, we cried, they gave and I love them for it! Glory to God! THANK YOU WOMEN OF GOD!
I pray the Lord gives me some time to go back there. What a great time I have with Anita and her friends and family. Love Love Love.
All Glory to Jesus for those He knits our hearts to!! He is too good to me. I praise Him!
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Bible Study Report: Photos down below Erick's testimony
It is great joy to see the gospel spreading to more people. People getting to understand the true picture of the bible. The bible materials you left is a great boost to the spreading of the gospel in this community. Most people in this community don’t know how to read and write and only a quarter of the Christian population owns bibles. This means that Pastors have a great task to make people understand the word of God. But also this poses a great challenge; most preachers and teachers lack efficient teaching materials. We thank God for these few teaching materials from Willow Creek Church. It is what is making the whole difference.
God enabled us to attend two sermons in different churches and one thing in common was that all the pastors were using teaching materials from willow creek church. We worshiped and praised together. There was a mighty moving of the Lord in these sermons.
I had hard time choosing in which church to go because almost every pastor that attended the teachings last Sunday wanted us to fellowship in their respective churches. Most Pastors were eager to share with their congregations using the bible teaching materials that they received. We decided to visit two churches today and those are Ituti and Shitsitwi Cornerstone Ministries. As you are aware this is a ministry that has more than 40 branches in this locality.
The main speaker at Shitsitwi was Mr. Raphael Indoshi, a bible college student and a member of cornerstone. We reached there at around 9:00am. Mr. Raphael had an initial plan of visiting all of the 40 plus churches to teach the people the word of God. When he received the teaching materials, He decided that he will be using them in most of his meetings. God is empowering these teachings and this is a blessing. He only taught section one and a general overview of the material and it took Him long. I think these materials are deeper and we pray that God will open the understanding of His people so that they may understand His purpose to them. We praised the Lord together and left for Ituti.
Rev. Stanley Ingoka of Ituti Cornerstone also taught section one and a general overview. We arrived there in the course of the teachings. What interested the people was the cards. Those cards I think made the congregation livelier and it made them to understand better, especially the pictures. This pastor is really a gifted teacher of the word. He taught this material fluently in Luhya, the community language. We also had much to learn through these teachings. This is the best way to make people understand the bible. Most pastors have found these materials to be interesting and very effective in teaching the word. They Plan to ensure that the teachings reaches to more people and we praise the Lord for this.
Pastors requested us to pass their thanks to you and Willow Creek Church. They greatly appreciate these bible materials. Pastor Ingoka advised the congregation to take the teaching seriously and teach them to their families. We pray that God is opening ways for these pastors to get more materials and use them to change the world to Christ.
God enabled us to attend two sermons in different churches and one thing in common was that all the pastors were using teaching materials from willow creek church. We worshiped and praised together. There was a mighty moving of the Lord in these sermons.
I had hard time choosing in which church to go because almost every pastor that attended the teachings last Sunday wanted us to fellowship in their respective churches. Most Pastors were eager to share with their congregations using the bible teaching materials that they received. We decided to visit two churches today and those are Ituti and Shitsitwi Cornerstone Ministries. As you are aware this is a ministry that has more than 40 branches in this locality.
The main speaker at Shitsitwi was Mr. Raphael Indoshi, a bible college student and a member of cornerstone. We reached there at around 9:00am. Mr. Raphael had an initial plan of visiting all of the 40 plus churches to teach the people the word of God. When he received the teaching materials, He decided that he will be using them in most of his meetings. God is empowering these teachings and this is a blessing. He only taught section one and a general overview of the material and it took Him long. I think these materials are deeper and we pray that God will open the understanding of His people so that they may understand His purpose to them. We praised the Lord together and left for Ituti.
Rev. Stanley Ingoka of Ituti Cornerstone also taught section one and a general overview. We arrived there in the course of the teachings. What interested the people was the cards. Those cards I think made the congregation livelier and it made them to understand better, especially the pictures. This pastor is really a gifted teacher of the word. He taught this material fluently in Luhya, the community language. We also had much to learn through these teachings. This is the best way to make people understand the bible. Most pastors have found these materials to be interesting and very effective in teaching the word. They Plan to ensure that the teachings reaches to more people and we praise the Lord for this.
Pastors requested us to pass their thanks to you and Willow Creek Church. They greatly appreciate these bible materials. Pastor Ingoka advised the congregation to take the teaching seriously and teach them to their families. We pray that God is opening ways for these pastors to get more materials and use them to change the world to Christ.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Erick's Testimony--Scroll down for his picture....
Am Erick, I was born in a very small and pour family within Kakamega District, western province part of Kenya. I lost my father and mother at the age of 4 and 5 consecutively and therefore I did not enjoy the parental love and care. My dad was polygamous, He had three wives and my mother happened to be the small woman and I was the only child from my mom. I stayed with my step mother who did some menial works in farming to keep me, her four children and my six step-brothers of her deceased co-wife. We hardly had meals in a day and we found it a problem to get basic needs like clothing and shelter.
I was thereafter adopted by my paternal uncle who was also not financially stable to fully sustain my studies and basic needs as well even though he wished to. My uncle’s family was God fearing and this made me to know Jesus at the age of 10 years. We went to church every Sunday and my uncle used to encourage and motivate me. I therefore recognized the magnitude of God at my early stage, by seeing many things He had done in my life. Whenever I was either spiritually or physically wounded he comforted me and gave me hope in life. This kind of life transformed me to a hard and strong young boy in the locality.
Despite the problems and difficulties I faced, I kept pushing on and working hard both at school and home. I used to help the family in doing some of jobs like washing, digging, cleaning the compound and more others. My hard-work brought me some opportunities for example through good performance at school, a well wisher stepped in to help me in paying school fees. This man of God paid my primary and secondary school fees. However, I used to guard his home, look after his animals, guard his farm, cleaning and some other manual jobs within his compound. However, the breakthroughs and experience made me to realize that the created universe is all about glory of God.
I stayed a prisoner life because I could not express myself or suggest any thing myself even if the thing had to affect my life, this kind of hostile environment scorned and intimidated me so much, but I prayed to God for freedom. My sharp brain made teachers to like me and always used me as an example to teach others. After my forth form course, I stayed home for two years jobless only to meet small opportunities that could come on my way like digging, weeding, harvesting and house construction for money.
In the year 2010 I was enrolled in the tgd community computer training where I studied computer packages and thereafter am studying computer programming course. This has involved some of programming languages like: html, xhtml, css, sql, C#, Asp.net among others. I also learned some other skills like: picture managing, web applications, Leadership skills by John Maxwell just to mention but few. At first, programming seemed to be so hard but when I deed it now and then, it has become fun in life. I therefore like it and I ask God to open the ways for tgd Kenyan programming team to start applying programming skills and knowledge in the daily life scenarios.
Apart from learning, I got an opportunity to work in the orphan’s project whereby I and my friends ensures that we visit orphans’ homes and find out some of basic things they need e:g food, medical, clothing, bedding and more others. We also visit them at schools and find out their curricular activities, education progress and challenges for instance, school fees, school uniform, course books, and shoes. By the fact that I grew up as an orphan, I stand a chance to understand very well problems affecting our orphans.
I not only monitor their physical growth but also encourage and motivate their spiritual development. I always tell them that God has a purpose for them and that Jesus is the father of orphans. My testimony sounds a blessing and miraculously encouraging to them thus giving them a step of faith and hope in life. I have a passion in serving them. I love and care for our orphans. Working with orphans is now part and parcel of my life because I enjoy being close to them as my brothers and sisters. Before I joined in the computer classes for my studies, I was very childish and I had fear to even speak before people, but I thank God because am now transformed in a new object that can boldly speak and express myself before congregations. This only happened after several lessons from good speakers like Stephanie, Steve and many other skilled speakers who taught me communication skills.
In addition, I advocate for the rights of orphans and weakened. Right now I stay with my Grandmother who initially found it rough to fully sustain her family of 6 grandchildren inclusive of me, but she now found it ease because of my support. I basically help the family in making decisions, buying food and many other social and basic issues. However, I glorify the lord because of the great transformation in my life because I see a great change and global growth in me spiritually, physically mentally and socially which gives me something to tell other people about God. This transformation has made me to be resourceful in the community, hence realizing leadership and development potential in me.
On 5th October, Mama Stephanie gave us a very wonderful talk; she encouraged us through her testimony. I learned that hard work pays and that God raises His people from very low background to a high level no matter what. Very many youth were happy, blessed and felt that Mama comes and to speak to us more. This is because many of us run short of faith and wisdom but such teachings gives hope and builds youths’ motives in working for God. However, I reflected my life and tried to compare with the teachings and realized that the teachings came to me at the right time, because I had lost hope in life and seen myself to be inferior.
Last but not list, God gave us a good team in Kenya which promotes love and unit. We don’t work to compete but to complete one another. We work and follow the footsteps of our fore leaders for instance Frank, Joseph and Henry who harmoniously work to make sure that we grow and perfect in our areas of profession. We see God’s manifestation of love and caring in the community and we wait to see what He has in stalk for us. I humbly take this golden opportunity to also thank the Almighty who inspired Mama Stephanie, Steve, Kevin, Pastor Ade, Anita as tgd vision bearers and other sponsors who came and brought light that will save lives of many Kenyans. I pray God to give them long lives, protect their families and bless works of their hands. Yours Erick.
I was thereafter adopted by my paternal uncle who was also not financially stable to fully sustain my studies and basic needs as well even though he wished to. My uncle’s family was God fearing and this made me to know Jesus at the age of 10 years. We went to church every Sunday and my uncle used to encourage and motivate me. I therefore recognized the magnitude of God at my early stage, by seeing many things He had done in my life. Whenever I was either spiritually or physically wounded he comforted me and gave me hope in life. This kind of life transformed me to a hard and strong young boy in the locality.
Despite the problems and difficulties I faced, I kept pushing on and working hard both at school and home. I used to help the family in doing some of jobs like washing, digging, cleaning the compound and more others. My hard-work brought me some opportunities for example through good performance at school, a well wisher stepped in to help me in paying school fees. This man of God paid my primary and secondary school fees. However, I used to guard his home, look after his animals, guard his farm, cleaning and some other manual jobs within his compound. However, the breakthroughs and experience made me to realize that the created universe is all about glory of God.
I stayed a prisoner life because I could not express myself or suggest any thing myself even if the thing had to affect my life, this kind of hostile environment scorned and intimidated me so much, but I prayed to God for freedom. My sharp brain made teachers to like me and always used me as an example to teach others. After my forth form course, I stayed home for two years jobless only to meet small opportunities that could come on my way like digging, weeding, harvesting and house construction for money.
In the year 2010 I was enrolled in the tgd community computer training where I studied computer packages and thereafter am studying computer programming course. This has involved some of programming languages like: html, xhtml, css, sql, C#, Asp.net among others. I also learned some other skills like: picture managing, web applications, Leadership skills by John Maxwell just to mention but few. At first, programming seemed to be so hard but when I deed it now and then, it has become fun in life. I therefore like it and I ask God to open the ways for tgd Kenyan programming team to start applying programming skills and knowledge in the daily life scenarios.
Apart from learning, I got an opportunity to work in the orphan’s project whereby I and my friends ensures that we visit orphans’ homes and find out some of basic things they need e:g food, medical, clothing, bedding and more others. We also visit them at schools and find out their curricular activities, education progress and challenges for instance, school fees, school uniform, course books, and shoes. By the fact that I grew up as an orphan, I stand a chance to understand very well problems affecting our orphans.
I not only monitor their physical growth but also encourage and motivate their spiritual development. I always tell them that God has a purpose for them and that Jesus is the father of orphans. My testimony sounds a blessing and miraculously encouraging to them thus giving them a step of faith and hope in life. I have a passion in serving them. I love and care for our orphans. Working with orphans is now part and parcel of my life because I enjoy being close to them as my brothers and sisters. Before I joined in the computer classes for my studies, I was very childish and I had fear to even speak before people, but I thank God because am now transformed in a new object that can boldly speak and express myself before congregations. This only happened after several lessons from good speakers like Stephanie, Steve and many other skilled speakers who taught me communication skills.
In addition, I advocate for the rights of orphans and weakened. Right now I stay with my Grandmother who initially found it rough to fully sustain her family of 6 grandchildren inclusive of me, but she now found it ease because of my support. I basically help the family in making decisions, buying food and many other social and basic issues. However, I glorify the lord because of the great transformation in my life because I see a great change and global growth in me spiritually, physically mentally and socially which gives me something to tell other people about God. This transformation has made me to be resourceful in the community, hence realizing leadership and development potential in me.
On 5th October, Mama Stephanie gave us a very wonderful talk; she encouraged us through her testimony. I learned that hard work pays and that God raises His people from very low background to a high level no matter what. Very many youth were happy, blessed and felt that Mama comes and to speak to us more. This is because many of us run short of faith and wisdom but such teachings gives hope and builds youths’ motives in working for God. However, I reflected my life and tried to compare with the teachings and realized that the teachings came to me at the right time, because I had lost hope in life and seen myself to be inferior.
Last but not list, God gave us a good team in Kenya which promotes love and unit. We don’t work to compete but to complete one another. We work and follow the footsteps of our fore leaders for instance Frank, Joseph and Henry who harmoniously work to make sure that we grow and perfect in our areas of profession. We see God’s manifestation of love and caring in the community and we wait to see what He has in stalk for us. I humbly take this golden opportunity to also thank the Almighty who inspired Mama Stephanie, Steve, Kevin, Pastor Ade, Anita as tgd vision bearers and other sponsors who came and brought light that will save lives of many Kenyans. I pray God to give them long lives, protect their families and bless works of their hands. Yours Erick.
Sunday October 16 ALL PRAISE TO GOD!
All praise to God for the opportunity He gave our churches! Through Trinity Global Development, God used Willow Creek Community Church to supply Cornerstone Church Kenya with Bible Study Materials. You may have seen earlier pictures of Jackson teaching pastors (scroll down.) Here Jackson is attending Ituti and Ishisitswe (not sure how to spell that one! but that is how I say it.) where Pastor Stanley and then Pastor Raphael taught these materials. We are greatly rejoicing with the pastors who now have a resource that has such depth that they can continually teach through this and offer their congregations another solid teaching of the Word. 
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Sharon goes to hospital
FRANK WRITES: Yesterday, I accompanied Sharon and her guardian, Mary Salasia to the Kakamega General Hospital where she underwent x-ray, ultra sound and malaria tests. Sharon has been complaining of chest pains every now and then with excruciating pain that has made her school attendance erratic. The doctors examined her, gave her medication and scheduled another appointment should the attacks kick in again to enable them analyze the case further. She was also found to have the malaria parasites and was treated for malaria too.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Tiny taste of my recent trip-- I will have larger photos from Kevin later
oh my goodness these came out so small! This is Gladys.
Here is Cynthia.
Sharon and me.
I am with Abednego here.
I've got Vivian on the left and Lillian on the right and they both need sponsor renewal or new sponsors. They are precious girls! Then Gladys is on my left and Fridah on my right.Pastors getting Bible teaching materials
Special thanks to Dan Lovaglia, Teaching and Content Director at Willow Creek Community Church for giving Bible resources to the Pastors of Cornerstone Ministries in Western Kenya. Our Orphan Team Lead, Jack, reviewed the materials with several pastors across three hours. Many pastors traveled long distances to access these materials for their congregations after serving in their churches that Sunday morning. Praise God for these Bible overview materials that have 12 flashcards telling God's Story through His Word. It is a broad overview entitled, "Long Story Short" and begins with Genesis and going through the Old Testament showing God's redemptive plan through easy to draw pictures culminating in the promised Savior and the birth of a new people, His Church, who are one in purpose and move out to tell the world of this great plan of salvation through Christ and a relationship with our Mighty God who saves. WE ARE SO THANKFUL TO GOD!!! And so thankful for this system of teaching God's Word that is so deep yet so simple that even those without education can recieve LIGHT! The pictures are easy to draw and easy to memorize and easy to understand. We rejoice in the Love of God bringing understanding and revelation to His Beloved around the world! Our TGD Kenya team photographer, David, will be with Jack at the Ituti village church when the pastor presents to his flock. We'll have photos to show how the Good News is spreading to the poor! Hallelujah! Friday, October 07, 2011
Program of school visitation; sponsored children with their teachers
Lastly, we have Ben and Yvonne. Yvonne is a little ball of sunshine. I am pleased even to see Ben smiling here! Ben is quite shy and a very gentle young man. He is doing well in school, though. Yvonne is new to the program and she has AIDS but is responding well to medication. We will put her on a wholesome diet and continue to give her love and support. Praise God for sending her a sponsor! and God bless Ben's sponsor as well. We give Glory to God for His tenderness and love to our Kenyan family.
Thursday, October 06, 2011
yes, amazing pictures are coming
Kevin took his cool camera and took pictures of the children, the staff/students, and the safari. We saw LIONS! It was overwhelming and cool. There they were, giant cats, snoozing just so close to us. And even a hyena in the trail--we were going up a steep hill and the mist was obscuring our vision but as we approached, we could just make him out there--and Kevin managed to pop his head out of the sunroof and get a photo. We had no idea what we would see except we were pretty certain we would get the baboons and zebra. Then there were also giraffes, ostrich, rhino, oh so many animals! and we were RIGHT THERE in their home. No zoo for these guys. It was a testiment to the Lord. All Glory to Him who created us!
It was so good to see the children, too. I greeted each one. I changed their food to healthier options. we aren't going to be giving sodas during distribution day and we are choosing breads with whole grains. Everyone got a toothbrush and Dr. Powell's office, here in Barrington IL also gave toothpaste. We had enough toothbrushes for all the preschool, all the orphans, AND the staff and students plus some left over. For $40, I purchased 2 boxes of 144 temporary toothbrushes with instant toothpaste on them. Toothbrushes should be changed every 3 months (or less!) and so anyone who wants to donate for toothbrushes on any future trip--please do! We have SO MANY people in need--and it is just a great blessing!
I can't remember all that we did even though I am freshly returned. I really did try to document more though. I promise you, I am NOT thrilled to be in these photos. Even harder is sort of shouting from the rooftop about the things you are doing. So it is a battle, but I want to fight for the well being of my Kenyan friends and family. I am overjoyed to be their advocate. I praise GOD that He allows me to work for others and serve others. This work that you share with me brings praises to God. Those who receive are SO THANKFUL!!!
As I met with each of the students who have been promoted to working in the orphan program, there was so much gratitude. It was the kind that swells in your heart and spills over--even some were at a loss for words. But I could see it and it was a great blessing to know these students have been blessed by the Lord. One student, Don, has been living very well in his village because everyone now knows to call on him if they have a computer problem. He finds he can fix most things and can install software for people and trouble shoot and more---so he is called upon and makes money now. It is something he could have never done without the TGD training! Another student, Derrick, has so little money and works his garden as a farmer in the early morning before coming to programming classes. He has a wife and two children, one just born three months ago. When LifeStraw came to his area, he was given a job because he was the only one in his village area who could use a computer (and he can do it well!) Plus one of our students, Agnes from Pastor Steve's church, has dropped her classes because she has gotten a job as a secretary due to her fine computer skills! Plus, another student, Ruth, now works for a member of parliament! PRAISE GOD!
We will be working on bringing you a photo and an expanded story of the above. This is one of my 10,000 life long dreams come true! (That's my phrase borrowed from Daggit of Angry Beavers---he also had 10,000 lifelong dreams in one day.) All glory to Jesus for how He lifts us up and how He rewards work! These students are reaping the rewards of their hard work---amen!
It was so good to see the children, too. I greeted each one. I changed their food to healthier options. we aren't going to be giving sodas during distribution day and we are choosing breads with whole grains. Everyone got a toothbrush and Dr. Powell's office, here in Barrington IL also gave toothpaste. We had enough toothbrushes for all the preschool, all the orphans, AND the staff and students plus some left over. For $40, I purchased 2 boxes of 144 temporary toothbrushes with instant toothpaste on them. Toothbrushes should be changed every 3 months (or less!) and so anyone who wants to donate for toothbrushes on any future trip--please do! We have SO MANY people in need--and it is just a great blessing!
I can't remember all that we did even though I am freshly returned. I really did try to document more though. I promise you, I am NOT thrilled to be in these photos. Even harder is sort of shouting from the rooftop about the things you are doing. So it is a battle, but I want to fight for the well being of my Kenyan friends and family. I am overjoyed to be their advocate. I praise GOD that He allows me to work for others and serve others. This work that you share with me brings praises to God. Those who receive are SO THANKFUL!!!
As I met with each of the students who have been promoted to working in the orphan program, there was so much gratitude. It was the kind that swells in your heart and spills over--even some were at a loss for words. But I could see it and it was a great blessing to know these students have been blessed by the Lord. One student, Don, has been living very well in his village because everyone now knows to call on him if they have a computer problem. He finds he can fix most things and can install software for people and trouble shoot and more---so he is called upon and makes money now. It is something he could have never done without the TGD training! Another student, Derrick, has so little money and works his garden as a farmer in the early morning before coming to programming classes. He has a wife and two children, one just born three months ago. When LifeStraw came to his area, he was given a job because he was the only one in his village area who could use a computer (and he can do it well!) Plus one of our students, Agnes from Pastor Steve's church, has dropped her classes because she has gotten a job as a secretary due to her fine computer skills! Plus, another student, Ruth, now works for a member of parliament! PRAISE GOD!
We will be working on bringing you a photo and an expanded story of the above. This is one of my 10,000 life long dreams come true! (That's my phrase borrowed from Daggit of Angry Beavers---he also had 10,000 lifelong dreams in one day.) All glory to Jesus for how He lifts us up and how He rewards work! These students are reaping the rewards of their hard work---amen!
Friday, September 30, 2011
Had a full day Friday
Morning we greeted students- Kevin taught about various programming languages. Then read storybooks to preschool and passed out toothbrushes. One child was gashed on his knee, i bumbled to clean and tape it shut. He needed stitches but I waited for the parent. We got permission to take him to the doctor. Then I had 1x1 with Senior and Junior Staff. Then dinner with Titus and Rose.
Stephanie Rivers
Trinity Global Development
100% of your donation goes to
Kenya! www.TGDonline.com
www.TexasRivers.Blogspot.com
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Arrived
I am in Kenya at long last. The flights were amazing. I had a three row to myself and the other flight had a seat between me and a very quiet woman. I slept three times on each flight! We had a hotel room instead of waiting through a 12 hr layover.
When I was getting my luggage, a man came up asking to see inside a bag. He questioned me, " what do you have inside- show me, Do you have drugs in that suitcase? " i explained it was only books. He had no badge so I asked him to show me one. He stalled but I insisted. Oops-- he did have one, so I opened my case. No drugs.
Well, that threw me off and I grabbed my other one and headed out. I remembered to get the two bags with items for our community--- and forgot my personal case with underwear and clothing! Eeek!!
I didnt realize it until I was in my hotel room ( which has a blow dryer and a fan -- woohoo!) and poor Frank was dispatched to retrieve it for me. What a stupid mistake. And he hasn't slept like I have!! I sure appreciate him. He just texted me to say, "Got it!" big sigh of relief. At least I remembered to lock that one!
Stephanie Rivers
Trinity Global Development
100% of your donation goes to
Kenya! http://www.tgdonline.com/
http://www.texasrivers.blogspot.com/
When I was getting my luggage, a man came up asking to see inside a bag. He questioned me, " what do you have inside- show me, Do you have drugs in that suitcase? " i explained it was only books. He had no badge so I asked him to show me one. He stalled but I insisted. Oops-- he did have one, so I opened my case. No drugs.
Well, that threw me off and I grabbed my other one and headed out. I remembered to get the two bags with items for our community--- and forgot my personal case with underwear and clothing! Eeek!!
I didnt realize it until I was in my hotel room ( which has a blow dryer and a fan -- woohoo!) and poor Frank was dispatched to retrieve it for me. What a stupid mistake. And he hasn't slept like I have!! I sure appreciate him. He just texted me to say, "Got it!" big sigh of relief. At least I remembered to lock that one!
Stephanie Rivers
Trinity Global Development
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Monday, September 26, 2011
Praying
Pray with me:
Lord, i come before you through the blood of Jesus. Thank You for Your cleansing blood. Thank You for Your Holy Name! Blessed be the name of the Lord! Lead us by the Holy Spirit. Illuminate Your Word. Let there be Light!
I ask that Your Will be done on this trip in Jesus name. I pray I have Kingdom eyes and a heart of Gods Love. Help us dwell in unity and adore You! Help us glorify Your Name!
Provide for Your children Lord. Prosper Your people. Let shouts of Joy and Victory resound in the hearts of the Righteous of the Lord. Nurture the bruised reed, guard the smoldering wick that it may fan into a flame of fire burning for You. Show Yourself Mighty!
Grant us repentance!
Reveal our sin that we may turn from it by dependence on Your Saving Power and righteousness. We believe the Good News! We receive Your Righteousness! Forgive our unbelief! Increase our faith!
We forgive those who have hurt us, insulted us, slighted us, ignored us, accused us of anything, misjudged us, misunderstood us, cut in front of us, scared us, irritated us, disappointed us, frustrated us, refused to change, done it again and those who have engaged in wrongful behavior. We bless them all and ask You to have mercy on us all- for we have likewise done these things. You have given us power to forgive and overcome evil with good. Strengthen us by Your spirit in our inner man so Christ dwells in our hearts through faith. Establish us in LOVE, knowing JESUS who LOVES us and likewise loving others.
Guard us in our weakness. Help us flee the things we see and want ( lust of eyes,) favorite foods/comfort/excitement (lust of the flesh) and wanting people to approve even admire us ( pride of life 1John2:6.) lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Awake our soul to YOU that we may flee sin.
You are the center of all existence. Worthy is the Lamb who was slain. You will come on Your white horse with Your robe dipped in blood ( Rev 19) and You will tread the winepress of the fierce wrath of God! Come Lord Jesus! You will gather Your Beloved and make all things new. Hallelujah! We rejoice in our God!
May we walk in trust, Lord. Sanctify us in Your Truth. Work in our hearts that we bear fruit for You.
We thank You for travel mercies. Lord, bring comfort and endurance to our flesh on the long flights. Guard us from mischief and mayhem on the roads and among the peoples. Bring supernatural appontments-- and obedience at every turn. It is a blessing of joy to be in the service of the Lord and to be about Your business. Guard attitudes and let words be annointed, dripping with dew.
We bless You, We Praise You! We ask these things in Jesus name, Amen.
Lord, i come before you through the blood of Jesus. Thank You for Your cleansing blood. Thank You for Your Holy Name! Blessed be the name of the Lord! Lead us by the Holy Spirit. Illuminate Your Word. Let there be Light!
I ask that Your Will be done on this trip in Jesus name. I pray I have Kingdom eyes and a heart of Gods Love. Help us dwell in unity and adore You! Help us glorify Your Name!
Provide for Your children Lord. Prosper Your people. Let shouts of Joy and Victory resound in the hearts of the Righteous of the Lord. Nurture the bruised reed, guard the smoldering wick that it may fan into a flame of fire burning for You. Show Yourself Mighty!
Grant us repentance!
Reveal our sin that we may turn from it by dependence on Your Saving Power and righteousness. We believe the Good News! We receive Your Righteousness! Forgive our unbelief! Increase our faith!
We forgive those who have hurt us, insulted us, slighted us, ignored us, accused us of anything, misjudged us, misunderstood us, cut in front of us, scared us, irritated us, disappointed us, frustrated us, refused to change, done it again and those who have engaged in wrongful behavior. We bless them all and ask You to have mercy on us all- for we have likewise done these things. You have given us power to forgive and overcome evil with good. Strengthen us by Your spirit in our inner man so Christ dwells in our hearts through faith. Establish us in LOVE, knowing JESUS who LOVES us and likewise loving others.
Guard us in our weakness. Help us flee the things we see and want ( lust of eyes,) favorite foods/comfort/excitement (lust of the flesh) and wanting people to approve even admire us ( pride of life 1John2:6.) lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Awake our soul to YOU that we may flee sin.
You are the center of all existence. Worthy is the Lamb who was slain. You will come on Your white horse with Your robe dipped in blood ( Rev 19) and You will tread the winepress of the fierce wrath of God! Come Lord Jesus! You will gather Your Beloved and make all things new. Hallelujah! We rejoice in our God!
May we walk in trust, Lord. Sanctify us in Your Truth. Work in our hearts that we bear fruit for You.
We thank You for travel mercies. Lord, bring comfort and endurance to our flesh on the long flights. Guard us from mischief and mayhem on the roads and among the peoples. Bring supernatural appontments-- and obedience at every turn. It is a blessing of joy to be in the service of the Lord and to be about Your business. Guard attitudes and let words be annointed, dripping with dew.
We bless You, We Praise You! We ask these things in Jesus name, Amen.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Beautiful WELL! Bumamu Has a WELL!
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