Where to start?

Already 100 things have happened and I did not write it down. Beautiful countryside today with the lush green trees and fields and the people in colorful clothing and sometimes dusty and dirty all along the roads. Stepping out of the way for the car going by, I wave and smile while looking into children's eyes--they light up as they make eye contact and for just that moment-we are together in time connected. such a joy. they are so receptive.
we saw water everywhere. there have been the rains. water swirling, rushing and muddy brown but joyful. the dirt roads with huge puddles like pools for goats. the sky so blue with white puffy clouds and then turning grey and glooming making the bright green turn deep and rich. oh to have my long lens camera--but I only took the small pocket one-which makes flat photos and doesn't catch the beauty of my friends.

Oh when we came to Shibuli (Cornerstone) yesterday, the preschool had the long parade and the tgd students and even the choir! they welcomed us with the christmas tinsel necklace but first as I pulled up and got out the car, my heart leapt and the lump in my throat as my heart swelled with love. Me? yes, i'm a crier sometimes but it is not like me to cry at greeting or leaving. so I was surprised. just so much emotion. so happy to be back. so many prayers for my friends. so much longing to help them more and more because the need is so great. I know the suffering, I know the loss. I know the trouble, even the conflicts. I know the weakness. I love them all. I love them with real Jesus love and real human affection. Very dear to me. Those sweet children. I love them so much but when I get with them, the language and lack of real deep relationship makes it so awkward!! even as I greeted my beloved orphans--what to say? no real conversation. but emotion--so intense. so profound. I lay my life down for them. and yet....not. and yet I sit in my comfortable house with my comfortable life and I go along as if all is well. In heaven, it is well. and one day, all will be well. I have cause to rest in Him.
Today 137 children learned to brush their teeth courtesy of Mickey Stanley. Oh we had so much fun! she had a model mouth from a dental assistant friend. I marveled. I love that stuff. she used it to demonstrate. TGD students assisted us and translated. Lawrence is a marvelous translator! He has a beautiful booming voice and has excellent command of English and Swahili even though his native language is Luhya.
I have spoken with the team and had some hard conversations, but I have also enjoyed giving them a chance to talk to me about the stresses we all went through with the container. It is just so good to connect and hear their hearts and troubles. Steve made videos for them.
Oh and the clinic. you know, no one seems to give any donations for the clinic specifically. Now I am really delving into the particulars with the help of Otis and Mickey's research and knowledge. I will just have to pray and seek the Lord afresh. We are waiting on their debriefing to decide if we should even consider moving forward. the government here insists on the great need. they are so supportive. i asked them what would happen if i had to close one month due to lack of donations. the sanitation officer was so compassionate. he said, "We all know about shortages. There is no penalty. We only want to know that you hope to reopen soon." because with sporadic giving, how can I commit to something if I will be held liable? I only want to help. I only want to give. I intend no harm. yet, harm can occur.
Everyone here wants the clinic so bad. Emelda and Janenite are going to refresher school (at Anita's expense--and unasked!) to be prepared to work there.
but Otis and Mickey have come to "keep Stephanie out of trouble." and perhaps I must remember that I cannot get ahead of God. That was Medine's word to me as she left. I have taken it to heart.
We shall see.

well, Otis has given me some insight. He told me that if you give a man a fish, he eats for a day, but if you teach him to fish, he will spend all day fishing on the lake with a six pack of beer. Hmmmmn. I never thought of that.

Otis has been testing the water. we went to panadols. They have a wonderful church there built by pastor Chad's church. We crossed the bridge and Otis slipped while trying to help a lady across. Oops! He did not fall in the water. but to test the water, we found the spring where they draw. I never knew they had a spring. I have always worried about them getting that water from the lake. it was good to see panadols wife. she is so fun. she is the one who walked 20 miles for 7 hours ONE WAY in order to learn to sew and now she has her own sewing machine.

You know, we did so much yesterday, but I don't remember the day. really. it was long. i got to bed late. i remember that i fell asleep trying to read technical documents that intrigued me. Otis gave me such wonderful material. I just LOVED IT. so maybe I'm not in my PhD program, but this was reminiscent of those days. A big stack to cover in a week. Just my cup of tea. well, maybe once upon a time. but I am determined to enjoy these things.

Also today, Otis did some work with our TGD team related to educational material.

OH MY GOODNESS> i am here in the lobby of Golf waiting for Frank to return -=i had him take emelda and janenite--and this guy is listening to music really loud. so disruptive! aahhhhgggg. ok. maybe he stopped. praise God. Jesus sent someone to give him a phone call. he was giving me a migraine .

my neck is sore from driving all over those bumpy roads. but we had A/C ! YES! what a luxury. oh yeah. what a luxury. i am so grateful.

oh yeah, I was saying I was reading technical documents related to health process -= community entry in kenya with a health dispensary and I fell asleep accidently. I woke to a mosquito buzzing in my ear. oh that is a joy (not.)

i want to sleep in tomorrow so bad! but we getting up early. what did we do yesterday? I don't know.
I saw Agnes on the road as we drove home from Gladys. How crazy! I am across the world and I run into someone I know. So many wonderful friends. So many beautiful people. So many lives interconnected. how happy I am.

Little Ben at the preschool today was in rags. He has no clothes besides his uniform and it is NOT making it. he looked hideous. but he made eye contact with me and smiled. I hope he recognizes me. Little Noel is growing up. How come she looks so healthy and changed and he looks like a ragamuffin? They live with the same grandma.

which reminds me of Panadols wife coming out and body slamming Mickey. Even without seeing because I was on the other side of the SUV, I heard the running, screaming joy, and the thud--then Mickey trying to be kind and recover while greeting. The enthusiasm runs over! Even the grandma to Jane, Lillian, and Vivian. So happy and so talkative in her language right to us....but we didn't understand. I used my little words---but I am so very rusty. I cannot remember my Luhya.

oh , i must stop. so tired. so tired. pray for me, friends. pray for our team. we need strength. our schedule has been rigorous, as usual. and always Joseph asks me if I can visit one more. so we left early morning and it is8:20 ---which seems so early to you--but when you've been riding the African roads, you need sleep.

Tonight, we should transition to this time zone fully.  (in the name of Jesus)

I miss Steve. I miss my puppies. I'm hoping my children are well and happy. I want them to love Jesus more and more and serve Him with their life. Let it be so.

God bless you. Pray that God prospers the Kenyan community here through Trinity Global Development and Cornerstone church, In jesus name. Pray we love one another, serve one another, forgive one another. Pray we love God and love our neighbor as ourselves. What have we done for ourselves today? Have we done that same thing for another? Maybe it is time to do so.

I love this place. I feel like everything I do has importance. Nothing mundane here. Nothing simple except my Swahili. Way too simple but I'm trying!

posting in my sleep. I knew I could talk in my sleep, but type? hmmn

November 8 -I think? MONDAY. I know it is monday.

we went to Ihuhu. Don showed us around. caleb was a community representative. we are going to meet with Dr. Kennedy again and he will bring the local chief. We are going to do a brush in for all the children. I have to meet with the team. I have those bras that the women are waiting for. I get to bring out the six used computer/monitors and get the students working on them. 

With Otis and Mickey here, I dare to hope we can be a viable compliment to the community health services. At a minimum, we need public health messages. Otis really stresses the wells. I wish Steve could be here with us because I don’t want anything to be lost in the transfer of information. But tonight it occurred to me that I could get him to discuss it with me on video! then I could watch it to harvest the nuggets and Steve could get the whole conversation as it happened.

We had a great meal with cynthia. I mentioned that in the blog but the blog was so rushed. Now this is me downloading from my brain. We entered some sort of twilight consciousness as the evening fell upon us. I stumbled out onto the grass and could not keep my footing. It was as if my brain could not give me the messages. and I WAS THINKING OF DRIVING? ha ha! Good thing Frank had already cornered me into being taken by planning with his brother, Robert, who then left so there was no turning back. And we are alive today, so apparently it was the right choice. :-)

I love it here. I love the difficult parts. what is it that comes over me? I think i am just constantly proving to myself that I love Jesus and adore sacrifice for Him. He is our God! He is Jesus! and Kenya is totally cool. I have compassion for the suffering. I want to be part of the solution, I do what I can do. these thoughts go through my head continually. and there is no wavering. I know this is right, regardless of fruit, calling, purpose or any deliberation. I am with God in this. My husband is with God in this. Those two together are a sum total! 

Okay, so on Day 1 (or let’s call it Day 2!) No one has died and no one has specifically come to me to ask for something in particular. Freedom! 

I have an awful allergy response that has not calmed down. It is very thick --even though I am drinking water--and choking me and intense stuffy times and little runny times. Definitely not an infection--I would not be this spry (well i guess i was not spry in the dark on the uneven grass and through the mud puddle which seemed to beg me to slip on in.)

 oh goodness. sleep is creeping into my veins and collapsing them, insisting on a full night’s rest. Ok, body. I hear you. Can my mind agree? Please? Body and Mind, be at peace. Holy Spirit rule in my spirit with your peace. May my life glorify the Lord Jesus!

Oh how loving I am as I drift off. so loving .....deliriously loving with songs in the night.

1st full day in Kenya

so here I am in my hotel room with wi-fi. I was able to post last nights entry. I'm blessed. Great day today.
we drove from Nairobi through Nakuru, through Kisumu, over the terrible roads to Kakamega. We stopped in to see Dr. Kennedy and he was able to get the pharmacist, Don, to give us an excellent tour for Otis and Mickey. It was great. They are in need of water and land. it is so expensive to build a building UPWARDS (don't I know it!) and they want to add land and build one story buildings. They need a man unit because they have labor/maternity and pediatrics. They have a Comprehensive Care Clinic which is devoted to AIDS. He explained many things about AIDS that Otis was understanding. I got lost on the particulars of medication as I am not familiar with those words. I just say or think retrovirals. He said that children who were started young on treatment have grown to the fifth grade and are doing well. If a mother has AIDS, they put her on medication immediately and her baby as soon as it comes.
It was a low patient day, which was interesting. The chart on the wall was informative to them in ways differently than I understood. We will go speak with the sanitation officer tomorrow and hopefully get up to Emusanda clinic. Mickey has planned a brush-in for the preschoolers---won't that be precious!?!
They'll get to see the clinic building and all the storage.
We had a fun time of sharing and learning on the long drive. I drove to Kisumu but started worrying that fatigue could become costly so I let Frank drive. He did a great job--it is pretty hard because the speed bumps appear out of nowhere when you are scanning for potholes. they are not painted so you just run into them. Definitely does its job of slowing you down!
I am unsure what to write because I worry the wi-fi will quit and I will lose what I've posted.
so it is just spilling out as fast as possible.
We ate at Frank's house. Cynthia made us a delicious feast! They got to try Chapati, the tortilla. There were greens and an onion/tomato dish I like that I've seen frequently. The chicken was a very plump, delicious chicken. I appreciate all her hard work. It would have taken a LONG TIME just to cut up those foods, not to mention all of the watching over pots and adding ingredients. THANKS AND BLESSINGS TO CYNTHIA.
I've got to remember to keep my mouth shut so they can tell me what I do not know. I find that my few trips here give me the impression that I know much (and I have learned many things by my own questions!) and I should let Frank tell in his own way. But I answered many questions for him. (not surprised?? )
I think the long road after the long flight may have been much on Mickey--only because you don't expect it. It was a fun day with much to see and I know I got brain overload on my first trips. We should all sleep so well. We will do a half day tomorrow and then get in as much as possible after that.
Otis felt very informed by the trip to Iguhu Hospital and wasn't interested in another government

OH I'm posting. I lost connectivity for one scary moment. I will just finish by saying we can cut some hospitals off our to-do list which probably will free us up quite a bit.

I wish I had the brains to be more descriptive. I would say, "Let me tell you what He has done for me, He has done for you, He has done for us." I see the great generosity of USAID and of Global.....global something. It seemed that much was given by these organizations. Praise God for helping others!

In Kakamega! Golf Hotel with wi-fi reaching my room---cool

Hi everyone! I love you! I'm so happy! we had a great day. I have some blog I wrote last night :

November 8. Hours and hours in a plane and in airports. I get restless to get on with it but the minutes tick by slowly. I left my home just before 9:30 am in Austin, TX Saturday. I arrived here in Nairobi at 8:30pm Sunday. I didn’t make it to my room until after 10:30 and I think i was able to lay down by 11pm--Sunday 2pm Austin time. ahhhhhh. To be laying flat means all that blood goes where it wants to go! ahhhh. I snuggled into my pillows and thanked Jesus.  It took 28+ hours to get here. Even as I write, 28 hours does not seem like much---oh but when you are on an 8 hour flight with three more hours to go? Endless. And I had two 8+ hour flights.

My room at Hillpark hotel is lovely. I am so thankful!!! As I walked into the lobby last night, my soul appreciated the familiarity. The beautiful wood walls, the men in their uniforms at the front desk, and the tile floors. The smells were familiar and pleasant to me. They upgraded my room to a premium room although I was paying for a single standard. This room has a claw foot tub, A FAN (HALLELUJAH!), and a robe in the closet. This is really a great place and definitely one of the cheaper hotels where you get American amenities for $133. They have a tea pot, bottled water set out, and thick thirsty towels. I spoke a little swahili to the man checking me in...then we had a good little conversation. He said, “Tomorrow, only Swahili for you. That’s it. No more English. Starting tomorrow.” It was fun.

When I first came into my room, I breathed a sigh of relief. MADE IT! I looked around the room and what did I spy with my little eye? I saw cockroach spray for guests to use. Hmmmmnnnn. Either God enjoys a laugh or He was trying to warn me to be ready. Well, I brought two little plastic roaches for personal desensitization. So far...no roaches in the room (Thank you, Jesus.)  know I want to be ready for anything and cockroaches should be low on the list of things that categorize as catastrophic. I can handle anything. I can handle anything. Thank you Jesus for making me strong to be able to handle anything. I fix my eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of my faith, who for the joy set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the Father. He is my role model and He does the work of transforming me...so I will yield and be filled with Him.

He is faithful and I trust Him. So I sit on my rented bed in my rented room and write to people I know who are living in a prosperous land. My fan blows my hair from time to time as it circulates. My nose is still so stuffy. My eyes burn with fatigue. Foolishly, and I’m not sure how or why, I woke up at 3am thinking I needed to get up and that it was 6:00 am. By the time I was showered with my hair dried, I looked at my watch and gasped. WHAT?? I’ve been getting ready too early? My hair was already looking hideous but since I am about to lay down on freshly dried hair, I will have a serious case of bed head upon arising for the second time. This is Kenya. You learn to roll with the inconveniences and praise God for all you have at home. Hair is nothing, right? 

I have more than what I need on every trip. Packing is always a lesson in how little you really need but how fiercely you want to bring something for every contingency. I pray many of you experience your own internal battles with comfort on a future trip to Kenya with me!! If you like camping at all, it is a serious camping upgrade due to hotels. Think of it as rough camping and then you will be grateful for all God adds to it. However, even the Golf Hotel in Kakamega will cost you about $40 a day. Then again, you get a free breakfast buffet there with eggs, bacon, toast, cereals, milk, coffee, chai, tea, drinking chocolate, cokes, fruits, juices, and plenty of other options. It is wonderful to have full belly satisfaction each day. The rooms have showers, toilets, mosquito nets, TV, and there is laundry service available and cheap. The lobby has wi-fi which helps keep the connection with loved ones at home. You could write a trip blog and post to all your friends!

I pray you come with me and bring your tourism dollars to my community of friends here. Don’t you know that even in the coming, you are doing something helpful? The people here are like a family to me. Anita and I know and love so many and have both met people who really connect with us. Even though you cannot have long drawn out personal conversations with all of them, just to see friends, see them in their eyes, and to touch them in greeting is such a pleasure. We are eternal! People matter the most. People matter forever. And they will really give you a welcome for coming. I love that. It is such a gift.

I pray many more will come join me in Kenya rather than going to Europe or Hawaii or some other wonderful place. THIS is a wonderful place.  I pray God will draw people to have a social justice vacation rather than a luxury indulgence. The rewards are intense satisfaction! When you go on a luxury vacation, what does it do? It makes you loathe to go back to your un-vacation life at home. Feelings of resentment over your lot in life can creep up because greed makes us want MORE vacations, MORE luxury indulgences, and MORE comfort. Instead we start feeling like, “Time to make the donuts.” (a commercial for Dunken Donuts.)

A Kenyan vacation is better. You come home so grateful for public water fountains, our 10,000 restaurant options, and air conditioning (which I always hated before because it is unnaturally cold.) You come home thankful for our health care system that we utilize continually. You come home thankful you have a job! Whereas luxury vacations make even a good job seem mundane and beneath you. 

SECOND ENTRY:

Ok. I cannot sleep. I am so eager to show Otis and Mickey the countryside! It is so beautiful and lush here. It is a feast for my eyes. Suddenly I remember we get to go to Nakumatt in Kisumu! It is a very large grocery store and it carries some western items. I need shampoo and conditioner and I knew I could buy it here instead of carrying it in my  bags.

I keep thinking of things people could do when they come here. The preschool is a great opportunity for ministry. There are 130+ children- but i don’t think they are always all there. There are at least three classes. Bringing books would be welcomed. Any one of us could read books to the children. Once I thought of it, I had to ask myself....why haven’t I done that before! What beautiful entertainment and connecting for everyone involved. yes, they understand some english and they are learning english in class--so it benefits them to hear a native speaker read to them. and with pictures? fun fun for little ones. You can leave the books for the teachers--even read them to the children on another return visit and they will associate that story with you. 

Another opportunity is tooth brushing. You simply ask friends and family to donate toothbrushes until you have 150 of them. It probably only takes four tubes of toothpaste to cover every child. Most of these children don’t use toothpaste on a regular basis, so there is no need to get them some--and they might eat it. But toothbrushes will forever be an ongoing fun opportunity because toothbrushes wear out!

I really see that I need others to come alongside me and join this work. What can you champion? A well costs about 2500. Is there some way you could do something fun to raise money for a well? What about church groups, clubs, bunko or golf groups? If you are part of any organization, there may be an opportunity for you to be a spokesperson for the poor. Just gather those donations in the same way we have all done (and do) for our children’s school projects. If you’ve ever sold chocolate bars, entertainment coupon books, held a tupperware/southern living/ Mary Kay/ jewelry, gift wrapping, or been sponsored for a run-----YOU COULD DO THIS! You are more than qualified to make a difference in the lives of impoverished children!

I will say this over and over. The most important thing is to bring yourself and just love others you meet. God intended for us to love and serve one another. He has empowered us to do it. He is not as interested in works as He is in your heart. And this will break your heart in the best way. Noble themes here. The stuff of life. Day in, day out survival and community. You don’t have to preach or teach anything--you can come just meet people. If you don’t come with me--go somewhere that is not perfect luxury and show your soul just how rich you are and how little you need. It is refreshing!

Champion the orphanage. Own it as yours. Help build a home for those children. They are going to be squished into Titus’ home without appropriate spacing. 19 children in a three bedroom of less than 1000 sq. feet. We need several rooms so we can separate girls from boys and older children from younger children. That is five rooms alone when you consider that Pastor Joseph’s family will need their own room. They will all be squished into the master bedroom but that is also the room with the toilet! Which means constant interruptions. All total, it would be Pastor Joseph’s family of seven (they just had a new baby girl!) and 19 children. Seems to me they need a larger place!

 I don’t know how much it would cost, but $40,000 should be plenty. Several church members in Illinois got together and raised $40,000 for a home for Evangelist Harrison and the fourteen people who live in his house--and they did it quickly! It is in my heart to see this for MY children. It is my dream. I am taking action rather than pining about how I want to help. Here is a clear call to action: Help these orphan children get a home!

Come now fount of every blessing, tune our hearts to sing your praise. Let us praise you by sharing in your heart for the poor. Let us love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and love our neighbors as ourselves.  My people here do not just HAVE  a neighbor who can help them --so God is sending light across the seas through YOU. I praise God for you. I praise God for the orphan sponsors and those who have joyfully contributed to the computer lab. The work here is bearing fruit and is a great blessing to this community. God is at work here! He does not forsake His people.

TRIP COMING UP

I praise God for those who have given to the orphans. There have not been sufficient donations otherwise. We could end up with only an orphan program! I pray that God will send provision for the second floor of TGD building to be completed with the roof. I pray that as we move towards a clinic, that people will catch the vision and understand the severity of the need. There are not enough providers in the Western Kenya area. There are not enough supplies at the hospitals. There is such a problem with transportation as nearly all the people must walk and cannot afford to even pay someone with a bicycle to take them. They walk for miles and miles for ANYTHING. and when you are sick?
There is a clinic up the hill from where the TGD building will be operating, but it is only open in the mornings. As we all know, children get sick in the NIGHT. Illness worsens in the NIGHT. I'd really like to make an evening clinic available as well as something through the night. I can pray. I can ask. I can spend. I pray others will join me.
I'll be sure and update the blog with photos and update my YouTube with new videos. I have so much material from my last trip! I am just not slick with video production. I think I have the makings of an award winner but it just sits neglected on my computer. sniff sniff.

Dorcas Ogola - Congratulations!

Dorcas Ogola has just given birth to a baby girl! We are thankful that she is learning to program in TGD so that she will have employment opportunities. She is a single mom. She lives at home. We sent out a student profile of Dorcas in the October 2010 Trinity Global Development Newsletter.
Pastor Joseph's wife Evelyn has also given birth to a baby girl! They will be living as the parent family with the orphan children and I pray this new little girl brings joy to the community. God bless the new babies and guard their health!

Are you ready? Are you ready?

Are you ready for Jesus to return? Come to Jesus! Don't you know He loves you so. Oh He loves so wide and long and high and deep. I pray you know this. Get ready. Because no matter what....you are going to die.

Stop celebrating Halloween. What are you thinking? Do you think this is a harmless cultural holiday? The roots are in evil. It is an offense to Jesus. I pray He reveal it to you and you love HIM MORE. But until then, let grace cover your sin because He has paid for all our sins.

I am so thankful Titus is in the USA! And I cannot wait to visit him and my sister Rose. Let them rest in the luxury of our worldliness. They pastor so many people and there is so much pain and so much death. There is so much need. Let them rest here in our lap. If I were overflowing with abundance, I would bring them here to rest. But I have given my overflow to the people there. and I cannot wait to return! I cannot wait! We are running into so many barriers but we overcome everything through Jesus! We are seeing so many difficulties, but we persevere through Jesus! Our Lord has given us everything we need for life and godliness. We are seated with Him in heavenly places! These light and momentary troubles are achieving for us a glory that far outwieghs them all.

Please be in prayer for my friend Christa and her husband Jimmy. He is headed over to Iraq for a year and I am praying for their spiritual health, their marriage and family health, and their joy in the Lord. Let Him be glorified in their lives and let his life be protected during this time. May the Lord give them faithfulness and purity spirit, soul, and body. May their children be comforted and taught in the Lord by family, friends, church members and may evil be far from them. May they love righteousness and hate wickedness all the days of their lives and serve the purposes of God in this generation. It is my joy to stand for them in their time of need.

A shout out to my new Arkansas sister, Melody! A worker in Kenya for those in need. May we tell stories by the fire for many years....

5 weeks 5 days to Kenya Trip

Time flies and I approach another opportunity to be in Kenya. As I look over my packing list, it occurs to me---those computer will need ADAPTORS! I am thinking back to packing boxes....I put some adapters in there somewhere. However, there are 36 computers that must be on the Kenyan electricity system. It is 220v with a three prong plug like the ones in England.
I must remember to ask well wishers to send packages with adaptor/converters along with immodium, ibuprofen, and antibiotic ointment. Those $55 dollar international Priority Post boxes would be excellent. They can take a few weeks to arrive there. Maybe I should request now?!?

TGD students joyfully unload the goodies for the community!

Sasha did not want to be left out of the work!

Nicole helps, too!

CONTAINER HAS ARRIVED!!

Here is a letter from Henry!

Glory to God,


He has made things successful. The equipment has reached Shibuli at long last. Everybody is in a jovial mood as we have been busy offloading the container. The equipment is now in the building safely. I am here with Pastor Steve and have been at the police base at shibuli to check on security issue on the equipment. The officer in charge has told us that he will be coming, thus we are waiting for him to do consultation and how we shall facilitate them. In addition we have Melckdek Anangwe on the guard whom we have been paying on a weekly basis.

May the Lord bless you guys for the good work you are doing for us here in Kenya.

Henry.

Video of the shipping container pulling away on the truck!

Now we pray for the safety of the trip and the security of the Cornerstone families near the TGD building. Thank You, Lord, for Your protection, in Jesus' name!

CONTAINER headed to TGD building. PRAISE GOD!

Thanks to Frank for sending this video. It has been a very long process for all of us!

Check out my new YouTube video of Catherine

Here is my TGD team of programming teachers.

Check out the video of Catherine:

http://www.youtube.com/user/stephanietexasrivers

2 Corinthians 4

1Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. 2Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. 3And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. 6For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness,"[a]made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

7But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. 12So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.



13It is written: "I believed; therefore I have spoken."[b]With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, 14because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. 15All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.



16Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

DONATE TODAY

Please donate today at www.TGDonline.com and let's get that container unloaded into our TGD building! We are praying that storage charges will be low. We find out Monday. They charge us for days in the storage yard. Again, that $4500 wire getting tied up somewhere in the system was a terrible unavoidable delay. Then, as a team, we did not know how long and drawn out this difficult process would become. We are all learning.
We need to get the rest of the TGD building completed so that we can move towards a functioning computer lab and a medical clinic at the Kenyan level named "Dispensary." We desperately want and need the fence surrounding the compound to be secure. There are areas where it is merely barbed wire and even an open gateway at the back along a path. I think Titus has closed the open area--but we need a six foot brick WALL surrounding the compound. There are FAMILIES living there and the desperate poverty leads many to brutal criminality. We want to do what we can to be responsible regarding security. Help us by donating to keep intruders away from the riches God has bestowed upon this community! Help us guard  our investment and the lives of those we LOVE. Donate today online at TGDonline.

Stuck in Mombasa to get clearance items. NO EXTRA DUTY CHARGED!

Here is Frank and a view of the inside of the shipping container. All the computers are in the BACK. WAY BACK. Frank has his TGD t-shirt on in this photo! The team was not charged extra after they opened the container. There will be extra days for holding it in the warehouse yard, however. They will find out on Monday. The shipping yard is open 24 hours a day and they went late into the night--about 11pm. They were closing at midnight because of the holiday Ramadhan is over the weekend--and Titus estimated that 90% of the hauling and freight compaines belong to Arab businessman. Scroll down for Frank's email report and a photo of Walter, who is also there at the port.

EMAIL FROM FRANK

Greetings,
Today has been the most gruelling of all days. We spent the whole day with custom officials, first waiting on queue to be served and then going through the rigorous inspection and verification.
We were shown our container and asked to verify that the seal was intact. We did so and then the seal was broken and the inspection and verification process began.
Though there were issues such as undeclared items in the container, we thank God because we were NOT surcharged nor did we incur any penalties after the several hours of inspection. We were pardoned and asked to be more careful next time.
Our agent then sealed the container with another seal and since we finished the exercise quite late in the night, we have to wait until Monday before obtaining the clearance documents from the head of department who had left earlier leaving us with the inspection officers.
Thank you for your prayers. This was the most difficult part of this exercise and I thank God for pulling us through. Our next challenge will be on Monday when we calculate the CFS yard storage charges, organize transportation and get the container to Kakamega.
I have attached a few photos of the container. Photographing within custom warehousing is strictly prohibited so we were allowed very few specific shots.
Regards...
Frank

They ARE STILL STUCK AT THE PORT

Here is Walter

Christabel waits for the Shipping Container

Christabel practices programming with one computer but right now--Sept 10, 2010, Frank and Walter are with Titus opening the shipping container at the Port Authority. Soon Trinity Global Development will have 36 computers. At first, we will only store them in the new building, but when we go there in November, I pray we are able to make a couple of them available even though the second floor of the building is not yet complete. God is with us giving us victory. We are so excited to bring knowledge, skills, and abilities to the talented young people of Western Kenya. God bless them in their thirst for a higher way of life through their diligent work as God provides. 

Quick email from Titus

Okay--I'm keeping you posted on the container through this blog. The newsletter posting is now WAY down below this....but as my Sarah used to say as a little preschooler, "It's no mattering, Mommy. It's no mattering." Meaning: "Don't worry, Don't be sad. It is okay."

HERE IS A QUICK EMAIL TITUS POSTED TO ME TODAY:

Steve and Stephanie
I write from Mombasa Kenya its hot and humid about 33 celius we Frank and Walter are here i don't have much role since its an agent duty and he is doing well so far.Its a long process than thought there is a whole sea of containers as many as your eyes can count never been at the port my first experience.The agent that Frank used seems to have planned ahead otherwise it can take even months to get through and the port guys get picky and stubborn so that dumerage charges go up but Good Lord on our side may verify container tomorow thursday our time i led a special prayer at church last sunday for speedy clearance of container God will see us through.Frank has been diligent and articulate with his work all container clearance is done through a computer system in Nairobi so we are on the que waiting hopefully tomorrow morning we can verify container and open the palets and so on.Thanks for your patience and sacrifice when clinic up and going the people will rejoice and God will be glorified when the computer school is up and going the name of the Lord will be lifted up we love you and appreciate your effort towards Kenya.
Titus Khamala

Cornerstone Mission
Kenya East Africa

EMAIL FROM FRANK

Today Bishop Titus, Walter and I spent the whole day at the port. Our container was on the queue for inspection and verification and by the end of the day, we had not been served yet. The queue was quite long but our agent was really pushing to see if we could be served sooner.

Tomorrow we start off again at the port in the morning.

We are trusting God that we should be cleared by weekend. I am quite tired and exhausted so I will be retiring to bed early today.

Shipping Container--scroll past photos below for more...

The shipping container saga continues. How could one thing be so difficult? We press on.
As we speak, the team should be at the Port Authorities breaking the seal and looking in at Mombasa. However, you can never be sure. Kenya does not work like the USA. There is so much inefficiency and it is well tolerated by locals. I am not sure how Titus manages emotionally, but he knows his government, he knows his culture, and he manages to be at peace through Jesus. He comes here and sees a completely different way but then goes back home to deal with all the beauracracy and frustration.
For example, the bank made out a check for the container. You know, something like a cashier's check. When Frank tried to use it to pay shipping fees or container fees--it had a typo. It was rejected. He could not get another one made without getting that check back to Kakamega---ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE COUNTRY OF KENYA! So he had a courier bring it to Henry. When Henry took it to the bank, it was going to be another DAY before he could write a new check. EVEN THOUGH FUNDS WERE NEVER DRAWN AGAINST THAT CHECK. How crazy is that? But it is typical AND I should add--it is a small problem compared to some things you run into while trying to do business there.
Praise God I was led to send over extra money to cushion the fees. We needed every tiny BIT of that money to switch funds around while waiting on that check.
Therefore, we are more days behind and the team is accruing hotel and food fees. The container is accruing holding fees. There was already a 21,000 kenyan shillings fee that we were not aware of ($280.) Titus needed to fly over to Mombasa to save time. I'm praying they can get it done today and go home--but we'll see. It is all in God's hands.

We go back to the original problem of getting the container over before the NGO. Titus was requesting the shipping list but we could not get the shipping list until we finalized the sale with medical bridges. we started the NGO process in January but the crooked lawyer took advantage of us and did nothing more than create a constitution, which I could have done myself. In fact, once we started the process ourselves, we WERE required to update that constitution to look like a sample one offered by the government. We totally redid the one the lawyer did ==and his was just a re-write of the one we did for the federal government. So he did nothing for us, but lie.

we are not discouraged, however. We recognize that our brothers and sisters in Kenya must live in this sort of corrupt environment and must endure indignities from all around. Could we do less? Would we run from the lawlessness to the safety of our own world? Safety is an illusion. The only safety is in Christ and we rest there. We give our money to God and we guarantee the donations of our partners. We take the loss. We stay focused on Jesus. We stay committed to the people. I am sure we have not seen the last of the conflicts, violence, corruption, or pain. We have our eyes wide open. We have compassion on the people there who we love and support.
The NGO has not come through because although we were at the VERY LAST STAGE, Frank has to be at Mombasa and cannot be in Nairobi for the final interview. God knows this. We are willing to bear the burden of getting this precious equipment to our community. It is costly, it hurts! We have suffered--but it doesn't compare to the suffering they endure. Babies dying within 8 hours of getting malarial fever? Blind-folded, hands tied, abducted then (mercifully) thrown out 50 miles later into a thicket? Cockroaches? Hospitals without guaze during births? without sterile technique? or guaze left within the abdomen after surgery? We want to be part of the solution. It is not easy. We press on for Jesus. We just want to give and love and serve. I praise God that by His grace we even WANT to do such a thing. Let Jesus be glorified for He loves His people more than I can imagine and He loves me like that as well. That is what powers me.

HE sustains the fatherless and the widow

Psalm 146
1 Praise the LORD. [a]
Praise the LORD, O my soul.

2 I will praise the LORD all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

3 Do not put your trust in princes,
in mortal men, who cannot save.

4 When their spirit departs, they return to the ground;
on that very day their plans come to nothing.

5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the LORD his God,

6 the Maker of heaven and earth,
the sea, and everything in them—
the LORD, who remains faithful forever.

7 He upholds the cause of the oppressed
and gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets prisoners free,

8 the LORD gives sight to the blind,
the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down,
the LORD loves the righteous.

9 The LORD watches over the alien
and sustains the fatherless and the widow,
but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.

10 The LORD reigns forever,
your God, O Zion, for all generations.
Praise the LORD.

SCROLL DOWN FOR NEWS!

Frank is one of the leaders at TGD.
Catherine is our star student turned teacher--way to go, Catherine!

Please check out Frank's brief video on www.YouTube.com/user/stephanietexasrivers

THEN BOOKMARK or add a shortcut to your computer. uh-huh! uh-huh! you can do it!
:-)

Everyone who checks it out gets a prayer of blessing from ME in the name of JESUS!
Oh how He loves us!

Duncan- His story featured in September Newsletter

We love our TGD students. We bless them and praise God for them. We thank YOU for making such a difference in their lives!

Keep scrolling for SEPT TGD NEWS... or email me with any questions!
sarivers@sbcglobal.net

TGD NEWS

The wire of $4500 went through! We were so elated. We have had a very difficult month and turmoil within the team. I am so thankful that God has given me a vision and a hope! He has been a strong anchor during this time--and a sister who insisted I rest in the Lord. (But I AM resting! No, you are not. Yes, I am resting! No, you need to rest. Oh my, yes, I need to rest. Oh, Jesus, how precious is your peace and how deeply I needed to drink of you.)
So you were checking for news, right?

The container is ready at port and the team of Bishop Titus with TGD team members, Walter and Frank, is heading to Mombasa. Although the NGO status is SO CLOSE to completion that we are at the last step--the container will not wait. If we had NGO status (Kenyan Government Charity Status,) then the container could go through Duty free. We are just trusting the Lord that everything is HIS and He can spend it as He chooses. We had prayed that the NGO process (begun in January but thwarted by a crooked lawyer) would be far completed before the container arrived and that we would have an exemption certificate. It did not turn out that way and so we pay, like everyone else, and in the future, we will not have to do it. We are not dismayed. We are not turning back. These are not "problems" these are opportunities for action steps. We are overcomers and cannot be defeated. We always win in Jesus.

That container is bringing over $100,000 of medical supplies and 36 computers with office equipment to a needy community. Our building has one completed floor which we have finished out for security.

We are going to store it up until we have the funds to complete the second floor. It will not take as much, so we encourage everyone to be generous and donate SOMETHING towards the building! It will be a great center of blessing and will require little ongoing support as just a computer lab. If God provides funding for the clinic, then we will open the clinic--and then, OH BOY, the faith to proceed will need to be strong. Even now we wait to see if God chooses to send faithful regular generous givers dedicated to the community clinic.

It takes strong dedication to serve in Kenya. WE ARE STRONGLY DEDICATED! We love our brothers and sisters there and we long to enlarge the family of believers. But no matter what the faith (or none,) we willingly and joyfully serve the poor and needy there alongside one another there and look troubles full in the eye. We will not leave them in their sorrow or trials. We have come to be a blessing and a blessing we will be.

Pray that our wire goes through!

This is a woman who makes sugar cane molasses. I just put her in here for interest...
It is September and I haven't gotten a newsletter ready! We are consumed with getting that container to our building. It is ready, at the port. It costs $9300 to pay for it and 1000 to take the container from the port (to be returned when the container comes back empty.) We have wired money and there is $4500 trapped in the pipeline somewhere. We sent a wire transfer on August 16th and it still has not arrived. I have my bank there searching and my bank here tracing it. Between the two, we are sure to find it, but I needed it YESTERDAY! (ACTUALLY LAST WEEK!)And my team tells me that I am racking up fines as we speak.
Please pray with us that God would put the wire through and we could get that container into our TGD building. And then we need to build a fence to protect Titus and his family from robbers. Please pray for their safety.

Happy Birthday Anita!

Preach it, Sister! Wish we were in Kenya!

Happy Birthday to Steve and Sarah tomorrow!

Steve turns 45 tomorrow and I turn 45 in two weeks. We've been married 27+ years (since May.) Our baby Sarah turns 21 tomorrow (Born on Steve's birthday and they love it!) We are just amazed to arrive here. We've been adults forever! We've been together forever! We've been parents forever! (Kevin just turned 26 on July 1 and Laura turns 23 on Sept 10.) We are just a vapor and then forever with Jesus! Forever Jesus!

Paul and Noel each need another sponsor

Praying Paul gets that other sponsor

Paul still needs another sponsor. Such a sweet boy. He is in the free Cornerstone preschool because he has no other educational options. His parents died close together because his mother died in a car accident and then his father, who was mentally weak, was so disturbed and died of a heart attack right afterwards. The brother who was in junior high had to drop out of school to be the head of the household for his three younger siblings. No one went to school after that. Finally they heard that Titus was doing the preschool and Paul was able to go to school again and then eventually an uncle took him in. He gets fed at the preschool a small snack of porridge and a lunch of rice and sometimes beans. He doesn't always eat in the home because of the other children. We'd like to bring him in and give him good nutrition and send him to primary school, although he is behind. It is not uncommon in Kenya for children to be much older because there are often periods where they miss their education due to family crisis. Here, we push them through to keep them going, but there doesn't seem to be that same stigma there. I'm sure there is for the individual child, but not in general society. There is a huge emphasis on the importance of education and children are desperate to go.
HE SMILES NOW!!! These are some older photos of him.

FULLY SPONSORED!!!!

Mary and Brendah

Mary and Brendah--both fully sponsored. PRAISE GOD!

On my lap: Mary and Shaline

Mary and Brendah each have a big girl behind them as they dance and sing

Brendah

I was so blessed to have friends contact me to say they want to sponsor. They have been giving regularly and giving a little more periodically and now they want to ad these two precious children to their already full family. They are a blessing!
These girls are dear to my heart. They come from Bulechia Church with Pastor Joseph. I first preached there in Kenya at their church. They are one of the most demonstrative churches, full of praise, full of joy, full of beauty. Pastor Joseph has led them to care for the widows and orphans. We gave him a motorcycle and he used it to organize them more fully into a school and a woman's ministry. They are a very active church and very generous in their poverty. I love them!
And God has blessed them to send others from America to care for some of their little ones. To take up the burden with them to see these children prosper. Mary has no one. Her extended family abandoned her when both her parents died within a couple months of each other due to AIDS. The younger sister was taken in by an Aunt, but not Mary.
Brendah is so precious. When she grows up, she wants to be a driver to take people to and from church. She loves donuts. She can even fry vegetables! She sings in her church.
I love these girls! They are precious to me! I praise God that someone has heard the cry of their hearts.

TGD Building

Now to finish out the inside of the first floor....

moringa and roselle

I was reading a Christian site by a couple from YWAM who live in Kenya. I think he is from Kenya and she is from the Philippines. They have three children and have served different places in the world. They have a good work near Kisumu. I wrote them an email to find out how much it cost them to buy sheep.
In my investigation of their site, I saw that they had widows with AIDS grow moringa and roselle for their immune system and they encouraged or gave them goats milk. Interesting. I am wondering if I can find out more about this. They also have a demonstration garden and I know we need to have one of those, but I don't even know how to plant--so we have to find someone who does! I think Titus and Joseph know about planting.

Totally Blessed

I could not let a cockroach photo be the welcome photo if anyone might happen to visit!

Here are my TGD guys Joseph and Frank. They are busy giving me updates daily (although I did not get an office update today....Joseph?) Frank has been working hard giving me updates on the shipment. The ship was sighted in country today! We are on the final countdown.
I wired what money I could. I pray God makes it all work out! It is not enough.

In this photo, we were trying to get Frank to smile. He said, "I AM smiling." ha ha! No. You are not smiling. But that's okay. We see him smile and laugh plenty in real life. Keep up the good work, men!

TOTALLY GROSS

Titus just sent me a text. Even though Anita, Medine and my mom all stayed at their house, I was the only one to battle roaches. They didn't know why they were coming out except because of the rain. There were seven in the house with several in my room during the 30 days I stayed there--7 roaches in total.
and I am--or I was ---deathly afraid of roaches. I have since conquered my fears somewhat, unwilling to let the devil get the better of me. Roaches do not even bite! In the end, I fell asleep with a live one in my room because I wasn't willing to spray the killing stuff that makes Titus sneeze like crazy. He had Typhoid and I didn't want to bother him.

So today, a plumber has come from out of town to stay with them. He is working on our TGD building. Titus wrote: "he is occupying your room and we laughed so hard because a cockroach just rolled on his chest!!"

oh joy.

Shipping Container update

This has been a real challenge. Working with a foreign government is taxing. Literally! I think Steve and I are needing to come up with better communication skills. Twenty seven years of marriage and we are entering new waters. We speak completely differently (this we knew.) God is with us.

Currently, the estimate is $13,000. They may be able to reduce it to $9000. We don't have $9000, so next week we will find out if we can just give them items with the highest VAT tax. We have donated socks and booties from either Austin Samaritans or Medical Bridges, plus lotion and shampoo. The taxes on those items are over $1000 each. We can live without those. We need the chairs and tables we purchased at Sams Club along with a large fan and some shelving. Those are new items and they have a high fee and we will pay it. Every day brings new demands or questions or fees or decisions. It reminds me of buying our first house. They always needed one more thing each day or week. One more proof of some bill 2 years ago or some crazy thing that seemed so obscure--but everything hinged on it.

For example, today we were asked for the original Bill of Lading. We would need to send it by Fed Ex (which takes FOREVER to get to Kenya--five days to Kakamega) or we would need to call our shipping line and get them to Telex the original. We wrote back to say that the "original" is an electronic document which is already there. There is no original--there is only the first one. Then our TGD Kenya informed us that the Port Authority required a change in wording that cost us $75 to say "In Care of Walter Ingutia" instead of it saying "To Walter Ingutia" (WHATEVER!!)

So there is no change on any Bill of Lading or inventory. Nothing has been changed except that one thing. But we resent everything electronically anyway. I called the shipping line but it is Saturday so i'll talk to them on Monday. There is no "original" in the old sense of the word. We do not need to Telex anything because what is there in the harbor on the ship IS the original and what our team has is the original and they match perfectly. See? Stuff like that constantly.

It's a small price to pay for something so important, but it does grate on the nerves. God gives us grace. God has given us this privilege of serving Him in this way. I can do this and more.

We heard the ship would be in the harbor by Tuesday night (I'm writing this on a Saturday) and that it would take about four days to dock. We expected it to dock any time now. However, it turns out the ship is not even sighted by the country (Kenya) yet. Which is fabulous because it probably buys us another week before the container is in our TGD building. We need to finish out the building and secure it so it can hold all the valuables.

There can be so much to coordinate, plus trying to work on the orphan plans. With everything in me, I give Glory to the Lord and bow myself before Him who created the universe. He can handle the chaos of the whole earth and the horror of death and abuse amongst mankind. He sees the daily killing of one animal by another for the survival of species to endure. He sees our fallen state and the evil in our hearts. Praise God for Jesus Christ who took the sin of the whole world to reconcile man to God through the cross. Praise God that the earth will be restored. Until then, may God's will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Come Lord Jesus.

Singing

Open our hearts,
To see the things
That make Your heart cry,
To be the church
The You would desire.
Light to be seen.

Break down our pride,
And all the walls
We've built up inside,
Our earthly crowns
And all our desires,
We lay at Your feet.

So let hope rise,
And darkness tremble
In Your holy light,
And every eye will see
Jesus, our God,
Great and mighty to be praised.

God of all days,
Glorious in all of Your ways.
Your majesty, the wonder and grace,
In the light of Your name.

With everything,
With everything,
We will shout for your glory.

With everything,
With everything,
We will shout forth your praise.

Our hearts will cry
Be glorified,
Be lifted high,
Above all names.
For You our King,
With everything,
We will shout forth your praise.
(By Hillsong)

FULLY SPONSORED!!! PRAISE GOD!

I still need 2 sponsors for Sharon. This photo does not do her justice. I realize that. Still, we are Americans and we like photos. The problem is....we like photos of attractive people or children. Sharon IS attractive. NOT in this picture. She is on my YouTube site. My channel is: Stephanietexasrivers (all one word with no spaces)
If you get to my channel, you can find her in the uploads section. I went to her school to talk to her. She is a lovely girl with a stable, although a bit depressed, disposition. I think she is starting to be discouraged but there is still a dim light of hope in her heart. She is an orphan. She lives with extended family but needs shoes and clothes and good nutrition. Thankfully, she's been able to go to school, but children often go without their books, supplies, or daily food. Let's help her make it beyond 8th grade. She has so much potential!

Doreen comes out of the cookhouse to see Pastor Stanley holding his baby, Cliff. Titus' boys, Immanuel and Samuel, sit with him.

Sentinel

In my prayers lately, the word sentinel keeps coming up. I am in prayer for my friend Christa. Her husband is stationed in Iraq for over a year. He will come home for six weeks around Sept 7--but then goes back for a year. I am a sentinel for her marriage. I am a sentinel for the orphans in Kenya in the spirit. I am a soldier in a war against injustice. I know how it sounds. a bit ridiculous? but it is true.

House Parents for Trinity House!

Pastor Joseph and Mama Evelyn already minister to the children and have been a tremendous help to me in getting them medical care. All children seem to love Joseph whenever we headed out to the churches. Evelyn's heart is in children's ministry. She was in a terrible car accident and thought she would never have children. Praise God it is not true! She has three beautiful children. And her heart goes out to the orphans.

Pastor Joseph and Pastor Steve are working on their end to get all the governmental tasks completed so the children can move into Titus' home and begin school in January

Brendah waits for a sponsor eagerly

Orphans line up for help

Here's mom getting Gladys's information and Frida is behind her while Pastor Steve is behind mom helping.

Dr. Karen Woo

“Nothing in life is for sure, nothing that you see today will always be here tomorrow,” she wrote. “All of these people come to Afghanistan of their own volition, they come knowing that they may pay with their lives, the black humour is rife, a good way to keep the apprehension low, to keep calm and carry on. Perhaps no one ever expects it to be them, perhaps not their immediate friends either, it always some poor unknown person, a local national, a third country national.

“We count those that matter to us. We say that we are prepared for the loss whatever that may be but is it ever possible to be so? To be so prepared is that at polar opposites to the decision to be there in the first place, that somehow, it will never be me or anyone close to me.” --Dr. Karen Woo

Wisdom. True. I always imagine some heroic death, but am I really prepared to meet it? I don't know. I suppose I figure that I'd be too lucky to die the death of a hero, so likely I will live on.
Rev 12
11 They overcame him
by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony;
they did not love their lives so much
as to shrink from death.
I think it is important to face death boldly. It is a transition, not an end. And I am looking forward to the other side.

frustrated

My nephew's son--love that little boy. They are in Germany and this little guy has a sibling coming along. :-) His little sweet face makes me take a deep breath and remember how fast time flies. Stop being so impatient, self!

Very frustrated with the communiction problems of working with an overseas team. it is very challenging. I need Jesus. I need patience. I posted patience scriptures to facebook for myself.

[We pray] that you may be invigorated and strengthened with all power according to the might of His glory, [to exercise] every kind of endurance and patience (perseverance and forbearance) with joy. Colossians 1:11

I pray it differently,

(from the NIV on Bible Gateway:)
9For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you[d] to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. 13For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14in whom we have redemption,[e] the forgiveness of sins.

I really need to be strengthened with ALL POWER according to HIS glorious MIGHT so that I have GREAT endurance and patience. not just a little, I need it to be great.

I have so much work ahead of me and I can do it!I can be patient as it works itself out, too. I do not have to yield to fruitless frustration. I can serve joyfully with love. Ni furaha Yangu. It is my joy.

Praying, musing, hoping, working

(Walter, Trinity Global Development Kenya Director, and Stephanie)


I've been working on the orphan plan. We are hitting the point where we need to register with the government. Oh joy. It has been so much work but I am able. We can do it. My team can manage it. We will push through in Jesus.
Now we know that school for primary is 120 a year and uniforms are maybe 50 a year. (not sure about books or supplies.) High school is 250 a year. Definitely need 2 sponsors for each child! Most of mine are older.
I was reading somewhere in someone's blog, a Kenyan orphanage discussion, that they get children 5-10 because younger children need a specialist and older children don't settle well. That's so sad. Sometimes I do get tired of the sadness of reality. Other times, I just keep going.There's a lot of goodness to the reality of the life after this one....and I want to bring Kingdom joy to this life. Hooray! Seriously. Hooray! Because God is good and trials make me strong. Without Jesus, trials only made me self-destruct and hurt others more and more spiraling out pain to all. Now I can hold it together and worship--right in the midst of difficulty. I think that is something to "hooray!" about. I didn't get this silly cheerfulness from nowhere! I was NOT silly cheerful before I was a Christian. I wasn't cheerful at all. I was nervous of getting hurt by mean people (who seemed to be everywhere.) and I wanted to escape this life rather than deal with it. Jesus gives you inner strength to press in.
Oh, he he, we were talking orphans?
I was just busy rebuking sadness.
I would like prayer if you are reading this. Prayer for all the administration. It is not my gifting, but it is my joy to be an Heir of God. I am a Son of God and an heir to all things.
He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not, also with Him, freely give us all things?
So I see that God will provide because He is a loving Father and Creator of the Universe. I am following in His plans and His purpose without thought for what my role or purpose is in any of this because I pray His Kingdom come and Hiw will be done on earth as it is in heaven. I think I am about His business. Sometimes I tell my children to go to the store and I give them a list. They don't ask me, why do you need this or that? They just clarify what it is I am sending them for. It is up to me to put all things together.
And so Jesus is giving me this list and He's given you a list. You are to be about that.
I need my Kenyan Team to really step up once again. With the orphanage, there will be more to manage. They need prayers for time management. We need communication mercies so we can work during the window of opportunity each day. We need Grace. Good thing God has that in abundance. With that Grace, I will go set to work on the orphan plans.