Must return to sanity.

I felt the need to post a Kenya pic so that the blog would return to something resembling normal.
These are women of Joseph's church in Ebulecha, which is Northeast of Kakamega, pretty far back off the roads.
You can't tell it from this picture---but these are some Jesus worshipping ladies! They go all out and they are dear to my heart! Nothing boring with these women! and their church is very generous as well.

Mary, a double orphan in Eubulecha Church

Mary and Brenda sit on my lap. I called them over to me because they are just so cute. Pastor Joseph prepared a presentation for me. The children all sang, some recited scripture, some recited poetry, some did a special dance (oh! four year olds doing African dancing is absolutely enthralling.)

I learned that Mary is an orphan. We took pictures of each one of them and took their names. There were more than 15. Maybe 20? and that is in addition to the 91 orphans from the other churches who were at the big church on Saturday when we did tried to get them all listed. Mom has the list and I need to get it from her. I wanted to try to get sponsors for some of the children. Even 10 a month goes so far there!I especially wanted to find someone to help Mary. and of course, I was determined that if no one cared, I would surely support this girl myself. I have been praying...

I got a sponsor for Mary today. MY DAUGHTER LAURA!! NOTHING MORE PRECIOUS THAN THAT! because Mary has been haunting my heart. I am so burdened for her. Where are her parents? How did they die? why didn't some relative take her in? She must feel so outcast! She is only 8.

Mary isn't alone in her predicament. Maybe there is some comfort in that? I can't imagine. What could be the identity of communal orphans? How do they think of themselves? When parents die, children feel abandoned. But then the other girl in the picture and others like her......she has one parent living. Who is that parent? Where are they? Why does this little girl live with a non-relative. It is perplexing. It must be very painful. I always had my two parents. I can't imagine life without your own two parents who take care of you. Yet there are many orphaned and not just from AIDS. People are always saying, "so many orphaned by AIDS" but when you actually find out that this one is because both parents died in a car accident. Or they died from Malaria. Everyone just assumes it is AIDS now because there are so many AIDS cases.

There is a girl named Sharon who is an orphan of AIDS. She is nearly 13 and she is only the size of an 8 year old. She has terrible little white bumps all over her. She is a cheerful girl and seems smart. She has no one. Who will advocate for this one?

Many Christians in Kenya take people in. There is so much poverty. So much loss. Those who have even a little will share with others (at least in most Christian communities.)

and so four widows have taken in around four children each. I know a little of Mama Violet (the picture of the woman in....violet!)..... She is mother to a man I prayed for---His wife is Praxcidia. (Praxcidia is in the picture with me and her children. She was pregant with Emmanual on my first visit when I prayed for her husband.)

Violet's son cannot help her. He is usually in the hospital with AIDS. He spent four months there. He is still living. Most likely he does not work at all--Although Praxcidia and her children look healthy. That's a good sign.

But Violet has taken in four children and three other widows have taken in children and I am praying for God to prosper and save them. I am praying for sponsors for the children and for the widows. I am praying that the children get books to go to school. There is no one to help them get an education. Those children rely on strangers.

But I am so thankful my daughter has heard the call to meet the needs of a young girl she has never met before. May God stir our hearts and I pray that Mary and Brenda find Him in this world and live forever in the next.

Kenya, O Praise the Lord in Kenya!

Todd has put his photos on a photo website. Maybe not all of them since I am SURE he took more than that! I gave him my photos, too, and they are not all represented. But of course, mine are not so good.

It is good to be home eating familiar food. It is good to be in my own bed. It is good to drive my own car. The familiar is so good.

But I am thankful I will return to Kenya. I wish I had a house there. Sort of a base camp. I'd like to have a western style house. I think Steve is spoiling me with his Western comfort choices. He gets a rental car and stays at a western style hotel. But I'd also like to have a washer and dryer, a refrigerator, iron, bathtub/shower, toilet, oven/stove top and air conditioner. Gee. Not much sacrifice in that!

but if you are READING, you probably would like to hear about KENYA....not my silly ramblings.
Let's see....

I'm continually thinking of Mary. She is an 8 year old orphan with no father or mother who is living with one of the widows of Joseph's church. I think he is trying to help support the orphans by putting them with the widows and then trying to help them. They've got a school set up to teach them. I asked what kind of student Mary was....the woman looked at me, looked at Mary, put her hand on Mary's head and said, "Not bad." Hmmmnn. Not a good answer. Mama Violet, the widow who cares for her chimed in quickly to add, "She has trouble reading. It hurts her eyes." Mary just stared down at the ground. I had no way to know if she understood English or not. Some do, some don't. I forgot to ask where her living relatives resided. There is always so much happening at once.

I think of Mary several times each day. When they presented songs, she was smiling and singing. I thought she was very pretty. Then Joseph had her stand up along with another girl who lives in the same home as he described the plight of these children to the congregation. After that, I think she was ashamed, embarrassed, or sad about her parents....God knows. Later, I called her and the other to come sit in my lap. I just wanted to take Mary home. I just wished it was that easy. "Here, child. Come with me. Do you want to go to America?" but no----I didn't say such a thing. Besides, she would have difficulties adjusting if I only brought her. The English problem is one thing. And how would she discover herself? but really, I'd take her.

and so I think we will look into adoption procedures there. just in case. although there are plenty of African American children languishing in our own country....still.......who is to say why God favors one of us over another? Who are we to say that Mary shouldn't come here? I hear the arguments. I imagine people saying it is unkind to take her away from her own culture. But what is she going to do there? Maybe if I could bring a couple of the girls over here. but I only want Mary today. I pray for her. I want to find a way to get her to the optometrist and get her some glasses. Hopefully, that is the only problem. She is 8 years old and the normal size for an 8 year old so she's been able to eat, thankfully. Some children are 13 and they look about 7. That's always really bad. They haven't had enough food. It is difficult to see it and know.

We also went to Pastor Steve's church. That was Tuesday. Oh....the schedule went something like this:

Saturday: We arrived in Kisumu by plane. We drove around Kisumu doing business--like going to the bank, going to the lumber yard, and somewhere else. We were driving to Kakamega when Titus' car broke down. We had to go back to Kisumu when we realized we did not have all of Todd's luggage. We headed to Kakamega again and stopped at the Golf Hotel to unload. ( I think!) Then we went to the church compound where we were greeted by singing. Hugs all around and then photos of the children. I don't remember after that.

Sunday: Five hour church service. Patsy made it through the whole thing even though we'd had so much travel and such a busy day on Saturday. God really poured out His Grace. I think we may have gone to see Dr. Kennedy that evening, but maybe he wasn't there. He was going to be back after 6:30pm. I think Steve got to meet with Walter. I was there ( I remember vaguely!)

Monday: Todd and I went to Panadol's church which is really Pastor Stanley's church. Panadol is going to preside over a new church plant coming up. That whole area is really responding to Jesus in greater measure than Titus' dreams! He can barely keep up! He is going to hold a four day revival in the area and then plant churches there.
Maybe on this day we got to see the children in the school. I saw Eunice. Maybe we met Henry? He was in the computer class. Steve met with the computer class. Oh they were so blessed. They were so excited about the opportunity that had come to them. Steve spoke with them at length. I had an opportunity to bless and praise them and encourage them. They had a chance to say thank you. They are just so encouraged that God has brought them this opportunity!! I cannot repeat it enough! Just that one thing alone was such a tremendous blessing. I was glad to be a part of this whole thing.

Tuesday: We went to Pastor Steve's church. His wife is Melab and she is one of my favorite women. She is beautiful and gregarious and she sings. She has a tailoring business. When we drove to the church, they had planted banana trees in our honor lining the road on both sides so you knew which way to turn as you traveled through the dirt roads. Titus said they were honoring us. It was wonderful.
When we got there, they were singing and clapping. We came out and went into the church. There were flower petals all over the ground laid carefully. It was beautiful! and there were small flower plants lining the tables at the front. They presented us with a traditional gourd. I was so happy.
We sang and praised. We sang, When Jesus says yes nobody can say no. I love that song! I love proving nay-sayers WRONG! Jesus is always right. and even when Jesus says no, you can swallow it because He is always right. He's not just a know-it-all, He really is THE KNOW IT ALL!

and my Steve was always doing other things. He did not go out to the churches on Mon, Tues, or Wed. He was meeting with a lawyer to get NGO status in Kenya and things like that. He met with two new guys and hired them as programmers. We are going to set up a FOR profit company which will feed money to the non-profit to keep the medical clinic running and low or no cost for those in need. One of these guys is already programming in Java, which he pulled off the internet as open source code so he could learn. He is very excited about becoming part of Trinity Global. He is taking a pay cut just so he can be connected to what Steve is doing. His name is Frank.

Frank has wanted to go for training at some computer schools in Nairobi, but he says so many of them are quacks. They will charge exorbitant fees for useless knowledge--but you won't know it is useless until after you have finished paying and try to get a job with those skills. There is no point in it. Unless you already know what you need, you will be clueless and they can take advantage of you. At last, Frank felt he was going to be connected with someone who knew how the western world did business. He was grateful and very excited about it.

Maybe on that night we also met with Dr. Kennedy and showed him the packing list of the medical supplies from Medical Bridges. He was amazed and wanted all of it. He brought Edwin, the pharmacist along. They reviewed the list going through it line by line on Steve's computer. Edwin said it will be the only medical hospital of its kind outside of Nairobi.

That night we also worked out the plans to have Todd come back and do a mobile medical clinic for a summer mission trip from Austin Stone community church. We learned that for $2000, we could set up a 2 day clinic ready to see 600 people per day with 10 different medical professionals--doctors, nurses, eye doctors, dentist, and pharmacists. That is a great bargain! OH HOW I WISH I HAD A FEW THOUSAND TO BUY THAT EVERY OTHER MONTH!!!!

But God will provide.

I'm being faithful to all I am called to do-- I must just keep walking in the light He gives me. I have to focus on obedience to what I CAN do right now. and even do what I cannot do --if He asks it of me.

But my heart leapt! It did summersaults and cartwheels. It did fireworks shows and musical dance pieces. Man....I really need to be a more laid back kind of girl. but it just aint happenin' these days.

:-D

So, Todd is bringing information to Joey Shaw and Ryan King at Austin Stone and they will decide how to proceed. Todd will bring a group of young people on one trip.....then one of those young people will be raised up as a leader for the next trip. Both of those will take place this summer. I think they are going to see how that goes and then determine their future plans based on the success of those visits.

I know they will be AMAZING!!! (i am tempted to make this be in 24 font or something!)


God is so good!

What else?

The school is going well.
Children fed twice a day. several teachers now. This is all great. I think another church is paying for renovations on the building.

Medical clinic has two potential nurses, but they have to be cleared by Dr. Kennedy pending review of their documentation. We have the Medical Bridges 100,000 worth of equipment which we bought for $8000 already. Now we are working on shipping (we foolishly assumed that they were including shipping! ha! NOW we know.) and Titus is working on getting us tax exemption and a guarantee of it going through customs. Then we'll store it in Nairobi until we complete the building, hopefully by May.

We intend to go again in May. I finish my classes by May 15. Geesh, we will be married 27 years by May 26th. What a great way to celebrate!!

okay......I think I write too long. It discourages reading. darn.

More later!

Link to pictures....

Check out Todd's site. He will likely continue posting updates and more information from his viewpoint. We had an awesome time!
www.toddwhite.org

I'm home. I'm tired. But I can't sleep. I'm too tired to be productive. I'm too awake to return to bed. Maybe it is a good time to review....
Oh my Kenya friends. How good to see you! What a reception! and Todd and Patsy were received as family and will remain in the hearts of the people.

On our first day in Western Kenya, one car broke down on the road. It was hot. Todd got out and went over to photograph some children playing in a school yard. They came running from all directions to meet this white guy with a big camera by their fence. He got some precious pictures of their beautiful faces. It turned out that we had left some luggage at the airport in Kisumu and so even when we got another ride to pick some of us up, we had to return to Kisumu. That put us way behind schedule. Rose had arranged for nearly 100 orphans to be at the church compound so they could get their pictures taken. They had to wait on us for hours. It is the Kenyan way, but it grieved Todd and he wanted to make it there before the sun went down so he would have natural light.
We made it. As we turned into the compound gates, the children were lined up on each side of the driveway singing and clapping to welcome us. Todd and Patsy were overwhelmed! I laughed with joy and love and wanted to jump out and hug my friends. Many I knew had come to greet us. I didn't know who to hug first! It's like when you come home to your children----you don't want to favor this one or that one---if only you could give a big hug to everyone at the same time! but you can't. I went around hugging and greeting those I recognized and used their name when I knew it since I know so many brothers and sisters by heart but not by name. (It is hard to remember so many names, but i am trying and each trip adds several more names.)
We headed into the church and I think we began photos immediately. Mom helped by writing the number of the photo and the name and getting the small detail. Some were of a single parent. This constitutes "orphan" in Kenya, but to us it is sort of "half-orphan" because we use the word to mean you do not have any parents.
There were 91 photos taken. Later, we went to Joseph's church in Ebulecha (or something like that) and took 17+ or more photos......I'm not sure. One little boy would NOT get near Todd and that camera! He was terrified! The church members or extended family seriously wanted him included in the photos in hopes of getting him sponsored but that child would not have it. He climbed up the woman holding him like a scared cat climbing a tree. I feared he would launch off her shoulder to get to the other side--away from the ferocious monstor threatening him. Poor baby. He was cute, too. But he had probably never seen a white man before. Many times little children can get frightened by our presence---we look quite ill to them, I'm sure.
Pray with me for the support of these children. How terrible it must be to live in the world without either of your parents! That seems so lonely. And who will advocate for them?

The next day was the church service and Todd was going to speak. It was such a great service! It was five hours long. Each church and several ministries had a presentation for the guests. We ended up cutting it short....not sure why. But Todd expected to speak at 11 but he spoke about 1 or 1:30pm. I had an opportunity to pray in the follow up of his message for people to commit or recommit to Christ. Steve said there were over 25 people who responded. I had Pastor Sony (sunny) pray over them. We also had a time where Todd blessed the babies. Many women came forward with their children for a blessing.
We had the school children sing, orphans sang, computer class had a presentation, Joseph's daughter (Pastor Joseph is the brother of Lead Pastor -Bishop Titus,) and Mama Selfa spoke. Some children came and sat on Patsy's lap. I think Ian was first and Lillian--children of Eunice who teaches in our school and now we have employed her husband Henry as an accountant for Trinity Global in Kenya.
Worship was awesome and lively. The women came over and danced with me and pulled me out to the middle. I praised with my whole heart and body and let the love flow in me and out from me. I loved everyone. I loved the universe! I felt one with everything and everybody! A taste of heaven, I am sure. I was high as a kite, on cloud nine, and every other cliche invented to describe happiness. My body just cannot contain the joy I feel when I am there. It is too much glory! No wonder God is invisible now!!! We would implode at our joy to behold Him in truth. Oh but I'm ready to implode! Come Lord Jesus!
Truly I was getting a taste of the love and unity of eternity.
The next day, we went to Stanleys church. I was so happy to go out to Panadol's area and hoping to get GPS coordinates so Charity Waters could work towards building a well there. It turned out my GPS is only for OUR SIDE OF THE GLOBE! That stank.
but I know God has it under control. Even though there are barriers, the gates of hell shall not prevail against us. we are going in and we are taking the land for Jesus! We are casting out injustice and poverty and suffering. We are bringing LIFE!
Jesus is the living water and He desires His creation to be pure and lovely. We are partnering with God to see His Kingdom come and His Will be done. We are only servants doing our duty. He is using us as a tool. I know it is His Will to see a well there. It WILL HAPPEN and nothing can stop it.
But I asked the people to pray. I assured them that I wanted to see a well there and that God wanted to bring a well there. I currently did not have the resources to do it and that they needed to do the praying. It is something like 1500-2500 USD to create a deep well. I will see it with my eyes as I see it in my heart.
God gave me a message the night before. It was about the woman at the well. How Jesus spoke with the rejected one, the immoral one, and how we are to be the hands and feet of Jesus. He accepts us and so we accept others and reach out to the unlovely. Also, God had mercy on Hagar and made her son great. She was cast out, abused and used. But God came to her and SPOKE to her, revealing Himself as El Roi (Row-EEE) the God who Sees. What is curious is that God gave me these references and so I reviewed them in the Bible. I never knew or noticed that after God spoke to Hagar, she opened her eyes AND THERE WAS A WELL THERE!!!! Okay, maybe I'm crazy, but I think that was God's confirmation. God awoke me at 2am with this message of the Samaritan woman on my heart and I was so excited that I just got up and never went back to bed. At least I had a good four hours of sleep, but I was so jazzed about the fun we just had and the fun that lay ahead that I could not sleep.
The people received the Word with gladness. Todd wanted to do a Question and Answer time regarding cultural exchange. The questions were about multiple wives, bride price (dowry), adultery, and bride inheritance (when a woman dies, she becomes her brother-in-law's new extra wife). Other things, too, like birth control and number of children. It was a good time of sharing.
We went to have a marvelous meal and I was so full of happiness that my stomach could not handle it and was jittery. I was crushed that I could not just dig in and eat it all up. It was a lovely meal. Soda, chipate (?), pineapple (I did eat the pineapple) and plenty of delicious Kenyan food, but I could only eat a small amount.
Todd got pictures of the sewing machine in Panadol's home. His wife, Mama Robei, showed us some of her handiwork. They told us how people could come to her for clothing repairs instead of going all the way to town or too the next market area.
Titus told us that people would come to see the machine and try it out. They would stay for church. They would come to Christ! Hallelujah!

okay......I think writing such joyful news is making me MORE awake and since it is 4:43 and I've been up since 2am, I will return to bed in hopes of a little nap before the day begins.

Medical Bridges

I am so thankful. I cannot believe how great this is!! it is so exciting that you almost cannot get excited. I am stunned and in awe. I am in shock, I suppose. but not. At the same time, I expect miracles, so why be surprised when they come. Miracles can be as natural as breathing.

We will receive 250,000 to 500,000 dollars worth of medical equipment and supplies at our Trinity Global Development facility north of Kakamega, Western Kenya. The building is going up now. It is a 2 story 5000 sq ft (approx) building with a dog run (southern term for breezeway through the middle) two rooms on each side, two above. We will have a computer lab, a medical clinic, a library, and a training center for women to learn to sew so they can support themselves. We have a nurse and a doctor we know that will be available daily. This will be a great relief to the area as they had a clinic open up in the spring, only to stagnate due to corruption. Money sent from the Netherlands goes to Nairobi but then never makes it on to the Emusanda Clinic. So sad. But we'll be there. We have no middle men.

God is great. God is good. and we thank Him for our food. and we offer food and water and medical care to others. We give the orphans a preschool for education, we open computer lab for older students and the community. we offer public health education, the church there offers training in keeping chickens and cows. We train women in sewing and men in carpentry. We are working on wells for remote areas. How could all this come about? only through the hand of God. Steve and I are not smart enough to do all this by ourselves.

Come let us adore Him!

www.trinityglobaldevelopment.com

WE GOT THE DONATION FROM MEDICAL BRIDGES!!

Trinity Global

Titus wrote me an email. Joseph is supporting nearly 20 children out of one area. He is ministering to the people remotely because Trinity Global provided him with a motorcycle. There is a baptism every week. Titus would like to see some support or some house for these children. I am praying about it now.

My biggest prayer requests are for donors and provision and resources. We have contacted Medical Bridges and requested a huge shipping crate full of free medical equipment. They have responded and we will begin working on the legalities. We will need Dr. Kennedy's information, I am sure.

We don't have the medical clinic built yet. Work has begun on the TGD facility that will house the computer lab. I am praying that Dell will promote the project. They could even sponsor us and use us as an example of the kind of work employees at Dell are involved in.
They could give us the Dell Connected Classroom equipment---thousands of dollars of savings.

With these two giant donations, it would free up our donors to give directly to PEOPLE which can be very satisfying to the soul. Villages need Wells---and a well directly helps everyone in the area of the well. It reduces the time women and children spend traveling to watering holes which then have putrid water! so many parasites and worms get into the body through contaminated water. so many infectious diseases come from the feces to mouth transfer. Infected children commonly use water sources to relieve themselves and inadvertantly sicken whole villages quickly.

and many of these sickness have CURES but no one has the money to buy them or they are not available in their area.

WE CAN CHANGE THAT!!

WE CAN AFFECT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE'S LIVES DIRECTLY!

and so we will, though God's mighty work. He is doing things I would never imagine. I am going places I thought I would never see.

When I read "Goforth of China" about Jonathan Goforth, I was so deeply stirred to travel to China and serve the people there. I prayed for China for 20 years and India as well. When I traveled to India, I did not feel the heart call I expected. However, China nearly blew me over. The imact spiritually and emotionally was intense.
And so I was sure (and I am still sure) that I am called to China.

However, I have ALWAYS told the Lord, "Here I am, send me." and I have always been willing to go anywhere and do anything. I had even come to the point of willingness to never go! if that was His will, then I wanted to agree with Him completely.

so I am blessed beyond measure to be doing a good work for the Kingdom of God and to minister to humanity in love. I pray that I ALWAYS minister love---however, some critics have told me otherwise.
but I am not daunted. I suppose everyone has a critic. You cannot please everyone---and pleasing man is not the goal---we please GOD. and He sees the motive of our hearts. He sees me typing here right now. and sees you reading right now (hey, thanks for reading!)
and He works it all to His good pleasure and to the culmination of this world and the beginning of the next.

We can't know His full will, but He has revealed His Will in His Word and He reveals His Will by His Spirit. So there is much we CAN know.

and what I do know is this:

God desires that we love others, serve others, forgive others, bless others, and pray for one another.
He commands us to go into the world and preach the gospel, baptizing in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost and teaching people to OBEY all that He has commanded.
(obedience is a big deal to God but it is terribly out of fashion these days with many who claim to be of Christ.)

He desires that we care for the helpless, the widow, the orphan. He desires that we live with honesty and integrity in all that we do. We should not have even an appearance of evil. if things are questionable, in love we are to live for the conscience of our weaker brother.

We are to be ambassadors for Christ, imploring men, BE RECONCILED TO GOD!

These are just a few of the commands that motivate me. I desire to know His Word and to meditate on it day and night. But the time for study is past. We competent ministers of the Word. We are to be active. as the book of James insists.

we are to have unity with our brothers and sisters. we are to forgive them. we are not to associate with blatent hypocrites, though. if a brother or a sister are in flagrant unrepentant sin, we aren't to eat with them. Jesus was harsh with the pharisees yet tender to the crazy, the possessed, the low life. He was compassionate to the pressures and fears of the common people. He ministered to the poor.

we are to esteem the poor and carry their burdens. we are not to just say, "God bless you!" but we are to help them.

i think around here there is merely much of rich giving to rich. what a waste! or we are giving to ourselves.
we have so much debt that we don't want to give to the kingdom. We want to keep paying down our debt and then OOPS we ran it back up again. Oh, we need to pay it back down again. and so we never give to God because we are always paying ourselves.

buying new cars, new clothes, new foods, new activities, ---when we are already more than amply supplied -----BUT

and this is big.

BUT THERE IS ALWAYS SOMEONE WHO HAS SO MUCH MORE THAN WE DO SO WE CAN ALWAYS FEEL LIKE WE ARE NOT VERY EXTRAVAGANT.

oh,
but if we compared ourselves to the villagers of Western Kenya.
Hmmmn.
They have ONE cabinet in their house. it holds their pots, pans, dishes, clothes. They have one table and a couple of benches or a couch. Maybe two tables. They might have a goat. their walls are mud, their roof is thatched. They cook over a fire. they draw water from a stream that is dirty. their house has only two rooms. the other is the bedroom with a bed. I did not see anyone with mosquito nets---very dangerous.

Now. compare yourself to that!
how many shoes do you have? they do not all have shoes.
do you wear glasses or contacts? they need those too but don't have them.
do you take any medicine? even tylenol? they dont' have it.
do you have water in your house? electricity? they have to use an outhouse with a hole in the ground that you squat over.
do you have a job? a car? they don't


they really need clean water.
they need sanitary latrines and a way to wash their hands.
they need SHOES
they need healthy gardens with fertilizer and good seeds and a way to water.

supplies needed for Kenya

We've signed up with Medical Bridges hoping to transport a giant packing crate full of medical equipment to Kenya. The building materials arrived and work commenced!

Some of the medical supplies that can be purchased from a drug store or requested from your health care provider include:

Sterile and non-sterile gloves
guaze pads
band aids
chux pads
adult or child disposable diapers
individual alcohol pads
KY Jelly
Neosporin
Bactine
Hydrocortisone
Ointment for burns
Prenatal vitamins
multivitamins
Iron
Quinine


I went to a libraries of love Uganda fund raiser last night. she had pokie joes and people brought desserts. People made Tea and lemonade.



someone had donated several things from one of those home decorator to do silent auction. Then a cool thing was how she had several restaurants donating $25 gift certificates!
Like
Chili's
Red Lobster
Cinemark
Tokyo Steakhouse
Pei Wei

and I was thinking maybe I could also ask
Pappadeaux
Eddie Vs
Trulucks
Treehouse
Macaroni Grill
Olive Garden


and I'd like to make a prewritten thankyou and take it to them. it would work for their tax purposes and I'd fill in the amount of the gift. People could buy raffle tickets to bid on them. then we'd pull from the bag and award the certificates.

I saw it done there and it looks manageable.

I feel so stretched! I'm always doing these odd and weird things.
but I can do it! I can do it for Jesus and his love for those Kenyan children.

we are changing the world!
it is so rewarding.
i praise God every day.
when my mood sinks,
I think about Him and the work He is doing.
i'm grateful to be a part of His Kingdom.

blessing and glory and honor and power forever

Oh God is good. and I am so happy. God is good when I'm unhappy. He satisfies me when life is so painful. but I'm rejoicing today. I'm thankful for what God can do with willing hands. and I pray He enlarge our tents and stretch out our stakes. But let His Kingdom come.

It was so good today to go to Mister's work. it was so good! It was good to get the proceeds from the party. I was so thankful. I know our Kenyan friends are so thankful. Oh to help others who cannot help you back. it is so rewarding. Such the God-life. All that He does for us and what can we do for Him? NOTHING! He owns the cattle on a thousand hills and the heart of the King. He has no need of the blood of goats or cows or anything we could imagine doing for Him. He is sufficient in all things. He created everything! How magnificent.

So much is happening and I forget to blog anything. Thanks to my friend who says, "Hey! why isn't your trinity link on your blog?" well, I don't know. accident. dumb? but okay, i'll fix that. i need to make it a link on here and I'll do that soon.

for now. I'm just awed by God. How He works powerfully in one arena and then in some other arena, it might feel like, "Hello, God? Are you noticing this thingy over here?" and so we are so fickle. As if He should just hop to it when we have a perceived problem.

I'm just so thankful right now. So thankful.

Glory to God!

I am so blessed by the Lord!

We had a party for Bishop Titus and his wife, Rose on Friday. I sent home food with my friends who have large families. After they left, I discovered more food in the oven warming. What to do with all that food?
Today, I was in prayer and I asked the Lord to help me give this food to people who needed it. I was considering making large plastic baggies of food to hand out to people on the street corners. Suddenly, I thought of James Hinojosa who frequently goes down to 6th St. bridge to feed the homeless on Sundays. Immediately, I remembered that he is now going to early services--so he would be at church. But the idea came in such a way.......and the argument came so quickly........I knew I should TRY.
So I jumped up and called James on his cell phone. HE WAS ON HIS WAY TO WORK UNDER THE BRIDGE!! "Are you far? Where are you?" He was CLOSE. He had only gotten to Wells Branch, the street near our homes. "Can you come back and take food to the people?" OF COURSE!
and PRAISE THE LORD! HIS KINGDOM COME AND HIS WILL BE DONE!

Something so simple, yet so profound. I am just rocked to get such a blessing from immediate obedience. To know God spoke to me and that He had a plan. I am so thankful to participate!
Wow!

and that food did not go to waste.

Everyone is happy.

wow!

architectural plans for computer lab are complete

We got the computer lab building plans in the mail and they look great! Walter is doing a great job as an employee and he is training Wycliffe. We have lost contact with Francesca so we may need a new librarian, but it can wait. The building needs to be completed!

I'm having a church "Africa Network" meeting on Wednesday Aug 12. We have a list of about 50 people who have gone on trips to Africa before. Many could be college students who have moved on...we'll see. Lindsay joins us as a leader--she just returned from Tanzania where she was instrumental in the building of a medical clinic in Arusha through Manna Worldwide Ministries. We'll help people who feel called to Africa to find a ministry fit. We'll have monthly meetings for encouragement, prayer, support and networking.

On September 19th, I'll host a fund raiser for Trinity Global Development at headquarters and hopefully people will graciously join us to serve the people in the Kakamega area.

I'm apprenticing with a local midwife, beginning a Texas Midwifery 3 year course and taking nursing school pre-requisites. It's the abundant life!

Laura graduates on August 15th at Baylor and Steve's family will be joining us. I'm not sure who all will be coming. We should have a house full!

WE HAVE TAX EXEMPT STATUS!!!

Trinity Global Development received notice that our application as a 501 (c) 3 organization was approved. Now we are completing the paperwork with Dell to receive matching funds from employee donations. Wow. I'm amazed. What a blessing to our friends in Kakamega! What a blessing to the families out in the bush!

We met with our Minister of International Ministry at Stone. We hope to develop a missional community with those who are already working on the African continent for Jesus. With likemindedness and varieties of ministry, we will prayerfully support one another and network together in the body of Christ. It is an exciting time!

I added a photo of me with Boniface reviewing the recipients of the mosquito nets. He divided the 100 nets purchased by Trinity (with donations! thank you!) between several area leaders so that they went to the pregnant women and nursing mothers with infants first.

Right now we are working towards the computer lab building and equipment. We hope to bring several more computers to the area by December. We'll have a trip in December and bring 1o people. Each of those travelers will use one of their allotted suitcases to carry ministry supplies. We want to get the foundation poured. The Provincial Commissioner of the Western Province spoke with Steve and offered to preside over the ground breaking ceremony and assured him that he will provide security or government clearance as needed. He is equivalent to Rick Perry, but there are only 5 of them and they meet directly with the President of the country regularly.

We want to help the Emusanda Health Centre, but we also know that our friend Jane can re-open her medical clinic in Isongo with a gift of $350. That is as important. Emusanda is a few miles away from Isongo and people have to walk to the clinics, so they serve different clientele. S

We are expanding the school, adding cooks and teachers. We want to sponsor uniforms for the children because all the schools in Kenya require uniforms. The students need two meals a day and school supplies for children like Paul, who is 7 years old attending preschool. Both of his parents were killed in a car accident and his older brother had to drop out of junior high to become the father of his siblings, so Paul did not get to go to school either. Now he is learning English, Swahili, math skills, and even social skills using the national curriculum for Kenya.

God is moving mightily. It is a great time in Kakamega. The country is in a great depression and the few jobs are fleeing away, yet God is graciously providing for our brothers and sisters in Kenya. There is no recession in heaven! God is on His throne reigning over His people. He is bringing prosperity upon His children.

musings

I drank two cokes yesterday, that is double the usual....and caffeine actually works on me. When I was 20, I could not get enough. I probably drank six a day. Now I drink two cokes and I wake up at 4am.
So i got up and looked up the passages in Titus about teaching younger women to love their husbands and children and to be busy at home. Yeah, maybe some women don't like busy at home...I know I used to feel positively crushed by staying at home. I wanted to GO and DO and BE....and this week? Ha! I want to stay home in my room and only venture out through computing. The long trip to Mississippi wore me out. Perhaps I was still creeping after the long LONG flights home with the endless layovers and longing for that elusive rested energetic vitality.
Staying home has been difficult for me. Penelope and Oliver have somehow made a difference and I'm thankful for it! but even when I stay home contentedly, I feel pressured to go out and do something important so i am not wasting my life but redeeming the time. A life is such a precious gift, strength is such a precious gift. when I am really listless, God has a chance to whisper to me. He can get through to me when I am satiated from my endless intercessions and declarations and petitions--and just worn out.
He speaks beautiful things. and He corrects me. and I listen. and I love Him.
Better is one day in His courts than thousands elsewhere.
One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.
All of my fountains are in you!
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my life and my portion forever.
Hallelujah!

Hey

Today I was working on the Trinity website. I was trying to post on the current opportunities page. I wanted to say something about how the computer lab is in progress and donate. of course, more needs to be said than that, so I asked Steve what I should write. He was irritated with me---"You don't just write on a website like conversation."
Oh.
yeah.
i guess that's right.
geesh.

i just want to COMMUNICATE! but it is true that you have to consider the audience.
okay, okay.
so I'm blogging to get out my "personal message" style.

I just like to talk!
and at least when I'm on here, I know I'm not interrupting anyone. No one has to listen here. It is all by choice.

alright, so anyway (conversation style here) .....this is a picture of Emily, our preschool teacher. It was Emily's initial vision that got the school started. Bishop Titus (they call him Bishop since he is a head pastor over several pastors) sponsors the school. He provides the school room. Through Trinity Global Development donations, we purchased 100 preschool sized chairs and made 6 tables and three cabinets.

We still need school improvements. The roof was repaired somewhat, although more needs to be done. The partitions are next but when baby T. J. died, the efforts at improvements went on hold. They'll begin soon.

Today is my 26th anniversary! I want a big party. Last year we had to skip party preparations because Steve's father was dying of cancer. He found out in September 2007 and began treatment. But by January 2008, it was evident that the cancer was spreading. He continued treatment but it was not successful. Steve spent most of the Spring trying to drive back and forth to see his father. He was able to spend some time caring for him. All of the siblings were involved. It was not a time for parties. His father passed onto Jesus on May 14th and so on our anniversary, we went to Florida and took little Penelope, but it was a dismal trip. Steve was dealing with plenty of emotion.

So this year, our anniversary is here, but maybe God planned it so that I could make it a fund raising party instead. I should say, maybe I want to have a fundraiser for my anniversary. I'd love to have a big dinner and encourage people to give. So instead of calling it my anniversary party and then tackily asking for donations, I'll make it plain that for my anniversary, Steve is letting me have a fundraising dinner.

I want to bless our brothers and sisters in Kenya---AND increase the Kingdom of God by lifting up Jesus and bringing in the sheaves! I enjoyed getting to know so many people and there are just people you connect with--that you want to bless--that you want to stay in contact with---get to know more and more over time.

we want long term relationships there. we want to establish a work of God and friendships that last. we have Kenyan family now. It is good.

and I'm sure there will be struggles and there will be a honeymoon period and there will be disappointments---but may it be like a strong marriage---built on commitment! even through the pain. even through disappointments because that is when the joy shines through. How thankful I am that I've stayed with Steve. How many times I was ready to quit and God persuaded me or blocked me. and now I bear the fruit of love, joy and peace! what a friend I have in steve. sometimes I want no other (of course, there are other times when he drives me crazy, but it is often just our personalities in conflict.)

i need to buy a book on Amazon. a book about doing community development rather than giving aid to the poor. help them help themselves. the give a man a fish vs. fisherman thing.

blessings!

Home from Kenya

Oh God is good. I've just returned home and now I've gotten the house back in order. I've paid my bills and washed the clothes and posted a few pictures on facebook. I'm so thankful. We had a wonderful time in Kenya with our friends. How amazing to go back and see them so soon. Anita and I were just beside ourselves. God is so good! and how fun for Anita and I to be on the other side of the world together talking about Jesus after being friends for over 20 years. cool.

i need to make a report. i hesitate to even do it. once I've told people about it, it will just fade in their memory like an old story. Old news. yesterdays news. but it is happening NOW. The work of God is going on NOW and it continues!

I can't remember right now how much we had in donations. We have at least four people whose donations will come through their company's matching funds. We're willing to wait for it!

We purchased 100 children's chairs for the school. Your dollars at work! We purchased six tables and either two or three cabinets for books. We officially agreed on the salaries for the two current teachers. They are advertising for new teachers with certification in early childhood education. We may keep these two teachers on as aides and we have a cook hired, too.

We spoke with the architect about building plans for the computer lab and library. Eventually we'd like to have it be two stories with a carpentry school and a tailoring school on the bottom and the computer lab and library on the top. For now, we'll build a one story building with a foundation capable of expansion to two stories. The land was purchased with money we sent in January before we had Trinity up and running.

We hired three people for the computer lab. One main guy is already a computer teacher who knows programming languages. he's also going to be our administrator. We left a computer with him. Another guy got a computer and he's going to be training so that he can also teach others. then we have a librarian ready to begin once the library is there. We may be able to get the building up, but it may be some time before it is filled with books! books are hard to ship, very expensive.

We also spoke with a local clinic and found out their needs. We went to a hospital and spoke with a doctor there. We purchased VERY low cost government dispersed mosquito nets at 65 cents a piece rather than the five dollars they would cost at the grocery store. He let us purchase quinine from him to send to the local clinic. Mom got one big bottle of 1000 and we bought one bottle of 1000. each bottle has 2000 doses for children.

malaria is a terrible killer. pregnant and nursing mothers and infants are particularly susceptible. AIDS kills slowly, malaria is frequent and quick. The doctor said that prevention is the key and the nets have significantly reduced the number of cases they treat daily.

We brought the donated aspirin and tylenol, and feminine products to the clinic. Mom brought a stethescope and a blood pressure cuff, a merck manual, exam gloves and alcohol wipes. They were so thankful and grateful. Talk about a pleasure to give! wow! it just makes you want to go find more to give.

and the need is so great, it is only a drop in the bucket.

but if everyone gives a drop, the bucket could runneth over!

and so I pray that we will continue to get the message out and that God will encourage others to join us in sharing with the poorest of poor.

Anita and I really enjoyed going around to the churches. The people are so welcoming. they are so blessed to have the novelty of visitors come into their lives. they are so friendly and cheerful even in their poverty. They know they are suffering, but they really look to the Lord for provision and relief and healing and encouragement. It is such a blessing to be around them.

The camera helps make easy friends. they love their picture taken. i wish I could hand them a finished photo! i will send photos for some, but it would cost a fortune to make them all and the money is better spent elsewhere.

Little Paul had been in the hospital when my mother made the visit there. Titus and Rose prayed for Paul. A few days later, we headed up the road to Margaret's house to pray for little Paul. He was out of the hospital but he was still hot with fever. We purchased that Quinine and were glad to send him some medication.

Another boy named Paul attends the school. He is 7 or 8 but he's not been to school and cannot afford to go. both of his parents died in a car accident and his pre-teen brother was left to raise the family. There is no way they will be able to pay for the uniforms or the books or the daily meal that are required in order to attend free public school. But Paul is learning English and Swahili at our preschool and he gets a free meal each day. Let's hope he's a whiz at computers because we do not have an elementary school yet and it would be a shame for him to only have a preschool education.

On a lighter note, there was the free termite meal night. I was not there, but mom and anita were awakened by people crawling around their house and it spooked them. they finally got up to find out what was going on. people had come to the place where there was electric lighting. After the rains, the termites had come in swarms. to the kenyans, this was manna from heaven! they were out collecting them and sticking them in cups and jars to take home and cook. for the hungry, they can be eaten alive as a sweet snack. Our friends gladly demonstated. UGH! even little children pick them up and snack on them cheerfully.

and then there was the day that Anita received the amazing luxury gift of a rooster. She was blessed. She knew what a sacrifice this was for Godwin and Mildred. Mildred was pregnant when we were there in December and we gave her baby supplies because she had nothing. Godwin had been a muslim who came to Jesus and his family rejected him and cut him off. He had nothing.

But the baby died in her womb and she delivered a stillborn. We were so grieved. Anita and I were talking on the phone when she got the email. We cried and prayed for young little Mildred.

so it was with great joy that we saw she was doing well. Anita accepted the gift graciously. She and mom headed to bed early that night. About 10pm, someone peeked into the room......was she ready to get up to eat dinner? ......no thank you, she was already asleep.

when she got up in the morning, she saw the boys eating the night's leftovers. it was rooster. and not any rooster, but her gift rooster! Gone, eaten. and they enjoyed him. Oh well, you can't exactly take him home, right? mom wishes she'd have gotten a picture of that bone on the plate. evidence that mr. rooster did indeed exist. but he passed into obscurity instead.

then there was my food poisoning. should I make a story out of that? ha ha! it was very public. everyone told me wherever i went afterwards that they were praying for my sickness. hooray! but I am glad they prayed. all through my misery, i continally thanked God telling Him, It is worth it. I am glad to be here. this is nothing. it will pass.

and it did.
and I'm fine.
i lost 10 pounds and then gained it right back, darn it.
slim for three days.
oh i guess there are more important things.

we did get to go around to several churches and preach the good news and rejoice with our brothers and sisters. We got to worship with them, which is always fun. especially at Joseph's church ---and I heard that Thomas Boya's church is very lively---but I was not able to make that one. We went to Sony's church, Boniface's church, Geoffrey's church at pastor cosmos' house, Stanley's church, Joseph's church, Thomas' church, I'm sure I'm missing some. We visited the high school, an elementary school, 2 hospitals and a clinic.

oh man, at one hospital there was a 19 year old named Japeth. Japeth was in hideous shape. We laid hands on him in prayer. he looked like a late stage AIDS patient but he wasn't. He had seizures and epilepsy and other things like maybe TB or something. He was all drawn up and skinny. He barely seemed coherent and was clearly in great pain.

His father used to care for him, but his father died a year ago. since then he'd been basically left to himself. The doctor, a very good man who runs the hospital in a rural area plus a clinic in kakamega and is a pastor, too---He made house calls in the area and found this boy uncared for. He demanded that the family bring him in for surgery. his bedsores were like giant holes the size of oranges eating into his hip. they brought him in a green old wheelbarrow that rested outside of his door. The pain that must have caused him! Japeth is often on my mind and I hate to consider how he suffers every minute. How he has suffered this last year! and he is just one of many who are unseen suffering in a world without treatment! But this doctor will care for him. He was going to take him into surgery that same day to remove the dead areas and put the boy on the path to healing.

there was so much fun there, though, too. i loved meeting Melab, wife of pastor Steve, mother to baby Anita, named after Anita when she came in December. Melab is a beautiful smart woman who sings and plays the drum for worship. She has a beautiful happy fat baby, which is so good to see when many babies are NOT fat. it is rare.
Steve asked Pastor Steve to stand next to his wife and get close to her. bishop titus is encouraging local pastors to love their wives as christ loves the church and to be affectionate with her. So pastor Steve sort of lays hands on his wife. My steve says, Hey, you look like you are PRAYING for her, get closer, so Pastor steve just takes a step closer but leaves his hands there on her neck. THIS CRACKS ME UP EVERY TIME I SEE IT!!! IT IS SO LOVELY AND DORKY!! He was trying.
They are a great couple, great people. one of my favorites. I look forward to getting to know them more and more.

okay, nap time. a little quick snooze so I can serve my hubby when he comes home from his first day at the office. he was sick from a cold he caught in kenya and suffered on the plane trip home. we got home at 1am on saturday morning and then went to garson's baylor graduation in waco first thing on saturday morning and did not get home until 7:30pm!!! so we crashed and then Steve slept most of sunday and the night too, and now he's had to go into work.

i've worked these past days, too, getting everything back in order, house restocked, bills paid, laundry washed, ....and so I'll get a little snooze to perk back up again.

God is good, all the time, in all ways, Amen!

Trinity Global Development YEAH!

I am so thankful that I have gotten the website posted to the web and I've gotten the paperwork for tax exemption sent to the IRS-the 1023. So I'll be a 501 (c)3 as soon as they notify me and then it will be retroactive to the date I mailed the paperwork--April 6, 2008.

and I'm gearing up for the trip to Kenya, but I've waited so long to ask anyone for donations. My friend Anita is bringing tons of stuff. She's got a huge midwifery poster set and a giant felt storyboard set, among other things. We're bringing childbirth and baby care books. My mom is going to teach hygiene and CPR. She'll take blood pressure readings and I'm not sure what else.

I'm going to be filming footage to use in a promo video so people get a feel for what it is like there.
I pray that Jesus is exalted and that people in Kenya give Him praise as a result of the generosity of those who give to see their lives improve.