As most of you know we traveled home starting Tuesday for us and returned to American soil Wednesday night. As we walked from customs, Chris bolted wide eyed to the taco bell while the first thing I saw a picture of was a pumpkin cooler from Karibu coffee. It was a done deal. We were back and we wanted to make it official by dining on whatever we wanted! (Ridiculous? Yes, I know.)
We are adjusting well to time differences and so blessed to have been met at the airport by family. Already- we are missing our national brothers and sisters. Please continue to pray for them as they continue their daily routines with the ministry.
Why did we come home after only 4.5 months?
As self supported missionaries we raise our own support, which requires us to travel around to various churches to inform people about what God is doing through Only Servants Ministries in Kenya. We look at it as a perk to being self supported. No, we don't receive a salary through an organization- but we do get to lean on God for our support and allow our faith to grow each month when we receive our monthly support report. And now knowing how bad the economy is getting, I can't wait to see what God is going to do. It truly is a blessing!
What happens with the ministry while we are home?
Let us not forget to continue praying for the ministry that continues every day while we are home. My best friend Joy-(whom most of you all have met via her blog). Is holding down the fort for at least the next month and then our friend Shauna will step in. I encourage you to keep up with Joy's blog so that you can follow what is happening while we are here. Joy will be over-seeing the guest house and going to Kibera to do various ministries.
Our National Team will be continuing the ministries with which they are responsible. They too need your prayers each day. Each of them have extraordinary passions for ministry and encourage us more than I feel we encourage them. Let's continue to pray for the Street Evangelism, Discipleship of new believers, and the Bible College's in both slums. We are so blessed to have Godly brothers and sisters to co-labor with for the Kingdom!
[On a side note: we did get to visit the lady I had mentioned that has a ministry to muslim women. There was so much going on around then, so I never got the opportunity to post about it. We found out the ministry she has with the muslim women is just one of MANY! Linette is a single missionary working with AIM in the Kibera. They have a large (for kibera) building which contains a clinic (one of 2 REGISTERED clinics in ALL of Kibera), literacy school (cost:$1.50/month), and sewing program. They have recently started a sports ministry using soccer with youth boys- that essentially fell in their lap! Some of these young men played a part in the clashes after the election in December/January. It was so refreshing to see something like this ministry going on in Kibera. They use the literacy program (again, the only one in Kibera) to reach and evangelize the muslim women through establishing a relationship with them through their routine lessons. WOO! Does that not just want to make you yell out?]
At any rate, Joy will be visiting that ministry weekly to be a part of it. Also- they have a women's bible study which is a gift of Joy's so I'm excited for her to be a part of that.
On the home front:
My hero (aka- dad) is having surgery today at 10am on his foot. Please pray for him. This is the first of many surgeries to come as he continues to grow older. They say with age, comes wisdom. True, but they forgot it also comes with pain. Dad has been hurting for a while so he's ready to take the risks that come with this surgery because he's tired of limiting his activity. Though it sounds like a simple foot surgery, my pop has some other problems that the doctors have to consider when they do surgery. It's a lot of preparation. It means so much to me to have your prayers both in Kenya, and here as well. Thank you for letting me share this request with you.
I'm so thankful we got to spend yesterday together while he could move around a little. We had so much fun- voting, cutting down trees, and learning to drive the backhoe (yes- he taught me how... another check on the "things to before I die" list)
