Last pictures from Kenya

Friday evening update - Final message from Kenya

Well, today it is my turn to write the letter. It is bittersweet for me. The reason I was chosen is I am the one left behind! I am thrilled to be able to spend one on one time with my sister, but I am sending home many new friends and family members! It was a GREAT group and I think we were all blessed to be a part of it!

The day started out kinda lazy. There was no set schedule except that we were going to have lunch at Java one last time! Some of the group shopped before and after lunch (o:. We had a wonderful lunch and Antony joined us so he could spend a little bit of time with the team before they left. The rest of the afternoon was spent packing and getting things all ready to leave. Some were waiting for some special glass things to arrive, but sadly they did not arrive before they left. The vans and luggage were all packed and they headed to the airport around 6:45pm. They arrived safely at the airport at 7:30pm.

I think the time here in Kenya was a success. I think each member of the team learned a lot about Kenya, working and living as group, their relationship with God and themselves. We were all blessed to be apart of the group and I think each one of us is thankful that God allowed us to be a part of the group and thankful for each one of those who prayed and supported us.

Blessings from Kenya and as they say here

"kwaheri" or good-bye in Swahili!

Kelli

Back in Nairobi and getting ready to head home!

Hey Everyone!

We made it safely back to Robyn's today. The past few days have been eye opening and very exhilerating. We have seen so much. Robyn told you about the Baby Center, so I will only add a couple of thoughts. It is amazing how they have built up such an important ministry to care for babies. The new building will be able to meet many needs.

After leaving the Baby Center, we made a 'five-minute' stop at the Mosop Mission School to take a look at the work of the previous Kenya team. Several other buildings have been added since then. We also had some gifts for the kids at the orphanage. We planned on dropping the gifts off at the house and staying for five minutes, but we were invited in for cocoa, coffee, and mandazis. It was all very good, but it ended up being about twenty-five minutes. Kenyan hospitality is amazing.

We still got to Tenwek on time for the mexican carry-in lunch. It was extremely delicious. We met many of the people working at Tenwek, whether permanently or temporarily. We saw two of the guys that were on our flight on the way over here. After lunch, Faith Shingledecker gave us a tour of Tenwek Hospital. It was amazing to see how far the hospital has come from its simple beginnings. God's timing was perfect when Ernie Steury started the hospital, and its growth has been miraculous. We were able to hand out beanie babies to the kids that were patients (and even to some that weren't). Their faces showed their appreciation. We had dinner at Robyn's friend Linner's house (pronounced Leena). She prepared a delicious mixture of Kenyan cuisine. We enjoyed ugali, beef stew, lentels, chapatis, potatoes, rice, matoke, soup, pineapples, and chai. It was all very tasty. After dinner, we got to walk back to our rooms in the dark. It was exciting.

The next day, Wednesday, we were up very early in the morning to head out for our safari. It took a few hours over very bumpy terrain to reach our destination of the Sarova Mara Hotel. The long road trip was tiring. It sort of rocks you to sleep. Before entering the game park, our drivers surrounded a wildebeast and frightened it into running. It kept right up with our van and was determined to run in front of us, which it did. God's creatures are amazing. As we approached the gate to the game drive, we were greeted by maasai women who wanted to sell us many things. We could've even taken their picture, but probably for a price. Upon arrival, we had to wait for our rooms for a long time (about an hour). We were able to eat lunch while we were waiting. The meals were an all-you-can-eat buffet. Wow! There was so much to choose from, and we might have chosen too much. :) Our rooms were tents, but not what you would picture at the mention of staying in a tent. They had hardwood floors, a tiled bathroom, a roof, a porch, electricity, furniture, and very comfortable beds, with hot water bottles at your feet. Now that's a tent.

Our first game drive was at three in the afternoon. The vans we were traveling in had roofs that popped up, so we could stand while enjoying the awesome views. The animals that we saw the most of were zebras, wildebeasts, antelopes, and other various grazing animals. We also saw elephants, giraffes, hippos, crocodiles, birds, buffalo, hyenas, lionesses and cubs, a glimpse of a cheetah, and warthogs. The first day was not all that eventful, except that we saw the remains of a fresh kill, and one of our vans got a flat tire. Our drivers got out and had to change it. It was sort of nerve-wracking, because you were to remain in the vehicles at all times, due to being unable to determine what the intentions of a wild animal are. The other van, the one without the flat tire, almost got to see a leopard... almost. We got back and cleaned up for supper, which we had to dress up for. It was, once again, delicious. After supper, we went to Jim's tent, held devotions, and talked about the trip thus far. We had a good discussion. Then we went back to our tents. (Rhea and Allison got stuck in one; the zipper broke; and some of the kids had to go get help.)

In the morning, the early, chilly morning, we set out for another game drive. There did not seem to be quite as many animals about, though there were still a lot of zebras and wildebeast. I don't really know about the other van, but ours had an adrenaline-pumping experience with an elephant. A male elephant came out from behind a bush and onto the very path we were driving on. It began coming toward us with his ears perked in a threatening way. He advanced and we slowly retreated. Bonny, our driver, was about to turn around when the elephant left the road. As we drove past, he turned toward us one last time. Phew!

The highlight of the morning, which both vans had the pleasure of experiencing, was getting to see a lion and a lioness. Last night, we were unable to find a male lion, so this was exciting. Just ask any of us about it. I'm sure there are several great pictures. On the way back to the resort, we got to see a pair of jackals, and also a family of hyenas by their den. We ate breakfast, which was grand, when we got back. Then, we packed up and left for Nairobi, which was a five hour drive.

That pretty much does it; sums up our few days away. When we got back to Robyn's, the power had been out since nine this morning, but it came back on in time to celebrate my 19th birthday.

So, tomorrow we wake up when we want, have lunch at Java House, and do some last minute shopping. Then, we head for the airport at 6:30pm, and begin our journey home. Until then, thank you to everyone that has supported us in any way throughout this Kenyan adventure, and God bless.

This report brought to you by, once again,

Nicole and Jade

See you soon

p.s. - please excuse the length

Tuesday evening update - Baby Center

We left Nairobi Monday am, at 8:10am and headed to Nakuru. Kelli woke in the night with strept throat, so her sister (yep, that's me) started her on antibiotics. I drove because I am still not able to travel on the bad roads of Kenya for far. The road to Nakuru was recently redone, so it is SWEET! Last week part of the new road was closed and traffic diverted, but praise God, this week, all open. It was drizzling and cool as we left Nairobi and even got into some thick fog, so the view of the Rift Valley was not the best, hopefully the team will see it more clearly when they return to Nbi on Thursday. We arrived in Nakuru town around 11am and did some shopping for gifts. Then we went on to Billy Wayne & Jenny Fuller's home for a marvelous lunch on their veranda (porch) that overlooks Lake Nakuru. It was great fellowship, great food and what a view! After lunch on to Jim & Alice Vanderhoofs, another couple of missionaries and our WGM Kenya Field Directors. We had dessert there, along with Jon, Vera, Ben, Brenden and Bethany Steury. What a treat to be with many of our missionaries all in one day. Then on to the AGC Baby Center, where we now have 27 precious babies. Staci Wells Keter welcomed us and showed the rest of the team around the place. Kelli went to bed to rest and keep her germs away from the precious little ones. Rhea & Lesley helped me as we saw several of the babies who were sick or needed review. The others spent the rest of the afternoon holding and playing with babies. Then to supper at the home of Priscilla & Stephen Kones and their daughters, Dorothy & Faith. Priscilla is the RN who is a Tenwek graduate and one I mentored and worked with in Peds at Tenwek. She calls me her Mom. SWEET! She made a feast for us. Then we had a time of them sharing their testimony, welcoming us to their home and then their girls sang to us, first Joy to the World in English and then another song telling of how the Lord will never leave us, in Kipsigis. We were all smiling.

After a good night of rest, we had breakfast together then the team left for Mosop Mission School, to greet children there and then on to Tenwek Hospital. They arrived there safely and have had a tour and gone to their supper at the home of another of my daughters, Linner Rotich, and her family. They go on to Maasai Mara tomorrow and then return to Nairobi and my home on Thursday afternoon. As one of the team put it the other day, "we've seen so much we can hardly absorb it all."

Whitney Smith, one of our WGM VIA (volunteers in action) and I returned to Nairobi this afternoon after I saw a total of 18 of the 27 babies at the Center. They had a GI bug that went around a week ago and now many have colds and have gotten ear infections. Please pray that they will heal. What a precious bunch they are! If you want to see some of their smiling faces check out www.agcbabycenter.org

Until Thursday, God bless you, each one. Thank you for your prayers and for sending the team here. What a blessing!!! Robyn

No updates till Thursday

Due to the team's travel schedule and lack of internet access, they will not have another update until Thursday. This will be a day before the team leaves to head back to the States. Please continue to keep them in your prayers as they travel Kenya visit Tenwek, Nakuru, and the Masai Mara.

Sunday Update

Hello Everybody Back Home,
Today has been a day of well needed rest for everyone. It was cold and cloudy all day and just a good day to relax. We all went to the first service at the Good Samaritan church, which is in Swahili. Jim spoke preached the message and it was translated, as for the rest of us we did the children's church lesson for the kids, in English. The second service, the one in English was alot the same except we did a puppet song in front of the whole congregation, before we left to do the children's church. Some of the group went to do some more shopping at the Yaya Market, which was like all the others, just alot of vendors shaking your hand and telling you how good their products were. Around 2:30 we left the market and came home to a wonderful roast lunch with Joy Philips, a friend of Robyn's. Joy told us of the work she is doing in Sudan distributing Bibles to the people there. The rest of the afternoon has consisted of dishes, napping, and packing for our trip upcountry tomorrow. Everyone has continued to remain healthy and has adjusted well. Thank you for all your prayers and the support you continue to give us.

From Kenya,
Adam McLaughlin

Saturday Update

Hello Everyone,

Today was great! It started off poorly (late getting out of Robyn's) but ended well. One of the vans had a "puncture" and was late arriving, so we had to wait for it to arrive. Eventually we were able to go to the Good Samaritan Children's Home in the Mathari slums. Usually, Robyn is able to drive to the school but since we had so much rain and our vans were so large, we had to walk from the main road to where the school was.

This home was very different than Huruma. The children sleep up to 50 in just one room with 3 per bed. They just had a small concrete room about the size of the Jr High room to play in as their playground. On the second floor of the school you had to watch out so that you didn't fall through the floorboards, because there were large holes and the boards were rotten in different places. This home was also very dirty compared to Huruma. The children were getting ready to go to the picnic at Paradise Lost (the park where we went to next). To bathe, the children would take a bucket of water and then dip a rag into it to wash off.

When we were finished at Good Samaritan, we walked back to the vans to then go to Paradise Lost park. This park would compare to Quabache, however this is not a state park. When we arrived, there were coffee plant fields along both sides of the road as you drove back to the park. As we got closer, there were signs indicating that there were camels! I guess you could ride them, but we didn't. Once we arrived at the gate, a few members of the group had to use the bathroom. WHAT AN EXPERIENCE! These were squatters and they smelled worse than an outhouse. (Kristin...Now I see why you came back like you did. lol.)

We were then able to go to the camp site where we met up with Michael Johnson's group from Pennsylvania. There, we had to wait forever for the children to arrive. No one ever gave a clear reason for the late arrival, but I guess that's Kenya. After the children arrived, we started off by feeding them boiled eggs, two rolls and a carton of milk. As Michael said, "This is probably more food than they can handle." There were also bag lunches that included: two sandwiches, an apple, an orange and cookies. That they would be fed later in the afternoon.

We then did our puppet show as they finished eating. Once the children had finished eating, we went across the road to a large open field where we played games. The ladies did face painting for those that wanted it, some played soccer, some just kicked a ball around and others just stood around and visited. Michael made the comment that this was more grass than these kids will ever see. Then there were organized games. There were four groups total. We had to name the groups after prophets of the bible. Go Jonah! Once the games were over, the Good Samaritan acrobat team performed for everyone. This is a show that they travel around and do for earning money for the home. They were very good.

Finally we left for home. Everyone is very muddy, dirty and exhausted. Once home, we found out that the gas had ran out on the stove. But that was a good thing, because Robyn's househelp had put the roast on a cookie sheet in the oven instead of in a pot with water and vegetables. So, while we are waiting for supper, everyone is showering and getting ready for our Sunday school lessons tomorrow. Hope all is well.

Earl & Lesley



Rhea and Natalie handing out food to the kids.












Puppet show done for the kids.












Group games done with the kids at the picnic.