Psalm 139:5

Well, we’ve been here in beautiful Kenya for about 2 ½ weeks! Things are becoming so real right now as we begin to embark on an even deeper journey in this country. I’m requesting special prayer for the exciting individual tasks ahead of me, which I will explain later in this blog!

We’ve continued working on the Convoy Garden 3 here at the missionary compound and we’ve made great strides! The majority of the garden has been completed and the group has made progress on digging the tilapia pond and loading dock. Every once in a while the weather sets us back on some of the projects, but overall things are coming along! Sometimes it’s difficult to see the progress as it's in work; however, we know that the end project is eternally important.

Mandy & I have also began working on the catalog that will showcase all the different types of projects we’ve been setting up. Hopefully, this catalog will be shown to leaders of group homes who will be visiting the Garden area in a few weeks. The catalog will showcase items such as solar cookers, tilapia ponds, Farming God’s Way gardens, Biosand water filters, etc. We hope to inspire group home leaders to implement these projects for safety, health, money-saving, and sustainability. The catalog will consist of pictures, descriptions, and benefits of these items. I constructed an introduction to the catalog using some scriptures about man’s ability to take care of the land in a proper way under God’s direction and the provision we are promised with obedience. I have also summarized the overall concepts of solar cookers and Farming God’s Way. I’m excited to see how we can make this appealing and desirable for the benefit of those in need.

We’ve also been able to do a few other cool things as well. For instance, last Saturday we traveled a couple of hours away (close to the border of Tanzania) where we helped teach the Kenyan Royal Rangers at their campout!! I was incredibly excited! In Kenya, the Royal Rangers include both boys and girls. Many of these kids were taken off the streets and adopted into Kenyan Kids homes. We shared with songs and skits, which are two of my favorite things to do with kids! I was able to participate in two skits and a song. The kids were very receptive to our team. We then taught the kids how to build solar cookers and divided into groups so they could build their own. Tonya and I were able to work with three little boys: Jehosophat, Daniel, & Andre. One of the Royal Ranger directors helped us as well. We could tell they really enjoyed building their solar cooker by the beaming smiles of pride on their faces. What joy it is to work with these beautiful, loving kids! We emphasized to these kids how incredibly special they are and how much God loves them.

In the coming days, we will embark on a very serious mission. Our team will travel six hours to Sombo, an area in northern Kenya where the population is unreached. Sombo is located near the border of Somalia and the majority of the people there are Muslim. Most of our team members will be camping near the home of a Masai pastor constructing a fence for the home and church. However, I will be doing something a little different. Sandy, Heidi, & myself will be heading six miles from the rest of the group to the home of a Kenyan missionary lady who started a school for the Muslim children in the nearby village. This missionary is sharing the light of Christ in a dark and poverty-stricken area by showing compassion to the people there and providing a means of education (something they need) for their little ones. Sandy, Heidi, & myself will be staying in the teacher’s mud hut for about five days helping her come up with some new teaching methods, as well as accompanying her in the classroom with songs, games, and hopefully some teaching ourselves. I’m still fuzzy on many of the details, but it looks like we will be working with non-English speaking children ranging from the ages of two to twelve. I am asking for a special dose of prayer for protection, safety, provision, grace, discernment, and wisdom as we head to this area. I have felt a little intimidated about the task ahead and working in such an unreached area. At the same time, I’m very excited for the doors God is opening and amazed that I’m partaking in such a work. I can look back and see where God has been leading, confirming, and preparing me for this very opportunity for a while now. It is only by the grace of God that I am here and able to do this. Please, please, please pray for me and the team and a special covering over us as we fight the attacks of the enemy. We are already fighting spiritual warfare taking place, and we need to be strong in order to accomplish what God has us to do. I’m believing for the love of Christ to shine into this area! Who knows what could happen by the power and glory of God!!I've been reading Mark Batterson's In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day and it's exactly what I need to hear right now. :)

After we have finished our time in Sombo, we will come back to the compound and regroup for a couple of days. Then, we will head to the wilderness of Mt. Suswe to camp with the tribal Masai people. We will begin helping Pastor Jackson and others with the ministries we have planned, such as steam vent water-catching in Mt. Suswe’s volcanic craters and other building projects for the Masai people.

In the coming weeks, we will do a lot of camping in other places as well and have some cool opportunities we are still learning about. I’m so thankful God has brought me here. I definitely need much prayer to stay strong mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically. He has been molding me and revealing so many things. Even through the battles, I can see that God is drawing me closer to Him than ever before. I’m excited to see what God does in our remaining five weeks here in beautiful Kenya. Thank you so much for allowing me to share this exciting time with you. I appreciate you more than you know!! It’s all for the glory of God.