GOD'S SONG

The spiritual language communicates heart to heart and soul to soul.  Our actions, our words and our even our thoughts build others up into the body of Christ.

But there comes a time when our lives become part of God's lovesong.  A time when in rhythm with the beat of the heart...in melody with the braying of the donkey, the mooing of the cow and the delightful squeals echoing across the fields our moments are lifted up in praise to the Lord.  God's lovesong becomes perfect harmony as each of His children humble themselves in adoration and praise.  With each serving in submission to the other, each is honored and lifted to God's throne. This is how we have walked this week...surrounded by the most angelic voices.  Sometimes others heard the song the same while other times we each heard the song through the soul of a patient, widow, WBS worker or child.  His harmony resonated throughout our days.

Today as I visited with George Oscar and Lucas about their families, I felt the joy of these men fall into the harmony.  Their families are following their footprints of service and evangelization.  They are growing strong in their faith.  They are working hard on their studies in hopes of reaching high scores to qualify for the university.  George and Lucas were true servants today translating for centers and helping with measuring each child and worker as they entered the clinic.  Their servant hearts entered the heartsong in perfect harmony.

A piece of our heart stayed behind at Uriri as we pulled out for the last time this week. Exhausted physically and emotionally, we were stronger than ever in our determination to extend the mission beyond the time limits of this trip.  

Reflecting, rejoicing, reconnecting and reveling in God's mercy we drove back down familiar roads over familiar speed bumps and around the potholes toward Kericho and the Tea Hotel.  We stopped in Kisii at the soapstone factory where we saw the carvers using machetes, knives, pocketknives and files to create intricate, delicate statues before our eyes.  CJ is a master at negotiating and lumped all of our purchases together to lower the price for all yesterday.  Today our stop was quick to pick up a couple special orders and last minute items.  Now it is time to repack and use our imagination in getting these into our bags safely!  Nakumat, we need bubble wrap!

 An evening on the veranda of the Tea Hotel...dinner in the dinning hall...sweet sleep and refreshing showers...God is good all the time--ALL the time GOD is GOOD!

BECOMING FAMILY

Today we returned to Uriri to work with our older orphanage youth and widows before working with the children from the Uriri Feeding station.  We saw several adults in the group in between who work with our orphans.  The morning was a great time to get a little more organization into the medicine supply bags while we saw children.

Uriri knows how to make a spread for lunch!  We have eaten like kings!  Chipatti, fried chicken, kale, dangu, rice, fried plantains, potatoes, beef stew, fruit salad, bottled water and soft drinks!  The flavored of Kenya are sensations to savor for a lifetime!

It is such a blessing to be around Kennedy and Maureen Chandi and their adorable girls...Merisue, Sabrina and Linda Hunt!  Oh how the memories flood up and around us as we cherish the legacy Linda left behind!  These girls will grow into strong Christian ladies one day who will spread the gospel in their land.

The sounds of choruses and praise filled the great hall as the youth choir shared their talent with us and taught Maureen new songs.  I cannot wait to get one of the CDs that KWO has cut of the children singing!  That is a perfect way to keep their love in my ears as I drive down the way.

The industries of sugar processing and brick making help to fund the needs of the children we serve here.  

Maureen and I held a meeting with Lucas, George and James after lunch while others played.  The men are ecstatic about the few motorbikes we will be able to distribute amongst them soon.  It will be a major enhancement to their work as they will reach so much further distances with the gospel!  One day we hope to be able to get a motorbike for each of them to use!

The soapstone factory is always a fun stop as I seek out unusual pieces to take back with me.  This time a unique giraffe family depiction caught my eye!

We were excited to arrive back in Kisii in time to join those back home for noon hour Monday prayers!  Oh, the joy of unified worship and love!

SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP

Up with the sun...

We joined GCR in the beginning of our 50 days of prayer, but fasting isn't happening here this week!  At least it doesn't seem to be that any of our crowd has been hungry!  The Kenyan food is varied enough for even the pickiest of us to enjoy bountifully!

Our worship was inspired this morning.  Tim interwove the stories of Thomas, Alfayo, Kennedy, Moses, John, Tim and each of us present to be used by The Lord as he calls and prepares us.  It truly was a blessing.  The Uriri youth had pulled our hearts into the very presence of God with beautiful themes of praise and unity...service and love...mercy and salvation!  Their joy fills the air inside and out!  Communion was shared at the table and tenderly accompanied by voices throughout the congregation.  Our hearts melted and blended as Stephen translated the service and George Oscar, one of our WBS workers visiting today, led the congregation into a time of offerings.

We have become a well oiled machine as we service in family union one with the other in this clinic.  It seemed the 94 children glided through our stations as each team member offered assistance as needed.

Rain in Uriri simultaneous with dust in Odessa, our lives are connected in worshipping our savior!

KIKITEMO MEDICAL DAY

Our first day in clinic took us back to the IDP camp, KIKITEMO. I love seeing Grace, Susan, Lucy and Tabitha in their beautiful aprons and the darling children. They have grown so since I began visiting in their homes in 2011.  They have matured in their faith, and their joy and enthusiasm continues to amaze me.  

Their new facilities are state of the art!  They have running water for the kitchen and the sink for hand-washing at the cho.  This sweet group of displaced people have become a family and a community reaching out to spread the gospel.  Their new homes are built on four of the six acres they raised monies to buy.  Immediately after buying their land, they donated one acre to KWO to be used for building the feeding station for the orphans in their care and offered to sell the sixth acre to KWO for the site of a possible future orphanage.  These are amazing people!

They welcomed us with songs and hugs...excited to see us and eager to spend the day with us!  Their love of The Lord is phenomenal!  It shines in their eyes.  It radiates from the glow on their faces and resounds from their praise in song.

Quickly we set up the dining hall into our makeshift clinic...the triage station at the door, the dental chair and materials in one area, the doctors on the other side of the pharmacy.  Hand washing instruction, teeth-brushing activities and an area for reading books we brought filled the room.  The children entered the room to be weighed and measured then registered with Maureen who completed the card and gave them their precious goodie bags from the members of Wesley United Methodist Church of Andrews.  Their smiles brightened as they received stickers on their foreheads and went from station to station...receiving a pen at one, toothbrush and cover at another...bouncy balls, Smarties, bubble gum, twirly birds, lollipops, friendship bracelets, etc.

Working the pharmacy, we stayed busy throughout dispensing the correct dosage for children as prescribed by the two doctors.  Barrett helped me organize and dispense today as we do not conduct eye exams at feeding stations.

Lunch was taken in shifts as we continued the flow of examinations for the children and residents of KIKITEMO IDP Camp.  It was delicious and served in Grace's home.

After clinic we had a little play time to sing and throw frisbees, kick soccer balls and learn new games!  What a fun and fulfilling day!

Our drive on to Kunste Hotel in Nakura was beautiful and invigorating as our new team members spoke in rapid-fire rounds about their love and amazement for the sights and joys of the day!

Dinner at the new Java House, a quick shopping spree at Nakumat and then checking into the hotel for a great night's rest!

TRAVEL DAYS

One by one and two by two our team trickled into airports in Midland, Tucson and Dallas early on Wednesday morning.  The excitement filled the air in Midland as friends and family helped carry in luggage and repackage medications and supplies--weighing and re-weighing bags to be sure each one was within the 50 pound weight limit.  Then all circled together for prayers and blessings.  It seemed our team was riddled with tedious issues as we began the day...issues beyond our control and absolutely random!  One by one we approached the counter and checked bags directly to Nairobi.  Krista's paperwork had a kink and the agent worked in different ways to try to clear their error.  Finally as we all prayed, her bags were checked to Kenya and her first boarding pass printed.  We boarded the plane. 

In Dallas we stopped in the jetway to claim our gate checked carryon luggage.  Cherie noticed my bag was caught in the mechanism of the luggage elevator.  We tried to pull it loose, but it was wedged in tightly.  Long story short...three times down and three times up produced a mangled and torn bag with the bottom ripped open like a tin can!  Shredded face wipes, burst bottles, crushed prescriptions could be replaced or ignored.  The cracked lens on Tim's camera was a different story!  AA replaced my carry on bag and cut a check immediately for the lens after we all did Internet research.  (Tim replaced the lens before we arrived!)

Flights and connections from that point were slick...other than seat mates, sick babies and unusual aromas!  Emerates is a wonderful airlines with terrific service.

All luggage arrived with us.  All team members gathered at Kamul safely and healthy with great anticipation!  Maureen had a delicious meal awaiting us.  Reorganization and repacking, we all found beds and slept a few hours.

KERICHO FEEDING STATION

Saturday dawned early in Kenya...eight hours before it did in Texas!  We enjoyed a hot shower and a delicious breakfast buffet in our hotel before packing up the vehicles.  We sent the medics on to the feeding station to set up the clinic while we waited for Risper to come from Nairobi to bring the missing needles for the dentist to use in extractions.  

The clinic was running by the time we arrived!  Hugs and kisses before finishing the set up for the pharmacy were greatly appreciated as we disembarked from the vehicles!  

We quickly fell into the flow and dispensed meds for doctor and dentist throughout the day.  We completed serving the children before sitting down for a delicious lunch prepared by the widows and church members.  The selections were unbelievable!

Maureen and I met with Evans, Harrison, Richard, Samuel and Francis before and through lunch.  It is so nice to get names, faces and personalities together for our WBS workers while in a more informal setting.  They enjoyed serving as interpreters and helping to coordinate the clinic today.  These men are incredible evangelists spreading the word of God to neighboring villages, family and friends!  

The travel through tea country is always beautiful as are the faces of the people we pass along the way.  We stopped for fuel across from the Tea Hotel long enough for the new members to take a quick tour of the grounds and catch sight of monkeys on the lawn!

We arrived in Kisii at the Dados Hotel in time for 7:30 dinner and fellowship.  Now it is off to bed for early morning departure for worship and clinic tomorrow!

PREPARATION DAY FOR JUNE MEDICAL MISSION KWO

Wednesday morning we will load our bags into cars in Odessa, Andrews, Dallas and Midland to gather in the lobby of the airport and distribute supplies prior to check-in for our first leg of the June Medical mission with KWO.  Our travels Wednesday will take us first to DFW where we will complete our team and then over the Atlantic to Dubai where we will spend Thursday morning.  

Then we will depart for our destination of Kenya!  Come travel with us via this blog.  Anticipate meeting up with our Kenyan brothers and sisters as we work hand in hand along the way!  Look forward to seeing into the eyes of over 400 of our precious young children who live in our KWO orphanages or who are fed from the widows who serve in our feeding stations.  Be ready to be amazed by the love, concern and tenderness you will witness as this team of sixteen Texans...five medical personnel and eleven non-professional servants...and countless Kenyan KWO & WBS personnel and volunteers ministers to the needs of these children, widows and church members.  Then hold onto your hats as a smaller group of us go on safari!

Each of us will wear many hats this trip.  I will serve on the team as "pharmacist" and will also meet and work with our WBS workers in their communities.

We are packing medical equipment, WBS office supplies, baptismal waders, treats for the children and some very special treat bags.  

Five hundred bags have been painted by members of Andrews Wesley United Methodist Church to be given to each of our orphans and widows.  Sunday the church in Andrews held a special dedication during their morning worship praying for the children who will receive and cherish their bags.

(My mother enjoyed lending these saints a hand during her recent visit in my home and painted twenty nine of the bags herself.)