A Straight Flush

My hands fumbled the handle of the bucket as I sprinted up the stairs. Water spilling in the halls as I scurried into the room to do what had to be done. At long last this moment was upon us, we had been without water for two days and this was the first opportunity many of us had to extinguish the inner grumblings of our stomachs. This water would give us the ability to flush the toilet and avoid the “long drop” toilets that wait for us outside should we fail. I will close this opening story with one word...”success.”

We lost water in the Kijabe area a couple of days ago due to a broken pipe that provided water to the whole compound including the hospital. It has truly been a bonding experience considering sanitation and bathroom etiquette basically went out the window, and we settled for nods over handshakes and keeping a good distance in case our deodorant wore off. During the shortage, the staff at Cure were gracious enough to provide us with a 200 liter container of water for three of our bathrooms should we feel the need to shower or flush a toilet. (As of this post, most of the compound appears to have water again and the showers will be going continually for the next 24 hours.)

Stories aside, today was a day full of blessings for the whole team. We began with a day with a chapel service at CURE where Panda Paul again brought the word strongly. He talked about peace with God and the peace *of* God. So good! The day at CURE also consisted of DJ helping log charts in the business office, Greg and Daniel battling viruses of the computer variety in the administration area while building an additional computer for the hospital to use, Paul supervising his flock and working with children, the nurses (Elaine, Beth, Hannah, Kristen, and Leah) doing an outpatient clinic with Dr. Bob, Ginny in the Physiotherapy department and myself in the warehouse trying to sort out the supply situation.

We worked until around 1pm and then ventured down into the valley to check out the site for Naomi's Village (the Mendonsa's future orphanage). I must comment at this point on Dr. Bob's driving. Picture, if you will, an orthopedic surgeon at the wheel of a toyota SUV in the middle of a Baja race that consisted of nothing but jagged rocks and mountains. It is truly an adventure to ride with Bob as the smile on his face while we bounce around keeps us all laughing while the contents of our stomachs roll around with us in the car. He does listen to Chris Tomlin and David Crowder on the iPod while we do this, so at least we have some soothing sounds to accompany the occasional screams and laughter.

When we got to the five acre plot where Naomi's Village will be, you could smell the fresh air, and as Elaine so eloquently put it, “a sweet perfume of The Spirit of the Lord.” Paul suggested we each walk around the area and pray over the future of the orphanage and ask for God to bless the land, the staff, the children and all those involved in this project. It was amazing to look at this plot of land and imagine over one hundred children receiving God's grace and love through his workers in this area. This land will be where the nine thousand square foot building will stand and house both caretakers and children...such a beautiful thought. I took this time to reflect on how God had brought forth this desire in the hearts of Bob and Julie, taken them from their home in Texas and brought them here to this five acre plot in the middle of Kenya where the orphanage will stand. All of the people involved in this project, many of whom are working for nothing, see God's desire for this place, and it has all been so beautifully orchestrated by the Lord. I am so thankful that our team had the opportunity to come to this place and pray together and ask God to continue to bless Naomi's Village and all that He has in store for its future.

Please pray for God to continue to work in the hearts of those involved in Naomi's Village. Our desire is to see it not only bless the children within it, but to bless all those involved in this plan. We thank God for how far we have come and we humbly ask that He continues to place His desires in our hearts. Pray that the Lord helps those involved in this project to raise the funds necessary for its completion, and pray that the Lord begins to work in the hearts of the children that will live in Naomi's Village.

Tonight we shared our experiences of the day as a group, and Beth and Leah gave their testimonies. These two young women are living God-centered lives, and it was a blessing to learn of their stories and how far they have come in their walks. I know that God will continue to be a part of our meetings during our time here and that He will continue to reveal Himself to us through the lives of our team and the people of this country.

Following our group meeting we decided to meet a challenge between Bob and Paul to see who was the best “Wii bowler.” Now I know that a house packed full of missionaries all playing Wii together sounds a bit odd, but I can honestly say that the fellowship surrounding our event was amazing to see. Bob separated us into brackets of men and women and I, of course, had to battle his son Will in the first round. I was only Will's first victim, and he basically convinced me that Wii bowling was not my strong suite, or my second, third, fourth or fifth suite....it was a bloodbath. Will worked his way systematically through the men's bracket while his sister Emily worked over the women's. In a final round of Mendonsa vs. Mendonsa, Will came out as the victor and promptly split his winnings up among the rest of the people in the room.

Sitting in Bob and Julie's home here in Kenya doesn't feel like a home halfway across the world; it feels like we picked up right where we left off at their home in Texas. When you are surrounded by this group of family and friends, location means nothing because we have never truly left one another. We are all exactly where God wants us to be and when we are reunited, it is an absolutely amazing experience.

The events of today and this evening have shown each and every one of us why we are here. God has brought us here to serve the people of CURE hospital, to bring joy to the children of Kenya who never cease to smile or wave, to delight in fellowship with old friends, and to pray for the work He has done and continues to do here in Kenya with projects like Naomi's Village. I am so thankful that God has invited my wife Ginny and myself to “come play” with Him here in Kenya. We are so very honored to be a part of this team and I thank each and every one of you for your encouragement and prayers for our team and the people of this country.

Please pray for us in our final days of this trip, pray for family members of the team who have been without their loved ones for over a week now, pray for the men of Lost Orphans that are helping to gather the funds needed for Naomi's Village, pray for the staff and patients in CURE hospital, pray for the people in the IDP camps (Internally Displaced People Camps for families who were transplanted during the post election violence in 2008) who will be going home in the coming weeks, and pray that these people will see rain soon so that many of them can have water and go back to work.

Hii nija ya choo (where is the bathroom?)

Michael “Macguyver” Mitchell

Leap of Faith

Another early morning...breakfast, then up the hill with a lot of heavy breathing and screaming quads in this case. Our altitude is higher than Denver and we're still adjusting. It could be the only quiet time experience of our day other than the time we spend with our LORD. Our team loves to laugh and we have found plenty of things to laugh about. I love it that we can be transparent with each other yet find the humor. Such a love for each other is growing as only God can create in His family.

Paul arranges our days with the CURE hospital staff daily. Through his efforts, each of us has been able to plug into different and unique experiences for the past two days. Has anyone mentioned how thankful we are for “Pastor” Paul – a true shepherd. He has drawn all of us out of our comfort zones through thought provoking questions and assignments constructed to enable us to become more real.

Daniel, Greg, DJ, Michael, and Paul were in the warehouse this morning to inventory once again, an assignment which has been much appreciated by the overseer, Naomi, and the CURE Hospital staff in general. Knowing the “haves” and “have nots” in the warehouse will enable them to know how to better plan for their patients and continue to perform with the skill and excellence which they have come to be respected.

Daniel and Greg spun off after lunch to share their IT knowledge in the business office. They have begun the long process of “cleaning up” the computers there which have become really slow because of viruses and other evils picked up on the internet. What a respect I have for their ability in this area – so alien to many but so natural and second nature to them. They have no idea what kind of respect that commands in most of us.

Michael spent his afternoon with one of the hospital ministers. He actually was given the opportunity to speak to the families in the ward and share his insight into the blessing of community and relationship that he has witnessed in the Kenyan culture so far. He did an amazing job for someone who claims a fear of public speaking.

DJ shared his admin knowledge and know-how with the business office before also being drafted by the ministry team to share his testimony in the ward. They all had a laugh about his name – apparently knowing our slang for “disc jockey” - but ended up taking him very seriously for his testimony of a changed life and secure walk with his Lord Jesus.

Elaine, Hannah, and Kristen were in the Play Room this morning. Many of the children waiting for theater (surgery) come there to be distracted from their hunger pains. They are ordered NPO – nothing per oral – before surgery. Other children have already had surgery and just need “kid stuff” to keep them from being totally bored and distracted from the healing process. We read a book with Francesca, who oversees the Play Room. She interpreted our story of Jonah into Swahili. Her version was about 3 times as long and seemed a lot more interesting than what I was reading!! We all wished we could have experienced it. The kids were fascinated with her storytelling. Afterwards we all made tambourines for the ward to praise the Lord - “Bwana Asifiwe” in their language.

Elaine and Kristen took over for the guys in the warehouse in the afternoon and Hannah had another amazing experience in the operating room. Hannah told us she wanted to look for the little guy she was working with in the Play Room after lunch. He was to be taken to surgery after lunch. The Lord pressed on her heart during the surgery to hold the hand of the child on the operating table. After being given permission to hold this child's hand during the surgery – she was totally shocked and blessed to discover it was the little boy she wanted to “look for.” His face had been partially draped for the surgery.

Beth and Leah were able to join Dr. Bob in clinic at the Kijabe Hospital in the morning. Their experience has been really useful and in demand for both CURE Hospital and Kijabe Hospital. But today was a learning day for them with Bob, who loves to teach. They loved it. After lunch they were able to observe a spinal surgery.

We are so thankful for the house staff: Anne, Grace, Keziah, Samuel, and Steven. They have fed us so well and washed all of our clothes! We will all be coming home a little rounder and certainly spoiled! Bob and Julie spoiled us tonight with home made tortilla chips, which Julie is perfecting (she's there!). They also joined us for dinner. We had great fun sitting around the table, swapping stories, and (of course) laughing. The Mendonsa family's hospitality has been such a blessing to our team. They have shared their hearts with us. God is doing His work through them for the Kenyan people they have come to serve but has also been faithful to stretch and grow them. He is so apparent in their lives! We have also loved their sense of humor and appreciation of the lighter side of life here.

Things to pray for:
Pray for rain as, right now, the entire area we are in is without running water. It is most likely just being rationed, but is a marker on how much Kenya needs God to provide rain for them. Each team member has voiced an area in which the Lord is dealing with them personally. Please join us in praying that God will be victorious in these areas. Please continue to pray for safety & health. Pray for open hearts to serve unselfishly – using our hands and our voices as the Lord leads, seeing through the Lord's eyes, hearing with His ears and loving with His heart. Pray also for the Mendonsa family – for continued strength & confidence to walk the path set out for them. Pray also for an affirmation of their ministry. Pray for assurance from the Lord. We love this family dearly (with a deep, abiding love) and want them to walk in the fulness of all Christ has for them. We are excited to see what He's doing in our beloved.

-Elaine

That Just Happened

Today was an early morning compared to our previous days. All of us were ready to go and out the door at 7:45 for our first day in the hospitals!! We made it in time for morning devotionals at the CURE Clinic. We shared in singing worship songs, praying and studying the Word with the CURE staff. After devo time, the group as a whole group joined up for some presentations.

The first presentation covered a more in depth history and information about the medical ministry of CURE. Then we heard from Earnest who is one of the members of the Spiritual ministry team. He explained their multifaceted approach to meeting the spiritual and emotional needs of the children and their families. Their ministry goes from the hospital ward all the way out to surrounding villages. It is in the villages that they join forces with pastors there to share the gospel and disciple new believers. They also introduce children with physical needs in these villages to the ministry CURE offers.

Then we were able to take part in a traditional Chai tea break...Kenyan style... with two scoops of sugar. Yumm. Now that we had our sugar fix we divided into groups and each sent on our way for the remainder of the day.

Leah and Beth were able to experience Kijabe Hospital where they used their experience in oncology and palliative care (end of life care) to consult with and share knowledge with the nurses there. Elaine and Kristen spent time in both the recovery area and operating room of the CURE hospital. Having never worked in these areas, both were blessed to watch and learn from the nurses in this area. Ginny, a physical therapist, with Hannah as her assistant were able to share ideas, answer questions and teach those from both the CURE hospital and the Kijabe Hospital. Michael, Greg, Daniel and D.J. began the morning in the warehouse starting the process of inventory on medical supplies that had been donated to CURE, including those donations we were able to bring from The Village. They were then able to join me (Kristen) and Elaine in the Theatre (Kenyan term for the operating room.) So all six of us were able to watch Dr. Mendonsa, a.k.a. “Smooth Operator” work his magic and perform a below-the-knee amputation. This surgery would enable this child to be fitted with a prosthetic leg and be able to walk again. The guys couldn't stop talking about what they had witnessed the rest of the day. Man Card = Earned!

After lunch we split up again. Leah and Beth to Kijabe Hospital and the rest of us to CURE. At CURE we all went to the warehouse to continue to inventory supplies. 2,600 sutures and one more chai break later, we called it a day and headed back to the house.

The day was topped off with a sweet time as a group. Kristen and Elaine shared their testimonies and then we were able to share encouragement for each of them. It was wonderful to take time to edify each other, and we look forward to being able to do this each night for the remainder of the week for all other team members!

Things to pray for:

Sensitivity to God's leading in where He desires us to spend our time within the CURE hospital. There are multiple opportunities to serve the staff, the children, as well as their families. We desire to be open and obedient to where He wants to use us as we go into our second day in the hospitals. Please also pray for Previns, the young man (probably 10) who had his leg amputated. While this was a needed procedure and will help with both the quality of life and the social stigma attached to his issue, there is much healing and adjustment ahead. Please also pray for out team leader, Paul. This is an amazing man of God, without whom this trip simply wouldn't be the same. Yes we trust God to use anyone, but he chose Paul in his infinite wisdom. Pray for Paul's own wisdom and guidance in being a liaison while dealing with a radically different culture. Thank you!

-Kristen

Sheboygan

Kenyans really know how to Sabbath well, as Sundays are reserved solely for church.

The morning started off with warm milk and monkeys in the back yard. Then we left around 8:30am to head to the small village of Eburru, in which we endured an hour and fifteen minute drive on the bumpiest, rockiest road in order to worship with them. Upon arriving in the village, we were immediately noticed as mzungus tend to stand out pretty well here. We were welcomed by a sea of children who, after a short period of confused timidity, lowered their walls and loved us well.

A Kenyan worship service knows no time. The congregation was led by a series of songs, dances, and prayers in which many women and children were invited to participate. Everyone danced without reservation, without inhibition, and without any fear of what others might think of their worship styles. Needless to say it was an incredibly joyous worship service.

Kenya has 42 tribes, in which 7 are represented in the Eburru church. Today happened to be the day where all of the tribes were individually recognized and appreciated, as the emphasis during service was on unity. And yet, as we are obviously different than the tribes, we are one body, serving one purpose, worshipping one God.

Paul was allowed the privilege to deliver the message today, with an interpreter at his side to translate (into Swahili) for the other members. After struggling a little bit in preparation for this message, Paul informed us that he was continually led back to Ephesians, and what book was the church currently studying? You guessed it, Ephesians. Again, God in His infinite wisdom...

Afterwards, the tribes prepared traditional dishes to share with everyone to celebrate the unity within the church. We partook in traditional goat fat, which looked and tasted similar to wet dog food with sand mixed in, potatoes, and butter sandwiches. What is a butter sandwich? It's butter, between two slices of bread. This was, by far, the most delicious thing at the festival.

After the celebration, we had some more time to love on and play with the children of the village. The kids got a huge kick out of us taking their picture and then turning the camera around so that they could see themselves. Having 30 kids pile on top of you, braid your hair, and irritate your sunburn was incredibly refreshing.

Pastor Steven then invited us back to his house for a second lunch. They went all out for us with rice, potatoes, beef stew, green beans, and carrots. This meal was much better than the butter sandwiches.

We then headed back to Kijabe with full stomachs on a long, bumpy, rocky trail. And after an hour of being home, it was time to eat again. The cooks prepared incredible curry chicken with rice and vegetables – our 3^rd meal in 4 hours. As you can tell, our blessings have been numerous on this trip.

Things to pray for:

Tomorrow will be our first full day in the CURE hospital. Please pray for each of us to be as patient and flexible as possible, as plans tend to change continuously here in Kenya. Most of us have Type-A personalities, so perpetually changing schedules have the possibility of hurting our ministry here at the hospital.

-DJ (proofed by Leah)

Happy Birthday Kaden!

Happy Birthday Kaden! I love you - from Aunt Ginny