PICTURES!! Our week in Kitui--Melanie Hardacker

We spent a week in Kitui where we experienced so much and our lives were changed forever. While you have read of some of our experiences here it is again in pictures:

The first thing we did when we arrived in Kitui was attend a funeral. Well the last part of an all day service. After finishing the service they simply walked behind the house where a spot in the backyard was waiting to bury him. It was facinating to watch the me cover the hole, mix the concrete and create a nice squred off cover to the grave all while wearing suits and dress shoes.

The kids loved having their pictures taken and seeing themselves.

Isabelle always drew a crowd, this one was fairly tame but the girls she met here were the ones she was most comfortable with the whole time we were there.

Christian asking a few last minute questions Sunday morning in Kitui before the service started.

Cutting up the sugar cane we bought at the church when they auctioned off the items people brought in for an offering after the service.

Enjoying a little sugar cane.

Practicing the puppet show we did for the kids the next day.

The big rock which I cannot recall the name of at the moment. The area myth is if you walk around it 7 times you will change gender. Note the staircase on the side which we had to climb to get to the top.

The origin of the myth is also interesting. An anglican missionary was going to be killed by some tribal people and decided that if he was going to die he wanted to be killed in his robe (there is some anglican name for this but I forget what it is). When he emerged wearing a "dress" they thought he had become a woman and they're rules forbid them to kill a woman. They ran off and he was saved.

At the bottom of the staircase. I don't even know what possessed me to begin climbing them. After about 2 or 3 of the 10 stories I was turning around but someone was behind me also pausing. Frankly going down looked terrifying as well. I had some sort of out of body spiritual moment where I just told my legs they needed to keep walking while I distracted my mind from stoping them. I told John to just keep moving and not slow down and somehow we made it to the top.

The view was worth the effort.

I was not alone in my fear but we all made it to the top. After catching our breath we all realized we were going to have to go back down, no less terrifying than going up but God gave us the courage to make it to the bottom.


Afterward we were resting from the climb and we saw a parade of ants going from one location to another. Everyone went over and watched for quite some time while the Africans all looked at us like we were crazy. At the end of the week Isabelle announced that the ants were her favorite part of the trip so far.

Unloading the computers to bring to the school.

All of us at the school with the computers.

Presenting the to the school.

Our friend Joshua who drove us all over and answered our many questions. Each morning he would come over and say, "hello toto" to Isabelle. "toto" is swahili for child or baby or something that would define Isabelle. A couple days after we left he headed off to start Seminary. He is an amazing man.

At the Kenya Forestry Research place where we stayed in Kitui.

Our room in Kitui.

Making playdough one night to use with the kids the next day. They loved it.

Some of the kids that came to see us at the Chapel.

The pastor and the Arch Bishop working side by side laying bricks on the building we helped build. We provided the funds to build the building which will be completed after we have left.

A wider view of the building.

The water barrel on the downspout is nothing new to the people of Kitui. They find ways to save as much rain water as they can.

They were showing us how bricks were made and suddenly John was putting Isabelle down and getting into the pit. They were excited to show him how to make a brick.

If dad can do it so can the son.

The proud brick makers with their bricks.

We visited a group that with the help of Village to Village has started a basket making business. Of course we bought a few things...

Isabelle often fell asleep, John was super dad carrying her around for hours on his back.

Here they are stacking the bricks up to prepare to bake them.

At the Nzimbi home where we ate all our meals in Kitui. John is standing in front of a pitcher of Avacado juice. Really an avacado smoothie. After drinking it Christian announced that it was making him "angry". He was angry that he had gone so long in his life without every having such a delicious drink. The Avacados that grew there were huge and delicious both fresh and as a drink.

Isabelle was constantly surrounded by children wanting to see her or touch her. This picture was taken at the end of the week when she was becoming more comfortable with the attention and they were used to seeing her. The first Sunday we were there we got surrounded by about 20 children when the Sunday school got out and it was a little scary for both of us. After a few minutes the teachers shooed all the children away and then Isabelle wanted to follow them. Too much attention is frightening but no attention isn't any fun either.

St. Paul's Chapel. This was the night we did a crusade.Inside the home of an elderly couple. He is over 100 years old. There were little chicks running around on the ground.

Jake and Leumas, Mwende and Sammy's son.

The market in Kitui.

Ok this is a crazy moment. Some kids had this rabbit and Isabelle wanted to see it and went over to pet it. They had picked it up by the ears like this and apparently Isabelle thought that looked easy enough because the next thing I know she has calmly done the same thing. Where is the video camera when you need it?

These are bricks getting ready to be fired. The stack them in this pyrmid shape and then light those bundles of wood. I believe it burns for 2 days and voila, bricks for building.

This elderly woman was doing a little dance to greet us as we are told is tradition for the oldest woman to do so our own "mama" Carol, our eldest member, joined her for the dance.

A farm we visited that is being helped by the Village to Village group we worked with. This farm has a well and the plants were notably greener and bigger.

Walking up the hill with members of the Dr. Kraft Memorial Church to consecrate the cross that was re-installed after being removed by witch doctors who think it is weakening their powers.

At the top with the cross.

John and Maxwell. Our last day in Kitui.

Grace and Margaret.

Benzi and Alica, Mwende's niece and nephew.

Isabelle and Alica. They are the same age and became friends while we were there. They were trying out some new pronouciations of english words after listening to Isabelle's american english as opposed to Queens english that they learn.

Melanie and Grace. She was the first friend I made there and it was always nice to see a friendly smiling face each morning. Isabelle became comfortable with her and would occasionally allow her take her around without me.

Home at last - John Hardacker

Home at last!

Arriving home has been bitter sweet. The thought of how much more we could have done, certainly how much more needs to be done, floats around in my head and appears in the strangest of places. I am admiring the lush green that returned to our lawn while we are gone, smelling the wonder that is Minnesota summer, and listening to the sounds of our neighborhood and 'bang' I remember the drought in Kitui or the sewage running in the streets of Kibera. I knew we weren't going to fix all the problems in the area while we were there, or that we were even there for that.

Melanie showed me a book that she is reading through. To paraphrase, it talks about how the life of the people we were staying with was difficult for us to live in. It then talks about how we left and the people still live there. They still live the life we found difficult to live in for our stay in Africa. They still look to the sky and pray for the rain to come. They still don't have electricity or plumbing in their houses. It makes me wonder how much change we made while there. I know we were able to help with some construction on a building that will be used to change the people of Kitui for years to come. I know we were able to feed the children for a week. I know we were even able to be there when people saw God at work and accepted His invitation to follow him. We were able to encourage people in the work they are doing to change the people of Africa one village at a time. We were able to employ some people as they drove us around, worked at the places we stayed, sell things to us from their shops, and we added to the tourism of the area. All that to say I know we have changed the people of Africa by our trip to Kenya. I rejoice in that when I think of the trip.

A wise woman asked me a question (she knows who she is), "What if WE haven't changed?" What if our lives aren't changed by this trip and it just fades away into a fun vacation we remember when we are looking through pictures. I know we have been changed! I don't know how each one of us has been impacted but, I know we have all been changed. We see the world a little different than before. Some of us had never been to a third world country before. Some of us had never shared our testimonies in public before. Some of us have never gone that long without a shower. Most of us had never eaten (or seen someone else eat) goat intestines. No matter what the first was, it was the first. Even the slightest changes in our lives are reflected later in life. We won't all keep speaking the little Swahili we know or search out restaurants that offer goat parts on rice and beans but, we will have a part of our hearts turned towards God and to the people of Africa. Maybe when we see someone on the street that doesn't seem to know the language we will help them find where they are going. Maybe we will invite an immigrant to our home and share a meal with them (most foreign students spend their entire college career in the USA without seeing the inside of a natives home). Maybe we will be willing to share our faith with a person who seems to be looking for answers and not feel locked with terror. Maybe, just maybe, we will show the love of God to the people around us in ways we don't even understand. Maybe the change in us will be something only the people around us see. Or, maybe the change will be profound and everyone will see it. I don't know what the changes will be. God knows. I know that, and after this trip, I am more comfortable knowing only that. And that is a change for the better.

As God Created - Dan Fine

As you now from the previous posts...we are now at Tsavo National Park for a few days of Safari. Literally spread before us is God's creation. It's surreal to watch water buffal0, giraffes, baboons, zebras and ostriches all together at the watering hole and realizing this is as God created - not something created by man for optimum entertainment.

It feels very appropriate as I feel like our entire experience here in Kenya has been as God planned. We have seen His hands in our work - from his hands in getting our 13 computers from the US through Kenyan customs for free to the individual lives we've seen Him touch (both American and Kenyan).

Amongst the many thoughts I'll take home with me, the strongest is how clearly I've seen the God I serve in the US faithful to show up again and again here in the faces and lives of our Kenyan brethren. It may look different at times but there is great lessons to be learned in those differences!

Thoughts from Christian

As we soak in all the sights of the Safari I think all of us are needing to resist a bit the sense of guilt that comes with suddenly being tourists. It is really nice here--and it was the Nzimbi family who insisted that we do a safari--but I think all of us felt more comfortable in Kitui meeting and worshipping with people than being here surrounded by white people. I will leave here with a greater love for all of Kenya, but my heart is in Kitui. An unforgettable moment in Kitui for me came during one of our "crusades" (we did two--one in front of the church we were serving in and another in a marketplace near another church we were visiting). During the worship time a line of people formed and began to dance--one leading the moves and the others following him--sort of like a big worship conga line. And as I watched I really wished I was in the line--and it hit me that there was absolutely no reason I couldn't be in the line (I'm not sure if that's normal for pastors here, but being a visitor has freed me up from caring too much about what's normal, we're already abnormal). So I jumped in and followed along as best as I could--it was very energetic dancing, genuinely hard work. As I started to worry that maybe I was embarassing our team, I noticed that most of the rest of them were also in the line. I tried to follow Dan, who is a much better dancer than me, but when that failed I just called up memories of David Byrne from the video Once in a Lifetime (some of you know what I'm talking about). So dancing like David Byrne to songs in Kamba praising Jesus with Kenyans and members of Church of the Cross was a powerful and actually soul healing moment for me--there was a freedom and joy in worship I felt at that moment that I have rarely experienced. Honestly the only thing that would have made it better was to have my wife and children right there next to me (May it be so Lord, some day).

I should add that here on the safari we are still so blessed by the people of Kenya. The folks working here are delightful, and we are especially enjoying the drivers of our vans who are very knowledgable about animals and very patient with us (our team asks a lot of questions--our poor drivers in Kitui and Nairobi were exhausted after a day with us). I look foward to seeing everyone soon.

Sunday in Nairobi - Pam And Carol

We went to the early service at All Saints Church. It is the Cathedral Church of Kenya and seats 2000 people. This was a special service honoring the Mother's Union. The Mother's Union were all dressed in blue and sang a song for us. We left that service early to get to St. Francis Church where the order of the service was very similar to Church of the Cross. Madeline and Jake went to the Youth Service and the leader of the Youth Service had them stand up and introduce themselves, where they were from and what they were doing in Kenya.Everybody got up and introduced themselves. We sang one of our African songs, and Mwende's brother, Peter, accompanied us with his guitar. Unfortunately, there was a second verse which none of us knew which ended up being Peter's solo, and he quickly ended that verse and went back to the first. After the service, we had tea with the pastor. Then we went to a mall and ate at the food court. Some of us went SHOPPING. After the mall we went to the market which was completely different -- a very different experience. The women were given only an hour to shop. We were bombarded with people wanting to sell us their goods. It was very difficult to walk around because people were in your face. Everybody called us brother and sister when they wanted us to buy things, so we made many new "friends". Many bought scarves, wood carvings, paintings and jewelry. Later that evening we went to a Chapel Service at the Arch Bishops former home which has a small chapel attached to it which was built in the fifties. They meet for prayer and devotion every Sunday night to get ready for the next week.

Safari--Melanie Hardacker

Here we are on safari. It is beyond what any of us could have imagined. There is a deck off the main lodge with a watering hole off it and we have witness an continual stream of animals coming to drink. Water buffallo, giraffe, elephant, warthogs, baboons, zebras, various antelope/gazelles/impalla/whatnots, ostrich. And we can also see the water from the deck off our rooms. It was hard to finally pull ourselves away and go to bed last night. Even as a type this I am watching them. We have had excitement in the vehicles as well seeing a lion feeding on a water buffallo earlier this morning. We headed out at 6:30am for a pre breakfast tour and will go back at 4pm to try and see a cheetah. It is fabulous.

Carol, one of our team members, has been sick for several days. She is past the severe stage but still feeling a little cautious. The blessing is that she made it the entire 4 hour car ride from Kitui and into her room in Nairobi where she stayed for 2 days. Many others have had some stomach problems but we are mainly doing well and are thankful for the medicine we brought. Please pray for Carol's continued recovery and all our continued health during these last days of the trip.

Right now we are all enjoying some down time. A group is playing cards, some napping, me blogging and Isabelle and John are at the pool where I am now going to join them.

Back in Nairobi -- John Hardacker

As we return from Kitui, we have been able to travel to a couple tourist type activities. We went to 'magic mountain', a local restaurant in Machakos, a big mall (it felt close to home and I think we needed that as a team today), the market, and a wood carving wholesale "plant". It was fun to step outside what we have been doing and see more of the beautiful country of Kenya. The mountains and valleys were breathtaking.
The entire time we were traveling and exploring Kenya, I couldn't help but think of the people we left in Kitui. Even the people we were driving by on the road. We were able to step out of the poverty (not the dust) and have a different experience than before. The Kenyans can't. We have to keep track of how much drinking water we have so we stay hydrated while riding in the cars, they have to walk kilometers to bring barrels of water home on their backs or bikes before they boil it so it won't make them sick. Poverty is ugly. It makes me tired thinking about the strength it requires to continue on through it. Drinking is a big problem here. You can see why someone might give up and drink themselves blind (literally). The only thing that seems to be able to keep them going is hope. Not hope in the comming rains because that has been years and still no sign. Not hope in the government, they seem only to care for themselves and their careers. No, the hope that makes change is Hope. Hope that is more than a dream but hope that brings peace. Hope that restores people, relationships, familes, countries, and sometimes even land. That hope is God.
This trip for us (me at least) has been about helping the people of Kenya, growing in my relationship with God and growing in my family relationships. The team helped build part of a building for the Viviti ministry, fed hungry children, fed hungry families, delivered computers to a school, and unknown other little things. I have grown in my faith. My family relationships have been strengthened also. The thing I pray we have done the most is, brought hope to a place that needs it more than many I have seen.
There is a man that lives near the church we worked at in Kitui. He is an older man, and relative of the Arch Bishop. When I say he lives near the church, I mean he lives across the road. He has never been inside that church. He said it was because he had never felt the love of Christ in the church until these crazy Mzungus (white people) came and spent so much time with the children and people of the area. We didn't do anything special. We just went where God told us he was working and did what He said to do. I think we had nothing to do with him feeling the love of Christ. I think it was that we were there when his heart was finally ready to hear. If that is the hope we could 'bring' with us, I think this is a job well done. I can't wait to hear what God does with that hope. Or who he brings with him to do the work. Maybe it could be you :-) I can tell you from personal experience, it is worth all the work you might need to do to get there, and more!

Our Final day in Kitui

Today was our final full day here in Kitui. We drove with many people from St. Paul's Chapel, where we have been working, to a large hill where they erected a cross in 1994 to commemorate the 150 years since Christianity came to the area. Apparently the witch doctors in the area have taken it down a couple times because they think its presence weakens their powers. The church decided to take the opportunity of our visit to put the cross back up and hold a crusade at the bottom of the hill in the market of the village there. Afterward we walked up the hill and consecrated the cross which had been put back up in cement earlier in the day. It was a pretty intense climb but we all made it up and then safely back down. It was exciting to hear the preaching and think about the little village that is sitting under the cross, what power that cross can have for them.

We walked down the hill to the little church which looked like a shed in the backyard and we sat in the yard in front of it where they fed us lunch. We were able to provide for the entire church body and the members of st. Paul's which came with us. After a week in Kitui, today was the first day that I really wished for american food. I just wasn't that excited for another day of rice, beans, steamed cabbage, goat or chicken. While it has been better than I think any of us expected I was missing my usual today.

While we all donned our tennis shoes and hiking boots for the days climb the people of africa just climbed in their usual flip flop sandles, many women in nice dresses, some with shoes with a little heel and carrying their purses. I think one thing I was struck by today is that while this feels like camping to me, this is regular life to them. Their feet are always dusty, they always have somewhere to walk or hike and the women just grab their purse for the activity of the day like I do to go to the mall.

Yesterday was a crusade at St. Paul's Chapel. In the afternoon we had the opportunity to break into smaller groups and go visit some of the poorer families in the area bringing them some food and inviting them to the crusade. Rachel and I went together with Isabelle. One of the homes we visited was a very elderly couple. The man was over 100 years old and the woman in her 90's, it was the only time we were invited into the home as they stayed in their chairs. I don't know if I could properly describe it but I will always remember seeing this elderly couple sitting in their very old and worn chairs in this tiny, tiny room (most people in the US have larger bathrooms), with baby chicks running around between the man's feet. There were two other small rooms although I am not sure what they functioned as, maybe a bedroom and a kitchen area. Although some in the area have electricity and running water, they did not.

I am finding it hard while being here to really comprehend and put to words what we are experiencing. I can tell you these stories but it is so hard to really communicate what it feels like, what we are really seeing. It is easy to tell lots of stories of poverty such as this old couple has and feel like it is a sad and difficult life that everyone has. The thing is that while we see that life is hard, we experience so much joy and contentment among the people. They are so appreciative of what we are doing and how we are helping the community and it makes you want to stay and help more, send more money, return to make sure these children we are meeting are able to go to school and succeed, help transform the lives of the men and women and change a community. It is hard to come and see what is happening and be part of helping bring hope to a community and then leave it knowing that possibly we will never know what happens to some of the children that we have gotten to know and that realistically we may never return. In the end I guess the answer is that we need to remember we are leaving this village and these people in God's hands. He is working here, it is so evident, and he will use the seeds we have planted and the people of Kitui that live here to change lives and change Kenya. Praise the Lord. Please pray for the people of Kitui and the amazing work God is doing here.

Tomorrow we return to nairobi. what are we doing there? I don't know. Mwende will tell us when we get there. ha ha. I believe we are visiting an orphanage, I know Sunday we are slated to visit several different churches and I think we were going to try to return to the slum and do our little creation puppet show for the children there. So much to do, so little time. We are trusting God to keep us healthy (so far so good) and energetic so that we can do His work during this short time we are here.

HELLO! from Kitui!!!!

One week later, here we are! "sasa!" (or "hey!" to which you would respond "fit!" or "hey!") so, hello! this is Maddy! hi to all, and if i don't know you, im Maddy Dickinson! its nice to meet you! :D (<- that is a smiley face for all you non-techie people out there... :D)

so it is wednesday! we have been here one week so far! though, we do so much in a day, that it feels like we've been here for a month! today we had our last kids program. it was a blast. we sang many songs, that we will teach you when we get back, such as "I Have a Father Who Will Never, Never Fail Me" and an all time favorite"Jesus is a Winner". Our time also consisted of two great skits, "David and Goliath" and "Feeding the 5,000". The kids especially loved "Goliath" who happened to be Tim standing on a chair with a huge "robe" on with shoes under the "robe, making it seem that Tim was much taller than he is. We also made and gave Playdo to the kids, and we were all very creative in our playdo sculptures. Christian made a fake nose, to represent Penochio, but the little kids seemed scared. :D

After our wonderful time with the kids, we were shown around the neighborhood. We got to see how building bricks were made, and made some of our own. We were shown the orchards, and many strange and wonderful plants. We were also introduced to a new fruit, called "Mal----" (I forgot the name... :D), but it was very sweet, yellow, and delicious. We were shown hemp purses and jewlrey made by the local women. They were very wel made, and there were all kinds of beaded stuff, including belts and ties. They were very unique and certainly awesome.

During my time in Kitui, I have made so many friends, we all have! Everywhere we go, we have new people stop and stare at us, and the really brave ones come and as our names, and they quickly become our friends. When we went to the churches and high schools, especially , we made friends. Like when I first walked in to the high school, one girl walked streight up to me, to my hand and said, "Come!", and we just walked into her class and I met about twenty new friends!

The friends I have met here, are unique, perhaps even to Kitui. They are such nice and welcoming people. They are internally and externally happy and are always excited to greet us. They are so friendly, and unforgetable (and alot of them have Facebook! so I can keep in contact with them!). The people I have met, they treat me as their very best friend, even though, i had only talked to the from twenty minutes! It seems that every person I talk to, tells me or asks me about goals for the future. They have such hope and faith. It takes much courage to dream from the poverty of their situation, yet they dream.

Well, I think it's time for me to sign off. So, until next time, and Maddy, and i'll see ya soon! :D

Kitui part 1--Melanie Hardacker

Is it Tuesday? I have lost all track of time here in Kenya. We are adopting the Kenya way and just living for the moment and enjoying the events we are part of. Our days are so packed full it is hard to process each night everything we are doing.

Yesterday we started by delivering the 13 computers we brought to the Arch Bishop Nzimbi Secondary School. They were so excited to receive them and learn "Information Technology". Although school is on vacation this month the students came in for the presentation and to thank us. We were asked to introduce ourselves to this group of high school students. When it was Jake's turn he said he was in "form 2", which is their 10th grade equivalent, and they started laughing. Jake thought he must have said it wrong but we learned afterward that they all thought he was so big he must be older and was just joking with them.

It was facinating to meet these kids afterward and talk with them. They are very knowledgable of the world to the point I feel I might have to study up when I get home. The Arch Bishop encourages them to work hard, do well and have big dreams. Many want to go on to University, some to America. I think we all are wondering how to help make their dreams come true.

Afterward we did a little tourist action when we visited a big rock. Nzambani National rock, see if you can find it on the internet. The area legend is that if you walk around the rock 7 times you will change gender. Well I imaged a big rock I could walk around but in fact it is more like a very, very, very large rock on top of a very large hill. After a short hike we got to a staircase they have constructed on the side of this hill to get to the top. It is about 10 flights of terror walking up these metal stairs. I was not the only one afraid of heights but we all conqured our fear and made it to the top. I truly never would have even put a foot on the first step in the US but somehow I felt I needed to experience everything and forced my legs to keep moving as I hyperventelated all the way up. My brave husband carried isabelle in the backpack all the way up the stairs with the two of them admiring the view as they went. Once we got there the view was amazing and it was definately worth they climb. we got a great photograph of our team up there but you will have to wait til we get back for photos because they seem to be tricky to upload with our connection.

As we learn to live like Kenyans we went to bed last night with only buckets of water but no running water and woke up with no water or electricity. Apparently the electricity will just randomly be turned off throughout the whole region some days from about 6am to 6pm.

Today we spent ministering at the church. In the morning the men went and to help work on laying bricks for a building they are working on. They had just gotten a couple courses of bricks before we came. We had sent the money ahead and they were able to get supplies and make up bricks (they make their own bricks, they don't run out and buy them. they didn't understand that we don't make our own bricks.) The building will hold offices for the church as well as a storage area where they can store food for times of need.

While the men were busy working the women were getting a portable generator going so we could watch a dvd we brought with the women. It was the story of Jesus told from the point of view of Mary Magdelon (I know I am spelling that wrong). Although the women knew the story they have never seen it in that way and they found it to be very powerful.

After the dvd the children arrived for their lunch and we went next door to the Nzimbi residence for our lunch (did I mention the church is next door to the Arch Bishop? Great commute. Apparently it had originally been their family home and then his father built the new home and turned this into a chapel. something like that.)

Today was our first official childrens program day although we met them on sunday afternoon and managed to make up some stuff on the fly. Finally today we had a plan. We brought a bunch of puppets and did the story of creation. The kids LOVED it. Apparently they had never seen anything like that. We explained and then passed out the salvation bracelets made by the kids at our church and then did some crafts. We also brought balls which they played with outside. One of the kids commented that she wished the sun would never go down today. While we felt like we were doing something so simple the leaders have told us they are inspired by how excited the kids are by what we are doing. We are leaving the puppets and balls we brought and they are excited to be able to use them in the future.

I believe we are doing basically the same thing tomorrow only in reverse with children first and laying brick in the afternoon for the men. I believe the women are either doing some door to door ministry or going to visit a motorcycle ministry in the area or both. It will be a surprise for all of us (maybe if I am going to write this I should pay better attention when they tell us at dinner.)

So far everything is going great. We are learning so much about Kenya from our wonderful drivers. Nobody has gotten sick. We are enjoying the food (except Isabelle but she doesn't like what we make at home either so it is really no different for her). Their are very few bugs and while it is warm the humidity is low and so it is comfortable.

7 days down, 10 more to go. And loving every minute of it.

Our first days--Melanie Hardacker

I can't believe we left home 5 days ago. In some ways it seems like ages ago and in some ways I still feel like we just got here.

We spent the first day in Nairobi visiting the Kibera slum. It is the largest slum in Africa and possibly the world. We have heard varying numbers but somewhere between 1 and 2 million people live there. It was a fascinating and slightly frightening experience but one filled with hope as we visited a church there that has created programs to help women learn to sew, created a library and homework help time for the children and other programs I am forgetting. The problems are big but our God is bigger and there are godly people there doing his work.

To fully contrast the experience we left the slum and drove to a mall not far away where we ate burgers at the food court (they have waiters in the food court here) and bought supplies at a store similar to a super target but on a much smaller scale. We also changed our money. There is a 74 schillings to 1 dollar exchange rate so we are all feeling quite rich walking around with 1000 bills in our pockets. ha ha.

Yesterday we drove out to Kitui. We are staying in a very nice guest house with beautiful grounds run by a forestry research something or other. You can imagine how much more beautiful it would be with a little rain. We are experiencing first hand the consequences of the drought and realizing how much we use water and take it for granted. Although we are supposed to have water each night they turned it off last night before we went to bed and we didn't get it back on this morning. We did have a barrel which allowed us to flush our toilets but otherwise it was a water free morning for us as we got ready for church. Tonight we do have water and are all trying to get in a shower in case we don't get it again tomorrow.

Today we worshipped at 2 different churches, Christian preached and we shared a song and greetings. At the first church Isabelle tried to go to the Sunday school but was a little overwhelmed. As we stood outside afterward about 30 or more children surrounded us all looking at her and wanting to touch her or hold her. She held tight and we smiled and shook hands (they all want to greet and shake hands). Eventually the teachers shooed them all away and they started to walk home. Isabelle got down and wanted to follow them. She was overwhelmed by so much attention but wanted to play and interact with them. She did make one friend at an event we went to on Saturday after we arrived named Grace. We saw Grace again today at the second church and Isabelle had Grace following her around. Grace is excited to introduce Isabelle to all her friends and taught her how to greet everyone with a handshake.

We also have enjoyed the wonderful hospitality of Mwende's family as they have opened their home to us and fed us all our meals while we have been here and will continue to be here. We have met so many nice people from the Anglican church. I had an interesting conversation about the Anglican church, Kenya, America and democracy.

Mwende has our week filled to the brim and while I can't even remember all we are doing over the next few days I know we are all falling soundly to sleep each night. I think the jet lag is just about worn off and it is hard to believe that as I write this before bed you all are just eating lunch. I believe tomorrow we will be meeting people from the Village to Village initiative that the Arch Bishop got started in this area, and doing something with women's ministry, Tuesday we begin the building project and the children's ministry. I know Friday is a walk up a huge hill to put up a cross that has been taken down by people who think its presence will weaken their witchcraft and follow that with an evangelistic crusade. We are all just living in God's presence and taking in each new experience excited to see what the Lord is doing here in Kenya.

Arrived Safely.... - Dan Fine

We've arrived and spent one full day now in Nairobi! I have to apologize - we had an entire post written complete with pictures and comments from team members but my computer had a technical problem/user error that made us lose it! We will try to reconstruct it tomorrow (Sat 8/8), when we head to the rural area of Kitui at 9am Kenya time but know that we've all arrived safely, still a little jet lagged, but doing great. God did not let a single moment pass without showing His presence with us. Will share more about that when we get a full post up!

Looking Straight Ahead--Melanie Hardacker

Today is the day! I barely slept last night and am feeling sick this morning. Trying to relax and trust God to take care of me and heal me in these last hours before we leave.

My morning prayer time with God brought me this message that I am taking to Africa:

Proverbs 4:25, "Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you."

As this day has come closer I have already begun to wonder what will be for me when we get back. And I know while I am there I will think about that and might begin to worry about our finances, I am already worried something will happen while we are there that we can't get back for, and I am sure there will be things happening there that will distract me as well. Yet God is asking me to simply "look straight ahead". To look at what I am doing, what HE is doing, right in front of me and be part of that. No looking back home at what is happening. No worrying about the future and what is to come. I will fix my gaze directly before me as I step forward on this path he has laid out.

Transitioning - Dan Fine

I woke at 6:30 this morning with jumbled thoughts..."remember to pack the malaria medication", "I forgot to send an email at work yesterday," "don't forget to turn the thermostat down," "make extra copies explaining the gospel bead bracelets we're bringing," "let the body shop know I'll be unreachable by phone".....

Pray that we'll be able to transition well. That we won't get bogged down by the time difference, shock of a culture with a different language, food and smells, things lingering back home....pray that we will be able to make ourselves fully available for God to work through us.

A prayer as we go to Kenya

No institution is free from the insidious arm of corruption, at home and in fields afar.
Who will succor the homeless, the orphans, the starving, those cast aside by decisions based on greed?
Who will speak up on their behalf?
Let all with faith-filled hearts rise up with Love!

Clothe us in the dress of your peace, and the stronghold of your mercy, that we might bear the power of Love;
Let us walk in shoes of integrity, and don the mantle of truth.
Let us shed tatters of envy and fear, the rags of anger and greed, and say
"We shall seek only the Truth which will set us free!"

O Beloved, let all that is unholy within us be cleansed, erase as chalk from a slate.
As fire consumes the forest, as the flame reaches up to the heavens, let the refining Fire of your Love reach into the hidden places within open hearts!
Forgive us and let the deep regret of our souls rise up as contrite offerings.
Let the people seek your Word, let the nations turn from violence and destruction.
Let them know that You alone, You who reign with Love, are the Most High over all the earth.
Nan A. Merrill

Almost ready - Cheryl Witham

It feels in many ways that the trip to Kenya began months ago. God has already called and affirmed his calling in these days of preparation and provision. I am so grateful for the confirming support we have experienced as friends and family have offered their blessing and an commitments to pray for our time. It has been such fun to see Sammy and Mwende's enthusiasm for our going to the place they call home.
Thank you Derek W. for you timely words yesterday. "Go without expectations, but with great expectancy because we serve a great God." I thought was doing a pretty good job of managing my expectations, but needed your word of how to be - expectant!
I would ask those who are praying for us to ask God to remind us often to look up and out, into his face and the face of those around us - those on our team and well as those we will partner with in Kenya. Thanks for your presence and your prayers. Cheryl

Prayer for the trip--Christian Ruch

This is Christian writing. There are obviously many ways people can be praying for us on this trip, but one way in particular that I would ask you to pray is for spiritual protection. One big goal that we have for this trip is that we would build long lasting partnerships with churches and people in Kenya (that's why we're calling it Pamoja, which means 'togetherness'). But we know that when we work for unity in the church, it results in spiritual attack. We have an enemy who hates unity and hates the church and wants to bring division in the Body of Christ. So please pray for our protection and our unity as a team as we seek to build strong relationships with our brothers and sisters in Kenya.

Swahili Lessons--Melanie Hardacker

As we have been preparing for our trip our group has been meeting regularly. Mwende has spent time teaching us some of the language and a couple songs. Here are some of the words we are trying to learn before we go:

Jambo--Hello
Chakula--food
maji--water
Tafadhali--please
Kwaheri--goodbye
Jina langu ni--My name is
Bwana asifiwe-Praise the Lord
Psa ngapi-How much is
Asante-Thank you
Pole-sorry
And in case it isn't obvious enough: mimi ni mgeni--I am a visitor

Swahili is basically a phonetic language with similar sounds to English so you just have to sound the words out. The main thing to remember is the vowel sounds:
A-ah
E-eh
I-Long E
O-Long O
U-ooo (short u)

So use those vowel sounds with normal consonant sounds and you can make those words all happen.

Our family has been practicing the songs quite a bit this summer. At first they feel like tongue twisters but now that we have the rhythm it is starting to come together.

Song one is "God is so Good". Of course there is a twist on the tune that I keep forgetting but the first part is the traditional tune.

Mungu yu mwema, mungu yu mwema, mungu yu mwema yu mwema kwangu.
God is so good, God is so good, God is so good he's so good to me.

The other song goes "Jesus is mine He is Lord forever". African songs are very repetitive so you just repeat that verse over and over with variations on the tune or just the ending "He is Lord Forever". And usually you are repeating what someone else sang so theoretically it is just about following along.
"Yesu ni wangu wa uzima wa milele".

OK no problem now sing it fast and in tune. :) Now that I have it I am enjoying learning to praise God in a new and fun way. I am falling in love with the African music we have heard and really look forward to this aspect of the trip.

Here are a couple versions of Yesu Ni Wangu I found on YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNEy3oDt4fo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tmdu_iShL5s

Final Preparations - Dan Fine

Just 3 more days! It is amazing to think that in just a few days, our group of 14 from Hopkins, MN will set foot in Nairobi. Earlier this weekend, we received an email from Mwende Kieti who traveled ahead of us. My anticipation and sense of purpose grew even more as she wrote of how the drought has taken its toll on the people in Kenya.

The church sent us off this morning with prayers over us. I found it poetic that exactly 5 years ago, on the first Sunday in August, our church met in our building for the first public service. 5 years later, it feels great to have a group going out to Africa. For those not familiar with our church - we are actually under the guidance of the Anglican Church in Rwanda.

After today's service, the group and a few others from our church family met to pack the computers that Mollie Mosman worked with a friend to have donated - 15 in total! She worked with an organization called "E-Quip Africa". They have been refurbished and loaded with educational software that is greatly needed.

We packed the towers, monitors, keyboards and cables in boxes also filled with clothing, toys, books and a set of encyclopedias that were donated and curated from the church sale that we did as a fundraiser early this spring. In total, we are taking 14 boxes with us - using the 2nd piece of checked baggage each traveler is allowed. The trick is that each box can only be a maximum weight of 50 lbs before the airline charges an additional $150 for it! After much strategizing for how to best configure each box to maximize our 50 lbs, we abandoned the logical "one set per box" idea and doubled up towers, threw in half inflated soccer balls for padding, added craft supplies and snuck in a couple letters of the encyclopedia set to equal 14 carefully calculated boxes of much needed items that got us as close to 50 lbs as possible. We found that Rector Christian has a secret spiritual gift for divining weight by sight. More often than not, he hit the target the first try as confirmed by our trusty bathroom scale (this skill deteriorated around box number 9 and his not-fed-by-lunch muscles got tired). Even these few hours felt great - seeing the group work together to pitch in however each individual could.

And so we begin. We meet as a group to embark on our mission at 12:45pm this Wednesday at Minneapolis-St. Paul airport. We covet your prayers and eagerly anticipate what God will do through us and in us.