Fwd: June 2011 Kenya Team Update June 29 2011

Chris Espedal June 2011 Kenya Team Update June 29 2011

June 27 - We woke to an early breakfast and a long bus ride. The journey from Nairobi to Kisumu is about six hours on a good day, this was not a good day. A small traffic jam and a couple of detours stretched the ride to a couple of hours past that. But as we were riding along in our lime-green bus, it didn't seem to matter much.  Something began to  happen along the way. We talked a little too loud and laughed with an ease that sometime takes years to grow. We told our stories and gave each other a good natured hard-time. We started, in almost a miraculous way, to become a family. And why not? For most of us, we are traveling to an unknown place. To all of us we are taking a journey of faith. Before we met, we were already a family. Larry was pretty sure he would see a giraffe along the side of the highway. Chris told him, he most definitely would not. When the zebras appeared, Larry thought that was close enough and counted it as vindication. Other than that, we talked and laughed, went to the bathroom when we could, and tried to sleep just a little. It was a long trip, but a good one. At its end, we ate a wonderful meal full of new tastes and textures. Then we made our way to Pastor Jack's where we will live close together for the next little while. It was night but dozens of children came to greet us. And even through the darkness, we began to make new friends. We settled, slept, and counted it a blessed day.

June 28 - We enjoyed the graciouness of Evelyn's (Pastor Jack's wife) hospitatlity at breakfast, then splitting into two teams, we went to share, learn, observe, pray, and encourage. We saw a Talipia farm where people from a nearby village were bringing both hope and prosperity to their community. We visited a farm where the pride in working the land grew as tall as avacado trees. We witnessed the beauty of work and the power of putting faith into action. We were amazed. Our groups met back together in a house where a women's group presented their work in helping orphans and then sang a prayer of praise. We were overwhelmed. We prayed that there would be no more hail. We prayed for the protection of a fish pond. And, we prayed for names like Benson, Richard, and Benta. We were served incredible African tea and enormous avacados. Though this is a place of little means, there is large hospitality. Among other things, we also learned that Kerry was named after a county in Ireland, and we grew even closer as a team. We visited Briarly Childrens home, which is sponsored by a church in England, where 48 orphans are cared for and educated. The children's faces were full of curiosity and love, and so were ours. All in all, it was a day that is difficult to put into words. Grace is often like that.

It is not yet 9:00 pm, but most of the team is fast asleep. We are all filled with a good kind of tired. Tomorrow, we will continue our work, so as we do, please continue to pray for us.