Known by love

Today we spent the day in the community building relationships and beginning new friendships. We went into Vipingo to help a family build a mud hut. I could only image what the people in the village were thinking when 35 white Americans came walking into the village! It was such an amazing experience for all of us to come together and work on the mud hut as one big team. God took are our willing hearts and crafted us in to one big team for His honor and glory.In the afternoon, we spent the time with the kids and then headed out in to a near bye community to see what we could do to help out. Walking through the village this time really reminded me how much we as Americans really complain about things and take so much for granted. It’s hard to put into words all the things we have been experiencing and it’s my prayer that one day you will join us, as well as pray for peace and understanding as we process all that is going on here in Kenya.

Showers of blessing

As the day first started it was nice and cool, but low and behold, another rainy day. In times like these it is very easy to get disappointed in not being able to do what was planned for part of the day, but instead of letting the rain get the team down, we rolled with it and pushed through. We went to the Government school today in hopes of presenting the school with new desks but instead found ourselves trying to find cover from the rain. Some still did end up taking full advantage of the moment by running in the rain with the children, taking pictures, and having conversations under the protection of a tree. The Government school is always an amazing sight to see because the school has roughly 1200 students with over 50 in a classroom….and the rooms are so quite when learning is going on that you could hear a pin drop. What is even crazier is that an average of 20 of these students a year get into high school.After we left the Government School the team headed on back to Bomani to eat lunch with the 6th graders before we left to go on the field trip to the zoo (where we would later meet of with the 6th graders of Vipingo). Crazy huh? In America the zoos are filled with tons of African animals, so what would you expect from an African zoo? Surprisingly it was an incredible experience and you could actually get closer to the animals than you would on a safari. The best part of going on this field trip was the fact that for every two members of the team (including the Manna group) three 6th grade students tagged along with them. The team was so thrilled to get the chance to have more one on one interaction with the students and were able hold some incredible conversations with them since their English was very good. I think many of the team would agree that the highlight of today would be the relationships built today with the students .

Walking to the Government school.

Hanging out waiting for the rain to stop

Amanda was running with the kids in the rain!

Dr. Guy and pastor Abraham praying over the teachers at the government school.

Pray

Today has been cold (for Kenya) and raining all day. We are taking our class 6 on a field trip to the zoo today and ask you would join us in praying for the rain to hold off this afternoon for the activity.

Bomani

Today we spent the day in Bomani watching our kids sing, playing volley ball, getting to know the kids and some team building activity with the staff. We spent the day doing a lot of the same activity’s that we did with the Vipingo team but today the Fox River team was not coming off 27hr of traveling so it was all new to them. Ha-ha The matron Ann made us her famous Kenyan lunch today that was delicious, my personal favorite chapatti! After lunch they presented us with a gift to thank us for coming to see what Fox River was doing in Kenya. Ann said some words to us that meant a lot, she thanked us for being sponsors and for all the people that give at Fox River to change kids’ lives through nutrition, education and medical care. Then she went on to say how much it means to them that people are willing to give not just of their resources but of their time. It means so much to them to have teams come over and work side by side with our Kenyan team to truly partner with each other to make an impact on the next generation.

We stopped over at the dairy project where we were able to meet and talk to people from the village of Bomani. It was a very real experience for me to talk with a girl that should have been in high school but due to circumstances outside of her control she was unable to attend high school and just had her first baby. It’s so hard to put in to words how you feel in times like this all we can do is cry out to God and pray for his hand of protection on them and trust in His unfailing love to cover them!

The team was joined tonight by a team from Manna World Wide that is interested in what Fox River is doing here in Kenya. It has been one of my greatest joys to see how God has used what Fox River is doing in Kenya! After our meeting tonight the teams took a walk down the beach for the world’s best ice cream which was also helped opened conversations between the team members about what they have experienced and are processing thru up to this point.

The kids welcomed us with songs!

Kelly with her group of girls!

The girls enjoying Ann's lunch!

Ann's lunch!

Our team building time

We had everyone hold on to the rope and when we all work together its easy to hold someone up!

This was a fun game about thinking outside the box

Out in the village of Bomani

Bomani

Spending the day with the kids and staff here in Bomani.

This one I had to come all the way to Kenya to get for you....

The last man standing

We hit the ground running after the team came in today. We came back to the hotel to shower and get set for the day. The day started with an orientation meeting with our missionary’s, Jim and Susie Horne, learning about Kenyan culture, their experiences here, what God is doing in Kenya and how Fox River is making an impact. Then Pastor Guy challenged us with this, "Be great and serve." It sounds so simple but it's two fold: we need to serve as well as be served. It can be hard to be served when we have come to serve the kids and staff in our centers, but if I don’t let them serve then I am robbing them of the blessing of serving. Here in Kenya that is much easier said then done as the team started learning today. These are people who have so little, but they want to do everything for you to make you feel welcome. They save their money to buy gifts to say thank you for coming and serving. It is truly a humbling experience.

The afternoon was spent at Vipingo where we watched our kids sing, got to know the staff and learn about the center. It was a great time of team building and getting to know our kids more for the team. The team held in there until about 4pm when we left Vipingo. It was down hill for most of them after that. We made a stop at Tuskys (Kenyan Walmart) to pick up a few things. It was probably the fastest we have ever had a team in and out! They all headed to bed early tonight. Pray that they all get a good night's sleep and their body clocks change over quickly.

There is nothing better then to have a team that has all of its bags when you pick them up!

Group meeting

Our welcoming!

We all went up front to look out and see where God is at work in so many ways.

Staff games

Looking Smart!

The team has arrived and looking smart! (In Kenya smart is how they say your looking good!) We are hitting the ground running today, hoping to keep the team up till 8pm tonight. Please pray that God will give the team energy and strength to process all the new things they will be experiencing today!

It's a good morning!

Yea! Everyone has there bags!!!! Praise God!

We're in Istanbul

We've landed in Istanbul and about to board the flight to Kilimanjaro then onto mombasa.

We're on the road

Bags have been checked, passports checked, and last goodbyes said until we return home. Kenya here we come!

Kenya Trip 2013

We are leaving soon! The Kenya Team will be prayed for this weekend at Fox River at the weekend services, and we hope you come out to see us off! Be sure to sure to follow this site for the latest happenings in the trip. (You can sign up for email notifications)

While you are waiting for the 2013 trip posts, catch up with last years trip in all of the past posts.

We appreciate all of your continued prayers to continue God's work in Kenya!