A verse to ponder...
"For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don't use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love." Galatians 5:13, NLT
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Friday, July 18, 2014
Heading home...
We are heading to the airport in Naroibi. Our flight leaves at 11:30pm, and we'll take the red eye flight to Zurich, Switzerland. We'll stay all day and overnight in Zurich, then head home by way of Washington D.C. Pray for safe travels. Love to all!!! We'll be back to SFO Sunday night.
Thursday, July 17, 2014
Last days in Kenya...
We had a nice break from building mud houses and visiting various WEEP centers and schools and took a day to drive around the Game Park of Masaii Mara near the Fig Tree Camp (where we stayed in beautifully furnished tents that reminded me of a hotel room inside the tents from Parent Trap).
After the safari, we returned back to "home base" at HEART Lodge in Ridgeway Estates, a suburb of Nairobi. Then, on Wed we left at 6am to drive about 3 hours to a town in the middle of the desert called Ol Donyo Nyoki (pronounced kind of like "ol-don-yon-yokie"). They are in desperate need of rain and HEART (through our team funds) was able to supply the town with two weeks' worth of water (for their 450 families).
Here is an update from our team leader again and also a few photos of that day. The school has a dance team of teenagers who performed for us in their traditional costumes, honoring their Masaii tribe traditional dance. They have performed well and competed... they made it to the National competition and will soon travel to Mombasa to compete the first week of August.
From John Johnson:
We were also able to journey to a Maasai village, Oldonyonyokie. Say that 3 times fast. Felix, Teyara, Becca, Autumn, Charlotte and John all had the opportunity to share our faith and Bible stories with the kids in different classes. The kids are very smart and know English well, especially at the older grades. The biggest excitement for the village, and us, was the delivery of 10,000 gallons of water for the school and deliveries of water for the whole area, 405 families. The area is in a severe drought and needed water so that is the blessing we were able to bestow upon them because of people supporting our mission and believing in what we are doing here in Kenya. We will be able to supply the whole area with water for a few weeks and we need to keep them in our prayers so that they will receive either rain or more water deliveries. One thing the water helped with is the ability of the school to plant trees around the property. They planted bottlebrush because it is very hardy and will survive in the arid environment and help with future shade. One of the ministries HEART is involved with is providing school uniforms for kids. In Kenya, if you don't have a uniform you can't go to school so HEART helps provide them. On this day they were getting measurements for 75 kids who were going to receive new uniforms. Norma, Ginny, and Carol helped to take the measurements of the kids. We also were treated to a tour of the girl's dormitory were the girls are able to stay. The main purpose of the dorm is to allow the girls to continue their education without having their parents marry them off young, if they were at home. They were very well spoken and we had a great time interacting with them. We brought 400 bottles of water and bread to give the kids for lunch. Not what we would call lunch, but the children were appreciative. Lastly, some of the students are in a traditional Maasai dancing and singing group and they did a short performance for us. It is always amazing and beautiful. They even dragged some of our team out there, as Becca demonstrates. They will be leaving on August 5 for the national championships of Kenya. They have won all their preliminary competitions so they is a huge accomplishment. God is blessing them and we ask that He continues to do so. This time is just happened to use some people from the U.S. to bless them.
I helped plant three trees (and had the dirt under my nails for nearly 24 hrs to prove it), danced with the kids, helped assist Autumn in telling the Creation Story and teaching the 1st and 2nd graders the song "Oh, Happy Day". It was very dusty in Ol Donyo Nyoke. We were so happy to be able to assist HEART in serving them. We brought every student and teacher a bottle of water and 2 pieces of bread for their snack/lunch. Plus, the funds raised by our team (and supporters like YOU), not only will the town have two weeks' worth of water... but we were able to donate some money to help the dance team pay for their transportation cost to compete in Mombasa.
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| My roommate Autumn modeling in front of our tent. |
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| Beautiful African safari sunset. :) |
After the safari, we returned back to "home base" at HEART Lodge in Ridgeway Estates, a suburb of Nairobi. Then, on Wed we left at 6am to drive about 3 hours to a town in the middle of the desert called Ol Donyo Nyoki (pronounced kind of like "ol-don-yon-yokie"). They are in desperate need of rain and HEART (through our team funds) was able to supply the town with two weeks' worth of water (for their 450 families).
Here is an update from our team leader again and also a few photos of that day. The school has a dance team of teenagers who performed for us in their traditional costumes, honoring their Masaii tribe traditional dance. They have performed well and competed... they made it to the National competition and will soon travel to Mombasa to compete the first week of August.
From John Johnson:
We were also able to journey to a Maasai village, Oldonyonyokie. Say that 3 times fast. Felix, Teyara, Becca, Autumn, Charlotte and John all had the opportunity to share our faith and Bible stories with the kids in different classes. The kids are very smart and know English well, especially at the older grades. The biggest excitement for the village, and us, was the delivery of 10,000 gallons of water for the school and deliveries of water for the whole area, 405 families. The area is in a severe drought and needed water so that is the blessing we were able to bestow upon them because of people supporting our mission and believing in what we are doing here in Kenya. We will be able to supply the whole area with water for a few weeks and we need to keep them in our prayers so that they will receive either rain or more water deliveries. One thing the water helped with is the ability of the school to plant trees around the property. They planted bottlebrush because it is very hardy and will survive in the arid environment and help with future shade. One of the ministries HEART is involved with is providing school uniforms for kids. In Kenya, if you don't have a uniform you can't go to school so HEART helps provide them. On this day they were getting measurements for 75 kids who were going to receive new uniforms. Norma, Ginny, and Carol helped to take the measurements of the kids. We also were treated to a tour of the girl's dormitory were the girls are able to stay. The main purpose of the dorm is to allow the girls to continue their education without having their parents marry them off young, if they were at home. They were very well spoken and we had a great time interacting with them. We brought 400 bottles of water and bread to give the kids for lunch. Not what we would call lunch, but the children were appreciative. Lastly, some of the students are in a traditional Maasai dancing and singing group and they did a short performance for us. It is always amazing and beautiful. They even dragged some of our team out there, as Becca demonstrates. They will be leaving on August 5 for the national championships of Kenya. They have won all their preliminary competitions so they is a huge accomplishment. God is blessing them and we ask that He continues to do so. This time is just happened to use some people from the U.S. to bless them.
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| The kids pulled some of us out to dance with them after their performance. |
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| 10,000 gallons of water... the kids were very excited! |
I helped plant three trees (and had the dirt under my nails for nearly 24 hrs to prove it), danced with the kids, helped assist Autumn in telling the Creation Story and teaching the 1st and 2nd graders the song "Oh, Happy Day". It was very dusty in Ol Donyo Nyoke. We were so happy to be able to assist HEART in serving them. We brought every student and teacher a bottle of water and 2 pieces of bread for their snack/lunch. Plus, the funds raised by our team (and supporters like YOU), not only will the town have two weeks' worth of water... but we were able to donate some money to help the dance team pay for their transportation cost to compete in Mombasa.
Please keep this school and their families in your prayers. Could you imagine eating only two slices of bread for lunch? Or not having clean water to drink? They live in a place like Death Valley. We were thankful for cloud coverage in the morning when we visited, but we were definitely all feeling the heat by the time we left at 2pm.
We all discussed ideas of how to help HEART serve the students' needs... they are planning on having the WEEP women make 75 new uniforms for the children as many of them were tattered and torn. Many of them had shoes that were barely holding up and some had socks that were barely there. Pray that God will provide them rain and supplies to meet their most basic needs.
Thank you for your support. SO MANY BLESSINGS have been showered upon God's children through YOUR generosity. Many thanks!
We have just one day remaining in Kenya, then we head back to the states. Please pray for continued safety as we travel. If you'd like to see photos of the animals we saw on safari, you can add me on Facebook. :) God bless!
House building in Kisii
UPDATE from our team leader, John Johnson:
We traveled to Kisii to build a home for Josephine and her 3 kids - Douglas, Happynet, and Brenda. They were very excited about their new home and choo (pronounced cho - bathroom). The whole team got right in there hammering nails and building the walls with mud. It sometimes gets in places it is not intended, but that is half the fun. The ladies from the WEEP Center come out to help and it is finished in one day. We were also able to buy beds, blankets, mattresses, chairs, and a table - because of the great generosity of our supporters. Thank you! We also visited a greenhouse HEART donated to the Women's Widow Group and they are a pilot program for a solar water pump. The WEEP women each received blankets and food and they clapped and sang for joy. A simple gift from us and our supporters that makes a huge difference. Lastly, we visited a school that HEART supports and they sang for us and we were able to help them by providing exercise books for each child, for both math and English. God is good.
We were so humbled by the thankfulness that surrounded the WEEP women. Josephine and her three children are now the proud owners of a two bedroom mud house with a tin roof. Our team's fundraising was able to fully furnish the house with two beds (one for the two older children and one for the mother, Josephine, and her toddler), two mattresses, four blankets, a small table, and four plastic chairs. Before this, they were living in her mother's small hut. THANK YOU for helping to provide a shelter and beds to sleep in for this wonderful family.
We traveled to Kisii to build a home for Josephine and her 3 kids - Douglas, Happynet, and Brenda. They were very excited about their new home and choo (pronounced cho - bathroom). The whole team got right in there hammering nails and building the walls with mud. It sometimes gets in places it is not intended, but that is half the fun. The ladies from the WEEP Center come out to help and it is finished in one day. We were also able to buy beds, blankets, mattresses, chairs, and a table - because of the great generosity of our supporters. Thank you! We also visited a greenhouse HEART donated to the Women's Widow Group and they are a pilot program for a solar water pump. The WEEP women each received blankets and food and they clapped and sang for joy. A simple gift from us and our supporters that makes a huge difference. Lastly, we visited a school that HEART supports and they sang for us and we were able to help them by providing exercise books for each child, for both math and English. God is good.
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| No matter where I go... I LOVE BABIES! :) |
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| Loading up the bus with furniture for the homes. |
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| The frame was ready, we just helped add the mud walls. |
We were so humbled by the thankfulness that surrounded the WEEP women. Josephine and her three children are now the proud owners of a two bedroom mud house with a tin roof. Our team's fundraising was able to fully furnish the house with two beds (one for the two older children and one for the mother, Josephine, and her toddler), two mattresses, four blankets, a small table, and four plastic chairs. Before this, they were living in her mother's small hut. THANK YOU for helping to provide a shelter and beds to sleep in for this wonderful family.
The second home that our team funded...
UPDATE from our Team Leader, John Johnson:
The second home that was completed was for Jen and her 3 kids - Lydia, Purity, and Brian. All 4 of them were living in the grandmother's kitchen before this new home was built. The woman in yellow is the grandmother. They were so happy to have beds for the first time and warm blankets for the cold winter weather. At the first home we built, Douglas said it would be so nice to sit in chairs! Some things we take for granted in the U.S. are things that make people here happy to have them. The small building in the picture is the choo (bathroom), which will have 2 bathrooms and one shower room. The picture of the pond is the WEEP women's fish pond. The women have been able to make a profit selling their extra vegetables from their greenhouse and using that money to buy fish. Fish is a favorite food here in Kenya and there are 2,200 fish in this pond! They will eat some and sell the rest and then buy more to raise. Sustainability is HEART's goal for these women and it is working. All together we were able to build the 2 homes and provide food and blankets for an additional 58 families, plus help out the school with writing books. One of Kenya's great treasures is its children and we love being able to give them a home and help with their education, all because of faithful people back home. Asante Sana (thank you).
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| Jen and her mother and three children. So happy! |
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| Fish pond in Kisii. |
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
Thank you for your prayers. We are safely back to our "home base"... at HEART. And it is so good to be "home."
We spent the last week away from HEART, traveling upcountry to Kisii... we helped build one house (two bedrooms and one living area) out of mud and sticks, with a tin roof.
Before I upload photos of those recent events... here are two from my visit with my Compassion child. Oliver is now 13 years old and I've been sponsoring him since he was 5 years old. It was such a wonderful morning, with lots of bumpy car rides... but totally worth it to meet him face-to-face. I also met his brother, his uncle, and his grandmother and grandfather. Plus, all of his animals... rabbits, chickens, turkeys, cows, puppy, and donkey. :)
Okay... I'm having trouble uploading the other photos from our house building day (many more photos will follow, but for now I only have time for a quick update). I will try again tomorrow. But for now... it is 11pm and I need to be up by 5am, so I wish you all a good night.
I apologize that this post is so short... but will definitely post more details about our safari and the awesome adventures we've had so far. Our two day "break" to reflect and recharge... while enjoying God's beautiful creation was priceless and a wonderful blessing. We were given a chance to gain extra perspective and also enjoyed building relationships with our drivers, and those we came into contact with at the Fig Tree Camp. My roommate, Autumn, and I especially enjoyed our Masaii warrior/trail guide who was in charge of keeping the animals on the other side of the river and protecting our tents from wild animals. He was very kind and made sure to alert us this morning of the two huge hippos on the bank across from our room. (We saw them in time, but the hot air balloons scared them off before my camera was ready for the action).
I will attempt to post more safari photos on my Facebook page and also can e-mail you the link to my Google+ photo album for those of you who are interested. Just e-mail me or leave a comment below requesting the link. Pray again for safe travels for us tomorrow. Thank you SO MUCH!
GOD IS GOOD, ALL THE TIME! AND ALL THE TIME, GOD IS GOOD! AMEN!!!
We spent the last week away from HEART, traveling upcountry to Kisii... we helped build one house (two bedrooms and one living area) out of mud and sticks, with a tin roof.
Before I upload photos of those recent events... here are two from my visit with my Compassion child. Oliver is now 13 years old and I've been sponsoring him since he was 5 years old. It was such a wonderful morning, with lots of bumpy car rides... but totally worth it to meet him face-to-face. I also met his brother, his uncle, and his grandmother and grandfather. Plus, all of his animals... rabbits, chickens, turkeys, cows, puppy, and donkey. :)
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| Oliver and I with one of his rabbits, can you see the toenails? |
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| Oliver and his grandfather. |
Okay... I'm having trouble uploading the other photos from our house building day (many more photos will follow, but for now I only have time for a quick update). I will try again tomorrow. But for now... it is 11pm and I need to be up by 5am, so I wish you all a good night.
I apologize that this post is so short... but will definitely post more details about our safari and the awesome adventures we've had so far. Our two day "break" to reflect and recharge... while enjoying God's beautiful creation was priceless and a wonderful blessing. We were given a chance to gain extra perspective and also enjoyed building relationships with our drivers, and those we came into contact with at the Fig Tree Camp. My roommate, Autumn, and I especially enjoyed our Masaii warrior/trail guide who was in charge of keeping the animals on the other side of the river and protecting our tents from wild animals. He was very kind and made sure to alert us this morning of the two huge hippos on the bank across from our room. (We saw them in time, but the hot air balloons scared them off before my camera was ready for the action).
I will attempt to post more safari photos on my Facebook page and also can e-mail you the link to my Google+ photo album for those of you who are interested. Just e-mail me or leave a comment below requesting the link. Pray again for safe travels for us tomorrow. Thank you SO MUCH!
GOD IS GOOD, ALL THE TIME! AND ALL THE TIME, GOD IS GOOD! AMEN!!!
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
Heading to Kisii and Maasai Mara
Time to leave our facility at HEART for a few days.
I met my Compassion child yesterday and got to see where he does activities every Saturday. Then we went to his grandparents house where they have 5 acres of land. They have rabbits, chickens, turkeys, two bulls, a puppy and a donkey.
We had a great time. He loved the soccer ball Bryan and I bought him and was very sweet. It was such an awesome experience.
We may be without Internet for the next week, but I will try to update with tons of pictures when we get back to HEART.
Keep our Bayside team in your prayers as we travel and build houses. :)
Monday, July 7, 2014
I'm in AFRICA!
WE MADE IT! (Well... our Bayside Team made it... minus Bryan...he's still back home with a very injured knee).
....
Our team had some obstacles on the journey here... the biggest being that our flight from D.C. to Zurich was cancelled... which meant we had to spend the night in D.C. at the Embassy Suites on the 4th of July. We had some good team bonding and met a few new friends (on our same flight). We saw one fireworks show from the airport parking lot and then left D.C. about 23 hrs later than originally planned.
We made it to Zurich a day later than expected... and although we double-checked with two United Customer Service reps in D.C.... our entire group of 9 people were not on the next day's flight from Zurich to Nairobi. Thankfully Swiss Air took good care of us and got us all on the flight.
We were very thankful for this because otherwise, we would've had another 24hr layover.
Thankful to have finally arrived in Kenya Sunday evening... we were also ecstatic to retrieve ALL of our luggage... none missing or damaged. :) Praise Jesus!
We have learned a few phrases in Swahili... "jambo" = "hello" is the easiest for me to remember and type right now. ;-) i'll share more later.
For now, I am blessed to be here... thankful for the opportunity and for the team God has brought together. Today our trip to the Kabera slums was cancelled due to the political rallies going on (they thought it would be safer to just stay at the HEART lodge... just in case tensions ran high with the political tensions).
Tomorrow (Tues) the team will visit the cancer ward at the local Children's Hospital. I will miss out on the day of activities (they'll be reading stories, coloring, etc) as tomorrow is the day I will meet my Compassion child, Oliva. I'm very excited... anxious even... and praying that I will be safe and blessed while also being a blessing to those I meet.
Please pray for continued safety and strength for our team. Thank you for your love, prayers and support. *hugs and prayers*
- Becca
....
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| At D.C. airport... charging people's phones on my macbook. |
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| PIZZA!!! wonderful midnight snack after spending about 8 1/2 hrs at the Dulles airport. |
We were very thankful for this because otherwise, we would've had another 24hr layover.
Thankful to have finally arrived in Kenya Sunday evening... we were also ecstatic to retrieve ALL of our luggage... none missing or damaged. :) Praise Jesus!
We have learned a few phrases in Swahili... "jambo" = "hello" is the easiest for me to remember and type right now. ;-) i'll share more later.
For now, I am blessed to be here... thankful for the opportunity and for the team God has brought together. Today our trip to the Kabera slums was cancelled due to the political rallies going on (they thought it would be safer to just stay at the HEART lodge... just in case tensions ran high with the political tensions).
Tomorrow (Tues) the team will visit the cancer ward at the local Children's Hospital. I will miss out on the day of activities (they'll be reading stories, coloring, etc) as tomorrow is the day I will meet my Compassion child, Oliva. I'm very excited... anxious even... and praying that I will be safe and blessed while also being a blessing to those I meet.
Please pray for continued safety and strength for our team. Thank you for your love, prayers and support. *hugs and prayers*
- Becca
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