I never thought I would have the opportunity to go to Kenya 3 times this year! It has been such a blessing and definitely helped speed up the process of getting my ministry/business started.
I decided to go this time because some friends of mine from Atlanta were planning to go to the northern part of Kenya to do some medical clinics. This is where I have been going to set up the basket project with the women there (the town is Lodwar). It's the area that is suffering from severe drought and the people are starving. Let's be honest...it's not a wonderful place. So, the thought of going at the same time friends were going, well I couldn't pass it up! When God blessed me with an unexpected commission check that covered about 1/3 of the expenses, I knew it was meant to be!
That group, for those of you who know them, was Connie Cheren, her son David, Susan Beckett and Jeff Kellar. We were joined by Laban Gitau and Justus Chege from GOA in Nairobi, as well as a young missionary named Moira from Scotland who is staying in Nairobi.
THE TRIP BEGINS: Backing up a bit....I left Atlanta on Friday 8/24, flew overnight to Amsterdam, then flew all of the next day to Nairobi, Kenya. I got into Nairobi on Saturday night 8/25. (A lot of people ask how I get there...it's long but KLM does a great job!)
On Sunday, the group I mentioned above and I went to church at CCRC. That is Christ Compassion Rehabilitation Center, the home for street kids that I have been working with since I first went to Kenya. They have church services there and it is growing with members from the surrounding community. It was so great to see the kids again and the director, my friend John Mutahi. I'll come back to them later.
OFF TO LODWAR: On Monday morning, the group and I got on the plane (to the right) to head 2.5 hours north to Lodwar. I've often gone on a 4-seater so the 12+ seater is nice!
Being in Lodwar was a whirlwind. The rest of the team had to rush right into their first medical camp. A few healthcare people from Lodwar met them at the first church to start treating people.
On the other hand, I had to talk baskets. My first stop was a church about 30 miles outside of Lodwar. The ministry I have worked with in Kenya, GOA, has 7 churches in the Lodwar area. This first church is closer to the lake (yes, there is a salt water lake in the desert), so the women have more of the plants that are used to make the baskets. Three of the pastors went with me to discuss buying baskets from the women. As usual, the entire congregation was there to greet me with songs and smiling faces. It is overwhelming. After 3 hours of communicating with the men of the church about the baskets I liked and those I would like to have the women make more of, I politely asked if one of the women could speak for the women. We designated a leader of the group and, after three trips to this remote area and lots of translation, I had finally placed my first order. They will be ready in a month or so. Then, the real fun begins...not just how to get them to the U.S., oh no, and not just how to get them to Nairobi, oh no....first, we have to figure out how to get them just from this church into the town, Lodwar - and keep them clean the whole time. It's never boring!
That group, for those of you who know them, was Connie Cheren, her son David, Susan Beckett and Jeff Kellar. We were joined by Laban Gitau and Justus Chege from GOA in Nairobi, as well as a young missionary named Moira from Scotland who is staying in Nairobi.
THE TRIP BEGINS: Backing up a bit....I left Atlanta on Friday 8/24, flew overnight to Amsterdam, then flew all of the next day to Nairobi, Kenya. I got into Nairobi on Saturday night 8/25. (A lot of people ask how I get there...it's long but KLM does a great job!)
On Sunday, the group I mentioned above and I went to church at CCRC. That is Christ Compassion Rehabilitation Center, the home for street kids that I have been working with since I first went to Kenya. They have church services there and it is growing with members from the surrounding community. It was so great to see the kids again and the director, my friend John Mutahi. I'll come back to them later.
OFF TO LODWAR: On Monday morning, the group and I got on the plane (to the right) to head 2.5 hours north to Lodwar. I've often gone on a 4-seater so the 12+ seater is nice!
Being in Lodwar was a whirlwind. The rest of the team had to rush right into their first medical camp. A few healthcare people from Lodwar met them at the first church to start treating people.
On the other hand, I had to talk baskets. My first stop was a church about 30 miles outside of Lodwar. The ministry I have worked with in Kenya, GOA, has 7 churches in the Lodwar area. This first church is closer to the lake (yes, there is a salt water lake in the desert), so the women have more of the plants that are used to make the baskets. Three of the pastors went with me to discuss buying baskets from the women. As usual, the entire congregation was there to greet me with songs and smiling faces. It is overwhelming. After 3 hours of communicating with the men of the church about the baskets I liked and those I would like to have the women make more of, I politely asked if one of the women could speak for the women. We designated a leader of the group and, after three trips to this remote area and lots of translation, I had finally placed my first order. They will be ready in a month or so. Then, the real fun begins...not just how to get them to the U.S., oh no, and not just how to get them to Nairobi, oh no....first, we have to figure out how to get them just from this church into the town, Lodwar - and keep them clean the whole time. It's never boring!
Below: my chief negotiators, one of the women artists, all the baskets being loaded on the truck for the drive back across the desert at night!
Over the next couple of days, I talked with women at 2 more churches about making baskets and bought a few more along the way. The other point of my trip to Lodwar was to visit with another organization, SHARE International. The contact there in Lodwar for SHARE is Missionary John. He is from Lodwar and everyone there knows him. SHARE provides a lot of different aid but one of their current projects is to build a children's home in Lodwar. They have already purchased the land and have identified their first 10 children. They feel they need to start small and then expand over time. They are currently raising money to build the facility. Missionary John is the director of SHARE in Lodwar and is from the area. He and a young social worker named Moses introduced me to several of the children they have identified.
Below: let me introduce you to
Over 2-1/2 days, they put on 5 camps at different churches and saw 1,278 people. They were able to distribute mosquito nets for free to those with children under 5 and pregnant mothers. They saw lots of people with malaria. HIV/AIDS testing was offered and 98 people were tested, with 4 being positive. Their pastors will help counsel them.
Below: let me introduce you toOver 2-1/2 days, they put on 5 camps at different churches and saw 1,278 people. They were able to distribute mosquito nets for free to those with children under 5 and pregnant mothers. They saw lots of people with malaria. HIV/AIDS testing was offered and 98 people were tested, with 4 being positive. Their pastors will help counsel them.
