Thank you!

We are so thankful for the support we have received for this trip. God has used your monetary gifts, your donations, and your prayers to do amazing things in our hearts and in the hearts of the people we came in contact with. We are so excited to share the things we did in Kenya. Stick around and browse our stories and pictures!

Friday, September 7, 2012

Kenya is not like America!


It doesn't take more than a second to notice the differences between Kenya and the US. From the moment we stepped out of the airport, the smells were different. The air was thinner. The people were dressed so colorfully. The streets were lined with grazing animals. People walk where they need to go. Cars drive on the wrong side of the road! It was a lot to take in, and all so beautiful in a different kind of way.
Life in Kenya seems so much simpler. Most Kenyan homes are small and made of sticks and mud. Their living space is the outdoors, where they spend all their time. But they work hard. They don't eat frozen dinners and do their laundry in machines. They scrub their clothes by hand and make every meal from scratch.

It was a privilege to visit this amazing country and experience the rich culture and the love of the Kenyan people.
Caleb and Micah with a Maasai warrior


Thursday, September 6, 2012

Kibera: St. Martha's Ministry


Kibera is situated outside of Nairobi, Kenya's capitol city. It is the largest slum in Africa, holding over one million people in less than a 3 square mile radius. It is a city with little hope. A city that Kenya doesn't know how to help. Perhaps it has been forgotten. But I will not forget.

Our family had the privilege of meeting Unus and visiting the shop she runs. She and her husband started St. Martha's Ministry in the heart of Kibera. They give hope to widowed women that are HIV positive. Through the smelly, crowded alleyways of the city, in the back of their cramped, hot, dusty ramshackle shop, the women of St. Martha's Ministry openly shared their stories of loss and hopelessness and the love and hope they found in Jesus Christ. Most of these women were sent away by their families after their husbands died of AIDS and they had been diagnosed HIV positive. Not having any source of income or trade to live on, they ended up in the slums with nothing but their children and their empty pockets. Each of them found their way to St. Martha's Ministry where they were taught beadwork or sewing and given the opportunity to sell the goods they make. They also participate in Bible studies and pray for each other regularly.

The women's stories were powerful. Once hopeless, they found hope in Jesus because Unus and her husband were willing to show them where to find hope. Although they have a terrible disease that will most certainly end in death, they know that the Lord is caring for them and their children and loves them just as they are.

It makes me think: the hope we have in Christ is available to everyone, so long as they are searching for it. And could I be the one to help someone uncover such an incredible gift?

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Oasis for Orphans

Greeting of songs, hugs, and procession on the hill
One of the main reasons we came to Africa was to visit the place our extended family lives and the ministry they are working for. Oasis for Orphans is a non-profit organization that has a heart to provide for the basic needs of orphaned children: meals, clothing, a place to sleep, and schooling. There is currently one orphanage affectionately known as "the hill". Their desire is to replicate this idea in other remote areas in Kenya.

To be honest, I was completely overwhelmed the first day we were there with the culture shock and the language barrier. Not to mention the fact that Micah ended up in the hospital on our first night. (More on that later.) I had a hard time engaging. It was a stretch for me for sure, and I was not embracing it that first day! But our schedule was packed with activities and I did not have time to resist the work God had set for us to do.
They made Michele "speak a few words" at every gathering.

Playing with play doh

A game of tag and tickle

Making clay pens

The beautiful results of their creativity

We made curtains for the girls' dorm rooms
By the end of the week, I was sad to leave the precious children. We may not have had long, deep conversations, but we bonded in other ways. We learned things together. We experienced new things together. We shared a mutual love for Jesus. They are a part of us now, and we will always remember them and keep them in our prayers.

To learn more about Oasis for Orphans, visit their website: Oasisfororphans.org

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Hannah's thoughts


First of all, I loved Africa. The whole experience was amazing.

Cousins at scenic overlook in Kijabe
Making chipote at children's home
Before Africa, my relationship with God was okay, but I was kind of just going through the motions. I read my bible and did devotions but I didn’t feel totally connected to him. This summer I prayed that God would help me to get closer to him.

The first night when we got to the Hill, Micah fell and split his lip open.  We didn’t know what to do. When my parents took Micah to the hospital, my aunt and the rest of us prayed together for Micah. I was really scared and had a hard time just trusting God.  I remembered a service we listened to during Winter Extreme (our youth retreat). The pastor talked about how God has a plan for every situation and how we have to trust in him and let him do what he has planned. This really helped me to let God do his thing. And it let me know that God had a plan for us.
Day 1: Micah with 2 stitches above his lip

The next day, we got to see Micah. It was hard seeing him hurting.  It really helped me when I went up to the Children’s Home because the kids just brought so much joy and hope. We did crafts with the kids and it was so much fun to see them smile.

Two days later, Micah got an infection in his stitches. He had to go back to the hospital and get it taken care of. I was really afraid of the unknown. God became really real to me then. He put Jeremiah 29:11 in my head which is:

 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

I felt a huge connection with God again and then I understood that he had a plan for us and that this happened for a reason. God had answered my prayers to bring me closer to him.

Hannah
Caleb and Micah with the doctor 5 days later

Monday, September 3, 2012

Micah's story

If you've read Hannah's post already, you have heard most of Micah's story. But I'd like to share with you a bit more and also what God has done in the midst it all.

The day we arrived at the Children's Home, we were invited to dinner at Joseph's house. Joseph is the man who had the dream to build the orphanage. The orphanage is built on his land. We had a great dinner together and heard some stories of when Joseph was a young boy, how he killed a hyena, and other stories of courage. He spoke a lot on being courageous. However, it was late and the kids were getting restless so we sent them back to the guest house (where Ronn's brother and his family live) which is very close. Micah lagged behind a little; he was distracted by trying to get the door closed to the house.
Daytime view of the steps where Micah fell
A few seconds following, we heard loud crying outside. At first I thought someone had just gotten scared, but soon Katie came in and asked her mom to come--quickly. She went and then called for us to come. By the time I got to the house, Micah was getting cleaned up and it was obvious this was more than just a cut. Ann cleaned it as well as she could (she is a nurse) and thought we should take him to the hospital. She made a few calls: one to Joseph, who urged her to take him to the Kilgoris hospital instead of the one they usually visit in Kissee (which is further away); and one to Vincent, the orphanage nurse/doctor/social worker. Rick, Ronn, Vincent, Micah and I loaded up the car for the very bumpy ride down the hill to the hospital. We had Micah hold a damp gauze on his face to keep it from crusting, and I sang "Step by Step" to him all the way down the hill. It's amazing how a song like that can bring comfort. I used to sing that to him when he was upset as a baby.

Anyway, we arrived at the hospital and the doctor didn't know what to do with Micah. The nurse initially said they would have to admit Micah so he could see the regular doctor in the morning, but after consulting with the doctor that was there, she decided to call and see if he could come and take a look. About 10 minutes later, Dr. Magita came in and introduced himself. He took us into an operating room so he could get a good look at Micah, clean out his wound, and assess the situation. There were two options: to leave the deep wound open and clean it out several times a day, or stitch it. Both came with risks, one of which was infection with either choice. Because we were flying home in a week, he decided stitching would be better. I was happy because the last thing I wanted to do was inflict pain on my little boy three times a day while cleaning his wound.

I am convinced the area had not been sufficiently numbed before the stitching began; Micah moaned and cried in pain with every touch. First the cleaning, then the stitching. It was awful. And this hospital was not state-of-the-art. It was dirty. The floor was peeling up. The paint was old and faded. The cloths were stiff and crusty. But the doctor did wear gloves and had sterilized equipment, thank God. I sang to him and told him Joseph's stories of courageousness were just for him, at this very time. And God wanted him to be courageous right then and there. Two stitches later he was done.

Dr. Magita told us Micah would need to be on an antibiotic because he fell on dirty wood and there was a risk of infection. He called his wife, the pediatrician, and she was there in five minutes trying to find something suitable for Micah. They don't have a lot of medication to choose from, and most of it is adult strength. They gave him a mild antibiotic that he would have to swallow twice a day.

When the nurse handed the doctor the paperwork, he refused and told us he would not be charging us for our visit. He was glad we were visiting Kenya and wanted us to use our money to support the economy rather than to pay a hospital bill. WOW. That wouldn't happen in the USA! We were overcome with gratefulness; God provided right then and there for us.


Two days later, Micah's wound started pussing. It was pretty gross, and mostly oozed out when he ate or laughed, causing the cut to stretch. I was hoping it wasn't a big deal, but when Ann saw it, she told us we needed to take another trip down to the hospital. Dr. Magita and Vincent were waiting there for us. Dr. Magita took a look and sure enough, infection had set in. Instead of opening up the sutures and cleaning it out, he attempted to push on the area to excrete as much puss as he could. This seemed to work well enough that he said the stitches could stay, but that Micah needed a stronger antibiotic. So he took us over to his home to consult with his wife. They introduced us to their son and his wife, and their granddaughter. The doctors discussed antibiotic possibilities. There wasn't much available for children at their hospital, so they settled on giving Micah 1/2 dose of Augmentin (in pill form) twice a day.
Micah: Day 3
We had a chance to stay and visit for a bit and found out that the doctors' granddaughter was starting homeschool, but they explained that there was not much curriculum available in Kenya so it has been challenging. Ann shared with them that she homeschooled her kids and she was just going through all the curriculum that she was done with and would love to give it to them. Through Micah's tragedy, this little girl would get the curriculum she needed to have a successful homeschool experience. 

We also talked about the possibility of partnership between Dr. Magita and the Children's Home. Oasis has a donor willing to send hospital equipment and supplies to them, but in the past, the clinics didn't know what to do with the supplies or weren't trained to use them so they were useless. Because of this new friendship with Dr. Magita, any medical supplies that are sent will be able to be used at the hospital!

There is also new staff coming to live on the hill, one of which is a doctor wanting to learn about the medical practices in Kenya. Dr. Magita will be an invaluable resource to him, as he is very willing to take time to come alongside and share his knowledge with the new staff member. If Micah had not gotten hurt, this connection might never have been made.

On our way back to the hill from the hospital we visited Ronn at the local church where they were doing the pastors' training. The pastors stopped everything to pray over Micah. It was a beautiful and moving moment to hear them pray in their native tongue and lift up our son to the Lord.

We gave Micah his first dose of Augmentin that evening along with the antibiotic they had prescribed for him at the beginning of the week. Later that evening he complained of the bottoms of his feet itching. We weren't sure what the cause was and assumed it was because he hadn't bathed regularly and was not changing his socks daily. We put some anti-itch cream on them, cleaned out his wound (a very painful process for us all), and put him to bed.

Thursday morning Micah took both antibiotics and almost immediately he broke out in hives on his knees, elbows, and legs. We gave him Benedryl which helped and knew he was allergic to one of the antibiotics. That meant figuring out another antibiotic that was strong enough to fight his infection, that could be prescribed to a child, and that was available locally. Ann is well connected with other doctors so she made a lot of phone calls back and forth. By evening Micah was on yet another antibiotic.

Interior of hospital


 We took one last trip to the hospital on Friday to have Dr. Magita look at Micah before we left for home. He was so happy with Micah's quick recovery from the infection; he called it a miracle. There were no signs of infection, and the healing had begun. We stopped by the Magita's home to check in with Mrs. Magita (the pediatrician) and thank her for all she has done to help us. She shared some of her personal story with us and their family's heart for Kenya. They are good people, doing a good thing. They are not in medicine for the money; they truly want to care for the underprivileged and make a difference in Kenya.

Through this whole ordeal Ronn and I wondered, why now God? Why did Micah have to get hurt in Kenya when he has been perfectly healthy for the first 7 1/2 years of his life? Coming out of it, we look back and see how God orchestrated all of this for His glory, not ours. Although Micah didn't personally benefit from his pain, others certainly are receiving blessings from it. God provided homeschool curriculum for a lonely little girl, and possible future friendships for her on the hill. He provided a hospital where donated equipment would be used and otherwise could not be afforded. He connected doctors who can learn from each other to provide healthcare for the Kenyan people. God is good. He sees the bigger picture when we don't. Thank you Lord for being in control!


Sunday, September 2, 2012

Our Kenyan Family

We met two very special boys on the hill. Although our kids have written them letters and sent them pictures, we had not met them face to face. Ronn's dad sponsors Oloinguari and Lekuta, twin brothers. Since Ronn's dad has not been able to make a trip out to Kenya, we were treated as the unofficial sponsors which meant that we had special time with the boys every day we were on the hill. This time included giving them gifts of clothing, which many of you donated (thank you!). We also gave them a new American sweet to try every day: Skittles, Bottle Caps, Reeses Pieces, Sour Patch Kids. I don't think there was anything they didn't like! Although the boys were extremely shy, they couldn't hide their big smiles when the candy came out of the special bags where the gifts were placed daily.

We also had an activity planned with them daily. A game, a puzzle, or a craft that we could do together. But the biggest hit was the rocket balloons. Not only did Oloinguari and Lekuta love it, so did the rest of the kids!
Oloinguari and Lekuta's sister Susan with Hannah
One of the highlights of our trip was visiting Oloinguari and Lekuta's guardians' home. Their oldest brother Duncan (23) along with cousins and grandparents welcomed us into their home, gave us a meal of chicken, rice, chipote and chai, and visited with all of us. They were so kind and very thankful for the help our family had given theirs by investing in their boys' lives and futures. The boys' dad had been killed by thieves and their mom died of disease when they were very young. The family simply couldn't provide for all eight of the children left behind. The four youngest siblings now make their home on the hill. It was impacting to see where the boys came from and how the family still loved them.

Saturday, September 1, 2012

Pastor Training


Over a year ago my brother, Rick, shared with me a vision of having 6 pastors from America come together to train pastor's in Kenya.  The commitment for this training was to come once a year for the next 3 years.  The goal was to give these pastors some basic training in the Bible so that they could then train others in the places that they live.

One of the reasons we went to Kenya was for me to participate in this pastoral training.  There were about 20 pastors from all over the Kilgoris area that came for this training.  Many of them walked many miles to be a part of it.  I teamed up with another pastor to do the training for this session.  We taught through the names of God and how that impacts our lives and then I was able to teach on the Holy Spirit and also covered some topics on Biblical Counseling.  We talked through what we need to do as Pastors when it comes to how to handle anger, how to handle conflict, how to forgive, and how to help people work through the problems that they faced.

The day usually started around 9:30 and ended around 3:00.  We would have a chai break around 11:00 and then we would eat lunch around 12:30.  We would go to a local restaurant for lunch.  The lunch was always an exciting adventure to see what food they would provide for that day.

 The most powerful memory I have with these pastors was actually how they ministered to me.  After Micah got stitches and we found out that there was an infection these pastors gathered around me and prayed for him.  Tears went down my face as we were praying together in different languages.  It was a powerful time and I am sure that God used the power of their prayers to heal Micah.

It was a privilege to be part of this training with the pastors.  I learned so much from them and their love for God.

Ronn