August 2023 Kenya Mission Trip - The Final Episode

Yes, it has taken us a while to share this final episode.  It takes a while to adjust to American ways after being in Kenya.  It takes a while to get over missing people you care for so much.  How do you end the story of a trip that was so full of love, of service, and of surprises (both sad and joyful)?  How do you share that you have just spent 2 weeks with a group of people and knowing that God was so obviously among us?  If you didn't read Episodes 1 and 2, please do.  You will see what we mean.  We traveled to the opposite side of the world with people we knew well, somewhat well, and barely.  The love of God made us a family and brought so many others into the fold that we all can't wait to travel back together and be together again.  How awesome that serving the Lord together can pull you so close. How much like heaven could this be?  Here we served together and in heaven we'll worship as one family.  AMAZING!

Our last episode ended with the day off for the team.  That was a Saturday.  Sunday, we worshiped at God Seeker's Fellowship church.  The pastor of the church asked Don Criscoe to preach the actual Sunday service and Patty taught Sunday school.  It is open to all, so Sunday school moves directly to church without shifting of rooms or changing of people.  The t-shirts we had made for this team had part of 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 'be strong, be brave, do everything in love" printed on them.  Don was asked to speak to those words.   He chose to use the story of Paul and his conversion on the way to Damascus.  Patty was given the topic of dedicating yourself to God even when it calls you to change what you had previously believed in.  She chose to use the story of Paul and his conversion on the way to Damascus and the change it brought to his life.  As Don said, since he spoke second, God must have wanted someone in that building to hear those words from the Bible.  It was definitely a "God" thing.

The next day, we had a celebration with the girls and babies at the center.  Every girl worked alongside of us as we served the local community.  They were our helpers, our cooks, our praise and worship leaders and our translators.  We have never had that experience before and definitely bonds of friendship grew between the team and the girls...and the babies.

Carolyn Stuckey fell in love with Gladys.  They worked side by side for two days straight at medical camp.  A bond that will not soon be broken was made. And you can't love Gladys without loving her daughter Zipporah, better known as Zippy.

The boys don't get much male bonding.  Vincent "Vinnie" and Don found time to hang out together.  Vinnie loved Don's hat.  

Gracie and Brenda had great fun together.  It's hard to tell who giggled the most

 Tracey had all the babies smiling...but that's what Tracey does! Kim (short for Kimani)  is smiling in front.

And Patti is being "shosh" (grandma) and is much loved.  She's loving it, too!

The team decided they wanted to try some local cuisine.  What does that mean...why, goat of course!Remember, there is no refrigeration, so everything is prepared that day!  Lenser (our cook) and Allen (one of our farmworkers) know what to do.Somehow it turns into a man's project.  We are told in Kenya the men take care of the meat.  Our guard, Francis and Joseph, join in as they cut the meat into pieces.We don't have a clear consensus of what the team thought about the goat for a meal, but this picture definitely shows what the girls thought about it.You can't have a celebration without a rousing game of Twister...can you?

Then all too soon, the time to leave came.  There were many tears. Everyone hated to leave these special people, but there were families at home, and jobs, so goodbyes had to be said.  I can truly say that I was happy that I didn't have to say goodbye to Kenya but both Ken and I hated to say goodbye to this team.  They would be missed terribly.  God has a way of saying thank you and as we traveled away from the center one of the ladies said, "Look at what my phone just did!!"  She shared this photo.

We had one last night together.  It was used to hold an exit meeting and decide what would be done as far as team projects.  Those will be shared later.  Ken and I used part of our remaining two weeks coordinating and planning to complete them.  All of these projects will be not only from this team but from all of you who helped to make this trip possible.  Lives will be touched!  God will be glorified.  He does work in ways that leave us in awe. The morning of departure came.  It was hard to say goodbye to our friends at the hotel, The Coconut Palms.  We all went part of the way together and then the team traveled to Nairobi to catch their flight.  We called this the final episode but stay tuned for a spin-off series.  Lord willing, they'll be back!

1 Peter 4:8-11"Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.  Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace, whoever speaks as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies--in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.  To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen"