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Here's a link to a YouTube video of the 2010 Mission Trip. Enjoy!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxLIAwntoqA

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We arrived home last night after more than forty hours of traveling. We are tired but exhilarated by our experience and we will be posting final impressions from the team as soon as we can get our internal clocks back in sync with Pacific Standard time.

Thanks for all your prayers and support.

J

Day Eight

The wife of one of our teachers at the Mwangaza Academy just had twins. Tiny little bundles of joy. Thought I'd share a few pictures we took today as we walked to Vincent's home for lunch. Their home in the slum was clean, well organized and ready to raise the little boy and girl.

We continue to work on our projects and we will wind down tomorrow. Blessing to all and please keep us in your prayers. Can't wait to let everyone know how far we've come and the big dreams we have for the future.

See you all soon, John

Day Seven

Dear Friends,

I cannot believe we are almost ready to board the plane for Los Angles. Our time in Africa has flown by. This team, that God hand picked, has accomplished much while working alongside our brothers and sisters in Tumaini. Being able to meet the children and see the difference the support LifePoint Minden and Incline Village makes in their daily lives is affirmation that this is one place we need to continue to be. As Pastor Craig says, these people don’t need evangelism (in fact they have shown us a thing or two about loving, worshiping and praising our Maker!) they need the knowledge, love and support that we can offer. They have such a desire to do the best they can with what little they have and are more than willing to be leaders in the future of their church and school.

I have witnessed that there is something very special going on inside the gates of Tumaini Mission and Mwangaza Academy. As soon as you cross the threshold you can feel and see it. What is amazing to me is the people outside of Tumaini, passing by are recognizing this, too.

There is an opportunity awaiting each of us to become involved with Tumaini Mission with approximately 160 of the 305 children at the school not yet sponsored, many construction projects requiring financing in order to be completed, serving on next Tumaini Mission Team and and of course offering daily prayer for our brothers an sisters striving for a better life. I urge you to become a part of this journey. I promise you will not regret it!

As for me, I pray that the Father invites me to return to work alongside so many, Martha, James, Mercy, Clinton, Kevin, Pastor Sanya, Phillip and so many more. I ask God to bless and keep you safe!

In Him
Shelia Leijon

Day Six. Bill's Thoughts and Deborah's Poem

Through my study of God’s Word I have come to view mankind as the crowning Jewel of God’s created universe. Through my experience here in the slums of Nairobi I have come to believe that there is nothing in God’s created universe more beautiful than a human heart completely surrendered to Jesus Christ. This beauty is the radiating light of Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. Here in the Kwa Njenga slum I have further come to understand that the darker the surroundings, the brighter the light.

I have never seen the light of Jesus Christ shine as brightly as I have seen it here against this dark backdrop of unimaginable human suffering. I have seen it in our team members, I have seen it in our brothers and sisters in the slum and I have seen it in the children.

Pastor Sanya, the assistant Pastor of Tumaini Church in the Kwa Njenga slum is an example of this. He lives his life sold out for Christ and is a wonderful example of leading by example. Sunday, during worship, Pastor Sanya was called up front to give a word of praise. The minute this man opened his mouth the Holy Spirit poured out over that church with the wonderful light of Jesus Christ. It was powerful, it was overwhelming and the power in it was complete. No darkness could stand in the presence of this light. Pastor Craig commented that if there was any dark spirits lurking in that place they headed for the exits at that moment. It was one of the most beautiful things I have ever witnessed.

Why do I come to the slum? I come to serve God, I come to do His work, I come to love His people and I come to experience His marvelous light. The darker the backdrop the brighter the light!

Bill Merrill

~

From Deborah

Grace, Grace what a precious face,
Not one of beauty, but one of innocence
You looked so trusting and weren’t afraid
The pain in your foot looked quite intense.
You gave me such joy to see your friendship
To this strange woman you tried to converse
Such curiosity threw caution out the window.
Your sweetness caused me to write this verse.

Anastacia I saw you a year ago
with the same look of a wide eyed doe
Speaking better English you are my dear
Come visit me often and let me turn my ear
To the sweet young girl
With eyes of saucers
You remind me of a little banty rooster
So proud and fiesty in a place of such gloom
Into my heart you have set up a room.


Mercy Mercy Mercy me
How many faces of God do I see.
Andrew, Emmanuel, Wilberforce and Sarah
Janet, Teresa, Ruth, and Prisca
You touch my heart with your bright smiling faces
One of trust and joy, in such sad places.
You know no better than what you see
God grant them your blessings that you give free.
Keep them healthy until old age
Let Kwa Njenja Slum be their stage
Where change can come about
Their love for you no doubt.
Never let my love for them
Get shaded, dark and dim.
They are my sweet ‘ Kenyan’ babies
Of this I ask you Lord, Please.

Kelumbo you are such a dear man
Though you and I can’t converse in this land
One day we will meet on the streets of gold
And talk until hell turns cold.
Your smile delights my heart
I’ve loved you from the very start
of this mission God has me on.
I will remember you while I am gone.
To America I must go
A Maasi Warrior will always know.
His friends from the US of A
That God has brought his way.
Loves him as a bobbpi
And He loves me.

Day four random thoughts

May 16, 2010


We are almost half way through our trip and I thought I’d let the team express some thoughts.

Amazing and unbelievable. Church in Kwa Njenga. Mona

I’ve heard John say that you haven’t been to church until you’ve been in Kenya; today, I found out just how true his statement really was. Singing, dancing, jumping, the locomotion (so to speak), sweating and even crying... what an amazing way to worship the Lord! I’ve never seen a Pastor take the stage quite like Pastor Sanya. After a 2 1/2 hour service, I had the amazing experience of meeting my sponsor child’s mother, Joyce. She was loving and extremely great full. Today was an emotionally charged day... just like every day before. To Chad and Joey- I love you both very much and I miss you! XOX Jessica

What an incredible journey this is. From the day we formed the team until the present, I knew that we would be a group that would really latch on to the short term mission team concept, embrace its benefits, and absorb its challenges. We have experienced, and overcome, the overwhelming feelings of helplessness that can occur when entering into an area of extreme poverty and sub-standard living conditions. Sights, sounds, and smells that can cause an emotional shut down have been avoided because we have been blessed by the loving hearts and souls of the people of Kwa Jenga. We look forward to arriving each day in the slum to experience what God has in store for us and to serve the people we have grown to know and love. Can’t wait to return....John

First Day at Tumaini

Our first day in Tumaini is done and we are back at Grace House. Just finished dinner and I wanted to update you on our day.

Because of last nights rain, we could not take our usual way into the slum. The amazing Philip found a way into the church coming from the east through a gravel pit with several locked gates. With a few phone calls the gates were opened and we made it. We managed to have a rain free day for the most part and moved, with the help of many Tumaini members, a hugh amount of merum, rocky dirt we are using to cover the mud bog that covers the church property. Many wheelbarrows full are left to spread. the sack We’ll be back at it tomorrow.

Blessings, J

The team is working well together and everyone is feeling tried but good. We’ll all take a turn at updating the blog tomorrow evening.

Hitting the sack early tonight. More later