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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

Safe Arrival

Tuesday Evening. 11 pm.

We arrived in Nairobi safely after about 32 hours from door to door. All went smoothly with 2 exceptions. Deborah left her Kindle on the plane from the US and once we discovered it was missing it was too late. The plane had already been cleaned and was loading passengers. A check with the less than pleased gate staff accomplished nothing so she just had to let it go. Number 2 hiccup. We checked 11 bags and initially only 10 arrive on the baggage conveyor. Of course, it was my bag that went missing. I was not too worried about my "stuff" not getting here but the letters from the sponsors were in the bag as well. Waited for about 30 minutes watching and praying that it would somehow come around on the carousel but had to give up and get in the long line for baggage issues. After about ten minutes I was glancing back at the baggage carousel and low and behold there was my lonely bag going around all by itself. God is good. Must have fallen off one of the carts on the way from the plane.

We are all really tired and most have hit the sack. Internet signal is not making it to our building so I will send this in the morning from the office. Raining buckets right now so I don't want to over there tonight.

It is now Wednesday morning and I am in the office sending last night's post. Very overcast but not raining......yet. Looking forward to what God has instore for Team LifePoint today. Pictures and team comments tonight.

Blessings, J

Break Bread Dinner

The team gathered at the Cressaty's for our traditional Break Bread dinner. With spouses in attendance we went over last minute details, handed out tickets, ate pizza and salad, and prayed for many things.

Pastor Craig led us in communion stressing that "All eyes were on the Lamb".

Deborah passed out journals for all of us as well as ribbons for our luggage. She also gave us all Kenya copper bracelets that have a special meaning for those of us who have traveled to Kenya. Our team, pictured here, is (bottom row L-R) Sheila Leijon, Bill Merrill, Mona Cosatlupes, Deborah and Craig Fuller (top row L-R) Ken Leijon, John Cressaty, Jessica Cliffe.

We are looking forward to getting in the air and landing in Nairobi.

LifePoint Africa 2010 Mission Trip

On May 10, 2010, eight members of the Lifepoint Church at Incline Village and Minden, Nevada, embark on a 2 week mission trip to the Makuru Kwa Njenga slum in Nairobi, Kenya.

Our mission is to work with our sister church, the Tumaini City Mission and the school on the church grounds, the Mwangaza Academy. We will work alongside our brothers and sisters to improve the restroom facilities, paint the inside of the church, plant a living fence around the property, and spread a covering of quarry gravel on the grounds to eliminate the ever present mud that makes walking nearly impossible from one building to another during rainy season.

Additionally, Pastor Craig Fuller, from the Incline Campus will be teaching John Maxwell's leadership principles to more than 200 pastors and lay leaders from central Kenya. This is Pastor Craig's third time teaching in Nairobi. His classes are much anticipated and provide greatly needed leadership skills to so many.

We will also work closely with the staff of the Mwangaza Academy in the classrooms. We have initiated a sponsorship program that helps educate over 300 children from the surrounding slum. Lifepoint congregations, through individual sponsorships, help provide better teacher salaries, 2 healthy meals per day for the students and staff, medical attention, books, and supplies. Our aim is to broaden their horizons by providing a solid God based curriculum. Education is the only true way out of the slum.

We will post pictures and thoughts as we travel the path that God will lead us down.

Blessings