Thank You Letters

We received a few thank you letters that we'd like to share with you. The first letter is from the 27 agriculture students. Click on the pictures below to read the full-size pages.

The second letter we received was from the pastors that attended the pastors conference. They were so thankful for the training from H and Fred, and the Life Application Study Bible that was graciously provided by the Sojourners' Bible Class!

We thank God that He has given us the privilege to share the abilities He's given us and also to learn so much from our Kenyan brothers and sisters!

God is so good

This morning, waking up to the sights and sounds of the Maasai Mara, we've had time to begin reflecting on what God has done in us and through us over the past 2 weeks. We are not the same. There have been so many stories of God's faithfulness and provision. For us, Africa is no longer a continent. It is faces and names. It is Empowering Lives. It is Juli and The Living Room. It is Brook of Faith and the 90+ delightful kids at the Children's Home. It is Pastor Peter and Ruth, Hellen and Cosmas, David and Allison and little Tjaden, 27 sustainable agriculture students, and so many others that we have come to love. Kipkarren now feels like home. It was hard to leave, but I am confident that many of us will be back.

Our last night in Kipkarren, many gathered to send us on our way with blessings and gifts. The people of Kipkarren know how to send someone off on a long journey! You can't help but feel good after being thanked and hugged by 50 people. The outpouring of love and thanksgiving was overwhelming. The men received beautiful Kenyan shirts and the women received awesome purses.


We are so thankful to the people of Kipkarren and the others we've met along the way for welcoming us with open arms. It has been such a pleasure to fellowship with our Kenyan brothers and sisters, and to learn from each other. If God is speaking to you about going overseas, I encourage you to listen to His voice and go! It is such a blessing to see my God at work on the other side of the world and to build relationships here in Kenya with those who love Him. The mutual support we give each other is invaluable. "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." - 1 Thess. 5:11

Here at the Mara, God blessed me with something I've been wanting to see for a loooooong time... a lion in his natural habitat! Thank you Jesus! :)


Everything is His,
Steve Medley

Food!

Well, you may like to know what a mission’s team in Kenya might be eating. The food has been more than enough as they have literally opened up the pantries and have given us the “best ever” out of their pantries.

For example, breakfast might consists of fried monkey brains with a side of goat liver puree over slices of pineapple…yummy in my tummy!

Ok, just kidding! There aren’t any monkeys here. Kidding again! So, a typical breakfast consists of eggs in some form, grilled buttered bread, local fruit (pineapple, orange, mango, watermelon, vine-ripened bananas), and chai. Instant coffee is available for all the addicts who look forward to fresh grind when they get home (French Press for Arab Timضطظؤز Ämąn). Here’s an example of breakfast:

For lunch and dinner, rice is usually served, with some sort of meat stew (beef or chicken). Beans and/or lentils are also poured over the rice. Potatoes are served boiled or fried whole. For a vegetable, green beans and carrots together is common. Kale/collards boiled with seasonings is quite tasty. To dip in the plentiful sauces, chapati is served. Chapati is rolled flat bread made of wheat and cooked on a hot grill. Typically, our meals are cooked over wood or charcoal. Believe me ladies, it’s quite a challenge to cook the meals we are served in this way. This is an example of a lunch/dinner meal:

Chai is served with almost every meal. It is sweet and milky deliciousness made by boiling milk, adding Kenyan tea, and then filtered into a thermos. Sugar and spices are added to taste. We’ll be driving through tea country on Sunday, and the shades of green that grow on the hillsides are breathtakingly amazing.

On an exciting note, David Tarus, a leader in the community, was willing to implement a new fertilizer program based on last year’s soil test results. The maize yield was incredible! David used this new program in his poorest field, as well as his other fields. He said, “If it’s going to work on my poorest field, I want to use it on my best fields.” Here is a picture of the maize from his fields:

This is awesome maize! We sampled some maize from other farmers, and the cobs were half of this size! Last year, the yield on one of David’s 5-acre fields was 3,584 lbs. of maize per acre. This year, the new fertilizer program yielded 5,320 lbs per acre... a 48% increase! Praise the Lord!

Saturday (tomorrow), the ag students are going to lay out and plant their first “Farming God’s Way” plot in the experimental garden. They were so enthused today as they cleared and leveled the site and covered it with God’s Blanket (leaves, maize stalks, dried grasses).

In the dairy realm, we took video footage of a farmer named Thomas and the process he goes through each day to bring his milk from “udder to cooler.” It was the best ever. Be on the lookout in the near future for the final product! We want to extend a special thank you to our amazing driver, Pastor Peter Maru, who only got stuck on the side of the road in the ditch once despite impossibly muddy roads.

CPR & First Aid

Wow, I cannot believe it is already Thursday morning… these days have just flown by! As you have heard, Monday and Tuesday were the days of the First Aid/CPR class. In total there were 85 students, I was so glad to have Vickie there to assist.

I was so amazed at how quickly we were able to cover all the information coupled with many hands-on practices. Students always had questions and scenarios to share – all which helped to solidify understanding and application!

We rented two manikins from the Red Cross office in Eldoret (a fun experience for me to visit). The clinic had the baby dolls to practice with and even a choking simulation vest – too fun!


We also discussed topics like Malaria and TB, the importance of immunizations and even emergency childbirth! Students practiced controlling bleeding and various splinting techniques…they were really creative!


In Kenya there really is no 9-1-1 ambulance services. And especially in the rural villages, like here in Kipkarren, transportation to even a clinic is a challenge. We spent a good portion of the class talking about how to move and transport patients, even those with suspected head, neck or back injuries. We also constructed stretchers from bamboo, sticks, clothing and bark (strips like rope).


Our certificate ceremony was Wednesday morning. One of the students began with sharing a story and a passage from Hosea 4:6. They say that they have only lacked knowledge and that now they have the ideas of how to help someone who is injured or found unconscious. The students are continuing to express gratitude for the skills they have gained from this course. I have had several conversations with students who are very excited to take this information back to their home communities to share with their families, neighbors and friends. I am so humbled and blessed to know that the gifts God has given me are reaching all across the nation of Kenya (Stay tuned for a very special story!).


My prayer is that when presented with an opportunity to apply these skills, and maybe save a life, that they will testify that the reason they could help was because God gave them the opportunity to learn and the compassion to respond, and that by sharing this that many will come to know the Lord!


Mungu ni Mwema (God is Good),

Jenn McCormick

Another Update

We have had more rain today. It reminds me of the Midwest rains where it comes down in buckets. It causes a lot of ground erosion and is definitely washing away a lot of top soil. This is why they need to leave a covering on the ground to slow and prevent runoff. It would help Ag a lot in this area. We have a spot now on the ELI grounds to do a demonstration plot Farming God’s Way and the students will be taught on Thursday and Friday how to do that.


We have many Pastors arriving today for the seminars the next three days. They are coming in the rain and the mud. We anticipate around 60 pastors with many returning from previous years but some 1st year pastors are coming also. Fred has been busy disciplining a young pastor the past several days and now a friend of his has joined them.


Jenn and Vickie are working on the CPR & 1st Aid training with over 70 participants today. A very large group but is being well received. There are young students from two schools, all the Ag Students, some pastors, some parents from the orphanage as well as people from surrounding villages.


Fred, Steve and H all had a chance to visit some homes today and will share further in the next couple of days on their wonderful experience.

Tim, Tom and Doug visited the Onesimus dairy collection cooler. It is doing well with 5700-6700 liters per day of milk being delivered by over 2000 farmers each day. The farm size will range from one lady who delivers less than 1 liter each day to one farmer who does 1000 liters per day. They are down in number from 4000 farmers and over 15,000 liters per day because of a competitor wants the business and continuing is driving up the price to the farmer. This is a good thing and is one of the primary reasons the Onesimus is in business to help the poverty farmer in particular get a fair price. It is working and working well.


We spent a little time at the supply cooperative. They are struggling to offer a value to the members at this point. Doug will be working with them Wednesday and Thursday to see if we can change the plan some and improve the value they offer.

Continue to pray for us as both Doug and H are suffering through colds with a running nose and general run down feeling. But we are continuing to do what God has empowered us to do.

Living Room International

Ever since I heard the name “The Living Room” it has brought peaceful thoughts to mind. Like family, caring, hope and peace. Ever since my first trip back in 2008 I have been moved by the compassion and care shown by the staff as they cared for the sick, the dying mostly from HIV and AIDS.

On my first visit I had the opportunity to participate in home visits where we visited children suffering from malnutrition and one HIV positive man. He told me of how his family had left him to die because he was sick. Fortunately, he was found by one of our nurses doing home visits and was taken to the clinic for help.

Today a man came up to me and I knew him. As he smiled at me I said, “You are David” and he said yes with a big smile. He looked great and he thanked and praised God for his second chance. David continues to help educate his community and people about HIV and AIDS.

(David Tibet)

This ministry began with the passionate vision of one woman for the lost, the dying and forgotten with HIV, AIDS and those suffering from malnutrition. It was last year that God directed her to begin the ministry now called “The Living Room”.

(Juli McGowan)

Currently, they’re in a 6 bed facility with 6 patients. Breast cancer, Failure to Thrive, and Tuberculosis are some of the diagnoses being treated. This type of hospice palliative care is the only one within 50 miles making it very difficult for those who are sick and their families to take advantage of the services. Thus the reason for “The Living Room”.

This morning as we toured the sight of the new 26 bed facility I was in awe of how God was making a dream a reality. As Juli showed us around I was awed by her comment that there will always be the “27^th” patient.

I believe that God has placed me here, “…for such a time as this” to assist in this effort to help the people get the care they desperately need. I believe that we all can be change agents if we are willing to step out in faith. As the body of Christ we can all do our part but the only way we are going to be successful in God’s ministry is for us to move together. I hope that you will join me in the efforts to build God’s Kingdom through the Palliative Care and Nursing Ministry of “The Living Room”.

(Staff of the Living Room)

Experiencing God in Africa,

Fred Preston

Ag Seminar Report

Yesterday ended our two day Farmer’s/Ag student training seminar featuring the DVD video series called “Farming God’s Way”. There were 27 Ag students and approximately 33 farmers present for the seminar and many notes were taken by the attendees.

I really sensed a sincere heart’s desire from the farmers and students and a true willingness to begin to adopt the principles presented in the series such as (farming with joy, applying the technologies of using “God’s Blanket” mulching technique, applying high standards and timeliness and most importantly, “Giving God All the Glory”). The series stressed that God is all sufficient in our lives and our dependence upon His ways over our ways, even in farming.

Our hope is to stop off in a town called Kijabe on the way back to the airport to visit an actual Farming God’s Way training center to see about sending some students to become “Certified Trainers” before the next planting season. Our desire is that the Kenyan’s will take ownership of the technologies and be able to replicate the principles in many areas all across Kenya where the Ag students have come from. There could be literally 27 potential trainers coming out of the Kipkarren Training Center (Bwana Asifiwe…Praise the Lord!) So many of our guests were blessed by the series and their desire for change from “tradition” is strong. We stressed in the training that a small trial section done to high standards should be planted in each of their farms in order to demonstrate the principles taught.

A young Ag Extension Trainer named Isaac has been selected to do Extension Ag Teaching to area communities with incredible success. He has trained over 6,000 farmers in Tanzania and 3,800 in Kenya! He teaches in the areas of poultry, dairy, horticulture and vegetable gardening. Therefore, he has a very effective ability to touch people.

After viewing the FGW video series, he came up to me and said “now I don’t have to go seminary to discover the biblical truths in farming, but I can use this series to stress the purposes and plans of God to prosper His people through farming.” He is one of the candidates we hope to send to accreditation school in the future. He then introduced us to 3 of his volunteer training coordinators named (Timothy, Reba and Kathryn). All 3 fully appreciated the series and are excited about applying FGW principles on their farms and the other local farmers they help to coordinate training for.

(Doug, Daniel, Timothy, Kathryn, Reba, Tim II, Isaac)

Again, I cannot stress enough the value of your prayers in support of our privileged presence here and the effectively seized opportunities to share physical and spiritual truths!

Serving the King of Kings,

Tim Aman

Jambo! Hello! If you ever travel to Kenya and want to greet someone in Swahili, this is what you need to know:

You: “Habari yako?” (How are you?)
Them: “Mzuri. Habari yako?” (Good. How are you?)
You: “Mzuri, asante.” (Good, thank you.)

Yesterday was a great day here in Kipkarren. We had a powerful thunderstorm that turned steps into waterfalls!

Tim, Tom, and Doug presented the first session from the “Farming God’s Way” DVD series to the ag students and local farmers. The initial response was AWESOME!!! It was the “best ever”! Stand by for more tomorrow!


While we’re here, the children at the children’s home have invited us to share in their devotional time. H shared a story, “You Are Special” by Max Lucado, with the children last night. The kids really enjoyed it.


Jenn shared a memory verse with the kids:

Psalm 139:13-14
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

The children worship beautifully! Fred brought his guitar and taught the kids a new song.


After dinner, we participated in devotions with the ag students. Fred shared a little of his testimony and a passage from Exodus chapter 4. He reminded us that God created us for signifance. Then Steve shared an acapella solo at the ag students’ request.


Today, Fred, H, Jenn and Vickie visited two new citizens of Kipkarren, Jonathan and Corrina. It’s interesting to note that in Kenyan culture, maternity leave is 3 months of mother and baby at home. The mother doesn’t leave home during this time, and a relative or close friend usually comes to take care of the family. This gives the mother time to bond with her child.



Steve joined Vickie and Jenn at the clinic and visited the existing Kimbilio Center of Living Room Ministries as well as the construction site of the new center. Kimbilio means “resting place.” Living Room is a hospice-like ministry that strives to create a community of compassion that honors life and offers hope. This is a picture of Juli McGowan at the new construction site.


Tomorrow is church and we have the privilege to worship with our Kenyan brothers and sisters. Please continue to pray for our team and the movement of the Holy Spirit. Tutaonana! (See you later!)

We're in Kenya!

Friends,

God is good! Mungu ni Mwema! We arrived safely to Kipkarren yesterday with all our luggage and hearts eager to serve. We were very blessed to have safe and uneventful travel for the entire team. I, Steve Medley, arrived in Amsterdam an hour earlier than scheduled, which gave me the opportunity to watch the sunrise over the planes of Schiphol Airport. What an awesome artist God is!


The team met in Amsterdam and flew to Nairobi together. We ate well on the flight… the KLM flight attendants were serving us something different every hour!

Once we arrived in Nairobi, we spent the night at the Mayfield Hospitality House and then it was back to the airport for our flight to Eldoret. As we stepped off the plane, we saw 50 or so schoolchildren lined up along the runway. It turns out that these children were on a field trip to the airport, as many of them had never seen a plane before! As the children were milling around the airport, a large group asked if they could take their picture with us, the wazungu (white people). Talk about feeling like a celebrity!

Don Rogers, Founder and International Director of Empowering Lives International (ELI), met us at the airport and took us to Kipkarren. Our excitement increased as we saw the familiar ELI sign.


The warm welcome given at the Kipkarren River ELI Center is second to none! As we drove up, we could hear the joyful singing of the ELI staff and agriculture students. Our team leader, Doug, was given a pair of scissors to cut the flower-strewn line, allowing us into the Center.


The people of Kipkarren continued to sing and presented us with roses as we walked around the circle, receiving hugs and handshakes from each person. For those of us returning, it feels like returning to our second home. Don Rogers, David Taurus, and Peter Maru gave encouraging and welcoming speeches.


After lunch, we were treated to a tour of the ELI Center’s agricultural training areas. Isaac, an instructor of sustainable agriculture, took us around to the various gardens and explained a bit about the curriculum. Isaac has trained nearly 10,000 farmers in the community on sustainable agriculture techniques in the past six months alone!


God is using the agriculture program at ELI in big ways. Over a period of 9 months, the students learn farming and animal husbandry techniques that they take back and teach to their communities, thereby increasing crop yield. More importantly, though, the program places a huge emphasis on the spiritual development of each student, equipping them to share the gospel in their communities.

We are excited about what God has planned for us over the next couple weeks! This morning, Doug, Tim, and Tom are presenting agricultural and animal husbandry techniques to the ag students and community farmers from the “Farming God’s Way” program. Vickie is visiting the children’s home. H, Jenn, and Fred are visiting with Juli McGowan and the residents of “Living Room Ministries.” We look forward to sharing more stories of how God is at work in the incredible nation of Kenya!

Psalm 143:8
“Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.”

In Christ,

Tim Aman – 3rd trip to Kenya
Tom Hartenstein – 1st trip to Kenya
Doug Hoffman – 4th trip to Kenya
Vickie Martin – 3rd trip to Kenya
Jenn McCormick – 3rd trip to Kenya
Steve Medley – 2nd trip to Kenya
H Nelson – 3rd trip to Kenya
Fred Preston – 2nd trip to Kenya