Tuesday, July 20 - Hello again! Thank you so much for your continued prayers on behalf of our beloved team members serving in Kenya. I actually got to speak with Robyn this morning, instead of listening to a voicemail...she was calling me before going to sleep (it's 9:30 pm in Kenya as I type this) and she sounded really tired, but very positive. She said the team is doing very well - there has been no major sickness, and she asked that we continue to pray for good health for all the team members.
She shared they had had a long but very good day, that they had been in Langata all day, helping the house mums with cooking, visiting and playing with the GCC kids, they had taken the pre-primary (preschool age) kids to the Giraffe Park and had a wonderful time while there...apparently there was a face painter at the park, and they were able to have all the kids' faces painted as well as get their own faces painted, which meant a lot to the kids. They also started helping the kids write letters to their U.S. sponsors. This was a crazy process, Robyn said, and they ran out of paper so they'll need to go get more.
Now for the two new members part...as many of you know, Greg and Jean Ishmael are the U.S. Coordinators for CMIA. Greg is the pastor of a church up in Snohomish (I'm sorry, my memory is failing me at the moment as to the name of the church, but don't you know that as soon as I hit "post", I'll remember...) Any way, Greg and Jean's youngest son, Steven, arrived in Langata yesterday from South Africa and will be joining the team for their trek to Nakuru. Also joining the team for the 3-hour drive to Nakuru will be Onea from Texas, who was helping CMIA on a missions trip with her church and it sounded like she stayed in Kenya after her team went home (the connection broke up a little at this point so I hope I'm getting it right...)
So please pray for these two new "members", that God would continue to work in their lives as they serve Him in Africa...that they would feel welcomed by our team (I don't doubt that for a second!) and for continued protection and safety for them. Pray also for their families - I dont' know if they're married or single, but regardless please pray for whatever family they've left behind in the States, for comfort in the absence of their loved ones, for protection and provision, and that they would be seeking the Lord for His call on their lives!
Tomorrow (our "tonight") they will be going to Kibura slums, to the Church on the Rock (COTR) church, school and feeding station there. Just a side note about Kibura...it is the largest slum in Kenya. The shanty shacks stretch as far as the eye can see. Last year, this is where God first gripped my heart in Kenya. I remember at first feeling very odd, like I didn't belong. I thought to myself, "what am I doing here?!" and then all of that fled when I met one little girl who broke my heart and the team almost literally had to drag me away from her. Her name is Juvia and I've included a photo in today's post. This was taken just before the team dragged me away from her :o)
Please pray for the team as they visit Kibura...pray for safety, and that they would bless the children living there in abject poverty - and when I say "abject poverty", remember I'm talking about a 3rd world country. Pray for a supernatural movement of God's Holy Spirit amongst the people living in this shanty city. Pray for protection for the children and their families. Pray that many hundreds of thousands would come to know Jesus Christ as their Savior through the ministry of CMIA's Church on the Rock and the GCC school and feeding station there. Pray for abundant provision for the feeding station there, that the children may grow up strong and well-nourished to serve God's Kingdom.
The team will also be visiting Ruben slums, either the same or the following day (again, the line cut out here and it's very expensive to call from Kenya, so we'll have to wait for the team to return to see how things played out). I've never been to Ruben, but God is there and please pray all the same things over the precious children and people living in Ruben.
After they visit the slums they will be returning to Langata GCC to help the kids finish their letter writing, and then spending the rest of the day loving them, playing with them, being with them. Pray for bonds to be strengthened and new bonds formed, so that every child feels the love of one of the team members, and no one feels left out.
In addition, please continue to pray for team unity. One of the first places the enemy tries to strike is in the area of unity, but we laugh at the enemy and say "you won't succeed, so get out!" in Jesus' Name! I'm always comforted by the verse in the Bible that says God laughs at His enemies. Isn't that an awesome thought? Remember, our precious team members are directly in enemy territory right now. They're holding up very well, but we don't want to let down our prayer guard for even a moment. Let's continue to lift up them and their families before the throne of Grace night and day, always petitioning God on their behalf.
With much love,
Tara
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