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Kenya Trip Click on the links below to get to the section you want to read. Kenya Report Part 1--Getting there This has been an awesome trip. We started from Plano and Houston on Tuesday evening June 12, and three airplanes later on Thursday, June 14, at 1:30 p.m. Kenyan time that plane landed in Eldoret. There were some adventures getting that far and we’ll start with those. They were calling for “Kathleen” and “Patricia” as we went through security, but we made the plane. It was crammed full, but we were sitting near each other. Kathy had her latest purchase for travel, a blow-up thing that makes a coach seat sleep like first class. It’s neat; you can get them from Magellan’s. We boarded the plane and headed for Nairobi at 7:30 pm. Barbara and Kathy were blessed with seats alone. Pat got stuck in an inside seat toward the front of the plane and it was HOT. Pat got very little sleep but with some jet lag pills still got off the plane feeling pretty good. God was with us. Can you believe we got all the luggage in good shape, and they let us go through customs with just a few questions. They didn’t even make us open our bags. Our blessing continued when we went to find a taxi. A fellow named Alex arranged for us to have a van driven by a guy named Francis. Francis was the Lord’s man for us. The luggage was stacked sky high and there was just enough room for us get in the van. We drove through rush hour traffic from the Jama Kenyatta International to Wilson airport. I wish we had taken pictures of all the people walking. They were everywhere darting between cars. There are few fat people in Kenya. They walk everywhere and they don’t walk slowly. There is a feeling of purpose in their stride. They call it “trekking.” Nairobi is teeming with life. This is a country ready to move into the 21st century. The people are beautiful. Francis got us to Wilson airport, near the
international airport in Nairobi, but we could not find Aero Kenya—the
airline that had our reservations. After stopping at numerous places, we finally
found their offices on the third floor of a building they are renovating.
All were out of breath by the time we climbed the stairs. The people from the
airline took our luggage (9 heavy bags!) and told us that we could go over to
Air Kenya’s facility to a café where we could have some coffee and
sit until 10:30 a.m. when our plane left. It was now about 8:00 am. Francis offered
to take us, but it was only a short distance and a walk sounded good. As we
were parting Francis confessed his love for the Lord and we blessed him for his
kind service and patience. Everyone here has been kind and helpful beyond
anything we have ever seen. We went to the Air Kenya restaurant and ordered much-needed coffee. The girls there taught us that “jambo” means
"hello" in Swahili.
We sat for a while and decided a little protein would be good. Kathy and Pat
split a delicious omelet, and later we were very glad. The plane ran into bad
weather, and it was 12:30 before our 10:30 plane boarded. Poor Barbara nearly
starved with all the delays. We met a crew going to Eldoret to give a health
presentation. Neat people. One American was with the team, who is in the public
health field a The plane finally made it to Eldoret about 2:00. Our wonderful friends had been waiting for hours. As we waited to get our luggage, they waved to us. We went through the doors into their open arms. Pictured Left to Right Wambeye, Loice, Elizabeth, John, Christine and Albert. Kenya Report Part 2 -- Arrival through Sunday evening The time here has been fantastic. It is like we have known these people for years. They are beautiful inside and out. We arrived in Eldoret and were met at the plane by Albert and Christine Onyango along with John and Elizabeth, the wife of Dawson who is a partner in the ministry. To our surprise, Wambeye and Loice Wafula were there also--they are from Webuye, our last stop, but they wanted to meet us. We piled nine bags into a car somehow and managed to get Barbara and Kathy, Christine and Albert in too. Loice, Wambeye, John, Elizabeth and I rode in the other car which Wambeye and Loice had brought. Thank God they were there. We would never have gotten us and all our luggage into the van that Albert came in even though it was much larger than a car. On the way from Eldoret to Kitale we had some car trouble. The car I was in began to get hot, and we had to replace a fan. It was fascinating. They took the central part and welded new blades and did whatever needed doing to get it going. The other car stopped for gas, and they put air in a tire as well as the gas tank, so the car simply ran out of gas. Albert caught a bus and got some gas and on they went. When Albert's car arrived in Kitale at the hotel Fred Barasa--the pastor from outside Bungoma along with another pastor and the Bishop from the area were there to meet them. They left Eldoret before our second car got there, but what a welcome we received. The doorman got all those suitcases up three flights of stairs and into our room. It was very comfortable and we have enjoyed our stay. Three women and nine bags in a hotel room can be a challenge, but we functioned well and discovered that what one had forgotten the other remembered.
On Friday we had lunch with the local leadership of the
church. To our delight, we found a strong women's ministry here. They work with
AIDS widows and their children and have a terrific ministry. T The meeting with the church leadership was in a restaurant, and we were able to choose our meal. I had my first chipati which is like a thick tortilla and made of maize and egg. It's good. Just wish I dared put butter on it. We have to watch the water and anything that isn't cooked to stay healthy. Malerone which we take to prevent malaria is not easy--it makes one a bit nauseated, but I got smart and started taking it at night so I could sleep through the effects. After lunch we went to the grocery store to pick up a few things we had forgotten. Then, we went on to a shop where Kathy and I had beautiful African dresses made. Barbara talked with a Mr. Mumelo who came in the shop while we were there. It turned out to be a God-planned meeting as you will see. Friday night we had supper with our hosts, Albert and Christine. They had also invited Elizabeth since Dawson was out of town. We had a wonderful meal which Kathy helped prepare. She will have to give a cooking report. All food is prepared fresh as there is no refrigeration. The home that Albert and Christine were renting was sold while we were there, and they were faced with a move. Christine had a beautiful garden and flowers she has had to leave. We continue to pray the Lord has a really great place for them to make it all worth the pain and the effort.
One incident happened that shows the culture here. We gave Jane, who is in charge of the Sunday School, some suckers to give the children. A man took them from her and gave to the boys first. We had not brought enough because there were more children than we expected. We got more candy for the rest of the girls, but since it wasn't "American" candy, they were disappointed. (Pictured are only a few of the widows.) Barbara and I stayed inside to minister to the ladies. Albert told us of the vision to be able to buy some land so that these women could grow their own crops. They are in desperate straits as they are not only ill, but they also have no means of support. Somehow they walked to this meeting, and many of them came for the whole conference. The vision includes a few cows and goats for milk and chickens for eggs and meat. It is so little. It breaks your heart. We prayed with the ladies who came to the meeting and then went to the homes
of two who were too sick to come. One was near death. Her daughter had come
On Sunday we went to worship. It was awesome. Covenant City Church is a place where the Lord truly reigns. They had us talk a bit, for the life of me I can't remember a thing we said. I taped it so I'll give a report later. I know all of us challenged them to look to God's Word and not culture and tradition to find the way He would have them live. It was a bit hard on the men, but they were willing to listen and bless them, they came for the whole conference along with many ministers from Kitale and the surrounding area. The church has part wood, part tin walls. The roof is tin As church was ending, Albert received a call that we had
been invited to lunch at the home of a man we met when we were getting our
dresses. His name was Mr. Mumelo, whose wife is the principal of a girls
school nearby. Lonah had traveled from Uganda overnight on the bus, arriving home a
4:00 am, and now was having us for lunch. Amazing. Anothe After lunch they took us to a meeting in a nearby home. A group of professional women from the town were meeting with the lady of the house. They were helping her to improve her situation by giving her the advice and the means to do improvements on her home and to help her get some kind of trade to help with income for the family. It was amazing. The woman had prepared a lovely meal for everyone, which is part of the training. She showed them what she had accomplished so far, part of which was the building of the room in which we were sitting which the group had helped to finance. Amazing, amazing, amazing. Dr. Reginalda Wanyonyi arrived in the midst of the meeting. She is currently a lecturer at Moi University School of Environmental Studies and Head of the Department of Applied Environmental Social Sciences who is now running for parliament. Reginalda spoke of the need for women to be represented in the Kenyan government in order to bring the needs of women to light. God has made contacts for us that we could never have even thought of ourselves.
(Pictured- Elizabeth, who describes herself as "an African woman who cannot balance anything on her head!") When we arrived at the hotel, God provided the needed energy to get up the four flights of stairs. We fell into bed. What a day! Kenya report Part 3 - Kitale Meetings The meetings in Kitale were very good. To our surprise, a great many men, pastors and leaders of ministries, attended. The
women came too. It is hard for us to understand what it cost these people to
take three days away from their jobs or responsibilities to come to hear what we
had to say. For the most
Men are having to find their identity in a new society where the skills of hunting and protecting the home are no longer valid. Polygamy is rampant in Kenya, particularly among the older generation. The culture promotes large families. If a wife is unable to have children, particularly sons, the family pressures the man to get another wife. Some of the people with whom we were working were children of polygamous families. Part of what we had to say showed them that God’s idea of marriage was one man and one woman. It then became necessary to add that scripture teaches contentment in the place where we are when you come to the Lord. We did not want them to throw out wives but to live as God directs in the situation in which God found them. Meetings started late and ran long. It is hard for people to get anywhere early as the chores must be done and then they have to walk to the church. Whoever spoke first had a sparse beginning crowd which grew as the day progressed. No matter how many times the pastors encouraged people to be on time it didn’t happen—not anywhere. In fact, we were seldom even there when the meetings were supposed to start. One has to put aside American promptness and just relax in to African standard time. It gets easy after a while. (Pictured - Pastor Dawson, Kathy and others) Barbara started with Genesis 1 & 2 to show God’s original plan for relationships between men and women. The women were thrilled and the men were willing to hear that God had given dominion to both over everything but each other. She stressed the marriage covenant and God’s design for marriage Kathy reviewed and reinforced what had been said and added some additional points. Particular stress was given to the translation of the words adam in Hebrew and anthropos in Greek as man or men rather than person, people or human being(s). This teaching combined with the use of the pronouns he, him, his etc. when referring to “adam” or “anthropos” make it difficult to understand the scripture is not speaking to males but to all human beings. Referring to the original languages rather than to our translations was a new thing to most of our audience. The last two days of teaching were concerned with
clarifying the meaning of “head” and “submit” as well as addressing the
scriptures that seem to limit women in ministry and the home. We gave examples
of Paul instructing all to participate These people are anxious to become good Bereans but they do not have the books and tools they need to do the research. If they had computers, there is software that would help tremendously and internet access beyond using internet café’s would also be of great value. God knows their need! Each night we would get back to the hotel too tired to
even climb the stairs before going to dinner. We would eat first then
climb to our room and thank God for rest and a clean bed.
After the last meeting Albert, Christine and Elizabeth took us to see some local craftsmen who had “African” things to sell. We had a blast choosing things to take home. It was good to know we were also helping part of the Body of Christ.
Thursday we went to breakfast expecting Fred to pick us up
about 11:00am. A call came telling of car trouble, and we had a little extra
time. We had all wanted to see the Kitale Museum which came highly
recommended. Christine took us, and we had just enough time to see everything
before returning for the trip to Bungoma. The good-byes were not too bad since
This house belongs to the "first wife." Polygamy was the norm and is still practiced in much of Kenya. Each wife gets her own house. We were told that the thatch stays dry and keeps out rain because of cooking inside. The ventilation is similar to the teepees of our Plains Indians. Part 4 - Bungoma/Watoya with Pastor Fred and Sara Barasa Our next place of residence was the Bungoma Tourist Hotel. We had a wonderful cabin with two bedrooms with baths between. Our host Fred Barasa picked us up around 2:00 and the crew hauled our luggage down the stairs and piled it into a small van they used to transport us. It’s about an hour-and-a-half from Kitale to Bungoma. We arrived about 3:30, put our stuff in the room and walked over to the main hotel for drinks and to meet with some of the men who had come to greet us. We had COLD drinks—tasted great and visited. Later we tried to order dinner from the menu. When over an hour-and-a-half had passed we questioned the waiter who said they had sent someone to get what we wanted, but he had not returned. We said forget it, we’d eat whatever they had. Hard as it is to believe, it was 8:00 pm before they brought our dinner. We had even gone back to the room and unpacked while waiting. We were exhausted, and the day of rest was gone with no rest in sight.
On Friday we went by car to the Luucho Orphanage and
School that has ten children, all orphans, attending. Much
discrimination and stigma are directed at orphans. Public schools have 90 – 100 students
We went across the street to a little place that sold drinks. Even though the drinks were not cold, they tasted so good. Afterwards Barbara discovered that her tummy was upset and for the rest of the day she was battling stomach cramps and diarrhea. She never said a word—what a trooper.
We were told that it was only a short walk to the road.
Short is about 2 miles. We ev The next morning we left Barbara to rest, and Kathy and I joined Fred as he took us to see his church and child development school (like kindergarten and maybe first grade) at Watoya—about 5 miles from Bungoma. This level of schooling is not required. If the parents don't prepare their children, they are behind when they start regular school. Fred saw this need and started the school eight years ago. What
an awesome man is Fred Barasa. Barbara says he may be tiny in size, but he’s large in
God, and that’s the truth. He had ab When we left the school, Fred and his friend Chrispinos showed us a project they have started to help support the widows and orphans. They have a few goats and chickens and are hoping to purchase some really good milk cows. They don’t want the native stock but cross-bred cows that will give milk enough to eat with some to sell. They have only a start, but you can read about the full plan. I pray that God will see fit to get them what they need. So often when we give, we don’t know for sure what happens to the money. The projects we will be telling you about are real and the people who run them belong to the Lord. These in Bungoma have chosen to minister to the poorest of the poor in the rural areas because that is where the Lord has called them. I am humbled at their stamina and courage. Sara, Fre Sunday each of us went to a different church to minister. Pat went to Watoya with Fred, Barbara with the Br. Lucas in Mumias, and Kathy to a mountain church at Matong’i. Kathy was the only one that could have made it to that remote location. They walked for miles. She even saw a monkey—the only wildlife anyone saw on the trip. This was farmland, not safari country! Kathy didn’t get home until nearly dark. All of us had great days and the worship continues to be really special. The first time I had worshiped with only a drum as an instrument was here in Watoya. They should throw away the other (whatever else they use) and just stick with the drum. It’s fantastic.
It was in Watoya that we finally realized the best way to teach was as a panel. In that way three teachers were operating instead of just one. We passed the mike among us as the Lord quickened sections. The first time we did it we stood; but after that, we got smart and taught seated. It worked beautifully and we used it throughout the rest of the trip.
The last night Fred took us to the internet café and then by the ATM. We were running late—internet is SLOW, and we had some things that really needed doing. Poor Fred, we wanted him to go on but he refused to leave us. You talk about being taken care of, we certainly were by all the our hosts. When he left us at the hotel he promised to come in the morning to see us off. We told him we would be leaving about 11:00. However, Wambeye and Loice came by 9:00 o'clock and we were gone by 10:30. We later heard Fred had badly hurt his foot when one of the benches in the meeting place tipped over on it. He was in the hospital for a couple of days. Sara had come just after we left to see us off to give us some beautiful dresses she had had made for each of us. They came a couple of days later to Wabuye to see us and bring the dresses. Fred didn’t look good, but we saw them again the morning we left to come home, and he was nearly well. These two are gems. Sara’s English is limited but we could see the strength and gifts flowing through her. Fred has not only started the Mustard Seed school and made plans for supporting the orphans, he also took a course in organic gardening and has so far taught what he learned to nine families from his church. All are reaping the benefits in both food and income. He has been able to teach them so they require only minimal supervision and advice. Do you get it that we love these two. We do! Part 5 - Webuye with Wambeye and Loice Wafula Thursday afternoon (during our rest time) we visited an
area school and spoke to about 100 high- school-age girls. It is great to be in
a place that wants God in th (Pictured - Sammy a great interpreter, Kathy, Pat, Barbara
and Loice) Friday we started the first conference in Bukunja. Although it is
hard to tell distance on Kenyan roads, it was at least a half an hour in our
little bus which was packed. Packed means holding Sunday, Barbara
An incident here showed us how hard it was going to be for
those raised in the culture to perceive women as equals. Following the
conference, a meal was served. Our hosts asked us to come to a separate area to
eat with the pastors. We declined saying we would rather stay and eat and visit with
the people. So, they set up tables for the pastors and cleared the table we had
been using while teaching. The meal was brought and we began to eat. In a few
minutes we noticed that while we and the pastors had been served, nothing had
been brought for the rest, all women but one. We stopped eating and went to
find out where their meal was. It came finally but it was just ugali and
sauce with very little else. This while we and the pastors were offered
rice, chicken, potatoes, avocado and more. After all we had said about
equality, the men never noticed the women had not been served. Kathy
took a tray of avocados from our table to the women.
Most were girls from a nearby school. As it rained, we sang and we waited for our meal to be served. We prayed for each of the local women and then the school girls as a group. Education of women is critical for Kenya to come out of poverty.
The ride home was unforgettable. It had rained hard and
the road was in terrible condition even before the rain. Now I had serious
doubts we would make it without getting stuck. The road was so narrow the vegetation hit the bus on both sides. I don’t know what would have happened
if we had met another car. Gues
We had ho When Wambeye returned, we made a quick dash downtown to get
medicine for Kathy and to hit the ATM to meet the remaining expenses. I
interrupted Barbara after she had inserted her card. We took too much time
deciding how much she needed to take and the machine took her card.
Although it was after closing, there were three people left in the bank. We pounded on the
door. One of the bank officials signaled that he would help when he finished
with the customer he was serving. We waited, and waited. Finally the driver
and I went to look for Kathy’s medicine as it was getting late and couples were
already arriving for the meeting. We also had to find some kind of antiseptic
wipes for our hands and other uses as we were completely out. Barbara and Wambeye stood in the bank door praying it would open like it did when Peter
got out of prison. It finally did, she got her card, we got what we needed and
headed for the ho The highlight of the couples meeting was the testimony of three young married couples. They showed they had really grasped marriage as a one-flesh unity even before we came teaching on it. One couple, Dennis and Metrine have a child of their own and also are raising five orphans ages sixteen to five who are not even related to them. Dennis felt God was calling him to take on these kids and his wife agreed to support him. Dennis is twenty-four years old. He is a carpenter and also builds very nice furniture. That night he brought us a lion he had carved. Although I’m sure there are others, Dennis and Wambeye were the only fathers who seemed to truly enjoy their children.
On the way back to get our luggage we stopped at Wycliff’s and prayed for his home and particularly his wife, Everlyne, who was really sick from the food poisoning. We got a call before we left the airport saying God healed her. The ministry in Webuye was difficult. There was a hardness we did not encounter elsewhere. Many of the same people came to all sessions wherever the locations were. However, we made progress and many heard! If one strong leader has another agenda, the way is more difficult. That was the problem here. Wambeye and Loice need our prayers as they face strong opposition. The road to Eldoret was a good one and even though we got our usual late start, we made it by 2:00 for our 3:00 o’clock plane. It was hard to say goodbye. The picture of our friends waving as we rounded the corner to get on the plane nearly broke my heart. I had cried when Albert and Christine left and then when Fred and Sara left and now here it was again. What a gift God has given in these three couples and so many others we met here. I had one goal upon reaching the airport—to curl my hair. I had been covering the chaos with a hat for days since an opportunity never came to get to electricity and my butane curling iron had run out of gas. I tried in Eldoret but was unsuccessful. Finally, in the Nairobi airport, I sat in a busy hall, plugged in and got fixed. The trip home held the common traveling problems. Kathy thought she lost her passport but it was in one of the multitude of pockets in her purse. Pat thought she had lost a credit card she didn't even bring. We got through customs in Houston with ease, but Barbara had not been able to get her boarding pass for the flight from Houston to Dallas. Again, Continental canceled a flight but the rain had delayed an earlier one, and with the help of a Continental employee, she made that flight. Kathy and I stayed until we were sure she was on her way. We all got home about 6:00. Great to be home with family, our own bed and a fantastic shower.
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Barbara’s plane
from DFW was cancelled, and she didn’t get out of
Dallas until nearly 8:00 pm. She landed in Houston and was escorted to the
proper area to get on the plane. Problem was that Kathy and Pat were waiting
downstairs in the lobby watching the bags and waiting for her to come so she could check her second bag. Frantic, yep, you know Pat, she
was coming unglued. Kathy was calm. I wonder if anything flusters her. She
and her friend Joe, who drove us to the airport, had gone looking for Barbara.
None of us thought to look upstairs. Pat was in waiting in the lobby watching
the luggage. At 9:00 pm Pat went to the desk as everything was shutting down
and paid to get the bag on the plane. The lady with Air France made a mad dash
and got the bag on. God is good. Please pray that Air France will refund the
charge when we show them the proof that the bag should have been checked on
Barbara’s ticket. 
Air France feeds really well and their breads are
delicious. They offered curried chicken with rice pilaf and beef Bourguignon
accompanied by roasted potatoes and carrots. We got our tummies full and tried
to go to sleep. All of us slept a little and were awakened to eat again. We
landed in Paris in the early afternoon and were met by Barbara’s granddaughter,
Faith Collins, who is studying the History of Paris in a summer class. We had a
great time, and she showed us pictures of a beautiful cathedral she had
toured that morning. 
nd is spending a year in Kenya. 
We
had supper in the hotel out on the balcony overlooking the teeming street below--people walking, or in cars, or on
motorbikes and even a cart drawn by a donkey. I wish I had time to
really describe this place. It is a beautiful country. The land is red and
fertile, with the fields planted mostly with maize and vegetables. Potatoes and
rice are staples here. Many people who live in town plant gardens in their
yards. The cattle and goats roam loose as do the chickens. I wondered how they
got home at night. I was told that the chickens come home to roost, and someone goes and looks for
the cattle and goats. 
hey also meet
together to study the Word. Two women were particularly impressive--Sarah and
Nellie. Both are widows; Sarah is HIV positive but is doing well. Anyway, when Sarah found that she was
positive, instead of
hiding her status like most do, the Lord led her to go to the pastor and tell him
her situation. Also, the Lord was leading her to minister to women like
herself. This woman is dynamite. She later told us that years before,
she had received a prophecy that she would be a widow and minister to many other
women. God is preserving her health. I really believe her ministry
will go on--I don't believe she will fall victim to the disease, but I do
believe she will keep her status because it makes those to whom she
ministers comfortable and able to relate to her. The doctors continue to be
amazed at her! Nellie is a teacher in the body who will Carrie
Miles Male and Female in Christ reinforcing biblical equality truth
with the women.
The folks we met, who are in leadership, are so dedicated.
They know their job, and now that we have been with them in ministry here, we
know they do what they say they do. The young men who lead the
worship have now added women. They're fantastic, and the worship is beyond
belief. I have videoed some which you will get to enjoy it when I figure out
how to put it online. 
Saturday we met at the church with the AIDS widows and
their children. The kids loved the balloons, and we blew
up one for each. We expected about 25 children, around 50 came. We
sang with them and laughed and they had fun. When we finished with them they
went outside. Kathy went with them and they had fun playing with a beach
ball we brought for them. They also enjoyed Kathy playing with them--she's a kid at heart. 
from Germany to care for her. I could only pray that
the Lord would take her home soon. The second lady, named Margaret,
was pregnant when she discovered she was HIV positive. She had what appeared to
be a
stroke, but we have since found the paralysis on her right side could be from the AIDS and may be
reversible. Anyway, her right side is paralyzed. She went into labor
and delivered a baby girl alone. How, I can't imagine. Sarah,
had come by and found her in labor, but the baby came while Sarah had gone for
the doctor. The child has been named Judy. She is beautiful, but she had an eye
infection for which we prayed and later found she was healed.
and the back is open and you can see the
beautiful fields behind the place. The floor is packed dirt as are the floors
of many of the houses. They have only been meeting for a year and do
things a bit at a time. They plan to pave soon, and are also building a
two-hole out back. Since it was not ready for our visit, we enjoyed
nature. Everyone sits on benches--no backs--amazing the discomfort these folks
endured to hear what we had to say. 
r lady
present was a nurse, named Elizabeth, who trains people who to care for AIDS
victims at home. Lonah Mumelo is also taking instruction in order to
help train others in this area. They were lovelyand warm people.
(Pictured-Barbara and Lonah Mumelo)
While
we were in the meeting the rains came. It poured. We left then to go
to the home of Elizabeth and Dawson for supper. We were more than a little
late and had to navigate a muddy road to get to their house. Albert is a
good driver. Just after we arrived, Dawson came in. He had been in
school in Nairobi, but the Lord prompted him to come home to be with us even
though he had to miss a class to do so. We had another delicious meal.
Part of the fun was meeting the children. Dawson and Elizabeth have a
boy and a girl. We took some toys and books. The books were a great
hit. There are few books in these homes and they treasure them.
Elizabeth and Dawson have electricity, but the storm had knocked it out so we ate
by lamplight. Everyone was glad for the lights we had with us. 
part,
particularly the widows, live hand to mouth with only enough for a day. Women
do most of the work. They care for the house and children, work to raise a
garden, take care of animals and often run a small kiosk where they sell
whatever they have to make money for food or for schooling for the children.
Back
to the meetings. People came who were sick and sat there all day on hard
benches with no backs. It was hard enough for those who were healthy. They are
hungry for God. We can learn from their hunger. The worship has to be
experienced. The harmony is awesome and even when you can’t understand the
words, the Spirit touches your heart. In Kitale there were some young men who
have a worship band—I have their recording. If you are interested, let me know
and I’ll see if they will let me make copies. 
Pat
continued with Genesis 3 showing what had happened to spoil God’s plan. Most
people believed that women were cursed and were amazed to find it was not
so. The teaching of Katharine Bushnell on Genesis 3:16 needs to be heard not
only in Africa, but in the entire world. Why would God give woman the promise
of carrying the Messiah and then turn on her as we are taught that He did. Only
when we do some study and see the translation we have of Genesis 3:16 has
roots in the 10 Curses of Eve, rather than in the Lord, will we
begin to find truth. (Pictured - Christine, Nellie and Scott leading
worship)
and stressed that all included women. We also pointed out women in
leadership positions in the early church mostly using Romans 16. 
A church
met in the
basement of the hotel, and every morning and some evenings the sound of worship
could be heard. What a wonderful place filled with the presence of God. The
hotel is owned by a Christian man and the Lord is honored there. 
Wednesday
evening we had a “last meal” at the hotel with the folks from Kitale. Sarah and
Janet—they work with the AIDS widows and orphans--came by for a visit before
dinner. It was so hard to leave. The church has a
n
to help the widows
we
knew that we would be seeing some of them before we went home. It is amazing
how God can knit folks together in just a week! The picture at the right
is of our guide beating on a drum that was in the wall of a native house.
In Bungoma we needed to use mosquito netting on our beds.
It was my first experience. We had brought some from home, but they were for
use with tents. Barbara’s bed had a fairly good net as did mine, but Kathy
ended up using what we had brought since her net was full of holes.
It was so funny to see how we rigged the netting. The Lord and staff blessed
us with a new net the next day so we could put away what we had and use the easy
ones that are suspended from the ceiling. Kathy had to teach us how to prepare
the nets for the night. Don’t know how we could have gotten along without her.
God knew Barbara and I needed help!
per
teacher. Orphans don’t stand a chance in that setting. So, they have purchased
mattresses and the children sleep in the back of the school which is also used
as a church. We had colors and paper for the children and we entertained them
with balloons and pictures. They were fascinated with Pat’s digital camera
where they could actually see themselves. I promised to have these pictures
developed and return them so they can have a copy. The teacher in this school
is not paid! She serves because of the need, and is often hungry because
she is not paid. When
we asked when they broke for lunch, we were told that they did not get lunch. It
is heartbreaking.
The Luucho outreach is part of Mustard Seed Ministries
which is a network of nine churches headed by Bishop Frederick Mulei. They have
a vision for an orphanage and school. So far they have purchased some land
which is planted in maize. We walked out to see it. What a beautiful place.
The path was rough. When the bishop took off across a plowed field, I was
unable to follow. He realized my problem, and we went back to the school.
Barbara took another path and saw the land from the other side. Bishop
Frederick is also a school teacher. as far as I could tell, the Mustard
Seed pastors support themselves by working. (Pictured Bishop Fredrick Mulei,
Fred Barasa and Meshach Chuna who was the was responsible to check on the
children at the school. )
Now for a truly enlightening experience.
Bicycles with padded rear fenders used to carry people from place to place are called boda-bodas. Fred came smiling telling us that we would ride the
boda-boda to the Bishop’s house where we would meet the leadership of Mustard
Seed Ministries. I had on a straight skirt. Picture knee-high hoes, white
legs, a skirt hiked up so I could sit on the back, and lots of children (not the
orphans) getting out of school for lunch and using the same path.
Pride is out of the question, and one can either laugh or cry. The path was
deeply rutted, and it was amazing that the peddlers could keep the bikes
upright. The bushes beside the path hit our legs–you would not believe this
trail. Not long before getting to our destination, my driver lost it; and over we
went. I helped him catch us, but we were suspended over a deep, narrow ditch
with the
bike on one side and our outstretched legs on the other. When I managed to get
off, he wouldn’t take me on saying I was “too fat.” Here I thought I was getting
skinny!
We were escorted into the Bishop's home
which is only
reachable by bike—no roads going there. We met about 25 people, men and women,
who were part of the ministry. One man had ridden his bike 23 miles over the
trails to get there. After introductions, here came the food. The women had
prepared a feast--chicken, rice, potatoes, greens, sauce, chipatis, and ugali
The ugali is something you would have to learn to like. Even with sauce over it
I found it tasteless. The Kenyans eat it with gusto. They eat with
their hands. Both before and after meals a basin and water are brought
around to wash your hands.
en crossed a stream on a couple of planks
suspended over the water. Poor Barbara, I don’t know how she made it. When we
got to the car, we gratefully climbed in and headed back to the hotel. When we
got to the room, Kathy went on a boda boda to get some disinfectant to use to
clean the bathrooms to keep us from catching Barbara’s bug. She also got a
mosquito zapper that you plug into the wall to clear the room of the pests.
There was no way Barbara could manage to get up and down and deal with a net.
She was sick all night. (Pictured Barbara, without hosts, Sara and Fred)
out 30 children in his school. They were
both orphans and those needy ones from the community including his youngest
daughter. The teacher has been there for eight years with no salary. She also
takes care of an orphan boy who is mentally handicapped. These children had
never seen crayons. They were so excited. What we take for granted is very
special to those who have so little. Older children were present who were
trying to catch up as they had not been able to go to school. A new law in
Kenya tells a family they MUST educate their daughters. Before, many were kept
at home to work and care for babies and never got any schooling.
d’s wife, Evelyn, a good friend, and some of the
other women had prepared a wonderful meal for us. The offering is the same each
time, occasionally broken with beef or fish rather than chicken. I’m sure, when
they do not have guests, many nights come when there is not meat at
all. Sara and Fred have four children—Elizabeth-15, Brigid-14, Martin-7 and
Linet-5. Elizabeth made a huge impression on us. She is very bright.
The
family sees her potential, and has somehow managed to put her in school in Bungoma. She stays with relatives
during the week.
We brought some gifts and
both children and mother were delighted. ( Pictured Evelyn,
Pat, Sara and a friend- Elizabeth, Fred and Sara's daughter on right)
Monday
began the conference at Watoya. They had rented a room larger than the
church but part of the same compound. The response here was gratifying. These
people, who had never heard of biblical equality, saw what the scripture clearly
taught and responded. Pastors from many other places attended as well as
those associated with the Mustard Seed churches. What really blew me away
was that after sitting listening to us all day, they had a revival each night.
Such stamina is beyond my understanding! 
We
met a young woman pastor, Topista Nangela who works with the youth in three
different churches. She is a rare one in Kenya. Her husband came
home HIV positive after he married a second wife. Topista refused to stay
with him. It cost her dearly but she is determined to make it on her own
and to educate her only son. 
Our
last week was spent in the home of Wambeye and Loice Wafula. They picked us up
from our hotel in Bungoma and took us the hour-and-a-half journey to their home
in Webuye. It was a wonderful experience to stay in a home. As a greeting,
Loice washed our feet. They gave us their bedroom, and three beds that I’m
sure belonged to some of the five boys. It was a great room and we were quite
comfortable. Our suitcases were now nearly empty and easily slid under the beds
to give us more room. 
e
school. The girls had a hard time understanding our English so Wambeye
translated for us. He is an excellent translator illustrating what is said with
actions and expressions. It is critical that the women of Kenya know God does
not consider them second class. These girls only received about forty-five
minutes, but at least it was a taste. Kathy’s testimony of life without
marriage amazed them. Girls in Kenya see themselves as mothers and little
more. Nothing is wrong with motherhood, but it is not God’s limit on a woman’s
life. W
e
ended the day with a fantastic meal. Loice fixed delicious, vegetable curry.
When she sends the recipe, it will be posted for everyone. 
about twice as many people as it was designed to carry. Everyone just piles in,
and somehow room is made for all. Continuing with the pattern started in Watoya,
we spoke as a panel. The emphasis was in Genesis 1-3, Jesus’ example in dealing
with women, headship, submission and giving accurate translations or
explanations of the limiting scriptures. In some places we were even able to
teach a
little on eldership. 
and I went with Wambeye and Loice to their church while Kathy went to Bukunja in
the car. We walked to the service and back. Another taste of Kenyan
reality--Wambeye and Loice’s house was always full of people. They came
and stayed, drinking tea and eating whatever was available. It kept Loice and
Wambeye constantly busy. Water has to be hauled; and with no electricity, the
work-load under normal conditions is severe. Church members and neighbors
helped, but the time we had hoped for to just sit and visit with our hosts
didn’t happen. 
Monday,
a one-day conference was held at the Netima church where Ferdinand Barasa is the
pastor. A group from Kakamega had come in their bus. Again, we all piled in
placing boards across the isle to give more seating room. I’d like to have had
a picture from the front of the bus. No one would believe it. During the
service, the school children from the area came and listened during their lunch
break. They filled the doors and windows but were not at all disruptive. They
just wanted to listen. Amazing! The church is going to be very nice when it is
finished; but for now, walls, half a roof and a dirt floor will have to do. The
tropical weather meant no need exists for closed-in space. All of us appreciated
the wonderful breeze.
Tuesday
began with a trip to Motherland School--an elementary level school run by John
and Sylvia Khaemba. The kids were fascinated to see mazungas (white people).
Some of the older children recited a poem in Swahili and another one in
English. We spoke briefly, took pictures and provided cookies and juice. They
are so well behaved, even the little ones know how to sit down and listen.
Americans need to take lessons! This school takes children even if they have to
work with parents to help pay fees. John and his staff understand the need to
improve the status of girls in this society. The school has a small library.
Books are at a premium here and this library needs to grow. If you’d like to
help, email us and we’ll give you details. You can now send a flat-rate box
anywhere for $37.00. 
In
the afternoon we headed for Nzoia Market for a short conference with Pastor George and
his wife Judy, who is not only an elder in the church but also in the village.
She is a powerhouse. The people who attended were mostly those who had already
heard the message so we spent time taking questions. There was much confusion
over the difference between "created" in Genesis 1, and "formed" in Genesis 2. We also ran into the teaching
saying chapter two of Genesis is just a detailed account of chapter 1. 
The
pastors asked the questions but the women were silent until the very last.
Toward the end of the day the clouds began to thicken and rain came in sheets
with lightening and crashing thunder. Barbara and Kathy shouted over the
noise. Children huddled at the door. As the rain increased, they
came into the church out of the storm.
Dinner
was served by the light of a kerosene lamp. We insisted the women and children
be served first. Left alone, the pastors take the best and eat expecting to be
served. We’d preach about serving and women
being equal, but the men did not even realize the contradiction. Wambeye had
purchased fish for supper so Barbara and I ate a very light meal of only rice
and sauce. Kathy, Loice and a number of other women ate chicken, got food
poisoning and were very ill.
s it was unlikely in that remote area. The neat
part was someone began singing and soon the bus was filled with praise and
harmony beyond telling. As we slid and bounced God’s peace fell on us
all. 
Wednesday was to be spent taking gifts to widows and
orphans in two different locations. Kathy was desperately ill and Barbara’s
blood pressure was way up. I was too tired to take on children and prayer
alone. So for the first time, we said we just can’t go anymore. Wambeye and
some other pastors took food to the widows and balloons to the kids for us. 
ped for a peaceful day where Loice, who was also
sick, and all of us could get some rest. Albert and Christine and Nellie Willie
came from Kitale to tell us goodbye and we had a great visit with them. It was
hampered by a couple of pastors who had come about 10:30 in the morning and
stayed most of the day just sitting there. Amazing. We took our visitors into
the bedroom but poor Loice could not get any rest as her bed was in the room
where they were sitting. When Albert and Christine left I asked these two just
what they wanted. They said they were waiting for the couples meeting. The
couples’ meeting was to start at 6:00 pm. I’d say they came a little too
early! They could see I was not pleased with their presence, and they
left. (Pictured - Nellie, Christine, Wambeye and Albert)
use.
The couples were already gathered and John and Sylvia could only tell us
good-bye as the rivers were rising and they had two to cross before getting
home. It was already dark which made it even more dangerous.
They made it! (Pictured - Dennis)
Thursday morning Fred,
Sara and Brother Lucas, from
the Watoya area,
came to tell us
goodbye. It
was like leaving family. Before heading to the
airport we made a quick trip to visit Wambeye’s parents. We had spent some time
with his mother, Zipporah (Zippy), who is a “second wife.” His father has three
wives and twenty-one children. Polygamy is rampant in Kenya particularly among
the older generations. The rain had again left things muddy and I could just
see me slipping and winding up with a muddy outfit—the only one I had to wear
home. It didn’t happen. We had a good visit also were able to pray for Zippy
and Wambeye’s younger brother.