Hi Everyone!
Thanks for the continued support and encouragement from all of you. We truly feel and appreciate your prayers, words, and love. Angela, the supplies arrived well and have been distributed accordingly. Christie, thanks for the extra goodies! Bobby, knowing you read and pray with every post is super encouraging, and your thoughts from the Word are so valuable! And to all the rest of you who quietly read and faithfully pray, we are deeply grateful.
It has been a very full week, but praise God everything is going so well! The Kitale teams from FBC Keller and Calvary McAllen arrived well, on-time, and in good spirits. Only Marybel arrived a little sick, but she has recovered and is helping out in the kitchen like she lives here! Thursday was the first day the entire team was all together and we had a very good time of orientation in the morning followed by preparations in the afternoon and fellowship with Kenyan friends through the evening. The bonding that is occuring between Kenya and Texas is beautiful to watch.
Friday morning we boarded a very early charter from Nairobi to Kitale - it was a smooth, short flight, with the exception of Kristi's bag which ended up, SOMEHOW, going the opposite direction and turned up in Daadab Refugee Camp near Somalia! (The backpack must be very humanitarian!) Thankfully someone was kind enough to call our number and tell us - she thought she had lost many valuables. Hopefully the bag can make it here soon.
Yesterday we also met with 3 media crew people from Watoto who performed interviews and filmed the progress of the Mattaw Children's village. While we are so glad to have come this far, we are motivated now more than ever to get the walls up for the next 4 homes and start filling them up with our "seeds" - boys and girls created by God, broken by evil, but ready to be redeemed and restored into "oaks of righteousness" (Isaiah 61:3).
Today, Saturday, half the group will return where we started: A visit to the Lemoru Children's home where we first met "momma Kim". They will take new shoes which the 49 children there desperately need and spend some time visiting and loving on them. Even though it is an "institutionally" run home, the ties are still strong between them and the Huffman's and it is great to see how Kim and Bud have not simply moved on, but continue to love them from a distance. The other half of the group will go "get dirty" at the Mattaw site - helping paint the first house and starting a vegetable garden! The 7-acres of land has been so blessed with natural resources that the potential for self-sustenance is tremendous, not to mention the vision that Mattaw can be a resource to bless the surrounding village. Pray for wisdom as we prepare the ground and for a bountiful harvest year after year.
Sunday we will have a small worship service at Mattaw - the first one! Then we will visit the surrounding village and hope to be able to minister to them, learning where the area is spiritually, and inviting children to the Bible club that will begin Monday and parents to a Biblical parenting workshop. Pray for the Spirit to have a strong impact through us.
We are excited about partnering with the folks from Keller and are eager to see how the Network will grow across Texas. We don't pretend to think Imagine is the best thing since sliced bread, nor better than other mission organizations, but we do believe Imagine can provide a niche for mobilizing partnerships on focused, shared vision. More on that to come.
Thanks again for all your comments, emails, etc. Continue to intercede for the great work here in Kitale, for the Huffman family, and the opening of Mattaw as soon as possible!
for the fame of Jesus,
David
David,
Thank you. Wow! Maybe it's like the weak leading strong..or as in F.A.I.T.H., the person God uses. But no doubt, God gives us and shows to us opportunities daily. Just here at Calvary, the opportunities, the people he puts in front of us.- call it by example, encouragement, mentoring,fellowship, "true worship." I know now, the people he has put in my life just in the last couple of years. He just needs us to listen a little, turn our heads a little. I thought I knew about Kenya before,(very little) but I am in awe of the work- God's work there. Sticking with you all the way thru. You know We can send money, give to charities; many in fact build charitable institutions,but we need to give of ourselves. God truly wants us to build ourselves into others lives. God bless-Bobby
Posted by: Bobby Byrnes | July 19, 2008 at 08:08 AM
David,
I'm so thankful for the posts from you and Kristi. I know right now is an exciting time there in Kitale...actually seeing and building with your own and God's hands the beginnings of something that was once just a thought. I'm amazed for the team there and have tears of joy for them as they pour their hearts into the makings of Mattaw and its impact on the local villages for the glory of our Lord! I will praise Him all the days of my life! Blessings! Angela
Posted by: zarsesin | July 19, 2008 at 01:56 PM
David,
Could not access the info on Krisiti's note on Lemoru but I know the seeds planted there two years ago did not land on rocky soil. Your work, HIS work-just looking at the picture of penda home in the the Mattaw Village- that child knows your(our) offerings, the walls, roof, paint are a gift from God. Actually God's love in action. Anybody doubts it? Look no further than Kitale. You, the Keller-Calvary teams(as one) & the Huffmans. No way God's impact is not being felt. Speaking off seeds, oaks of righteousness; well I Pray for all things in HIS name.-Bobby
Posted by: Bobby | July 20, 2008 at 07:32 AM
Kitale team:
Lemoru! How wonderful!! Hug all the children for me too. I'm so excited that you are following God's footprints. I'm praying daily, trying for hourly. Love you guys
Susan
Posted by: susan sosebee | July 20, 2008 at 08:49 AM
Thanks for bringing that up Bobby-about "giving of ourselves and building into" each others lives! I've learned so much in such little time-and to see up close and personal is an incredible experience. The kids singing will be with you forever!! Susan- we took lots of pictures and each of us put on the shoes for the children there and prayed for each of them individually...we walked the villages today -just like FAITH visits!! Except we ran into things like cows and baby rams!!! GOD was with us!! It was a blast!!
Posted by: ruby | July 20, 2008 at 03:18 PM
Hello, from the Okie!!! This is my first actually reading from the blog and I love it. It does take me back. I just wanted to let everyone know that I have been praying like crazy up here and I have my new office co-workers and a bible study all praying for everyone of you. I want to take this time and praise Jesus for the wonderful opportunities that He provides us. Praise Jesus!!!
Cindy
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