Sunday, August 19, 2007

Official Report of Kenya Team I June 9-23 07





Official Report of Kenya Team 1 June 9 - 23, 2007



Team Members:
Windsor Village United Methodist Church
Velosia Kibe
Cynthia Robinson
L.C. Price
Mildred Mills
Dorothy Cook
Lisa Harrison

St. Paul's Port Arthur United Methodist Church
Jeanette Stewart

Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church
Rev. Kyra

Team Leadership assignments:
Team Leader - Cynthia Robinson/Pastor Kibe
Devotion Coordinator - Rev. Kyra
First Aid Consultant - Jeanette Stewart
Music Leader - Mildred Mills
Team Historian - Lisa Harrison
Children's Activities coordinator - Dorothy Cook
Luggage Coordinator - L.C. Price



Saturday June 9
The team departed from IAH airport in Houston at 5:30pm


Sunday June 10
The team arrived in London Heathrow airport at 11am
All but two of the team members enjoyed a city tour by bus of a small section of London.
We took the train at the airport to Pennington Station and caught a number 15 double Decker red bus to
The world renowned Piccadilly Circus. We alighted the bus there and took many photos of the area and each other.
We returned to the Heathrow airport by 4pm, in plenty of time to catch our 7:25pm flight to Nairobi.
We enjoyed a late lunch in one of the many eateries in the beautiful terminal at Heathrow.

Monday June 11
The team arrived in Nairobi Kenya at Jomo Kenyatta airport at 7:15am.




Our tour company and guides had our drinking water already purchased for us. We were taken to "Seasons"
Restaurant (one of my favorites) in downtown Nairobi. After a good meal and Kenya tea we
Crossed the street to the forex money exchange office to change our US currency into Kenya
Schillings for our miscellaneous needs.
We checked in to the Mystica Guest House in Nairobi, and everyone was treated to a single room.



**We visited the first orphanage in the afternoon.
This home ministered to the orphaned children of professional sex workers at the truck stop nearby. The founders, a husband and wife team, do a great ministry trying to protect those children from falling in the trap of promiscuity and disease.

We toured their compound which included a school, and a small barn with livestock.
They also had living quarters and an in house library.
From our team, we presented 6,000 Kenya schillings (about $91 Usd) for the purchase of food for them.
After giving the children the sports balls and candy treats purchased by the teams project money,
We prayed for the students and their administrators.
We returned to Mystica Guest house.
We were finally able to stretch out, shower and relax after our long journey.
Overnight in Mystica.

Tuesday June 12
**We were picked up at 8:30am and taken to an orphan home in Githari that morning, a small town 4 kilometers east of Nairobi.
This home housed over 30 children. Most of them were in School when we arrived that morning, but we were able
to interact with the younger children until the older ones were dismissed from classes.
With Dorothy leading us, we played games, sang songs and talked to the children. We brought them small gifts, activity books, and crayons and played many of their traditional games.
The children were very bright and sang songs, recited scripture and gave testimonies of their faith in Jesus
Christ.
We presented the school with 42 pairs of shoes donated by Dr. Wanda Mott-Russell and her husband Bill Russell, and brought to Kenya by the team from Windsor Village.
The team paid for 30 pairs of new shoes later that week, for the students through our tour company, Danvelo Tours and Safaris
who were given a list of the shoe sizes of the children most needy.
The team presented the orphan administrators with a monetary gift of 6,000 schillings.
We also gave them new sports balls for outdoor games.
**In the afternoon, we visited a small orphan home that cared for 15 precious little girls. This home was run by a catholic father and Sister.
We performed the ministry of Jesus with the girls. (Foot washing) and then fitted them with donated shoes according to size.
We brought other play things for the girls including dolls, play jewelry, and arts and crafts.
The team contributed 7,000 schillings worth of food staples for the orphanage.
The team took all of the girls who did not fit the donated shoes, and bought them new ones in the nearby town.
Overnight in Mystica.





Wednesday June 13
**In the morning the team visited and ministered to the residents of the Ngong Slum. The CBO Community Based Project for the care of the children and their mothers infected with HIV/Aids was awesome. Mary, the director, has dedicated her life to helping women in the slums with aids to have a better quality of life. The program she coordinates provides care for the pre-school children during the day, medical ADV drugs for the mothers and they also seeks sponsorship for the children old enough to go to school. The parents cannot not afford even the least amount of books and tuition fees.
Several of our team members generously committed to sponsor 10 children in that community.
We prayed from house to house in the slum. The homes were in a desperate shape, but the women were proud to welcome our team and offer them the best they had.
We bought the crafts made by the mothers there to support their livelihood.
We left with them donations of clothing for adults and children, and school supplies, arts and crafts, and sport balls.
These donations were from the congregations of St. Paul's UMC in Port Arthur, Texas, Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church and Windsor Village UMC.




**We were blessed by the CBO Medical Coordinator of the project to a splendid midday meal at her home after we finished playing with the children and praying with the mothers.
One of their group of mothers died the day we were there, in the hospital, leaving a 4 year old girl who had not been told yet of her mother's fate.
**When we left the slum we went directly to the 20 acre residential facility for orphans in Ngong in the afternoon.
One team member generously bought shoes for the entire pre-school. (23 children)
The team brought school supplies and clothing for all the children and a monetary donation of 6,000.
We took a most interesting tour of their facilities, which included their living quarters, kitchen, office space and acres of vegetables which were used at the facility to feed the children and to sell. They also had livestock there on the property. The cows not only produced milk for the children, but also brought in income from the sale of the milk.
Mary is in the process of building a "bio-gas" pit that will supply fuel for cooking and heating of the facility.
We were served tea and Chapatti (what we would call a flour tortilla)
Dinner and overnight in Mystica.

Thursday June 14
**The team leaves Nairobi and heads for Nakuru. On the way there we stopped to view Thompson Falls in Nyahururu.
We arrived at Nakuru and checked into the Kunste Hotel where team members in double occupancy stayed in Suites.
Staying in a suite is a very unusual blessing for a mission team, anywhere.
**After lunch at the hotel, we went to the Nakuru National Reserve for an afternoon Game Drive which included the spectacular view from the lookout point of Lake Nakuru, a natural salt water lake. Thousands of pink flamingoes make their home there.






As well as some very friendly baboons looking for a food hand-out:
Dinner and overnight in Kunste.

Friday June 15
**We visited the MIA (Mission in Action) orphan home housing 27 babies.
We were delighted to work there with the children, changing them, feeding them, singing and playing with them.
We also attended their twice per day worship services.
To hear 2 year olds quote scripture and pray as they did was phenomenal.
**In that same community we visited "Mama" an old lady Windsor has helped to hold on to her property two years ago.
We visited and prayed with her and her mentally challenged daughter.
After leaving Mama's we visited the site of a new medical clinic in the area.
**A miracle occurred that Dorothy had brought many pairs of eyeglasses to donate, and the Clinic was about to have an ophthalmology
event for the community the following week. Look at our God move on behalf of his people!!!!
The team donated many medicines and surgical equipment from Medical Bridges, in Houston.
Ivan and Mary, the Australian couple who run the Orphan home, allowed the team to do their laundry at their super new and ultra modern facility. When it comes to orphanages I have seen in Kenya, MIA Baby orphanage is one of the best!
Dinner and overnight in Kunste.

Saturday June 16
** We go to the Windsor Village KBC Kenya Orphanage project site in Dundori!



We were able to work for just a few hours because of the rain, but in those few hours many things were accomplished.
After being given a tour of the 3.5 acres and a descriptive discussion of the completed vision, some of the team members painted
The interior walls of the kitchen and sitting room/office of the facility. Others worked outside on a section of wire fencing.
We were provided with hot tea on the site by generous and appreciative neighbors of the Dundori community.
The people in Dundori are so grateful to Windsor Village Church for establishing a compound of facilities to help their community.
**We left the site after it started to rain and unfortunately got stuck in the muddy road, (both coming and leaving the site) Windsor Village Missions ministry has made a donation toward the improvement of the road leading up to the KBC site in the community. That work will be finished after the winter month of July in Kenya has passed. July is the time when it is rainy and quite cold in the highland area.
**Our team member L.C. deserves special recognition for his strength and know how in helping to free the vans from the muddy ruts in the road. Way to go L.C.!!
Dinner at KoKeb in Nakuru town and overnight in Kunste.

Sunday June 17
** Sunday was a very special day for us. After working together for 6 days, on the 7th day we had a day of rest and worship together! We divided out group into 2 churches in the Dundori area so that our team members would be given the opportunity to minister to the people in Africa.
Cynthia preached at the service I (Pastor Kibe) attended and Rev. Kyra from wheeler Ave. preached for the other service. It was an awesome experience. We all had an opportunity to individually greet the congregation and offer words of encouragement to them.
** After Church we witnessed yet another miracle while we were at the medical clinic in Dundori. We had the chance to see and hold a New born baby born while we were touring the maternity ward. And we also had a chance to fellowship with the baby's family and offer prayers of blessing for the baby!
The team presented 20,000 schillings to the clinic and $8,000 of medical supplies sent by Medical Bridges, Houston.
The sisters who run the clinic went into immediate and prolonged praise to God for these blessings. It was very moving.
When we first arrived at the clinic we were met with outstanding African hospitality. The sisters had prepared a dinner feast for us. It was very special visit.
Dinner and overnight at Kunste.

Monday June 18
Our team's original itinerary placed us at the KBC project for another full day of work on Monday, but because of the roads, other arrangements had to be made for the team in Nakuru town.
Windsor Village Missions ministry has great relationships with many orphanages in Kenya. One of those facilities is a street boys (and girls) ministry.
**Fortunately they were able to re-arrange the boy's school schedule to accommodate our team.
The boys and (girl) were great. We had the whole day to be with them.
They performed their acrobatics for us. They are quite good. We talked to them one on one, learned new games and songs from them and taught them a few.
We took the boys into town to shop. Everyone got new shoes and socks. Because of the generosity of one team member, they also received fabric and sewing notions for making 2 uniforms for each of them and a pull over sweater. The street girl received material to make a new dress, and new dresses for her 2 little daughters.
During our shopping outing, we met other street kids who were still "out there" Our prayer was that they too would come to the home to enjoy the benefits of a real home and an education.
We treated the boys to a soda and chips "what we call French fries" They all seemed to enjoy it. There were 18 boys and one girl and her 2 daughters.
Dinner and overnight in Kunste.

Tuesday June 19
**These next 4 days include fun, relaxation and shopping for souvenirs.
We drove to Samburu National Game Reserve and checked into Sarova Shaba Lodge, a luxury 5 star lodge in the park, overlooking the fast flowing Uaso Nyiro River. This place offered a full set of amenities including message, nails and pedicures, a swimming pool, fantastic food, and one of nature's most beautiful landscapes anywhere in the world. Natives of the Samburu people performed their traditional dances each night at the lodge.
We had lunch at the lodge and an afternoon Game Drive.
Dinner and overnight in Sarova Shaba.

Wednesday June 20
**Morning and afternoon Game drives.
A visit to the Masai (Samburu) village to experience their way of life and pick up a few authentic souvenirs.
The native's of the village showed us their home life, and traditional dances and songs.
Lunch and dinner, and overnight at Sarova Shaba.

Thursday June 21
**Return to Nairobi.
Check in again at Mystica Guest house.
Dinner at the world famous Carnivore Restaurant.
Overnight at Mystica.

Friday June 22
** All day shopping and Nairobi city tour.
Dinner at Daniel's and Pastor Kibe's home outside Nairobi.
Transfer to the airport to fly home to Houston.