Video clips from Kenya trip

Somali Tribal area near Garissa, Kenya

Frontier Life School, Garissa Kenya. Flag Raising, Welcome to the class, and fun song.

Worship Service in Garissa, Kenya

Ethiopian Worship Service in Dadaab Refugee Camp near border with Somalia.

Worship Service at Garissa Teachers College

Seven days in East Kenya

Beautiful downtown Dadaab




Our host, Ken, providing security for our luggage.




the Highway to Dadaab.





Home made Drums (the only instrument) for Ethiopian church in Dadaab refugee camp.




ah.... err... Africans have a different cultural concept of holding hands.



Ethiopians in their new uniforms


Somalis in their uniforms


OK, so I'm fascinated by cornrow art.



Giving out basic supplies in refugee camp


cute kids


more cute kids


Still more


Caleb (Professor at U of I and Kenyan native) talking with locals in camp.



The Ethiopian church building in refugee camp


It is amazing what can be done with just sand and NO paint.


Ali Preaching


Sean Preaching at camp


Lupita preaching



Supplies being given out a Somali tribe near Garissa, Kenya.


Standing room only for bus trip from Nairobi to Garissa. You can't seem the armed guard (he gets a seat) up front.


Bruce and Caleb filtering water from the local supply at Dadaab.


Caleb pumping water to overhead storage tank (so we have pressure for showers in the morning) in the Canadian Baptist compound in Dadaab, Kenya. There was 12v solar power only, but cellular service was excellent.


School in the Canadian Baptist compound



Sean after yet another proposition... for marriage. this time 4 wives of his choosing all he has to do is convert.


Basic Supplies for Somali tribal people near Garissa Kenya. Per family 1 each plastic cup, metal spoon, a cooking pot, large plastic bowls for washing, 30 liter water jug, mosquito nets for everyone. They also got a Solar oven for the community. As a nomatic tribe they lived without this kind of thing because they just couldn't haul it around, now they can use it as they build permanent structures and create a village.


Preparing for Medical mission pharmacy


There are great needs.


Ya we gave out a football (soccer ball for us Yanks)



Classroom at ken's School. "Frontier Life School"


morning meal at school


Ya I stole the ball.


Classroom at Somali tribe, they are dedicated to educating their children.


A lot of trash in Kenya, and in the background the huts that are the homes for this Somali tribal community. the huts are designed to be completely portable (by camel) but since they've decide to end their nomadic ways I'm sure they will change soon to more traditional housing.



Another school/community (Ibnu-Khaldum Integrated Program) we give out another solar oven, this is also the community we broke ground for the well.


At Ibnu-Khaldum Integrated Program (school) Head teacher, Committee head, and my wife at this same community/school. Giving out more books.


Used books handed out at all the schools. We maximised our allotment of checked luggage in the form of books.


Head of Frontier Life school is a South African (jocov ??) and Ken.


It was so packed the only way we could get water to people doing the medical outreach was through the wall.


A Sean moment, teaching at the school


Solar oven gift. The guy in the white cap is Ken's full time solar oven minister. He oversees the construction, delivery, training in the use, and some of the recipes.



Head Teacher at Ibnu-Khaldum Integrated Program




People coming for the medial outreach.


more medical outreach - Laurie taking medical histories.


Ground breaking ceremony for new well at Ibnu-Khaldum Integrated Program. the well be used for drinking and irrigation for several hundred people. There will be a manual (foot) pump people trained in how to use and maintain it, a local will be in charge of the well which will be locked when not in use.


Ground breaking.


Catholic run Rosa mistica spiritual center and hostile, where we spent a couple nights at $10 per person in nice clean rooms.


My guess is the don't have PETA. yes those are chickens lashed to roof of a van.


and in the van Goats under the seats.


amazing.


Somali tribal camp.



Sean in traditiona Somali garb.

Seven days in East Kenya, we've taken 1000's of pictures

Thursday

Shortly after our arrival and while driving into Nairobi from Airport we got a Flat tire.

Lost luggage (Guitar) Still at airport

Learned about Kenyan Drivers and the Matatas

Checked in to the Santa Maria Mystical Spiritual Center

Ate out of gordes at a late breakfast

Went to Nairobi Museum and the Nairobi National Park

Carnivore for dinner, they no longer server wild game Sean and I were really disappointed.

Friday
Kenyan Banking (DO NOT BRING TRAVELER’S CHECKS!!!)

Bought 2 full sets of soccer uniforms (Bright Green and Bright Orange) and 4 leather soccer balls.

Took the bus from Nairobi to Garissa This trip was delayed b/c of Friday Prayers for the Muslims so we left 2 hours late.

Bruce decided to buy some random So-called Camel meat from a “non pushy” Muslim street vendor, This mystery meat was actually really good.

He also picked up some amazing cookies that we shared with other people on the bus. These lasted for days for the desparate people -- us.

Once on the bus Eliza was propositioned by the Somali help to hire him for work and he would be happy to marry her daughters for her.

We thought it was crowded we found out later that if there is still room to stand and only move by crawling over the seat then there are still tickets to sell.

The healing tonic of East Africa we have found out is Camel Milk. According to local taxi’s take 1 drink, expel everything from your body and you will be fine… we don’t agree.

The bus ride was about 6 hours.

Arrived in Garissa at night and checked into the Nomad Palace Hotel. The nicest place in Garissa, which has been great. Of course only the team leaders got Hot Water, and the rest of us all got A/C which is a huge treat!

We had an amazing dinner prepared by Eunice Ochieng.

Saturday.

Meet with Ken and headed downtown to dive into the market. Here we met up with Jacob who was our Nurse Practitioner who bought the medical supplies for our medical mission that day.

Headed out to a school in a local Muslim Community. Here we set up the medical distribution. Laurie and Jacob checked the patients, Caleb and Lupita became pharmacist and Eliza and Sean handed out mosquito nets while Bruce tried to keep control.

We found that when dealing with Muslim women that a man’s voice won't go very far, however, another Muslim with a big stick can make a crowd move. Check out the video… wow.

The money for the well ($3000) was given to this comunity, we preformed a ground breaking ceremony and learned that this well will be giving water to the school and the local community which has about 150 households with an average of 10 people per house.

Bracelets: We each handed out at least one “Good News Braclets”

Sean taught spelling, math and the colors of the rainbow.

Bruce played with the kiddos, and found that kids in Kenya are amazing with a camera.

We were at this school for about 6 hours.

Eliza was blessed by being asked by two of the mothers to visit their local homes which is a great honor. It was obvious that they appreciated us being there.

That night, we split up and started our teaching.

Caleb and Lupita headed over the Garissa Teachers College with Eunice while Bruce, Lori, Eliza, and Sean headed over the local Catholic Guest House to give a short Marriage Encounter to the local Pastors. This was our first experience presenting with an interpreter and ended up using flashlights to light the room as all the lights went out.

After feeding us a great dinner the pastors headed out and as they van was out we headed back to the kitchen and had a blast washing the dishes.

We headed back to the Nomad about 11 pm.

Sunday:
Divide and Conquer

This morning we headed out in groups of 2 to preach the good word to the local churches.

Lori and Eliza headed off to the Garissa Teachers College

Bruce and Sean headed over to the Mororo Baptist Pentecostal Church and
Caleb and Lupita went to Redeemed Gospel Church
We had an awesome time and loved to preach, experience the worship (WHICH IS AMAZING) and meet the congregation.

That evening we all headed back to the Garissa Teachers College and listen to Caleb speak about planting a seed and harvest.

After the talk we headed out to dinner at the Almond (which is another hotel in town) This ended up being not such a great choice, especially for Lupita who fell ill. No worries she gets better and it is a great story.

Monday:

At 7 am we had the honor of being a part of the Life Frontier School Flag Ceremony where we got to hand out the books to the students. We also got visit many of the classrooms where we listened to the students sings songs about God and we taught science and geography topics on the spot. Life Frontier School is the school that Ken help establish.

We then got to meet with Jacu the Manager of the school and the Head Mistress and talked about different ways the school is advancing the students education and collects funding.

This is also the place where the Solar Cooker manufacturing shop is located. They also create Solor Dryers. This small business is helping local tribes prepare food and creates a source of income by selling the cakes and breads that they make in the cookers. As well has keeps them from cutting down all the local bush 'forest'.

Pullman Foursquare purchased 6 of these cookers to be donated to local tribes.

We then headed over the Boji Village on the outskirts of town. This is about the most primitive village anyone on the team has ever been in. No water, no electricity or sewer of any kind. This of course is 100% Muslim. There were 3 communities within this Nomadic Tribe. They live in small huts that most of us had to get on our hands and knees to enter.

They are progressing and like most of Kenya, believe that education is the best option for their children. Their school is the only permanent structure around.
We were privileged to see local dances by the older women in the tribe and introduced ourselves to the group.

Sean is the only member of the team who is not married and we found that to be a highly desirable trait for the local women. At this instance Sean was offered new born babies and at least 4 wives if he decided to convert, Sean is still single.

Speaking of babies, Eliza was offered a little, this one was not yet born, she is waiting for John’s approval. We will all wait and see.

At this tribe we handed out medical supplies, water judges, a solar cooker, eating spoons, cooking pots, mosquito nets, 1 soccer ball.

These materials were safe inside the school b/c of our leader Bruce who was not afraid to touch/ shove / knee in the rear Muslim women to keep them out. Thank You Bruce.

We handed out hundreds of items to these women and their children.

That night Eliza, Lori and Sean gave the first part of another Marriage Encounter at the Anglican Church of Kenya. Once again the flashlights and headlamps came to the rescue as the lights went out.

The enemy tried to keep us in darkness, but with the Word of God there is no darkness only light! AMEM

After this encounter Lupita and Sean stayed home while the rest of the team went to the Ochieng house for dinner. Unfortunately Lupita has gotten food poisoning and Sean had a head cold.

Lupita’s illness got worse over the night and ended up having to go to the local hospital where Ken, Caleb, Lori and Jacob got her taken care of. Not only did the hospital do a great job and were very caring they did not CHARGE for any of the services! AMEN

She was much better by later that day and was able to travel with us to Dadaab.

Tuesday:

We missed our first bus due to Lupita’s need to check out the local medical facilities so Bruce and Ken got us a bus later in the day.

This bus ride was 1 in a million. Luckly the conductor did a great job and got all of the ladies a seat, the fellas on the other hand got the chance to stand. This ride took us 2 ½ hours for a 4 hour trip on an all sand road. Just enough bumps to throw your head against the ceiling and make you hold on for dear life.

Laurie was concerned about the bus actually tipping over … well yeah it happens.. about 3 times in the past 3 months, thank God ours made it just fine. To show how small the world is, Laurie ended up sitting next to a women from Seattle WA. Who was visiting relatives in the camps.

DADAAB!
We arrived in Dadaab (which is the local city surrounded by the 3 UN Refugee Camps which house approx. 150,000 people.) Dadaab is about 80 KM from the Somali Boarder.
We were housed at the Canadian Baptist Ministry Guest House in Dadaab. Ytani and Irene were our host and treated us with great hospitality.

To get a little extra work out in the heat of the EQUATOR we had a stair stepper pump to pump water to the houses. Nothing like working up a little sweat while you are already dripping in it.

For dinner we headed over the UN Compound, which took about 1.5 hours to get permission to get in. Once in we visited a restaurant that liked to use dirt as a spice. Mmmm mmm. Delicious.

Wednesday:

It took a little long to get a cab due to the Canadian Commissioner in town and no cars were allowed to drive. They also shut down all cell phone communication which made it hard to find out what was going on. After prayer and patience a cab arrived and we headed out to IFO Camp and the Gambella Block. Gambella is an Ethiopian Tribe.

Here we did our Encounter at their beautiful churched called “God Help Church” This was a non denominational hand made brick church that houses over 100 members. The brick was covered by sand plaster that had amazing art work.

Their praise and worship was truly amazing and glorified God with every part of their mind, body and soul.

These members have been traveling here since 2003 when the massacres started in Ethiopia. We heard many devastating stories that broke our hearts. It is amazing what these people have gone through and still they praise the Lord and have Jesus as their Savior. AMEN!!!

The Encounter took 2 days.

Day 1 Morning Session was Sean, Lupita, Eliza and Bruce and was translated into 2 languages as the same time, Ethiopian and Somali.

The afternoon session was Laurie and prayer for deliverance accompanied with local worship.

Over 100 people plus children came to the Encounter and the church overflowed with people, song, prayers and the love the Father.

During our lunch time we got to listen to Ali’s (who is a Somali convert) story of his life with Christ and the persecution he has gone through from Somlia’s. He is the Somali Track Master and handed out tracks in Arabic, Somali, and local languages.

We also found out that Ethiopians do not have the Old Testament Translated in the local tongues. This of course makes it very hard to understand the full message of the word.

After the Encounter we headed back to Dadaab for another unsatisfactory meal at the UN. That was the last time we choose to visit there which worked out nicely b/c they decided to ban us from the facility.

Thursday:

Headed back to the Gambella Block of the IFO Refugee Camp for the rest of the Encounter.
Caleb spoke about the Holy Spirit and we prayed for the Holy Spirit to enter the lives of the believers. This was amazing proclamation of faith and we experienced the Holy Spirit enter that church and the IFO Camp. AMEN!

Since not all church members could attend we held another shorter version of the Holy Spirit talk in the afternoon. Ken closed the meeting with a great Vision Talk for the Gambella people. After the Encounter we handed out the soccer uniforms we purchased in Nairobi and watched a match between one of the Somali teams and the Gambella Ethiopian Team. It was a dirt field with ashes from cooking fires as lines on the field. Before the game began the field needed to be cleared… of Goats.. 3 young local boys did the work for us and the game began. They were amazing athletics and it was a great game to watch. As we left in the Taxi that drove across the field during the game (which didn’t stop play) the Ethiopians were winning 3 to nill.

We headed back to the Baptist guesthouse where our host Irene made us a incredible meal that put the UN restaurant to shame.
I also need to mention that the food given to us for lunch at the IFO camp was incredible, Ethiopian Meals are amazing.

Friday:
Caleb left at 6:30 am to head off to Nairobi to catch a plane and head over to visit his family. The rest of the group was ready for our bus at 9 am which ended up being 1 and ½ hours late. We were very happy to all have seats this time around and with room to spare.

The ride back included, 6 goats that reluctantly stayed in the storage compartment under the bus, 4 police checks, 3 hours of travel and a lot of sand.

We arrived back in the Nomad Hotel safe and sound with all of us feeling good and ready for a meal.

This afternoon was a relaxing day of shopping in the local market and having dinner with Ken and his family at the Nomad.

Sean and Bruce and the team.

Laurie's Update

Hi there,

Bruce and I got back from Kenya around 11:30 last night. We quickly discovered that our plans to send lots of email updates were futile—we were definitely off the beaten track most of the time and internet access was rare. When it existed, it was often interrupted by power outages. (My flashlight came in handy as we finished both evening marriage seminar sessions in pitch black except for my light on the speaker!)

I know I say this every time that I get back from a missions trip, but it really was an absolutely fabulous trip—I’m so glad we went! Kiswahili is Kenya’s national language but English is Kenya’s official language, so many, many Kenyans speak fluent English. Since we traveled on the local bus inside Kenya, we came in contact with number of English speaking Muslims. The “Good News Bracelets” we wore turned out to be a powerful and effective way to share the Gospel. I shared the Gospel with a Muslim woman and man who acted as translators for me while I was taking histories for a medical outreach. My female translator was delighted that she could have the bracelet if she could tell me what each bead stood for—she learned it in a flash (as did the man who was listening) and wore the bracelet proudly. Later I got to chat with a Somali woman on the bus to Dadaab who was going to a refugee camp to visit her family. When we started talking she asked me where I was from. I answered “Pullman, Washington” and she got really excited. She replied that she was from Washington State. It turns out that she was relocated out of the refugee camp to Seattle 10 years ago and has been living there with her children ever since, except for occasional trips to Kenya to visit her mother and brother who are still in the camp. It really is a small world! We chatted about her struggles to learn a new culture and I asked about the Muslim prayer beads she wore around her wrist. In response she wanted to know the meaning of the bracelet I wore, so again I got to share the Gospel.

Other things I got to do included preaching the Sunday sermon on “Reaching Higher to Win the Battle” at two different churches in Garissa, speaking on deliverance at two different “Encounters with God” (one in a church of Ethiopians and Somalis in a UN refugee camp in Dadaab—80 Km from the border to Somalia—and one to members of a variety of different churches in Garissa) followed by amazing prayer times, and speaking on love and respect at two different marriage seminars in Garissa (one for pastors and their wives and one for their combined congregations). Scattered between teaching and traveling to Dadaab were visits to schools to distribute the books we brought (which were received with great excitement and gratitude) and two different villages for “medical camps”.

The medical camps definitely were NOT what I was expecting! Ken, the Kenyan missionary in Garissa who we were working with, had arranged for a nurse practitioner to buy the necessary drugs and accompany us to the camps to do the diagnosing and prescribing. Once word got out that we were there CROWDS flocked to the huts we used as a dispensary. The first day there wasn’t a door on the woven stick hut and it immediately became jam packed with people to the point that no one could get in or out and the air temperature rose from hot to sweltering. (Eventually we shut down the operation and told people they had to go outside or we wouldn’t start up again. To our shock it took an older woman with a stick—who wasn’t afraid to use it to get compliance—to disperse the line so we could empty the building!) At the second camp we were wiser and the hut had a door, so Bruce became the “bouncer” controlling when and who got inside. To my surprise medications were dispensed based on history alone, without any physical exam. Most people (including little children) suffered with symptoms of malaria (night sweats, fever, chills, headache…) and shortly into the second camp we ran out of antimalarial drugs and antibiotics for diarrhea. On the whole though, the people were much healthier than I had anticipated—the adults and children generally looked adequately nourished and hydrated with no open sores. Mothers did talk to Eliza matter of factly, though, about sometimes going 2 to 7 days without food due to lack of money.

After 10 days of ministering in Garissa and Dadaab, half our team returned home and Bruce, Eliza, and I went on safari (which means “traveling” in Kiswahili). Roads are a challenge in Kenya (understatement) so we spent a lot of time bouncing into potholes and ruts and breathing dust (on the major highways), but after a 6 hour bus ride to Nairobi from Garissa, then about an 8 hour (including breakdowns) 4 wheel drive van drive south we arrived in the dark at an incredible “tent camp” in the Maasi-Mara National Game Preserve. I say “incredible” because our “tent” was the size of our living room with 3 canopy beds complete with ruffled mosquito netting, an attached fully tiled bathroom, and Simon our room steward (who straightened our shoes and neatly folded any clothing we left lying around). The compound where we stayed was surrounded by heavy duty electric fences to keep the wild animals out, but both evenings we were escorted to our tent by Peter--our spear toting guard. (Upon questioning he admitted to never actually having to use the spear, which was reassuring.) We were awakened in the early mornings by the sounds of elephants, lions, and hippos! The first morning out we saw two lionesses finishing off a meal of fresh wildebeest while hopeful hyenas prowled around then, two male lions on the hunt, and herds of zebra, giraffes, wildebeest, elephants, and innumerable different kinds of deer. That evening we visited a small Maasi village and were invited inside a dark, smoky dung covered hut. The Maasi we met throughout our stay were unfailingly friendly and the women do beautiful beadwork (including around the earlobes which are pierced with a red hot poker at age 13 and are eventually stretched to a fashionable 3-4 inch length.)

Due to road closures we had to return to Nairobi before moving on to Amboseli, our next game park. There we stayed two nights in a beautiful bungalow with grounds patrolled by Maasi warriors in traditional clothes. We got to know “Sami” who had to be at least 6”5’. Like any proud papa he told us about how well his children were doing in school, and about his cattle and goats. We talked, too, about how culture is encroaching on traditional ways of doing things. As a rite of passage he killed a lion at age 15 and got a new name, but now the government won’t allow lions to be killed unless they have been preying on the cattle or goats. While Maasi Mara was a savannah, Amboseli varied between dry salt flats and swampy watering holes. The swamps were full of water buffalo, hippos, ostriches, and elephants with playful little babies. We had a great time wildlife watching, taking photos, and getting glimpses of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Then it was on to our last park—Savo. For the trip to Savo we had to meet up with a “caravan” which had a machine gun toting guard in the front vehicle. (During our entire stay in Kenya we never had any problems or saw anything worrisome, but it most people we talked with had sad stories about the violence that occurred this spring. The tourist trade has been heavily impacted and the first two places we stayed were at about 10% occupancy. Lack of business is starting to really hurt the pocketbooks of the tour operators, resorts, and the locals who work at the resorts and who make and sell crafts to supplement their very small incomes.) To our surprise, if we didn’t know that we were in Kenya we could have sworn that we were on the way to Wenatchee as we drove through the terrain in Savo and looked at the rock formations, bushes, and mountains in the distance. The hotel we stayed in wasn’t that special, but they had two strategically placed watering holes that were lit at night about 30 feet away from the open air bar and restaurant. The balcony of our room overlooked the holes as well. About six p.m. the animals started heading in. First deer, then water buffalo, then herds of elephants blustering for dominance. At 6:30 a staff member hung up a hunk of meat in the center of a frame made of tree trunks with hopes of luring in a leopard. At 7:15 the leopard showed up for his meal. It was an amazing experience to sit there watching elephants and a leopard from 30 feet away, then go to sleep with elephants slurping and snorting right outside our balcony!

My big worry about this trip was that I figured I wouldn’t like African food. Unfortunately that wasn’t a problem and I haven’t yet gotten on the scale yet because I don’t want to see what it says! Ken’s wife, Eunice, fed us amazing meals as did the Ethiopian women at the refugee camp and the teacher at the Canadian Baptist Mission compound where we stayed in Dadaab. Dinners or lunches generally included a savory stew (generally goat meat) with potatoes and other vegetables, delicious sautéed cabbage, hearty chunks of ugali (Kenyan polenta), fruit (usually slices of tree-ripened mango) and chapattis (Kenyan tortillas). At the refugee camp we were served anjera (a thick Somali sourdough tortilla) instead of chapattis.

All in all, we had an amazing time meeting, talking with, seeing how they live, and ministering to so many different people. The game parks were just icing on the cake. Thanks for your thoughts, prayers, and financial support.

Love,

Laurie

Update from Dadaab, Kenya (UN refugee camp)

I got a phone call from our team in Kenya this morning with an update. They didn’t have access to internet to update the blog, so they relayed a message over phone. Their cell service was great…insane – they are in a refugee camp in the outer reaches of Kenya and have cell service; I can’t get cell service in my living room in Las Vegas.

It’s night there – 10 hours ahead of Pacific Time – and things are going well. One of the team members, Lupita, was not pretty ill and went to the hospital in Garissa, but after treatment/medication/prayer, she is feeling better. They are now in Dadaab – approx. 60 km from Garissa/3-6 hour drive via bus.

Bruce said the bus ride was incredibly packed, standing room the whole way, and none of the Muslim women that packed the bus wanted to stand near the Americans.

The team is staying at the only Christian church/compound in Dadaab – a Canadian Baptist church. They will be doing an Encounter for a handful of Christian refugees (Ethiopians, Somalis, etc…).

Check back often for more updates!

monday photo update

Things are going well. We've been really busy and had a lousy Internet connecting so slow updates. Tomorrow we leave for Dadab until Friday so probably no Internet there. But we will have a little more time so we can type up the blog and updated it when we get back.

For now just these photos.

Checkout Sean's blog at: http://chewyinkenya.blogspot.com/

Please pray for Sean and Lupita both are battling colds, and Lupita is battling intestinal issues.



Ken told me some of the comunitity members would haul our stuff. I figured theyld be at least 16.



Laurie nosing in to home (we were invited)


Ken and Sean checking out the inside of a local tribal home.



Post celebration. and heading back to building for medical support and distribution of solar oven, cooking supplies, plates, spoons.


Youths at Life frontier school receiving books.


Our reception in one of the classrooms


this is lunch at school beans and corn it was pretty good and very healthy.


Ken demonstating a solor dryer

The shop where the solar ovens are made at Ken's Life Frontier School.

our first day Friday June 6

30 hours of travel since Pullman, we’ve arrived in Nairobi, Kenya. Everyone is well and pretty tired this first day. It is cool in the 70’s in Nairobi. Ken picked us up at the airport and we are staying one night in Rosa Mystica Spiritual Center, a Catholic run guest house. It is clean and does the job. Breakfast, at the guesthouse was followed by a visit to the local ATM, the Nairobi National Museum, and the Nairobi National park where we saw a great many African locals. See Pictures below.
My sprint phone is working here but the sprint simm card was useless. I bought local Safaricom simm and we are buying minutes so you can expect calls from us. If you really need to contact us the new number for the Safaricom simm is (Kenya prefix from US is + 254 I think) then 0713957884 from the us you don’t dial the preceding ‘0’ most USA cell phones don’t have international service so try a land line.

And we are off

Bruce, Laurie, Lupita, Eliza, Sean and Caleb.

We all leave in just a couple hours from Pullman for our 30+ hour trip to Kenya.

We arrive at 6am on Thursday (Kenya time) in Nairobi where we'll recover and buy some of the supplies people donated money for. We'll leave the next day for Garissa. We want to thank everyone for their abundant generosity--not only were all individual financial needs met, but we received donations for nearly all of the sharing tree tag items--including the well! For those of you who included a legible email address we'll send an email to you when we donate or use your item. We'll also include info about how the donations were used on posts about the trip along with photos in this blog. We don't know how available internet is there so the blog update may be sporatic, but we'll try to have an entry per day.

This is for sure the most printed materials we've ever taken on a trip as we have plans to put on both an encounter and a marriage seminar for Ken. I hope they have good photocopiers in Garissa :-)

Everyone is really excited--we can hardly wait to get on our way. We'll have a lot to report on in terms of the spirirtual and financial blessings we'll be able to share, so keep checking the blog. We know that God plans on doing great things in and through us during our time in Kenya.

God bless you all!

Team Kenya (Bruce, Laurie, Eliza, Lupita, Caleb, and Sean)

May update #2

Greetings in the matchless name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Greetings from a cool Garissa—the weather here cant be any better and we are enjoying every bit of it.

Thank God for evangelism and discipleship class that we started a few days ago. We are glad that key Christian leaders including pastors from different Churches are trainees in this course. Our desire is that those same leaders will start the same training in their churches after they have graduated.

During the training for the next ten weeks, we will be going out to share the gospel with people around us. It is our hope that a strong spiritual movement will emerge out of this.

Pray for the following:
1 The trainees will be faithful in boldly sharing their faith
2 The trainees will capture different concepts in the training such as follow up, leading discipleship groups, Movement building, Spiritual multiplication, “M” evangelism etc
3 Pray that the trainers will be good models to the trainees
4 Thank God for those that have already come to the Lord through the ministry of the trainees—pray that they will stand firm in the faith
5 Pray for Protection upon us as we will be sharing with “M”. Pray that the truth shall set them through
6 Pray that we will honor God both by our life style and the words of our mouth.

As an organization, we have heard to move from our office. We have decided to relocate to where the School is. This is a temporary measure we are taking. The owner of the place kept increasing rent arbitrarily and we felt like we were not needed there. Being very strong Muslims, they have been uncomfortable having us around and we know that there concern is genuine given the kind of pressure they get from their own people. Pray that we will adapt well in the new environment. Pray that we will get a permanent solution to office problems.

Thank God for what is happening in the refugee camp. We are very glad that over a hundred of the Ethiopian and Sudanese refugees we trained have really been putting into practice what they learnt. Through their ministry, a few “M” have come to the Lord. The latest information I got from the refugees is that majority of them are in the process of being relocated to Canada and other countries. Pray that God will help us raise new laborers continue the good work in the camp.

As a family, we are forever grateful to God for you. As we keep saying, only eternity will reveal the reward God has for you for investing both your time and resources touching lives of people you may not meet this side of eternity.

Shalom

Ken
For Eunice, Tim & Ann

Your commitment to the work of the Lord will pay off even in this life and remember Revelation 22:3 "And there shall be no more curse; but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him."

CYCLONE UPDATE 2008

CYCLONE UPDATE 2008 Thailand Newsletter from the Hilderbrand's http://www.worldbasethailand.org/

TRAGEDY IN MYANMAR
This weekend I will be travelling to the border of Myanmar for the second time since the Cyclone hit killing an estimated 100,000 people. Many more are homeless and facing starvation and disease. The weather service is also reporting that another storm may hit the area in the next few days.

Please pray for the survivors and that sufficient relief supplies would be allowed to enter the country.

The Foursquare Church is working together with several Christian relief agencies to get supplies to the affected area, including Thirst No More Org, CITIimpact and others. To date, Myanmar has stopped issuing visa’s for foreigners to enter the country. Foreigners cannot get in, but we are in contact with our Foursquare Churches in Myanmar.

We have transported a ton of rice, water purifiers, family packs of supplies and other relief materials across the border just inside Myanmar. Again, we have been able to move supplies into Myanmar. More relief supplies are being transported to the border as I write this.

THE PROBLEM: We are not able to get the relief supplies from our location in Myanmar to the disaster affected area. The government is confiscating material and causing trouble for those who attempt to move material into the affected region, including nationals of Myanmar.

We have been in contact with people who may be connected enough to move material. However, it will cost money to transport material through rebel held areas and past government check points. I will be trying to ascertain where we are at in moving materials when I arrive this weekend. We also have contact information for a member of the Thai military who might be willing to allow us to transport material through them.

Please keep us in prayer this week.

If you would like to donate to the relief effort, you can send money to:
Foursquare Missions International
Attn: Paulette McCammon
Myanmar Relief
1910 W. Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90026-0176

PRAYER REQUESTS
Pastor Tommy, the pastor of our Burmese church in Bangkok, is back from Myanmar. Thank you so much for your prayers. He only has a temporary visa. Pray that he could get a permit to stay in Bangkok.

Please pray that the rest of the funds for the new building will be raised soon. The seven story facility will house two churches, WorldBase, Language school and several social ministries and offices. The pillars for the building are now going up. We are still short $100,000.

Pray for the revival among the Hill Tribes people. Pray that we would wisely steward this movement. We just received a Foursquare Foundation Grant for $25,000 to help us!

Please pray for our language teachers by name: Mike, Michel-lyn (Canada), Michele, Evan, Sarah (Australia), Andy, Tina, Frank and Meryl Whitmore (Australia). Pray that our teachers would develop friendships quickly and be effective in sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. Pray that these “seekers” and new believers can be discipled in the Thai church.

Two students from the Pacific Life Bible College team are staying to help us through our teacher shortage in June. God has answered our prayers again. We will still need more teachers come August/September.

Pray for our new Bible College that is beginning in June.

Pray for God to raise up new leaders so that we can follow through with our plan to plant more churches in Bangkok.

Continue to pray for everyone’s health. Also pray for our continued protection, especially as we travel.

Let us know how we can pray for you.

Ken and Eunice in Kenya - update May 2008

We thank you so much for your continued support and prayers. God has been so faithful to us as a family and also as a team.

The School opened last week and we are glad to have all the teachers and students back in good health—we are praying for a fruitful second term.

Eunice is back from Uganda where she had attended meetings on a training called “Cross roads”---this is training on behavioral change among the youth. It was a great success.

Thank God with us for the community who have given us 30 acres of land for high School. We are not paying anything for this other than the normal government fees charged for surveying, gazetment and other documentation costs. Even though this is a Muslim community, they have seen our contribution in improving education standards amongst their children and they would want us to embark on high school also—thank God that even those that have been fiercely resisting us are becoming great allies in advocating for us to have more land. God is able to direct the hearts of kings just like a water course—to him be the glory!.

We are still trusting God to come through for us so we can finish repairs of classes and fencing the compound---the flood really wrecked havoc here

This week, we will be starting a three months course in evangelism and discipleship. This training is called New Life Training Curriculum (NLTC). Members of different churches here have been requested to join the training. I have decided to include Muslim evangelism course as part of this program. For the next three months, Trainers and Trainees will be going out to share the gospel as part of the practical.

PRAYER POINTS

NLTC
-Pray for the right people to join the evangelism and discipleship training
-Pray for the trainers that they will always be filled with the Holy Spirit as they give presentations
-Pray for many to be saved as the trainees and the trainers give a presentation of the gospel
-Pray for the safety of the trainers/trainees as they will many times be going back home at night
-Pray that the training will ignite revival as members of different churches take back the fire of evangelism and discipleship

SCHOOL
Pray that our standard eight class will adequately prepare for the National exam (KCPE)
Pray that our teachers will build relationships with the children that will allow them to easily share the gospel
Pray for Muslim workers in our school to accept Jesus as their Lord and saviour
Pray for believers to faithfully share their faith both in words and action
Pray that our love to the Muslims will always be unconditional
Pray that we will be the salt and the light of garissa

REFUGEE CAMP
Pray for “A”—he is facing many challenges from those who know he is a Christian
Pray for two new MBB’s—that they will grow in the knowledge of the Lord
Pray for salvation of more “S”


Thank you so much for standing in the gap
Blessings

Flooding causes significant damage to school in Garissa

We have once again experienced serious flood that has left quite some destruction in our school. Please, do pray that God intervenes as we seek his face on how to do reconstruction. Below are some photos that capture what happened on Wednesday.
Blessings
Ken

School compound and classes flooded with water

Concrete Pillars for our fence pulled down

More Pillars down


Our School compound in river

Children helping to rescue some of the things that were swept from the school



Our Children playground flooded

Boys’ dormitory full of water

Our Goat shed destroyed

Our Water pump destroyed

Ken's update for APRIL 2008

Head man” Salad making mud for the wall. I was glad that the community was involved in this. All I needed to do was to mobilize them and provide iron sheets, timber and nails





















Building ready for Children—they no longer have to read under tree


















Councilor Kunyo—Munyoywaya leader showing me their water pump. They have given us land for Agriculture next to the river



























“Banana in the desert”—this is in Kunyo’s farm. We intend to train farmers on modern Agricultural practices using the farm we have been given

























Our Jesus film team had great time in Mwingi---over fifty people gave their lives to Christ




People in attendance as our JF team present the gospel

PRAISE ITEMS

Eunice did organize a successful prayer seminar last Saturday. We had people from all the churches attend. The hall was packed with people who are hungry to seek the face of the Lord on behalf of “M”.

I ministered at garissa medical college last Saturday. I was talking about “overcoming discouragement” and many indicated that they were blessed by the message---to God be the glory.

Thank God that the community has given us 30 acres of land for high school. This was done through full council approval.

Thank God for Tim’s good performance in school—he was 2nd best student in his class (just one point behind the best student). Ann is in nursery and they don’t get positions. Mary (our niece) whom we stay with was also position two in her class.


PRAYER ITEM

Pray for a very influential “M” who has challenged me for a discussion on both the Bible and the quran. Pray that I will not just win the argument but the soul.

Pray for “M” girl called “F” in our school who has a desire to know the truth. She has gone through painful experiences and is currently getting closer to the truth as a result of us being available to her in her time of need. She has requested for a bible—pray that she will have revelation as she reads it.

Pray for Land documents that we are currently pursuing with the government officers. We intend to start high school after getting these vital documents.

Our School is closing today and opening early may—pray for safety and protection of both teachers and students.

Pray that all our staff will have a burden to consistently share there faith with “M”. Pray against fear that holds people back

Pray for our Jesus film team that will be going for mission in Mwingi—many people to know the Lord.

Read Colossians 3:1-4.

The Lord richly bless you

About Expectation Missions

There is so much activity and so many people in our blog that I've provided this overview.

Missions 2008

This year Pullman Foursquare will be heading to Thailand, Myanmar and Kenya. Our trips are always exciting growth opportunities; everyone who has gone in the past has been particularly blessed.

Thailand / Myanmar 2008. We'll be traveling to SE Asia once again and we will minister with old friends and we will also be traveling far into Myanmar on this trip. Departure will be late fall or early winter. Cost about $2000.

In SE Asia have three primary goals:

1. To come alongside local pastors in Northern Thailand and Myanmar, partnering with them in projects that help expand the impact of their ministries.
2. To build on the relational foundations with pastors and missionaries in SE Asia formed during previous mission trips, thereby opening doors for future mission trips and for individuals to return and participate in full time missionary work.
3. To preach the Gospel in various villages and to make disciples:

• In Thailand we’ll assist local hill tribe churches with constructing a church building.
• In Myanmar (near the Chinese border) we’ll be involved with a medical ministry reaching out to prostitutes. We need particular prayer for this part of the trip. Christian organizations in Myanmar are sometimes infiltrated by the government, which is a military dictatorship that frowns on Christianity.

For the security of the pastors and missionaries in Burma we no longer (or rarely) post their information in this blog. If you would like to receive emailed updates about happenings in Myanmar/Burma please contact me heimbig @ turbonet.com

Garrisa Kenya 2008 (completed - click on 'Kenya 2008' label for the blogs). On about June 3 our destination will be Africa. Upon arrival we'll make a quick side trip Masia Mara Game Park on the Serengeti, then a week ministering with Ken in Garrisa. For those who can afford the cost and extra time, there will be a one week 'tourist' extension with Bruce and Laurie to the coastal regions of Lamu and Mombasa, return by train via Tsavo NP to Nairobi. Return will be departure + 14 days or departure +21 days. Cost about $2200, with one week extension an additional about $900.

In Kenya have three primary goals:

1. To establish relational foundations with pastors and missionaries in Kenya, thereby opening doors for future mission trips and for individuals to return and participate in full time missionary work.
2. To come alongside Kennedy Ochaing, a native Kenyan missionary, partnering with him in projects that help expand the impact of his ministries to local villages:
3. To share the Gospel in various villages and to make disciples:

• Building solar ovens
• Digging wells
• Providing basic medical support
• Teaching in the local school he started

During the planning stages of our mission trips the exact price and dates are not posted as the price of the air transportation is highly variable by date. The exact date and cost is set approximately 2 months before we leave. The cost includes transportation, housing, food, and to fund any project we do. Personal purchases and your cost for passport, vaccinations, and visa (where needed) are separate.

Who's Who
Dr. Kelly and Angela Hilderbrand, FMI Missionaries to Thailand responsible for Worldbase Thailand and the English Language Center with over 800 students and multiple Church plants in Thailand. The worldbase is usually our first stop in Thailand. There are three month to a year English language teaching opportunities at the worldbase.

Dr. Christopher Curry currently lives in and teaches at a college in Bangkok and his missionary efforts support Pastor P. in the Golden Triangle area of My-anmar, also one of our first contacts.

Pastor Timothy: Pastor, Missionary, district leader, runs an orphanage, started many hill tribe churches in the Fang, Thailand area and all around good guy. He was one of our first contacts and is always helpful when we look to Thailand for outreach.

Pastor P. is very active in the Golden Triangle of Myan-mar, he has started dozens of churches, an orphanage, Bible college, drug rehabilitation center, education house, and is Senior Pastor in Tachiliek and district supervisor for Eastern Myanm-ar. Pastor P. was another of the first people we visited. Since Pastor P's arrest and torture and the forced closing of his college in 2005, we purposely misspell the country and city and no longer include his actual name. It is NOT that we (or he) are doing anything illegal, just that we do NOT want to draw the My-an-mar government's attention to his work.

George Butron is the SE Asia director for Foursquare Missions International and is always helpful for me to determine what we can/cannot do or should not do :-)

Kennedy Ochieng gave up a promising career in Kenya's Agriculture to minister to the Muslim, poor, refugee camps, and tribal populations of South East Kenya, along with his wife Eunice and children Tim and Ann. Scott Linklater made contact with him through Calab Nindo of our church (also from Kenya.) Scott and Tyler Anderson ministered with Ken in Africa in 2006(?) and Ken visited Pullman and other cities in the USA in 2007.

While surfing Thailand missionary sites, I happened across Paul & Lori Vernon's web site and was surprised to find they are Foursquare. I visited them in September 2007, I'm sure there will be some kind of continuing connection.

Donations
You can support Pastor Timothy, Pastor P. or Ken's ministry through direct donations made out to Pullman Foursquare Church. Regular monthly donations are preferred and the amount doesn't matter. For missionaries to know they have a dependable supply is extremely helpful. For Pastors Timothy and P. you can indicated either for the general use or specifically to support orphans. One time donations are of course accepted. You can also support Ken by purchasing his book. 100% of money donated to foreign missionaries is sent directly to them. Contact Bruce or Laurie for specifics.

Contacts:
Pastor Timothy Tang timotang @ hotmail.com
Christopher Curry christopherjonny @ gmail.com
Pastor P. khim.gtm2007 @ gmail.com his web site.
Kelly Hilderbrand kahildy @ gmail.com Worldbase web site
Paul & Lori Vernon's web site.
George Butron george @ ebible.org
Ken Ochieng: kenyochieng @ yahoo.com
Bruce Heimbigner heimbig @ turbonet.com
Laurie Heimbigner llheim @ turbonet.com

To email just remove the spaces on either side of the @ - this prevents spammers from automatically harvesting Email addresses.

Letters and Fundraising Information

Here are Microsoft Word files for various Letters and Fundraising Information.

Mission Partner Card

Sample Thailand 2008 Letter

Sample Africa 2008 Letter

How to Fundraise for Short Term Missions - Letter

Ken and Eunice Africa Update 2 - March

We do hope that Easter has provided you with opportunity to reflect on the great price our lord Jesus Christ had to pay for our redemption.

Josh (a friend of mine) and I went to the refugee camp to spend time with the refugees. We organized for the whole Gambela community from Ethiopia to gather for tea and celebrate Jesus. It was just great seeing smiling faces amongst these refugees who have gone through so much. Besides, they are still applying the training we gave them some time back. We have Somali people giving there lives as the Ethiopians apply the training.

Three Somali believers and I—two of them on my left are Somali Bantus. The Two of them are new converts who needs your prayer. They are H and M. Pray for A on my right to continue being fruitful.

This has been my “five star hotel” in the camp over the years—I love the place. The bed is raised floor made of mud—a good way to keep off orthopaedrician.

Tea being made for over two hundred people who attended the Friday meeting at the camp. Josh and I spoke during the three services.


Refugees giving their lives to Christ.

Beautiful Street in the camp.

Keep on praying that the glory of the Lord may cover this region as waters cover the sea.

Blessings
Ken & Eunice

Ken and Eunice Africa Update - March

It is always great to send you update. The past few weeks have been busy but the grace of the Lord has always been sufficient. We thank you for praying for our country. Yesterday, the parliamentarians past the constitutional amendment bill 2008 that will guarantee peace (humanly speaking)—we know that peace that surpasses human understanding can only come from Jesus—the prince of peace.

I decided that I could do something about Muslim children studying under tree at bula secondary---I organized for them to get iron sheets, few timbers and iron nails. Together with my friend Josh who is visiting, we decided to help the villagers in the process. We are likely to finish this project next week so the children can move in. Below is the sequence of events:

Children under tree

We are starting to put the poles up—I am really not an expert but when you are a missionary you can do everything—you know!

Salad—the head man hammering nails

We are just left with putting iron sheets and mud walls.

This morning, I had the privilege of showing hippopotamus in a river half a mile to a visiting friend (Josh). This is the picture he took. This river that is not far from home hosts lots of crocodiles and hippos.

PRAYER POINTS--Josh and I will be traveling to the refugee camp tomorrow—pray for fruitful time

• Pray that we will be able to finish building the class so that the children studying under tree may move inside
• Pray for Josh as he speaks this Friday at refugee camp and garissa teachers training college this Sunday
• Pray that children in our school may come to the knowledge of the truth
• Pray for all the workers with life ministry that they will live spirit filled lives and be focused in making Christ known.
• Pray for my discussion with one of the most influential Muslim here who has given me a challenge: he wants me to bring the Bible and he brings the Quran for us to know which is the truth. He seemed to think that I can become a Muslim—pray that the lord who revealed himself to Saul on his way to Damascus may reveal himself to “M’
• Pray for God to help us raise a spiritual movement that will see many coming to the fold of the master.
• Pray for the glory of the Lord to cover the land as waters cover the sea.

May the Lord’s face shine upon you

March update from Chris and Apple

I will be glad and rejoice in your love!

“I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul. You have not handed me over to the enemy but have set my feet in a spacious place.” Psalm 31:7-8 NIV

Let me start out by sharing that last month was one of great affliction and anguish. It seemed like almost every area of my life was in turmoil: Apple and I amidst the trials of wedding planning, family back home, ministry efforts at the English school and promoting APU’s program along with frustrations of still not working full-time in the Golden Triangle. I felt burned out and told God, “I give up!” Apparently that’s what he was waiting for me to say.

After that breaking point, God brought me to the realization once again that I can’t live on my own strength and understanding, but on His. With that discipline came new perspective on life’s trials and within the past couple weeks things have started to be restored and make sense.

Apple and I have been communicating and caring for each other more. The family issue back home was resolved after months of battling. God has brought two key characters to the stage to help make the APU program work in Chiang Mai if we get enough interested people. And I’m satisfied to be juggling responsibilities working full-time at the English school and with the ministry in the Golden Triangle until God brings the necessary financial support. The American economy might be in bad shape, but God’s economy isn’t. Thank God for discipline and new Christ-centered perspective that has replaced affliction and anguish with gladness and joy.

We’ve finished most of the wedding preparations for May 31st and wish that you could make it, but of course we understand that it’s just a tad bit difficult to attend here in Bangkok. It’s unbelievable how much time, effort and money is wrapped up in a wedding. We will be ecstatic to finally have our special day and then disappear on our honeymoon.

As resurrection Sunday approaches, I hope that this brief newsletter is a source of encouragement for you to worship Jesus as the resurrected King of His Kingdom and subjects therein. He passionately desires for us to live in the resurrection life that He procured with incalculable suffering through His own life on earth, death and resurrection. He is alive!

Please pray especially for peace of mind and the ability to walk in the Spirit and HIS understanding during this time.
With Love,
Chris & Apple

Update from Ken/Josh in Garissa

Good news is that i picked Josh two hours ago and will spend in the same guest house where you and Tyler spend in Dec 2004 (in Nairobi at a catholic guest house). We are heading to garissa tommorow. We are looking forward to a fruitful time with Josh.

February Update From Ken & Eunice Ochieng

We want to thank you so much for every single prayer you have uttered to God for us. We also thank you for prayers made on behalf of Kenya. Mediation talks have been going on and the negotiators have agreed that the way forward is a political solution. Continue praying that peace will prevail in this country.

As a family we have continued to experience God’s presence in our lives and we testify that his grace has been sufficient to us.

Eunice continues to lead a vibrant prayer group that is seeking God on behalf of the people around. She is also leading our HR department—pray that the Lord may give her wisdom and strength.


Tim joined standard one and is really enjoying the fact that he is in primary school after three years in pre-school. He loves the colors of his new school uniforms too. He is among the top five best students in his class. He is one of the youngest in his class.


Ann moved from baby class to Nursery and she is happy to have many friends in her class. She has poor appetite and has proved to be poor in feeding. We have to force her some times to eat. Please pray that she will begin to feed well. She is however very active both in school and at home.



Our School was blessed with a new bus after an organization donated money to the same. Our students are really enjoying this gift. We still need another bus so we don’t have to do so many trips every day. Pray that God will grant us another bus at his own time.









Our students celebrating the arrival of the new bus.





Some of our Teachers in front of the bus.


We are glad that we have build four new class rooms to accommodate the second stream for each class—we are expanding by a stream every year to take care of our growth. Below is the new building:


When construction was going on


Finished building


God has been opening doors for me to speak in a number of churches here and I thank him that I can be a vessel of reconciliation at this time when our country is so divided. Please pray that the Lord will give me utterance whenever I stand before his children to declare his oracles.
Thank you for touching garissa from so far.

We plan to set a day this week to pray and fast for friends like you. Please, let us know how best to pray for you.

Yours for the fulfillment of the great commission,

Ken & Eunice Ochieng

Interview with Ken from Garissa regarding political violence

Happy New Year! From Chris Curry

Happy New Year! January has already been such an incredible month, but first let me share a bit about our Christmas activities last month. Though Christmas in western countries seems to be a time when people tend to reconnect with family and relax with each other, it’s much different for Christians living in Asia. We use this holiday that’s gaining popularity as an opportunity to share the Gospel.

Our church joined with 100 other churches in Bangkok’s popular Lumphini Park to give away free food, sing songs, perform skits and evangelize. We were blessed to be part of this outreach and our church gave away around 1,000 kilograms of fruit! Apple and I invited two of our close non-Christian Thai friends to join and Apple had a great opportunity to give her testimony to them. Our church also went caroling to the department stores to share the message of Christ’s birth!

At work, I had an opportunity to share the Good News in its entirety to students for one of my chat classes with the topic of “Christmas”. I even shared Scriptures! They had many questions and were very open. Oh, get this; one of the unbelieving teachers was lazy to prepare for her chat class, so she used my lesson. Hahaha. She unwittingly shared the Gospel with the students via the Scriptures and information about not only the birth, but life, death and resurrection of Christ. I love it!

I also had another fantastic opportunity to share with two of my colleagues who believe that God exists, but think that Christians shouldn’t be missionaries and impose their beliefs on others. I asked them if God sending Jesus to Earth via a virgin mother in order to turn the world right-side up was any imposition. We talked about it briefly and then I simply said, “Christians ‘impose’ their faith upon others for the same reason God imposed His Son….out of LOVE.” Silence followed and that was the end of that opportunity. They didn’t like what I had to say, but they don’t hate me or ostracize me.

We need to choose the right time and place, but I’d like to propose to you that our silence to popular secular beliefs spoken in the workplace is as good as us saying, “I agree with what you’re saying.” We must have a voice of truth in the workplace. Let’s not shrink back and just hope that our actions are speaking loud enough that they’ll be interested in Christ. Every day is an opportunity and I encourage you to look for those windows of opportunity throughout the day to open and be prepared to speak up.

Well, how about some exciting news from this New Year? For starters, I was offered a promotion to be the Service Manager of Wall Street Institute, Lad Prao Branch. This is huge. It’s the highest position I can have in a center. WSI is the premier English institution in Thailand and the branch I work at is well-known for being the best branch. I would work at that very branch and the pay would be right at $2,700 USD per month with benefits. With an expensive wedding coming up, I was thinking God had given me favor and the financial floodgates had broken wide open. But, I asked my boss if the time he spends on the computer allows him to do anything besides work…i.e. would I have more time to work with the ministry in the Golden Triangle with this position, or less? He said that I would have less. The decision was instantly made. If this new position doesn’t provide me with more time to fulfill that which God has clearly called me to do, then it’s not part of God’s plan. Plain and simple.

That’s one reason why it’s important to spend time pressing into what sometimes seems like empty darkness behind our eyelids. It’s necessary so that we know what it is God is speaking to our hearts now—not what God has spoken to us, but what he is presently speaking. Our faith grows and is strengthened as we continue to hear. As the Bible states, “Faith comes by hearing…” HEARING, not having heard, but continually hearing. When we’re clear about what God’s speaking to our hearts, we’re usually prepared to deal with important decisions and we’re always ready for opportunities to dispense hope to those who are perishing or in need of encouragement.

This is part of what I shared this past week in Myanmar when I met up with a fantastic team of pastors from the east coast who taught and encouraged the students and leaders. I was blessed to teach one afternoon. I taught about bringing the Kingdom of God to the Golden Triangle...what that means and how to do it. I also shared about laying down our lives and following Christ by listening to his word when we’re reaching up into His Kingdom through prayer, worship, Scripture reading, & fellowship. Then, how they should share this word with others (Christians and non-Christians) and finally, how this will lead to our ultimate goal of getting God’s approval.

During a workshop time, they had the opportunity to share with others what God had recently spoken to them. Aside from listening, watching and joining in worship with them, this was the highlight of the trip. (I’m honestly about to start crying now as I type.) The passion that these young people have to worship, learn and share about God is mind-blowing. In their extreme poverty, THEY HAVE NOTHING, yet I suggest that they possess more than the majority of Christians around the World. They have intimate and active relationships with God and THEY WANT TO BRING THE KINGDOM TO THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE. (I’m in public typing this and I refuse to be ashamed of my quivering chin or the tears in my eyes now.)

The young man pictured below shared about his diligence to do anything his heart pursued. When he was a soldier he trained and performed his task to the best of his ability. When he was a drug addict, he would use the drugs until they were gone. Now, he said that even though he knows his decision to be a preacher means he will be poor and struggle, he’s willing to give all of his energy to pursue God’s call for him to minister.

What is happening there is brought by the hand of God and they need help and assistance. 64 churches, over 1,500 people, and people desiring to intimately know Father God! I urge you to help me find partners to support me full-time. God has blessed me with a great job teaching and opportunities to share, but I want to do what He’s been calling me to do—work in the Golden Triangle. I feel that God has been increasing my faith during the wait and that he’s tested my resolve to what He’s called me to do. However, I feel that the time of waiting is coming to a close.

I ask you to commit to finance this ministry. Apple and I are currently in the process of becoming FMI Missionaries and while she’ll continue earning money as a doctor and lecturer, I need to raise at least $1,500 USD in order to work full-time with the ministry in the Golden Triangle. When my boss offered me his position at WSI (because he was promoted to corporate), I soon thereafter told him that I actually wouldn’t be working there much longer and promised to give him at least 2-weeks’ notice. I am ready to serve the Burmese by developing curriculum, coordinating, teaching, consulting, administrational and organizational assistance, teaching English at a language center, etc. I can resign from WSI at any time. I’m committed to helping expand the Kingdom in the Golden Triangle. Will you commit to financing this ministry?
Thank you so much for your love, encouragement, prayers and donations.

Much love,
Chris

P.S. Please check out the Latest News for the Golden Triangle Ministry at http://goldentriangleministry.page.tl/

P.S.S. Please contact me if you’d like to commit to monthly giving or a one-time gift. Otherwise, you can send your gifts with “Chris Curry” to:

Whitefish Foursquare Church
233 Kalispell Ave.
Whitefish, Montana 59937
U.S.A.Email: whitefish4square@centurytel.net
Phone: (406) 862-1653

News from Myanmar and the Golden Triangle

• The orphans of Tacheliek had a very special Christmas.
• 64 Foursquare Churches in the Golden Triangle this month focused on Christ’s birth. The tribal people we work with don’t celebrate each other’s birthdays, so you can imagine that they also don’t celebrate Christ’s.
• Lahu people celebrate New Year in a unique way and we’ve combined our traditional celebration together with theirs.
• Wa State Army leaders’ hearts have been opened. Thanks so much for your prayers and thank God that even though we can’t have open air crusades, they will allow us to continue ministering in the area.
• All of the members of five families are now saved and baptized because of the birth of twins.
• An old man saw three angels in long white robes who didn’t talk. 6 families (23 people) agreed to call Pastor Peter and received Christ and baptism.

Read details and photos at the Golden Triangle web site

January Update From Kenya

Greetings in the matchless name of our coming king!

The Bible makes it clearing Mathew 24:6 that before the Lord comes, we will hear of wars and rumors of wars. It is happening right here in Kenya and all over the world.

Kenya has enjoyed peace for the last 43 years since it got independence from British. Kenya has 42 tribes (each tribe has unique language and culture—Kiswahili is the national language and English is the official language) and yet the country has remained intact. It is always difficult striking the ethnic balance because as expected some tribes do see themselves as being marginalized especially in terms of resource allocation. The recent election led to explosion of deep seated suspicions and prejudice that different communities have against each other. The consequence of this is death of 500(this is official figure although it is reported that the figure is much higher) and a quarter million people displaced.

Our region has been experiencing tension but we haven’t experienced serious violence as yet—our prayer is that this place will remain calm because religious fundamentalists can take advantage of the situation and bring religious angle to the problem—this will exacerbate things here.

What complicates things for our country is that some (especially the opposition) do not want stability at the expense of truth, justice and democracy—the government has shown no signs of giving up holding to power. The church is divided than ever with some leaders being partisan. Many Church leaders seem to sacrifice Truth and justice at the altar of tribal affiliations. The work of God is slowed and I am personally disappointed (should I say frustrated) at what is happening.

Deep in the hearts of many believers, we knew that all was not going to be well after the election—in fact there were many prophecies on the same yet we believers never paid enough attention. Some of us are convinced that it is the Church in Kenya that is being judged—many leaders had adopted prosperity gospel message from the west. Salvation of souls became secondary. In the midst of all that face our country, I am persuaded that the Church in Kenya is going to come out like gold that is refined seven times ready to take the gospel to the four corners of the earth. Meanwhile, we are returning to God in Prayers, fasting and repentance. The people of this great country have proved to be resilient and I believe that when God is through with us, we will be raised to another degree of glory.

Below are some pictures in places that experienced violence:

Above are some burnt bicycles that remained after a church was burnt killing 30-50 people that had sought refugee inside

Children who have become refugees in their own country

Refugees of the clashes that has taken ethnic dimension

Pastors donating blankets to the refugees

A Pastor looks at one of the arrows that were used in shooting. Neighbors turned into enemies.

Above are some of the burnt houses.

Would you please stand in prayer for the body of Christ in Kenya. Pray also for the women, children whose houses have been burnt and there is no place to call home

We thank God for your friendship.
May he grant the desires of your heart this year

Prayer request from Chris

Hello,

I'll be spending the next few days in Burma and would appreciate you prayer requests for supernatural insight and wisdom, health, the Holy Spirit's power as I speak and meet with ministers and His favor. Thanks so much!

Bless you!

-Chris

Update from Ken in Garissa, Kenya regarding election violence

What is happening in Kenya is saddening. Our Prayer is that the country will come out of this united and strong. We have been the highland of peace in a region that is identified with conflict.
The situation in Garissa was very tense four days ago but we are now experiencing relatively calm situation compared to the rest of the country--all this because of an election that observers have described as flawed.

Too sad that neighbours are slaughtering one another, churches being burned (with people inside), women and children being refugees in their own country.

Many of our Teachers and students are traped in places that have been experiencing violence--we will have to postpone the date of opening (we were meant to open next wendnesday)
We ask you to continue remembering this great country in prayer.

Come Lord Jesus Come.

Pray for Ken & family in Garissa, Kenya

Be praying for Ken Ochieng and his family in Garissa, Kenya. There is tremendous political unrest due to the recent presidential elections and alleged corruption, increasing the overall death toll to 270. Near Nairobi a church was burned with people still in the church, accounting for approximately 50 of the deaths. In Garissa, it is reported that people have been hiding in mosques to stay safe.

Ken and his ministry can come under physical attack during these periods of unrest, and it is crucial that we keep him and family in our prayers.

Transportation needed for orphans in Thailand

Pastor Timothy has a need for transportation so his orphans can get to school and for various trips with the orphans. He’s been borrowing a truck, but the owners now need it full time for their business. He wants to buy either a mini-van or pickup and convert it to a Sawngthaew. (Sawngthaew’s are the standard mode of ‘taxi’ in rural Thailand. They’re pickups with the bed covered by a ‘roof’ and seats along the sides.) Considering that many Thais live on about $200 per month and the cost of vehicles in Thailand is only slight less than here in the U.S., vehicles are very expensive there compared to Thai income.

Pullman Foursquare Church will match donations up to a total of $300, so let’s see if we can raise at least $1000 to send. 100% of the funds raised, as always, go directly to the missionaries.

We will have an offering container at the welcome center on Sunday. Please place your money there or in the offering plate, indicating that this is for the Thailand Orphan Van.

Dec. & Jan. Update from Ken in Garissa, Kenya (w/ photos)

We want to thank God for his love and faithfulness in the year 2008. This far he is Ebenezer! We have seen God work in and through us as we have sought to make him known. Our greatest priority as a family remain to know him intimately and to make him known—the process of making him known may not be as quick as we want but we have rested in him. Time and space will not allow for us to testify how God has answered our prayers this Year—it has been amazing to see him at work. We are not able to take Christmas break because of a number of things that we need to finalize before the beginning of the year. We are currently building extra classrooms to take care of more students next year. Our National Examination results have just come out and we are happy for the excellent performance of our students—our leading student has 413 marks out of 500.

Ken standing next to classrooms of Life Frontier School



Our excellent Academic Standards have caused high demand for the school—we are having to increase our intake hence the need for more class rooms—this new one is likely to be finished early January.



Through our efforts to distribute “water guards”, villagers were able to drink clean water.


Our Carmel being loaded on to a trailer—it was the best Carmel during our Annual North Eastern Province Agricultural Show—talk of ways of opening the way for the gospel!



Anna (first right) blowing candle during her fourth birthday party. She was joined by other kids including Tim (3rd right). Eunice is giving some instructions.


Please, do pray for Peter and Zakayo (our Jesus film staff) who are in missions this week screening “Jesus film”. Pray for many to know the Lord and for protection upon Peter and Zakayo.

Kenya is holding election this coming Thursday—pray that we will choose godly leaders to lead us for the next five years.

We thank you for standing with us as we seek to make Christ known among the least reached people groups.

We wish you Merry Christmas and a prosperous 2008

Ken, Eunice, Tim, Ann

Our First Post for Chris Curry, Missionary to Myanmar

Hello!
Life has been BEYOND hectic. I've been working here in Bangkok and running up north meeting with Pastor P. There's so much fruit coming from the ministry there and it's so encouraging. I'm grateful that I can take part helping them. I finished up the New Testament Survey curriculum which they're now using and will start the OT Survey curriculum. I also JUST finished the Website which I hope you will take time to check out. http://www.goldentriangleministry.page.tl/ There's a lot of information about the ministry and it'd be good for you to know what all has gone on, what's going on and what will be going on there.

I've been very encouraged by our one-on-one leadership meetings. We've been talking about team work and Pastor P. is REALLY putting it into action by sending people out in pairs and having them work together as a team to reach people in a specific area. In the past he sent them out one by one which isn't exactly how Jesus sent out His disciples. So, it's great to see that our time spent together discussing team work is showing fruit. He said that they're catching on and enjoying working together. Now this area (Wa State Army area by Mine Sat) has over 1,000 believers! In our next meeting, we're going to focus on how each of them can better develop themselves as leaders.

I have something to share with you that's wonderful. God really opened the door of opportunity at Wall Street Institute (where I teach English). Yesterday, almost all of the teachers were sitting in the teachers' room chatting and the loudest and most openly agnostic guy at work starts asking me about Christianity. The first thing he asked was, "So, you're a Christian, right?" And I replied that I am. Then, he asked if I believed in evolution. I stated that I didn't believe in macroevolution and that there isn't any evidence to prove it. I told him that the 'missing links' between each species and monkey to man have been disproved by many leading scientists and it would take more faith to believe that than to believe in an intelligent creator who designed animals and humans separately. He then told me about how some scientists (can't remember what kind...some sort of physicists???) become Christians because of their research. I responded that when I was studying Phi the other day on the Internet and the 'golden mean' it made look to God and wonder at how great he is.

Then, he asked about the church I go to, and I was able to describe what our worship songs are like and how they enable us to enter into God's presence and feel the Spirit. From there I explained how Apple is a fairly new Christian and how she was able to enter into God's presence for the first time just about a month ago. I described how she felt goose bumps and then started to weep. I'm sure they couldn't help but notice how excited and happy I was to share how Apple was able to 'feel God' for the first time. I told them that I know that she is definitely a Christian and not just a Christian for my sake because she was able to come to God and personally feel the Holy Spirit.

They all just sort of sat there dumbfounded and didn't know what to say. They could have easily argued against something like evolution, but how could they argue about our mystical union with God in the Christian experience? That one moment looking at everyone gave me insight into their lives. It was as if their emptiness was revealed and a hunger for depth and meaning in their life was just beneath the surface. It was encouraging to share and to open their eyes to the hunger that lies in each human life that we Christians sometimes forget about. We need to share with them the hope that is within and God will give us the words. Thank God that he gave me the opportunity and the words for such an awesome time to witness with such a large audience!
"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us." 2 Cor. 4:7 NIV

Apple and I are doing well, but haven't seen much of each other with our schedules. We're reading a book together to help prepare us for marriage (May 31, 2008) and we have another premarital counseling meeting in December. We were glad to spend Thanksgiving dinner together and had all the fixin's. I got off work (WSI) at 9 pm and we dashed to the Conrad Hotel for their special Thanksgiving Buffet. YUM! We're looking forward to having time to spend together to celebrate Christmas both on the 24th and the 25th. Philip Ahone's daughter and her family will visit us from Yangon, Myanmar during that time and we'll celebrate together here in Bangkok. Kelly and Angie Hilderbrand might be free to have dinner with us on one of those days as well.

This week, I'll start filling out the forms to become an FMI Missionary. Please pray that will go smoothly. I'll also leave you with some more prayer requests below.

I'm grateful for you and thank you for your love, prayers and support!
-Chris

Prayers:
Answers to prayer and thanksgiving:

Thank God for safe travels up North.
Thank God for all the support and provision.
Thank God for the opportunities to share His Gospel and love at work.
Thank God for all the souls coming to Him through outreach efforts.
Thank God for loving Christians I'm in contact with both in the U.S. and here who encourage, pray and support.
Thank God that Apple is deepening her walk with Him through prayer and worship. We've also started meeting with a premarital counselor.
Thank God that I'm able to meet with Pa Khim and that our meetings have been productive.
Thank God that Pastor P. received the Foursquare Foundation Grant I helped write up 4 months ago ($80,000 USD over 2 years).

Requests:

Please pray for a deepening relationship between Apple and I and the Lord.
Please pray for focus and clarity with the work I have to do with Pastor P. I don't have a lot of time and need to have a very disciplined schedule and a clear plan.
Please pray for continued opportunities to share the Gospel at work....AND fruit.
Please pray for safe travels up to the Golden Triangle.
Please pray that my work permit will be completed soon without any hitches...it's still not completed!
Please pray for increased financial support from the U.S. I'd like to be supported full-time by May, 2008.
Please pray that Pa Khim and I can communicate with each other effectively (his English is quite poor and I need to simplify things).
Please pray about processing the application to be an official Foursquare Missionary.

Myanmar update From George Butron

Dear Friends,

For those of you in America, I hope you enjoyed your turkey, family and friends on Thanksgiving. We got together with friends here and did some serious damage to a 10kg bird along with salads, potatoes, pies, etc. Also did some damage to my diet!

I want take a moment to give thanks for some great ministry that is happening in the Golden Triangle area of Myanmar.

It is rumored that long time drug lord Khun Sa (once at the top of America's most wanted criminals list) died in the past few weeks. Unfortunately his legacy of drug trade in the Golden Triangle continues. Producing huge amounts of heroin and meth, not only do traffickers export these deadly products but they also encourage use in villages by giving out free samples to the kids. They tell these simple village people that the meth pills are vitamins that will give them added energy to work. The result is a generation of young people addicted to drugs and distributors with lifetime customers.

This month a new property was found just outside of T. (just across the border from Thailand) that has a small house, a natural source of spring water, a fish pond and enough land for a large garden. We are purchasing this property to open a drug rehab center that will help new converts kick the habit and receive intensive discipleship and vocational training to get them moving in a new direction. We do not know of any other rehab center in the area and believe that this will have a huge redemptive impact. The cost of the property (about 4 acres) with the house is under US$20,000.00. The owner is the wife of a drug lord who built up a big gambling debt and had to sell at a low price. The husband has moved to Vietnam to avoid the Burmese Army so this great property that was originally purchased with drug money will now become a drug rehab! Want to help us develop it? (see details at the end)

Pictures on the way:
Golden Triangle Drug Rehab Center

Spring fed water supply

Fish Pond

Our Bible School in T, was closed by authorities over two years ago (along with other Bible Schools in the area) and it is now used for the orphan ministry (40+ kids from ages 6-16) while the Ministry Training continues in the cramped quarters of the town church under the leadership of Pastor P. Since it was the central military authority (not the local police) that closed all the Bible Schools, there is no way for them to use the old site for training. By changing locations, we have found a way around this roadblock. Training will continue in town at the church and also at the new rehab center as it is developed.

The 70 Foursquare Churches and outreaches in the Golden Triangle are making a difference and communities are being touched in multiple ways. Jesus is proclaimed in power through outreaches and crusades and the message is lived out through local churches that use community health evangelism, agriculture projects and preschools to help meet practical needs in villages. The momentum is building and in the month of October, these ministries saw a combined total of 760 people come to Christ with 387 receiving water baptism! We are working on getting a support team of missionaries established just across the border in Northern Thailand who can help with the training and development of these projects. Continue to pray for this great ministry and the new team members from America who are preparing to move to Thailand in 2008!

Ken diagnosed with Malaria

It is a great joy to be able to update you. We do hope that you are experiencing the favor of God in your life.

The past two weeks have not been easy for us. I was hospitalized for four days having been diagnosed with malaria. It was very difficult for Tim & Ann to comprehend what was happening. Although it was so serious, we made it look as if there was no danger. Eunice & I had to spend five days away from the Children. I learnt not to take good health for granted. I led two people to the Lord in Kisumu where I was hospitalized.

Our standard eight students did their exams last week. Pray with us that they will maintain position one that we have had for the last five consecutive years. Both our preschool and primary will be sitting their end of year exams starting this week—pray that both the children and the teachers will be in perfect health.

Last Saturday, I was privileged to teach at Garissa medical college—they are training to be nurses. I was asked to teach about end time—and this immediately after coming from the hospital where I had thought it was time to meet Jesus. Pray that they will take the message and see their profession as a calling to reach out to people with the gospel.

I had wonderful time training about 100 Teachers at Garissa teachers college last Sunday. They are now equipped with skills on evangelism. Our Jesus film staff—Zakayo is joining the same team this Friday for a four days mission in Embu—Pray for salvation and deliverance of many people.

Eunice continues to experience God’s favor in leading the prayer movement. Many people continue to flock our office every Monday for one hour of prayer. The good thing about this is that all the churches here are represented. This Sunday, we will be gathering to celebrate together what the Lord has been doing—pray that we will have great time in the presence of the Lord.

Kenya will be having its election on 27th December this year—political temperatures are already high. Violence have been reported in different parts of the country. Garissa is bracing for a tough duel between two very powerful Somali people who want to represent us in the next parliament---pray that God may give us the right Member of Parliament and also the right president.

We thank you for allowing God to use you to bless the work in Garissa.

BLESSING
KEN, EUNICE, TIM, ANN

Ken sharing in Muslim countries in northern Africa

God is at work all over the world. It is amazing what he is doing all over the “M” countries. For me, it was time to see answers to prayers I have made over the years. Being together with saints from Jordan, Lebanon, Algeria etc was a great reminder that God is at work. I will not indulge in this for reasons better known to you. Pictures speak louder than words!

Last Days in Thailand 2007

The Fountain in front of the building.

Overall it was a great trip. Those going on future trips will benefit.

A condensed list of potential opportunities:

1. In my-an,mar we can teach at college but it must fit curriculum and there are access restrictions.
2. Boys dormitory needs to be built but first land must be purchased and there are access restrictions.
3. By travelling further in we can support people who have less governmental interference.
4. For those interested, a small group can continue on to China, make a loop through Laos via the Mekong river, and back to Thailand.
5. Timothy has a need for a week long pastor and spouse retreat: family (marriage) & ministry & teach things they can use and replicate.
6. Teach them (Timothy's church and others?) how, why, show effectiveness of skits. Remember bible verses read in Thai are twice as long as English.
7. Build bamboo church and pastor's house in a hill tribe; can be completed in a week.
8. Paul & Lori - Medical team - doctors or nurses would be most useful, they can handle everything else.
9. They could teach us how they do mobile medical.
10. Stop at their Ahka tribe north east of Fang and hear their story.
11. Ask them what to do teach?/do? skits.

The last days:
I did the first Sunday morning sermon in the new building - a skit of David, Saul, and Goliath (starring me.) I stole Dan's 5 smooth stones talk and made it better :-) George Butron also spoke about happenings in Vietnam and Cambodia.

I got to explore more food, and learned the 'intestinal' problems we experienced are often due to diarrheic herbs, not microbes. I experienced century eggs for the first time, these duck eggs are buried raw and cook/rot in the ground, it was better than it sounds. There was lots of durian around but no one to help me eat it. Lots of stews and soups prepared in a clearly Chinese way.

After church, and the served lunch, everyone else was heading north so I took the 3rd class bus south to Chiang Mai, no air con, an unforgettable experience. It 'stops' for anyone along the way, but most wait at the mini-bus stops every few miles. No bathroom break in 4 hours, I guess you just get off the bus use the non-existing facilities and catch the next bus in 30 minutes.

I spent a lovely night in the new Bangkok airport, very modern yet somehow still dingy Thai. With many sushi restaurants and bars, I stole away in small coffee shop with WiFi and worked. Since I flew unrelated airlines I needed a new boarding pass which was a massive task. I learned they are at the entrance, but from inside there is no obvious entrance.

A typhoon hit Taiwan just as I arrived, and the airport closed for 7 hours. That gave me more time to try the food - mostly really good noodle soup.

After 49 hours of non-stop travel (and waiting) from Fang, Thailand to Pullman, it is nice to be on the right side of the road again.

The view out my hotel room in Fang.

Stacy treated everyone to ice cream.

Saturday: Fang Thailand, Church Dedication

Today was the dedication of the new church in Fang, Thailand. We had a ribbon cutting ceremony and many speeches and mini-sermons, including me. The place was to the max with flowers.

Today I also was able to meet the SE Asia Foursquare head, George Butron, missionaries Paul and Lori Vernon. Chris Curry was in town and Kelly Hildebrand. I had productive discussions with everyone. I extracted many ideas for future trips and how to be more affective on our trips.

Ribbon Cutting

People entering church for the first time

The crowd gathers


The church is PACKED!

The Bangkok people are duly impressed.


Timothy Expresses his gratitude.

Photos

Photos of Photos

Pastor P's orphan children in their truck. The orphanage is now where the school used to be.

Timothy in front of new Church

New Church Interior

Me, Fong Fang, Timothy, Pastor P.

worship at orphange

Wednesday Update: Fang

I woke up this morning with 2 calls from the US and very fogged over windows. When I left my room my glasses fogged over, too. It had been raining hard and humidity was high. But the rain made it cooler, 70% humidity and 85 F. By afternoon the rain stopped, by evening it was 60% humidity and what seemed like a cool 80 degrees.

Today was another work day. We did some cleaning up, purchased more plants, including aquatic plants for the fountain and cleaning the fountain. I also balanced the various ‘spouts’ to spew out about the same amount of water each. I spent a lot of time in the fountain, and my lower legs were pretty itchy, but ok now.

Last nights Korean barbeque caught up with me, but I think I’m ok now, just take more pepto. Once again we had breakfast, second breakfast, lunch and dinner. We successfully avoided Ritzys and KFC. We ordered family style Thai. I had my usual chopped chicken and Holy Basil, it was good. We also had Tom Yum Gook and deep fried Tilapia (excellent.) Of course Timothy tried to mess with me and ordered what he called pig intestine, which if definitely was not, probably buffalo rumen it was very flavorful but very rubbery.

I’m getting just enough chocolate to survive but the coffee situation is sad.

Tomorrow we’ll travel to Chiang Rai to pick up the team that will be doing leadership training and evangelistic outreach on Thursday and Friday.

Good night,

Bruce

Monday: Mai Sai and Fang

Today, after 10hrs of sleep, Pastor P woke me with the hotel phone at 7am. We didn’t set a time.

We had a good conversation, many ideas for future trips. I visited the orphanage, did a short sermon and impromptu skit at the Sunday morning service. Also visited possible sites for boys orphanage dorm and a drug rehabilitation center. With 80 chuches, a college, orphanage, and his own church Pastor P. now has someone to oversee/manage the orphanage, college, and his church has a new pastor.

I traveled with Timothy and Fang Fong to Fang and we stopped at little noodle place in the mountains for lunch, turns out to be the same place that Scott Linklater, Chris Curry and I ate at 5 years ago on our first trip. And the noodles were as good as I remember.

We went to the new church; it is really nice. We did a few items around the building while other workers buzzed along on the finishing touches. I purchased some plants for front of the stage and steps leading up, it was a bit bare. The outside is very nicely landscaped with multistage fountain and GRASS around it. Most of the fence that we put up 1.5 years ago has been replaced with solid walls 6 to 8 feet tall. Pastor P purchased a last supper print in T where we had it framed along with 2 Palouse prints that Laurie took and we printed them at home with verses. They did a professional frame.

Tonight we went with 2 of the ‘boys’, young pastors to a ‘Korean’ barbecue’. This was NOT an experience for the faint of heart or picky eaters or those concerned about food born illness. There was standard chicken, pork, beef, clams, shrimp, and squid. But also all their insides were available and NONE of it was kept cold. You cook and eat with the same chopsticks. There were 3 bowls of excellent dipping sauces for the meat. They kept bring out new odd things which I of course HAD to try, I felt like Andrew Zimern, consuming one slimy, transparent, strange, or oddly green item after the other. The no live plant matter ‘salad’ was other worldly in appearance and texture, but rather plain flavor. For all five us, all you could eat, the total was $17.00 including drinks!

I have wireless Internet in the lobby so I hope to have regular updates.

Bruce

Saturday: Travel, arrival in Mae Sai

Well, I've been in Mae Sai for about an hour, no travel problems, 6 hrs of sleep since I left. Had a super spicy meal for dinner.

Traveling alone is sure faster. I probably would have missed my bus in Chiang mai but zipping out of the airport (no checked luggage) and with a quick and only slightly scary tuk tuk ride, I made it to the bus station with 5 minutes to spare. The bus was second class but the AC worked so I was happy. My cell phone works here this time, but not data. Also cannot get my vioce mail.
from the bus terminal in mae sai I took a scooter taxi the 3 miles to my hotel, at significant risk to life and limb - but it was only $1.

The 2 transfers, tuk tuk and scooter, cost MORE than the 5 hour bus ride :-(

Well I'll be visiting Pastor P and speaking at his Sunday morning service tomorrow. then he and Timothy and I will meet for breakfast back at the hotel and timothy will take me on to Fang.

Garissa Update from Ken Ochieng

As indicated in the previous update, our Jesus film staff went with University of Nairobi students to reach out to the people in Garsen with the gospel. Below is the pictorial account of the mission

The mission team headed to Garsen

Missioners crossing the river to reach the other villages. One of the “boats” carrying missioners overturned in the middle of the river—it took a miracle for the people to be rescued.

Talk of poverty?—it is real in Garsen

People gathered to watch Jesus film at night

Excited children after the show

Zakayo—Our Jesus film staff helping people follow the show



LAGBADANA MISSION

Mwenda—Our Jesus Film show leader helped organize a mission in lagbadana(5 miles from Garissa) for “Bridgers”—Students in transition between high school & University. This muslim lady is so generous—she cooked a meal for the team

Multitudes watching the show

The team constructing a school in lagbadana—Practically demonstrating the love of Christ. The class almost ready—just waiting for mud wall

The House of the headman—How does it compare with yours?

Ken

Thailand Update

I'll be making a trip to Fang, Thailand and Myanmar in September. Among other things, I'll be participating in the dedication of the church building that we started in March 2006. The trip will also allow me to connect with old friends and learn what they are up to. I plan to meet hill tribe missionaries and others so I can keep our trips fresh, interesting, and challenging. We'll be sending a Pullman / Montana team sometime in the winter/spring of 2008.

Our initial meeting for Thailand 2008 will be the last Sunday of August (26th), and we'll get things going later in September after I get back from Thailand.

If Asia isn't your thing, we'll be heading to East Kenya in summer 2008 for a very challenging trip.


Bruce