Our Greatest Need...

  "If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent an educator. If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist. If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist. But since our greatest need was forgiveness, "God sent us a Savior." Roy Lessin   

  Thank you God for meeting our greatest need!!  Forgiveness  is a wonderful gift!  Let's give everyone around us the gift of forgiveness as well, if we feel we've been wronged.  It's the best gift we can give! 

  Kisumu is VERY warm these days!  Dry season has come. I'm already anxious for rainy season.  I think I'm going to need to exercise a lot of patience in the next several months.  

  We enjoyed having Mark and Mary Ellen Beachy around the last several weeks.  They spent a good bit of time visiting their friends at Dienya.  One day we compound ladies were invited to Jan's house for a tea party.  The outdoor table was nicely decorated with Christmas accents. We enjoyed some American goodies that Mary Ellen shared with us and she also shared encouraging words with us.  It was great being together!  

  We are finally finished with clothing sales! We had a good sale with the Kasongo and Ombeyi churches recently.  It was a bit nerve-wracking at times though. We are still learning ways to help the day flow more smoothly.  I always enjoy seeing the ladies get their new dresses and other needful items from the clothing room.  They seem to enjoy the day immensely!  Please pray for former Pastor Peter and Irene from Ombeyi. It's been really hard, especially for Wayne, that Peter needed to be excommunicated because of having taken a second wife.  How we would love to see repentance and healing in their home!  

   Dishon finally graduated from medical school on Thursday the 7th!  He came around with his graduation gown one evening and wanted pictures taken with us.  He says it is hard to believe that this dream has finally been realized.  There were a lot of obstacles on the journey that were overcome by his faith in his Heavenly Father.  He is hoping to do his internship here in Kisumu area but is not sure yet where he will be working. James and Jake were able to attend the graduation in Nairobi, which made Dishon very happy.  

  Wayne has spent hours recently working on land issues.  Several of our churches have never been given a title for the land that was purchased years ago.  It's a long process that takes a lot of patience! He has been working with the land offices in Awasi and Ahero and for the most part they've been workable. Wayne also spent a good part of a day taking some Ahero members to a burial in the Nyakoko area.  It seems he has been awfully busy lately.  Maybe someday life will slow down...  

  Sunday a week ago we were at Lela for Church. While Wayne was preaching I heard a plane fly overhead and I told Bradlyn that it might be Kore coming home from America. (He had gone home for Grossdaudy's funeral.) In case some of you don't know... Kore and Wayne are first cousins. Sure enough!  Kore said later that the plane flew over the Lela area.  We were glad he could join us for lunch.  He brought with him something VERY special for Wayne.  It was one of Grossdaudy Yoder's German-English Bibles. The first verse that Wayne laid his eyes on when he opened the Bible was a verse that Grossdaudy had marked with brackets... "And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age." Gen. 15:15  It describes him so well. It would be interesting to know how long before his death that he marked that verse.  

  Last Monday our family headed to Nakuru where we stayed for almost a week.  Wayne was asked to share Revival messages each evening for 5 nights at CBYC. (Christian Believer's Youth Conference) We had the privilege of having our own place to stay while we were there. The 3 school teachers from Nakuru live together in the house that Marcus Burkholder's vacated, and since they were all staying at the youth conference and the house was empty, they kindly allowed us to stay there. We loved it!  It was almost like vacation for the children and I since we needed to do very little cooking. We ate our evening meals at CBYC.  Wayne didn't really have vacation though!!  He spent many hours studying and preparing messages. The messages were powerful and we hope and pray that the seeds sown will bring forth fruit!  A real highlight for us was the awesome singing!!  We rarely hear really good congregational singing in our churches so it was wonderful to hear such lovely singing led by Mark Beachy. He has a real gift in song leading!  It felt strange to have a daughter attending the conference for the first time. Clarissa very much enjoyed her time there!  She had a bit of trouble with eating Kenyan food every day for 10 days... in fact she lost a good bit of weight!  It's not that she doesn't like the food it's just a bit hard on her stomach.  We had ugali and sukumu almost every evening that we were there.  On Sunday we had a nice change to our diet... rice and stew with chapatis.  The national students seemed to LOVE the conference!  At least the ones I talked to!  I love to see them enjoy it so much and I hope it will help shape their lives and make them strong in Christ.  

  On Thursday Judith planned a special cookie baking day.  Sue Ann Zook, Maria Wagler, and Judith and I were together making Christmas cookies.  We had all done some baking ahead of time so there were lots of cookies to exchange that day.  It was fun to spend time with some of the Nakuru folks since we don't get the opportunity very often.  We were happy to see Joe and Glenda on Friday.  They came to show support to some of the Lela members who attended the conference and also wanted to hear the chorus sing.  They stayed overnight at Tonys.  Gerold and Becky also came to Nakuru for the program on Sat. afternoon. On Sat. we were invited to Tony's for Brunch as well as supper that eve. Judith's food is always looked forward to! And the pizza that eve. was extra good after so many meals of ugali and sukumu! :)

  Wayne preached again on Sunday morning and the chorus  sang most of the songs they sang at the program the day before.  They did even better the second time around!!  CBYC is a LOT of work, especially for the Nakuru folks.  Marlin and Anna Yoder with their 7 children moved into a small house on the property at Lamp and Light and took charge of countless things that needed to be done to keep things running smoothly.  Their were 4 national sisters who cooked for those 10 days and they worked very hard as well!  But in some ways the way they do things is SO much simpler than our American ways of doing things.  The menu changes very little and they don't need large kitchens with many cabinets and utensils.  Only big cooking pots and firewood with a few simple ingredients to make the food is necessary.  We are glad to be home again and getting settled into Kisumu life once again. There's no place like home!  

  We were shocked this afternoon, when Consolata (Kajulu); told Joe and Glenda that she had just received word that Pheobe (Rabuor), passed away.  Consolata said that she had been very sick with TB.  We didn't even know that she was sick. Susan Amata had visited her on Thursday to see why she had not been in church for the last several Sunday's.  I don't think anyone expected this. She must have gotten worse fairly quickly because she died at home.  Pheobe was at the compound fairly regularly over the years, selling baskets made out of plastic bags and samosa's.  Thomas told us that Mama Florence (Rabuor) was admitted to District Hospital with TB as well.  

  While we were in Nakuru, Bradlyn stepped on a bone and hurt his heel fairly badly.  He has been soaking it on occasion and we were putting antibiotic cream on it, but he still was not walking on it right.  This evening after soaking it Clara was pushing around on it and out popped a triangular piece of bone!  He immediately said it felt better.

  We wish all of you a WONDERFUL Christmas and New Year!!  We're so blessed to have so many friends!!  God bless, Wayne, Clara and family

"He became like us, so we could become like Him." 

Shonda and Charity

Dr. Dishon and the Yoders

The long and the short of it!

Kasongo/Ombeyi clothing sale

Bible Study after clothing sale

Chulaimbo anointing service for Alice Lusi (not pictured)

MMMM!  Chai and mandazi..

Ahero Land Office

Lela Choir

June Osur getting her braids taken out at CBYC

Sammy Meshack and Freeman Byler

Ladies Class taught by Mary Ellen

Staff Recognition

David and Leah Odiwour

Supper time!

Principal Marlin Yoder

Cookie time!

Tony Sande and Tim Senerwa

Choir

58 students!  Pray for their faithfulness.

A Heritage of Thanksliving.....

"Christian men pass on to their children a spiritual heritage that is more valuable than any monetary estate."

  "It is not the honor that you take with you, but the heritage you leave behind."

 Dr. James Dobson

  "Perhaps no custom reveals our character as a nation so clearly as our celebration of Thanksgiving Day. Rooted deeply in our Judeo-Christian heritage, the practice of offering thanksgiving underscores our unshakable belief in God as the foundation of our nation and our firm reliance upon Him from whom all blessings flow.      Ronald Reagan

  Our thoughts keep going across the waters to Wayne's dear Grossdaudy Yoder (Kore) who went to his reward on Nov. 30. God blessed him with over 96 years in spite of the fact that he had a heart condition since his youth.  For most of those years he was blessed with good health and was able to live alone and care for himself. Within the last year he went to live with his daughter Judy (Perry) Beachy.  They lovingly cared for him until his death.  Grossdaudy faced many difficult things in life including a stillborn son, an infant daughter that died as a result of a buggy accident, an 18 year old son that was killed in a car accident, another daughter that was killed in a car accident after she was already a grandmother, as well as the death of both of his companions.  He will be remembered for his quiet ways, his humble heart, his love for God and His people and his uncomplaining, grateful outlook on life. One of his favorite songs was, "Praise to God Immortal Praise".  He has definitely passed on a godly heritage, a heritage of THANKSLIVING  to his children and we are so blessed to be part of it!!  How we will miss him!  It is HARD not to be able to attend the funeral!  But we feel our responsibilities here very keenly...  

  Kisumu continues to receive welcome rain showers and the grass is lush and green!  Thank you God!!   Today is very warm and humid and it feels like dry season is coming soon.  Gerold Miller's family arrived back in Kisumu this morning.  We're glad to have them back!  They went to America for the funeral of Becky's mother.  Joseph and Becky are also "home" for the funeral of Joseph's Grandfather.  They received word of his death the same day that Gerold's left.  So many deaths!!  God is reminding us that this world is not our home!  

  Thanksgiving Day was a great day spent with our compound family, but we missed the two families who were gone!  The single ladies did a beautiful job of decorating tables and making the setting special for us. The food was wonderful!  Some visitors from America blessed us with a nice ham that tasted absolutely wonderful!!  Haven't had anything like that for a LONG time!!  The afternoon was spent doing some interesting activities such as playing King's base and doing a scavenger hunt.  Thanks to Jake and Jan for their creative ideas!   

  The day after Thanksgiving we received some very welcome visitors from home sweet home!!  The Zook family came!  Tony and Judith and younguns, Mary Ann, and her 5 boys...  Randall and Mary and daughter McKenzie, Justin and Jessica, David, Jeremy, and Carlin. I still can't believe Mary Ann was here! :)  I'm so glad she was willing to brave the trip to Africa! They had a really nice time at Masai Mara before they came to Kisumu. They were happy to see the Big Five!  The first evening we ate a grilled chicken supper at Joe and Glenda's house.  The youth played some spike ball on the lane in spite of a drizzly rain.  The next day was spent doing some shopping at Jubilee market, Animal market, swimming, etc.  Supper was at the lake.  We enjoyed a nice sunset but were rather cold after the rain and wind came!  Sunday was our 7th and final Communion service of the season.  It will be so nice to attend a normal church service again!! The Kajulu church was VERY happy to see Justin's wife, Jessica, (who they called the daughter of the church). She is Steve and Martha Esh's daughter and their family was much loved when they served here a number of years ago.  They sang a special song for Justin and Jessica since they weren't able to attend their wedding.  They also wanted Mary Ann and a few others to stand and speak a few words.  It means SO much to them to have visitors!!  Lunch for our whole crew was served at Jennifer's house.  She also invited all the Pastor's and their wives from Kajulu so it was a good sized crowd.  The food was great!  Chicken, fried beef, boiled beef, potatoes, rice, beans, chapatis, ugali, cabbage... the whole 9 yards!  After eating Jennifer and her children all sang for us and then our group sang a few songs for them.  We really enjoyed our time although it got a bit late.  The ride to and from Kajulu was awful!!  Our visitors got a taste of some of our worst roads around here!  In the evening we were invited to Brian and Mary Jane's house where we enjoyed bread sticks and fixings.  Monday morning we went to the orphanage and enjoyed helping to feed the children. Such a wonderful place with well-cared for children!  Before the Zooks left for Nakuru, Pamela Ogema served some tasty mandazis and Glenda made some chai.  Rosemary also came to greet them a bit.  Thank you Mary Ann and family for coming and blessing us so much!  And MANY THANKS to our church family who sent so many wonderful things with them!  The letters, money, and goodies make a person feel so unworthy and much obliged. God bless you richly!  

On Wednesday Wayne enjoyed attended Bible study in the Nyakoko area since Gerold wasn't here.  The Bible study was at Joseph Muga's house.  Joseph had the misfortune of falling many feet down a well recently and has broken bones in both feet.  Joseph seemed to be doing well and was very happy to have everyone at their house. (I discovered today that he is having severe problems in his back) He is very fortunate to be alive! Continue to pray for him.

   Mark and Mary Ellen Beachy arrived in Kisumu that day.  We are happy to see them again!  They have plans to be ministering at CBYC (Christian Believer's Youth Conference) next week where Mark will be teaching Music and Mary Ellen will teach a class for the young ladies.  They wanted to spend some time with their church friends in Dienya. They have been sleeping in their former house in Ngiya. Plans are to come back here to the compound Sunday eve.  CBYC will be starting on Wednesday afternoon and will be held at the new Lamp and Light Compound. Clarissa is looking forward to being a student this year for the first time.

Kore also came to Kisumu on Wed. with plans to stay almost a week to do CAM work in the area here. The next day we got word that Grossdaudy Yoder died, so his plans changed and he was soon working on buying tickets for flights home for the funeral. We're glad he can go! Bryan Wagler's family is here now to fill in for Kore. They're staying in Joseph's vacated house. We enjoyed hosting them here for supper last eve.

  When Wayne picked up Gerold's family at the airport this morning he also brought Charity Yoder and her friend, Miriam Yoder along to the compound. It's great to have Charity around again! :)

We're thankful that things have been calm in town the last few weeks! Such a blessing when you can go about “business as usual.” We hope the worst is over, although we know the political situation is still very uncertain and the tensions lying beneath the surface could erupt again.

A national sister, Consolata, has been coming to the compound quite a bit to help some of the busy moms and I enjoy having her come to our carport every Wed. morning to make chapatis. They're SO delicious and nicer than anything we can find off the street. We were saddened to hear that our friend on Ring Rd. who used to make our chapatis has died. We don't know what the cause of her death was. Let's all be ready when our time comes to go.  May we pass on the heritage of faith that we've been blessed with! Nyasaye Ogwhedu! 
                                                             Wayne and Clara Yoder

House mudding for Paul and Jane Juma

Paul... skin and bones as a result of cancer

Thanksgiving Day

Rhoda and Kaylita

Scavenger Hunt... we needed to take a picture of our group with the youngest being the "tallest".

Changing a bulb

Graduation Day for Sarah (Jennifer's daughter)

The Zooks have arrived!!! :)

Mary Ann, Justin and Jessica

Arrival at Kajulu Church

Jessica greeting the Church

Food and fellowship at Jennifer's house

Randall, Mary and McKenzie

Jennifer's family singing

Bible study at Joseph Muga's

 

Blessed are the Flexible...

 "If you can't be flexible in life, you become irritable with life."

  "Life is like gymnastics. It's better if you're flexible."

  "Blessed are the flexible for they shall never be bent out of shape."

  Life in Kenya requires a lot of flexibility... especially during Elections! :)  So many times we've had plans to do this or that with our native Brothers and Sisters and then had to change plans because of Demonstrations.  As most of you know Uhuru was declared winner of the Election.  To many of us it seems like it wasn't a free, fair, and credible election but those are things that we let in the hands of God.  From news reports it sounds like Raila is NOT going to accept the outcome of the Election and has once again turned things over to the Supreme Court.  As for now things are peaceful in town and we are SO grateful!!!!!  We don't know what the future holds, but we know who holds the future! We continue to commit our plans to God.  Things can change in an instant. God is in control! We are living a day at a time.  

  On Thursday a week ago our family headed to Nakuru a day before joint Unit meeting to spend some time with Tony's. Joe and Glenda traveled with us as well. Tony's so kindly invited us to come and we were happy for the chance to do something different and get away from the stresses we had been experiencing here in Kisumu.  Wayne and Bradlyn and I were privileged to be the first guests to sleep in Tony and Judith's new guest quarters.  It's very nice! :) On Friday morning we headed to the AMA compound for a yummy pancake and gravy breakfast.  The meeting went well although it was a bit late til we left and it was after dark and raining when we arrived home.  That makes for stressful driving! Stacy and her mother, Sharon came back home with us and Joe's.  Kore arrived here before we did so we weren't here to cook supper for him.  But I think he made out just fine at Big Bites.  They have some of the best paneer around!!   

  On Saturday Joe's and Wayne, Clarissa, and I headed to the morgue in Ahero.  Joe and Glenda were also there with a van load of the Lela members.  We had to wait a while until Caroline's body was ready to be released.  While we waited another dead body arrived on the back of an old, rattly pickup truck.  There were a lot of people sitting on the sides of the truck.  It was quite a sight to see them carry the body rather haphazardly on a mat.  Nothing very gentle about it! After Caroline's body was placed in the casket it was set on the ground where we gathered around to sing a song.  It was then hoisted to the top of Joe's van, and then we all headed to Maurice and Caroline's dala.  In Ahero on the way to their house we were stuck in some major traffic.  There was a lot of noise and commotion.  A priest in the Catholic church was murdered and we met the funeral procession going the other way.  We made quite a scene as we neared the dala.  Ladies on the truck ahead of us started wailing and carrying on.  Many people along the way stopped to stare.  I have NEVER heard such a weeping and wailing in all my life!! It was obvious that Caroline was MUCH loved!  The wailing must've gone on for an hour or so.  Some ladies leaned over the casket, waving their hands and talking to the deceased.  Caroline's sister and a sister in law (not members of CBF) marched back and forth wailing and crying for so long that I couldn't see how they could endure!  I'll admit I had struggles with attitudes.  WHERE was everyone when she was so sick and needed help??  But I need to accept the fact that in this culture people get very hyped over a dead body and go all out for the funeral. But... can't we give them the flowers while they live?!!   The funeral was planned for Sunday since Joe and Wayne weren't able to do the body transport until Sat.  It rained during the night so the grounds were muddy.  Poor Glenda had a bit of a trial with the mud and little ones to take care of!  Wayne and I made 2 trips to Ahero to pick up members who wanted to come to the funeral.  Our children and Rhoda walked a muddy trail to get to the dala.  We had some dirty clothes and shoes to wash when we got home!  Joe preached a good message and we trust people's hearts were soft and took it seriously.  Wayne was in charge at the burial.  The Rabuor choir arrived late but in time to sing during the last viewing and offering and also at the graveside.  The singing was great and there was not as much wailing that day although some ladies "lost it" during the burial and wailed for a good while inside the house.  Dear Caroline!!  I miss her but we trust she is in a MUCH better place and I wouldn't wish her back to life here for anything!  

  On Monday evening we said our goodbyes to Stacy's mom, Sharon, and also Stacy.:(  It was hard to see Stacy go!  We miss her!  The Board gave approval for her to take an early and extended furlough because of her health issues. She plans to be at home for 3 months. After she had sepsis, or whatever it was, she had malaria... at least that's what Dr. Sokwala thinks it was.  But now that she's home she still has fevers off and on and just doesn't feel well so we're not sure what's up.  Please pray that the Doctors there can find answers for her and that she can feel well soon!!  After dropping Sharon and Stacy off at the airport we headed to the Chinese Restaurant for supper.  Sharon so kindly gave us money to eat out and what a treat that was!! Rhoda was with us too which we enjoyed a lot!  With Stacy being gone Clarissa has added responsibilities such as taking care of the native sewing classes 3 days a week.  There are also other jobs such as cleaning the guest houses that will need to be taken care of.  I'm not sure if that will be her job as well or not.  I think the Pastor's are trying to come up with a plan to help some of these busy moms around here!  

  The beginning of last week Brian and Mary Jane were happy to host some family visitors from America!  Dwayne and Renita Stoltzfus, children of Dave and Leah Ruth, were here as well as 2 of Jonathan and Susan Raber's children.  Jacinta and Matthias Byler (Freeman's) also accompanied them.  Our children said that late one evening these youth were outside our gate singing Christmas songs! :)  Unfortunately Wayne and I were toward the back of the house and didn't hear them. 

  On Wednesday Wayne and I attended Bible study at Helida's house near Kajulu.  We had a van load of people! And we had quite a hike to her house!  It's the kind of hike that makes me feel my age! :)  There were probably over 20 people there that day and Wayne had a good topic for them.  After a snack of chai and mandazis I asked if someone could start  walking back to the van with me because it was thundering and I didn't want to be caught in the rain and have to run up those steep hills.  Jennifer kindly offered, so we took our time and I made out fine.  But we got to the van just in time!  It poured on our way home and we went through some deep puddles.  The road out to Kajulu is just awful!! That evening we ate our traditional chapatis and beans supper at Joes.  Rhoda joined us too.

  On Thursday Wayne and Joseph left for Kericho for a CBF Executive Board meeting.  They stayed overnight because they also had a joint Pastor's meeting with the Nakuru folks the next day.  I was really ready to have Wayne home again!  Jake's daughter Hannah was here overnight with us while Wayne was gone.  Jake and Jan went to Nairobi to pick up visitors... the Pastor and his wife from their home church.  Their names are Eric and Julia Schrock from WI.  It was interesting to discover that Julia was from the Bethel church in Belleville, PA.  She knew of Wayne's Grandpa, Kore.  Small world!  Gerold and Becky Miller are also very delighted to host visitors right now!  The Lyndon Hershberger family from Brown Co. Ohio are here and from the sounds of things they're having a great time! :)  We've all been enjoying Lyndon's sense of humor! 

   Yesterday morning we had our 5th Communion service of the season, this time at Dienya.  Wayne preached a good message and we enjoyed our time there with Brians.  Attendance was fair.  Brian's family was here for lunch after we got home.  I was so relieved that the chicken in the oven was done when we got home because when we left for church the power was off!  It's been off a LOT lately... almost every day.  In the evening James planned a special 60th Birthday surprise for his dear wife Christina.  Becky Hostetler made a lovely cake and we had ice cream, some salties, and a few other things. We really enjoy those times of fellowship with our wonderful compound family and also the visitors!  

  Thank you for your prayers and your care for us!!  We love the little notes that some of you send now and then letting us know that you care! Please pray specifically for health for the missionaries. Brian Mast is the latest victim of malaria. So many from this compound have had it!  Blessings to you, Clara

Marlin Yoder frying pancakes

What's so funny? :)

Children at unit meeting

Jake's family singing "We have this moment" with words to fit Kenya

At the mortuary

Arrival at the dala

Maurice grieving for his wife

Pastor Joe preaching

Sharon and Stacy at the airport

Meeting at Kericho

Feet washing basins at Dienya

Dixie and Elliot