Kisumu Yoder's: Luo land happenings...........

"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we GIVE." Winston Churchill

"The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something. Don't wait for good things to happen to you. If you go out and make some good things happen, you will fill the world with hope, you will fill yourself with hope." Barrack Obama

I am challenged by these quotes and was surprised when I saw the one by Obama! It is definitely more blessed to give than to receive. At a place like this there is much "giving" going on all the time, but also much receiving. We're very aware of the fact that we are indebted to you, our wonderful supporters, for our daily bread. Many times before a meal Wayne prays a prayer of thanks and blessing for those across the waters who make this mission possible.

The week has been fairly calm and relaxed... and that's the way I like it! :) On Monday eve. I invited the compound ladies to our house to plan food for the School picnic on Fri. and also a Sunday eve. activity coming up soon. I enjoy those times of fellowship!

On Tuesday Marlin and Lavina, Joe and Glenda, and Wayne and I, were invited to Hesbon's house for lunch. He is a faithful member at Lela. His wife is a very fine lady but she is a member at the Pentecostal church I believe. She has a deep appreciation and love for Hesbon's friends and very gladly receives us into their home. Hesbon lived in Nakuru for years and attended the Free Area church. It was interesting to find out that he remembers Mahlon and Ruth (my sister) who lived in Nakuru 16 years ago. Hesbon's house was very warm inside the day we were there so they invited us to sit outside under the tree for our lunch... much to our relief!! It was very pleasant out there and we enjoyed visiting with Jacob and Maurice as well, (two other members from Lela). Hesbon wanted to do this special thing especially for Marlins who will be leaving soon. We were served rice and beans. They felt bad that they didn't have more to give us but we were VERY thankful that they didn't try to go all out to impress us but simply gave what they had. The meal was very tasty and we had a very nice visit. That afternoon Wayne and Joe went to visit Boaz, a former church member who would like to be part of the church again. They had a bit of a hike back in and while they were there visiting a heavy rainstorm came up. They sat in the dark aided by a tiny lamp and tried to keep up their conversation mid the roar of the rain on the tin roof. It was getting late so they left at their first decent opportunity in the middle of a drizzle. As they were hoofing it to the van they noticed another heavy rain coming behind them.. They got to the van just as it arrived! Pray that Boaz would be honest about the past and willing to follow God completely today.

On Wednesday we attended Bible study at Mary Ondiek's house. We sat in a warm, dark house. I discovered close to the end of the Bible study that there was a strange looking something under a piece of furniture right next to my chair. In fact I had set my basket on the floor right beside it and hadn't noticed it because it was dark in there. It looked like a strange lump with scales or something. But after looking closer I discovered it was a hen sitting on eggs! The thing must've held completely still for a LONG time!!:) There was a good attendance that day and during our snack of chai and mandazis the ladies were talking and laughing a blue streak. Carolyn and I wished so much that we would know what all the chatter and laughter was about... and we did figure some stuff out, but they talk so fast that we still feel lost when it comes to understanding Luo. We were glad when Zilpa took a little time to interpret for us.

Thursday afternoon Wayne and Joe went visiting some of our church members and former members back along the river to see how they were fairing physically and spiritually. There has been some flooding back there and two of the widows that are members (co wives of a polygamist now deceased) were in danger of having their houses flooded. They discovered that PtL, the water had reached the houses but not entered. After praying with the children gathered around they went next door and prayed and read Scripture in the home of another old man we have learned to know. Those short visits are very appreciated in this culture. They continued to the nearby home of another member, and her husband who is on the way back to membership and spent an hour or more in a very good visit with him and two of the neighboring widows. Discussions ranged from Scripture to culture and beyond... They were served lukewarm Nyuka (porridge) as well as sodas. The man of the house upon observing that Pasta (Joe) had not taken much Nyuka, (though he tried valiantly

) decided that he still had his American stomach!! Thursday eve. we treated our school teachers, as well as Stacy, to a meal at the Chinese restaurant to show them our appreciation for all they have done for our girls this school term. Joe, Glenda, and Tiffany joined us as well. We really enjoyed the eve. and hope they did too! The food was great and the prices are good! It's hard to believe that a whole school term has passed since our arrival in Kenya!! I loved it that I didn't need to pack lunches and our girls could walk to school! The change of curriculum was not an easy switch for our children though! I'm very much looking forward to having Clarissa stay home next year. We do want to take her to Nairobi when she turns 18 to get her GED done. But it will be a huge blessing to have her help around here, and hopefully I will be able to go out and about more with Wayne when he is visiting church members. Bradlyn has been going to school part days in the last number of weeks to do his kindergarten work. I'm so thankful to Carolyn for doing this for me. I went through several of his books with him but it was really hard to find quality time to spend with him. He seems to be doing well and I think he will be good and ready for school by the time it starts.

Friday afternoon was the school picnic. We were a bit late in getting there. Wayne came home from Kajulu that afternoon with some bad scrapes and bruises. I was horrified to discover that he had a piki accident!! I tried to be a good wife and not say things like... "I told you so!!" He was on the flyover in Nyamasaria and as he approached a sharp curve he saw that he was going a bit too fast and was to close to the center of the road so he tried to shift down but instead he thinks he shifted up and hit the curb in the middle of the divided ramps. He flew off and the cycle fell of course but it was only scratched up... no major damage done. Wayne's helmet is what saved his head. He hit it pretty hard but he was fine!! Thank God!!!! He is humbly admitting his mistake and wants to learn from it. And I guess his wife will continue to pray harder than ever!!! Please help me pray!!

Wayne was in charge of the activities at the picnic. He had some relay races planned and the most interesting activity was watching all the pastors lay on the ground in a circle and hold up a bucket of water with their feet. They all had to take turns letting go of the bucket to take their shoe off and then had to lower the bucket to the ground without spilling it! They did very well and yes the Pastors here do work together very well in other matters too! :) We are SO thankful for a wonderful team to work with! Pizza was on the menu that night and was very much enjoyed by all!! Also salties, apple jello salad, and ice cream cake!! We were all happy when Linford and Kay and Joseph arrived safe and sound. Linfords were stuck out in some horrendous mud and Joseph went to rescue them. We all cheered when they walked in... Linford was splattered with mud from head to toe!

It's nice to have Kore here this weekend. He came Friday evening for orphans parcel distribution and is staying until Wednesday. We are glad to hear that Joe Fisher made it back to Texas safely but we do miss him.

Our Sunday morning service was different again. After singing and a devotional Wayne preached a challenging message on "Giving." Right after the message our family headed to Rabour where Marlins family was saying their goodbyes to the church there. And then Wayne was officially given Bishop responsibility. The Stoltzfus family sang some very nice songs for the Church as a farewell, and then the Rabour choir sang as well. They do very well and the singing really rings in that building. There were tears again.... this family will be missed a lot!! It feels like a big job to take this responsibility from someone who has done such a great job and will be missed so much!! Back at Lela they had Sunday school after we left and then Joe closed the service. After the service they attended a burial and it was reported that there were 28 people in our van!!

This evening the youth from Nakuru arrived here in Kisumu and they are together at Marlins house. Clarissa needed to make a bunch of soft pretzels for their meal and we all got "drafted" to help. The kitchen was a huge mess, but it eventually got cleaned up. These are some of the "joys" that go with having children in the youth group!