Of Reinforcing Truth............and Encouraging Others..............

  "Success isn't just about what you accomplish in life. It's about what you inspire others to do."

   "Your life is your message to the world. Make sure its inspiring."

  "Be strong. You never know who you're inspiring."

   Last Sunday morning our family headed for Dienya for Church.  It took us a little over an hour to reach.  The church building is in a beautiful setting.  I enjoyed seeing the mountains and rolling hills.  Mark Beachy is Pastor of the church there and we much enjoyed our day with them.  It's a small church there... they've been through deep waters but its amazing how God can make beauty out of ashes.  I trust those who remain will be faithful and strong.  Our job is to reinforce and strengthen what's left of the rubble.  Three sisters were restored to church fellowship that morning.  Wayne preached a message on Planting and Harvesting. "We reap what we sow."  During testimony time Nick mentioned that the Sunday before Mark shared the same message on sowing and reaping.  He felt like God was speaking to them and wanting them to hear.  I found it interesting that today during testimony time at church in Oroba.  Kore Beachy, who taught the youth class today, mentioned that Wayne shared a message on the exact subject that the youth talked about in Sunday school.... that of having a pure heart.  It struck me on the way home that Wayne has been reinforcing...  so I mentioned to him that I think his calling is to reinforce what others say. :)  After Church in Dienya we enjoyed our favorite meal of ricardo chicken, rice and beans, at Mark's house.  Their hospitality was great and we enjoyed our time there a lot!  We arrived home around 5pm.

   Mon. was Pastor's meeting here as usual.  Since Marlins left I have taken on the responsibility that Lavina used to have of preparing hot drinks for the Pastors.  I try to have it ready for them around 10 every Monday morning.  There have not been any demonstrations on Mondays lately.  And we are thankful!!!!  Hopefully things can remain peaceful and calm.  

   Tues. morning found the whole Kisumu unit leaving at 6 am for Nakuru where joint unit meeting was held.  It was a chilly morning!  I think temps were in the upper 50's or low 60's.  It rained while we were there and felt cold and damp!  But the fellowship was warm and we enjoyed seeing the new family there... Steve and Anna Louise Eash.  Also the new social worker, Janelle Stoltzfus.  We had a farewell that day for Dave and Rose Stoltzfus and their family who plan to head back to America in a few weeks.  They plan to come visit us here in Kisumu once yet before they leave, so we're happy about that!  Marlin and Anna served us delicious pancakes and sausage gravy that morning and it helped warm us up!  Later after the meeting we enjoyed more good food... haystacks!!  We left later than we wanted to because most of the pastors went to look at the new property where the Lamp and Light office is being built.  We didn't arrive home until after dark that night.  It was rainy and the roads were quite dangerous.  Its unreal how many people walk the roads after dark!  We were SO ready to be home!!

   Wayne attended Bible study in Ahero on Wed.  I had planned to go along but had to give that up because I was having pain in my ribs.  I think it was from all the bouncing we did on our trip the day before.  It causes a good  bit of pain whenever something goes out of place I guess, but thankfully it didn't last real long this time.  God definitely answers prayers when I cry out to him... He knows there is no chiropractor here to help me out and I've been amazed how often prayer has fixed the problem.

   I was feeling much better by Thurs. so I went with Wayne visiting for a good part of the day.  We stopped at Tobias and Elizabeth's house in Ahero first and then he went with us the rest of the day to show us where people live.  I was amazed again at the poverty around us!!  Poor old widow, Yunia, was sick and lying on her decrepit couch.  We found out later she had been beaten by her son.  The place was so dirty that I could'nt stand even to lean back on the couch.  Dear lady.... she has had a hard life and it seems like she must not care much about taking care of herself or her house.  I hope we were an encouragement to her.  We also visited a number of other widows.  We were served so much chai... groan!!  And we had mandazis twice, and slam sandwiches once.  A stomach can only hold so much and I was feeling almost bloated.  We appreciate their giving a LOT!!  But if you visit so many places in one day... well, I think you understand.  I enjoyed our visit at Charles house.  They have 9 children and things were cleaned up and well kept. His wife is 38 years old and has 2 grandchildren. The last place we stopped... I can't remember the old mama's name, but she was SO happy to see us and claimed she wanted us to come visit every day!  She started singing when we entered her house. I feel so unworthy and blessed to have grown up in America.  Why me?  It makes me want to do what I can to alleviate the suffering and poverty here.  When you look at the pictures you will notice a huge pile of rubbish and trash... we call it the city dump.  It's located behind Nakumatt and it is often smoking because they try to burn a lot of things that just won't burn I guess.  We can often smell the awful smoke from the compound.  Its a terrible sight to see all that trash and the people and cows that dig through it, trying to find something to salvage. I'm sure the EPA in America would be horrified!!

   On Friday Kore came again after a day of distibuting parcels in the Kisumu area.  He joined us that eve. for a meal of rice and paneer.  My dear honey is a good chef and he made a delicous chili paneer that I'm sure we will want to enjoy more of later!  Paneer is an Asian specialty... fried cheese with a number of different seasonings. It's hard to believe its not meat.  It tastes so much like chicken.  

   On Sat. we spent a good part of the day painting our kitchen cabinets.  The project is not complete because it takes that oil based paint SO long to dry.  The cabinet doors will need to be put back on tomorrow.  The color we used is a charcoal, or dark grey, with white for the frames.  I hope it will look alright.  I guess we better learn to like it!  :)

   This morning Kore Beachy offered to drive his cruiser to Oroba.  Rhoda Wengerd went with us as well.  Joseph and Becky went in another vehicle.  We had a good day.  As mentioned Wayne preached on a pure heart.  I love hearing the choir sing there!  They do a great job and even have 4 parts!  I was amazed after church that Vanessa and Bradlyn actually found friends their age to play with.  Shonda had girls her age to be with as well.  I love to see them making new friends.  It's not all easy in this culture but we can do our best.  By the way!  On our way to Oroba this morning we were amazed to see a camel going down the road!  You never know what you will see around here!  We saw some "awesome" mud holes too!  Whew!  I think we have had enough bumping and jostling to last us all week!!  Thanks for your prayers!  We appreciate all of you!!  Clara

Clara and the girls putting baby bundles together... Thanks to our dear Church at home for sending items!

Instruction class at Dienya

Mary Ellen teaching Sunday school

Mary Ellen and Benter

Shonda holding a newborn

Joe and Glenda at Unit meeting in Nakuru

Unit meeting

Dave and Rose receiving their farewell gift

Work on the Lamp and Light Compound Wall

Pastors checking out the new property

Accident we saw on the way to Kisumu... Is the driver in orbit?

City Dump

Poor, sick widow... Mama Yunia

Baby Jediah 

Making paneer

YUM!!!

Boys and puddles...

Camel!

Excuse us!  We need the road too!

Church at Oroba

Making friends

Our road home

City Dump... Cows looking for something to eat

Life goes on..................

 "People change. Love hurts. Friends leave. Things go wrong. But just remember life goes on."

"Courage is the power to let go of the familiar."

  "Some think that holding on makes us strong; but sometimes its letting go."  Herman Hesse

   Yes life goes on in spite of many partings and much change.  It feels like we have had more than our share of goodbye's here in Kisumu... and we have another one coming up tomorrow!  Miss Charity plans to leave for America.  And we will miss her!!  God bless all of you who have contributed much to our lives and been a huge blessing!  God has been faithful through the difficult partings and we trust that He will continue to provide for us.  He knows that we need two families to replace those planning to leave in the next year.  I think one of the hardest things for me is seeing my children so sad about their friends leaving.  The other night Bradlyn cried and cried when he thought of Jerolin.  He said "Jerolin was my best friend!!" And he was missing Kris and Mariah so much too! It made me feel like crying with him, and Shonda is really feeling the loss of her friends as well.  She has no one here close to her age now.  But we continue to pray and trust God to supply our needs.  Life goes on and we find joy again.  It helps so much to thank God and appreciate the little things in life that bring us joy and make life pleasant.  

   We as a unit had a nice time together at Kiboko Bay last week in honor of Linford and Kay Bontrager who were here for several months, and helped care for the Nyakoko church over the time of Tommy's departure and Gerold's language class.  It was a beautiful evening and its always so refreshing to see the beauty of Lake Victoria and watch the sunset.  When we got back we had a snack on the lane and different people shared words of appreciation with Linfords for their labor of love here in Kisumu.  They will long be remembered for their humor, and their love for the natives!

   Wayne and I attended Bible study with the Rabour folks  last Wednesday.  It was interesting to see how different churches do things and we enjoyed the small group that was gathered together.  We had a long bumpy ride and a fairly long walk to the house where Bible study was held.  But it was blessing to be there!  

   On Thursday afternoon Wayne and Joe went visiting in Ahero with Pastor Tobias.  They went to 5 different homes and ate and drank something at most of them.  They had sodas once and chai at least 3 times!  They got home just a little before compound prayer meeting. I thought the singing would really be lame that eve. because of so many people missing... but I was pleasantly surprised.  Everyone seemed to try their best and the singing was great!  We have so much to be thankful for!

   On Friday Wayne, Joe and Maurice went visiting at a few of the Lela homes Joe had not been to yet.  One of the places they went was the home of widow Lena.  Lena shared that her oldest  son is not helping her at all even though he has a job.  He disrespectfully tells her to go out and find her own things like all the other women do.  Pray for Austin.  Later in the afternoon they stopped in at the orphan food distribution in Ahero.  That eve. Kore Beachy came to Kisumu because of doing food drops, etc. for CAM.  He stayed with us until Tues. and we enjoyed having him here!  The children love having him around and its fun to have "friendschaft" here in Kenya! :)   On Sat. eve. Kore joined us, as well as Charity, Carolyn, Stacy and Rhoda, at Joe and Glenda's house for a nice pizza supper.  We sat around the fire outside and had a pleasant time.  By the way...  Rhoda Wengerd from Paris, TN arrived this past week and we are glad she's here!  We haven't learned to know her well yet but I'm sure she will be a blessing!  She will be Shonda and Vanessa's teacher next term.  

  Sunday found our family attending Church at Ahero.  We had a much more relaxed and normal Sunday than we did the week before, and we were happy to arrive home in good time to enjoy a lunch of chicken, rice and beans, with Joe and Glenda, Carolyn, and Kore.  Joes and Carolyn attended church at Lela and we all arrived home close to the same time.  The Ahero church was friendly and welcoming.  I'm slowly learning to know more people at all these different churches.  In some ways its hard to go to a different place every Sunday but in other ways we find it interesting to meet new people and see all the different church settings.  On Sunday eve. the whole unit was invited to Dean and Barbara Jean's house for a farewell for Charity, and a welcome for Rhoda.  The youth sang a very fitting song... the chorus says, "Many things about tomorrow I don't seem to understand.  But I know who holds tomorrow, and I know who holds my hand."  Opake Jesu!! Amen!  (Praise Jesus).  One very interesting event of the evening was listening to Gerold Miller tell us their life story.  They grew up in a very strict Amish church where they were not taught about the New Birth and people were very carnal- minded.  It's amazing to hear how God brought them to the truth of His Word and changed them from a carnal state to men and women for God.  Those kinds of changes are AWESOME indeed!!!!   He also shared a bit about how God led them to Kenya.  It's so amazing what God can do with someone who is willing to surrender everything to Him!  

   We continue to need your prayers.  Yesterday Miss Charity discovered that the razor wire that had been placed over the hole in the hedge where we think Joseph's thieves came through, had been cut and pulled apart.  It was not a very good feeling to realize that someone may be planning another robbery!  A motion sensor was put up last eve. and thankfully there were no intrusions last night.  Politics are still a big subject around here.  After last Monday's heated riots and destruction we have been careful and stay caught up on news, etc. before heading out of the compound. Things have been quiet, thank God!! ...although there were some disturbances not too far from here yesterday and there is some talk about possible riots later this afternoon.  Nothing could be confirmed though, so most of the Pastors went to Bible study today.  Wayne went to the Kajulu Bible study.   I decided to stay home with our children just in case something comes up.  I'd hate for our children to be left alone here if we'd get stuck out in the villages somewhere.  God has been giving strength and helping us not to fear, but be cautious.  On the way home today as Wayne was approaching a Matatu (taxi van) the young driver looked back at him and held out his hand.  Wayne pulled along side and the young fellow said,  "Vee bisht du"? (How are you) in Pa. Dutch!!  He was, "Joseph?" a former member at Kajulu that had learned some Dutch from a prior missionary family!    God sends little things to brighten our days.  Thanks for your prayers!!!  Clara

  

PS. Things were peaceful this afternoon and the demonstrations for tomorrow have been called off at this point. PTL!

Milkin the cow!

My little friend Nellie

Orphans Food drop

Heading to Bible Study this afternoon

Our destination