Facing the Unknown...

"Every experience God gives us is the perfect preparation for the future only He can see." Corrie Ten Boom

  "A comfort zone is a beautiful place, but nothing ever grows there." 

  "Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God."

  Life feels like a puzzle and quite uncertain right now.  There are so many unknowns!  Will the Mission Board be able to find fill-ins for Brians? What will we do if there's a big changeover of personnel again and the new ones coming can't get work permits? What will happen to all the churches?  Will they be able to stand strong if they would need to be on their own?  So many questions... and so much to consider. What would we do without God who is always there for us and leading a step at a time!!  It feels like we can't see one step ahead of us right now but we're trying to go on in faith, trusting our lives into the hands of One who knows it all!  Opake Yesu!  

  On Wed. a week ago Wayne and I were jerked and bounced around as we made our way to Bible study with the Kajulu folks. The roads are probably worse than we've ever seen them.  The rain has done a real number on them!  We had to hike up hills and around dalas til we finally reached our destination at Jeffrey's house.  He's a widower who lives next door to his parent's house at the foot of the mountain.  The house was dark and damp and not very clean.  Poor man needs a wife!  The group was small that day!  Margaret Opiyo, Jennifer, and I were the only ladies.  They were telling me about the terrible issues they have with baboons.  They come down from the mountain during the day and want to eat everything in their shambas.  They have to constantly be chasing them away and they said there are MANY of them. I was horrified when they told me they have to watch their newborn babies carefully because the baboons want to snatch them up and eat them!  (Yes human newborns!) . I asked them if the baboons come around at night to eat the shambas and they said "no, they sleep at night."  So that's one good thing but I feel sorry for them with all the stress it brings them during the day. 

  On Thurs. Wayne and Joe took a number of Ahero members to Jane Juma's house to comfort her since the death of her husband Paul.  His death has been very difficult for her.  She really loved him!  

  On Friday Wayne and Joseph had a meeting with the Kasongo Pastors.  They need our prayers desperately.  Bishop Eric has some serious accusations against him and the mission Pastors need the wisdom of Solomon to know what the truth is.  How we need God at times like this! That afternoon after the children came home from school I discovered Bradlyn lying on the couch, which is extremely unusual for our lively boy!  He had a fever and said he had a headache.  I knew immediately there's a very good chance he has malaria so I took him into Acacia right away to be tested.  Brad seemed to be getting worse by the hour.  I was wishing I would be strong enough to carry him from the car but I couldn't and it was difficult for him to walk.  The test came back positive and it wasn't just a mild case either!  I gave him meds as soon as we got home and then of all things... as I was walking in from the car Clarissa informed me that Vanessa has a fever as well!  I couldn't believe it!  I considered turning around and going right back to Acacia but decided to wait until Wayne gets home.  She didn't seem as sick as Brad, so later that eve. we took her in and she tested positive as well! ( a mild case) Stacy Byler (our other daughter:)) got sick around the exact time Vanessa and Brad did that afternoon and she also tested positive for malaria. It made a person feel like "WHAT'S NEXT!" I am so nervous about mosquitos these days and we spray a lot around the house and on ourselves.  But we still get bit!  And then on Saturday Stacy wasn't responding to malaria meds like Bradlyn and Vanessa were, so she went back to Acacia for more testing and they discovered typhoid!  Then I was REALLY horrified!  She was very sick for several days and had to keep going back to Acacia for IV meds which is a very painful ordeal when it goes into the veins.  For some reason typhoid meds burn like crazy. Recently Rosemary Ondeyo had typhoid and malaria and she said she cried like a baby when they gave her IV.  We're very thankful though that everyone seems to be almost back to normal and thank God for meds that work!  God is taking care of us even though sickness can be very discouraging at a place like this!  

  Sunday was a real bright spot in our lives!  In the morning there was a Baptism and Communion service at Rabuor.  I didn't attend that service since we had sick children, but drove out for the afternoon service.  Wayne had his plate really full that day but it sounded like things went very well.  The church at Lela cancelled their service so they could assist at Rabuor by cooking lunch for a large crowd.  That way the Rabuor folks could all enjoy the special day together.  I think they fed around 140-150 people at lunch time. There were CBF members represented from most of the churches I believe.  Joe and Marilyn Kuepfer, the Luke Kurtz family, Bishop Marlin Yoders, and Bishop Freeman Bylers came from Nakuru for the Bishop Ordination that was scheduled to begin at 2:00.  The Rabuor choir did quite a bit of singing as people were walking in, and it was LOVELY!  They are amazing!  Freeman shared the first message after which Wayne was responsible for ordaining Thomas Amata.  Marlin Yoder shared the last message. They all did a super job and it was so special!  We were very happy to see the former Rabuor Bishop, John and Millicent Awuonda there that day!  Please continue to pray for them... maybe there's hope that they will return someday or John will be willing to return and clear his failures!  We rejoice to see Rabuor able to be on their own now.  Our goal is to see this happen in more of the churches!  

  This past week Wayne has been busy with various things such as going to the Ahero land office and working on more title deeds for church properties, doing Baptismal interviews, going to Dienya for Bible study at Joseph and Ruth Ahenda's house, etc.  On Friday Wayne and I took a load of Ahero members with us to the mortuary to pick up the body of Paul Juma. On the way to the mortuary we had to stop at the hospital where he had passed away and Jane needed to sign some papers.  We proceeded from there to pick up the coffin and then on to the mortuary, where we waited "our" turn.  They also had not dressed the body yet, so we waited on that.  On the way back to the dala the noise in the van was SO loud that I was wishing for ear plugs.  Jane (the widow) cried on and on and others were clapping and singing and wailing.  When we reached the dala there were quite a number of people there waiting for the body to arrive.  Jane was crying so uncontrollably that she apparently couldn't walk because the Ahero sisters carried her into the house. I struggled quite a bit with some cultural things that day... pray that I could just accept the way things are done and be at peace with where God has us right now.  

  The funeral for Paul Juma was held on Saturday and Wayne was asked to preach.  Joseph, James, and JoeAllen were there as well to show support.  Support from the other churches is always very much appreciated. There was a fairly large crowd there for the burial.  Kore stopped here a bit on Fri. eve. after he ate supper at Josephs.  We enjoyed visiting as usual.  He left for Nakuru again on Sat. after doing food parcels at Kajulu, Rabuor and Ahero.  Stacy's sister Heidi has arrived to spend a few weeks with her sister.  I'm so happy for Stacy!  I know how much it means to have family come and visit! :) . 

  Yesterday was a good day at Ahero.  Wayne preached a message preparing the church for the commissioning of a new Pastor hopefully before long.  Papers were passed out to all the members asking if they can give their blessing to move ahead with this plan. There was also a Baptismal service for John Okuta.  This was an extra blessing because his wife has been a member for some years and now he came to join her.  Salina Chebet was taken in as a member as well.  Recently there was a dam break in her home area, north of Nakuru.  The dam broke about 9 pm and killed at least 48 people, many of them women and children.

   

   In the evening James and Christina hosted a unit activity... a farewell for Brian and Mary Jane's family.  It's a difficult time for all of us.  We don't understand why God seemingly hasn't moved the heart of the King to give Brian a work permit.  But we know God sees the whole picture.  Brians will be missed dreadfully!  Our children are sad about losing their friends and Mary Jane is a dear friend of mine who I dread to see leaving.  They have plans to fly out on Thursday of this week.  Gerold and Becky Miller's family is on furlough right now so it will seem very quiet and empty around here.  But we are very much looking forward to the arrival of Ivan and Kay Peachey and 4 of their boys on Friday!  The nationals seem excited too!  One of the ladies from Dienya told me, "so we don't even have to wait til we get to Heaven to see them again!" :) . 

  This past week has been exciting for some of the little ones on the compound.  Tiffany and Glenda found a baby kitten over at James' house.  Tiffany was SO excited and played with it for several hours.  But before the day was over the mama cat came to the porch where Tiffany was playing with the kitten and snatched her baby and ran away.  Tiffany was heartbroken!  Later Tiffany came to our house and sadly told us that the kitty passed away now. :)  That night she prayed fervently that the kitty would come back and God answered her prayer the next day!  Christina actually found 4 kitties behind their freezer.  So there were some very happy children playing with kitties once again! 

  We're down to only a few days of school left!  Our children have been working very hard so that they can finish early because of Brians needing to leave.  We look forward to a break from school once again but oh how time flies!!  It seems this term flew by on wings!     

Thank you for your prayers and support!  Wayne and Clara 

Baptismal and Communion service at Rabuor

Kevin and Lillian's Baptism

Restoration of Mama Teresa and Mama Margaret

Lunch time

Marilyn Keupfer and her girls enjoying lunch

Bishop Freeman Byler

                                                                                    Ordination

Matthews Mbuya interpreting for Wayne, assisted by Freeman, Marlin and Joseph

Marlin Yoder and Peter Ochieng

Widow Jane Juma with son Marlin

Firewood for funeral

Walking to Bible study at Joseph Ahenda's

Brian and Mary Jane

James Wambida walking home from Bible Study

William Ondeyo with Alfred Ochieng (he had the bad tumor on his foot.  His leg was amputated at Tenwek Mission Hospital.)  Pray for his recovery.

Return to Paul's home from the mortuary

Jane's son Mishack's classmates came to mourn with him

Paul's funeral

Jane and Elizabeth Ajuma

Tiffany and her kitties