a BIG update

an amazing hike in the ngong hills!




sorry it has been so long since my last update! here is a quick rundown of what has been going on: we shut down camp a couple of weeks ago not to open it up again until the british school systems got let out for holiday. our first adventure was ministry to the masai tribe. we stayed with the calverts, a missionary family who have been ministering in kenya for over about 20 years. they welcomed 23 of us into their modest home (and yard and outbuilding), cooked us amazing food, and showered us in love. we spent a few days on a number of different projects. one day we helped hand out maize to women in the suswa area and spent time playing with the children at the school. just bringing a few soccer balls to these little kids and watching them play is enough to bring tears to your eyes. as i held the little girls' hands the lord gave me just a small glimpse of his love for them. it broke my heart into a million pieces and brought a joy and peace to my heart that words cannot describe. the area we were in has been in a drought for some time; with grass scarce the live stock are dying, leaving families without meat or milk. one morning we were able to cut some grass, load it up, and bring it to a local pastor to share with his village. again, there are no words to describe how it feels to be a blessing through the One that is the blessing.

our second project was in western kenya. along side mission link ministries of kenya we hung out at ECD's (early childhood development centers), planted trees at churches and in market places, and loved on some orphans. i stayed with my friend gladys who i stayed with the last time i was here. it felt like coming home to her home cooking every night and sleeping in the same bed i slept in a couple of years ago. we spent our mornings in small groups at different ECD's playing with kids, teaching them games and songs and the afternoons planting fruit and shade trees at the churches who host the children's programs. in the evenings i would return home, always greeted from the street by the village children who would follow us home. some nights gladys would let us (my friend kimi stayed with gladys also) help cook ugali or chipati, and now i can cook it for you!

right now we are finishing up our third session of camp. this week we have kids from all over the world and all sorts of religious backgrounds- russian, french, muslim, hindu, agnostic....but these kids love camp. they love playing games, making new friends, learning new skills, and some of them say evening cabin devotions are their favorite time of day. just last night four kids prayed to receive Christ! some of our campers this week struggle with learning about Jesus and converting to Christianity. how is a kid who has grown up in a muslim family supposed to come home from camp and say he wants to convert? im going to be honest....i dont know the answer. but i do believe in the power of Christ, His Word, and the Truth of the Holy Spirit. we know we are planting seeds, many of which we will not see grow or even be around for the harvest, but knowing the Truth is falling on fertile soil is mind blowing.

you do not know how much i want to write, so many stories to share. my heart is so full. but it is currently the middle of the night and time on the internet is sparse. please continue to pray for our team and for me. i am totally in love with camp. i hope to update more regularly now that we are in something closer to civilization. i love you all!



the source of the nile in uganda at lake victoria