We're Heading Back...

In March while in Kenya, Michael commented while lying in his bed one night, "I could stay here forever."  So when your first born says something like that, you kind of shudder inside.  I have till he's age 18 or so before I have to think of him staying anywhere forever, right?  Well, we are heading back to Kenya, not permanantly, but for another mission.  We're heading out on February 24, 2012 with another surgical team out of Columbia.  Although there are many unknowns, we are glad to have some knowledge of where we're going this time.  But with any mission trip, we know that God will have many surprises in store. 

We are praying now that Christ will continue to fill us with a great love for the people of Kenya. We are planning how best to reach out to the moms and children with the ultimate goal of reaching others for Christ. During the first mission we made oragami figures which were a big hit and helped melt the culture barriers.  Even the most hesitant moms couldn't resist making their own paper flower or elephant. Who would think something so simple could open doors?

Michael with Salam and his mother Nancy who accepted Christ while at Kijabe Hospital

We are working on raising support and supplies.  So how can you help?

                                       pray ● give ● donate          

1. Pray for boldness for the Gospel to go out clear and strong. There are amazing opportunities to share the Gospel with the people in the hospital as they wait. Ask the Lord of the harvest to prepare now the hearts of those He will call to himself.
2. Give financial support. It will cost close to $2000 each for this mission. We know God will provide because He has called, and He owns the cattle on 1000 hills! If you feel led to give, the easiest way is to go to https://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/giving/wmm_doctors. You may also make a check out to World Medical Missions, write "Carole Touard #010683" in the memo line, and send to: World Medical Missions, Attn: Chad Cole, P.O. Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607 or call 828-278-1174.
3. Donate needed items. small Bibles (used ones are fine), toy cars, small stuffed animals, and flip-flops/slippers were big hits last year. We will also be sewing pillowcase dresses in January, so if you sew, please feel free to join us for that endeavor.

Thank you

Michael and I with Great Rift Valley in background

March 2011 - Thanks to you my friends and family who supported us with your many prayers and financial backing for our trip to Kenya.  I feel the blessings we received far outweighed the work we did while there.  God really does know what he is doing.  Michael has had quite a time readjusting.  He hesitated to get back into his life here, not wanting to forget his time in Kenya.  He talks every day of Kenya and wanting to return next year.

October 2011 - It's funny how God works.  Michael had been extremely concerned about forgetting Kenya once he returned home. But that has been impossible as we have received weekly phone calls from the Mawia family.  As soon as we hear those wonderful accents of our dear friends, we are transported back to Kijabe. 

So what has been my nugget from the trip here at eight months past? I'm seeing a little more of God's big picture.  We can so easily get caught up in our American lives, filled with carpool, errands, work, family, computers, t.v., church - the list could go on, but there is so much more out there that God is doing.  Yeah, so my take home is remembering how God is working his great plan out all over the world and will continue to do so regardless my circumstances here.  I really trust that God - in his sovereignty- is working out all the details for our upcoming trip just the way he wants it to go with all the trials and victories in tack.

Yes, we are going back next year!  Stay tuned for details.

Don't Forget

I don't want to forget.  Surely, I won't forget Kenya. I don't want to forget the people we met or the things we saw.  To forget the joy of the mothers when their babies were returned to them with "fixed" lips would be tragic. Those doctors performed miracles straight from God's hands - Amazing stuff and abounding joy - That kind of joy does not happen every day.  Or does it?  Can it?

You know how when God is trying to teach you something you will hear the same message everywhere you turn?  Well, before I left for Kenya I knew God was telling me and training me to wait and watch for him, to not plan so much of my life, to make room for him in Kenya. He has taught me a few more lessons. While going through the first couple of days there, following three extremely tiring days of travel, Michael decided that the theme for our trip was "God knows what He is doing."  So that became our saying. "God knows what He is doing" was said every time we were caught by surprise by the tragedy of someone's life there or when things didn't go as planned which was a daily occurrence.  Saying that truth forced us to watch for what he was doing or to even expect it.  How would that change all of our lives if we started to watch and anticipate his presence in our lives and in the lives of those around us?

Another message I think God is trying to teach me is that "STUFF" doesn't matter.  This has been a life long lesson for me.  Living in the U.S., I knew before even leaving for Kenya that I'd be shocked by how little the Kenyan people have in comparison.  But the flip side of that is what surprised me most.  I've got a lot of stuff!  And at times I worship that stuff.  Wow, I really hate to admit that, but it is true.  I even have a pile of stuff I bought in Kenya still sitting in the  middle of my floor and I already love it all.  So what's my take home?  Why is God showing me this?  Does he just want me to feel bad?  I think he wants me to ask myself, "Carole, what do you value?"

Wrapping all this up in my head and shaking it around a bit brought me to a conclusion. God wants to "devastate me" with his presence, with who he is.  He wants that to be what "butters my bread" so to speak. He wants that to be the salt in my life.  I'm hungry - can you tell?  We had the chance to go on safari while in Kenya.  The animals were amazing, but what constantly captured my attention was scenery - the views across the plain were truly breathtaking.  My eyes welled with tears as we drove out the final day.  How cool is it that God made his creation so beautiful, so pleasing to our eyes?  He didn't have to do that.  I thought how blessed I am to have seen this. 

Could that be what life is all about?  Could it be that every person we meet, every place we go is really all about knowing Him better?  I met people in Kenya I pray I will never forget.  I saw Jesus in people that live on the other side of the world.  He's big! He is sovereign. He is creator. He alone restores to us the joy of our salvation.  He is all that he says he is!  I pray I don't forget.

As Michael and I looked over our pictures from safari one night.  I commented that God created for us a beautiful place to live.  Michael saw this picture and said, "Wow, God is really workin' it there."

Our Last Day in Kenya

So I'm heading up to the hospital to say goodbye to the last of the patients. I wish you all could be here to experience what I've experienced.  The people of Kenya are as diverse as their tribes.  There are over 40 tribes in Kenya.  Commonly, people will ask "What tribe are you?"  No matter what tribe they hail from, I have found the Kenyans to be a patient, kind, and friendly people. They will wait for several hours after they arrive just to get a bed and this is usually after a long bus ride and/or walk to the hospital.  Often, I would go down into the clinic to see a full waiting room.  Everyone would just sit quietly and wait. Not sure I would see the same in the States. Not sure I would do the same myself.

Today, I look forward the most to seeing three particular ladies and their children. They were blessed to get one of the semi-private rooms with only three beds.  The first of these moms I met was Maurine.  Her daughter, Shangwe, had a lymphatic malformation on the side of her head removed on Tuesday.  Maurine is a teacher and has four children; Shangwe is her youngest.  Several years ago, Maurine was a missionary in Uganda where she taught Bible, sewing, and other such classes to children.  She said there are so many orphans because of the civil unrest there.  She worked with two American missionary who were shot and killed while serving in Uganda.  Maurine's husband is also a teacher and recently got a job outside of the country.  Maurine and the children were to accompany him according to the original agreement, but the company that hired her husband has since backed out of that part of the agreement.  So Maurine is dealing with this major surgery for her daughter alone.  Well, not really alone.  Maurine brought her Bible.

God has blessed Maurine with wonderful roommates.  Deborah is Rachael's mom.  Rachael was in for cleft lip surgery.  I first noticed Deborah as she got up one day in chapel to speak.  She speaks like a preacher and it is obvious that she has studied God's Word.  She spoke of salvation being the work of His blood on the cross, not our workings here on earth.  How often I hear that message out of the pulpit at my church.  How awesome it was to hear it here. 

For the remainder of this week, Maurine, Deborah, and I talked about the Bible, doctrine, issues facing Kenya's churches and ours, and every other topic under heaven.  They are moms just like us who love their children and strive to live a life pleasing to our Lord.  They are aware of the snares facing their country economically and spiritually.  I have to admit they surprised me.  Their knowledge of the truth of God's Word surprised me.  It surprised me how quickly we bonded as mothers and wives.

Now meet Caroline. She is the mother of Elias who had surgery on his palate earlier this week.  She spoke very little English, but she understood plenty of English.  So as we talked of spiritual things, Caroline just listened and nodded her head.  I have a feeling that Caroline learned more than any of us.  Dr. White did Elias' surgery and Caroline quickly sensed his goodness and kindness.  She asked to have a picture of him. 

Remember to pray for these women and all the women we met these weeks.  Their lives are much harder than ours and it burdens me to leave them.  I am comforted that they know Jesus and have fellowship with other believers.  There are many here that don't.  Many Muslims came through the hospital while we were here.  Some were kind to us - some were not.  I pray the God will show mercy on all the women of Kenya.

Shiny Catherine

I'd like you to meet Catherine. She arrived at the children's hospital this week for an infection she has on her elbow.  She is not one of "our patients" -that is she is not an ENT patient.  However, Catherine was born with some disabilities.  Her femur bone in her left leg did not form properly which makes her left leg much shorter than her right.  She also has issues with her eyesight which makes it hard for her to focus. 

You would never know it from this picture, but when Catherine first laid eyes on me, she was less than impressed.  In fact, I could not get even an inkling of a smile out of her on Monday.  She kind of just stared at me.  So after much persistence on Tuesday she began to crack a little smirk at me when I passed.  Then Tuesday afternoon she took me by surprise.  As I passed by her, she grabbed both my hands and started dancing with me.  Thankfully, she speaks good English and we have been able to talk quite a bit since our dance.  The last two days at the hospital have been sweetened with her contagious smile and unlimited hugs. Today at chapel we laughed as we watched her dance and sing to the praise songs. What a blessing to us to see someone with so many difficulties to overcome, embrace life with such force.  She is one of those "shiny people" - people whose smiles make you smile. Notice she is wearing one of the pillowcase dresses made by our homeschool group Classical Conversations. It was made by Donna and Noah, I believe. She wore it all day today and I'm guessing she'll have it on tomorrow, too.

Catherine's mom is in the picture with her.  Although her mom loves her dearly, she needed help dealing with Catherine's disabilities.  So Catherine lives at Joytown which is one of the few schools in Kenya for children with disabilities. To check out more about Joytown go to:  www.bethanykids.org/medical-work/joytown 

The Masai





The Masai tribe of Kenya is one of the few tribes that has held tightly to their heritage and traditions.  In the hospital, the Masai are easy to pick out.  They all shave their heads; men, women, and children alike.  They dress in bright colors, typically red, sometimes orange or pink, and adorn themselves with lots of beaded jewelry.  Sometimes, they will have earlobes which are stretched out with large holes through them.  This past weekend we went to safari in Masai Mara.  Everywhere you looked you could see Masai men or boys herding their cattle, sheep, or goats.  In the Masai culture, the number of cows you have is equivalent to the amount of money you have in the bank.  It is a status symbol.  The goal of a Masai is to raise a good cow.  Often times a man gains more cows through a dowry given to him by his wife's father.  Polygamy is prevalent in the Masai tribe.  The more wives a man has, the more repect he will have in the tribe.  It is extremely different from our ways.  We heard of women leaving the Masai tribe to get an education, which is an unusual occurence, only to return to the Masai man they were promised to and completely reenter the culture. 



This weekend we had the opportunity to visit a Masai village.  The chief's son gave us a tour.  The wives have the responsibility of building the houses which are made from cow dung and sticks. The village is surrounded by a fence made from vertical sticks stuck in the ground.  There is an inner circular fence in the middle of the village where the cows are kept at night for protection from predators.  In the past, the Masai would hunt down any predators -typically lions- that killed one of their cows.  Today, because lions are endangered in many areas, the Masai are no longer allowed to kill lions, but are reimbursed by the government for any cows taken by lions.

Another unusual part of the Masai culture is a jumping ritual in which the Masai men jump as high as they can vertically while singing and chanting.  One of the highlights of our trip was when they pulled Michael into their circle to join in the jumping.  Afterwards, the men formed a line and chanted and hollered and took each of the women in our group by hand.  I was certain they were trying to take us as one of their wives.  I was ready to fight. :) Thankfully, we were only getting escorted to our van.

Meet Nancy

This is Nancy.  She came to the hospital here at Kijabe the beginning of last week with her son Salam.  He was having surgery on his palate. Michael and I spent some time with them making origami and doing other crafts to help them pass the time.  Palate patients must spend at least two nights in the hosptial.  There's not much to help pass the time.  The ward is open and holds about 24 patients. There are lots of babies crying at all times and commotion constantly.

On Nancy's second day here, she stood up in chapel and shared that she had just accepted Jesus as her Savior.  I spoke with her later and told her I was happy that we were now sisters in Christ.  After surgery her son Salam was in quite a bit of pain.  I told her to tell him that he was very brave.  She said "He is brave because he is a Masai warrior." The Masai are a distinctly different people in appearance.  Men and women alike shave their heads and they wear much jewelry and brightly colored clothing - usually red.  Nancy was obviously not Masai.  So I asked her how it was that he was Masai, but she was not.  She said Salam is not her son.  His mother had died six years ago and his father was a druggie.  She had taken him in as her own about four years ago.  How amazing is that!  She was being obedient to His Word - to care for the orphans - before she ever knew Jesus as her Savior.  I'm honored to have met her and to see God at work here. Nancy has other children she will raise as Christian.

God Is Here

Day 3 at the hospital - Wish you all could see what we have seen.  People from various tribes, religions, and places arrive every day.  Some by foot - most by bus.  Muslims and Masai people are the easiest to pick out.  I met a Muslim woman today that said her three daughters are all Christian because they go to a Christian school, but her and her husband are Muslim.  We talked for awhile about the Koran and the Bible. Great opportunities like this are a constant.  After making one lady an origami Easter Lily, she asked me what kind of flower and I quickly realized she didn't know what Easter meant. So I talked to her about what Easter was all about. What an amazing God we serve.  I'm realizing now why he encouraged me prior to the trip to wait and watch him do his thing.  Every day at 4:00 the patients and the staff gather for "chapel" in the ward.  They bring out a drum and they all dance and sing. It's so much fun to see and I want to join them.  The nurse who does the drum says she will teach me today to play like she does - that should be interesting.  Each day people get up and give a testimony usually of their conversion that very day.

Here are a couple of pictures of some of the patients we have connected with.

 This Masai girl hung with Michael for hours on Monday.  She danced and sang for us. 

Well, internet is sporadic. God is teaching Michael and me patience with that.  Better go post... I can receive email, but so far can't send any.  Michael's I-Pod is sending some.

Michael's Blog

Yesterday we went to the house of the Nzisa family previously known to us as the Mawia family.  Although most people know them as the Mawias, their real surname is Nzisa.  Don’t ask me why.  We met the “Mawias” through Jim and Kathy White when they came to Kijabe a few years ago.   We donated toy cars to the mission and the Mawia boys received some of those cars.  We’ve been pen-pals ever since.  On Monday, we met Eunice and Stephen at the hospital which felt like meeting an old friend. We had the experience of going to their house for dinner on Eunice’s day off from work at the hospital.  Eunice and Everlyne led us on a ¼ mile hike up hill to their home which is a shack compared to what we have in America.  We met the father, Michael, who is a carpenter. His shop is right next to the house.  We also met baby Carole who is named after my mother.  They are all such nice people with round, beautiful faces and big smiles. 

It was very interesting there.  My mom and Eunice talked and laughed a lot and Stephen and I talked while he showed me some of his artwork.  He also showed me the machete he used to defend himself when he goes to the “shops.”  This blade was at least a foot long.  It hung next to the door.  We had dinner which I was worried might be either uncooked and dangerous for us to eat or something like goulash that I would physically not be able to get down.  They had rice, some kind of meat, vegetables, noodles, and “chapatis “ what we call tortillas.  It wasn’t as bad as I thought but it was a struggle to get the rice which I had put in the tortillas down.  Thankfully my mom took that for me. 

I showed Stephen and Everlyne my I-Pod which was very interesting to them.  Mom videoed them eating chocolate and showed pictures from home to them.  Eunice brought out her pictures of James, who went to America for 1 ½ years and is now in boarding school in Nairobi.  Sarah is also away in school.   Eunice, Everlyne, and Stephen walked us back to the hospital as the sun set over the Rift Valley.  It was an exceptionally life-changing experience that not many 13 year old American boys have had.  I’m grateful to God for this.

We Are Here, Finally

Hi Friends and Family!  Well, our trip here didn't go quite as planned.  Due to high winds in D.C. we were delayed a couple of hours which, in turn, made us miss our flight across to London on Friday.  So we spent Friday night in D.C. and flew to London on Saturday.  Of course, we missed our connection to Kenya, so we had to wait to catch the next flight on Sunday morning to Kenya. We stayed Saturday night in London.  We actually debated staying in the airport in London because we only had a few hours before we would need to be back for our flight the next morning.  Many miracles have happened along the way including having our luggage - all of it - arrive in Kenya today with us.  This was no small thing. 

Overall, we are exhausted, but excited all at the same time.  We know that when we are weak He is shown to be strong, mighty, and able. 

Please be patient with me as I can't get my email to work and this is my only way to communicate with my family right now.  Hi Elizabeth and Joshua.  Here are the pictures we took at the airport.  Miss you both and love you completely.  Hi Cory!  So wishing you were here to share the adventure.  I'm reminded of all our many traveling adventures and the many crazy places we've been.  Pray hard and don't forget to feed the children. :) Love you forever, Carole.  PS Guess what Michael is eating in this picture from London?

Planning Now...or Not

Okay, so those of you who know me, know that I am a planner.  I like to know that I will be prepared for whatever comes my way.  I'm sure there is sin there - my need to control or to seem responsible to others.  So I see God continuing to work out my "junk." This trip to Kenya has made me chuckle as I have heard God over and over tell me to move out of the way and watch Him work and reveal himself to me. To keep my mind going in the right direction these last couple of months, I've been reading My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers.  Below is an excerpt from the day my hubby turned 41 - I had to squeeze that in there ;)

I love reflecting on this devotion as I try to think of how to prepare for Kenya.  I'm not sure what we'll be doing, so preparations have been slim.  God is telling me to trust him.  Do I trust him to provide the funds?  Do I trust him to use Michael and me while we're there?  Do I trust him to keep us safe?  Ugh!  Every time I question these things or feel myself fretting over them, I know it is a question of my faith and trust in God.  It's not all about what God is going to do, it's about knowing who He is. So bring it on. I can't muster it myself.  Embolden, strengthen, and set my feet on solid ground!

January 2 - WILL YOU GO OUT WITHOUT KNOWING?

"He went out, not knowing whither he went." Hebrews 11:8

Have you been "out" in this way? If so, there is no logical statement possible when anyone asks you what you are doing.  One of the difficulties in Christian work is this question - "What do you expect to do"?  You do not know what you are going to do; the only thing you known is that God knows what He is doing.  Continually, revise your attitude towards God and see if it is a going out of everything, trusting in God entirely.  It is this attitude that keeps you in perpetual wonder - you do not know what God is going to do next.  Each morning you wake it is to be a "going out," building in confidence on God.  "Take no thought for your life...nor yet for your body" - take no thought for the things for which you did take thought before you "went out."

Have you been asking God what He is going to do?  He will never tell you.  God does not tell you what He is going to do; He reveals to you Who He is.  Do you believe in a miracle-working God, and will you go out in surrender to Him until you are not surprised an atom at anything He does?

Pillowcase Dresses in the Making

This past Saturday a few girls and moms from our homeschool group, Classical Conversations, got together to make dresses for little girls in Africa.  Catherine Faulkenberry graciously opened her home, provided some jammin coffee, and set out to teach us novices how to make "pillowcase dresses."  They are called pillowcase dresses because you can start with a simple pillowcase, a few cuts, some ribbon, and minimal sewing to create an adorable dress.  Some of us purchased fabric instead of using pillowcases and it worked just fine.  We are looking forward to giving out the dresses from our Classical Conversations group to girls in Kenya next month.  We'll take lots of pictures so you can share in the blessing, too.  There is an organization dedicated to sending dresses to Africa as a full time gig.  It's called Little Dresses for Africa. Check out the link:  www.littledressesforafrica.org/blog/.   What a great way to be His hands! 

"A new command I give you: Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."  John 14: 34-35.

Meet Jim and Kathy

When Jim White asked me in church one day if I'd be interested in going to Kenya with them, I didn't hesitate to say "yes" on the spot.  What Jim didn't know is that I had been praying about going to Kijabe, Kenya with them for some time.  I had even asked my pen-pal friend, Eunice Mawia, in Kenya to join me in this prayer.  God is good.

Many of you already know Jim and Kathy White, but for those who don't, I'm excited to introduce them to you.  Jim, or as we call him, Dr. Jim, is a retired ENT surgeon who specializes in repairing cleft palates and cleft lips.  Kathy is a nurse by trade, so they make a great pairing (for more reasons than that, too.)  Here is some information from Jim and Kathy giving us all a little history behind this trip to Kenya-

Dr. Jim and Kathy White

 "We first went to Kenya in 1998 with a surgical team led by Dr. Jim Wade of Abingdon, Va. We went for the sole purpose of repairing congenital defects of the lip and palate. (Cleft lip and/or palate.) Because of the large number of children with this remarkable defect, it was decided to establish a second team, which we have led annually, beginning in 1999. A third team was established three years ago, each of the teams going for a two week period, working in a small mission hospital in Kijabe, right on the edge of the mountain overlooking the Rift Valley. Over 1000 surgeries have been done by our surgeons, approximately 85-95 operations per trip. The hospital in which we work is a children's orthopedic rehabilitation hospital that oversees about 13 out-lying clinics throughout Kenya.  During each of our team visits the hospital is turned over to us, as most of the orthopedic patients have been discharged. Patients' families learn about the cleft team's coming by radio announcements, posters, word of mouth and the clinics. They come to the clinic where they are screened by the skilled orthopedic staff who then make appointments for the patient to be brought to the hospital for surgery. All of our post-op patients are seen in the out-lying clinics for follow-up, and scheduled for further surgery if needed, especially in the case where the cleft palate must be repaired after the previously repaired cleft lip has healed adequately.

Initially almost all of our patients (not all young children) were Kenyan, but as wars and persecution brought great migration from neighboring countries into refugee camps in Kenya, our patient population took on a new look. Muslims, Christians, and those of other faiths, having fled from their native lands of Somalia and Sudan have now given us an even greater opportunity for us to minister and openly proclaim the Gospel of Christ to the nations."

Here are some before and after pictures from past trips to Kijabe. God is a miracle worker indeed!  May he continue to bless the children of Kenya through the Whites and the World Medical Mission teams.

"You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever."
Psalm 30:10-12

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Cattle On A Thousand Hills

Psalms 50:10

"For every beast of the forest is mine,

 the cattle on a thousand hills." 

This verse is often quoted to remind us that God truly owns everything and money is not a big deal to him.  So why should we ever worry about money?  For those who have participated in a mission trip before, you know that raising support funds can be a true test of faith. Even though you may feel led to go, you still wonder or, I dare say, worry if enough funds will be donated.  Recently, one of the missionaries that attends our home church, Faith Presbyterian Church, shared a verse that inspired him many years ago to pursue a life of missions.  It was Act 20:24 which states "However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace."  So as Michael and I prepare to leave, we are praying our focus will remain on the tasks ahead in Kenya and not on worrying over the funds needed to go. Every time I catch myself thinking about the funds, I say to myself "He will provide. One way or the other, He will provide."

If you feel led to contribute financially to this mission, send check to:

 World Medical Missions, Attention: Chad Cole, P.O. Box 3000

Boone, NC 28607 

Write in memo line: Carole Touard - # 010683

You may also call:

 828-278-1373

to make a contribution  

A Short-Term Mission

For the last few years, our family has been involved with supporting Dr. Jim and Kathy White through World Medical Missions in their annual trips to  Kijabi, Kenya to perform surgeries on children with cleft palates and cleft lips.  Up until now, our involvement has been limited to raising money and supplies.  We created awareness of the need in our local home school group which in turn has raised financial support, clothes, and toys over the past couple of years.  This year our home school group will be working on “pillowcase” dresses for the Kenya girls and collecting soccer shirts for the boys, along with collecting money and other supplies for Kijabi school children.

The Whites have asked us to join them on their next mission trip to Kenya in February 2011.  Over the years, Jim and Kathy White have shown the love of Jesus Christ through their time and efforts performing hundreds of surgeries, touching many lives with physical healing and spreading the great news of the Gospel at every opportunity.  Michael and I will be working on outreach and  Bible study.  We have faithfully committed to this opportunity knowing that God has purposed this in our lives.  Please pray for guidance as we prepare to go.

An Unlikely Pairing

Some unlikely relationships have emerged from our involvement in Kenya.  Three years ago, the Whites brought back a beautiful wall hanging for us, a thank-you gift from a Kenya family who had received a couple of Michael’s donated toy cars. 

Stephen and James Mawia after receiving the toy cars

This began a pen-pal relationship between our family and the Mawia Family.  Michael writes back and forth with Stephen Mawia, Elizabeth and Joshua write the youngest Mawia children, and I write to the mother, Eunice.  Through these letters, Eunice’s faith in our Lord Jesus Christ is quite apparent.  Even through the political troubles Kenya experienced in 2007-2008, Eunice often reminded me of God’s protection and sovereignty  over her family.  We look forward to meeting the Mawia family face to face.

You Don't Say?

It is estimated there are “7000 children in schools for the deaf throughout Kenya, but statistics show that approximately 3000 of those children have only a severe hearing loss.  This means that they are not ‘deaf”, but could be fitted with a hearing aid.” Michael and I will be trained to test children for hearing problems to determine which children would benefit from hearing aids.  We anticipate this to be one of the highlights of our trip as we imagine the joy and amazement those children will experience as they hear properly for the first time in their lives.  We covet your prayers for proper training, for the opportunities to use it, and for the many children we will encounter.