All on board!

Received a text that they boarded the plane in Kenya around 3:05 this afternoon. Pray for safe travel and some much needed rest on the plane. Praise the Lord!

Last night in village

The students spent their last night in various homes in the village.  Be sure to ask your child about where he/she stayed;  evidently everything from bats to bites to bugs was experienced!  After getting back together, they headed to the game park.  They saw giraffes, elephants, zebras, antelopes, water buffalo, etc.  The scenery was beautiful and Mt. Kilimanjaro was able to be seen from every angle.  They will be staying in the park tonight, and traveling back to Nairobi tomorrow.  They will eat at the Carnivore restaurant at 5 p.m. and then head to the airport.  Please pray for safe travel, continued good health, and a positive transition back to US culture. 

Praise the Lord, Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens.  Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals.  Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.  Praise the Lord.  Psalm 150

Last day in churches & schools

Today was the last day for the team to be in the churches.  There was worship, dancing, and singing, and many accepted Christ.   Blessings were given and many prayers lifted up.  The team members are staying in homes tonight and tomorrow they head to the game park.  On Tuesday, early evening, they begin their journey back home!  Pray for safe travel, good rest, and an energized spirit as they finish their trip. 

And this is my prayer:  that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ--to the glory and praise of God.  Philippians 1:9-11

Activities from Saturday, July 5

The team went to a service on Saturday morning where approximately 200 people attended.  This is one of the places they had been to last year.  The Kenyans were able to pick out the four team members who had been there last year, were able to recall what they had taught, and even remembered their names.  The students were amazed at the impact that is made on these mission trips and the life-changing experiences that happen.  The school students danced and sang for the team; it was amazing!  Aaron gave his testimony along with the altar call, and did a fabulous job.  There was a youth rally with about 200 students.  They had 3-legged races, and played soccer and volleyball.  The team gave soccer balls and volleyballs to the schools represented, the pastors received backpacks, and each student received a beanie baby.  Prayers of praise--Courtney is feeling much better;  the LIA team has done a great job making sure all the details of the trip have been taking care of; all are healthy; many, many have accepted Christ.

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name.  I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.  And I pray that you being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.  Ephesians 3:13-19 

Others Accept Christ!

Joanna spoke at an all-girls school of about 350 students.  She delivered the message and also gave the invitation.  The response was unbelievable! 34 girls accepted Christ.  They had a wonderful time of worship, and sang lots of songs.  The school has earned national awards for its teaching.  They traveled on dusty and dirty roads in the vans and the pick-up truck.  When they started, the truck only had a few people in it.  However, by the time they had reached their destination, the entire bed of the truck had about 15 people.  They stopped and picked up those who were walking in the direction they were heading.  The home visits today were in the hills; the previous homes had been in the plains, so the team is getting to see more of the terrain of Kenya.  They made nine home visits today, and at least one person accepted Christ in each home.  Courtney is not feeling well; she has had fever and some intestinal issues, but her fever broke today.  She is not 100% yet but is feeling much better.  Please pray that Courtney will be at 100% tomorrow and that the home visits continue to go well.  Tomorrow they will have a rally with approximately 1,000 people, mostly high schoolers.  Pray that God will go ahead of them and prepare the hearts of those who need to respond to Jesus.  Pray also for the speakers, that they will listen and be obedient to what God is preparing them to say.  Pray that God will continue to reveal Himself to the team and that all will realize that it is not about them, but that it is about God.  Also pray for Linda, a leader for Team Redemption (a part of LIA), who is having some health issues.  The team is thankful for all the prayers that have been lifted up on their behalf.  

"Do you not know?  Have you not heard?  The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.  He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom., He gives strength to the weary, and increases the power of the weak.  Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their  strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."  Isaiah 40:28-31

Many won for Christ!

It is very difficult for the team to express their feelings about their experiences. During home visits today, ten people accepted Christ.  The students are taking the responsibility of sharing Christ and presenting the plan of salvation.  Most, if not all, have been able to experience the joy of sharing Christ with someone who responds to God's invitation.  One group visited an 85 year old woman who has been paralyzed on one side for a year, due to a stroke.  She lives about 5 km out in the bush and said no one had visited her in that entire time.  She had difficulty understanding why anyone would come to see her.  The team explained to her that God had sent them to her.  She was so excited to see them; she sang songs to them and asked them to bless her home.  Joanna S. helped lead one of the men from the village to Christ.  Most of the homes are 1.5 miles apart and so the students are beginning to get tired but are still going strong.  Keep praying!  At the school today, there were about 350 students.  Rachel spoke and did a phenomenal job!  Ten students stood up to accept Christ!  The pastor from the area will connect these students with other Christians in the area.  Today at soccer, Jordan K. scored the winning goal.  Everyone is doing great; they are allowing God to use them in whatever way He desires.  Please pray for these that have accepted Christ.  Continue to pray for energy and rest, for them to keep their focus on God, and that God would be glorified.  

"Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done.  Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts.  Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice."  I Chronicles 16:8-10

The team visited a school today which had approximately 340 students.  Sarah sang a solo, and Taylor played the guitar and sang.  Tom B. and Chad spoke on faithfulness.  The students from the school did an outstanding performance of singing and dancing for our team today.  Our students and many of the Kenyans from the school competed in volleyball and soccer.  Our students won, with Rachel, Steven, and Jacob putting forth much effort in order to win the soccer game.  Our students divided up into four groups today and visited eight different homes.  Five people accepted Christ; one of which was a father/husband.  As was shared yesterday, there are very few men left in the families, so this was very much an answer to prayer.  The spirit of the students continues to be awesome and they are learning what community feels like; that everyone must do a part, that each has his/her own gift, and it is important to use that gift to support the body.  The maturity of the group has allowed them to work together for a common goal...spreading God's love and encouraging other Christians.  Daniel's Bible Bowl experience has been invaluable, Jordan's outgoing personality has allowed the Kenyan students to be comfortable getting involved with the group, and Marci's organizational skills allows her to keep things moving and on track.  God is working through the students to provide the appropriate words, Bible verses, and prayers in order to meet the spiritual needs of the people with whom they are talking.  They are very thankful for the LIA team and how the Team has provided for their well-being, such as the wonderful places they are staying with great food and hot showers!  They would like for you to pray that the Kenyans will receive God's message with open hearts and minds and that our students are able to speak with clarity and they will be able to share in a way that is understood.  Please pray for continued good health and that the students will get the rest they need. 

"But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be."  I Corinthians 12:18      PRAISE GOD!

Home Visits and School

The students went to the village of Mbuvo, which is a rural and arid area.  They visited more homes of widows and delivered rice, sugar, soap, tea, and maize.  Most of the men have either died of AIDS or have abandoned their families.  The team prayed for the sick and injured, and several Kenyans prayed to accept Christ.  The people are extremely appreciative of the visits and have asked for prayer for their family members to accept Christ.  They saw a demon possessed man, about 28 years old, which was quite an experience.  The team visited a school of about 230 students where Taylor, Tory, and Aaron played and sang.  Katie and Taylor shared their testimony and Chad spoke.  The team presented the school with a new computer.   Many of the students had never seen a computer.  They also had an opportunity to play soccer  with the students.  The Americans tied the Kenyans 0-0, which made the Americans very happy :)  

Evidently our students look much older than the Kenyans, and they do not believe the Americans are as young as they are.  For example, when Daniel speaks, the Kenyans laugh because his voice is so low, and they do not believe he is only 17.  The Kenyans are also amazed with the Americans skin color and light hair.  Our team has been very gracious to allow the Kenyans to touch their skin and stroke their hair. Some of the Kenyans speak English, but many do not. However, there has been a oneness between the Kenyans and the team.  God is good.  The team is very pleased to be where they are right now, with hot showers and very good food.  The weather has also been good.   Rachel and Jeri Lyn did not travel to the village today, as Rachel wasn't feeling well.  However, by the time the team returned this evening, she was feeling much better.  Nothing to worry about, Mom!  The leaders met with the director/chief of the village where they will be staying on Sunday night, and assured the leaders that they would be very safe and fully protected.  All the students say "hello and they miss you", but they are having a great time!  Please pray for continued health for the team, that the hearts of the Kenyan students will be ready to hear the message God has for them, and that the team will continue to allow God to lead them and speak through them.  

"May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."  Romans 15:5-6