LBF:Greetings from the Nortons

Jambo……greetings from Africa………again we started our beautiful day with the natural sounds of Kenya. What we mistook for monkeys in the trees turned out to be turtle doves in the open rafters of our sleeping quarters and the crows here have become our alarm clocks, waking us up at approximately 6am. However it’s a joy to wake up early here…we take a morning walk…..blessed by the sights of gorgeous blue clouded skies, sunlit cornfields, brick red deeply rotted roads, caused by the heavy rain the night before, and the best part is that we share the path with the precious Kenya children. They greet us with smiling faces as they are on their way to school. It’s a sheer pleasure to exchange morning greetings with them. Normally we arrive back just in time for our deliciously prepared breakfast of hard-boiled eggs, toast with honey or jam, bananas and chai (sweet tea and milk), however this morning I (Deb) ran ahead of the team, in order to get to school on time. I was given the opportunity to teach the Bible lesson to the upper elementary students. I read from the Bible the story of the feeding of the five thousand then told the story from the perspective of the little boy that brought the basket of fish and bread. This opportunity was blessing for me.

I (Noel) Mike, and John, have been working along side of the Kenyan men rebuilding the fence around the large demonstration farm, Shamba. We are enjoying our fellowship with them. Bernard is interested in learning Spanish, so it’s funny to be learning Kiswahili while teaching what we know of Spanish to Bernard. We work well together and are getting a lot of work done. Let me put it this way, we are sleeping well at night! I went in to the Town of Eldoret with David Kosgo, Brian Albright, Amy Parker, and two sick little boys from the orphanage. I am amazed at the patience and at how well behaved the children here in Kenya are. In spite of the very hot and bumpy drive into town, the waiting at the clinic, the hardware store, the ELI office, and the auto mechanics, the boys were little troopers. At the hardware store we purchased parts to build two go-karts, (push carts) for the children to play with.

Debbie and I are so impressed with how devoted to God and loving these brothers and sisters in Christ are. They love to invite you into there homes for Chai, cookies, fellowship together. They are so loving and gracious. We are enjoying the building of relationships. And we are blessed.

Prayer requests:

Please pray as we continue our stay here in Ilula…….that we keep up our enthusiasm for all that we are doing. Asante sana.