APU: Brittney Reports

Zach and Diana Rudolph, team leaders

Sue and George Bache, APU Director of Institute of Outreach Ministries

The team: Zach, Brittney, Becca, Jessica, Diana, Devon, (back) Steve & Adriel

Adriel, Brittney, Becca, Jessica, Devon and Steve

Adele says: During dinner tonight, Laban ate a termite, wings and all. This got the whole team going... OK, not everyone ate termites, but Steve and Zach did. Of course. But they removed the wings. Gross! The team is currently back with the children, reading bedtime stories. They've been doing wonderfully! Thank you for praying for them. Here's what Brittney has to say:

Well let’s see… I am going to give you an update on the past three days here in Ilula. Starting on Saturday we worked on the keying of the kitchen that Becca mentioned in the last blog. I love those four hours that we work on that because it is a time where our team really bonds and we get to share stories and laugh with one another. We also get a chance to talk with the parents and get to know them on a personal level.

Later that day, the children all got together in a room and watched Finding Nemo. Some of the children were scared of the sharks and the big fish. Saturday was a pretty relaxing day which was very nice.

On Sunday, we had our first church service. It was so amazing! Many people from the town came and joined us so we had a chance to meet some new people. Our team went up and sang them a song called “African Rain,” then Zach spoke and gave a wonderful sermon about how we all have an inheritance as God's sons and daughters. Later that evening, we went to Kerio View which was at the edge of the valley overlooking a portion of the Great Rift Valley. I have never seen so much green in my life. Becca got attacked by huge ants, Zach and I thought we heard elephants making weird noises but we were told that there were no elephants in that area, so we are not sure what we were hearing. We then received a letter from our loved ones back at home. I know that receiving these put a big smile on everyone’s face. It was so nice to get words of encouragement from the people we love. So thank you to all of those who took the time to write to us, we really appreciated it. =)

Now for Monday… we finally got the rain that we have been waiting for. It is very cold and muddy, but it is so neat to sit under the gazebo and play a game of dominoes or UNO and just listen to the rain. We all went on a home visit to the directors of the Children's Home, Laban and Angelina. They served us chai and showed us pictures of their families and their wedding. It then started pouring so we couldn’t leave. We spent a good 2 hours just sharing our stories and drinking chai.

At dinner time the power went out so we had a candle light dinner. There was about 15 people sitting around the table talking and debriefing about what we have learned being here so far and what we have enjoyed. I have learned that with love anything is possible. The four sets of parents that are here have so much love for their children. Even though many of the children come from broken homes, being abused, parents dieing of AIDS the love that these parents show them have transformed them to be such wonderful loving children.

As for today, we worked in the morning continuing the keying and we finally finished the kitchen and are moving to the next house tomorrow. It started raining in the afternoon and has not stopped yet. Zach, Steve and I milked a cow for the first time, and I must say it was very interesting. Today has been such a beautiful yet cold day. I wish I could continue writing but it is time to go do devotions with the children. We love you and miss you all.

God bless,
Brittney