A NewSong update by Peggy & Diann
After 41 hours of travel by car, train, bus, plane, and plane, and plane, and waiting along the way we arrived safely in Nairobi Friday night, June 27. We spent the night (or really the early morning hours for most of us, since one of our suitcases got left behind at the Nairobi airport and had to be fetched) at a missionary guest house in Nairobi.
On Saturday morning, after having to adjust our packing a bit due to a weight restriction, we flew in a 20-seater plane for Eldoret. (Our remaining two cases came the next evening.) Seeing the landscape from this vantage point was beautiful. We were picked up by the Ilula Children’s Home Director Laban Rono, the Ukweli Training Center Manager Patrick Kiprop and the Short Term Teams Coordinator Joel. They drove us through town and out a ways to the Ilula Children’s Home.
We received a beautiful greeting from the children as we pulled down the driveway onto the campus. All 90+ children were lined up in a semi-circle formation, from smallest to biggest. The four little ones at the start of the line held a bouquet of roses, one for each of us. As we walked down the line, each of them extended their precious little hand to shake ours and they put left hand over their right forearm as a gesture of honor to us, all the while saying: “Welcome” or “Welcome Home.” It was a greeting that overwhelmed our senses and emotions. The people here are very gracious, grateful, and kind . We received several warm welcomes by different staff and children in word, song, and dance before the welcome ceremony was concluded.
From that time until now, five full days have flown by. The people here, both ELI staff and villagers alike, are warm and loving people who value relationship. They have shared the stories of their lives and asked us about ours. The sharing has been rich. Time is not as important as people, and it is measured more by the event than the minute—although they do plan a daily and weekly schedule and pack a lot into each day. They are very grateful for us as their “visitors” and are so open and eager to listen and receive what God can speak through us. We have had several formal opportunities, and many casual ones, to minister; here are some highlights:
- interacting with the staff of the Children’s Home, adult Training Center, and the Director of Operations for ELI Kenya over meals and in rich conversations
- Duke and Peggy, primarily, spent three days of seminar discussions with the Children’s Home house parents; Diann sat in on the last two and contributed
- a few hours of seminar discussion with 13 men and their two leaders in the 30-day alcoholic rehabilitation group—they live on the grounds and graduate Saturday (four are being baptized!); it was a powerful time
- Dan met with the teachers and headmaster of the school next to the Children’s Home to discuss improvements in teaching and student growth
- Diann was the main speaker at a church service on Sunday in a beautiful area at 8,500 feet elevation; three congregations came together for it and we were the first team to ever be taken to this area
- we all spoke to a group from the church that afternoon about their community concerns and gave ideas, challenge, and encouragement
Tomorrow* we leave for 8 nights in Kipkaren and begin again to bond with God’s dear servants and to serve the least of these in Jesus’ precious name.
By His grace and for His glory,
NewSong Church Kenya Team
Dan Perrine, Duke and Peggy Draeger, Diann Enderby
* The team has since arrived at Kipkaren and are enjoying the new Kipkaren guest houses on the banks of the Kipkaren River. So far, they've been on tours of the various ministries at this base, and right now, they're at the graduation of the new DBSP class, a small-business training program. Tomorrow, they'll be spending some time at a children's rally (300+ are expected) as well as at an AIDS campaign.
Please keep praying for the team, for good health & for God to show them his heart.
No comments:
Post a Comment