APU Update

Greetings from Kipkaren!

Brent and Justin here, and we would just like to take a few moments to say hello to friends and family and share a little bit about our time here at the training center. This past week has been filled with so many joyful events, we would just like to highlight a few of them. As we have been spending time with the children, the children have all found favorites, and thus we generally are playing with the same posse of children. For me, Brent, there are three children in particular who have touched my heart. Faith, Collins, and Dennis are their names, and I like them each for different reasons. I like Collins because he will never leave me alone, and always has to be holding my hand or rubbing the hair on my arm or doing something that involves affection towards me. Faith has an amazing story, and she is very shy, but always comes up to me and wants me to hold her or give her attention. Dennis is a crackup, he is an amazing dancer and loves to sing. Each of these children is HIV positive. My general days consist of waking up at dawn and running, and yesterday I ran with a Kenyan who took me on an 8 km run. I was beginning to walk around barefoot, but nurse Julie told me not to because she does not want me to get worms. All of the children are fascinated by my scabs (yes mother I crashed my scooter again and I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to freak out. More details later). We go on home visits which are awesome because we meet people with amazing stories and we even meet people along the way who have never seen a white person (Wazungu) before. This place is amazing and the Kenyan people offer a hand of love that cannot be matched. I love you all and could not wish for any better way to spend my birthday.


For me, Justin (or Kipblimo as the Kenyans would call me), the kids that have touched me since I have been here are Toi, Sandra, Melva and Patrick. Each of them are unique in their own way and I love spending time with them. Toi is not afraid to say hello or run up to me and great me. She is amazed by my big hands and always finds a vein, bug bite or freckle to show other kids. Sandra is a lot like Faith, she is super shy but won’t be afraid to say hello to me or hug me. Melva is a couple years older then Toi and Sandra. She is usually alone except when she sees me. I love that her shyness doesn’t get in the way of our relationship. Lastly is Patrick, he is one the older boys of the childrens home and has an amazing story behind his life. Whenever I am around, he will give me a firm handshake then walk with me and hold my hand. Our days, as Brent mentioned, consist of the same tasks in the morning and the afternoon is always different. The guys on the trip spend our mornings keying (plastering cement) and the women wash the kid’s clothes at the children’s home. Everyone here we meet is very welcoming into their home and each and every one of them is so generous. God is doing incredible work here in our hearts and in their community. I love you all and will see you in a week in a half. I send blessings your way and we have been praying for you. Love you Mom, Dad and Shane! Miss you Beandip, Love you!