Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
Our day started with a walk to the new kitchen that is being built for Betty, a widow. Our team helped mud the new structure. After our walk back to Shangilia, we rode on piki-pikis, which are basically motorcycle taxies, to Prayer Mountain for prayer and another hike. We also attended another Shangilia soccer game (they won 3-0). Following soccer, we visited the Rejoice Medical Clinic and Beauty Salon, which a staff member’s wife owns. The evening concluded with a Talent Show and prayer. A very touching end to a great and powerful day.
2025 November 25th - Buffalo Covenant Mission Trip - Prayer and Visiting Widows
Another great day of ministry for our team! The day started with a sunrise hike to Lookout Mountain. The team was able to enjoy the sunrise and spend time in prayer for the trip, our churches, and both the USA and Kenya. Following breakfast, they had another time of devotions and prayer. The team then prepared gift bags for the Shangilia staff, and a visit to a staff member’s home completed the morning. The afternoon included multiple visits to the homes of widows. The day was a blessing.
2025 November 24th - Buffalo Covenant Mission Trip - Evangelism and Soccer
The team attended a Shangilia soccer tournament (Shangilia won three to one). After the game, they shared the Gospel with many children and spectators. Many people accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. They started the afternoon with ministry around Shangilia, returning to Shangilia before evening for more soccer and evangelism. After the second game of soccer, they had a blessed time of worship, and the team led devotions. Today was a fantastic day, filled with so many blessings.
Praise God for the many, many new believers.
2025 November 23rd - Buffalo Covenant Mission Trip - Sabbath at Oasis of Joy
Great Sabbath at Oasis of Joy Church. Our team shared two testimonies (Brian and Michael), and Alex presented the message. Our team was accompanied on the walk to church by around three dozen children from Shangilia. Great afternoon with the children of Shangilia making bracelets, playing soccer, and making balloon animals.
2025 November 22nd - Buffalo Covenant Mission Trip - Widows and Whippersnappers
The team had a very powerful and busy Saturday filled with ministry. They started the day with a tour of the Shangilia facility and grounds, then had the joyous opportunity to share the Gospel with roughly 100 widows and serve them chai tea with mandazi. Mandazi is fried bread that is similar to a doughnut.
In the afternoon, the team participated in the local AWANA program. Following the AWANA program, they visited the homes of 2 widows. During these visits, the team prayed over the site of a new kitchen that was being built for a widow and her 14 grandchildren. They then visited the site of the recently completed Water Tank Project for Miriam. This new water tank provides water for Miriam, her children, her grandchildren, and even her neighbors.
God was working in the lives of each team member today. It was a great day of ministry.
2025 November 21st - Buffalo Covenant Mission Trip - In Kibera
The day started in Kibera, where the team was able to share the gospel and serve lunch alongside Pastor Timothy. After evangelizing in Kibera, the team took a relatively short flight to Kisumu and ended the day with Pastor Francis in Shangelia.
2025 November 20th - Buffalo Covenant Mission Trip - Arrival at Nairobi
After a second flight leaving from Amsterdam at 11:40 A.M., the team arrived in Nairobi, Kenya, at about 10:00 P.M. local time (nine hours ahead of us) and got to the hotel sometime around 12:00 A.M. Tomorrow will kick off with Pastor Timothy in Kibera at about 9:00 A.M. local time. The team is excited about the busy day tomorrow!
Praise God that there has been great team bonding and multiple opportunities for sharing the gospel, even during travel.
2025 November 19th - Buffalo Covenant Mission Trip - The Journey Begins
It began with a team in prayer, preparing for their flight that left the Minneapolis airport at 5:55 P.M. for Amsterdam, Netherlands. They are scheduled to arrive at 9:10 A.M. Amsterdam time (seven hours ahead of us), and after an energetic layover, leave for Nairobi, Kenya, at 11:40 A.M.
Your prayers are appreciated. God is already at work.
(The galleries are for the two different ratios - landscape and vertical. The pictures within them are in order, but the top gallery is not before the bottom gallery.)
LOVE FOR KENYA - DAY 7 & 8 MINISTRY - LAST DAY IN KENYA
Friday was our last ministry day at Shangilia and we had the opportunity to sing, dance and minister with and to the widows. We also provided food for these amazing women. Saturday… Safari day and back home on Sunday. Thank you Jesus for the amazing ministry here in Kenya!!
LOVE FOR KENYA - JULY - DAY 7 MINISTRY DAY
Thursday update… visiting the projects at the 3 widows… 2 outhouses that were built and a house, providing basic needs as we show God’s love and share the love of Jesus. We also had the opportunity to celebrates Pastor Francis’s 70th Birthday… Big Celebration!! Our ministry was also to the Pre-School children that Shagilia Family Impact that runs for the community. So many God moments all day today. Continue to pray for our team as tomorrow, Friday is our last full day of ministry
LOVE FOR KENYA - DAY 6 MINISTRY
WEDNESDAY… Morning Meeting with Kenya leadership. April with Elaine and her recovering knee!
We were able to help build a new home for a widow and do some of the mudding for the walls. We also delivered bedroom furniture and supplies to the widow Hannah. God continues to move in the lives of our Kenya friends in the community. We praise God for the ministry of Love for Kenya here at Shangilia Family Impact and how they are making a huge difference in the lives of the people in the community. This ministry is truly a light house to the community.
LOVE FOR KENYA - DAY 5 MINISTRY
We started the day (today is Tuesday) meeting with Francis, Alex and Rachel. We went to visit June, who graduated from HELD in 2021, and now she is a fashion designer. Some of the ladies bought some items from her that she made herself. Then we regrouped and met with some of the recent graduates from HELD and walked up to Luciola to do some listening prayer. But before that, we stopped at a staff member’s house, Benson, to pray for his family. We went up to the oasis of joy church and sat together as a group and did two rounds of listening prayer. The Lord showed us different things and we made two categories. One category was following a man’s voice and going where the spirit would lead us and the other category was going down a path with a green cross. So two groups went out and one group prayed at two houses and helped a young girl go to the clinic due to stomach issues and the other group ended up at the clinic where Tom ended up giving a green New Testament (with a cross on it) to a widow that had been very ill. And the reason they ended up there was because one of our team members had fallen and her knee was scraped and she had to get some medical care. Previously, the Lord spoke to Tom and told him to take the New Testament, which had a green cover and a cross on it along on the walk today. That was the book he ended up, giving to the widow who will read it with her grandson!
After that, we went to Chanzoka public school where we put on our puppet show lesson about the good Shepherd. We taught them songs and a memory verse, also! We met the staff and they were very kind to us! Tonight we will do Jesus time where we will continue our good Shepherd lesson. We will finish up our testimonies tonight, too! It’s been a great day! Hallelujah! I hope you are doing well.
LOVE FOR KENYA - DAY 4 MINISTRY
Today (Monday) we visited with the girls who finished the HELD program (A post High School program that prepares students for college and also provides ministry and life skills) and heard some of their stories. We visited the gardens and Tom got to work on those. We are having a great day once again!
April was able to visit one of the original widows when the widows ministry started about 15 years ago. This widow was very weak and not doing well. They were able to bring her to our medical clinic in the village to get treatment. She is is doing much better.
Thank you for all the prayers for our team, each day is a new adventure that Jesus has us on.
LOVE FOR KENYA - Day 3 Ministry
Sunday… Attended the Oasis of Joy Church, some testimonies from our team and April did an amazing job preaching. The afternoon was filled with time with the kids at Shangilia Orphanage and then providing school uniforms for the widows children and Grand Children. God is doing amazing things through our team in just a few short days already.
2025 JULY LFK TRIP - Day 2 - Widows Ministry
Amazing Day with the widows, singing, dancing and showing God’s love in a real way to the ones that are the outcasts in the Kenyan culture. We had an opportunity to remind the widows that they are deeply loved by Jesus and they are not alone and that God see’s them.
I was also amazing to greet all the kids and staff at Shangilia. we also spent part of the day going to the ministry sights where we will have 2 outhouses and 1 house build for 3 widows.
2025 July LFK Trip - Day 1 - Kibira Slum
Amazing first day in Kenya, ministering with Pastor Timothy in the Kibira Slum. Spending a few hours loving on the kids and staff at Calvary School.
JUNE 2025 #8
Our last day of ministry was Friday and we ended on a high note with lots of special good byes! Great friendships and community were built over the last week. We began the day by serving breakfast to the children at 6:00 am. The meal consists of chai tea and mandazi then we sent them off to their days with a time of prayer and blessing as we walked all the children to school. We got to say good bye to our dear friends in the Widows Ministry with more prayers, singing, dancing, and good byes. Our final adventure was a trip to the equator! Wow! The team safely returned back on Saturday at 11:30 am.
JUNE 2025 #7
Today was a wonderful time with our widow’s ministry. We had the opportunity to visit the completed kitchen, doors, windows, and water tanks. The widows felt so thankful and encouraged as we were able meet these felt needs for them. We spent time praying over each property and the surrounding community as we walked to their huts. Finally, we were treated to an incredible talent show! Singing, dancing, acting, and so much more! We are thankful for the creativity and passion for each of the children at Shangilia.
JUNE 2025 #6
Today was primarily spent in the community prayer walking for all of our extended partners including Oasis of Joy church, Rejoice Medical Clinic, and Idileri Primary School. We were blessed by connecting with members of each of these communities and sharing an encouraging word and prayer with all who we encountered. One of the highlights was making our way to do home visits to the Shangilia staff and pastors. This was a special time of fellowship, joy, and devotionals.
JUNE 2025 #5
We had a fabulous day of serving and fun! We began by serving meals to each of the children and saying a small blessing over each of them. Additionally, we got to go mudding while helping the local workers to build a new kitchen for one of the widows. The highlight may have been a sacred visit to Prayer Mountain for a chance to reflect, meditate, and praise our God. Finally, lots of fun playing games with the children and a time of service by helping the staff do laundry.
