Today we unleashed HOPE by dedicating the new DINING HALL which funds were donated from Plymouth Covenant Church in Minnesota and Centennial Covenant Church in Colorado. Thank you for your generocity! This will have been the first time these children at Shangilia Orphanage (Love for Kenya) have ever sat at a table for a meal and use silverware, place, bowl, cup, etc. This dining hall will be used for all meals, worship and devotional time every evening, a place to do home work, and a place to do there weekly Friday night talent show. The uses for this dinning hall are endless and has created a new chapter in everyone’s life. For the cooks, a huge new kitchen is such a blessing for them, no more smokey little kitchen by using fire wood in the old kitchen. Thank you again, Plymouth Covenant and Centennial Covenant Church for Unleashing Hope at Love for Kenya, you have made a huge impact! - Randy Stensgard
I’m truly not even sure what day it is. What a glorious feeling to let go of time. Here there is only prayer, fellowship, service, and worship . . . and endless puns from Randy. I’ve had the opportunity to teach the boys hip hop and traditional African dance. Today I taught the girls ballet. We have all noticed that the boys seem to have less inhibitions than the girls. They are fearless. The girls hang back and wait for the leaders to join before they try new things. They are fearful of judgment from their peers. Today the girls and I talked about Zephaniah 3:17 … the Lord rejoices over you with singing. The word rejoice can mean to leap and spin. Since we know we are created in God’s image we should feel free to leap and spin with him. This helped some of them take the risk to improvise. They all began to laugh and cheer one another on.
As the class ended, I asked them what they hoped for. They all agreed, an education, and a future. They also agreed that they hoped for more dance. I think I will be coming back to Kenya. Who is coming with me? Christa Anderson
Today I had a lesson on how to clean a KOO KOO (chicken):) This was a total first for me. Chicken was on the menu for dinner, and at lunch the chickens were butchered, cleaned and cooked! Now that’s what I call a truly organic chicken!! Dawn Holmquist
Hello everyone,
Today I had an opportunity to minister to a kindergarten class in the school on the mission. The Brombacher’s helped me. All those sweet, smiling, happy faces just melt your heart. We sang several songs. Even if they didn’t know them, they joined right in with their unbelievable rhythm. I shared the story about Gideon. I taught them a new song about marching in the Lord’s army. The teachers and the children really got into it and explained the story in Swahili. Thank you for your prayers. God in answering and moving. Pam Anderson.
Greeting from Kenya! We had another full day at Shangilia. Cindy, Randy, Pastor Francis, Alex and I went and picked up some soda and bread to deliver a treat to the workers who are working on our building projects in the community. We first stopped off at a widows house where a new outhouse is being constructed then we were off to the new house being built for a family of 6. The guys were very appreciative of the not so cold refreshment. It was fun to watch the expressions on the faces of the towns people as Randy drove by them in the truck. They are not use to seeing westerners driving. Molly Moore
What a great trip it has been so far! stay tuned for our next blog post!