Recap of amazing things the past few days…
Wednesday… Help build a widows house out of mud
Thursday… Visiting the widow down in the valley and started building a new house for her, Listening Prayer and allowing God to guide and direct us, super cool stories of how God spoke to us and lead us… especially ask Christa about it! Celebration of Chad’s birthday
Friday… Last day with the widows, providing food for their families, singing and dancing with them, sharing the love of Christ with the poorest of the poor. Visiting the 3 widows that we had outhouses built for and 1 or the 2 homes that we had built for two of the widows. God is moving is powerful ways!
Well it’s friday and our time here is almost at an end. This has been an unbelievable experience. Looking back, its hard to believe all of the different areas we have seen God move. Being able to bless needy widows’ families with proper shelter and utilities was great to see. This also provided much needed jobs for men and women in the community. The Kenyan people have such a love for life and love for one another. Those of them who have come to know the Lord have such an amazing and humble spirit about them. They just want to bless everyone they come in contact with. I would recommend anyone who is looking to serve and grow spiritually to consider partnering with Love for Kenya and coming on a future trip. I personally can’t wait to come back. - Chad
The time here has felt like months and at the same time, mere minutes. We have had the privilege to meet so many amazing people, experience so many things and feel so loved and welcomed by our Kenyan friends. I’d love for you to hear some highlights from our (Brombacher) kids:
This has been an exciting trip. I’ve had so much fun playing soccer with the kids. It’s been great to build relationships with people, especially the kids. The trip’s almost over and I have had so much fun. -Isaac
This trip has been great. Some of my favorite things we did were playing soccer with the kids, riding the piki pikies, and mudding the house. I’ve made a lot of great friends and done a lot of things. Overall this has been an amazing experience. - Josiah
Yesterday was Chad’s Birthday!! I made him a card and had everyone sign it with one word that describes Chad. We stuck heart stickers on him all day and the kids at Shangilia surprised him by throwing water on him. Anja Brombacher
I like piki piki’s (motorcycles). - Elias
Truly...our time here has flown by so quickly. Today we met with the widows for a second time and it was so great to see their faces and worship with them again. These women have so very little. They are outcasts in this culture, but the joy that eminates from them is so contagious, inspiring and beautiful. Being here has reminded me that so often we focus on so many things that are not important. While most of the people we have met here own less than what most of us have in one room of our homes, they exude a joy in the Lord that most Americans do not. It’s been very convicting and inspiring. There have also been those we have met who carry the weight of the world on their shoulders. They are destitute and you can see the hardship in their eyes. We have been able to bless with the smallest of things...granola bars, underwear, bags of local food, some sodas and with something better than worldly possessions…prayer and the message of Hope in Jesus. The outhouses we were able to help finance for the widows are a beacon of hope to these dear women and their neighbors. Each time we visited a construction site, we prayed and shared that these outhouses were being built because God loves them. Our family feels so blessed to have been given this opportunity. Thank you all for your support and prayers. - Rolf and Melody Brombacher
I can’t believe today is our last full day at Shangilia! The trip started out moving fairly slowly but the second half has flown by! It has been so fun venturing out into the community visiting the widows and families where new houses and outhouses are being built. Or stopping by the soda shop (a dusty room on the side of the road) to pick up sodas for the construction teams and finding a poster of my favorite Kenyan-American Mr. Obama! Totally got a pic of the two of us! Or walking by a primary school and seeing little children pop their heads out from behind a rock and with big eyes say Muzungu!! White person! They are not use to seeing us in these parts. This trip has brought me so much pleasure; just being in the moment and experience the little things. I can do without the task of smooshing a Brown Recluse spider at 1AM. I did not have my husband or dad to do it for me! I saved my hut mates!! Molly Moore
Today we saw all the work that had been done while we where here. We helped build two homes and two outhouses. We were blessed to have raised money above our need to get here and could help support the Kenyan’s by having them do the work. We are soon on our way to a talent show done by the children at Shangilia orphanage and our team. This could be interesting because they have some awesome talent. We are all tired but it has been quite an experience.
Louann Beal
Yesterday we spent time in listening prayer. I had a clear vision of walking down a hill behind a woman wearing a very specific geometric pattern woven into the fabric of her skirt. She balanced a bag on her head. There was also a man with a 2x4 over his shoulder. Each were walking down a steep dirt road.. Others in our group also felt we were supposed to walk down a hill, down into the valley. As we walked I looked for someone who fit the description I saw. There was no one else on the road. Then we traveled down the valley, we came to the house of one of the widows. When she greeted us, I saw that she had a long shirt covering part of her skirt. That shirt had the exact pattern I saw in my prayer. Just a little confirmation that we were in the right place. We were able to chat with her for awhile and pray for her. She was thrilled the Love For Kenya was building her a new home. She told that every day she gathers fruit, carries them in a bag on her head and sells them in the village. As we started out on the road back to Shangalia, men were cutting down trees for the walls of her home. One turned his back to me had two trees the size of a 2x4 slung over his back.
Christa Anderson
BLOG DARLING - This is my first blog ‘cuz I keep forgetting my glasses!
This has been the best week with my marafiki (friends). Singing, praying and eating with what has become family for me. I thank Mungu (God) and those praying for me for keeping me healthy while here. I have had to kill 2 brown recluse spiders and 1 big ugly something spider. God has let me be a part of His plan blessing these beautiful people with new outhouses, homes and clothing that you all have provided. We also had finances to help individuals with difficult life issues including medical. My time with the child I sponsor, Shakeel, was the best. He is a fantastic dancer with many athletic moves. Christa our dance queen taught him some more cool stuff. Shakeel and I also played catch with baseball gloves that some of you helped me bring. The pressure on the children to get good grades is very high so the singing, dancing and sports, I think, helps relieve that intensity.
Also I can now say I have helped build a wall for a mud house! The mud sticks to your shoes so much you feel like you’re 3 inches taller.
Some of you know that I try to learn to say a bible verse in Swahili to the children, the, widows we spend time with and those we see along our hikes. I now can share the Gospel with anyone here in their language. Very fun for me even though they sometimes have to correct me. That might even be better because then I know the message got through.
Enjoying the beautiful 85 degree weather, the African sunrises and the starry, starry night skies.
La La Salama – Randy Darling, alias Mosee (Mozay)
