Richard and Valerie Vicknair
LEAVING FOR KENYA THIS TUESDAY
In a few days Valerie and I will depart for Kenya for 9 weeks and I thought I would give you an idea of what we’ll be doing. We are hoping that you will remember us in prayer and continue to support us in this ministry to the poor.
A few days after we arrive 8 nurses from Northwest University will arrive to spend 30 days serving in Kenya. Heading up the team will be Ben Sterciuc. He is a professor of Nursing and the pastor of the Elevation Church on the NWU campus. Pastor Ben will also be traveling with his 28 year old son, Flavius. Flavius attends Overlake Church Kirkand. He is a youth worker, a business man, a computer specialist and a Professional Soccer Player. Each weekend, while they are here, this team will work with us in Medical camps for the poor in different parts of Kenya. Last year’s team made a tremendous impact. If you want to see a picture of the nurses, I have encluded it as an attachment.
On the 20th of March we will be joined by Garth and Danielle Neufeld for 10 days. They will make the loop with us through Kenya to see all of our projects and meet our Kenyan Team. Garth and Danielle are seasoned travellers with a passion for helping the poor.
Here is a general idea of our schedule for the next 9 weeks.
· On Sundays I will speak 9 times at 7 different churches
· We will make 3 trips to visit our schools and feeding centers in the slums of Kibera and Dagoretti
· We will visit our Home of Grace Orphanage 3 or 4 times
· We will host 4 medical camps in Nairobi, Narok and Kakamega
· We will make two visits to the Solid Rock Widows Ministry in Majengo
· We will visit another widows ministry in the city of Necatch
· We will visit the Shikusa Boys Detention Center twice and host a “Family Fun Day” for them with the nursing team.
· We will visit Kakamega on three different occasions
· We will have a special ceremony to “Lay the Foundation Stone” for our new orphanage in Kakamega and plan the building project.
· We will spend a day with the leadership team of The Olive Tree microfinance group in Kakamega
· We will visit the city of Narok twice to discuss our continued ministry to Masai Girls who are at risk and spend time with Lucy Kamau
· We will visit DANSO several times. Danso is our community which reaches out to families infected by or affected by HIV/AIDS.
· We will travel to Mombasa for several days to visit Kathy Pryor and the YWAM base at Likoni
· On March 28 we will host a “Network Partner Family Seminar” and spend the whole day with over 150 Kenyans who are working with us in ministry.
· We will have a number of days of meetings with our Worldcomp Kenya Board and Leadership team
· THE SIDEBAR: As most of you know we always have a “Sidebar” of things that come up as the Lord leads. On many days the sidebar is more significant than our scheduled agenda. We have now learned to build the sidebar into our schedule in order to allow the Lord to do “Whatever He Wants” with us.
So there you have it! All the elements of great trip to Kenya.
Please pray for us dear friends. As you know the world has become a more dangerous place with the rise of new diseases and the rise of terrorism. While our trust is always in the Lord, we know that our covering in prayer is an absolute essential.
· Pray for our health
· Pray for our protection
· Pray for God’s provision
· Pray for Wisdom
· Pray for Anointing
· Pray that we will be sensitive to the voice of the Lord.
· Pray for our children and our family back home.
On the financial front there are two things I would prayerfully ask you to consider:
1. OUR PERSONAL SUPPORT: We still need several thousand dollars of personal support. The expenses of traveling and housing will be fairly high. Please pray about giving something special to our personal support during the next few months
2. FUND FOR THE POOR: Valerie and I praying that the Lord will give us $5000 so we can give to several important things; Our Microfinance programs are in need of money to replenish their Loan Funds, Our Lenana School is always in desperate need of support and we want to give each teacher something for their sacrifices. Finally we want to be able to give “Alms to the Poor” as the Lord leads, because we are about to enter a desperate land where there are many who are in desperate need. If you feel led to give to this cause please just designate “Fund for the Poor” on your donation.
If you wish to give send your donations to:
Mail: Worldcomp Kenya Relief International, 7758 Earl Ave NW, Seattle, WA
Online at: www.worldcompkenya.com/ways-to-help
One last thing:
I will be sending a “Daily Email Report” while we are in Kenya. While almost everyone I talk to enjoys reading this, there may be some who do not wish to receive it. If you do not wish to receive it just email me at rvicknair and write the word “Remove” . I promise I won’t upset if you do!
Last year many of you sent us notes and words of encouragement. It meant so much to us.
Bless you all dear friends. See you in a few months.
Richard and Valerie Vicknair