We are now at the last day of our current “Tour of Duty” in Kenya. These last two months have surely been a battle, but “the sufferings of this present world are not worthy to be compared with the glory that has been revealed.” On three different occasions we were on the verge of cutting our trip short and coming home because of Valerie’s health. After all has been said and done, it looks as if she brought some health issues with her to Kenya which would have never come to light unless we were here. It once looked like Kenya was the cause of the problem, but it may well turn out that Kenya will be the cure of the problem.

When we look back on the events of the past two months, it is mind boggling. So many wonderful things have happened and it seems like a year has gone by. Almost every day there was some kind of miracle and the blessings have been more than we could have asked for or thought of. We can really identify with Abraham; he trusted in God and left his home to travel to another land. Even before he went, God assured him that he would bless him and that he would be a blessing to the entire world. Don’t get me wrong, I am not Abraham, but I can without question say, “I have received Abraham’s blessing because we have taken a step of faith.”

Never in our wildest dreams did we ever see the enormity of what God would do when we started WorldComp ten years ago. Our first thought was just to help a small group of poor families who were struggling to cope with AIDS. Soon after that we were feeding 600 children, then our feeding centers turned into schools for slum children. Following that came our microfinance programs which now serve over 600 widows. Then, as we moved among the poor and saw their suffering, God spoke to us to start our medical camps which are now some of the largest and best organized medical camps in Kenya. Now we are building orphanages, digging wells, rescuing girls and rebuilding the lives of juvenile boys! This may sound like boasting, but it’s all the work of God. We truly feel like we are just hanging on while God works His will.

A few months ago I got a phone call. I noticed the call came from Philadelphia, but when I answered it was a voice with a Kenyan accent.

The voice said, “What are you doing?”

“Excuse me?” I said.

And the voice said again, “What are you doing?”

“Who is this?” I said.

And the voice said, “This is Evans from Kenya and I am asking you, ‘What are you doing in Kenya?’”

Without even thinking I said, “We aren’t doing a thing in Kenya! But let me tell you what God is doing there!”

There is no doubt in my mind that this is the truth. We are watching the work of the One who cares more for the poor than any of us and it is marvelous in our eyes.

Shortly we will return home and continue to organize and pray for God’s provision as we continue to expand our efforts to care for the poor. Sometimes I make the mistake of thinking that it is up to me to find the resources to fund all of this. When I do, I feel overwhelmed. I have to remind myself of God’s promise that “he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus”. Phil 1:6

If you would like to see firsthand what we are doing, please consider joining us on one of our trips. Our “On Site is Insight” tour happens annually during the months of Feb and March, and our medical camps happen in the Month of August.

The last but most important thing I would like to say as we complete this leg of our journey is “Thank you” for praying for us. On a number of occasions Valerie and I have said, “Someone must be praying.” When Paul said ‘the effectual fervent prayers of God’s righteous ones avail much’, he was telling us that things happen as a direct result of prayer. So many of you have written to us to say “we are praying for you” and nothing could be more comforting than that. I would ask you to continue to pray for us for several weeks after we get home. Sometimes there is a let-down between the adventure of this world and the routine of the world back home.

We love and appreciate all of you so much.

Richard and Valerie

SAVE THE DATE:
We will be hosting a “Kenya Night” on June 17th at 7pm at Westside Church, 7758 Earl Ave NW, Seattle. Join us as we celebrate what God has done here in Kenya. It’s an inspiring story!