Dear Friends:
I have recently heard that a number of people who are interested in the events of our recent trip to Kenya did not get my daily reports. I am sorry for this! It was my first time using MailChimp and two problems occurred. First I didn’t know how to use the features and second, my reports went to spam on many accounts. So for those who are interested I have put together a compilation of our journey. When you get a quiet moment, take 10 minutes and read through this. So many wonderful things took place and I believe you will find many of them very inspiring.
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2. BREAKING THE CYCLE OF POVERTY
Most of the outreach of Worldcomp is to those who live in the slums or in the poor rural areas of Kenya where people live their lives with next to nothing or in total poverty. There are 17 slums around the city of Nairobi and most of them are just a short walk from areas where wealthy people live. The reason for this is thousands of unemployed and poor people come to the city desperately looking for any kind of work and, due to the vast numbers looking, they are forced to work for $1 or $2 a day. With wages so low they can’t afford rent so they find some place nearby to camp or live cheap; The slums! It’s a paradox, but slums are literally the creation of the rich.
Slum dwellers continually live on the edge of disaster. All it takes is one bout of Typhoid or Malaria, one termination from work, one injury on the job, one case of being robbed and starvation is at their door. It boggles my mind that tens of thousands of people literally get stuck in this cycle of poverty their whole lives. They live and die in the slums! They marry and have children in the slums! It becomes their way of life and many stop looking for a way out.
Most of the children who we feed and care for have come to us because their moms and dads have finally died from the harsh realities of life. Also when you read the profiles of our kids you’ll see that close to half of them have had their fathers disappear one day because they just couldn’t make it work.
As we feed, educate and care for kids we are keenly away that we are giving them a way out of the cycle of poverty. Kids who are taught well come to understand that the way out is found in things like, wisdom, self-confidence, creativity, ingenuity, vocational skill, and it’s found in character issues like integrity, hard work, faithfulness, honesty, compassion, courage and responsibility. It’s what’s on the inside that counts so we have to make sure that our approach is more than externalities.
Most of all, we know that all of the above qualities come from God. A relationship with Him is “The essential” if we are to grow in these qualities and experience the fruit of the Spirit. What a contrast it is to come from a life of hopelessness to a life of faith in Christ. Someday, when you are able to take a trip with us, you’ll see that all of our projects are centered in Christ. It is evident by the fact that you ‘ll find joyful worship and daily prayer ever present in our work.
One of the great contrasts of life is to go into the darkest areas of the slums, where hopelessness and depression abound and come upon a group of two or three hundred kids who are joyfully praising God at the top of their lungs. What a witness to the community! “The light shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot overpower it.”
ON A PERSONAL NOTE:
We are feeling the impact of your prayers. Several hours from our departure, Valerie’s blood pressure rose dangerously high and she felt very ill. For a moment we thought that things were going to go really bad. But all of a sudden, with no explanation it vanished and she felt great. I say “no explanation”, but we are keenly aware that the prayers of the saint are accomplishing much! Thank you dear friends for praying for us. It really makes a difference.
3. KENYA MISSION – THE NEEDS OF WIDOWS
We left at 5am for our flight to Western Kenya. I was a bit apprehensive because we were flying on an airlines I have never flown before and from an airport I have never used before. But as we made our way through the check in process I had to compliment the staff of Safarilink airlines on their efficiency and their courtesy. It was so refreshing! Everyone knew what they were doing, no one was confused and we where through the process in a jiffy.
The first person to greet us on the other side was Mary Beth Genet. She was positively giddy! Jumping up and down on the other side of the glass as we picked up our luggage. “It’s good to see you too: Mary Beth.”
From the airport we drove up the hill from Kisumu to the home of our dear friend Nancy Odwaro for breakfast. No one in this world knows how to put on a breakfast like Nancy and her 7 helpers. I won’t describe it to you in detail lest your are riddled with jealousy, but let me just say; “It’s worth coming to Kenya for!” After breakfast Valerie and the women sat down for an hour to plan a great day for the widows of the Solid Rock Widows Ministry. On Wednesday, three hundred or more widows will spend the day at the at the widows center in Majengo for a great day of worship, teaching, testimonies and training hosted by the women of our Worldcomp team. As they came to the end of their meeting Valerie called me into the room to ask if they could have $3000 in order to give every widow 10 Dollars (1000 Kenya Schillings). We did this several years ago and I’ll tell you it was something to see the joy and the tears of these wonderful but desperately poor women and they danced around the room holding their 10 dollars up to the Lord. Now you might say; All that over $10 dollars? But these women hardly every see a $10 bill! And when they get one, they don’t buy vegetables, they buy seeds; they don’t buy bread, they buy flour. Think about that for a moment.
Now several of you told me I could ask you if any unexpected needs came up and here’s the first one. We need $3000 anyone willing to help? Let us know! You’ll make the day for the widows of Kenya. Give at: www.worldcompkenya.com/give
One last thing I’ll report is the Widows Center, which has been under construction for almost 5 years now, has made some mind blowing progress in the last 6 months. They now have running water and flushing toilets. God is answering their prayers for the completion of this project. Thank you Lord!
We are now in our hotel in Kakamega for a brief time of rest. We’ll have an orientation at dinner tonight. Tomorrow we’ll begin our first medical camp and we won’t stop for another week.
Thank you dear friends for your prayers and support. May God’s blessing be on your life.
4. MEDICAL CAMP AT A VILLAGE CALLED SHINYALU
First of all let’s all wish my darling wife Valerie a happy birthday. I can’t tell you how many times in the last 15 years she has celebrated her Birthday in Kenya. Happy Birthday my love! Be well, be healthy, be happy and be-loved!
SHINYALU
I am writing from the village of Shinyalu located 15 miles from the city of Kakamega. This will be our 3rd annual medical camp in this place. We chose it because it is a desperately poor. There is a clinic here, but they have no medicine and only random visits from government health care workers; no matter, because most of the people here cannot afford medicine or visits to the doctor.
By 9 in the morning we had about 500 people on the grounds. Most of them were elderly because a vast number of young people have left this place to find work and opportunities elsewhere. The plight of widows and the elderly in rural Kenya is heartbreaking. They struggle through their old age with little or no help or medical attention. Our Worldcomp staff here in Kenya makes all the decisions about where to hold our camps and invariable they look for places where there is the greatest need and this is one of them. By the end of the day today we will probably examine and treat 1000 people and give them the medicine they need to help them heal.
One of the great needs here is reading glasses and we brought a big suitcase with 700 pairs; praise God for the Dollar Store. Phyllis Newton is really in her element. She came with all the tools of the trade and was looking forward to using her nursing skills. She is like a kid in a candy store. Roberta Goodson also has a nursing background so she is at the vitals station, taking blood pressure, temperature and pulse before people see a doctor. The rest of us are sorting pills in the pharmacy, helping with set up, praying for people, distributing water and food and picking up trash. Valerie, because of her immune system, doesn’t come to the medical camps. Today she is with Mary Beth Genet at the Children’s home sorting out clothing, books, gifts and other stuff.
There are more than 75 Kenyan volunteers here, doctors, nurses, optometrists, dentist, lab techs, pastors, children’s workers, drivers, prayer warriors and a host others who do registration and crowd management. I am ever grateful the Lord for the hundreds of people all over Kenya who are totally committed to the work we are doing and jump at the chance to serve the poor and needy of their own country. I am the first to testify that those who make sacrifices to serve others are doubly blessed in return. “Give and it shall be given to you, pressed down, shaken together and running over”.
Again I ask you, please, please pray for us. As of this moment we are all doing well, but we want to keep it that way.
5. A CELEBRATION OF A LIFETIME OF SERVICE AND A GRAND TIME WITH THE WIDOWS
Last night Valerie and I were invited to a special Obayo family event as Simon and Grace Barasa celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. It was fitting that we should be there because we truly are a part of the Obayo family. The Lord put us together with this family 41 years ago. When we began the ministry of Worldcomp this gifted family was the foundation and core and throughout the years practically every member of the family has served an essential role. Now even the grandkids are getting involved. Looking back over the years of our partnership we are deeply grateful that the Lord has joined us together as ministry partners and what we have accomplished thus far has been incomprehensible. What was once the Obayo family is now “The Worldcomp Family” and our numbers have swelled into the hundreds; hundreds of people who are willing and eager to serve the poor and the needy here in Kenya; hundreds of people who have experienced the Lord blessings because they have sacrificed time, talent and treasure in service of the poor and the sick. Praise be to God for his divine connections.
MEN OVER HERE, WOMEN OVER THERE
Today the men and women of our team went in two different directions. The men went off to the second day of medical camps in Shinyalu and the women went to a widows conference with Nancy Odwaro and 300 widows in the village of Majengo.
In our 2 day medical camp we treated 1750 people. As the day came to a close many of the residents of Shinyalu came to thank us for ministering to their village. The pastor of the church said he brought his brother on the first day. He was literally close to death with a bout of malaria. After an injection from our doctors, by the next day, he was a new man and he was so grateful. Tomorrow we hold a medical camp and some meetings with the boys detention center at Shikusa.
AT THE WIDOWS CENTER
Our team of women had the time of their lives at the widow’s center.
Sylvia Hendrix shared:
“I felt honored to be with such an amazing group of women who show the love and light of God to those around them, women who are a mother and a friend to all even when the world tries to beat them down. ‘You all stay strong with strength God has given you.’ I looked out at them and saw their weathered faces that their society had forgotten, but they know God hasn’t forgotten them. They rely on God to provide for them and give them strength. These women have shown me what genuine love, joy and strength look like. All of them have become my grandmothers now. Deuteronomy 10:18 “He ensures that orphans and widows receive justice.” Psalms 68:5 “Father to the fatherless, defender of widows this is God whose dwelling is holy.” 1 Timothy 5:3 “take care of any widow who has no one else to care for her.”
Valerie shared:
“What an amazing day. We were so overwhelmed, there just doesn’t seem to be any words to describe our experience. Here in Kenya when something is just too glorious they simply say “I have no words”. Through a generous gift we were able to give the widows each $10 and it was as if they had just won the lottery. The widows of Kenya are the poorest of the poor outcasts and treated so terribly and yet they are so loving and filled with joy and faith in Christ.” The team share magnificently, it was as if all of our sharing was planned to the T. It was purely spontaneous and powerfully anointed. Such joy!
All of us are feeling good. Not one of us has even had a stomach issue and I attribute that to your prayers. Please keep praying because our schedule very busy for the next few days.
Blessings to you all back home.
6. A DREAM COMES TRUE – THE HOME OF GRACE
Our morning started today with another medical camp for the children, parents and community at the Handidi Village School. Almost all of our Home of Grace children attend this elementary school. They walk there each morning at 5:30am and leave school promptly at 5pm. When you see how school is done here in Kenya, no American child should ever complain. When a child goes into the 8th grade they have to attend a boarding school. It’s the law.
Following our medical camp we finally had our day at the Home of Grace. I really have to give some thought to how to explain to our experience to you. Forgive me if I use too many adjective and superlatives to describe the day. What a magnificent place and what magnificent kids. They greeted us with roses and marched us into the building with a parade. The building itself has made some remarkable progress. The kitchen is now completely finished with the exception of the fact that the giant refrigerator and the 6-burner stove are still in rout from Dubai. Thank you women of Westside for providing the $5000 to get this job done. What a blessing!
I wish the entire event could have been televised because being in the presence of these kids was a truly moving experience. You just wouldn’t believe the sound that rose from those little bodies when they worshipped. This was not just some kids performing, they were singing from deep in their hearts and it was awesome. Now it was time for speeches and testimonies. One of the young orphans got up and told how his mother died and his father was arrested for murder and he found himself with grandparents who couldn’t feed him and just when all hope was lost he was chosen to go to the Home of Grace. He was ever so thankful.
We were surprised when the Shikusa Boys Detention Center sent 6 boys, dressed in suits to our event. They sang and then several of them gave testimony to how their lives were changed at Shikusa. It was very special.
When it came time for me to speak I told this story: “As we drove to the Handidi Village School there is a clear and beautiful view of our Children’s Home from Handidi Village. Josiah, our driver said that several of the villages told him they just couldn’t believe that anyone would build such a building for kids. They thought it was a 5 star hotel owned by some rich man. When I heard this it gave rise to a number of thoughts in me. I looked at our kids and told them that we not only built this building for them, but we had every intention of giving them our best and the best of everything in life. We want to give them love and hope and faith; give them the best education, give them life skills and send them out into the world to do whatever God has for them. And you know what? Thus far we have succeeded in this mission.
When we first drew up our architectural design for this building it was one quarter of what we finally built. As we stepped out and began to build it got bigger and bigger and bigger. At first I blamed the Kenyans for this. Everyone wants it bigger and better, but now I know it was God. God knew we would have faith for a building one-quarter this size, but we would have firmly said “No” to the building He wanted to build. Isn’t that just the way we are? God sometimes has to trick us into stepping out with Him in faith.
I really have to hand it to my Kenyan friends; to Osborn Obayo and George Matimbai and our Kenyan team. To put up a structure like this in just 2 ½ years in simply impossible. You only have to be here for a short time to realize that everything in Kenya is 10 times as difficult as it is where we live. Way to go guys! You rock.
I want to thank all of you who made this dream a reality. It may look like the money fell out of the sky, but really it fell out of our pockets. Many of you gave generously and made sacrifices to build this facility. The end, however, is not the building, it is the kids! They are the precious treasure living in this earthen vessel and I can assure you that every member of our Home of Grace staff has pledged their lives to shaping these kids into the image of Christ.
As we finally left, just as it was turning dark, the kids were hanging all over us and we were hanging all over them. Parting was such sweet sorrow. I believe that these kids are indelibly printed in the minds of our entire team. Several of our team members became sponsor for kids. They actually had the opportunity to pick one from the group.
We are still looking for a number of sponsors for these precious kids so if you would like information on that just send me your address and we’ll get it out to you. We would also ask you to pray about supporting the orphanage and it’s ongoing needs.
My heartfelt thanks to you if you read this all the way to the bottom. Blessings to you all and good night.
7. OUR FIRST TIME IN THE MEN’S PRISON – WOW
In the past eleven years we have visited the Shikusa Boys Detention Center about 20 times. Every time we visit, we drive past the gate to the Shikusa Men’s Agricultural Prison and every time we have driven by I have said; “I want to visit there!” When we dedicated the Children’s Home in November I met the commander of prisons for the entire region and I told him of my desire to visit the men’s prison. He simply said; “You are welcome!” So having this invitation, I asked our staff to set up a time for me to come and speak to the 450 inmates there. A short while later I heard back from my Kenya team that they had set up a meeting at the prison, but it was not with the men, but with the staff. They told me that the prison had said that it was just too difficult to get all the men together. I was very unhappy with this and told them that my passion was to share Christ with the men and not the staff. So we pushed a little harder and they agreed to let us come and speak to the men. Thank you Lord, You are the great arranger.
So today I walked in the men’s prison for the first time. Some of our team members, Lucas, Greg, Paul and Sylvia were supposed to be playing soccer and basketball with the boys next door, but they were not ready for them so, guess what? They were invited to join me in the prison. I’m sure it was a big of a surprise to them, but let me tell you, I am glad they were there.
Most of you know that I, myself, came to Christ while in prison in Alaska for drug related offenses during my Hippie days, so I have a real passion for men in prison. Whenever I hear that a man is in prison I say “hallelujah, they are now in a place where God can speak to them”.
I have preached to the Shikusa boys many times. It is impressive to see all of them there sitting on the floor in their blue uniforms, but they have the faces of sweet young boys. They don’t look like criminals. But here in the men’s prison you see 400 men sitting in prison stripes whose faces are the hardened faces of criminals. As a few of the inmates got up to sing some choruses, I was in prayer, asking God to anoint men to break down walls and penetrate the hardness with the message of the gospel. In my humble opinion that is just what God did.
Here’s a brief synopsis of what I shared. After giving my testimony I spoke to them about not letting their past dictate to their future. God wants to forgive us of our past mistakes so that our future will not look like the past. The people who were most attracted to Jesus were people with a past. They were attracted to him because he never held up the “shame finger” when they approached. That is why a sinful woman was not turned away when she came and washed Jesus’ feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. That is why the woman at the well was offered the living water of life. That is why a murderer, named Saul, could become the chief writer of the gospel, that is why a tax-collector could become an apostle and, in my case that is why a drug addict could become a preacher of the gospel and a servant of God.
I was able to share with these men that God does not turn away a sinful man, but he invites him to come boldly before the throne of grace to receive mercy and grace to help him in time of need. Heb 4:16 I encouraged these men to forgive and be forgiven. To have their past cleaned so that their future could be blessed. And they responded! They prayed together with me at the close and verbalized their forgiveness for those who have hurt them and relieved the forgiveness of the Lord for their sins.
Following the sharing we gave every man a loaf of bread, a bottle of soda and a roll of toilet paper. These things might not mean much to you but, let me tell you, it meant a lot to these men. You won’t believe it, but the prison chaplain said he had been working in men’s prison for over 20 years and he had never seen anyone group give a bottle of soda to prisoners. Now, there is a reason for this, because a bottle can make a formidable weapon but for some reason the prison commander allowed us to do this. It was something special! My favorite time of all was shaking the hand and blessing every man as they exited the hall to eat some break and drink a soda. They were so grateful. The hardened faces of criminals were now the smiling faces of friends. What a great time. I told them all that we would be back.
I want to thank all of you who support this ministry for allowing me to lavish your money on things like this. It is such a blessing and an honor to carry your love to those who need it the most.
8. LENANA AND KIBERA SCHOOLS
Took a break from blogging yesterday due to extreme exhaustion. I am feeling my age, but believe me we are having the time of our lives. It’s just one amazing event after another. As usual the stuff that is happening in the sidebar is more incredible than stuff on our itinerary.
Prayer Alert
Today as we got out of the car to enter the Kibera slums Valerie came down with a severe nausea that lasted all day today. We think it might be salmonella. I have come down with a severe sinus infection from breathing Kenyan dust. Started taking antibiotics today. Sylvia Hendrix is not feeling well either. Please intensify your prayers for us. We are about to go to bed and you all are about to get up. Please pray for a healing sleep tonight. It always makes a huge difference.
Random thoughts from the last few days!
As usual our Sunday service at Kakamega PEFA Church was a joyful and raucus affair. We danced in the conga line! The Lord especially anointed me as I shared a message on generosity. Not generosity with money, but generosity in our service to others; generosity in our forgiveness, generosity in loving strangers and loving our enemies and so forth. It’s been a few years since I felt that kind of a powerful anointing.
The only transportation available to us for our trip from Kakamega to Kisumu was a big yellow bus with “Pendo School” boldly written on the side. Pendo means “Love” so I called it the love bus. Not only that, it was huge so about 20 Kenyans jumped on the bus for the free ride to give us a great send off at the Kisumu airport. What marvelous love the Lord has given us for each other. Makes you feel good all over.
Today we visited the Kara Kibera Kids Center. The odor in the slums was especially pungent today and the walk from the road to the center was especially treacherous. So our team had to hold their noses and watch their step. I hope such comments will not deter you from taking a trip with us some day, because it is genuinely worth it.
Once in the Children’s Center we had a precious time with the kids and the staff. We gave each of the 17 teachers and workers $50 and thanked them profusely for their sacrificial love for the kids who live in the slums. I asked them what their greatest need is and they told me that the government was threatening them because they recently passed a law that all school records and test results had to be digitalized and sent to the school authority electronically. So at this time their greatest need is a laptop computer, a printer/scanner, and a fifty dollar internet hot spot. I told them without hesitation that we would supply these things. So we need $600. I know! I am a shameless beggar, but I just can’t stop spending our money. Please help.
Once we pried ourselves from the arms of the Kibera Kids, we headed over to the Lenana School. School is out of session for two more weeks but we were greeting by 30 of our kids anyway. They were there to prepare for their upcoming exams in a few weeks. They welcomed us with poems and song and dance. Again at Lenana we gave each staff member $50 in cash and sincerely appreciated them for literally working for nothing, but the glory of God and the success of these kids. They are truly heroes of the faith in my book. I also asked them about their greatest need and they said the same thing. They need a computer and printer/scanner to comply with the new government regulations. Now we need another $600. They also need some money for school supplies and curriculum materials. They have 400 kids, not just a handful. They have been making due by having a few curriculum books and writing every lesson on the blackboard (bless their hearts). I am thinking that if could raise a few thousand dollars we could make a big dent in this need.
In spite of these needs they are getting high academic marks and, as usual, they are doing incredible in sports. I believe that both of these things have something to do with the fact that we are feeding them at school two meals a day. It’s very hard to think and compete on an empty stomach. Again my deepest thanks to all of you who have supported our children’s feeding program.
Tomorrow it’s the Nairobi game park. This will be the first day we’ve had off since we arrived, but we’ll be standing up in a moving van for most of the day so we’ll come back very tired.
Bless you all back home for following us on this journey.
All our love,
Richard and Valerie
9. A BABOON IN OUR CAR
Took a break today from our grueling schedule to go through the Nairobi Game Park. Believe it or not, we pray for the animals to come out and greet us. I don’t know where that is in the Bible but it must have something to do with Noah! Today we saw 10 lions, which is the most we’ve ever seen and, as always, we were swimming in Zebras, Giraffes, Gazelles, Cape Buffalos, Ostriches, and those pesky baboons. Several years ago we were literally attacked at a picnic site by a pack of baboons that ran off with a bunch of our food, so we were keeping watchful eye. Suddenly one of them appeared from the bushes and everyone said; “How sweet”. Just then he bolted, with lightning speed, for the open car door, grabbed the food bag and dug to the bottom to grab two oranges. In the meantime I was beating him with a blanket, but he paid no attention until he obtained his prize. To add insult to injury he didn’t retreat to the bushes, he just sat under a picnic table and ate his oranges while all of us took pictures. This guy was a real pro! He gave us something to talk about for the next few years.
ANSWERED PRAYER:
Yesterday I asked for prayer for Valerie, myself and Sylvia. When we awoke this morning, all of us were 100% better. We are so thankful to have a committed prayer team fighting for us in the heavens.
One of the great things about these trips is to see the team get closer and closer together as time goes by. We are really a diverse group this time, but we have gotten very close as a team. This thing called “The Fellowship of the Saints” is truly something wonderful.
A PASSIONATE REUNION
On our way back from the Game park Valerie noticed that we were going to drive very close to a place called Adam’s Circle, where, over the years, she has developed a very meaningful relationship with a group of women who are selling souvenirs in a parking lot. A number of them have been healed, saved and even delivered from oppression through Valerie’s prayers. We didn’t know if they would still be there because Valerie hasn’t seen them in 3 years. But when we began to walk toward their booths, the whole place erupted in a cacophony of joyful noise. They ran out to meet Valerie and the entire team with hugs for everyone. We have been praying for years that God would bless their businesses and He really has. Incidentally they said that, several months ago, they were all talking about Valerie and wondering what had happened to her. Now to have her show up was an amazing thing. After buying something from each of their displays, they all got prayed for and blessed.
Tomorrow we’ll participate in, what should be, the largest medical camp we’ve ever had. So much preparation has gone into this one. We are blessed to know that thousands of people will be relieved of their suffering and that many will come to know Jesus. Thanks for keeping us in your prayers.
10. WHAT IS A MEDICAL CAMP LIKE?
For the past 9 years we have done free medical camps all over Kenya. We have set up camp some of the poorest villages of Kenya. We have done camps without electricity or water. Rarely do we see less than 600 people in a day. Most often it is between 1000 and 1200. But for the next few days at a church East of Nairobi we will be operating on the grounds of the Deliverance Church in Mwiki. This is almost a culture shock for me because these facilities will be the nicest facilities we have ever used. It’s 11 o’clock in the morning. There are more than 1000 people on the grounds waiting for medical care, but it doesn’t feel like it because we are spread in a large area. Here at Mwiki there are over 100 volunteers who are directing people, showing love and assisting patients.
I want to give you some idea of how a medical camp works. First of all there is advertising! For weeks now there have been banners, flyers and announcements telling the community about the camp.
· When people arrive they go through the registration table and are given a number.
· They then proceed to the waiting area in the auditorium until their number is called
· Next we take their vitals: Weight, blood pressure, temperature and heart rate
· All the children are given deworming medication
· Then they have an interview by a nurse regarding their health
· Following this they proceed to one of the many stations on the grounds
Here are the services we offer:
· Doctor’s exam and diagnosis at one of our 8 doctors stations
· Dental: Tooth extractions
· Optical: Eye exam, prescriptions and free reading glasses
· Cervical Cancer screening
· Representatives from the Government health give Immunizations
· Free testing on site for Malaria, HIV, typhoid and STD’s
· HIV Aids Counseling
· Circumcision for boys
· Contraceptives for women
Once patients pass through these stations they receive free medications from our pharmacy
We have prayer stations all around where people who would like prayer are ministered to by the pastoral staff and prayer ministers. Many people accept Christ at these prayer stations. Every doctor, dentist, nurse and pharmacist wears a white lap coat with the words, “Doing it for Jesus” on the back.
All of us on the Worldcomp staff feel so blessed to be able to assist those who are suffering.
IN THE SIDEBAR
Amazing things happen in the sidebar. Yesterday as when we were eating in a local restaurant, Valerie, met a couple from Belfast, Ireland and began a dialog with them. She is planning a prayer trip to Belfast next year so she wanted to ask them some questions. The couple asked if we were staying at the Hampton Guest House. When Valerie said, “Yes” they said; “We are in the room next door to you. We heard you talking through the door about buying eggs.” We actually are sharing a joint kitchen with them. The divine connection went on from there. Turns out they own the Christian bookstore in Kakamega and they broadcast a radio program from a radio tower located next door to our Home of Grace. Right now, as I speak, she is talking to them about ordering 60 bibles for the men’s prison where I spoke last week.
Tomorrow night we begin our journey home. What a time it has been for all of us. We literally covered the entire scope of our projects in Kenya. So many incredible things happened and we are all greatly enriched through our experience together.
This morning at breakfast our team went around the room sharing with each other. It was very touching time as all of these new friends shared words of sweet affirmation with each other. The Lord has drawn us very close together on this two-week adventure.
We can’t thank you enough for your prayers and your financial support. Your money has been spread abroad to the poor and the needy and I know the Lord is very please with that.
11. A FINAL WORD OF THANKS
I am up in the middle of the night here with some final thoughts to share with you.
As we bring our mission to a close, I want to sincerely thank all of you who have responded to this daily blog with words of encouragement for Valerie and I and our team. This trip was a huge step of faith for most of our team members. Besides being a physical challenge it has been one giant leap out of their comfort zone and they have done very well. I have seen growth in every member of the team. Through the course of my life I have discovered that nothing causes more growth than taking steps of faith with God. The dearest promise to me in the Word is God’s promise to Abraham; that if he would take a step of faith, leave his home and country and go with God to a land that He would show him, that he would bless him and make him a blessing to all the families of the earth. I certainly can’t say I have been a blessing to all the families of the earth, but we have definitely been a blessing to thousands of families in Kenya.
I know for certain that your prayers for us on this journey have covered us, protected us and given us strength and boldness to share God’s love with the people of Kenya. Please lift us up a while longer as we begin the 26 hour flight back to Seattle.
As always I am returning to Seattle having drained the finances of Worldcomp and I have made some future promises by faith to provide some desperately needed materials for those who we serve. By faith we are going to provide 10 computers to train the boys of the Shikusa Boys Detention Center and several computers for our Lenana School, the Kibera Kids Center and our Home of Grace. These are essential because the government of Kenya is now mandating that all of our educational facilities move to a digital form of record keeping and communication (something, we in America, have been doing for decades). Our Lenana School needs several thousand dollars worth of curriculum materials for the coming school term. We are hoping, as well, to provide some money for one final push to finish the construction of the Solid Rock Widows Center. They have made enormous advances in the past 6 months, but they need to finish the flooring and painting on the second floor of their building so they can finally set up their sowing businesses and training school. Beside all of that we are looking to the future needs of the Home of Grace for transportation and sustainable enterprises.
All that being said; we pray that God with shower some of you with unexpected resources that you might contribute at this time. Please consider a one-time gift, if you can.
My heart is overflowing with praise and thanksgiving to God for allowing us to be a part of this thing called Worldcomp. The Lord has blessed this work far beyond anything we could ever imagine and our relationships here in Kenya are the dearest thing to our hearts.
We praise and thank you Lord and we give you all the glory!
Blessings to you all in Jesus Name.
Richard