To say I’m writing this in a tired state of mind would be a huge understatement. As within the last 2 days I may have accomplished to shut my eyes for 6 hrs. or so as we prepared and made our way back from Kenya. At least 23 hours of traveling is one thing but with a 18th month old it adds a bit more. We had planned for a 3 week mission trip which had a few “bumps” then interrupted due to milk. It more than seems our son cannot handle the milk sold in Kenya. Anyway to make a long story longer our flight went surprisingly well being Noah’s first flight ever. Two 7 hour plus flights and a four hour layover didn’t bother Noah as he would sleep a few hours and wake up smiling and clapping. But he did consume the milk (more than usual) and during the flight he fell and was favoring his right leg. And so the crying began and Adriane picked him up and carried him around on the plane. Meanwhile putting back Noah’s “all in one tv/phone” plane remote I accidently click the call button and my first thought was well I can’t blame Noah on this one. And as the stewardess showed up I went to explain what happen but she informed me that I was needed by my wife as my son had thrown up all over her. I suppose this wasn’t a desperate attempt by wife to get a new shirt at out layover in Amsterdam (which by the way she did get a new shirt).
So one flight down and one to go…as with the first one there was no turbulence from the airplane and none from Noah as well. We landed, got our luggage and were off to our first destination. After being there just one day Noah’s leg seem to be bothering him so his mom wanted to get it check and so there we are at a clinic waiting to get my sons leg checked meanwhile Im outside chasing after him. I told my wife it seems a bit odd to me that Noah Is here to get his leg checked and yet he is out here walking around taking off from me with no problem (Yes he was fine). Without going into details the first place of stay it just didn’t work out so within 3 days we moved in with our former host from past years Judah & Salma. In the past years they lived close to downtown but now to get to their house it’s a 45min to one hour drive. This is where I mention nothing compares to the traffic in Nairobi. We were told no fellow Kenyan would give how far they are from you in distance but only in time because one could be just a few blocks away but it could take 15-20 minutes to get there. So anyway we are now relaxing out in the country but that night Noah starts throwing up again So from Saturday afternoon through Monday morning we stay in and let Noah rest. So finally our second chance to restart our focus on ministry and we return to New Life orphanage (the place where we met Jimmy among others) and the main reason I wanted Noah there to get a opportunity to interact with the children. But upon our arrival Adriane notice a sign warning of a chickenpox outbreak. And after inquiring about it we were told to wait at least 2 weeks which cancel six meetings at New Life.
The next day we went to a park to have a team meeting and some prayer time then lunch at Pizza Inn which means it’s a Tuesday because its buy one get one at Pizza Inn. Their pizza is actually a favorite for Kenyans and Americans (my wife prefers it over American pizza). After lunch we go to Cheryl’s which is a home/school for abandon children. Class we went to was about 25 kids and Noah made be the first little munzugu they had ever seen. The kids said they wanted to meet him first. He clapped when the kids clapped which led to laughter from Noah and the kids. The teacher had to ask the class to focus on him and less on Noah
We were to return there at least 3 times as well. The next day was perhaps the reason we returned to Kenya. We met for several hours with Peter(Director of SYN) and put together a 2 week program for next year. This will be for a team of no more than 8-10 members and we will concentrate on one place. Peter says the conditions of this school are “deplorable” So we will plan to do work on the building and interact with the 75 or so kids that live there. More on that in future blogs. Meanwhile that morning Noah ate oatmeal that was boiled in milk so on our return to “home” Noah threw up a couple of times. During the evening and through the night he was given water and even went to sleep on water instead of his formula milk. We had a doctors appointment for 11am. But soon after waking up Noah started to get sick and begin throwing up water and shaking. So the doctor was contacted and we would meet her as soon as we got in town which was apx 8:30am. The doctor checked Noah and said he was dehydrated and needed to be put in the hospital. At the hospital they attempted to put IVs in him 4 times but could not find a vein. We requested a plan B which was to take medicine orally (our version of
Pedialyte )
But Noah would have nothing to do with the medicine. Meanwhile he took some water and eventually fell asleep. Judah took me back to the house to get clothing and such for the night. While I was away Adie said Noah had eaten a lot of baby food and had lots of water and was back to sleep. I told Judah I would know everything was okay when I saw Noah smile again (Salma had commented earlier she knew Noah wasn’t well because he wasn’t smiling.
Later that night he was very active and was back to normal. By morning he continued his eating binge. By 11am the doctor returned and said he was dehydrated and had a strain of rotavirus. So within 24 hours Noah was okay and ready for release in recovering from the entire ordeal. And his medicine was prayer, water, rest and more prayer! We are so thankful for the Lord in His healing hand and more than seeing us through all of this even unto our safe return home. Thanks to a friend of mine taking a call 2:30 in the morning to simply listen to me. It was good to hear a voice from back home. So we left the hospital and prepared to stay in a local hotel to avoid the daily 2 hours of travel and prepare to return home. We had to change our flight plans so that along with the cost of staying at the hotels (place didn’t accept credit cards) we found ourselves physically, mentally, financially and spiritually drained. But again through it all God is always near and saw us through as he continues to do so. Upon our arrival I told Peter that I wasn’t sure why we came this year besides keeping in contact and preparing for something next year that could be Big. On our way to the airport Peter told us he believed this trip was indeed to build for next year and he believes something beautiful will come out of next years’ work. He left us with this word James 1:2-5
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
That was the word the Lord gave me for you on this trip. That even though it looked as though all has gone wrong, God was still at work behind the curtains to produce us as a perfect work.
So one flight down and one to go…as with the first one there was no turbulence from the airplane and none from Noah as well. We landed, got our luggage and were off to our first destination. After being there just one day Noah’s leg seem to be bothering him so his mom wanted to get it check and so there we are at a clinic waiting to get my sons leg checked meanwhile Im outside chasing after him. I told my wife it seems a bit odd to me that Noah Is here to get his leg checked and yet he is out here walking around taking off from me with no problem (Yes he was fine). Without going into details the first place of stay it just didn’t work out so within 3 days we moved in with our former host from past years Judah & Salma. In the past years they lived close to downtown but now to get to their house it’s a 45min to one hour drive. This is where I mention nothing compares to the traffic in Nairobi. We were told no fellow Kenyan would give how far they are from you in distance but only in time because one could be just a few blocks away but it could take 15-20 minutes to get there. So anyway we are now relaxing out in the country but that night Noah starts throwing up again So from Saturday afternoon through Monday morning we stay in and let Noah rest. So finally our second chance to restart our focus on ministry and we return to New Life orphanage (the place where we met Jimmy among others) and the main reason I wanted Noah there to get a opportunity to interact with the children. But upon our arrival Adriane notice a sign warning of a chickenpox outbreak. And after inquiring about it we were told to wait at least 2 weeks which cancel six meetings at New Life.
The next day we went to a park to have a team meeting and some prayer time then lunch at Pizza Inn which means it’s a Tuesday because its buy one get one at Pizza Inn. Their pizza is actually a favorite for Kenyans and Americans (my wife prefers it over American pizza). After lunch we go to Cheryl’s which is a home/school for abandon children. Class we went to was about 25 kids and Noah made be the first little munzugu they had ever seen. The kids said they wanted to meet him first. He clapped when the kids clapped which led to laughter from Noah and the kids. The teacher had to ask the class to focus on him and less on Noah
We were to return there at least 3 times as well. The next day was perhaps the reason we returned to Kenya. We met for several hours with Peter(Director of SYN) and put together a 2 week program for next year. This will be for a team of no more than 8-10 members and we will concentrate on one place. Peter says the conditions of this school are “deplorable” So we will plan to do work on the building and interact with the 75 or so kids that live there. More on that in future blogs. Meanwhile that morning Noah ate oatmeal that was boiled in milk so on our return to “home” Noah threw up a couple of times. During the evening and through the night he was given water and even went to sleep on water instead of his formula milk. We had a doctors appointment for 11am. But soon after waking up Noah started to get sick and begin throwing up water and shaking. So the doctor was contacted and we would meet her as soon as we got in town which was apx 8:30am. The doctor checked Noah and said he was dehydrated and needed to be put in the hospital. At the hospital they attempted to put IVs in him 4 times but could not find a vein. We requested a plan B which was to take medicine orally (our version of
Pedialyte )
But Noah would have nothing to do with the medicine. Meanwhile he took some water and eventually fell asleep. Judah took me back to the house to get clothing and such for the night. While I was away Adie said Noah had eaten a lot of baby food and had lots of water and was back to sleep. I told Judah I would know everything was okay when I saw Noah smile again (Salma had commented earlier she knew Noah wasn’t well because he wasn’t smiling.
Later that night he was very active and was back to normal. By morning he continued his eating binge. By 11am the doctor returned and said he was dehydrated and had a strain of rotavirus. So within 24 hours Noah was okay and ready for release in recovering from the entire ordeal. And his medicine was prayer, water, rest and more prayer! We are so thankful for the Lord in His healing hand and more than seeing us through all of this even unto our safe return home. Thanks to a friend of mine taking a call 2:30 in the morning to simply listen to me. It was good to hear a voice from back home. So we left the hospital and prepared to stay in a local hotel to avoid the daily 2 hours of travel and prepare to return home. We had to change our flight plans so that along with the cost of staying at the hotels (place didn’t accept credit cards) we found ourselves physically, mentally, financially and spiritually drained. But again through it all God is always near and saw us through as he continues to do so. Upon our arrival I told Peter that I wasn’t sure why we came this year besides keeping in contact and preparing for something next year that could be Big. On our way to the airport Peter told us he believed this trip was indeed to build for next year and he believes something beautiful will come out of next years’ work. He left us with this word James 1:2-5
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
That was the word the Lord gave me for you on this trip. That even though it looked as though all has gone wrong, God was still at work behind the curtains to produce us as a perfect work.
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8 comments:
This is our third time in Kenya..We have been 4 or 5 other mission trips but we believe we are called to return to Kenya...thanks for reading..
Mmmmmmm. That's seven, I believe, in about two months. Pick it up.
thanks for counting and actually leaving a comment :)
No mercy.
You're running out of time, Mr. 12 in 90. . .
I'm sorry. I misunderstood. 90 is ninety games of Scrabble; 12 is how many you'll win.
12 in 90?
Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day
Fritter and waste the hours in an offhand way
Kicking around on a piece of ground in your home town
Waiting for someone or something to show you the way
Tired of lying in the sunshine staying home to watch the rain
And you are young and life is long and there is time to kill today
And then one day you find ten years have got behind you
No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun
And you run and you run to catch up with the sun, but it's sinking
Racing around to come up behind you again
The sun is the same in a relative way, but you're older
Shorter of breath and one day closer to death
Every year is getting shorter, never seem to find the time
Plans that either come to naught or half a page of scribbled lines
Hanging on quiet desperation is the English way
The time is gone, the song is over, thought I'd something more to say
BREATHE REPRISE
Home, home again
I like to be here when I can
And when I come home cold and tired
It’s good to warm my bones beside the fire
Far away across the field
The tolling of the iron bell
Calls the faithful to their knees
To hear the softly spoken magic spells.
wow we did go through a lot, but in it all we made it with the Lord's help. Thanks for your patience through it all love ya
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