Sisters On A Mission

"For evil to triumph, it is enough only that good men to do nothing." -  Edmund Burke

September 21st, just three days before I was scheduled to fly back to the U.S., highly trained terrorists stormed a crowded mall in Nairobi, killing men, women, and children.  It wasn't until I returned to the U.S. and read the news, that I learned friends of mine in Nairobi had survived a horrible ordeal. I'm grateful to Phil Walton and his wife Katherine who helped me as I struggled to write a business plan one year. And it was Phil and Katherine who were the few brave ones willing to drive us single women home after Bible studies ended late at night.  I was deeply moved when I saw them share their stories on Dateline the other night.  I've posted the link to the show here, and hope you are encouraged as I was.  God reminded me that He brings hope in the midst of evil and that He hears our cries and comes to our rescue. Thanks to Phil, Katherine, and Blaise for your courage to share your stories! I know it will take awhile to recover from all this, but God has use

...even before I finished asking my Heavenly Father for it.   "Even before they call out to me, I will answer them."  Isaiah 65:24 When I returned to the U.S. at the end of September, I experienced several weeks of illness.  As I lay in bed  one day, the Lord kept bringing to mind the need to praise Him.  Anytime I opened my Bible, the pages fell open to verses about praising God and rejoicing in suffering. A couple of years ago, I bought a guitar in Kenya and taught myself to play.  I found such peace and joy in praising God through my guitar!  Bad days in Kenya turned to days of praise and comfort!   As I lay in bed in the U.S., I thought how much I missed playing the guitar.  And then I wondered, why am I not asking Baba (Daddy, in Swahili) for a guitar to praise Him?  So, I did just that! The following morning a friend of mine called and shared how family from Iowa had asked if she needed a guitar.  A distant relative had passed away and the

Hello friends, we are excited about our Fall Collection for Streams of Mercy Africa.  Purses are sewn by Eva Fwamba (Streams helped her start her business. You can read about Eva in the June 11th article). Jewelry is made by Njoki & Angela of Zawadi, a business which supports several women in the slums.  All profits go to educating & mentoring our orphans. Halloween bag with outside pocket Leopard  satchel with wide strap and zipper enclosure Leopard cotton satchel with two straps & zipper enclosure Halloween Bag  An assortment of  imported West African beads & glass beads on brass Here is a shorter version of the West African Bead work in a variety of styles. Matching bracelets also of West African bead work All products are hand-made by women who are care givers for orphans. Keep checking our blog for new products! Email us if you are interested in purchasing: streamsofmercy58@gmail.com

Esther and Jody  Jody sat across from Esther and Emily, two of the nieces of our heart. The room was silent at times, accept for the ticking of the clock.  There was an unspoken sadness that held thick in the room as this was there last day with us. Finally Esther expressed what she had been pondering over the past week, "Auntie Jody, tell your father to move the family to Kenya." The perfect solution! So it seemed to Esther and Emily, who having grown up in a communal culture where the entire family, including aunts, uncles, and cousins all had an active role in their lives.  Surely, if the father of Auntie Jody and Auntie Christy moved to Kenya, then their American aunties would never have to leave them again. Jody assured them that though we would be miles away, God's Holy Spirit connected us as though there was no distance separating us.  It was a small comfort to two girls who a year and half ago lost their last living parent to illness. We wi

This is Ruth, our good friend from Wales.  She graciously opened her home to us for a three day women's leadership training. She invited us for a sleep over the last day of training and also let us invite our "nieces" Eva (junior), Esther, and Philis. There were not enough beds at Ruth's, so we took over a couple mattresses. Philis is often the spokesperson for our group of quiet teens, whom we have been teaching about God. Children are taught to be "seen and not heard" in the presence of adults.  So learning to chat with us can be challenging, especially since our elementary understanding of Swahili, means we use English.  They have an excellent mastery of English, but it's not the language they are comfortable in. These mattresses, which originally came from the U.S., were much heavier than the Kenyan mattresses.  We carried them up four flights of stairs. I surprised Esther! We enjoyed singing and worshiping t

Hello Everyone! I was SKYPing with dad the other day and was surprised to find out from him that I I had been carjacked. Then I realized my video blog may have been a bit confusing.  My apologies!  I was not carjacked.  Rather, many months ago I found myself on a matatu (14 passenger van) without a seat.  That matatu happened to be pulled over by a policeman and he began to harass me about not having a seat.  Had the matatu driver not put on the gas, the policeman would have arrested me and taken me to the police station, and tried to bribe me.  I was saying how grateful I was to Sidney First for giving the car, in which I no longer had to take matatus, such as the one I had ridden that day. The car has been a blessing as we have transported people to and from church, helped missionaries move, and have had many adventurous drives across the city of Nairobi to and from ministry events. We are truly grateful for God's provision! Christy & Jody Our garden!

Beatrice came in to clean the apartment and I could tell she was sad and downcast.  Over a cup of tea, she told me how her landlady decided to sale the homes they were renting in Kibera slum.  The cost of each home (clay and wood homes with cement roofs), 50,000 shillings ($500.00 USD).  I knew that was three month's salary for her.  She said she wanted to buy two of the homes, one for her family and one to rent.  Beatrice explained how renting a home would give her what was needed to pay her daughter's school fees. I asked her what God had told her.  She said she had opened her Bible that morning to the passage where Jesus said, "Ask and it will be given to you." I said, "Beatrice!  This is from the Lord!  He's given YOU a message, not me!"  Because locals often hold the view that foreigners are better than them, they also think God only speaks through them. But I knew God was speaking directly to Beatrice. She wasn't convinced.  So we prayed tog

I'm Living at a Sewing Centre: My house has now also become a sewing centre!  A 9 month dream became a reality  after Jody returned to the U.S. with a mission to gather a team of women to help support one of the aunties of our orphans to start  a business.  Knowing she was a good tailor, the women decided to raise funds through their friends and relatives to buy her a sewing machine. Three weeks after our auntie received the news that the sewing machine was coming, Jody received word that a boutique was opening locally and requested hand-made purses from Kenya! So today after getting home from my weekend adventure at Hell's Gate, I heard the whir of a woman working her new machine!  It gave me so much joy to come home to that sound!  With this new source of income, our friend will now be able to support the orphans in her family. Conquering Hell's Gate... ...or rather, as I sit here with aching muscles, I'm think

Hello family and friends!   This week millions went to the polls to elect a new President.  Despite tribalism and grievances from the past, God was gracious and answered our pleas for peace!   After the advise of several friends and family, I choice to spend election week away from voting centers. The Lord renewed and refreshed me in time spent at the Resurrection Prayer Garden and nunnery . It was also quite humorous,  as I was the only woman there along with a  group of men who were on a silent retreat.  It was hilarious, me sitting in the cafeteria eating at a table by myself, looking at the clock, twiddling my thumbs as men silently walked past with plates of food, all giving glances in my direction.  It was heaven until about the third day, when I could no longer take the silence and solitude, at which time I went to a friend's house at a Christian College next door. There I enjoyed the company of Liam (6), Lila (9), Kiara (12), and their mum and dad Ben &

Nairobi is experiencing an unusually hot and dry season, where the wind is blowing the dusty streets, heaping layers of dirt onto furniture and floors.  As a result many people's lungs have been dry and agitated and there has been a lot of coughing, myself included.  Nairobi, temporarily is a desert. As I was coughing away while preparing supper, God reminded me of times of dry seasons in my life; times when I lacked many things. There are times in our lives when God allows a dry season of deprivation and/or loss. In my experience, these seasons often come one after another. They can involve a lack of material resources, a loss of health or a loved one.  And simultaneously  they often entail the absence of community and periods of loneliness. Some people have compared these times to being in a desert.  Have you ever visited a desert in it's driest season?  The heat bearing down on you is merciless and it is agonizing because you can not hide from the sun.  The drynes

Nairobi is such a unique blend of multinationals as well as a wonderful mixture of Kenyans from a variety of backgrounds, including the Kenyan diaspora who have returned to their country.  My first week back involved being a part of this rich multicultural setting. A respected colleague of mine flew up from South Africa and had me co-train with her an Indian family recently arrived from Dubai.   The first day we trained the mother and she was so delightful and open to new ideas and cultures.  It was great to see how well she was adjusting.  But I recognized God's hand in her life to bring her many friends to help her through the cultural challenges of living in a foreign land. The next day we trained the father at his office.  He was so open to sharing about his experiences with us.  At one point he told us, "I'm just going to use you guys as my sounding board, a kind of counselor."   One of my greatest joys is seeing someone get one step closer to work