Sisters On A Mission

There are two people who have really touched me lately, Mama Flora and Martha. As you know, I have been living with a Ugandan/Kenyan family in Southern Nairobi, Kenya.  Mami has become quite dear to me because of her kind heart.  Even though she works at her husband’s hospital, I’ve observed that her greatest joy is in serving her children and her husband. Last week she received the unfortunate news that the father she had faithfully cared for the past 8 years, died. She traveled by herself, 8 hours across bumpy roads, to be there for his burial. Although her children longed to be there for her, they did not have a way to go to the funeral.  So after some thought and prayer, I decided to take the night bus to Ginga, Uganda.  I thought she was going to faint when I walked into her Ugandan Home!  Mama's daughter escaping the midday heat. From then on she introduced me to all her relatives as her daughter. I was so touche...

“I have heard the groans of the poor.   Now I will rise up to rescue them as they have longed for me to do.” Psalm 12:5 Hello my friends!   I miss you and have so much to tell! After the funniest volleyball game I’ve ever played (using all body parts), American pizza, and an amazing worship time, our diverse group of missionaries began to share prayer requests.   It really encouraged me to hear that God is indeed at work among the poor and oppressed here in East Africa. They shared stories that you will never hear on the depressing news about the drought and famine.   A missionary kid told us all about his adventure dropping food supplies from a C130 jet.   They had to be fully harnessed as the back of the plane was removed before take-off. Because the drop zone was so small, they had to take several practice runs in which all but one got sick from the excessive turbulence. He said they had to fly at an altitude of 400 feet, going only 120 knots as not to expl...

Hello Friends! While agonizing with the Lord over something difficult in my life, I was reminded to re-read my blog posts.  This particular one reminded me that even though the storms come, God has been faithful in the past and He will continue to be faithful in the current circumstance. I hope you too recall God's faithfulness in your life.  I am now on the brink of seeing my business launched called Welcome Services, which will be coaching individuals through the stress of culture shock and training company employees on how to transition well cross-culturally. But this dream did not happen overnight.  I felt I needed to share with you how God has used Waiting as like an old friend to shape and mold me. I entered the Waiting Wilderness, when 16 years ago, doctors discovered I had a life long illness.  Young, passionate, and a burden to serve God as a missionary, I remember lying in bed, my body racked with pain. I felt trappe...

I am writing from my room, overlooking the nature reserve. Hello praying friends!  In the three weeks since my arrival in Kenya God has lead me to some extraordinary people. Theresa, the director of a local HIV/AIDS clinic, shared with me her story of tragedy to triumph.  Years ago she found out she was HIV/AIDS positive after her unfaithful husband had abused her.  Not only did she find herself deathly ill but suffered from anger and bitterness from the injustice. As with most AIDS patients, she contracted tuberculosis.  No longer able to care for her only child it broke her heart to have to give him to an orphanage.  When she went into town to buy food, the local vendors would shout, “Here comes that woman with AIDS!”  As a result, everyone shunned her and she could no longer buy food.  She believes it was God’s mercy that lead her to an American Missionary Hospital where they nursed her back to health with antivirals. Now Theresa has dedicated h...

Mint tea....literally! It was about 7pm, when the torrential rains thundered down in Nairobi on Sunday.  I was tucked away safely in my room, or so I thought.  I ran to the window to tie back the curtain so I wouldn't miss the show and then sat in a chair.  I was really enjoying the coziness of the chair, watching the rain pour and listening to the crackling thunder, when to my surprise, a felt a drip on my face.  I remember thinking, am I dreaming or did I just feel water?  It was no dream.  Within minutes there was a tropical rain forest in my room!  I quickly got my computer out of the way and jumped up onto the bed.  I thought, surely the rain will let up, but when I stepped off my bed on the other side, my feet got soaked.  So my entire room was flooding from the roof down! Suddenly it struck me as hilarious.  What else could I do but laugh my head off?! Ahh yes, such is the experience of life in Africa.  I remember year...

..The Story Continues! Karibu  Kenya ! (Welcome to Kenya) That's what everyone keeps telling me when I meet them.   I have had a whirlwind of activity and many things to trust God with already. Five days before departing, I found out that my housing had fallen through.   As you know, I am working on starting a business that will support my sister and I with our non-profit work among  widows and orphans . Our non-profit, Streams of Mercy Africa, is already working in partnership with  Fountain of Hope  Kenya.   When my housing fell through I prayed and asked if God wanted me to still go or cancel my ticket. The Lord encouraged me that He had already gone before me and prepared the way. I sent a quick email and James Waruiru, director of FOH responded right away. He found me a couple nights at a guest house and met me at the airport with an auntorage of family and friends...a VERY Kenyan greeting! After staying at the guest house, I realized my limi...

One canceled flight, teaching a young Tanzanian boy to swim, and 48 hours later I was in Kenya!!  And what a welcome (karibu) I had!  Friends met me at the airport a day later than expected and having waited for me for three hours.  God has so many ways of telling me He loves me and my Kenyan brothers and sisters are one way He does this. After leaving Ohio, I got to Detroit only to find our flight was delayed.  As we were waiting hour by hour I got to know a young boy named Grant and his mother Reynalda from Tanzania.  I got to entertain Grant through the long hours of waiting & heard the dream of Reynalda to start children’s homes to educate orphans. Finally our flight was cancelled and we spent the night in a Detroit hotel.  I got to teach Grant to swim the following morning!  We got to the airport, took a long lunch, and boarded the plane at 7pm.  Exactly 24 hours beyond our original departure time. Two plane rides and 24 hours later, I wa...