Hello from Kenya!

As I told you in an earlier update Sharon is traveling with me. She has begun her journey of meeting the PFC staff and seeing the programs. I am so grateful she is here!

Hi everyone!

I arrived safely in Kenya late Weds evening and wanted to thank all of you for your prayers, encouragement, and support to get me here. It was a 20-hour long trip to get here but a great experience too. One of Connie's clients, a woman named Jill, is also here with us, two Partners for Care staff - Sammy and Franco - picked us up at the Nairobi airport and took us to the PFC house about 45 minutes away. That night was my first experience sleeping under a bed net. I now see how a simple mesh net saves lives by preventing malaria, especially in babies.

This morning began with the PFC team gathering together at the house for morning devotionals and worship songs. This is a team of mostly young 20-something Kenyan men and women with a passion to better their own lives and those of their fellow Kenyans by helping them to implement sustainable solutions to the problems of poverty, disease, and illiteracy. They lead by example and many of them have themselves grown up in the slums.

After morning devotions and breakfast of "chapatti" and tea, Jill and I walked the 10 minute trip to see the PFC "what if? Life changing center" in Marurui slum.

There's really no way to describe the slum - the sounds , sights, smells. Children in dirty tattered clothes, goats running wild, crowded streets, and people everywhere. And in the middle of it all is an oasis of hope -- the what if? center houses a small medical clinic, a 2nd Chance education center, and a small IT school for people in the community to access low-cost healthcare and education classes. All of PFC's programs are led by Kenyans and all donor monies go to support the like-saving work of this team. It's a novel approach to effective, sustainable change by and for the people of Kenya.....and its working! 

All of you who know me well, know that I never intended th go to Kenya. Its way out of my comfort zone and I'm the world's wimpiest traveler. But I'm grateful for God,s not so gentle nudging and for all that He's showing me through this trip and this team of humble Kenyan servant leaders.

Ill write more later.  Love to all of you, I miss everyone.

Sharon