The Rendille tribe - the sickest, the poorest - very much the least of these

Both the Americans and the Kenyans thought that the people we treated the last day of our medical mission in Marsabit were the sickest and the poorest people they had ever met. We traveled about an hour on the bus to hold our last medical camp. As the bus approached a small group of houses (manyattas) made from sticks and dung, children started running towards the bus. We got off the bus and the children put up their arms to be carried. We carried those we could and held the hands with the others as we walked to the area where we would set-up the medical camp.

We were given two small buildings to use so registration, prayer/sharing the gospel, community health and family planning would be outside. HIV testing and medical would be held inside. There waiting, were all the people we would be able to treat that day. We gathered for prayers for the people and for strength for the day and opened camp.

The doctors and nurses were saddened at how sick the children were - they had bacteria, fungus and virus infection. Most of the children had all three! And, the children were infected with jiggers! Badly infected. TJ, Linda and Robert set-up a jigger treatment station treating as many as they could.

Mare cutting the toe nails of a child infected with jiggers

T.J. and Linda treating the children infected with jiggers

I normally don't treat as I leave that more to the Kenyan doctors, nurses and American doctors, nurses we bring. But, I thought we should do something for the children we couldn't treat because of time. So we gathered them and Pastor Hirbo and Mare gave them deworming medicine. I was assisting. I realized there were at least 15 children with serious scalp fungus. So we set-up a station just for the children infected with fungus. As I held each one and showed Mom how to apply the medicine I saw they also had eye infections, ear infections and of course running noses. We treated as many as we could with as much medicine as we had.

Connie with a sick child

Connie deworming a child

We gave out nets to the pregnant women and the children under five. In the book "When Helping Hurts" it says don't start with a needs assessment but first start with an asset assessment. Then give the resources to build on the assets. I was reminded of that when the children told Rob "we have a soccer field, but we don't have a ball". Rob had the ball - he then played soccer with the children all the time we did the medical camp! Praise God for Rob's endurance...

I also wanted to tell you Pastor Hirbo and I sat with the chief asking about the life of these Rendille people. They walk 6 hours for water and 6 hours back! Twelve hours a day to get water.

Charles testing the area chief for HIV/Aids

The good news for the day was 60 people gave their life to Christ that day. Pastor Hirbo had asked for a sleeping bag so he can travel to these people and stay with them for days at a time to disciple them. We brought him two sleeping bags and a tent for his ministry outreach to the unreached.

At the end of three days in Marsabit 773 people were treated, 323 tested for HIV/AIDS, 1,403 people signed commitment cards, 250 nets distributed and many people heard the gospel.

We left at 4:30 am Wednesday morning for the long road home to Nairobi. We were blessed to serve God's people and to help the humble servants Pastor Hirbo, Mare and the other pastors and people who serve as they reach out to the unreached people groups,

Connie

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Seeing the fruits of our labor

The team was blessed to see the fruits of their labor on the face of a small boy. On Sunday we worshiped at Pastor's Hirbo's church. The only thing that I can tell you about that experience is that you haven't seen worship until you see the Boran people worship. Some of you may have read the book about the different styles of worship. Well, the Boran only have one style - jumping and shouting to the Lord. Even our worship team who are wonderful worshipers were moved by the experience. Sammy (lead of the Temples of Worship) told the congregation that when they come to the Marsabit church they just want to sit and watch.
In the afternoon we held the what if? event in the park. Many came and many tested for HIV/AIDS. And, the other part of our mission team - the sports ministry took place with hundreds of kids. Rob (son of Dr. Craig and Pat who are on our team), TJ and several of the Kenyan team have been playing football (soccer) every where we go. All Rob has to do is take one of the soccer balls he had bought for the mission off the bus and hundreds of kids follow him to the field! And, he played for hours!!
But, while we were enjoying the day our hearts and thoughts were with the little boy from the day before with the jiggers who was so sad...and all the children we had met with jiggers. I had decided I would ride with Pastor Hirbo on his motorbike to see how Jane was doing with treating the children's jiggers. At dinner that night I asked if anyone wanted to go with me. So many wanted to go we decided to take the bus. We would leave at 5:30 am as we had a whole day of medical missions ahead of us.
When we arrived at the camp many of the children were already awake. We found Jane who called the children. Pastor Hirbo knew right away when he saw the two children we had treated on Saturday walking! Then we saw their faces - big smiles!

A before and after picture of a child who was treated for jiggers

The jiggers were dead. The children said the pain and the itching was gone and they could sleep at night. Their toes still need treatment with the vaseline which will help restore the skin and prevent more jiggers. We left money for Jane to buy water. We checked on the newborn baby and mom - both were fine.
We left encouraged to go to a school to set-up the day's medical camp,
Connie
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Joy and sorrow in an IDP camp

Think of primitive camping you might have done once in your life. Living in an Internally Displaced People (IDP) camp is like primitive camping that never ends. This is where the Gabra tribe is living - in an IDP camp about a 30 minute drive from Marsabit. They live in very harsh conditions - hot, dirty and with no nearby water source. There are 250 men, women and children who lived in this IDP camp for five years.

The IDP camp

They were pushed away from their land due to tribal clashes in 2005. This is one of the people groups Pastor Hirbo is trying to reach. The only transport he and his church members have to get there to serve these people is by Pastor Hirbo's motorbike or by walking in the dust for hours. This is the place where Pastor Hirbo told us the people were infected with jiggers.

On Saturday I and David (my son) went early with Pastor Hirbo on a taxi-motorbike and Pastor's motorbike to set-up in this IDP. our first medical camp. (Not complaining but Pastor's motorbike has no shocks and could use some other basic repairs such as brakes. The rest of the team would come on the bus after picking up the Kenyan doctor and nurses. Pastor Hirbo, David and I set up medical camp using the signs Amy from our previous team made for us. Registration would be under a tree, prayer in one of the tents of the people, community health under a tree, family planning and VCT outside and the doctors and nurses would be in the "school" made of sticks with a dirt floor. The team soon arrived on the bus. After praying together for God to use us to serve these people we opened the medical camp. At first the people were leary of these white people in blue medical scrubs. But, one by one they came. They registered and the two pastors from Pastor Simon's ministry who had joined our team prayed for them and shared the gospel with them. They heard how to prevent the illnesses they were suffering from and they tested for HIV/AIDS. Then they saw the doctor - some saw our doctor and some the Kenyan doctor. It was very sad to see the children with Jiggers! The end of their toes were infected by the jiggers. The jiggers kept them awake at night and it was painful for them to walk. We were determined to help these children.

We had learned from searching the internet that the feet and hands that were infected should be soaked for two weeks in a mixture of dettol and water. We had also heard vaseline would smother this parasite and they would die. We found an angel living among these people - Jane. Jane is 21, beautiful and the teacher in the school we were using for the medical camp. She was teaching 28 children who sat crowded in their little school in the dirt - where the jiggers lived! Jane volunteered to take the responsibility of treating the children for the jiggers. We treated two children showing Jane how to wear gloves to protect herself, how to mix the solution and apply the vaseline.

Jane treating a child for jiggers

Linda prayed for the children - for the jiggers to die and for the little toes and fingers to heal. The children were so sad. No smiles like we are used to from the Kenyan children.
For me I think I was the most humbled I have ever been as I washed the feet of the first little boy. He sat on a yellow plastic old, dirty oil jug and let me take his swollen feet and wash off the layers of dirt. His feet were hard and calloused. I couldn't tell what was jiggers and what was dirt. I put his feet and hands in the basin of dettol and water. We had used our water bottles for water as there was no water in the IDP camp. I dried his feet and put Vaseline all over the ends of his toes. I cringed as he placed his feet back in his broken, open toed sandals. I prayed the Vaseline would stop more jiggers from invading his feet.

Jesus said there would be joy in the morning - and there was joy in this camp. A woman came to tell us that a woman had just given birth! We were led to her tent. We ducked down to go through the small opening in the tent. There sitting on a piece of cardboard in the dirt was a woman holding a newborn baby! She handed me the baby all wrapped in a small blanket. She had cleaned the baby but the small infant still had blood on her little hands. One of our team members, Linda, is trained in obstetrics.

Linda with the new born baby

The new born baby

She came to the tent to speak with the mom. The mom delivered the baby alone cutting the cord with a razor blade. Other team members came to see the baby and pray for this new life to know Jesus. The mom is a Muslim but she allowed us to pray for her and the baby.
At the end of the day we had treated 201 people and gave 125 nets to protect the children and pregnant women from malaria . We packed up preparing to leave. Many teams members had come to know the people. The people came to the bus as the Temples of Worship sang Remember Me. The women then sang and danced for us. A joyful ending to the day.

Dr. Craig attending to a patient

Pat treating a child

Rob taking blood pressures

TJ helping with the drugs

Praying for a miracle for the children infected by the jiggers and for the newborn born in a tent in an IDP camp in Marsabit,
Connie
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Comments:

A cup of water... or jar of vaseline... in His name. wow.
way to go, Connie.

Prayed for you.
Blessings,
Alan

The journey to Marsabit begins

Why Marsabit? Why go? Our prayer is that our team can equip the pastors in Marsabit to help their people with the enormous, crippling problem of jiggers. If you want to understand what the pastors in Marsabit struggle with go to goggle and search for jiggers. Look at the pictures, see the feet of the children infected so much with jiggers they can't walk. Our pastor contact in Marsabit tell us they know of 400 people infected with jiggers. I spoke with him on Sunday as he was leaving an IDP camp (where people are still living in tents after 2 1/2 years from the post-election violence) and ALL the people are infected with jiggers. I once read that HIV/AIDS was the greatest opportunity to spread the gospel. The dying need to be saved, the world watches the Christians to see how we help the orphans and widows caused from HIV/AIDS and following God's plan eliminates the disease. I believe jiggers give us the same opportunity. If I was a child infected with jiggers and I heard there were people who loved me as Christ loved them I would wonder where are they? We go only to bring the resources to the pastors on the ground to enable them to help their people. They need basins - lots of them and we will buy them in Marsabit for them. They need detrol or hydrogen peroxide as the feet need to be soaked for two weeks to kill the jiggers. We will give them what they need. And, the people need shoes. We will explore how shoes can be made in Marsabit for the children and adults. The shoes will help prevent the people from becoming infected with jiggers again. I read in When Helping Hurts that we have dominion over the animals - I think this includes the jiggers. We have a special gift for the people of Marsabit. When we were there last time we saw the dirty water people drink. And, we understood why much of the world's health problems are caused by dirty water. We are bringing a state-of-the art water filter! We have a partnership with FirstWater. We will explain later how the funds are being raised for this water filter. It would not be on this plane without the grace of many - the TSA who allowed me to bring it through security after checking it for bomb residue. The flight attendant who put it in the first class closet and Delta who let me bring it as carry on luggage! It weights 75 pounds! We are looking at leaving it with Christian doctors at the Marsabit hospital. We will send an update about how the water filter will be used in Marsabit. Traveling with me on this team is a doctor, nurse, their son and a photographer from Michigan. We will be joined in Kenya by another nurse from Michigan who traveled earlier and a young man from Atlanta. The Michigan group found us through the blog and has been following our work. They asked to join us on this long journey to Marsabit to serve the children God loves,

Connie
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PFC travels to Uganda to do a what if? event

Tomorrow the Partners for Care team will travel to Kapala, Uganda where they will do a what if? event with Pastor David Karanja, International Christ Harvester Church. Uganda has 1.1 million orphans from the HIV/AIDS pandemic that at one time was devastating the nation. While the infected rate dropped from a peak of 29% in the urban areas it has been on the increase in recent years. As you know there were recent bombings in Kapala killing 70 people.

The PFC staff would appreciate your prayers as they cross the border to their neighboring country to spread the message of salvation and HIV/AIDS prevention.

Praying for the safety of the team in Kenya,

Connie
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Help spread the word about buying bed nets for Marsabit

In two weeks we travel to Marsabit. A very desperate part of Kenya. We are taking a medical team and will be conducting four medical camps for several unreached people groups. We also want to distribute as many bed nets as we can. This is an area where people survive on relief food due to the drought. A friend, Robyn, has developed an easy way for people to help the children in Marsabit by purchasing a bed net for $2.00. These bed nets come from our partner in Kenya HEART and are made by women who are infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. The purchase of bed nets from them helps prevent a child from dying from malaria and supports these women. Robyn has developed a bed net campaign and a paypal account with a "widget" for easy donations. See the following link:

www.partnersforcare.blogspot.com

If you could post on your Facebook and any other social networking accounts you have I will be grateful and so will the children in Marsabit.

Thanks for partnering with us and helping equip the US and Kenya teams to saves lives in Marsabit.

Many blessings, Connie
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Bed net campaign against Malaria!

Bed net delivered by Partners for Care

Malaria is particularly devastating in Africa, where it is a leading killer of children. In fact, there are 10 new cases of malaria every second. Every 30 seconds, a child in Africa dies from a malaria infection.  In addition to the burden on local healthcare systems, malaria illness and death costs Africa approximately $12 billion per year in lost productivity.

Malaria is one of the deadliest diseases in Africa. And it’s hard to hear the statistics knowing that malaria is preventable and has been irradiated or brought under control on other continents. The solution is simple, gaining access to the solution is what is so difficult for those people who live in the bush or far from the larger cities in Africa. What is the solution you might ask? It’s as simple as spraying insecticides indoors or by sleeping under long-lasting insecticide-treated bed nets. And simply put the best solution is the bed net because they are long lasting, inexpensive, and can last up to 5 years!

Bed nets are so simple and we are convinced not just by the statistics but our own experiences that bed nets do save lives. We have found a supplier who is willing to sell them to us for $2.00 each,  normally they are $10 each! Hands down it’s the best price we have ever seen and at this price we want to buy as many as we can!

We need your help we want to buy at least 1500 nets for our August trip to Kenya. We have done some research and $2.00 in this day and age will get you:

2 double cheeseburgers from McDonalds or Burger King
a pack of 24 sugar cookies from your local dollar store
4 bags of 50 cent chips
1 bottle of beer
hair clips
2 newspapers
2 liter coke
loaf bread
2 cups of coffee at a restaurant
2 packs of gum


Would you be willing to skip one of these items for one day or a week? Knowing that you could possibly save a life or protect someone for 5 years? Could you make your coffee at home? Another benefit of buying a bed net is that it is tax deductible. Are you looking for a way to make a difference, be part of something bigger than you? Partner with us buy a bed net, buy 10 bed nets….you can make a big difference  When you contribute would you let us know what you are skipping? It would be fun to keep a list and we are grateful for your sacrifice! What are you willing to skip?



-Robyn

7th Update - Prayers answered!

Many of you responded you were praying in my response to my request yesterday for prayers for Nick. Many reminded me God would care for the children. And He did. The team here Dr. Jim, Lyn, their two children Stephanie and Jake, Amy, David my son and Rebecca along with Nick and Charles made a plan to address the needs of the children. These needs included protection from malaria, clean water, lights, sanitation, food and transportation to school. One by one all these needs were met yesterday. Getting things accomplished isn't easy in a developing nation. It takes more than money. But, everything seemed to go smoothly yesterday as we planned, organized, shopped and went to the children's home. By evening, a van that had been loaned to transport the children was repaired, lanterns taken to the home for lights,, bed nets on the beds for all the children and aunties, temporary septic tank covered with plans to cover the larger holding tank, and 400 pounds of food purchased!  The children's rooms were so sweet as they have settled in. We had made name tags with ribbons for their beds and the children had hung them on their beds. And, the children had neatly made their beds before leaving for school. The children are now safe and for now have food. Praise God. And, Nick is smiling again as his children are taken care of.

At the store where we purchased food for the kids

Loading up the food

Transporting food

The bed nets hung on the beds

Thank you for your faithfulness to read the updates and pray for children 10,000 miles away,

Connie
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Prayer request

I am sending prayer requests tonight for Nick and for the children we have moved from the slum. Our hearts are heavy as Nick struggles with so many issues - transportation back to Mathare for school, no lights, mosquitoes biting the children and needing to haul water to the site. Dr. Jim and Lyn and other team members went there today and came back overwhelmed with some of the needs of the children. Dr. Jim has starting examining them and he is taking several of them to the hospital for further testing. I know some of this always happens even when we move in the US - lights, phone and electricity not hooked up as quickly as we wanted them to be. But, in a developing nation and when you are caring for 34 orphans it is a 100 times more difficult. I know all over the world there are hurting children who are living in the dark and dying from malaria. But, we know these 34 children. We have held them and loved them. For me I feel ashamed that I am here in comfort while they are in the situation they are in. And, I wonder why I didn't plan better - at least flashlights and mosquito nets should have been on our shopping list. As little children they should be able to count on us to take care of them. I am anxious for the night to pass so we can hang nets, buy flashlights and help with the transportation issue. Thanks for your prayers, Connie
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6th update - The children have been moved from Mathare Slum

On Saturday the children said goodbye to Mathare slum. We went early in the morning and took 18 of the children with us in our van and hired a matatu for the rest of the children. Taking these children from those three crowed, chaotic, dark rooms where their backyard was a slum, garbage and a polluted river was a joy hard to explain. It was like God had picked these children to be lifted from the slums to a new beginning. I could hear Pastor Karanja saying "God is doing a new thing". The children sang songs on the ride to their new home - obviously happy to be leaving Mathare slums. Part of the team had gone to the new home to prepare the rest of the beds and to cook for the children. Curtains were hung - bright red with matching pillowcases. Their new rooms with windows were a sharp contrast to the previous rooms in the slum without windows! John made a enormous pot of soup for the children in their new kitchen. They played and waited as more beds were put together. Then at the appointed time they all went to their OWN beds. We were blessed to watch these special children chosen and loved by God as they saw they each had a blanket, a towel and their own bed. Nick and Charles have done a wonderful job under extraordinary conditions. As young men building a children's home in a developing nation hasn't been easy. But, raising 34 children isn't easy either. Thank you to all who have prayed for Nick and Charles and the children and donated money to lift these children up to new beginnings. Jesus said, love the little children and you have. There is still much to do to help Nick and Charle become sustainable so they don't have to worry how to feed the children. This week we plan to put in a garden. And, Dr. Jim will examine and treat the children and aunties. We will complete the children's home ie. kitchen, place for the children to eat, security fence, etc. as we raise more funds to help them. But, for now they are in their new home. Praise God!

From Kenya,

Connie
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5th update - " My mom doesn't have a net"

"My mom doesn't have a net" this sweet little girl told me. She had managed to capture my attention and my heart in the midst of the chaos. And, it seemed this little girl's mom wasn't the only one in the village of Watamu without a net to protect their children from malaria. I have held medical camps before but never in conjunction with the distribution of bed nets. Distributing bed nets brought thousands of people to the medical camp. To say the "ground was mobilized" for this medical camp doesn't really describe the response. The first day we arrived what we thought was early to find at least two hundred people in line waiting for us. There were 500 people registered by 10:00. The second day we arrived there were already over a thousand people waiting from 6:00 am. Sadly, we couldn't possible see everyone. Dr. Jim from our team joined the local health practitioners seeing as many as they could. Ryan, Amy, Kristen, Stephanie, David, Logan, Rebecca and Nick ran the pharmacy ensuring the doctors and nurses had medicine, helped distribute bed nets and cheered for the final games of volleyball and football. Nick and Charles worked with the local VCT counselors to test people for HIV and Njenga (from CT) interpreted the medical symptoms of the people for Dr. Jim.

Charles testing people for HIV

 Dr. Jim with his daughter and Njenga examine a child

Only with a team of 8 security men were we able to distribute the bed nets. Justus shared the word of God and prayed for those who came as we organized the "flow" of people into groups of 10. He asked the people to pray for those who had brought bed nets and medicine to their village. The groups were moved through community health teaching as the local educators taught them how to prevent the diseases they were sick from - water borne diseases, poor nutrition, etc. Then the groups moved to family planning. George, as our outreach mission coordinator assisted by Franco and David, had spent two months and gone to the ground three times to organize the local committee. USAid joined us and had people there to help. Best we tried we could not serve everyone. The two days ended with the final football playoff. There had been 15 teams playing for the last 6 weeks. As the winning team lapped the field to the cheers of thousands it seemed like we were at the World Cup. Everyone came to the stage for the prizes and for the reason for the outreach.

The winners receiving their prizes

The Temples of Worship took the stage and Sammy told them of the need to stop HIV and create an HIV free generation. They sang their song what if? When Franko sang "we can stop our children from the street" the crowd cheered. Pastor Peter told the crowd about Jesus and when he made the call for Christ hundreds raised their hands. New believers were given bibles but everyone it seemed wanted a bible. Bed nets and bibles - both saving their lives but one saves them for eternally. We had worked with the pastor fellowship in Watamu. We pray that they can use this event to continue their reach for souls for Christ in Watamu and to bring those that accepted Christ the last night of the event into a relationship with Him. At the end of the two days:
1030 were treated and given medications
1450 bed nets were distributed
500 were tested for HIV/Aids
600 were taught community health
600 heard about family planning thousands heard about the Great Physician - the ultimate healer
And many accepted Christ
Even in the chaos of so many people with so many needs the whole team stood still and prayed for a little baby that was brought to Dr. Jim. The baby had been abandoned and a old woman brought her to the medical camp. The baby tested positive for HIV. She was sick with a large, infected lesion on her head. Dr. Jim removed the "pus" from the sore and gave the baby an injection and oral medication. The next day Dr. Jim stayed behind to find the child to check on her. While the rest of the team did as planned and went to see the beauty of Mombasa Dr. Jim and his wife Lyn and I walked the small village of Watamu with Justus and Franko. Dr. Jim and Lyn were tired, hot and weary from their 36 hour trip just days earlier but they wanted to do as Jesus would do - serve the people. We found the child who was doing better. She will be taken to Gede hospital for further testing and what could be a life time of medications to treat her disease of HIV. This child reminds us of why we do what we do. To stop babies from being born infected with HIV - stop their mamas from dying and leaving them orphans. We preach the gospel because we know He is the answer - the only answer. With Him all things are possible even stopping HIV/Aids.
Thank you to all of you who supported this mission. Next we move to Marsabit in August where it is more difficult to get to, the ground is harder and the people more desperate. Pray for the team who is preparing their hearts to go.
Praying this the Mombasa mission will impact the lives of the people of Watamu and spread the gospel to so many that need it.
Connie
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4the update - we are all safe

I will send an update later about our Mombasa mission but just wanted to let everyone know we are safe. You may be hearing on the news "five Christians were killed in Nairobi". On Saturday there was a demonstration in Nairobi concerning the proposed Kenyan constitution to be voted on in August. Five people were killed when violence broke out. We were in Mombasa and not even in Nairobi. We will not be going near any demonstrations. Please pray for those who lost their lives and their families and pray this nation can peacefully vote on the constitution.

God is keeping us safe, we give Him all the glory,

Connie
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"I get my own blanket" - 3rd update

The new children's home is almost complete, and yesterday we were able to deliver the new items purchased for the children. Blankets, towels, and a host of other supplies for the children made their way to the new home. But this stuff didn't come easy! First, all the money we used was donated by many of you and by members of this team. Our "move one" campaign raised funds to help. Due to "overruns" though in the building of the children's home we didn't have as much money as we needed....so we bargained hard to make the money stretch. We went to a shopping area where Americans don't go - River Road. It is where things are made so as they say in Kenya we got the "best price". John who plans, shops for and prepares all of our meals went with us. Imagine - one Kenyan and 8 white people! We bargained so well John declared us Kenyans. At times John longed to back in the kitchen! We were shopping for 34 children! At the end of hours of walking, bargaining and buying we had:

Pink sheets for the girls
Blue sheets for the boys
Green sheets for the aunties
2 outdoor cookers
2 bigger than large pots
Towels for every person
Spoons
Bowls
5 large thermos for chai
Wash basins
And, a nice blanket for every child
Pillows are being made

We were left to buy mattresses. Funds were low at that point so we priced three thicknesses of mattresses. We have enough for the foram pads for each child. Over time, we can replace them with better mattresses.

We met the children at the new children's home. To say they were excited to see their new home, new beds and all the new things is an understatement. Amy was showing them they have windows and she told them they will each have their own beds. One of the little girls said, "I get my own blanket?". These children have slept three to a bed and shared a blanket. God has blessed them not just with a bed and their own blanket but with Nick, Charles and their aunties who love them and with people in the US who gave to change the live of a child.

As the home is not quite complete we will move them permently when we return from Mombasa.

Blessed to partner with those who made a difference for these children,

Connie
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The way it works - 2nd update

This is the way it works. You learn 473 children under the age of five die EVERYDAY in Kenya. As a mom, a nurse, a Christian you want to help. You recruit your family to the cause. You recruit your friends to help. You decide the way to help is to equip, empower and engage young indigenous Christian leaders in the fight to save their children. Then you need money to do the work. You need money to pay the young Christian Kenyan leaders so they can support their parents and other family members back home in the villages. You need money to do the mission outreach like the one we are doing this weekend. You put together an American team and ask them to come join the Kenyan team to do the mission. They raise funds to come to Kenya and for the mission work and you pray they raise enough to support the mission. You are so grateful for the hundreds of people who support them with the funds to come and the funds to do the work. I hope everyone knows that whatever they gave large or small is making a difference. This weekend at the Mombasa mission we will see hundreds of people who are sick and give them medicine to make them well. Young men and women who have been playing in our soccer tournament for this last month will play the finals. Not the World Cup but to them it is as important - the winning team will receive soccer shoes and uniforms. Some of these kids play without shoes so to receive soccer shoes is a "big deal". Yesterday there over a 1000 people watching the quarter-finals! We have 1000 bed nets that we will distribute to children 5 and under and pregnant women. Sleeping under a bed net can prevent a child from dying from malaria. Hopefully, we will prevent one of the 473 children from dying. The Temples of Worship will sing all weekend from the stage and do a what if? event. Counselors will test people for HIV/Aids and people will sign commitment cards pledging to do their part to create an HIV-free generation. They will ask people to give their lives to Christ. None of this could be happening if this American team Ryan, Kristen, Amy, Rebecca, my son David, Logan, Nick, Stephanie, Jim, Lyn and Jake had not come and if so many people had not supported them. So that's how it works. Many people - American and Kenyan working together to save the children.

Blessed to be a part of the Mombasa mission team and grateful for all the $supporters,

Connie
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1st update - something is different

I have returned to Kenya. Returned to a country, a continent and to people I have grown to love. But this time it is different. I have felt for awhile now that I needed to be under spiritual cover. When you go to the unreached people groups, the enemy isn't happy. The last six months have brought many attacks to Partners for Care. To help us as an organization, Pastor David Karanja said he would send me. So last Sunday Pastor karanja, Christ Harvesters International Church, Marietta, Georgia, commisioned me in front of the congregation to serve under his spiritual authority. I am now sent by Christ Harvester's Church and have the prayer support of the Kenyans who worship at this church. I am also blessed to have the prayer support of Cumberland Community Church in Smyrna, Georgia. I met Pastor Allen and Pastor Rob and 15 of their members when we partnered with them for a what if? event last November when they came to Kenya. I really feel welcome in their church and am learning from Pastor Allen's sermons. One of their church members, Amy, is on this trip with me for three weeks. We are blessed to have her join us! So, things are different. I feel more protected from spiritual attacks. They will come but we will continue to focus on the mission - finding and equipping young Christian leaders as they lead people to Christ. These young Kenyan Partners for Care staff are saving lives for the kingdom.

Blessed to be sent,

Connie
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Oops

Thanks to my son David reading the last update I realize I forgot to tell you what Stephen said...he asked "will you feed me, I am hungry". Thanks David for helping your mom out!
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Stephen - he wants to be a Pastor when he grows up.

Sometimes you get a front row seat

Two and half years ago on the streets of Nairobi a little street boy looked up and said something to this day I remember. I remember how the words struck me. I remember how I felt. I remember the look on his face. That little boy was Stephen. It was during the height of the post-election violence in Kenya. I was downtown Nairobi having just completed a two-week tour of Kenya on the PEACE BUS delivering food and medical care to the Internally Displace People Camps. I fed Stephen that day along with his two friends - Jimmie and Brian. Stephen had lived on the streets for many years. He is an orphan. I asked them if they wanted to come with me. They said yes and for the last two and half years they have lived in the rescue center at Mathare Slum. Nick and Charles have cared for them along with the other 29 children. Many of you know the children. You know the condition of the slum. And, with so many of you financially helping Stephen, Jimmie and Brian and all the children will move OUT OF THE SLUM....to a new home in a village with grass for a backyard instead of a slum. And, they will each have their own bed. As the home is being completed these next two weeks I asked Nick if the children were getting excited about moving. He told me....they are already packed. On June 9 the Mombasa mission team will have a front row seat as we move the children to their new home. How good is God? What a blessing to do His work and help the orphans. Thanks to ALL you who have believed in Nick and Charles, who have loved the children and given financially and prayfully to make this happen!

Glad for a front row seat,

Connie
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Sometimes we know one of the 473 children who die everyday

Sometimes we know one of the 473 children who die everyday in Kenya - mostly from preventable diseases. The 7 year old niece of one of our Kenyan staff died yesterday of cholera. There is a cholera outbreak in Mombasa. She became one of the 473 children in Kenya to die everyday of preventable diseases. I feel sad that even though as a world we know how to prevent water borne diseases, for this child we didn't. This staff member just a couple months ago lost his sister-in-law to HIV/Aids.

Sad to hear of another child dying,

Connie
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Jiggers in Marsabit

Pastor Hirbo removing Jiggers from the feet of a girl.

Double Orphans

In August we are taking a team to Marsabit. Marsabit - a very desperate part of Kenya, starvation, lack of water, disease and many orphans. And, Marsabit is where there are jiggers. Jiggers are little white fleas that burrow in your feet, lay eggs and keep multiplying until your feet and legs swell up like an elphanant's leg. People die from jiggers because the fleas eat the nutrients intended for the person. The only way to address the jiggers is to dig them out. They call they that a "jigger campaign". The team is conducting medical camps, distributing bed nets, testing for HIV/Aids, holding what if? concerts and we had wanted to do sports evangelism. While organizing with the pastors on the ground they asked us to if we use the money we would have used for the sports tournament to help 18 double orphans who are infected with HIV/Aids. These are the 18 children the social worker we fund, Mare, has identified. Imagine knowing 18 children who have lost both parents and who are infected by the same disease that took their parents. The children need food, a place to live and uniforms to go to school. So, with the money we would have spent for soccer balls and trophies we will help these little children in Marsabit. He said He would not leave them orphans - He would go to them. (John 14:18) We will go for Him.

Praying for the many orphans in Marsabit,

Connie
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Ryan is returning to Kenya!

Ryan is returning to Kenya! This time he will lead a team that will hold a medical camp in the village of Watamu - the home of Justus and David. We hope to leave a lasting impact on this village north of Mombasa not only by treating the sick, teaching community health, distributing 1000 bed nets, holding sports tournaments and doing HIV/Aids testing but by reaching many with the gospel guiding people to the Great Physician. I know many of you followed Ryan as he gave his weekly updates during his three months in Kenya. I believe you will enjoy reading his support letter. Pray many will be touched to help Ryan raise funds for medications and the other expenses of this outreach mission.

Thank you for caring for this ministry,

Connie
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Fireworks in June.

Like all memories, Africa paints a picture not quite finished; it speaks words almost inaudible; it leaves feelings enticingly out of reach.  Memories are funny.  The story as a whole has slipped away, but not so fast as to notice it leaving.  What was once a brilliant firework display in the present are now only flashes of fainting color and echos of sound.  Like a cat chasing a shadow, memories remain elusive.  Africa is such a memory--flashes of shining color burst forward like children who skip by me in the slum and echos of foreign words slip softly away as I remember the quiet evenings.

When I quit my job and made the decision to move to Africa for three months, I knew I was in for an experience.  New places, new people, new adventures--what more could I ask for?  Someone hit the fast forward button.  In a blink of an eye, my anticipation has turned into contemplation.  My time in Kenya was both adventurous and ordinary in its lifespan.  All my experiences--the good, the bad, the exhilarating, and the frustrating--have fossilized quickly in my memory bank.  Perhaps my best decision of the trip was to write an update to my friends and family once a week while I was a half-a-world away.  I always looked forward to Friday mornings.  In those early morning hours, I would sit down at my desk and write about that week's experience.  It was my hope that those far away would see what I saw and feel what I had felt in Africa.  

As I look back on those quiet Friday mornings, I am reminded of the images I recorded and the opportunity I possessed.  What an addictive blessing it is to witness God's work from a front-row seat.  There is no better view I can assure you.  As the memory's view of that front row seat flickers through my mind, it is but a few sentences I heard one evening that sums it all up.

It was a dark Wednesday night in late November.  East Africa is known for its pleasant equator weather, but this night seemed colder and darker than usual.  The clouds blocked the whispered starlight and the wind had picked up--creating an empty-feeling night that conjured up halloween movies.  I was about to step into a village church in Northern Kenya.  Constructed with small, hand cut branches it was a humble church, even for Kenya.  The strong wind rattled the tin roof sheets and whipped across the plastic tarp walls.  As I approached the church, I could hear the beginnings of a worship service.  The wails of singing, the darkness of the night, and the howling of the wind hurled themselves about my senses in the brisk air. 

Just before I entered into the glowing candlelit hut, one of my team members pulled me aside.  "Ryan," he cautiously whispered, "I know you are quite accustomed to Kenyan worship services, but..." He trailed off.  "What is it?" I said, now intrigued.  He continued, "But, these people, these people...well, they worship as King David did," his tone had turned to a reverent hush.  And with that we both ducked our heads and entered into the village church as the drums began to sound...

It is that instance that continues to draw me back to the memory of Africa.  Like all memories, that few seconds one evening has changed.  The sound of the plastic walls waving rhythmically in the wind has grown louder and the tone of the drums has swelled richer.  It is with these sounds that I remember my time in Kenya.  The night's surroundings have grown taller.   With those images I remember.  That is the view from my seat.

Witnessing God's work is very much like memories.  Both can seem achingly incomplete, inaudible, or a finger's tip out of reach.  But as we grasp for memory's fireworks of the past, God's grand display lies ahead.  Memory's flash contains bits of the history, but seeing God's work is a peer into the future.   Glimpses of His grandeur--the coming Show--can be seen everywhere.  It sparks and burns in Georgia, Africa, and even a small hut church in Northern Kenya.  I cannot wait for the grand finale.

This coming June I will have the privilege to once again take a front row seat in the arena of God's work!  I will be leading a team of Americans to Kenya.  I am especially excited for this particular trip because we will be sponsoring a medical camp near the coastal town of Mombasa.  Funds for this medical camp need to be raised.  I would kindly ask you to pray and consider being a part of this great opportunity!  If you do feel led to give, please send a check to: "Partners for Care," 2001 Breckenridge Lane, Alpharetta, Georgia 30005.

As June approaches, I look forward to going back to a land that sparks my memories and ignites a passion that yearns for God's final display.   I hope you will join me.

-Ryan Morris

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Ryan Morris

Partners For Care
2001 Breckenridge Lane
Alpharetta, GA 30005

cell #: (770) 843-2206