Family and Friends,
What a journey we have had over the last five months. Many of you have been praying for us and following our trip, so we wanted to give you a brief overview of what we were able to be a part of with God’s provision and your prayers and support.
September
· We arrived in Africa, greeted by a friend’s brother who lives in Nairobi Kenya and were driven to the missionary compound where we met the Work and Witness team.
· We had two weeks in Kisumu, Kenya with a medical Nazarene Work and Witness team. Our team came from different areas of the States, and missionary Evie Gardner hosted and lead our team. Together we were able to see 1500 patients, orphans and their caregivers.
· Later we received news that many patients reported pain relief they’ve never experienced, and many churches and caregivers were asking when we were coming back. An OVC (Orphan and Vulnerable Children) program is in place to follow up and continue to educate and oversee the caretakers and orphans.
· The presidential candidate, now President, Barak Obama, was always a topic of interest to the people of Kenya and we even passed by where his step-Grandmother lived.
· At the end of five days of clinic we enjoyed a couple days on Safari, this was a great time of rest and reflection.
· Mid-September we stayed at Africa Nazarene University campus as Mission Corps Volunteers with the Nazarene Church. We were welcomed there by Dr. Mark and Rev. Nancy Pitts, as well as Rev. Randy and Mrs. Mary Jane James. While at ANU we also became good friends with Jonathan and Jessica Duranceau, another Mission Corps Volunteer couple who were from Treveca Nazarene.
October
· While at ANU Kristin helped in the campus clinic and Jeremy assisted in the Biology Lab and also stepped in to help with the sports department, alongside Jonathan. While there Kristin was asked to teach a basic sports first aid class and Jeremy was asked to teach some biology labs, as well as coach the new women’s basketball team.
· Twenty students attended both first aid training sessions which was a success. Jeremy and Jonathan also hosted a basketball tournament at the university for high school students, which was a first in the new indoor gym.
· In mid-October we packed up to go to Mercy Ships and reluctantly said good-bye to our friends at ANU. From Nairobi, Kenya we flew to Monrovia, Liberia, where the ship was docked for the 2008 outreach.
· Our room was on deck two, under water level in a bunk room. We knew this would be our room, but had hoped something else would have opened up.
November
· While with Mercy Ships Jeremy was a part of the Dining Room staff and helped serve the crew members and also volunteered in night swimmer’s watch. Kristin was a ward nurse and oversaw the care of 4-7 patients a shift, including children and adults.
· We had the opportunity to attend a Jesus Film showing, visit several churches in Monrovia, and visit the country/bush a few times with the agriculture team and attend the opening of a clinic built by Mercy Ships.
· Within two weeks of being on the ship, a room opened up on deck 4, which had a window and we moved up!
· The ship galley even blessed us with a traditional Thanksgiving meal!
December
· This month there were numerous Christmas activities including, Santa Lucia, Winter Wonderland, children’s pageant and cookie making.
· The hospital discharged their last patients and the entire hospital was cleaned and secured. The rest of the ship also secured loose items in preparation for the sail and we left Monrovia port on December 12th to head for Tenerife, Spain for a month of rest, repairs and restocking.
· The sail was a bit rough, but we enjoyed the experience and arrived safely to Tenerife. From here we flew out to Madrid, Spain for Christmas with friends from college.
· We had a wonderful time in Madrid. It was restful and so much fun to be with familiar friends! From Madrid we flew to Amsterdam and had a day of sightseeing before heading to Seattle.
· We arrived safely home and were greeted by our families and enjoyed a second Christmas all together in Ferndale.
January
· We were thrown for quite a loop with the time change, but have now adapted. We continue to adjust to life here again in all areas. Shopping is still overwhelming to us and church experiences are quite different from what we were a part of in Africa.
· We currently are in Connell and will live here for some time in the Tri-City area. Jeremy will work on the family farm here in Connell through spring at least and Kristin is currently transferring her RN license to WA and in the process of applying to positions in the Tri-Cities. Please pray for continued guidance as we transition back into jobs and life in the States.
Thank you Valley Shepherd, Church of the Nazarene of Meridian, Idaho for sending us with two large suitcases of medications, vitamins, gloves and other supplies to use on our Work and Witness trip! Thank you Dr. McMahan for also sending hundreds of toothbrushes to distribute; they were a much appreciated and popular item!
Thank you again to our family and friends who financially supported and prayed for us. When we say thanks to family and friends it doesn’t seem like enough. This trip seemed crazy in the beginning when details were still coming together two weeks before we left, and we appreciate your faithful support!
The Lord has provided and we still can’t believe the provision and favor he has shown us throughout this fall season. He certainly orchestrated this trip and we could not have planned it more perfectly. He provided a place for us to serve between the work and witness and Mercy Ships, he provided a room on the Mercy Ship when they told us they had no room, he blessed us with friends, and provided safe travels all along the way! (Which was a miracle every single day!) We will never know the impact we had in Kenya or with Mercy Ships, and we may never understand the true purpose of us going at this time. God is good and he has taught us to listen and obey through it all.
Thank you once again!
What a journey we have had over the last five months. Many of you have been praying for us and following our trip, so we wanted to give you a brief overview of what we were able to be a part of with God’s provision and your prayers and support.
September
· We arrived in Africa, greeted by a friend’s brother who lives in Nairobi Kenya and were driven to the missionary compound where we met the Work and Witness team.
· We had two weeks in Kisumu, Kenya with a medical Nazarene Work and Witness team. Our team came from different areas of the States, and missionary Evie Gardner hosted and lead our team. Together we were able to see 1500 patients, orphans and their caregivers.
· Later we received news that many patients reported pain relief they’ve never experienced, and many churches and caregivers were asking when we were coming back. An OVC (Orphan and Vulnerable Children) program is in place to follow up and continue to educate and oversee the caretakers and orphans.
· The presidential candidate, now President, Barak Obama, was always a topic of interest to the people of Kenya and we even passed by where his step-Grandmother lived.
· At the end of five days of clinic we enjoyed a couple days on Safari, this was a great time of rest and reflection.
· Mid-September we stayed at Africa Nazarene University campus as Mission Corps Volunteers with the Nazarene Church. We were welcomed there by Dr. Mark and Rev. Nancy Pitts, as well as Rev. Randy and Mrs. Mary Jane James. While at ANU we also became good friends with Jonathan and Jessica Duranceau, another Mission Corps Volunteer couple who were from Treveca Nazarene.
October
· While at ANU Kristin helped in the campus clinic and Jeremy assisted in the Biology Lab and also stepped in to help with the sports department, alongside Jonathan. While there Kristin was asked to teach a basic sports first aid class and Jeremy was asked to teach some biology labs, as well as coach the new women’s basketball team.
· Twenty students attended both first aid training sessions which was a success. Jeremy and Jonathan also hosted a basketball tournament at the university for high school students, which was a first in the new indoor gym.
· In mid-October we packed up to go to Mercy Ships and reluctantly said good-bye to our friends at ANU. From Nairobi, Kenya we flew to Monrovia, Liberia, where the ship was docked for the 2008 outreach.
· Our room was on deck two, under water level in a bunk room. We knew this would be our room, but had hoped something else would have opened up.
November
· While with Mercy Ships Jeremy was a part of the Dining Room staff and helped serve the crew members and also volunteered in night swimmer’s watch. Kristin was a ward nurse and oversaw the care of 4-7 patients a shift, including children and adults.
· We had the opportunity to attend a Jesus Film showing, visit several churches in Monrovia, and visit the country/bush a few times with the agriculture team and attend the opening of a clinic built by Mercy Ships.
· Within two weeks of being on the ship, a room opened up on deck 4, which had a window and we moved up!
· The ship galley even blessed us with a traditional Thanksgiving meal!
December
· This month there were numerous Christmas activities including, Santa Lucia, Winter Wonderland, children’s pageant and cookie making.
· The hospital discharged their last patients and the entire hospital was cleaned and secured. The rest of the ship also secured loose items in preparation for the sail and we left Monrovia port on December 12th to head for Tenerife, Spain for a month of rest, repairs and restocking.
· The sail was a bit rough, but we enjoyed the experience and arrived safely to Tenerife. From here we flew out to Madrid, Spain for Christmas with friends from college.
· We had a wonderful time in Madrid. It was restful and so much fun to be with familiar friends! From Madrid we flew to Amsterdam and had a day of sightseeing before heading to Seattle.
· We arrived safely home and were greeted by our families and enjoyed a second Christmas all together in Ferndale.
January
· We were thrown for quite a loop with the time change, but have now adapted. We continue to adjust to life here again in all areas. Shopping is still overwhelming to us and church experiences are quite different from what we were a part of in Africa.
· We currently are in Connell and will live here for some time in the Tri-City area. Jeremy will work on the family farm here in Connell through spring at least and Kristin is currently transferring her RN license to WA and in the process of applying to positions in the Tri-Cities. Please pray for continued guidance as we transition back into jobs and life in the States.
Thank you Valley Shepherd, Church of the Nazarene of Meridian, Idaho for sending us with two large suitcases of medications, vitamins, gloves and other supplies to use on our Work and Witness trip! Thank you Dr. McMahan for also sending hundreds of toothbrushes to distribute; they were a much appreciated and popular item!
Thank you again to our family and friends who financially supported and prayed for us. When we say thanks to family and friends it doesn’t seem like enough. This trip seemed crazy in the beginning when details were still coming together two weeks before we left, and we appreciate your faithful support!
The Lord has provided and we still can’t believe the provision and favor he has shown us throughout this fall season. He certainly orchestrated this trip and we could not have planned it more perfectly. He provided a place for us to serve between the work and witness and Mercy Ships, he provided a room on the Mercy Ship when they told us they had no room, he blessed us with friends, and provided safe travels all along the way! (Which was a miracle every single day!) We will never know the impact we had in Kenya or with Mercy Ships, and we may never understand the true purpose of us going at this time. God is good and he has taught us to listen and obey through it all.
Thank you once again!
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