no goodbyes, just see you soons :)

7, June 2010

Monday

So today is my last Monday in Mombasa :(

BUT we all know I will be back so no goodbyes just see you soons.

Today was a great day as always! We hung up all the artwork the kids did in their classrooms so the classes look so adorable!

After Mtepani, we were going to eat at this floating restaurant but! of course out of all the days, it was closed on Monday haha so that did not work out so we went and had some yummy chicken instead.

We then got to walk over to the market center so we could finish ordering all the kids shoes and I got to see the one of the largest markets on the east coast so ! I told Chris, actually I insisted that me and him go thursday morning and see it when it is busy busy because it opens at 5 am - around 12ish so that will be exciting!

And then after that Lisa and I went around to a few places and I bought roasted corn and freshly made chips off the side of the road...oh how I love that about Kenya! oh and I bought a pineapple :) yummy.

and then... drumroll... we finished the monkey cage! Daisy and Lilly love it! they have been swinging on the trees we put inside of it and it is so BIG as you can see I crawled through the back door of it and hopped inside!

BUT overall it was a fabulous day and the Lord gave us great weather and much laughter :)

With Love,

Jenny

John 14:13-14

The greatest thing about being a disciple of Christ is doing the will of the Lord and bringing glory upon His name.

I fall on my knees

6, June 2010

Sunday

Today was a glorious day and so....AMAZING :)

We went to Mtepani for church and I played my song I wrote and presented the guitar to them.

They were so excited and so was I!

The chorus of my song is:

"I fall on my knees

and I lift my hands to the Lord God Almighty

and He has saved my life

and has made me into a woman of Christ.

I thank the Lord for turning me around

and setting my feet on solid ground

and oh how He rescued me

and finally made my life so complete."

:) The Lord was so present at church today and I just thank the Lord for surrounding me with so much love and graciousness. He is truly amazing and we are all truly blessed to have such a wonderful Savior.

After church, we went to lunch with are friends again, Zera and Victor! They are both so sweet. We ate at Boka Boka (the traditional African place again) and this time they had dancers! It was so nice. I also got to see the turtle which is like 400 years old. He is so big, he looks like a statue but I promise you, he is totally real. He started to chase me but I am too fast haha or he is way slow. You can look at that situation either way haha.

Once we ate the owner of Boka Boka, Yolanda, showed us around. She has so much land and owns a little bed and breakfast and it is so cute because it is back behind Boka Boka and is so secluded. It is very nice. AND! then Yolanda wanted all of us to plant a tree! So I got out there and planted haha. The coolest part is she puts your name on a rock and where you are from and puts it under the tree :) so when I come back it will be there!

It was a nice and eventful day. I thank the Lord for every minute of it!

With Love,

Jenny

p.s I took some pictures of Chris and Lisa this morning and I thought the one I posted was oh so cute. :) they are adorable haha I love them!

saturday!

5, June 2010

Saturday!

I woke up and had a wonderful breakfast of scrambled eggs and bacon :) yummy.

Once the day began, I did little projects all day. I finished up the painting in the guest room. (There is still a little more things that need to be done in there but I got most of it done). Then I spray painted shapes on the weaved mats for the baby classroom at Mbewau. I got all the crafts ready to be hung in the classrooms on Monday and to top it off Lisa had a lady come over and we got massages! It was so nice.

Tomorrow I am presenting the guitar to the church and I am so excited. I wrote a new song today and will be sharing it with the church tomorrow. It has been another wonderful day and the Lord has blessed my every footstep. :)

With Love,

Jenny

funfilled friday.

4, June 2010

Friday

Today was complete joy. That is all I can really say. If I picked one word, yes it would be joyful.

We started our day off going to Mtepani. Chris was called at 6 this morning about another monkey in the village and guess what? yes that is right. We took it home with us. :) but Lisa and I came up with the name Lilly (like the flower) so now we have Daisy and Lilly. At first Daisy did not know what to think of her but she eventually took her under her care and they became friends.

While at Mtepani, I finished getting all the stories of every kid. It is amazing what each kid has gone through. You have a boy who has a deaf mom to a kid who is the youngest of 11! I have learned so much about these kids and have deeply fallen in love with each one. I almost know a good 80 percent of their names. (there are 100 kids so you have to keep that in mind). I get confused sometimes but I can even tell apart Janet and Judy who are twins, so I think I am getting pretty good! haha.

After finishing the profiles of each kid with Pastor Nzaro, I went and played jumprope, sang, chased bubbles around and just enjoyed my time with all the kids from baby class to KG3 class.

I have been truly blessed and touched by not only all the kids at Mbewau Academy but by every person who works with Mbewau or lives in the village of Mtepani. Throughout the three weeks that I have been here, I have learned more and more about Real 4 Christ Ministries. I have learned about every person as an individual and I have become intentional.

My friend Alane said it the best when she ran for president of our sorority. She said I want to become intentional with the girls in our sorority. She expressed to everyone that she wanted to know each and every one of us as best as she could and that is what I have done here.

I have become intentional and I have fallen in love with each person and what their heart has to offer.

That is exactly what Jesus Christ does for us. He is intentional with each one of us. I have expressed this many times in my blog but everything happens for a reason and the Lord has a special plan for each person. For goodness sakes, He knows how many hairs you have on your head! He of course knows our purpose and He knows our hearts.

My friend Barrett shared with me a verse today and it touched my heart.

Zephaniah 3:17

"The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves, He will take great delight in you; in His love He will no longer rebuke you, but rejoice over you with singing."

The Lord delights in each one of us and saves us! We overlook how amazing and joyous that is!

So as I finished up crafts with all the kids and called them by name, I had tears in my eyes. I was so happy. I was exhausted by the end of the day because of everything the Lord had filled it with but He filled every minute with joy. And when I am tiresome because of being so joyful and happy, that is never a bad thing :)

Hebrews 13:5

"He himself has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you."

Reflect on Hebrews chapter 13 and remember the Lord will never leave your side but only strengthen your path as you walk with Him.

Have a blessed weekend.

Mungu Akubariki.

With Love,

Jenny

Open your ears, and begin to listen.

3, June 2010

Thursday

So today was a different day then usual. Lisa and I went with Michelle, Simone, Cameron and Dominique all around Mombasa to different shopping areas because the girls are redecorating their rooms. It was a fun experience seeing different parts of Mombasa that I have not seen already.

We also went by the hospital here in Mombasa. We are all very blessed in America with the supplies and knowledge we have to keep healthy or stay healthy. It is sad what you see and experience in these hospitals but it is reality and it is happening all around us. Michelle works with an organization which helps the kids with certain tumors that can be curable get chemotherapy. The organization helps pay for their medical bills and the chemotherapy they are giving to the children.

We did not stay long at the hospital but it was nice just visiting with the kids and seeing a different perspective on things.

I am getting different things ready tonight for the teachers and kids tomorrow at Mtepani so I am staying busy.

I want to thank you to everyone following my trip and reading my blog. I hope it is helping you with your walk with the Lord as much as it is helping me. Always put your trust in the Lord.

Psalm 25:21

"May integrity and uprightness protect me because my hope, Lord, is in you."

Psalm 25:14

"The Lord confides in those who fear him; He makes His covenant known to them."

Follow the Lord with all your heart and do not just use your eyes but open your ears and listen to what the Lord has to say. He has a plan for everyone of us.

With Love,

Jenny

2, June 2010

Wednesday.

Today was a busy day as normal :)

We headed out to Mtepani early this morning and I figured out different crafts that the teachers can do with the kids. I am going to be doing crafts with the kids on Friday but I wanted to make a list of others so the teachers can do more crafty stuff when I am gone.

So I had fun this morning making bracelets and paper plate fans and paperbag puppets haha. I also made a HAPPY STICK! which is in the picture above :)

We said it was the Mbewau happy stick. It is officially the mascot of Mbewau Academy. haha

But anyways, I had a great time doing that and I am also working on the profiles of each kid so I spent sometime with Pastor Nzaro just learning about each kid and their individual story and what their family is like so that was really cool.

Once we left Mtepani, we came back home and Lisa and I started the paint in the guest bedroom and should be finished by tomorrow!

It was a wonderful day and it was a beautiful day here in Mombasa :)

The Lord shined all around us! (as he always does, even in rain)

With Love,

Jenny

tuesday full of laughter.

1, June 2010

Tuesday

So today was an interesting day. It started off a little rocky but then became very successful. At first, Chris and Lisa had to pick up Alfred because he was not feeling well. He was very very sick. So Lisa and I did not attend bible study this morning so she could take of Alfred.

While she was taking care of Alfred, Chris and I went over to Jim's house to pick up a lot of different plants and oh boy did I get messy! But it was fun spending time with Chris and lifting plants and laughing that I was "weak" or so Chris wants to think. (He was the weak one..haha just kidding)

We then came back home and Lisa and I ran a few errands and then painted the kitchen and began to start preparing the guest bedroom to be painted.

AND at the same time Chris and the welder started building a new cage for Daisy! (the monkey)

Anyways, it was a busy day around the house. Tomorrow will be a full Wednesday as usual and we will be out at Mtepani doing lots of work!

Today my devotion was on Ezekial 37:1-14

It talked about how the Lord does not just want us to live for Him but also live WITH Him.

Yes, it is a great thing to do work for the Lord but it is very important that we have that relationship with the Lord and live WITH Him while doing work FOR Him. :)

Ezekial 37:14

"I will put my Spirit in you and you will live..."

With Love,

Jenny

P.S

We have a new friend, His name is Victor and He is a beautiful lab!