2013 Goats & Bikes Update #3

(Monday a.m. PST)
Had a great day today went to the home of Pastor Jack and Pastor Cosmas and saw the property where they will be caring for the livestock. We made arrangements with the foondies "construction workers" to build the small barns for the animals.We got the septic started today and will be traveling this week to Eldoret to inspect and purchase livestock and have it delivered to Jack,Cosmas, Alex and Boaz. We also started a small building on Boaz's property that will be a small store that will be very fruitful in this area. It will have grains,beans,sugar,sodas and other staples that the local can purchase and not have to travel to Awasai. Jerry preached at Boaz's church yesterday and I was blown away by the teaching. The funeral for Boaz's brother in law is friday and we will be traveling to the region where they are from. Please also pray for pastor Joseph Okello his sister Rhoda who was training midwifes on the first kenya trip lost her daughter to aids on Sunday...we are doing good and have had to make some changes but we are being good stewards of the funds entrusted to us to accomplish the mission and vision we came to do............Shane

2013 Goats & Bikes Update #2

(Sunday a.m. PST)

Kenya is a beautiful place and the people are amazing. They have very little in terms of material things but they are wealthy in joy and faith. They are kind and laugh much and share all that they have. Tomorrow we leave chemilil where we are staying to go on a road trip and see the pastors homes that we will be helping teach to fish.Once again thanks for your prayers...sidenote later this week we will be traveling to el doret to purchas livestock and have it delivered......never forget that being a servant is a wonderful thing wherever you are........Shane

2013 Goats & Bikes Update #1

 Everything is going good we had a meeting with the pastors whose property we will be using and went over our goals and purpose for what we are doing. Boaz's son Ben has a business degree and will be helping the men understand small business concepts and also make sure that they are learning how to save money for incidentals and solve any problems that they might have. We also assured them that our goal was to see them succeed and be able to help others as they prosper. On another note Boaz's brother in law was murdered by thugs on the evening we arrived and so please pray for him and his sister. The house has many friends and relatives here during this time as thry grieve and prepare for the funeral.Tomorrow we will be traveling to the different pastors homes to check the property so that we know it will be able to support the livestock.............Shane

The Grand Finale

Where to start.....We had dinner in the house with most of the Omugah family and for the first time we caught a glimpse of what dinner looks like when they gather for a meal. As we sat down the kids started coming and coming and coming and we wondered when the flow of children would stop. As I looked into one corner of the room there was about fifteen children that looked as if they were from five to ten years old and I thought about how beautiful it was that they had a family. That's what makes this so unique is that Boaz and Helen are mama and papa to these kids. Then there was all the young teens and next to them the older teens and a group of young adults with their babies who all stay at the house. I tried to imagine what it was like to be in this new home with a bedroom that was as big as the old house. Pastor Boaz now has his own room with a door,closet,bathroom that includes a shower and sit down toilet.

That's right he used to have to walk through the mud to the out door pit toilet which is just a hole in the ground that is used by all the school kids. The girls and boys rooms also have there own bathrooms with the same luxuries.





I looked at Boaz and Helen's room today and it consists of a small bed in the kitchen/store room with a sheet hung up for privacy. Could you imagine the lack of privacy when this is where the refrigerator and all the food is with all those kids prowling around. They now have the bedroom in the back of the house with a door that LOCKS and a small room that can be used for a study plus the bedroom!! The dinner was a feast with lots of prayer,worship,testimonies and thanking the Lord for what He has done. The Omugah family says they really do not have words to thank the Touchstone family for this blessing that they could have never have imagined being done for them. They send their love and greetings. It brought tears to my eyes as looked at what the Lord had done for this family and that we as a church were able to be a part this blessing. We also want to thank all our family friends who helped us with their gifts and support. There were many people who do not go to Touchstone who helped make it possible for Rick and I to afford to travel and be here. So we will be home soon and we are signing out...

Ero kamano (thank you) Your brother in Christ, Shane
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The new kitchen. There is a sink and a faucet (cold water only) on the countertop and cabinets will be underneath.








This is a view of the main room, which divides the girls and the boys rooms. The sink in the corner is for washing hands before eating (sinks such as these are common even in Kenyan restaurants.)







Dinner at the Omugah's...Mama Helen is in the front (in red) serving the gang.









Another chicken dies for us...one of several that day. The chickens were offered to us fried, stewed and roasted. I think we also had goat, but I've learned not to ask what dishes are made of...for my own enjoyment of the meal.







Cooking chapti...kenyan tortillas.

Oh yeah, the house....

It's not that we forgot, but we have been all over this region (including a 30 minute trip into Tanzania) and have seen and done many things. To be honest the house project is pretty much taking care of itself...with some occasional intervention on our part. We have consulted on changes such as the roof style, which is now more appropriate for the Kenya weather then as we planned it. Which is to say it is good we are here.

The home is progressing well, but it will not be complete when we leave tomorrow. However, besides the exterior plaster work, all the big tasks are done. So here you see the house as of Sunday afternoon. A little paint and a little plaster and she'll be done.

There will be a dedication of the new house tonight as we take dinner in the new home...more on that later.

A new church is born in Kenya

Hello friends and family. It has been a fabulous two days here for Rick and I. The pastors were doing a church plant up in the hills in place known as Oneno Nam. It was an hour drive on a very rough dirt road but some incredibly beautiful country that you will see in the photos. A large group of pastors arrived on Thursday and started with door to door evangelism. We arrived on Friday and were split up into eight groups of four people and set out walking through the country and visiting homes in this very rural area and inviting people to the church. Most of the folks camped out on the property where the church will be. Today (Sunday) was special when we got to sit outdoors under the tree where the church will meet until God provides a building for them.

There was a lot of worship, great teaching by Pastor Boaz, the introduction of the new pastor whose name is Lawrence and an assistant from Pastor Boaz's church to help until the church gets going. They had their first baby dedication (Pastor Lawrence and his wife's baby girl) and also a dedication of a plot of the land that was donated by the owner of the property we were staying at. The view was so beautiful it looked like a painting. This new church will be a part of First Baptist Church of Chemilil which is Pastor Boaz's church and referred to as the mother church in this area. The last thing that the pastors did was name this church. The name that they had decided on as a group is Touchstone Christian Fellowship in Oneno Nam, Kenya. We were honored that this group of twenty or more pastors had decided without our knowledge to show their gratitude for the work that our church back home has done for them. Its kinda like when someone names their child after you. Thank you church family for your gifts, prayers and faithfulness and risking the reputation of TCF by sending a couple of clowns like me and Rick to oversee our first project in Kenya. The house is going great but will not be finished by the time we leave but they have worked very hard and are doing a great job. We will have dinner in the home tomorrow night with Boaz and his whole family and dedicate the home. They are doing more than we expected and we are pleased with the construction. So sit back and enjoy the photos of the very first service at Touchstone Christian Fellowship Oneno Nam.

Your brother in Christ, Shane

Boaz (in the brown suit) and the other pastors pray for some brand new Christians.












Helen, Boaz's wife, gets jiggy during worship...which was very lively! We have the video and may post it later...it needs some editing due to poor camera work.
















Here is the new pastor (Lawrence) being prayed for (I know that's poor grammar, give me a break I'm in Kenya!)











Pastor Lawrence shows his appreciation and respect to Pastor Boaz by giving him a hen and a rooster. We've been in several cars with live chickens in the "boot" during our stay. We've even eaten a few.










From the left are pastor Lawrence, his assistant, pastor Cosmo, the man who donated the lot to the church and some unknown guy...they're standing at the new church site.










This is a view looking east from the new church site...it looks better in person! In the distance is the Rift Valley province.












This is another view of the church site looking to the west.












Dedicating the site...













This is one of the better stretches of road on the way to Oneno Nam. It looks like rain ahead.

Kenya on 400 schillings a week

Here are some assorted photos from our safari posted simply to show you examples of life as we've experienced here in Kenya. They're mostly about people, but that is the Kenya we love...BTW 400 Kenyan schillings (Ksh) is about $5 American.

Shane photographed these kids through the window of Joesph's car on the highway to Kisumu. They're trying to steal sugar cane from the truck as it moves down the road.

Here is our friend Pastor Boaz and his wife Helen relaxing before our meal at Pastor Cornell's home in Kisumu.

This kid's parents are both HIV positive and Mama is in denial about her disease. So far she hasn't been tested and put on the government medication program. The symptoms are obvious to Pastor Joesph. Without treatment this child will become another orphan.

Late afternoon at Lake Victoria from the Kisumu Yacht Club (yeah, they have a yacht club...)

Here is Pastor Joesph with our lunch. I think we ate the brown one, but they all look the same stewed.

Four on a Boda Boda at the border...

The fish mongers in the Ahero market...I think Shane is talking to them about fish. The woman is cleaning a "mud fish" (looks like a catfish to me.) This is very near our guest house.

A man working his garden near Kanyipola. Leaning on his hoe as we passed...

Wherever we go the kids come out (or just stare) as the Mzungus drive by...

All dogs in this area of Kenya look the same, "African dogs" they call them. Can you see the African dog in this photo?