It is a very special time of year; a time to celebrate Christ's coming to Earth. In addition, I'd like you to celebrate with me the amazing things God has already done in Camp Tumaini, over the past 4 or 5 months. 

I'd like to highlight just a few:

-       10 women are learning to sew at Thread of Hope and earning some money from skirts and purses that they have learned to make.

-       4 businesses have started-up from the micro-loans our supporters have helped provide.

-       Every school-aged kid in Camp Tumaini is able to attend school through the bracelets for education that their mothers have made in exchange for school fees.

-       We have had 2 big celebrations, feeding the entire camp.

-       We have begun a weekly fellowship where the community gathers to worship, pray and share what God is doing.

-       We've laid pipes and have gotten water to Camp Tumaini!!!

This is not the end… there is so much more that we dream for these friends of ours! We are praying that they will have stone homes rather than tents and that every person will be self-sustaining. Thank you so much for the very important role you have played in making these dreams become a reality. (There are days that I literally pinch myself, because I'm so in awe that God has brought me back to this place and He is doing such incredible things). Merry Christmas!  

Friday night, our team slept in the IDP camp. (Well, that is not entirely true…Let me explain).

On Friday we all went down to Camp Tumaini and the children helped us unload the food for our Christmas Feast. Knowing that we would not be in Kenya this Christmas, we did not want to miss the opportunity to celebrate with our friends in the camp, so we planed a big celebration this past weekend.

After arriving in the Camp on Friday, we gathered the children for one last practice of the Christmas songs they have been preparing. We had a special guest, Noniie, from Nairobi come to visit. It was “an eye opening experience” for her. She expressed that most Kenyans have moved on after the 2007 elections and give little thought to the families still living in tents. Her visit was enjoyed by all. Friday afternoon we had our weekly Fellowship time, where we worship, pray and share what God is doing and saying. 

Remembering the last time we had a camp-wide feast, which took about 6 hours to cook for, we decided to try and do some of the work the night before. The women decided we should cook the chapatti (thick, tortilla like Kenyan favorite). We began at 9:30pm. A giant bowl of water, add in some salt and 12 bags of flour… You would think that wouldn't be too difficult, however if you start with too much water it becomes a challenge. About an hour or two later we had a total of 21 bags of flour and could begin rolling and cooking chapatti. We had about 15 women working together and made over 250 chapatti, finishing by around 2am. After hours of rolling, Kelli, Jenna and I went to Veronica's house to attempt to sleep, 3 people to a twin bed, before getting up early to begin prepping the potatoes and carrots and cabbage.  Another 5 or 6 hours of cooking and our feast was ready!

It was a long couple of days, but watching the children stick out their bellies to see who's is the most full made me smile! As did the children's Christmas performance. We had a time to share testimonies and Pastor Paul preached, as a rainbow stretched across the sky. We said our “see you laters” (not goodbye, since we are coming back) and headed home.

Here is a look at some upcoming chances to hear me speak about what God is doing in Kenya, Africa and also share how you can become a part of it.

Sunday, December 18^th at Fairview Covenant Church in Mound.

            Here I will be speaking for about 15 minutes during the 10:30 am service.

Sunday, January 1^st at Minnewashta Church in Shorewood.

            Here I will be speaking for 3 minutes and joining the worship band. Service starts at 10:00 am.

Wednesday, January 4^th at Excelsior Covenant Church in Excelsior.

            EVENING service at 6:30 pm. You are invited to come for dinner at 5:15 pm as well.

Sunday, January 8^th  to the Youth Group at Excelsior Covenant Church in Excelsior.

            Senior High Youth Group 9:45 am

After every service I plan to have a table setup where you can see pictures, hear more stories and talk to me face to face. I hope that you will be able to come hear more about how God is working in my life and overseas. You are welcome to come to any or all of these churches. Hey, maybe I will be the first missionary with roadies!

Michael is a boy at the Children's Garden, a home and school for teenage boys in Manila, Philippines.

Here the boys are removed from the street and their families to better themselves. They are shown the love of God and hope. Michael graduated last year and is trying to bring that hope to his family, still living on the street.

Michael loves his mom so much and he dreamed of giving her a good life. Every time Michael has the money (from working with Pastor Buddy) he always makes sure he goes home to give the money to his mom. Michael's family lives at the park outside Manila Zoo. They live under the tree at the park with push a cart where they put their stuff and tree branches serves as their rooms. Michael's other siblings have a family of their own, but also live in the street and sleep outside 7/11 in Manila.

"Mom's body is still in the hospital and Michael's family doesn't even have the money for the casket for their mom! Just breaks my heart. Please pray for Michael in this saddest time of his life. I remember him telling me about his dream in giving his mom a good life."

This is what we are going to do and I need your help.

"Michael urgently needs the amount of P18,000 or US$430 to cover for the casket and cemetery fees (packaged funeral service) of his mom. Let's continue to pray!

Any amount you feel like giving will be highly appreciated and all the money will go to Michael to cover his needs.

Since, this is an urgent need, you can send your help through Western Union or Xoom.org."

Please email me for detailed information.

Thank you.

This past weekend was one of celebrations. On Saturday we had a feast for everyone in Camp Vision. We arrived in the camp at 9:30 am and cooked for over 6 hours! Pealing potatoes and carrots and 4 women spent about 4 hours just making the chapaties (a thick, tortilla-like specialty here in Kenya). By the time they had finished I believe they made about 200 or more.

So, after much work, around 4pm over 120 people ate plates heaping full of rice, cabbage, potatoes, chapatti, and even goat… yep, we even slaughtered a goat! (well some of the men did it). 

As a special treat, Logan made spaghetti. Some thought it was great, while others did not enjoy the “mazungu food”. Everyone had more than enough to eat. After seconds and thirds the children went around comparing how big their bellies were. It was a great time of celebrating what the Lord has done in the camp!

Then on Sunday we had a celebration with some girls from the main camp that my teammate Jenna had mentored when she was here last year. Last Thursday they finished school. This is no small task given their situations. We were so proud of them and wanted to celebrate both their hard work and God's provision. We baked them chocolate chip cookies (which they had never had before) and had a small party with the members of the youth group. Afterward, one of the girls named Ann said she would pray that we make the cookies again because she will be dreaming of them. :)

It was a busy weekend, but filled with joy and remembrance of all God is doing here!

I went to a worship service at Rift Valley Academy (RVA), the missionary school I taught at for 2+ years. The guest speaker for Spiritual Emphasis Week was none-other than Kris Causton, from my home church in Minnesota. It was one of the strangest feelings to be sitting in the sanctuary surrounded by familiar students and RVA staff, listening to a pastor from my home church speak... all the while being in Kenya to sever in the IDP camp.

During her time here in Kenya, Kris and her husband Jeff were able to go with my team and I down to the valley to visit the IDP camp where I've been spending most of my time. It was such a blessing to be able to share what God is doing here in Kenya and this huge piece of my heart for the people I love. First we took them to visit the sewing school and the main camp where Habitat for Humanity had been building houses. We also showed them the borehole and water pump in Jikaze IDP camp. We ate lunch together at our good friend Mama Ester's “hotel” (hotel means restaurant here). 

Then came the highlight of my day… walking the dusty, dirt paths to visit families in their tattered tents and hold children as I listen to them share their stories and continue to build relationships with them. Kris and Jeff jumped right in with little or no apparent hesitation. It was a feeling like no other to share this experience with someone from home and watch as their hearts filled with compassion for people I care so deeply for.