Africa Is Calling

Monday, June 9, 2008 I was invited to join Dawn Lundgren, Barb Mitchell and Jan Erickson on a trip to Kenya and Uganda. This was what I had been praying for during the past two years. I was not released to accept until August 1, 2008. During that time of waiting I continued to pray and fast for Africa and this team - whether I was to be a part of it or not.

Once I knew I was able to participate with this team I began to prepare lessons. I think we were asked to prepare a couple of lessons. The Lord kept giving me messages and I ended up taking seven along. I thought I was being silly and overpreparing but was determined to obey the Lord and take all of them. Boy am I glad I did!

On October 9, 2008 the four of us boarded a plane for Nairobi, Kenya. Immediately we melded as a team. We experienced instant unity in the Lord. It was as though we had always known each other. There is no explaining it other than it was the Lord.

We arrived on Friday October 10 in the evening. We were greeted at the Free Pentecostal Guesthouse, where we would live for the next 10 days, with bouquets of fresh flowers, lots of warm handshakes and smiles. I felt so loved. We were exhausted so we turned in for the evening. The next day we would hit the amazing bookstore right there at the guesthouse. Dawn and Barbara found books right away. Jan and I took a little longer to find the books we wanted. But we did settle on the book, "Why Not Women?" by Loren Cunningham and __________. It is a great book about what the Bible really says about women in ministry. Great read. Jan and I sat in bed and read and giggled and read and giggled. It was at times like a 21-day slumber party!

Sunday, October 12, Dawn preached the first service at the Free Pentecostal church in Kabiria. She preached on Luke 19, Zacchaeaus. What? That was the very first teaching the Lord gave me to take! Scratch that one off my list of teachings to give! At least I was hearing accurately! Barbara preached second service on the compelling love of God. We then we had a time of ministry. Watching Pastor Emmanuel with his church members was touching. He loves them deeply and encourages them to live their fullest.

After service the men of the church were given the 100 ties we had brought as gifts. You were all so generous. The men had such a great time choosing them and then showing the others what they had received. After that we had lunch at Pastor and Joyce's, then back to the compound. Tomorrow we were to go to the orphaned elephant park.

Monday, October 13 we went to see the baby elephants. Cute but stinky! As we were standing there we heard a noise behind us. Big baboons were out. After being in India and having a monkey try to get at me through the car window, I don't have a great fondness for monkeys! So I watched carefully. I wanted to know where they were at all times.

We stopped along the way back to the compound to take pictures of the slum where we would be teaching and holding the crusade. A van stopped while we where shooting film and the couple (Americans) stopped and invited us to take pictures from their place. The gal, Debra Wombe, said the Lord had told her to stop and she had never done anything like that before. Her husband, Jim, agreed. They have an orphange, school and feeding program for those in the slum. When we arrived, it was like an oasis overlooking the edge of hell. There is just not an easier way to put that. They have had this facility for 4 1/2 years but have actually been in Kenya for 13 years. They have a two websites http://www.kiberakidscenter.com/Home.html; one is still being constucted if you want to learn more about it http://stopthecrying.org/ We took a lot of pictures but here are just a few.