The Next Journey

We are excited about being on a multi-cultural team! Our colleauge from America and team leader is Joy Phillips. Our Kenyan colleagues are Josiah Sang(middle) and Reuben Kuriti(right, next to Joy).

The man on the left in this picture is Andrew who works with Tenwek Community Health and Development. He traveled with us last week to look at a development project in western Kenya. His only daughter is called Mercy and Elsie Jayne promptly named the baby doll he helped her find at a little market, Baby Mercy.

Billy and the team have safely reached at least the first stop on their journey in Sudan now. I received a text message yesterday late morning letting me know. That was the first leg of their flight. Then they were to drive to a mission hospital where we are supporting a Ugandan doctor and a farming program for the women of the community.

This morning they were to join the hospital staff in devotions before they headed back to the plane and then on to Akot where they will spend at least one week (Billy) some of them a few months (Reuben and Josiah).

This week will be seeking to continue bonding as a team as well as seeking the Lord's face for how He wants us to work in Southern Sudan and particularly the communities around Akot and the Lakes State region.

Elsie Jayne, Lucy and myself are here in Nairobi praying for the team and having the blessing of being around the WGM mission family as well as other dear friends and supporters! We are thankful too that we met Rebuen and Josiah's families last week and we have the blessing of communicating with their wives who are also home with children these days.

Terry and Karen Duncan live on the same property where we are staying and have been such fun grandparents for the girls these days as they are missing their own little Riley(Robbie's first). Rebecca (Eberhard) and Kelly Green have been a blessing and encouragment to us in our first term as missionaries in many ways. They have trusted Jesus in some very difficult places...and continue to. The girls and I have the joy of sharing lunch today with Rebecca and her girls!

Jesus continues to be faithful and near! Thank you for your prayers and love. Billy should return to us on Monday night and then we hope to take some holiday time with Billy's mom and dad the end of the month! Jesus spoils us with such good treats to look forward to!

Kenya and Sudan

We traveled from our home in Arua, Uganda last Thursday by bus to Kampala, the captial city. The girls both got vaccinations they needed once we arrived. Our Ugandan field director, Jonathan Mayo and his family graciously took us in for the night. On Friday we were able to go to the US Embassy and get Lucy's US Passport and Registration of Birth Abroad! She is official and now we have the paperwork to show it! Jesus helped us and made the whole process so painless! We praise Him and thank you for your prayers!

Friday night we used that passport and came to Kenya. Elsie Jayne has LOVED looking forward to, and then experiencing and now remembering the "ndege" (the airplane...kiswahili). She thought it was SO GREAT!!! In reality is was over two hours late, but she also thought it was fun to stay up until mid-night!

We have enjoyed meeting with our World Gospel Mission teammates that we are working with in Sudan this past week. We have learned about community health and development as well as prayed together and planned what things should look like in Sudan in the days ahead. The name of the work in Sudan is Mango Ministries and we are excited to be on this team with Joy Phillips, Reuben Kirui, and Joseah Sang. It's exciting to see how Jesus will open up the doors in the days ahead. We want to put down deep roots, bear fruit and see the harvest multiply!

We meet together as a team again on Monday...mostly for final preparations as Joy, Reuben, Joseah, and Billy fly up to Southern Sudan on Tuesday. The girls and I will stay here in Nairobi until Billy returns in just a week. Joy will be in a bit longer and Reuben and Joseah are there until October. Thanks for praying for us as we keep following Jesus and He takes us to Sudan!

Pray with us as we have opportunities to tell Bible Stories! We have gotten to share this simple and yet profound tool with many along the way in our journeys this past week and we are trusting Jesus that His word will not go out void!