Lottie Moon Week of Prayer

This week is the week of prayer for Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. 

The Theme for this years offering comes from Matthew 16:24-25, HCSB

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wants to come with Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of Me will find it."

Engaging people groups in the hard places comes with risk and sacrifice for all who obediently choose to be His heart, His hands, His voice. Most of us aren’t threatened because of our faith, but we need to be in prayer for those who are — not that persecution will end but that believers in persecution will stay courageous and bold.

Giving is also a call to obedience and sacrifice. The Lottie Moon Christmas Offering® enables IMB missionaries to live and work at the forefront of lostness and extend our witness through their full-time ministry.

Each of us and our churches are called continually to take the next step in our obedience so that Christ is glorified and to ask “What am I doing and what is my church doing to be obedient — to BE His heart, hands and voice, no matter the cost?”

Each day I will be posting the 8 days for the offering highlights a dark place where the gospel is working. Thank for you for praying and giving to Lottie Moon. 

"They must really like you" ...

This was said a lot over the last week in reference to Bethany and Andrea coming to visit me last week. People were surprised they would travel such along way for such a short amount of time. So their response would be " they must really like you!"

Bethany, Me, and Andrea at Teafarm 

I am incredibly humbled and grateful for ALL the visits of 2012. When someone comes such a great distance to see what God has been doing and 'walk in your shoes' means the world. Thanksgiving day a man who got to know my parents in their visit of August 2012, said " Ya know, they really like you. They are just so proud of you." I laughed - but its true. My entire family has been so support in the last year and this crazy adventure.


Softball season is over. We ended the season with a party eating ballpark themed food and the 90's classic "rookie of the year." The point of the party was to help Emily with her relationships next season when I'm gone.

Softball girls! 

We have also met some new friends who are Hindu. We had a Diwali party watching bollywood movies and eating Indian food. After the movie they explained to us what Diwali was really all about.
One of the girls even came over and did come henna for Bethany and Andrea during their visit.

Beautiful Henna

Christmas is taking over Nairobi! All the malls are getting decorated and Im doing some shopping! 

Its beginning to look like Christmas!

See you in 2 weeks America!

6 Weeks and Counting!

Here's me riding the camel- I was actually terrified 

The month os October has been a wild one. From Uganda to the desert to the coast. I can't believe its already November. Surprisingly Christmas Decorations are already up at the malls in Nairobi! My friend and I took a break to the coast and had a wonderful time being pampered by the family there and the hotel we stayed at for the night. I even got to fulfill my goal of riding a camel! Halloween I had some friends over for dinner and cheesy "Hocus Pocus" - Em and I carved "african" pumpkins! "Georgia was on my mind" as you can see from the photo. :)

November will wrap up softball. We have had only a couple of games this season. The expectations I had from this ministry kinda proved to disappoint. We have hardly had practice, much less opportunity for devotion time due to girls showing up on time.

Prayer Requests:
- Girls from softball and opportunities to share
- Our University friend's salvation
- My friends Bethany/ Andrea are coming for Thanksgiving!
- Ladies Prayer retreat ( Im leading worship)

Our view for the Saturday Afternoon 

Deep in the Desert

Meet Evelyn 

Nursery School in Kargi 

Patience, Ruthie, and Peace 

Kibaki in Kurkum 

Kids in Kurkum 

Meet my Rendille Mom! 

Pastor Brown 

Story time under the tree 

How creative is Our God in cultures! 

100 KM from the nearest town you find a unreached people group called the Rendille. Deep in the desert- where only thorn bushes and acacia grow. Our trip started with a long bus ride to a town in northern Kenya called Marsabit.  We took an all night bus where the three of us were stuck on the same bench crammed together, attempting to sleep. We arrived the next morning and crashed until the next journey. Our next mode of transport was called a "Lory." This meant we sat on top of large bags ( maize or rice) for three hours while the people stared at us. The dust was so bad I had to wrap my head in a scarf. Finally we arrived to where we were staying for the night. The Ndegwa's welcomed us with open arms. This family has been serving in Kargi for about 5 years. They have 3 beautiful girls who made the house always "alive." Our first day in Kargi I went to the school with a girl named Evelyn. She is a short term missionary. I taught the story of Noah to the kids in 4th grade. Most of the kids just stared at me or wanted to play with my watch. Its so hot you cant possibly do anything for most of the afternoon so each day we took a break from about til about 4 to rest. That afternoon we went to the first Manyatta. A manyatta is a cluster of thatched houses. The children came in droves. Some of the women came over - mostly older women. Emily told the story of the demon possessed man. Day 2 I went to the new nursery school. The kids were crazy and hardly understood any Swahili. This was the first time any of these kids had even been to school so they were restless. In the afternoon we went a different manyatta to do a birthday party for some rescued twins. The kids were anxious to get their hands on the goodies we had for them. We moved to Kurkum that night. We stayed in the manyattas where the 2 missionary guys stay. We had to learned to take a bucket bath in the moonlight praying no one was watching. Day 3 I went to the local school with one of the missionary guys to teach class 3. That afternoon we had the frustration of having no translator to speak in Rendille for us so we just walked a greeted people. As we walked up to one lady she stated she wanted to adopt me. She gave me the name "Kurkumea Nalea" Which meant I was born in Kurkum. (The Rendille believe we were all once Rendille and we have come back home). She gave me a necklace on the last day. She was a very sweet and affectionate lady. We were also able to go to the tree where the old men sit all day. This has been unheard of for me when Ive gone to other places, but they received us well. Emily shared C2C with them and they actually answered the questions when asked what they thought about the story. Day 4 I spent the morning in the Manyattas. We walked, greeted, and prayed for many sick people. The Rendille only eat what "relief food" is provided on the trucks when it comes, which basically consist of starch and beans. No vitamins - which means their immune systems are poor. One lady's house we stopped into gave us soured camel's milk to drink. This was by far the worst thing I have ever put in my mouth in all my trips abroad. The missionary, pastor Brown took the bullet and drank most of it for me. That afternoon we visited another manyatta and shared the C2C story with the women and children. The children were restless and the women didnt respond as well as the men did, but they at least heard the story.  That evening we had to pack up our stuff and leave. It was very sad to go after such an incredible week.
This week I learned so much about "counting the cost" Seeing Kenyans reaching to their own people was humbling. The Rendille have nothing but can always afford a smile. They give sacrifices to a fake god and believe in witchcraft. Their "sin" and "doing wrong" is OK when it is done to someone who has wronged them or have "more" than them. One man will have multiple wives and a girl will marry as young as 9 years old. A woman's role in life is to have children and feed them. Having livestock is more important than food in your children's bellies. Going to school is only for the few. The Rendille need to know the gospel.
Please pray for ...
- Pastor Ndegwa and his family as they minister to the people of Kargi.
- The nursery school as is begins and for sponsors to supply needs.
- Evelyn as she finishes her time there.
- Pastor Brown in Kurkum
- Kibaki as he finishes his time there.
- That the Rendille people would come to know God.

On the Road again.

October will be the month of traveling! Im so excited to get out of the city for a little while. Next week I'll be traveling to Uganda to take part in Passion World Tour Kampala. Louie, Chris Tomlin ya know all those guys are coming over. The last time this took place in 2008 there was about 12,000 people there so I'm sure there will be even more this time. 

I'm really excited to get to see all the students who go to school in Tanzania. I have missed them all so much and looking forward to seeing some familiar faces. 

No less than a week after we return from UG I will be traveling up country to a people group called the Rendille who inhabit the Eastern Province of Kenya. These are a people who live in the forest and speak their own mother tongue. We will be going to tell stories and working with girls helping they are worth more than making babies at the age of 14. 

Facts about the Rendille 

Population is 63,000 

15% Christian but only 4.2% Evangelical

85% Practice African Traditional Religion

They offer sacrifices and pray to the moon and call their god "wakh" 

Pray This month:

- Upcoming trips ( safety, restful nights even on the bus, health)

- My health 

- Softball team at USIU opportunities for Emily and I to be bold 

Not Ashamed.

This past week I worked at RBC ( the church I attend here) for Teen's Week! The theme was Not Ashamed. I wonder if old Christian music songs pop into your head as they did mine. Oh Newsboys. Well anyways it was a great week with about 40 everyday in attendance. We had to do the activities in the afternoon due to the students attending required remedial classes by their parents/ gov. So the youth pastor was a little hesitant about who would even show up. But I think the turnout was more than any of us expected. My role included a lot of juice mixing and constructing " JimmyJamieHour." Which means there is another guy named Jimmy, he and I ran games for the week. Every afternoon we did parody's of game shows in the states and had the teens compete all week long. We wrapped up the week by teaching them Capture the Flag!

             "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, 
for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, 
        to the Jew first and also to the Greek." Romans 1:16 

Playing Traffic Jam.

They Cant Figure it Out. haha. 

"Minute to Win it" Wrap a guy like a Mummy.

Cuties hanging around the church to see what's going on. 

Pray For: 
- Uni work starting back up aka Softball starting again. 
- 3 more months! Praying to finish strong! 

Love in Action.

Family came and went. What a wonderful treat to spend some time with them and showing them around Nairobi.


This past week I attended a VBS at the local church I attend and took video all week long. I stepped back on the first day and thought about home much time, effort, and money is put into the VBS's back home and watched a no frills VBS be successful in its own way. Kids met in the morning for group time listening to one of the pastors share about Loving others, loving our enemies and how much God loved them. Then they split off into classes grouped by age for bible story time and maybe a trivia game. After tea time they would get into even smaller groups and prepare for Sunday's "celebration." We even got to take them to the pool one day!! Over all it was a wonderful week of getting to serve along side of the students in the youth group. I was very proud of how they took time out of their break off from school to serve as teachers and leaders.

Here's some shots from the week!

Pray for :
- stamina and added patience with culture
- Cousins as they wrap up Ramadan
- friend we have been sharing and hanging out with, he's been seeking for a while