Arrived in Kitale!

Hello from Kitale! WE are here safe and sound. Waiting for the rest of our team to arrive tomorrow morning! Today was spent at the farm with the kids. Some of us worked on preparing things for camp, while others took pictures, and hung out with the kids. We got to dance and sing with the kids which they absolutely love! We are all continually amazed by the blessings we have as "americans". They were very excited to see pictures from home and seem so interested in our lives.

There is so much to say about the happenings of today and yet words do not seem to do justice. Baby Ricky, who is three is the youngest one at the Farm. His mom lived there, ran away and got pregnant with him and then came back and gave birth to him. She stayed around a little while and then ran away to the slum again. Ricky was left behind and is now cared for by all the children. They love him so much and I have to admit that I think the world of him as well. He is so tiny and came into the chapel and started dancing! It was the sweetest thing to watch him interact with all the older children. It is neat to see how they take care of him and love him even though he is not their own child. He sleeps with Freida, one of the older girls. Today she was going to give him and bath and I offered to do it so she could go and eat lunch. I loved it! He stood in a bright yellow bucket and we washed and scrubbed. The water was Freezing cold to say the least. Needless to say I intend to bath the cutie pie daily. He is named after Cheri's husband who helped to start the Challenge Farm.

The kids are excited to have camp and have been asking about the things they will get to do during the week of camp. We ordered fire wood for a bon fire, and prepared the schedule of events which is subject to change! TIA, which stands for This is Africa, has been said quite a bit the last two days.

Today on the way back from the farm we came across a head on collision involving two matatus! I have never seen a wreck in the times that I have been here in Africa! It was sad as someone was trapped in the front seat. There were many men trying to get the man out but when you are dealing with twisted metal, hands do not seem to be sufficient. School children were also involved and were standing along to road in tears of fear and pain. It broke my heart as there is not the fast ambulance service here that we have in the US. In fact, if someone gets hit along the road, you are not to stop and help that person, but rather go straight to the police. If they were to stop to help the person, they would be stoned by the people around the accident. It is a crazy way of thinking that I do not understand. I pray that the man was rescued and that he is going to be ok as well as the other people who were hurt in the accident.

Please continue to pray for the kids and for the team arriving in the morning. Please pray for safety while traveling back and forth from the farm to our lodge. We have been blessed by all yours prayers and again continue to be excited for all that we will learn and all that God is going to do through us.

Brie: I will start with last night cause I think It is real typical for something like this to happen . Ryan and I went to pick up a couple last minute things when we went to the ATM to get a little cash. When the machine ate my debit card half way. We decided to run into target to get something to pull it out. To no avail the card had to be picked up this morning before heading to the airport. What a TRIP!!!!!  All to say never PLAN ON ANYTHING. Just take it as it comes to ya. Cause if I would have planned on something, I would not be planning on that lololol

Ashley: Well I don't have an exciting story like BrieLynn Wallace, but I can give God praise for no craziness prior to our first departure! All of our bags were perfect weight and nothing was taken from our carry ons and discarded. So far so good! The sun is shining perfectly in Houston and Brie and I are taking in our Vitamin D for the day! We are anxious to get to London as we are going to try and venture out and see a few sites since we have a 10 hours layover! God has a plan I am sure! 

I have to say that again my eyes are opened to other cultures as the woman sitting next to us had her breastical hanging our for all the world and all the men to see! I understand that little sweetie needs to eat.......

God has some amazing things in store for the children at the Challenge Farm and for that I am so excited to be used by God to ensure that those things are completed. Brie and I have worked several months for these next two weeks and we truly feel blessed to be "vessels".  Again, I have said it many times, but we would not be able to do this without all the financial support and encouragement from our families. Thank you and know that we TRULY appreciate it! Please continue to pray for our husbands as they love on our children and pray for an easy transition for our babies. There are kids and babies everywhere we look making it a little hard to let them go and allow them to be in the hands of God. Pray that we remember that they are not ours but Gods and that he will guide and protect them.

How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation.....Isaiah 52:7

This is our desire...to be rid of all our selfishness and show the love of God.