Dear Friends and Family:
Thanks for your prayers for our family and for Kenya. It sounds as if the fuel shortage situation has been addressed, if not totally solved, so we are planning on continuing our trip to Mombasa on Sunday.
Please pray for Susanna and Chris as they leave the US on Friday afternoon with arrival in Kenya on Saturday night [about 2pm Indy time]. Please pray that on check-in at Indianapolis the American Airlines ticket agent will allow them to take the 2 extra bags of orphan clothing without charge, since British Air has waived the fee from Chicago to Nairobi. Pray that all the bags will make it without damage. [One bag was destroyed on Amy’s trip - pray that BA will repair or replace it when we take it with us to the airport — However, Amy failed to report the damage, so it may not be an obligation for them to help. Also pray for Susie and Chris’s flights and passage through customs.
Pray for our trip to Nairobi on Saturday and our drive to Mombasa on Sunday with return to Nairobi next Saturday and to Tenwek on Sunday. Road conditions vary from great to terrible on different parts of each leg of the journey. Pray for safety for our time in heavily Muslim Mombasa — we actually stay at the beach 20 miles south, but pass through the city.
Armed robbery is on the increase in Kenya. When the winner of the Boston and London marathons returned to his home country last month, he was robbed of over 8 million shillings [about $114,000] on his way home from the airport. Chances are that someone was really watching for him — I’m not sure why he would be carrying it all in cash. It is necessary for us to carry over $1,000 most times that we go home from Nairobi; similarly, going to Mombasa, it is also necessary because cash is the usual means of exchange with only occasionally the credit card option being open.
Bits and Pieces:
We’re thankful that Marty did not break her big toe when a large chunk of frozen cheese fell from the freezer when she opened it yesterday. The x-rays [another unplanned $4.00 expense] were negative for a fracture. Pray that her toe will heal quickly so that she can walk on the beach — her favorite thing in the world other than holding grandchildren.
Our message on Sunday at church went very well [Who is God and How do you approach Him in prayer?]. As usual, the presenter probably learned more than the audience. Please pray for me as I seek a deeper prayer life with God.
Our trip to Bosto was really good on Sunday. It was gratifying to see the excitement of the local churches for support of the children. This Sunday, May 14, over 55 churches in the district will be challenged to provide 1,000 Kenya Shillings each for the children at Bosto. Our grandaughter, Elissa, was an honored guest at the church service as she represented the Sunday School at Castleview that raised over $5,000 for the home at the VBS last summer. She and our family are to be featured on a fund raising calendar for 2007. Closest thing that I will ever get to being a pin-up.
Both Bosto and Kenduiwa Children’s homes have received pledges of $6,000 in grant money from World Orphans for construction of permanent dormitories. Please continue to pray that money for salaries for the staff [about $75\month for each of the four children’s homes] will be found.
Pray for wisdom for giving cameras to older orphans to help provide a livelihood. One man has been very successful so far with this seed project. We need to teach them business principles as well as photography!
No containers have arrived yet — keep praying.
There is still great hardship among local familes with little food and money available until the gardens begin producing. I met several women on Sunday night who pleaded for assistance — Beatrice, Rose, Patricia, Mercy, and Rosaline.
We appreciate so much your standing with us in prayer.
Serving Jesus with you,
Paul, for the Jarretts in Kenya