Prayer...

Please check out my link to the Kenya Baby Center at the right of my blog for an urgent prayer request for Kenya and the Center.

Thank you to all of you prayer warriors.

At church this morning, Terry Bley came forward at the end of the service and reported that he had just received a text message from Margie Helmuth. Margie is an American missionary who is working in Nakuru, Kenya as an account from World Mission Network (I believe, I apologize if this is wrong). She works closely with the baby center as well. She text Terry asking for prayer for Nakuru, the baby center, and Kenya. The violence continues. As she was texting, she said she could hear gun shots in town close to her home, she could also see smoke from burning homes outside her window. As of this morning- the baby center has been without power for two days. They are also quickly running out of water and petroleum. This is a very big problem for a place that shelters, feeds, and bathes 29 little babies. Please pray for the safety of each and every baby, employee, missionary, and citizen of Nakuru and Kenya as a whole.

I feel like the only thing I've talked about for the past month has been Kenya. But that's pretty much been the only big thing going on right now. School and work still control my life. I've been blessed though to have more free time this semester than last, so Mike and I have enjoyed spending more time together. We are both looking forward to Florida! Our little vacation together to visit both of our grandparents is much needed and will be a great break away from this snow and cold of Indiana! We leave in about two and a half weeks. I'm not exactly looking forward to getting back on a plane or even back in an airport, but if it takes me to warmer weather - I'm In!

I received an email the other day about the baby center in Kenya. The center was under threat of attack by some locals in Nakuru. The fighting and violence is not over in Kenya. People wanted to harm the baby center, because there are people employed there that are in the tribe that is being attacked.

Staci Wells, a woman who helps run the baby center, spent time praying over the center the other night with several other employees. They walked the grounds and prayed for every employee and baby, for their protection and safety. For the last couple nights- everything has been quiet at the center! Praise God! Please continue to keep all of Kenya in your prayers.

My heart has been aching lately for the kids in Kenya. I look at their pictures and just wonder how they are all doing. I can still hear their screams every now and then.

This weekend, Mike and I went with his family to Michigan for his Dad's birthday. We went to a couple wineries and I enjoyed learning about all the different kinds of wine. We then went to Four Winds Casino. We enjoyed the buffet, and even though Mike and I don't gamble, we enjoyed walking around and checking out all the shops and people-watching. We did do the penny slots for awhile, but as I was sitting there watching the guy beside me put $50 at a time into the machine, I couldn't help but think about all the money that was going into a casino. I kept thinking "all of this money could be going to Kenya.." It disgusted me to the point that I felt sick. Now don't get me wrong - I have no problem with anyone who wants to casually gamble. I do though have a problem with the people who go every weekend and blow their paychecks on a chance of winning. Just my opinion though. It was just hard to watch after spending 12 days in a place where they could use just a fraction of that money so badly.

Little Luke...

It's been a week since we returned home from Kenya. Sometimes I'll be sitting in class and my mind will start wandering to some of the babies or I'll find myself figuring out what time it is in Kenya. One little boy that everyone in my group knows I'll still be thinking about is Luke. This sweet little boy was the first one I picked up when we first got to the center. Isn't he adorable?! It's hard to pick just one baby out of all of those deserving of love, but for some reason I couldn't help getting attached to Luke. His eyes would just shine as we played outside on the blanket everyday. His innocent smile was such a blessing! I continue to think of Luke everyday, wondering how he's doing or how he might be growing.

Luke loved it when I got my face really close to his, then would pull away. He would just laugh and laugh. (I knew my face was funny, but he really got a kick out of it!) I'm not sure I'll ever know Luke's story. Part of me never wanted to ask, because my heart was already breaking for this little boy. I couldn't imagine a mother/father giving up such a precious son, let alone any of the other little boys and girls!

Here's some more pictures of Luke. He fills my camera and my heart!

Kenya...

This is so overdue! I'm sorry! It's been one heck of a week starting classes again and trying to readjust to this life in Indiana! (Jen you were right - it definitely can be overwhelming!)

My trip to Kenya was interesting to say the least. As most of you know presidential elections were going on in Kenya when our group was there. They have never had any problems with the elections before in this country, however, this year riots/violence occurred all through the country due to accusations towards the newly elected president of rigging the election. We were completely safe during all of this, unfortunately the town we were staying in was not. Homes, churches, and people were burned. We saw people throwing huge rocks in the road, so no one could leave their homes or get through. But through all of this violence and senseless acts, we were safe, because we had to stay at our compound (the baby center) through most of it. We were able to go on a safari one day, but that was just before the major riots broke out. Continue to keep Kenya in your prayers as they try and settle their tribal disputes.

As for the good part of my trip! The babies! I loved each and every one of them and it broke my heart to not be able to pack them all up and take them home!! We all loved staying right at the center, so that we could do down and play with them anytime we wanted. Everyday in the afternoon we would take them outside to play in the sun and on the playground equipment. It felt nice to get them out of that center and into some fresh air! Some of the kids warmed up to us really fast. Others it took a little while. But when they did it was so precious. They definitely stole my heart, and not a day goes by that I think of one or all of them and I wonder how they are doing. I wish I knew the stories behind all of them. But some of them you can look in their eyes and just know that they haven't had it easy by any means. I know that by being at the center though, they really are making a better life for themselves. None of them had a choice where they were brought- some were found in the streets, others were brought to the center's gate and left, while others their parents actually brought them to the center and dropped them off knowing that they wouldn't be able to take care of them the way they deserved. I have to respect these parents. I'm sure giving up your baby is one of the hardest things a parent will ever do. But they know what is best for their son or daughter and have brought them to a place where they know they will be cared for, loved, and given a chance at a new life by being put up for adoption. I'm sure within the next few days I'll be updating more, and you'll get to see more of my pictures. I'll try and highlight a baby that I have lots of pictures of too. Plus there's so much more about my trip you need to know! Have a great weekend!