The Team is Coming Home!

THE TEAM IS COMING HOME! 

Below is the last blog entry from the field.  As I write this, the team is two hours from landing, Tuesday at 3:30.   Their work is done.  Our work is not.  The team needs our prayers as they transition back to their every day lives.  Pray that they will adjust quickly to time differences.  Pray that they will be able to process their experience.  Pray that their work will continue in their absence.  

Our wonderful morning started with a wonderful walk past the sea of green tea fields and serene hills to our first service at Nandi Pentecostal Church. We got there early to visit the Sunday School classes. The children’s voices were echoing throughout the sanctuary and the team enjoyed listening to them in the classroom. Martin and Jackie, two of our Kenyan teammates, added their Nairobi Gospel flair to the singing and taught the children two new songs. The children separated into their age groups. Carolyn and Jeff followed Class C to their room while our teammates headed to different classrooms. We really enjoyed Teacher Alice’s class and to our great surprise, she told the story of Jesus feeding the masses from John 6:11-13 by using two of the storytelling techniques we had taught them during our training (showing signs and basket story). Teacher Alice also used a great visual technique with pictures and words to help the children learn the memory
verse of John 6:35 – I am the bread of life. He that comes to me shall never hunger and he that believes in me shall never thirst. It was awesome seeing them put the training to good use! 

After Sunday School, we headed down to the sanctuary and joined the whole congregation for some praise. After several beautiful songs, Carolyn introduced the team and it was time for the sermon. At NPC, the children go outside with their teachers during the sermon. Earlier, the team had decided that the young ones would go outside and play, while the old fogies would stay inside and listen to Pastor David preach the gospel. Melissa and Jeff followed the Sunday School teachers outside and played some of the games the teachers had learned during their training. It was fantastic! 

After church, we drove down the road and paid a visit to Pastor Beatrice at her house. She enjoyed hearing the message from Kay Blocher’s Wednesday morning Bible study group. Afterwards, we talked and laughed and enjoyed learning about Pastor Beatrice’s family. Pastor Beatrice’s son, Ben, took us to his tea farm, which was a short walk from Pastor’s house. We learned the ends and outs of growing tea and the tea business. We had a great day! 

We begin our journey home on Monday morning and will arrive in the US on Tuesday afternoon. It will be bittersweet to leave our Kenyan friends – they are so dear to us! Please pray for traveling mercies for us! Pray for smooth flights, energy when we need it and rest when we can get it. We will see you soon!