We are back.

The past 4 months have flown by. We spent a month in the USA and almost a month in England. It was wonderful connecting with our family in both places and with our church family. We loved seeing friends and wished for more time to see everyone.

We arrived back in Kisumu in late May and had new missionaries staying in our house. Bev and Charlie from the UK. We have become fast friends and they were with us a few weeks until their house was ready here in Kisumu. We hit the gound running as you would say getting back with our groups and work.

It was also fun to see our Kisumu missionary friends and find them all well.

It was a joy to find that many of our groups had continued in the Word while we were away. This is a great encouragement to know they are listening that we may not always be here and they need to study their Bible with each other. The HIV Support Groups are always encouraging me more than they realize. Their singing and the way they care for each other is an example to the church. If all churches were as good at looking after each other as these groups then Christianity would spread and everyone would see the light of Jesus.

Late June brought the Amarillo South Team our home church. What a joy for us to share with them the work God has called us to do. It was our first opportunity to include others in the ministry and we can not begin to say how wonderful it is to have especially our home church team. The team included three of our support team and it was so exciting to get to show them the work. Each of them was touched in ways words can not explain. A Question asked to us was: :How can you tell people what you do?" The answer is it is not easy if one has not seen it with their own eyes. The team was very encouraging and that was affirming for us.

We had fun times with them on Lake Victoria on a Hippo watch and we did see the Hippos. We took them to the place we spend our afternoons off to relax and refresh.

They followed us by the Lake and through the slums of Kisumu. Each had their own special memories. We got the great pleasure of seeing our work throught their eyes reminding us that telling people about Jesus is what we are called to do.

Then we said our sad goodbyes and sent them home.

ELDORET:
We took off for Eldoret the first weekend in July. To our surprise the roads were improved since our last journey there. I like it there as it is so much cooler than Kisumu. We even used a blanket. HA.

It is always a joy to be with Francis Bii and his family and now they have a new baby. We had a lovely Saturday with him and evening with his family.

Sunday we were at the Kipkaren Church which is always fun. They have lively praise and worship and sing with all their hearts. The children and youth sang for us as well. The church leaders ordained us and it was a moving time to share with them.

We left in the afternoon and made it back to Kisumu before dark.

Next:
Renovo Church in Seattle arrived.
We spent two days with them trying to let each member of the team experience all aspects of the work.

We made new friends as we did not know anyone except Larry Wu who was here last year. Larry blessed us with dark chocolate which we are rationing out to savor as long as possible. It really does not take much to get us excited.

Our new friends will forever be in our hearts. They came with much joy and it was catching. Once again seeing our work in and through their eyes. We spent an evening together sharing special moments of their trip and all they had seen. It was a rich time of fellowship for us.

LADIES MONTHLY BIBLE STUDY:
July 17 took us to Lakeside Orphanage for the monthly study. It was the first time we had seen the ladies as they had had a national meeting in June. So there were greetings and hugs all around. Several of them had returned with their Bible studies so New Bibles were given out. And many more took the studies.

It was a great time in the Lord with the Ladies. They really know how to sing to Jesus.

Now the Central Church from Amarillo is here. We have spent an evening and day with them. They have too followed us around the slums and the lakeside. Some are old friends returning from last year and some are new friends that we will cherish the moments we have shared here in Kisumu.

They have been also blown away by the caring of the groups for each other.

So this has been a recap of the "winter season" here in Kisumu. There is so much more and John will write some bits and pieces soon.