Thailand team - travel update January 28, 2010

We meet at Mountain Christian Church at 7:30 am. We load a van with eight people and another van with 16 pieces of luggage and carry-ons. After prayer with family and friends, who came to see us off, we leave at 8:00 am from the parking lot.

Dennis Curran driving and Min Thike navigating we weave through traffic on our way to Dulles International airport.

When we arrive Jim converts the money we need for Thailand into Thai Baht. We have several thousand dollars to exchange. He is told that he will take all the Thai currency that is available in the local exchange. They are giving him all the denominations that they can scrounge.

We begin to hear our flight called. We walk quickly (it was a long walk). At one point Jim begins to run to the gate to make sure we are not left behind. (Earlier Jim had teased us that we were being diverted to Africa – so we kept up.) All was well and we were not the last to board. Another passenger was being paged after we were seated and settled.

The adventure begins as we take off for a 14 hour non-stop flight to Tokyo. Some slept and some did not. Needless to say it was a long flight. Those who could not sleep watched three “B” movies.

We landed in Tokyo at 4 pm local time on Friday Jan. 29th (which is 2 am. Friday Jan. 29th in MD.) We have approx. 2 hours before we depart for Bangkok. It is an 8 hour flight. OH JOY!
--- The Thailand Team

Sunday update from Kenya team

All well- Planted more trees yesterday after heavy rain. Team learned that Kenyan mud is very sticky and heavy. Children had farewell celebration teaching us to dance Kenyan style. Some of us lack rhythm. Worshiped this AM with them and now back in Nairobi.

Thanksgiving + after updates from Kenya team

a pair of short text messages from Kenya team:

Thanksgiving Day 26 Nov

All well. Starting our Thanksgiving Day and all a truly thankful and happy to have the chance to be giving today.

Saturday 28 Nov

All is well in Joska. Planted fruit trees yesterday [Friday 27 Nov] at nearby home.
Visited sponsor children. Miss family and friends. Blessings, Kenya Team

Mon 23 Nov update

All is well with Kenya Team.

We spent the day working with CHE's (Community Health Evangelists) doing home visits focused on building awareness and knowledge of "healthy homes".

We discussed and reviewed with residents general sanitation, toilet practices, water purification, food preparation and ventilation.

The CHE's have a huge job to do but the SPIRIT clearly moves them. The day left us with heavy impressions and deep reflections. We are glad to be here working for HIS Kingdom.

For HIS Glory,
Kenya Team

Sunday 22 Nov Kenya STM update

All is well with the team. A few details for forwarding to family and friends:

Saturday evening we participated in a CHE leadership dinner. It offered good opportunity to hear directly about CHE methodologies in practice.

Today we had opportunity to worship and were very warmly greeted. We were all taken with the intensity of the service and the friendliness.

We enjoyed lunch with Mary and Wallace. Mary shared a SPIRIT filled story of the developments in their ministry in Mathare over the past 10 years. Today they operate 10 schools with 3400 students not to mention CHE outreach activities.

We walked through Mathare Village 1 to get a first hand impression. We will save descriptions for another time.

Tomorrow we get involved in the direct CHE activities.

All for HIS glory - Kenya STM Team

MCC Kenya 12 day prayer guide

Rick Conniff, Kenya STM veteran and leader of the upcoming Apr-May 2010 Kenya team, sends along this 12 day prayer guide for the Nov 09 team:

Kenya Prayer Focus
Our goal… to be the very image of Christ in all we do.

Day 1

The leaders of Kenya would be open and respond to the promptings of God.

God would move on the hearts of those that were solicited for financial support.

Day 2

Give the leadership team wisdom & discernment leading up to their departure and while in country.

Day 3

Communication would not be a barrier and that they would effectively communicate God’s word to the Kenyans.

Day 4

Prepare them each day – set themselves apart for Him thru prayer/worship/ fasting; that God would use this experience to mould them and refine those areas in their lives that need changing

Day 5

Smooth travel & physical protection enroute, while there & returning home.

Spiritual protection; that God would clothe them with His armor and bind Satan’s attempt to disrupt them.

Day 6

The team would quickly acclimate to the time change so they can be more effective and that God would prepare the hearts & minds of those they will encounter to be receptive to hear God speaking thru them.

Day 7

God would make His will known to each of them each & every day they are in Kenya; that they would honor & glorify God in all that they think, say & do.

Day 8

God’s anointing on each of them – to be Jesus to everyone they come in contact with and to use their gifts & talents; that they would be God’s servants to these people.

Day 9

Unity of purpose & unity of execution (teamwork); that each of them would be flexible and seek God’s wisdom in dealing with unforeseen events.

Day 10

They would leave the Kenyans with a hunger & passion for Christ. That those teams following them would pick up where they left off in helping to spiritually feed the Kenyans

Day 11

To be the very image of Christ in all they do.

Day 12

God would protect their families while they are away.

MCC Kenya team arrives in Africa safely

MCC's Nov 09 Kenya team of Dave Flumbaum, Annie Schiavetta, Curt Kusel, Bob Taylor, Christina Gosnell, and Jim Boyle, arrived safely in Africa this afternoon (our time) - late Friday PM over there.