The kids were great and spending time with them is the best.  Although they went to school during the day, we had a good time with them after and on weekends.  The presence of women on our team this trip (usually mostly guys) was very noticable and evident in the child intense evenings of arts and crafts, puppet shows, dance parties, sewing classes, movies, and snack times.  Wall murals were painted in the original dorm which will now be called the Girls Dorm, and in the Dining Hall / Church Hall.  Sewing training and equipment was established as well as a library, office computer with internet, and Bee hives.  Most of all, we tried to give to the kids…cookies, time reading stories, walking them to school, helping them with minor injuries or illness, watching films, giving messages, taking pictures, and more cookies. 

First time painting

Sharing a moment after worship service

 We worked on several small improvements to the home to make things easier and look better.  Flowers were planted, murals painted, concrete aprons and drainage culverts poured, the old kitchen building demolished, and improvments made to the kitchen, washing, and dishwashing areas.  New furniture was started including bunk beds, library shelves, store room shelves, computer desks, and bedroom cabinets.  Some playground improvements were started and prepared for when the container brings the equipment in a few weeks

We also served several churches and schools with visits and messages although the demand was higher than we could meet.  Three weekends were filled visiting four different churches with many messages, showings of the Jesus Film in Swahili, and workshops. Some new tools for evangelism were brought and people trained, namely 3 laptop computers, a digital video projector and hard drive loaded with the Jesus and Hope films in Swahili and other tribal dialects, digital audio devices with the books of the Bible recorded in Swahili and other dialects, and technology to load a Bible presentation on cell phones.  We pray that these heart language evangelism tools will help reach people needing to hear The Good News.

The eight of us in the first group brought a total of 32 bags to Kitale, most of which were loaded with goods for the orphans and churches such as books, puzzles, craft supplies, new handmade dresses and shorts, T-shirts, underwear, toys, tools, dolls, bracelets, soccer balls, and letters of encouragement.  

Casey, Tom, Diane Zoppa, Kathy, Dana, Bob Hillebrand and Pastor Protus

The new dorm is now starting to be occupied and the rooms are being allocated.  The latrine was completed but the new well was worked on very little due to the rains.  The 2nd group of four guys now arriving will complete much of the projects that were started and others.