Awesome Day!

The Lord blessed us with an awesome day today! Before we arrived I had asked Lorna if we could meet Bishop Obare on this visit. We hadn't been able on previous trips. Bishop Walter Obare is the Archbishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Kenya (ELCK). He is just like our Synodical President. Since we have been doing so much work here, I thought it would be a good idea to meet. However, Lorna surprised us by arranging for us to worship at his home congregation near Kisii. We drove for about an hour and then departed the main road. Lorna, who was sitting up front with the driver turned to us and said, "That is the end of the good road." As we turned onto the red muddy road we realized this was going to get interesting. It was reminiscent of our trip to the Masai Mara (Remember that Pastor Luke?) ! As we journeyed up this very muddy road, we all prayed that we wouldn't get stuck. We drove all the way to the top of mountain, but when we arrived at the gate leading up another hill to the church, we had to get out and walk. Being many miles and many dirt roads away from a hospital, everyone was concerned for my footing. Dave was kind enough to lend an elbow to an old lady in sandals! Yes, sandals because we were in skirts and going to church. Bisphop Obare greeted us at the top and welcomed us to his "real" home where he was born and grew up on the top of a mountain. He sat and talked to us so long church started a half an hour late!

When we went into the church, Dave and Rockie were surprised when they were directed to sit on the left with all the men. The women and children all sat on the right. Sounds like a former Lutheran tradition! The worship was wonderful and we sang "Rock of Ages" in Luo, Dcs. Lorna's language.We shared the Lord's Supper in the common with our brothers and sisters in Christ, and as one American pastor once said after visiting Kenya, "There's a lot of humanity in that cup." What a blessing to worship in oneness so far from home!

After the service we shared a greeting outside the church and the Bishop took Dave and I around and showed us the compound, then we all returned to his home and his wife Eunice served us lunch. Before we could leave Bishop told us about an African tradition that guests are not allowed to leave until the hostess allows it. With the rain coming, Lorna had asked if could be excused, so we made our way back to the van and down the mountain. This was indeed a very special day for the team and especially for me as a deaconess.

Thanks for all your prayers. God is listening. Love to all at home. Dcs. Linda

BIG PLANS IN THE WORKS for 2010!

The Africa Mission Team of St. John has big plans for our next trip in September, 2010!

We have been working very hard to expand this ministry and serve the widows and ophans of Kenya. On our last trip we met many children who were in need of sponsors so they could attend school, purchase a uniform, and receive a good meal while there. After discussing the need with Deaconess Lorna Meeker we determined a monthly amount that would take care of those needs. We took pictures of the children at the Luther Academy in Kibera, the school on the grounds of Springs of Life Lutheran Church where Pastor Dennis Meeker and Deaconess Lorna serve. On returning home in October '09 we set about getting those children sponsored. Through the generosity of the people of St. John and a few non-members, we currently have 37 children sponsored! We have a goal that all 76 children at the Luther Academy will be sponsored and an additional 26 children we met at a Maasai Village near Kisumu will be sponsored. (Currently we have 11 of the Maasai children sponsored.) Please prayerfull consider sponsoring a child! The cost is only $35.00 a month. You will be blessed beyond measure and so will the child that you enable to change their life.

We also have several projects in the works:

Our "Klinic for Kenya" project entails purchasing a 8 ft X 40 ft cargo container that will be filled, with the generous help of Crittenton Hospital in Rochester, medical supplies and equipment, diapers, clothing, and anything else we can get in it! That cargo container will then become a medical clinic in the Nyansa province of Kenya. Watch for the container in mid June in the parking lot at Crittenton Hospital, adjacent to St. John.

We will also be asking the school children of St. John Lutheran School to fill a shoebox full of hygiene products and school supplies for the children in Kenya at the Luther Academy and the Maasai village.

We also look forward to collecting clothing and shoes from our St. John annual Rummage Sale the third week on June. If you would like to contibute anything for the coantainer, please contact Deaconess Linda Nobili at lnobili@stjohnrochester.org. Let's fill it to the brim!

Home again, and yet homesick

Yes, we are home again, yet our hearts, minds and prayers will forever be in Kenya!



I returned home on Oct 5th and had surgery at U of M hospital on Oct 7th. I was sad to leave Kenya, but so thankful for a great American hospital. I have broken the fibula bone in two places, so the Dr. "installed" a plate with four screws. He and Mauro got into a dicussion about self-tapping screws which Mauro tried to convey to me upon awakening from surgery, but I was having none of that discussion! The inside ligement that had snapped was healing nicely so he didn't have to sew it. Overall, I am doing much better with the pain now, and I only need the meds a couple times a day. Thank you so much for all your prayers, cards, and meals! Mauro and I are overwhelmed by your generosity and kindness.



As I read Elizabeth's post, I am reminded of all the work we have to do! There are so many needs, that we could never meet them all; but God in His mercy will direct us where to focus our energies. We encountered many more children who need to be sponsored, both for basic sustainance and for school fees. Please let me know if the Lord is leading you to be one of those sponsors.



I have to comment on the team this year. It was very evident that God choose this team. Each brought their own unique gifts and talents with them.

• Elizabeth was clearly there to help the teachers at the the Luther Academy. Her giftedness in teaching and loving children was a great blessing to all she encountered. She also went above and beyond by painting my toenails and washing my hair for me before I left! Thanks Elizabeth! You have a true servant heart.


• Shani used her gifts of compassion and organization to touch the hearts of the children and help the teachers to more organized. Shani, you blog was beautiful and I wanted to cry along with you for the children of Kibera.


• Rockie was in "seventh heaven!" I am so glad that he was able to use the gifts God has given him to lay tile, paint, and whatever else was needed at the school. What a blessing you were Rockie to the young men that you mentored!
• Sue was a women 'possessed' I'm told as she unloaded that cargo carrier! I didn't see it, but anyone wo knows Sue, knows that she puts her whole heart and soul (and back!) into a project. Thank you Sue for your strength, not only of body, but of character. And thank you for leaving Kenya early to be my nursemaid on the way home!
• Karen was our rock. Her wisdom and kindness saw us through. She was a great blessing to the people of Kenya who needed medical attention, and to me! She was right there with me when I fell and I trusted her wisdom and calming presence the entire time. Thanks Karen! You know I miss you already!

I praise the Lord of the Harvest for sending us and I thank all who contributed to make it possible. Look for future presentations and new items for sale!

Home Again

Deaconess Linda had her surgery & is home recovering. She not only broke her leg in two places but also tore a ligament. Continue to pray for her complete healing.

Our team became the dwindling group as the trip went on; first we were 7, then Kirk became ill, then Linda & Sue left early, we went to Amsterdam with 4, Karen went home & then there were 3.

The two flights were interrupted by a one day stint in Amsterdam. It was cold & rainy but we enjoyed the city anyway. We mostly spent our time strolling around & took a canal barge tour. Karen's husband met us for dinner, which we all enjoyed immensely. Karen rode the train to the airport with us & caught a cab home. Rockie, Shani & I flew home to Michigan.

The adventure is over for now,much of the team is already discussing when to return...felling the pull of God's calling to Kenya.

Each team member has their own journey to reflect on; God truely brought us togther for His purpose, to grow us as a team and as His children.

For me the journey will most certainly continue. I'm tied to that place & those people in a way that breaks my heart fresh each time. I walked away from Luther Academy across the red, dusty field & already knew that I would be returning to this place of great suffering, disease and hardship...but God dwells here in the heart of the people who have been drawn so close to Him through those same trials.

Deaconess Lorna says that when you meet people in their suffering, that's when they see Jesus. My hope & prayer is for that to be true of our team.

What will we find this year?

For the last two years, I think, our visits have been as "spectators." This year I believe the Lord will allow us to feel and experience some of what our brothers and sisters in Christ are experiencing each and every day in Kenya. We are SO privileged in this country, that we can't bear the thought of being without electricity, food, or water. I don't know about the rest of the team, but I am looking forward to being humbled by the experience. I am sickened at times by the amount of waste in this country, in this Rochester area. Lord, show us what it is like to suffer want, so that our hearts will be awakened to the great need of our fellow human beings in the rest of the world!

2009 Kenya Team gearing up!

Nine days and counting! We depart on September 23rd at 4:00 pm. The flight is over 16 hours, accomplished in two segments. First a stop in Amsterdam and then on to Nairobi. Kenya here we come!

This year's mission team consists of Deaconess (Dcs.) Linda Nobili, Kirk Radford, Rockie Brandenburg, Karen Morrell (currently living in the Netherlands), Elizabeth Nelson, and two 'new-bees', Sue Wood and Shani Stadnika! Today we start packing the extra bags we're taking filled with donations of school supplies, small stuffed animals, kids clothes, first aid supplies, and the like. Can't wait to get started!

Donations have been pouring in, thanks be to God, and the expenses for our entire trip will be covered. We want to thank everyone who contributed finances, toys, clothes, and prayers! We couldn't do it without you! May the Lord return to you double what you have done for us and the people of Kenya.

Please check back here for updates. We will try to post as often as possible. Also please keep the people of Kenya, Pastor Dennis and Dcs. Lorna Meeker and us in prayer. We ask for prayers of protection, patience, and productivity for the saving Gospel of Christ. Kenya is experiencing severe drought conditions and we have been told to expect electricity every other day.

Blessings! Dcs. Linda

Kenya and East Africa News

What's going on in Kenya and East Africa? Here are two news sources that provide stories you usually won't see in American news outlets.

The Kenya Broadcasting Corporation provides news and information specific to, you guessed it, Kenya, along with some stories about other parts of Africa.

The East African covers the region as a whole, including Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, and other countries.

Take a look!

What Time is it in - Nairobi, Kenya?

Pastors Galik and Sell, along with Elizabeth Nelson and Kirk Radford will be in Kenya soon. As they make their way through the countryside, visiting orphans and building relationships, they will 7 hours ahead of our time in Michigan. So, in Kenya, it is currently...



Keep this in mind as you go through your day. It makes for an interesting contrast.

St. John's Partnership with Friends of Mercy to Minister to Children in Kenya

The Partnership

Friends of Mercy is very thankful for this opportunity to work together with our brothers and sisters at St. John. Partnerships are the way to get things done, especially when following through with God's Word to "the ends of the earth." You might want to take a look at our web site (here) to learn about what Pastor Galik, Elizabeth, and Kirk will learn about. Please feel free to e-mail me and ask any questions that you might have about our upcoming trip.

Kenya and AIDS Orphans and FGM

Our goal in Kenya is to work with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya to assist the weakest victims of HIV/AIDS, the children left behind. Most parents are dying by the time they are 30 years old. Sibling families are formed, where the 11-18 year old brother or sister steps in as a "parent" figure to the younger children.

FGM is a terrible rite still practiced by the Masai tribe. I suggest you take a look at FoM's website here to learn about the details of exactly what it is. Our goal is to build a compound called the Entito Rescue Center which will be a girls boarding school for 500 young girls.

Check back often for more information and updates by the whole team!

Thanks again for allowing Friends of Mercy to serve our Lord through St. John.

Pastor Mark Sell