Braving the Volcano

As the title of this week's post indicates, a volcano was braved.  It sounds more exciting than it is in reality.  Timothy, his friend Landon and I took a hike up Mount Longonot which is an extinct volcano about 15 miles from here.  We have climbed it in the past and reported on it.  However, the twist to our excursion this time was that at only 2 KM up the 8 KM hike, I slipped and twisted my ankle.  Ouch!  So, the big challenge, after resting a few minutes and trying to decide what to do next (either go home or hike up the rest of the way on a sprained ankle) was to determine the importance of climbing that volcano.  I ultimately decided that since I would not have desired the boys to climb it without any adult supervision, I would do the "Dad Sacrificial Thing" and finish the climb.  The whole way down (which was more challenging than up) was trying to decide on how Jullie would answer my decision.  I decided that her response was going to be "that was pretty stupid". 

I am glad to say that I know my wife very well.  Her response when Timothy told her what happened was "well that was pretty stupid".  Timothy and I did a high five!!  Meanwhile, I am back to walking after 4 days and will probably be able to run in another 3-4 weeks.

Timothy and Landon looking over the Great Rift Valley

Timothy and Landon

Jim and Timothy after the long (and painful) hike down

Jullie is away this weekend as she helps Rift Valley Academy escort the high school band members around Nairobi for concerts at various places.  This is an outreach opportunity for the band to not only show their musical talent at other schools but also bring the Gospel to others in a slightly different way. 

Since Jullie is there, I will give the weekly update.  Jullie and I have now got our hands completely filled.  She is now helping RVA build the new "arts and crafts" building.  The contractor for that project has mobilized and they are about ready to commence excavation.  Pictures of that project will be added to the Kijabe Projects Page soon. 

She also informed you of a new project that we are working on together at Upendo Village.  This is an HIV/AIDS outreach that is operated through the Assumption Sisters of Nairobi.  A Catholic order.  We have provided our recommended main contractor to the US board and now are awaiting their decision.  With GOD's help, we will break ground on that project by July.



Upendo Village Administrative Building in the Foreground

 

The Bethany Kid's Children's Center continues to move forward.  I have updated the Kijabe Projects page but here is a link to a youtube video showing the progress over the last 9 months of building.

Time Lapsed Movie of the BKCC

Blessings to all this week. 
Jim

Remember: John 10:10
I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.





Lady be Good

Hello All,

It is mid term week end already! The kids got off yesterday at noon and will go back on Tuesday for the last 6 weeks of school. We head out of here on July 15 to come home for a bit. I am desperate to do some shopping especially for Sallie and Timothy. Poor things go off to school almost everyday with a hole somewhere!

Celebrating the mid term break with Pizza and some of Trevor's friends

 The Bethany Kids Wing had a productive week. They are moving along and with the dry weather are getting material to the site that they need. Here are a few pictures:

Sallie had a "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" day at school this week. She dressed up as Verruca and they all brought something chocolate to share. She slept in curlers to make her hair curly!

                                               Sallie as "Verruca" with a Kitty in a bag!



I went to the children's home last week end with the people from my Mizizi group. It was a totally African day. We arrived there and had piles of laundry to do (by hand) and then hang to dry. There were rooms to clean and a meal to make for about 40 people. Some of our group played with the kids so that they were free from having to wash this day. They were happy about that! As we were washing, I noticed almost everything was ripped or torn. I did not bring a needle and thread but another person had. So, I spent most of my time sewing up holes in clothes. Here are a few pictures. We did not take many of the kids as the proprietors did not want us to.

Me and my needle and thread

washing the clothes

 

playing with the kids

  Chol

people preparing a meal

more washing

and more washing!

 kids in the Shamba (garden)

                                                        

Our ENT project is coming along quite nicely. We are only 1 week or so behind from the original schedule and it is looking good. It should be ready in about November.

watering the slab



On the kids' birthday 2 weeks ago, we went to a dinner out called Sophomore restaurant. It is a night out for adults and Seniors and Juniors put on by the sophomore class. Here are some pictures of Trevor with his buds.

 

It is a special treat to go out for dinner at night because as I have mentioned before, you really try not to be driving at night here - something we really take for granted at home. The roads are bad, no lights, no lines and people or animals walking about. And, some people drive without lights as they think that will use up more gas. So, it is very dangerous. We dressed up and went out for a date - fun!

The Wood shop up at RVA is starting. The contractor has been here almost 2 weeks now and will start excavations this week. This one should be done by Feb or Mar next year. I even have an office up there with a computer! Wow!

this is an old slab that will be broken up and removed

The pastor gave a sermon this week and mentioned the Lady be Good. She was a B-24D Liberator bomber that was based in northern Africa in WW II. She had flown a mission to Naples, Italy and on her return, overflew her base and landed some 400 miles inland crashing in the desert. The crew had bailed out but all perished in the desert. The connection was that they did not have trust in their instruments and could not believe that they had made it back to the base so quickly with a tailwind. They thought they were on the right heading but were actually receiving a reciprocal signal from the base making it seem that they were OK. Trusting our senses can lead us astray sometimes. We are not always understanding the big picture that God has in store and can not see life from a bird's eye view. If we put our trust in Him we can count on His grace.


Don't ask me why Sallie has an Eeyore on her head in this picture! My answer would be, "She is nine."

Please pray for us as we:

1. relax a bit this week end. We are heading over to Naivasha to swim and sit by the pool for a few hours. We need a refreshing!

2. continue with the BK wing. Things are going well but they are still far behind and the finances are still not all there.

3. continue to help Upendo Village with their new admin building.

4. try and stay healthy. There is something serious going around at RVA.

5. Help our friend Njoki care for her orphans that she is always finding!



Thank you for all you do!



In His Hands,



Jullie T.

Tractor Pull for real!

Hello All,
This week has just flown by!  We were pretty busy but managed to get through without any major incidents.  Jim even had a 1/2 day that he was able to be here at the house by himself!  I am spending more time up at RVA since the contractor has shown up to build the new wood shop and art studio.  They are already about a week behind but they are getting rolling.

Bethany Kids Wing:  Pretty good news this week.  They were able to get more material up the Mai Maihu road.  It is a dirt road that has a few very steep spots.  With one load, they had to send the tractor down to pull as the truck got stuck on the steep.  But they made it and so we are looking at being able to get the material we need without too much increase in cost.  Also, one of the board members from Europe came for an unexpected visit this week.  It was a pleasure to sit and talk with him and see how things are going from "the other side."  Here are a few pictures:

the Quonset Hut door being assembled

long awaited drain pipe

stitched together picture of the retaining wall

 

 

We are getting close to mid term break (next week end).  After that, there are 6 weeks of school left and we fly home for a visit.  It seems impossible that a year has almost gone by already.  The kids are looking forward to it.  It is going to be a crazy busy schedule, but it will be good.  Jim is ready to fly the coop for a bit too.  With so much going on and so many issues that come up all the time and the cultural differences, it takes a toll on one!

 

The owners of our missionary dog, Pepper, will be back soon.  We have had her for almost a year now.  It will be very sad to give her up.

 

Sallie and Timothy washing Pepper

 

I am going on an outreach this morning.  My Mizizi group (10 week christian study group) is heading up the hill to a children's home in Kimende.  We are going to clean, wash clothes, cook and play games with the kids.  I will hopefully have some pictures next week.  Then tonight, we are having 7 RVA students here for dinner and hanging out.  They have what is called Caring Community where the kids go to someones home just for a change of pace.  It is really great getting to know them a bit more.

 

I have read a little this week about forgiveness.  Mark 11:25
 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."
NIV

It is such a hard thing to forgive people when they have wronged you.  But, when you don't, it only hurts you and it keeps you in bitterness.  God's peace can come when you forgive.

I sure hope you have a good week.  We will have a busy one I am sure.

Please pray for:
1. clear communications with our Kenyan friends
2. the RVA wood shop project as it gets underway.
3. continued clear weather (although we love the rain for the gardens) for the project and material gathering.
4. the kids as they go into this last 6 weeks of school

In His Hands,
Jullie T.





Birthday X2!

Hello All,
Today is a big day!  My oldest and youngest have birthday's today.  Seventeen and nine.  Can't believe it.  It is amazing how time passes so quickly.

Trevor is such an amazing young man.  God has a purpose for his life!

 

Sallie is such a great kid.  We love her so much and are so glad we waited for "Jack" to join our family!

 

 

We had a lovely breakfast of eggs benedict compliments of Jim and the Limuru Farmer's Choice Bacon!  What a treat!  We are at such a high altitude, that making the blender hollandaise sauce is an issue every time.  But, this time it was lovely (with the help of a little corn starch).

 

 

 

The BK Wing:  We had some good progress this week with the wing because the contractor was able to get a load of ballast (gravel) up the hill!  They started with the truck loaded to about 28 tons and got stuck somewhere on the steep part.  They sent a small truck down to unload some of the weight and were able to succeed with about a 22 ton  load!  This is great news for us as now the contractor can get about 20 ton loads up here and continue the building.  They have actually been making good progress this week even without additional building supplies.

 

the retaining wall covered to keep it moist

 



uncovering another column

 



Last Sunday was Titchie Sunday.  It is the one Sunday of the term where the elementary school puts on a play for the service.  This one was called "Nick at Night."  It is a play about Nicodemus of John chapter 3

John 3:1-8
3 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council.
2 He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him."
3 In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."
4 "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!"
5 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.
6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.
7 You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.'
8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."
NIV

If you read on you will see that Nicodemus was struck with the truth.  He was a member of the Jewish council so he was very important and well thought of.  He finally understood what was staring him in the face:  The truth of Jesus.  Some people say we can create our own truth.  How can that be?  Postmodernism:  A postmodern interpretation of religion emphasizes the key point that religious truth is highly individualistic, subjective and resides within the individual.^[9] (taken from wikipedia).  There are laws of nature that rule.  You can not fly because you think you can.  There are also laws of the spirit.   This assumes that you believe we all have a soul.    Some things cannot be seen but are true.  Look at Justice.  Justice is something but we can’t see it.  Does that mean it doesn’t exist?  The judge follows the law (procedures) but was justice served?  Ideas and thoughts are not physical things, but do they exist?  You are the thinker.  The 2^nd law of thermodynamics governs the physical world – bodies decays over time and then you die.  But what happens to those thoughts, ideas?  The choices you make in life – you are the choice maker and thinker (comes from the soul).  Where is the thinker when the body dies? 

Many people make up their own truths – take the example of the Scapular – Whoever wears this will not burn in the everlasting fire.  This was a promise from an apparition of Mary given St Simon Stock.   This promise was based on the Carmelite tradition that the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to St. Simon Stock at Cambridge, England in 1251 in answer to his appeal for help for his oppressed order and recommended the Brown Scapular of the Our Lady of Mount Carmel to him and promised salvation for the faithful who wore it piously.  Does it make sense that one would be with God forever just because he/she wore something?  Sounds like another way to sell lots of things!  Truth is real and solid whether you choose to believe it or not, just as the ocean is a large body of water whether you choose to swim in it or not.   John 8:31-32
31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.
32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
NIV

All this to say I am struck this week with how I see the Bible as truth and as such will use that as my guide.  We will all serve a master, you just have to choose it.  Is the master something you make up on your own (work, material things, inner peace, looks, nature, etc) or is it the words of God?  Coming to believe that the bible is truly the words of God is another thing altogether.  It takes many of us many years to see this, but once you do and receive Christ then you have the spirit of the truth = it grips your heart and changes your life!  John 14:6 6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
NIV
I will stop preaching now - thanks for putting up with me!

Timothy did an amazing job as Nicodemus.  He was so proud when he got the part and he worked hard these many months to do it right.  Here are a few still pictures and also a link to see a short video:
Click here to see a video

Our roads here are better then they were but there are problems waiting in the future.  We went up this week to look at some of the potential problems.  This one section of road will be the biggest headache and if it is not fixed, most likely, will eventually fall.
 

section above the tunnel that really needs a retaining wall

section below the tunnel that will slip down the hill someday

 

 

I will end here with a few more pictures.  Thank you all for what you do for us.  Please don't forget about us even though we are many miles away!

 



Timothy having a run in with a dressing bottle!

 

My beautiful sister Angie and her fiance George - Can't wait to see you this summer!

 

In His Hands - Always,

Jullie T.

 

So Many Donuts!

Picture of the sky here I borrowed from Dr Myrhe.  He takes wonderful photos.

Hello All,
We managed to make and sell about 2706 donuts from cream filled to apple fritters to just plain, we had them all!  This was an event that RVA calls "store."  We (the Junior Class) just took it over from the Seniors and made it through our first one.  We make and sell American style donuts on Friday night and then again on Saturday morning along with egg Mac muffins, crepes, passion juice and later in the day, bacon cheese burgers, pizza, chicken tikka sandwiches, chicken fingers and more.  We made about 1000 food items and sold almost all of it.  This is the first of 9 events like this we will do to raise money to go on Senior Safari next year just before graduation.  It is fun but exhausting.  The kids did a great job and I am sure will get better and better at it before we are finished!

making 2706 donuts!

The roads are still a problem since the flooding/mud slides.  Our main route into town for materials for the project has been taken away with the bridge.  Here is a picture of the temporary foot (and piki - motorcycle) bridge that the local people built.

They used 2 felled trees and some lumber and it really is sturdy.  We have not heard when the new bridge will be built.  Our contractor has essentially taken some time off to evaluate the situation and see what they can do.  Our only option is to carry about 1/4 loads of material up the steep road from Mai Maihu.  Here are some pictures of the site this week:

We are hoping the new bridge will be built in the next few weeks (please pray for that) and that the project will get moving again.  It is now about the middle of May and that is when the rains are supposed to stop.  I just heard some thunder and we have had rains almost every night for the last week.  We are grateful for the rain, but we also need to dry out for a while!

We went down to the town of Mai Maihu last Saturday to visit a man and his family (Joseph, Dorcas and their daughter Lucy).  Lucy was born with spina bifida and hydrocephalus.  That was almost 3 years ago.   She now has a new wheelchair (thanks to some friends in the states) and she is starting pre school this week!  She is such a lively little girl and her parents are very nice.  Dorcus cooked us a wonderful meal.  They live in a very tough situation.  They have a small apartment on a second floor with a bathroom down the way.  The wheel chair doesn't even have room to move in the living room as it only about 14' x 14'.  That serves as the dining room and sleeping room too.  Joseph has been out of work for a long time as there is very little prospect where they are.  They came up with the idea of selling popcorn in small bags to the ducas (stores).  They flavor it a bit with honey to make it sweet and sell a small bag for 5 shillings (about 6cents).  He is trying to get this business off the ground, but they are struggling.  They were going about 20 miles down the road to another town to get the popcorn popped for them!  I showed Dorcus how she can do it on her little charcoal stove (or jiko as it is called here).   She was so excited to know she can pop it at home.  Here are a few pictures:

Joseph and Lucy

 Lucy loved to be next to Sallie

 

Lucy

Showing Dorcus how to pop corn on her jiko.

 

The whole gang!

 

We are almost ready to finish a small project.  It is the remodel of a house that will function as a dorm for some students from South Sudan.  They were selected to be here by their government to train as anesthesiologists.  Their program is about 18 months long.  They have been moving from place to place since finding space here is difficult to say the least, but their house will be finished this week!  Here is a picture of the bathroom remodel:

This will give them 3 showers, 3 sinks and 3 toilets along with another laundry style sink to wash clothes in.  They will be so happy to finally settle in one place!  Please pray for these 14 women and 1 man, that they will complete the program here in a place far from home (where most have left families) and they will be able to go back and serve their people well.

One last picture:  Mom this is for you!

This is a picture of a horned viper that Mr. Hovingh took near their place in Naivasha (right where we stayed Mom)!  He apparently killed it soon after this so no worries for the future, right??

In His Hands,
Jullie T.