Pictures!

We thought you might like to see some pictures of our future home.  Erik and I had the opportunity to visit Kijabe in May and here are some of the pictures from our visit.

This is the entrance to the mission station.

 

This is the security entrance to the hospital.

 

the clinic entrance to Kijabe Hospital

 

entrance to the BethanyKids Pediatric Ward

 

the Operating Theatre (OR)

 

the scrub room

 

emergency triage

 

recovery room

 

back entrance to hospital

 

BethanyKids is building a duplex on this lot and we have been told that one of the units has been designated for our family.  Our friends Megan and Rhett, who moved to Kijabe in November, took this picture so we would have a "before" picture.  The kids have already spotted a good climbing tree!

The Radical Experiment

We just wanted to let you know about what our church is doing over the next year and invite you to join us if you'd like to.  We are making a commitment to an intentional pursuit of Christ as individuals, families and as a church.  Specifically, we're committing to:

1. Pray for the entire world over the course of the year.  We'll be using the Operation World website as a daily guide for our individual prayer time and a book called Window on the World as a guide for families.  I'm really looking forward to teaching our kids about what is going on in other parts of the world and guiding them as they learn to intentionally pray for the entire world.

2. Read through the entire word over the course of the year.  The Bible reading plan that we are using is unique in that it is chronological from creation to new creation rather than just following the order of the books of the Bible.  You can follow along with us at the Radical Experiment website.  We're only on day 2 so you're not too late to join in.  A Family Worship Guide is also available so you can lead your families in a weekly Bible lesson, scripture memory, song and prayer time. 

3. Give our money sacrificially for urgent physical and spiritual needs around the world.

4.  Spend time in another context - either across the globe or in another part of your city.

5.  Be involved in a local church.

It sounds like a lot, but it is all part of pursuing Christ and we are excited to have a church body to encourage us and to hold us accountable.  We'd love it if you'd like to join us as individuals, families or small groups.  The Radical Experiment website will be updated weekly so you can follow along in prayer and Bible reading.  You can also listen to the weekly messages that will go along with our reading for the week prior. 

As we look at the year ahead and all that God has in store for our family, we are amazed and humbled.   As we approach this year, we want to be intentional about pursuing Christ simply for the sake of knowing Him more.  If we accomplish anything else, it will simply be overflow.

"To Kenya"

A box in our storage room is marked "To Kenya."  It overflows with our favorite Christmas items that we want to take with us. As we packed up our Christmas decorations, it was interesting to see what ended up in that box.  It wasn't the most expensive items, but the things that we have made or things that have fond memories associated with them.  We packed our advent calendar that we made last year, our two favorite nativity scenes, as well as some of our favorite (non-breakable) ornaments.  I realized that we have way too much stuff and most of it really isn't important.  Our dining room now holds several boxes of Christmas decorations ready to go to Goodwill.

I'm sure there will be many trips to Goodwill over the next year as we eliminate the junk we've filled our house with.  It is strange to think that in several months our belongings will be reduced to a small number of suitcases marked "To Kenya."

We are so thankful to have friends and family that are supporting us in our adventure and we value your friendship!  If my "To Kenya" box was big enough I would love to pack you all up to take with us!  Instead, we will enjoy communicating with you from afar and will cherish your prayers and encouragement!  We'd also love visitors!!!

A

Sign Up for our Email Newsletter

Many of you have asked about receiving email updates from us once we are in Kijabe so we have set up a form that is located under the tab that says Newsletter Sign-up that will allow you to sign up for our email newsletter.  We hope to send regular emails to update you on our ministry and life in Kenya.

Where We are Headed

About a year from now, our family will be living in Kijabe, Kenya.  Erik and I had the privilege of visiting Kijabe in May and were amazed and excited by the people, the hospital and the beauty of the country.  Kenya is in East Africa on the coast of the Indian Ocean.  The national language of Kenya is Swahili, but the official language is English.  Apart from Swahili and English, each of the more than 40 tribes have their own tribal language or dialect.

 

Operation World is a favorite website of ours and has a wealth of information about Kenya, the role of missionaries there, as well as information on how you can best pray for Kenya.

Kijabe is about an hour northwest of Nairobi and sits on the edge of the Rift Valley. Kijabe houses one of the largest mission stations in the world which includes Kijabe Hospital, CURE Hospital, Rift Valley Academy (a school for missionary kids), and Moffatt Bible College.

Kijabe Hospital is owned and run by the local African Inland Church and provides excellent medical care, training for medical professionals as well as spiritual care for patients and their families.  Kijabe hospital also offers the only accredited pediatric surgery fellowship training program in East Africa.  

We are so excited and eager to join in the work that God is doing in Kijabe, Kenya and are thankful for your prayers and encouragement.
 

Kids Can Tour the World

I recently discovered a great website called SIM Kids that allows kids to take an internet tour of the world.  It features countries in Asia, Africa and South America and offers fact sheets, biographies, games, puzzles, crafts, stories and recipes from the various countries.  The website also shares information about how kids can be missionaries and how they can pray for missionaries around the world.  Of course, we are most interested in the information about Kenya, but I really could have done without reading the story of the boy whose dad nearly stepped on a spitting cobra when he went to the bathroom one night! 

Welcome

Welcome to our blog.  We created this blog in hopes that our friends and families will follow us as we journey to Kijabe, Kenya at the end of 2010.  We have been accepted into World Medical Missions' Post-Residency Program and Erik will be serving as a pediatric surgeon at Kijabe Hospital.  We are so excited about what God has in store for us and hope that you will pray for us as we prepare.