Athi River

Hello people,

Here again on internet, not sure when the next time we will be on again.

So will tell all now.

We now have flights from Nairobi to Lusaka, both vinjelu and I will be flying togther.

PRAY REQUEST: Our travel agent told us our flights were changable back to Cananda, and have just foud out for a hefty amout of USD that they are not changable and we need to upgrade for an aditional cost of $900.00 USD each. This is impossible for us of course, BUT IO kathryn need to be back in Canada for my 28th week. So please pray our travel agent makes it right and that we will have the money to cover such things.

Athi River: weare now 45 miutes out of Nairobi in a very rural, BUSH BUSH area. Actaully the base has geraffs out in the field, although you need to go a bit far inot the fild to see them. we havet done that yet. And One of the guys thinks he saw a Hyena pass byu yesterday.

Basically we are training the staff on the base in bsics of Community Development, they have said they really have no clue and are at the end of the roap for dealing with the community aroudn them. The base it self has a MAJOUR water problem, it's actually not easily fixed with appropriate techology we come with... so will be praying and thinking through this probmlem, hoping we can help in this eara before we leave. vinj and I will be teaching on Community Assesment and ministering to the community in all areas ie: physical, Spiritual, Intelectualy, and Social. We will be taching on some other things but are pretty clear on that.

We will be here untill July 5th, on that day we are leaving for Uganda, and will be there for three weeks.

Baby and Kathryn: Kathryn is doing a bit better, not so sick now that she has rested, and this leg of the trip is alot easier as we are just staying on the base and teaching on the base.

Later,
Vinj and Kath

Another day

Well I changed our blod lay out for those of you that found it hard to read with a dark backgroud! Hope it helps now!

Kathryn and Baby
I am doing pretty good, have been feeling sick most of the day and dont have my appetite as of yet. I think this is due to being very tired in the last four days.
No really growing of the belly at all since last week.
We may be moving to a hotel next door, because I have been struggling with all the smokers arund, really gives me a constant head ache and stomoch upset. Will cost another 30 extra dollars a night, but think it may be worth it for the last two days of rest. So if ur interested in donating to that cause let us know.

I have been struggling a little bit with my weakness now. I am not exatly able to ruff it very well anymore, like the smoking and ruff living conditions. It's a little hard to handle everything. So if you can pease pray for me, I really need Jesus every moment today and tomarrow. he brings me through each day.

What we're doing today
Two fo our team mates arrived yesdtaerday, so we may take them into town to get what ever they need. and mostly pray and sleep as needed. and possibly move to the hotel next door. We will try and post some pictures today, or tomarrow for you i don't know. BUt please keep reading, we need your prayers and support in this time.

Vinjelu
Vinjelu is doing quite wekll, mostly looking out for me. He has rested as much as I have! Lots of sleep. I think havign a pregnant wife is probably one fo the most exausting things, all the worry and swervign he does it's amazing and he is a gift from God to me.
He has been reading in Miccha in the bible, God has been speaking to him alot through that whole book. About poverty and why poeple are in it. He's seeking God in everything, he's a really good man!

Thanx for keeping up, love you all
Kathryn and Vinjelu

Second day in Nairobi

Hey guys,

well today we woke up aroudn 6am, had some breakfast, and fell back asleep at 9am right up untill 5:30pm!!!!!!! We were obveously VERY tired!

We got up and called a taxi and went to a mall, had some supper, and ice cream then went to Oceans 13 at the cinima, was SO cool, we love it. Also got toiletries because we had to leave then because of overweith luggage.

Got a mosquito net too. Kinda pricey actually, but is very important so we got it.

ON the way back form the mall we saw two guys shot down on the side walk, the police were there, it was crazy, laying there were to guys just shot dead... ya I kathryn have never seen that, vinj has a few times by now. The taxi driver said is was probably two thugs the police caught, so thats probably good:)

Tomarrow tow of our tem mates arrive in the evening, not sure what we're going to do tomarrow and hoping we will be feeling more refreshed. Bellieve it or not I am actually tird again, and need to go to bed now. Will try and find internet tomarrow where we can upload photos!

Untill next time

Kenya and baby

Hey everyone,

we are now in Kenya, at www.nairobibackpackers.com you can find pictures of where we'r staying at that web site.

We will be here for four nights. It's pretty good, the bed in semi comfortable, and thats really all we wanted, and found out the food is good and it's cheap. So what more ould we wanty right... besides maybe a hot shower...

We will be here for two weeks.

Now we made a fancy annoucemnet on publisher and never got it finished... so we'll have to do it on here.

We are expecting a baby, it's now 3 months old, I kathryn have a little belly it just came out four days ago all of a sudden my stomoch was not flat anymore:) I am doing ok, the flights were a bit tuff, mostly desending made me sick for a couple hours after. The baby is healthy and growing! Our due date is Jan 2, 2008.
More on that and pictures to be posted later.

Just wanted to update everyone.

Safely Arrived in Kenya

Well, we are safe in Nairobi, at the "Backpackers", a hostel type of lodging. Vinj is still sleeping. I just slept from 10am-4pm ! Long nap, I was tired!

The flight to London was absolutely ridiculous, made me soooo sick because sooo much turbulence! It was worse than a Greyhound bus across Canada!

In London, I went out into the airport to meet Vinj's sister and brother-in-law, Gwanire and Madalisto, who live there. There, I found Muka (Vinj's mom) had come JUST TO SEE ME, (isn't that amazing?) but she had thought I would be there earlier, so had to rush to a bus just as I came out. She cried, she was so excited and I think sad that she couldn't stay and visit. I sat with Gwani and Mada for a few hours and had a good visit with them. Since Vinjelu had not been allowed to leave the secure area, he had not been able to come see his sister so now, I had to find him again among millions of poeple, but God is good! I found him.

The flight to Nairobi was good, the seatng was just VERY squishy, but the services and personal screens made up for it. Oh and on both flights Vinj and I got an extra seat, so I could lay down and put my feet up.

We got here and had no problems with our luggage or visas. And the visa was 50 bucks less then I had anticipated!

When we came into the airport, we found that "Nairobi Backerpackers" (our hotel) was holding a sign for us. They drove us through town to get to the hotel. Nairobi is HUGE and has tons of buildings and development, although still very much an African city! Like Lusaka.

The "hotel" is older and a bit dirty, but it's safe and there are lots of young poeple here, most from England and the US. We have our own room and the bed is fine! I am so happy about that. We had to wait from 7am to 10am for our room to open up, these people are pretty busy right now. We can order food any time and get it for cheap, also any drinks are right here. So it's great! or good enough for us anyway, and it's a good price so, we are blessed.

I was feeling pretty sick when we arrived. I think becuase I was so tired, though now that I have napped I think I am a little better.

We have a couple days here alone before the rest of our team arrives. We are thinking of going to a movie tomorrow, probably "Pirates" since we didn't get to see it that side of the world.

Oh it's cloudy and cold!!! But probably that is the best weather to come to, rather than a hot sticky place. Again, God is good.

So we're doing good and will post more later.

Please remember to pray for us. Our first assignment is at a YWAM base here in Nairobi. We, as a class, will be teaching the staff at this base some of the basics of Community development. More details on that later.

beautiful dock, we can go here when ever we want, a coulple weeks ago we brought our lunch down there and enjoyed the sun. Vinj got a tan and I got a little bit of a burn :) Oh joy.

Vinj and I will be leaving for Nairobi in three weeks. Our flights leaves June 14th, Gwanire, vinjelu's sister is meeting me at the airport and taking me out for the day. (Vinjelu can't leave because of the visa stress, we dont' want to go through that for 8 hours in London.) So I will be meeting vinj back at the airport. We have 4 days in Nairobi by our selves, I think it will be fun, we've been trying to find a cheap, clean place to stay in, so we can spend our money on looking around at the culture. Nairobi is very developed, we are really excited to check it out! We will post pictures when we get there!

Montana

Still in Montana, the weather is good about 50% of the time. Vinjelu loves being outside in the sun. I am often watching him and the guys play soccer. My ankle is still not healed enough to run around. But we go for walks up the mountain road, there are deer in the fields all the time, it's so beautiful!

it's going to be sad to leave Montana, it's really beautiful here!

This is our calss, we are going into our 6th on Monday! It;s been amazing,we've learned so much. Thank you to all of you that have supported us in this, it'a really changing our lives and affriming alot of things.



here is a random picture, some one paid for us to go to a rodeo last weekend, was interesting, I don't think I like them that much tho, not very animal friendly. But we got dressed forthe part:)

Minibus extravaganza

This is Lusaka, we catch buses there every day we go into town (If we're to late for the Balastone bus.) Crazy traffic! Buses everywhere.

Impressions 3 of Lusaka, Zambia

This is SOOOO Zambia, a regular day in the city. Love it!

Kenya-Uganda-Rwanda-Zambia-Malawi- Here we come...

Hey y'all,
(We're in the states right now, so we can say that.)

Just a little announcement. We are going to be in Eastern Africa from June through to July or August. We will be in Kenya, Uganda and Probably (but not totally certain) Rwanda.

This is part of the school we have been apart of since march. We will be on a Field Assignment to complete the school. We will be working with existing development projects through out these countries, as well as hold seminars for local churches and people in general.

In Rwanda there is need for serious rebuilding, we will be going to the North West of Rwanda, in that area the homes and villages are still torn apart from the genocide/war in 1994. We are helping one of our team mates (Odeth-from Rwanda) get something started up there, she has been working on relationships and possible opportunities for a couple years now. We would be a great asset to her initial building of a base there. Rwanda only has one YWAM base. (Again, we are not sure if we are going to Rwanda or not, we will have to pray more and see.)

South Central Africa regional staff conference, 15 August
In august there is a South Central YWAM African Leadership gathering in Malawi, we are hoping to make it to that with some of the YWAM Zambia leadership.

We are planning on being in Zambia some time starting in August and up to the middle to end of October. (Our flights are out of Nairobi so will have to travel back to Nairobi to fly out on October 30th.)

Kathryn is looking into volunteering at clinics in this time as well, she has been studying Primary Health Care on her own, and will be going through training for it in 2009.

This is a very important trip for us. we will be meeting allot of people we need to net work with to start up the "Foundations In Community Development" School, an primary health care, as well as any other projects we'd like to see started in Lusaka. We will be meeting key leaders in YWAM, also being exposed to alot of development work that is actually working. Uganda has had alot of development in the past 10 to 15 years.

If you would like to see us or are in any of these countries, please contact us and let us know, we'de love to stop by and spend some time. or if you want to come up to Zambia while we're there for a visit, that would be great! (Paul now's your chance!)

we only have the money for our flights, two generous people bought us flights to Nairobi and back to Canada. as for buses and all that, we are trusting God for all that money. If you believe in a God that provides please pray for us, this is a huge leap. We are very excited, to finish this school and also to visit Zambia again in preparation to come back and live in Zambia!

So give us a holla, let us know when we can see you!
Vinjelu + Kathryn

"If you can't feed 100 people, just feed one." -Mother Teresa

Speak out.

Mother Teresa holding a malnurished dieing baby
On the right-This is a Haitian child... starving

This morning I was reading Proverbs, I've decided I am going to read one chapter a day until I am done, and I am starting from the back to the front.

So Naturally today I read Proverbs 31. I expected to read what a good women is... I guess I haven't really sat and read every verse in the chapter, because the first part of the chapter is about the poor, and drinking (It's actually quite an interesting view on drinking, you should look it up, somthng aout if ur poor and hopless DRINK....)
Anyway, in proverbs 31:8-9 I read the following.
"Open you mouth for the mute, for the rights of all the unfortunate. open your mouth, judge righteously, and defend the rights of the afflicted and needy."

Next in Proverbs 31:20 it says about the amazing women... " She extends her hand to the poor, and she stretches out her hands to the poor."
God has been speaking to me so much in the past two weeks, which is very amazing and beautiful, because after the miscarriage I have felt very distant (probably because I did distance my self from Him.)



I am called to speak out, and stand up, to reach out, (I can just picture that, both hands reaching out to help some one like this little child from Hattie)

God help me, and forgive me for all the times I haven't.

Vinjelu's writting- His home community

Vinjelu and I had a assignemtn to write a community profile for a community we will be working with in the furture, from this profile we will be applying each weeks teaching to it. Out school read vinjelus and commented that he thinks vinj will write a book one day, so please enjoy reading this discription of where IVnj grew up and is still where the fam lives.

Dawn breaks over the eastern sky, everything joins the sun to usher in a new day. Well, not quit everything. Before the dawn, before nature can tell that night is broken, men arise.
Lights go on one by one. For those fortunate enough to have paid last year's electric bill, bright lights flood the windows. For some , less fortunate, the windows are light with wavy candle light, ironicly beatiful. 300 households awake in hope that today might just be a little better than yesterday.

People make their morning migration towards a central point just as nature awakens. People from all corners of a community drawn with a sence of urgency guided by what seems like instinct to the bus stop. The migration is anywhere from a 30 minute walk to a minute. Every body rushes, knowing full well only 70% of them will be able to get on a bus. The rest will have to walk another hour before finding more transport. Everyday is a gamble becouse one is never sure if the buses will come. But it is a gamble all will take. Most time they win the bet, but sometimes it is a bad day.

Mothers going to work. Fathers going to work. Single men and women dressed formaly going to work too. At a glance they seem respectable enough, but their destinations tell a different story. One will be going to a typing job. Earns just about enough for the transport to get to work and a littl extra for food. Another is a young man, very well dressed. He will spend his day on the KATONDO street trying to make money out of nothing. Earn it by conning somebody out of their money. He might come home with enough to buy man beers for the weekend, or he might be walking back home today. He does not know. Another is getting on becouse he just sold his late father's T.V but the man he sold it to only paid him half the price. Now he has almost spent most of that money trying to track the buyer down.

20 years ago, a diferent spirit walked the streets of this community. There were more smiles, more hope. Most of these people had their own cars, or their parents had cars. They belonged to the upper/middle class of society. But one by one a whole working calss was wiped out by either H.I.V or loss of jobs due to a colapsed economy. The first Republic (government) was very socialist and so a lot of people depended on the state to provide . But once the country could not afford the social system , it all collapsed in a very short time.

They all have a home, with at least 3-4 bed rooms. They all live on a 5 acre plot of land. Each plot has a well ( though only a some had running water). 30 years ago the houses were brand new. The housholds, like the nation, were new, young and hopefull.

But 30 years later it is a different story. It is now like a man tarpped in a treasure chanber full of gold, but now food. They starve to death in the midst of such wealth. And so is the story of africa. Richest continent in natural resources, and the poorest. And so is this community, rich in land, property but dying.Smiles could hide what was eaten or what wasnt last night, but bellys tell that they are no better than the people in the informal settlements. Just maybe better dressed, a little more educated but no better.
Hope for something better has died a thousand deaths. Most homes are delapidated. Ceiling boards falling apart. Kitchens are filthy and reflect broken spirits.

Most of the young do not have jobs, and find employment in drinking cheap opake beer. Youth is wasted on being drunk and sex. Teen pregnacies are part of every houshold's story. Death is a well known family member.
This is Barlastone Park. On the west of Lusaka. Has a population of close to 2000 people. It is a true reflection of the state of Zambia. The big houses are skeletons that haunt every heart. They are the ruins of a hope born at independence in 1964. A hope of making a better Zambia for all Zambians. But that hope is faded like the paint on the walls of most houses.

The poverty and desperation, and even irony of life has turned well meaning neighbours into far away strangers. The roads have not been maintained. People have tried so many things in so many ways but failed. The will to try is as rare as a helping hand.

And yet people walk on. Lie, cheat, steal or honestly work hard, people walk on.

Stuck. That's the word on many hearts. Trapped. For many young people the glorious promises of the advantages of education have long been proven wrong. The only peole who seem to have some wealth are considered dishonstly wealthy or they are politicians. And so these two avenues seem to have become the only way people can have a hope. There is only one other option more favourable. GET OUT. Leaving the country for greener pastures such as Australia, England or U.S are the ideal. But since it takes a lot of money, only the same chosen few can leave.Stuck

The only real pleasures in life are alchohole and sex . Most young are not prepared for the responsibility that come with sex - babies. And so not only are they unemployed, but they bare children too. Trapped.

With H.I.V plaguing 1 in 5 adults hope is bleek. And yet, the soil is fertile. The rain falls. Grass grows. The sun sets, and life goes on. Some die, and yet others are born.
Few get out, most stay, all in all , life goes on. These are not the worst stories, but stories they are. These are not the poorest people, but poor they are. With all this as a backdrop to each life, one wonders why we wake up at all , especially before the dawn.

Vinjelu Muyaba

Montana Night!!!!!!!!

Heres vinj being a cowboy on Monatan night.
All the staff served us our dinner and decorated the dinning hall just like the restraunt "Monatans"! There was even a deer mounted on the wall! It was so fun and everybody dressed up in anything cowboyish they could!

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Therer were a few contests and of corse I put my hand up to volunteer! I had to eat this huge cow pie (pudding)along with 5 other people, it ended up that the person to win was a little boy (the two kids got little plates, so we had no chance againt them!)
anyway it was fun!



After the dinner they had a square dancing night, it went on for about three hours, with a rel square dancing guy talking over the mic, he taught everybody the dances. there were about 50 people dncing! I couldn't dance, I wnted to SOOOOOOO much, but my ankle was more important, so one of my friends here on the base took my pace her name is pearl and she comes from Kenya, so her an vinj dance the night away:) hahaha

will post more later

Victor, Lorey and Victoria

here is a mixed couple form our FCd school, Victor is from Congo, and lorey is from USA.

Victoria is their baby girl, she just woke up here, so I will post a happy picture of her later!

the ugly foot

This is kathryns foot (my foot), it's soooo ugly right now, all puffy and brused...

it is getting better even though it doesn't look like it.

I am getting cabin fever though, I was pacing the sidewalk to get some energy out.

vinj and the girls so sweet!!!!!!!

Update

Well thats basically what i look like most of the day, outting my foot up everywhere I go. I ahevn't had to ice it for a day now, although we usually do at night because it might be sore from the whole days activities (orientation).

Anyway, it's the weekend, and monday is our frist day.

We now have internet in our room $50.00 USD later, but it is worth it to keep in touch with you peeps.

Tomarrow I kathryn am getying my hear braided with extentions! Yeah there are africna chicks here that can do a good job!

Yeah,

andyway, will write again on the weekedn with some photos

Money update! Sprained Anckle.

We figured out our school fees now.

We only need $100.00 USDollars for the rest of our fees to be paid!!!!!!!!

Now we are climbing the next mountain of $5800.00 for the field Assignemt, please contune to pray with us about this, we have had a major increase in faith in the last week!

ON a dicouraging note.... I kathryn sprained my anckle last night while playing volly ball... Cozmore and I were even kicking their butts! I went running to the left to get the ball and my anckle gave out. It hurt ALOT... I went into shock it was so bad, I looked white as a ghost and wanted to throw up... I was looking everwhere for somthing to throw up in, and the only thing I could see was my shoe they had taken off... fortunatly I didn't vomit after all.

Anyway, it really sucks and I am locked up in my room with ym foot up...

Talk to ya'll later,
Kathryn

Montana and Support.

Hey guys!

We have made it to Montana U.S.A.

MOm and dad drove us down here on Saturday, it was a BEAUTIFUL drive! Although tough to find a bathroom at times. I think all of us enjoyed the ride, vinj drove for a while, but dad drive most of the way.

The YWAM base is right in the mountains, there is a huge lake about a 15 minute walk form us. It is SOOOOO amazingly beautiful, seriously can make you cry just looking at it.

Our room is cozy, it's actually about 4 feet bigger then I imagined it, and our bed is comfortable!

It's cute, I think mom is going to post a couple photos on her blog.

Anyway, orientation starts on the Wednesday and goes to Friday, Monday is our first day of school. We're pretty excited. I (Kathryn) am already started on our first assignment, they gave it to me to do if I wanted to, although they are not due till early April.

We've met alot of awesome people already, we're really enjoying our selves so far.

We have an update on our support for the school.

We now only need about $400.00 USD for the lecture phase! Thats is great it came down from $2000.00 and something, so we are soooo greatful for those of you that supported us!

We are still in need of $5800.00 by mid may for our field assignment. We are so blessed our lecture phase is almost paid for... just a little more, and are believing for the rest of the money to come in for the field assignment.

Again, if you feel like you'd like to give towards our training let us know via e-mail and we will give you what ever details you need.

Bless you guys, and keep in touch!
I will post our address here just in case you'd like to send a letter.

Luv, Kathryn