Current situation in Kenya

We are staying with friends outside Nairobi on border of Tanzania in Masai Mara Nat'l Park. Will stay here until things settle down in Nairobi. We are safe.

Web and phone services will be down for a few days.

Please Pray for the Orphans

Street Sisters



Street Baby


Small Infant

Street Children Pose for Camera!

Anna R and children from the Slums

Melody in the Sun.

Christmas Greetings

We send our love to our friends and family. It is warm here, much like late spring in Arkansas. We have a tree up with photos and cards sent by our friends. Our hearts are full. We are amazed at the support of so many back home. We are encouraged by the relationships formed here in our community. Our children are all doing very well. Lowell will be joining us for Christmas. We are invited by many to join them in caring for orphans here. We get to experience first hand the difference love can make in the life of children who were previously abandoned, abused or left by a mother sent to prison. Christ came down in the form of a servant to rescue and redeem his people who like sheep were helpless left on their own. He continues to use many to accomplish the same for the children in Africa. We are grateful for the priviledge of being here and for those of you who love and support us back home.

We are doing well. We wish you the best holiday.

Here are some of our favorite photos from our family to yours. I hope you enjoy the smiling faces.

School Time

I hope many of my teacher friends see these photos. Notice the first building. The one with the thatch roof. It is a school building.

Next are photos of children at St Nicholas Home. Most children in school here wear uniforms. This comes from the British influence.

I hope you can see nap time. Notice the close quarters. Better not move…

The next school photos are from the Nest. I loved the teacher who was energetic and cheerful with her students. Many have never been to school or have been tramatized. These children need extra time “in the Nest” and benefit from the smaller school setting before transitioning in to the nearby public school.

Our visit to Kasarani.

Anna and I went with our friends to visit an orphan home in Kasarani, a community outside Nairobi. It was a great day for us. We had tea in George and Jackie’s home with children in our laps. George is a pastor of two churches in the slums where he sees people starving and children in desperate situations. This Kenyan couple have answered God’s call to care for orphans. They are providing a family for 10 children, nine who come from the slums. With limited resources, they trust God daily for the needs of the children. George shares with us how God has always provided as they have stepped out in faith to care for the helpless. God has used George and Jackie to rescue these children. To hear these children’s stories and to see them now in a christian family brings great joy.

Here are photos of Anna with some of the children.

One photo is of me and Jackie the mother of these ten children.

Street Boys

As I drive accomplishing my daily activities I always see children walking along the streets. Clusters of children. Some have shoes while others are dirty and barefoot. They are all bone thin usually wearing layers of tattered clothing. They search through the trash set out to be picked up at people's homes. They gather food scraps, plastics and metals. These children probably walk up to our area from the nearby slum. I often wonder about them.. What should I do? The other day when I was working up stairs I heard children's voices. They were speaking in Kiswahili so I didn't understand. I looked out to see five boys about John's age going through our trash put out on the curb. I didn't disturb them. They worked quickly and seemed to have some fun with it. I saw one boy take an discarded apple core and begin to eat it. Another took a discarded microwave popcorn bag. They left with some plastics and scraps. I will never forget that scene from my upstairs window. I am asking God everyday what should I do? I now place my food scraps together in clear plastic bags to put at the top of the trash bag. They will be easier to find for the next group of boys.

Days later, I see this group of boys wandering up and down the streets nearby. As I wait for traffic they ask for money. I say I have food and they are equally excited. I ask them to remain there and wait.. I return with food from our pantry to give them. They asked if I had a shirt for each of them. I had noticed one boy, the larger a hole the size of a bedsize pillow in the back of his shirt. YES !! John had some t shirts in his closet that would work for these boys. I drove home and returned with t shirts for each of them. They thanked me and thanked me.

Please pray for these boys and others who wander our streets..

Melody


1. This is my first meeting up close with the boys.

2. Boys pose excited about having a photo taken and getting new shirts
3. Boys model their t shirts that I got from John's closet. Their clothes were so tattered with holes.

More ... Everyday life

Market on Thika Road






The photo of the team farm is representative of the many tea farms that grow in our area. They are expansive covering rollling hills. A beautiful sight.



This photo is taken after our church service. Many women wear this style of African dress. I loved taking this photo of these children and their proud mamma.

Every Day life

Girls After church and just hanging out.




The two ladies are around the corner from our home. They sell vegetables and cokes under the tree. I like to buy from them and they give me the biggest waves with huge smiles every time I drive buy.

This first is an enthusiastic fan at the boys soccer game. When our team does well he blows the biggest cow horn I have ever seen. He works up country with the Masaai tribe. Enjoyed getting to know the Calvert family.

The second is a photo of Guiness our guard dog and Puppy.

Next, is a photo of Helen one of our earliest friends that we have met. She is a professional in Nairobi and has been helping impoverished women and orphan children up country. She is a woman of vision. We are both so glad share together in our similar passions for widows and orphans.

Pray for these children

These 3 children have just lost their mother after a long battle.They are special children to Anna Merritt. Please pray that they will have a family to adopt them. They have special needs.

Surprise visitors!! Flying Termites, Monkeys and our first snake!!!

Flying Termites…

We have had some unique visitors, although not so unique for anyone who has lived in Kenya for a while. Our first unsolicited visitors arrived the night of heavy rain. Hundreds of FLYING TERMITES!! Yes, flying termites. They swarmed in through open windows. They were the size of dragon flies. Shortly after they entered our home they landed on the ground, discarded their wings and squirmed on the floor before dying. They were everywhere. Their smaller relatives have come to visit frequently and do the same thing. I have a bottle of spray starch to kill them and a broom handy to sweep up the remains. We have begun to cover all cracks that remain and the dry season is approaching so we expect the numbers to diminish. What is really strange is many of our new friends have gathered the termites to eat them. They say they're good. We decided we would rather not try these appetizers.

Monkeys…

The next set of visitors we found to be equally exciting. Our dogs have discovered monkeys sitting in the trees behind our yard. I love seeing monkeys just outside my kitchen window. The dogs keep them from coming to close, but it is still fun for us to see them.

A snake…

Just yesterday, we had another surprise visitor. The kids were in school. I was glad Lewis had stopped in for a quick bite of lunch. There was a snake in our eating room!!! It was bright green with it's tongue flashing in and out. I don't know how it got in. Lewis stepped on it and it quickly curled it's body up his leg. I didn't think to take a picture. Lewis killed it and took it out of the house for John to see when he got home from school. That was an exciting lunch. We've had plenty of surprise visitors…Everyday has it's surprises around here.

I will keep you posted on any newcomers who come our way. Have a great day! Melody