Our 2nd Sunday

Encouraged Sunday by a message from Andy Stanley.

We attended Int'l Christian Fellowship, a fairly new community who meets at our newschool, Rosslyn Academy. They are showing DVD sermons from Andy Stanley. We really enjoyed the fellowship and meeting school staff and their families who attend ICF. The highlight was making friendswith another family visiting for the first time. Benson and Helen are Kenyans who plan to send children to Rosslyn. Claire and their daughter Juliette hit it off so they invited us to their "housewarming" party mid-August. We look forward to getting to know them better as we pray for new Kenyan friends.

Lewis

Exerpts from letters to Cacki - Lewis' Mom

HEY CACKI!!!!!!
I miss you so much!!! Well, Africa's GREAT! It's so pretty here and the weather's perfect! We know you'd love the plants here. WE HAVE A BANANA TREE IN OUR BACK YARD!!!! :) Lowell just got finnished painting Anna's new room this afternoon. It went from light cream to sky blue. Oh and tomorrow Lowell's going to paint Anna and my bathroom a soft lime green! I can't wait for you to see our house and everything else here. I know you'll love it here. I can't wait to see you so COME SOON!!!!!!!!! Oh and HAPPY LATE BIRTHDAY!!! i hope you had a great one!
i love you!
~claire

Hey Cacki!
How are you doing? I hope that you love your new house in North Carolina! I'm sure that you are enjoying it as a place of retreat. That's how i feel about Africa too. It is so gorgeous and relaxing here! I think about you all the time as mom and i go walking down a trail in the village that is surrounded by colorful flowers and other plants. The people here are so nice and warm. They are always looking to help you and are even incredibly enthusiastic about giving directions! The village is like an oasis, but once you leave the gates it's a zoo! The only way to sit in the car is on the edge of your seat because it's scary the way people drive. Dad handles it great though. He says that he inherited a love for crazy driving from his mother who aspired to be a race car driver:) There are people and small animals along side the roads too. We have not seen many big animals, except for giraffes who gave us kisses at a tourist place.I miss you soooo much and can't wait for you to come!! The weather is great right now, it feels like our fall in Arkansas. We tried to call you to sing you a birthday song, but hopefully we will get through to you soon. Until then...Happy Birthday!!!!!!! I hope it was great!
I LOVE YOU!
Anna

Cacki, happy late birthday, I'm sure you're havin a good time in NC. The village where we are is pretty cool, and the kids are great. There's not too much to do here, but playing with the kids is good. They love it when I push them on the swings. They tell me to push them "high in de heavens." I painted some today, and that will keep me busy the rest of this week, I think, so that's good. I'm planning on coming to see you in Memphis this fall; maybe Jett Sam will come with me, you know we're rooming together. It's been hard to keep my mind here because I'm so looking forward to the fall and college. It's gonna be really fun.
I love you and look forward to seeing you soon,
Lowell

Hi Cacki,
How are you? Hope you are doing good. How is North Carolina? I wish you could be here but I bet you are having a great time in North Carolina. By the way, happy late birthday. I hope you can visit soon. I bet you would love it except for some things like the bumpy road and all the thorns. I bet you would love all the flowers and all the nice people. When you come I hope we can take you to the giraffe center. We went to the giraffe center a few days ago. It was really fun. All the giraffes come up and you get to feed them. We got to feed them pellets and we also got to kiss them. You make them kiss you by putting a pellet in your mouth and getting their attention. They come close and lick the pellet out of your mouth. It looks like they are kissing you. At the giraffe center we also got to see tortoises and a warthog. There are some other animals that live in the village. Monkeys, rabbits, owls, hawks, maribou storks, screeching birds, bush babies, lots of birds and a 10 inch caterpillar! The kids are really nice too. The oldest boys are ten. They are really nice and help each other. They love to drive(roll) tires. They also love to swing and play soccer. They like to play hide and seek. I hope to see you soon.
Love, John

Taylor's New Home

First weekend in Kenya

Of course we had to visit a few tourist sites. With camera in one hand and Acacia leaf pellets in another, we met a family of giraffes. Yeen Lan (Rafiki Village director) was our tour guide and is quickly becoming a trusted friend. After spending 1/2 day with giraffes (a few hours too long for Lowell and I) we drove to a nice lunch spot owned by a friend of Yeen Lan's. Outdoor patio offered a warm fire in the patio fireplace. Still hard to believe that we are driving distance to the equator...and need a fire in the fireplace to stay warm. Elevation of 5500 feet and overcast skies make for cool days and cold nights during the Kenyan winter.

Sunday we drove into downtown Nairobi for our first church service. The Kreamer family (Rafiki teammates) invited us to visit their church. We were the clear minority in the all black St. Andrews Presbyterian church, which is exactly what we are looking for in a church. Our prayer is that God would allow us to really become part of this community soon and what better place than the church to get connected. We were welcomed with a song by the congregation as guests were invited to stand during the service. Communion inspired our souls and taste buds as bread and a very potent wine was passed thru the congregation. Wish you could have seen John's face as he experience his first communion. After the service visitors were invited to have tea on the outdoor patio where we met several members of the largest Presbyterian church in Nairobi.

Lets take a drive

I got behind the wheel (the one on the right side of the car) for my first drive into the city yesterday...and loved it. My family trusted me enough to pile into a borrowed Pajero (looks like an Isuzu Trooper, but made by Mitzubishi...with a stick shift). Mario Adretti's got nothing on me:-) after navigating a few roundabouts (intersections offer a carosel-like transition allowing traffic to keep moving) playing chicken with swerving flatbeds full of stone while dodging men pulling two wheeled carts full of potatoes.

We all got home safely and caused harm to no one...except the shocks and tyres (African spelling) of my neighbors car.

I want to thank everyone for the comments. We appreciate them very much.

Rafiki campfire welcome

We received an official welcome from our new family tonight. After dinner all gathered around the large patio fireplace. Darkness fell at 7pm and a roaring fire warmed us in the cool night air (a refreshing 60 degrees). We all sang hymns led by mini-missionaries. Then each Mama took turns standing before us with her children singing a song or quoting bible verses. Weary as we were (up at 3am as bodies still adjusting to new time zone) it was a wonderful evening.

God is blessing us exceedingly and abundandly.

The Taylor Estate Sale CORRECTION

The preview sale scheduled for Thursday from 5-9 has been canceled. Also, we need 3-5 volunteers for both the Friday and Saturday sale days. If you are available, please contact Jan Chalmers at 837-5944, jjchalmers@sbcglobal.net.

1st Day in Kenya

Energized, excited, anticipating something new! We just started our first day in Nairobi Kenya at Africa Inland Mission Guest House. Up early for breakfast of fresh pineapple, oatmeal and toast...and chai. Missionaries stay here as they transition to and from the field. As I write to you, sitting on the edge of the guest house den area, stories are being told by a British pastor working with tribal leaders in Africa. Soon we will go back to the airport to gather missing bags, then drive out to our new home, Rafiki Training Village.

Addendum: Evening of Encouragement

Melody and Lewis would love to have your family photo they can take with them for their prayer journal. Please bring your 4x6 photo to our Evening of Encouragement (details below). If you cannot attend but have a photo, please try to get it to someone you know who will be attending.

Estate Sale details.

As the Taylors fly to Kenya, Africa, they leave their worldy possessions for a great Estate Sale scheduled for next Friday and Saturday, July 20 and 21, from 9-3 p.m. For our friends and supporters there is a presale Thursday July 19th from 5-9PM.

In addtion to the Taylor's possessions, local donors have made contributions. All proceeds from the sale will go to benefit the Taylor's mission with the Rafiki Fouondation.

Direction to the house are as follows: if you are headed west from I-430 onto Highway 10, turn left at the light onto Taylor Loop as though you are going to Rahling Rd. Immediately after the bridge, before Rahling Road, turn right onto Taylor Loop and take a left on Holmes and then a right on Wesley Dr. and you are there.

The sale items include antiques, furniture, children's items, living and dining room furniture, Ducan Phyfe tables, sectional sofa with storage ottoman, dishes, mirrors, antique lamp, walnut chest, rugs, blanket chest, bathroom accessories, linens, curtains, large pictures, mutliple dressers, beds, chest of drawers, kitchen accessories, multiple washer/dryer units, electronics, decorative and gift items, Christmas decorations, silk ficus trees, and much more. We also have an upright freezer, refrigerator and 94 Toyota LandCruiser ($4,500).

Please share this exciting opportunity to participate in this great mission with friends and family. Helpers are still needed for both days as well as pre-sale pricing (Starting Monday). All helpers will have the privilege of shopping early. Please contact Jan Chalmers at 837-5944 if you would like to help.

Evening to Honor the Taylors

The Edge invites you to join us for an evening of awesome worship and prayer as we send off Lewis and Melody Taylor and their family, for a two year mission to Kenya, Africa. Come show your support and celebrate all God is doing and will do in Africa!

Saturday, July 14

7:00 - 9:00 p.m

FSC, The Hangar

DAY 5

Mel and I continue to prepare for our assignment at Rafiki village Kenya. Tomorrow we will be given our first job assignment based on the needs at Kenya. The Rafiki staff there are very solid and along with many special "nationals" / African staff are preparing over 80 children / 16 teenagers to change Africa.