Hometown Greetings

Howdy!

For those who still might be checking this site… THANK YOU so much for your prayers and support this summer and as I have returned.

The ‘re-entry’ to American lifestyle has been harder than I had anticipated. Coming back I know I am different. Different because of the events and experiences that God has allowed for me. Even though I am different, I also have found that very few things are the same as when I left them. Honestly, it’s left me in a bit of a state of shock. Although it’s been difficult, there also have been MANY hilarious situations. A good sense of humor has helped incredibly (Thank You Lord!) as I have struggled to become American again.

I’m writing to ask for your prayers. Today I leave to spend 5 days with my family on the East Coast, most of whom I have not seen in a long time. I am really looking forward to spending time with them. After arriving back on Wednesday, I will spend the following few days seeking God’s Face to discern ‘what He wants me to do with my life’ (or at least these next few years). In particular if the Lord wants me to go as a full-time missionary to Africa. I am excited and nervous for what the Lord will show me. As the Lord prompts, I would covet your prayers for discernment in HIS direction!

Again, I am so thankful for your faithful prayers over the summer and I look forward to sharing with you how God directs!:-)

In His Love,
Tami

Coming Home!

In a few hours I board a plane to come back to Washington. As I sit here, I am amazed at how quickly these three months have passed. I am so thankful for this time, for the relationships that have formed and what the Lord has been teaching me.

Saying goodbye to all of the people here has had its challenges. It is not appropriate in Kenyan culture to cry. Knowing this, I was praying that God would give me strength not to shed one tear (which could only happen by the hand of God!). The church I was serving in hosted a farewell ceremony, as each person came forward to say goodbye I saw their tears and knew that God was giving me strength and the freedom to express how much each person has meant to me. It is hard to say goodbye to those to whom you've grown attached, especially when you do not know if the Lord intends you to ever see each other again, this side of heaven.

For the last two days (Monday & Today), I have been in Nairobi preparing to leave the country. I am so thankful for the mission agency I am with. Much of the time has been spent informally debriefing. As I get ready to leave, I feel prepared. Prepared to leave the country and prepared to come home, for their support I am grateful.

Although I leave tonight at 10:05pm (Kenyan time), I will not arrive to Seattle until late Thursday evening (Long days of travel). However, this means that I will see most of you on Sunday at church (well, that is if you are not camping over this holiday weekend)!

I am excited to see all of you and thank you in person. I also find myself looking forward to hearing what’s been going on for each of you these past few months.

May you each have a blessed week, and I will SEE you on SUNDAY!!!

Grace & Love,
Tami

God’s Peace

Marsabit Report

Last week was a powerful week! I traveled with a little over 70 Africans to Marsabit (Northeastern part of Kenya) for a mission trip to unreached tribes. As we were meeting with the local people, they didn’t know that they were Kenyans. They thought we came from Kenya to minister to them. This area of Kenya is known for violence; violence between two neighboring countries and between the tribes that converge in this spot. The message and hope we brought was that reconciliation and true peace is possible, only through the Lord Jesus Christ. Our team of 70+ was a demonstration of this reconciliation. We had almost all 42 tribes represented on our team, we had multiple countries, and we have both soldiers and civilians. Before we could minister, God had to work on our team. The first night there the soldiers began the process of forgiveness and reconciliation by taking responsibility and apologizing for all of the bad/horrible experiences people have had with the military/police. This then prompted the elders of each of the tribes to stand and seek forgiveness (and take responsibility) for their own tribes interactions with other tribes. It was a powerful way to begin the week. As the week continued, we provided medical camps, food distribution, door-to-door (more like hut-to-hut) evangelism and open-air meetings. The whole week I spent at the medical camps. Don’t worry, I wasn’t pretending to be a doctor… although many thought I was b/c I am white… I worked in the pharmacy with the drugs and with speaking to people individually. However, what I was told my most important ministry (after the fact) was smiling. Now, I like that ministry!!!

We are just about to loose power for the day… so I will make this short. I leave in an hour to head back up country for my last two weeks. I have come to love dearly these people and will miss them greatly. Please pray for strength as I say goodbye and that I have wisdom of how to best spend each moment I have left.

Thank you so much for joining with me this summer. I truly have felt encouraged and uplifted by all your prayers, emails and letters. I am so blessed to have each of you in my life!

See you all in a few weeks! Tami

Happy Friday!

This Sunday, we leave for our mission trip to Marsabit (an unreached tribe in Kenya). We have been hearing reports of some unrest that is happening in the area due to the conflicts between some neighboring countries. So I would love to add prayers for our safety (don't worry mom, they assure us that is will safe for us to travel and to minister to the local tribes). It is only that we will see some of the effects of the recent conflicts. Other than that, please join me in praying for the hearts of the people to be opened to the gospel.

Also, here is a picture of the house that I am living at here in Kenya. Don't let the wire fool you, most are for drying our clothes and not electricity. There is one wire shown that streatches accross the top of the picture that provides power to our house on Sunday mornings when we turn the generater on for the church service. Which means that I am able to charge my camera batery and my cell phone.

Yes, I did say cell phone. Even though I am far away from anything modern I get fairly good cell phone reception. It is a safety requirement for SIM that I carry it with me all the time. Since it is a kenyan cell phone and the rules here are different, it is free for me to recieve incoming calls. This has been a HUGE blessing, in that my family has been able to call me. To simply hear thier voices even for a few mins has been so encouraging!!! It is strange to have modern technology in the middle of rural kenya where life is like the late 1800's (or maybe even mid)!

I have recieved many questions about the elephants. To date, I have yet to wake up for any of the raids. Which is providing increadible amusement to my kenyan friends. However, one of my neighbors (Lucy & Daniel) have promised to take me into the forest to see the elephants when we get back from Marsabit. I will include pictures when that happens!

Everyone at CBC~ I miss worshiping the Lord with you on Sunday mornings. I pray that this Sunday as you meet with the Lord you truly enjoy offering a sacrifice of worship to HIM!!! I am looking forward to being together with you again in a few weeks!

Love, Tami

3-in-1

ONE~ Mombassa
It was great to travel to the warm coast of Kenya for the weekend. We spent the weekend south of Mombassa in the town of Diani. It is a small coastal city and it is paradise. White sandy beaches, very few people and good food. Now the only problem is that I had a fever (39.8 c) the majority of the time we were there. Even though I had a fever, it was a blessing to be in such a warm place. I cannot imagine what this would have been like if I was still up country in the below freezing temperatures and no way to heat the house and have a fever. It was a true gift to be in such a beautiful and warm place.

Last week I reported we had the opportunity to fulfill my childhood dream of swimming with dolphins. Well, it still is my dream. The day we were out on the boat there was a storm on the Indian Ocean, so it was unsafe for us to get into the water with the dolphins. However, it was impressive to be so close to the wild dolphins. As a 2nd place prize we were able to snorkel at a reef that is in the middle of the ocean. It was beautiful!!!


TWO~ Week of rest & reflection & doctor’s visits…
After coming back to Nairobi, I had some stomach problems. So I can now personally testify about the Kenyan medicine. Fortunately they use western drugs, so I am feeling better now. Having a few days where I had to stay very immobile was a mixed blessing.
It provided the time to be still before the Lord and for that I am grateful. This summer is going by very fast and I want to make the most of every opportunity provided. There are many items/topics this week provided time to reflect on, they are to numerous to mention here but thank you for praying. I do feel refreshed. I am ready to head back up-country for the next 5 weeks, in large part due to the restfulness of the past few days.


THREE~ Mission trip to Northern Kenya
August 6th-11th, I will be heading to Marissabit (northern tribal area in Kenya) as a part of a mission trip to an un-reached tribe with members of the church that I am working with. The church’s passion for those who have yet to hear the gospel in Kenya is humbling. There will be a group of us traveling for two days to reach these people. We will be bringing food supplies (the effects of the drought are still present for them) and some medical supplies. The week long out reach will be preaching the gospel, treating simple medical ailments and feedings. This is an incredible opportunity to minister alongside Kenyans as they bring the Gospel to their own countrymen who have never heard of Jesus. As the Lord lays it on your heart, please pray for this mission trip (safety, hearts of the people we are going to reach, and for our own hearts-that God would use this in mighty ways).

Pictures!!

This is a Phyllis! Not only is she my host sister-in-Christ, she is also the local pastor I am serving with this summer.



These are children from a local orphanage. We are making 'cartoon faces' (the kenyan equlivant of funny faces)!

God's Abundant Blessings!

July 13, 2006 b

This evening (mid-day for you) I find myself in Nairobi at the SIM compound. An opportunity opened up on Tuesday for me to join a group of SIM lady missionaries in Mombassa (a coastal city in Kenya) for the weekend. We will leave tomorrow night and take the night bus (8-10hrs). We will take time to rest, journal, read, reflect and swim with the dolphins… yes, I did say swim with the dolphins! This is one activity I have always wanted to do and God is providing a surprise opportunity!! Not only is it a blessing to be going to a beautiful coastal city, but it is also a WARM (90 degree) coastal city. I am looking forward to thawing out! It is also a blessing because, I love reading the Word and journaling in the warmth of the sun and that is something that is hard to find even in Nairobi (it’s the coldest/rainiest month of the year right now).

For the last two days, I wrestled with whether or not to go to Mombassa. It would mean taking two days off of ministry. Two days to not visit those dying from AIDS, two days not to play with the orphans, two days not to teach about God to the youth… two days… I found myself wrestling with feelings of guilt, feeling like why should I take this time to rest somewhere so nice? Yet, I need rest. Since arriving in Kenya, I’ve had three days off. A little over a week ago I began to realize how much I needed time to seek the face of the Lord. Not the daily time of seeking Him, but the ‘come away with me’ and bask in my presence type of time with the Lord. As I was hungry for the time with the Lord, I didn’t know how it was going to happen. Then I receive a message on Tuesday asking if I would join the group. God provides even the rest I need.

Recent Praises:
1. Time to Rest
2. Mombassa Trip- I get to be in warm weather and swim with dolphins!
3. Words to Speak-everywhere I’ve been required to speak, God has given me words to say, especially this week with our neighbor’s memorial services.
4. Very few bugs (even mosquitoes)!!! Between the few heavy frosts and consistent temperatures just around freezing at the nighttime, these have taken care of our insect population.

Specific Prayer requests:
1. Solid rest in the Lord. It is easy to be distracted from truly seeking the face of God in times of rest.
2. Good fellowship with fellow missionaries.
3. Safety. I am learning the times my life seems to be most at risk is any time I enter a vehicle. The majority of drivers here are relatively inexperienced and even if they do have good experience and skill, most likely the ones around them don’t. Please pray for safety when traveling, not simply to Mombassa, but for any time I get into a vehicle.


Thank you so much for your prayers! I cannot express how much it means to me to know you are going to God on my behalf. Two weeks ago, I wrote all the names of those that have stated they are praying for me in the back page of my journal. It was a time when I needed encouragement and the Lord provided by looking at all of your names. I am so fortunate to be supported, cared for and prayed for by each of you. Thank You!!!

July 13, 2006a

The work of the gospel… Yesterday, the work of the Gospel looked like hours of washing dishes and then clothes by hand. It looked like making tea (boiling milk, adding water & sugar and boiling again) for unexpected visitors from Nairobi. It looked like attending and speaking at a memorial service for our neighbor who died. And lastly the work of the Gospel looked like making dinner so that those who were not feeling well could rest.
I have been reflecting how the work of the Gospel (whether if I am at home, or on the foreign mission field) is more about living life moment-by-moment in Jesus’ likeness rather than solely the speaking/evangelistic/discipleship opportunities. Those opportunities are blessings to be apart of, but they should flow out of my moment-by-moment life lived in Jesus’ likeness. Life is still very much life, whether lived in Bellevue, Washington or in North Kinagop, Kenya. It has its daily responsibilities, most of which are exactly the same (however they are carried out differently). Although the work of the Gospel looks different every day, the underlining current is the same: living moment-by-moment in Jesus’ likeness, making the most of every opportunity that comes.
When you have many hours to think while scrubbing clothes, there are many topics that cross my mind. If I had half of the discipline and desire Jonathan Edwards had to capture his thoughts, I too would have jackets full of notes about theological musings. But I lack the desire/discipline, and the resources to write each thought on paper and pin it to myself.

June 27, 2006

…And I thought it rained a lot in Washington! Perhaps it is the tin roof, or the lack of heat, or maybe it’s because we are outside a lot, but the rain here seems VERY hard and cold. When it looks like it is going to rain, we wear Gum Boots (galoshes for adults). I love wearing mine. I feel like a little kid running through the mud and puddles. This is an essential wardrobe piece to have when you are in the North Kinagop region in Kenya. Although Naivasha (closest city) is not far away it has very different weather. When we are having rain, there is no trace of it there (or anywhere else in Kenya for that matter). It is strange to see such an extreme climate change over such a short distance. Today was some of the hardest rain we’ve experienced yet.

This morning I woke up with a cold. The heavy rains turned into a blessing because that forced us to stay at the house and work here all day. It was nice to have a day off and a bit more rest, particularly since I’m not feeling the best. The chore around the house for the day was washing… washing everything (clothes, shoes, floors, seat covers, pots, pans, etc…). With the warm water, it was nice to wash, it helped take away some of the cold-to-the-bone feeling. Not to mention that washing everything took the whole day to accomplish.

Yesterday, I received a batch of mail. So, when I wrote before about it taking 10 days for mail to get to me was wrong. It’s closer to 20! The reason is because there is no way to get mail to me unless someone picks it up in Nairobi and brings it out or I go to Nairobi and pick it up. It was so encouraging to receive notes from home. With very little to do for entertainment, I have read and re-read the letters. In fact, I’m reading the last book I brought (Confession by St. Augustine) and even have found some time to try painting with watercolors. Days here are structured very differently. I am usually in bed reading by 9pm and there is always time in the morning between chores as we are waiting for another pot of water to heat up to enjoy other activities (i.e. painting) or simply play with some of the local children.

Last week we had a bit of a scare. Nighttime is when all the bad people and animals are out prowling, looking for food or mischief. By in large, our area is safe, however last week we were invaded by elephants, wanting to eat the cabbages and potatoes. When this happens, everyone runs out of their houses carrying anything that will make noise (i.e. pots & pans) and they begin banging it all together to scare off the elephants. Everyone comes together to help. Unfortunately, I slept through the whole thing (which everyone thinks is very funny and weird), so I do not have any photos to share. So if it happens again, I’ve asked to be woken up so I can help scare off the elephants (and take pictures). The other news from our farm is that a lamb was born yesterday. This is a big blessing for the family. Not only does it add to the number of sheep, but also it symbolizes future revenue.

In terms of ministry, the Jr Youth (3rd-8th graders) that I teach on Sunday mornings are great kids. They have a genuine heart for the Lord. However, none of them have their own Bibles. Actually, it is normal for a family to perhaps have one Bible that they all share. On Sunday morning, I purposed a challenge to the Youth. If they would memorize Col 3:1-17, they would be given a Bible at the end of the summer. Most of the children at Tumaini (a local orphanage, run by a man who sounds exactly like James Earl Jones) have already started. When I was at Tumaini yesterday, they were reciting what they have already memorized. At the most it will take them two or three weeks to have the passage committed to memory. Their desire to have their own Bible humbles me. I take for granted that I have a Bible that I can read at any time.

Hope this last week in June is going well for all of you and that you are feeling the presence of the Lord in all your work!

In His Love,
Tami