Day 17...Proclaim what the LORD has done!

Today started with thunder and lightning and downpours.  I'm a rain lovin' girl for sure, but knowing I was hoping on the back of a motorcycle in the red-dirt-turned-mud with no umbrella made me nervous.  Surely if I had a big black trash bag I wouldn't hesitate to put it over my entire self like a sack of charcoal and climb on board.

But, about 8:30, the rain stopped, sun came out and my boda boda slowly and carefully navigated the slippery mud...sans trash bag.    I was greeted by tea and chipati and everybody finished getting ready for church.  

Knowing it was my last day, I tried to soak in every song and voice during the morning service.  John taught us about the word Proclaim and the various instances where the bible uses the word.  He is just worth being more than proud of, that boy!

As I write, I am doing every thing I can figure out to upload videos for you, instead of writing so much tonight.  Oh, who am I kidding, I will still be talking when the last shovel of dirt fills my grave.  Its possible the grounds keeper will routinely stop just to shush me even under a tombstone.

Of course there was singing and dancing, praising and praying and teaching.  I prayed for them and they prayed for me before the close of the morning service.  It was all more than encouraging.

Janet, Jesca and Sarah

Yoweri and Rashid

Jonathan with a bucket full

Regina carried on her head

Then out of the blue, Janet decided to wash the van...and it may seem like such a minor thing, but I sat and watched the entire production. Little ones carrying jugs of water from the back yard, pouring them into a larger bucket that was used to fill a plastic pitcher for rinsing the soap off.


Boys scrubbed the tires and rims and others removed the floor mats and swept the inside.  The number of people and the effort it took and all I could think about was the auto-scrubber at the gas station at home.  No one was asked, prodded or threatened.  Janet just started in and pretty soon there was a team.  

Corn was harvested over the weekend and dried in the sun.  Today the entire gang sat together talking and removing the kernels from each cob.  I might be a little obsessed with using some piece of trash for something fun...today it was stacking empty cobs in towers.  The cobs are given to people who can't afford firewood or charcoal for their stoves in a small area near the school.  

Judith took me to Olivia's school to say goodbye.  She is in the middle of some pretty challenging national exam preparation so we didn't see her much this trip.  Lunch was served when we returned and then we spent about an hour reciting bible verses and talking about stories...trivia questions and then Janet capitalized with some pretty teachable moments.  

We pulled out some crayons and paper and most sat around the dining room tables "shading". 

Remembering that someone had sent money for ice cream, we hopped in the van and brought some back to the house.  

Janet and I sat on the front veranda doing the corn kernel thing for a long hour while we watched the kids play some sort of tag game in the yard...but we both knew the time was coming.  She said the hours go by too quickly on the last day and we both are pretty quiet as the time approaches.  

She called all the kids over for final words and encouragement.  They promised to pray for the EMI team as they prepare for the trip next month and I thanked them for always being the best of hosts to guests.  We talked about how important tell the truth is and how important father's are to a family.   It's always difficult to be different, to go against culture, but God designed marriage and families with some pretty awesome specifics that work out for our best... their families should look entirely different from their surroundings and if even this small family, had the commitment and courage to stand out as an intact family, taking great care and responsibility for their own children, God would surely be glorified.  Lord give them the strength to choose your ways and influence others for your kingdom.

When I saw their eyes begin to roll back in their heads, I knew I'd overstayed my welcome saved them from sure death by my flapping mouth...They each stuffed letters into my hands to bring home and we pulled away to waves and "mommy Jod, bye".  

I love them so...but Mission Trip August 2015 is complete.  I'll be back on US soil Tuesday afternoon.  Thank you for following and praying us through once again.