An Example of How I'm Stretched to Grow

Today I was stretched AGAIN!  We traveled 60 miles, about like going from Jackson to Greenwood for my 5th grade friends following this.  We left our guesthouse at 8:45 A.M.  We got to Jinja, the city that is the source of the Nile River (yes, that's where Miriam put baby Moses, but up river a bit).  We got there at 11:30.  Our first business was meeting a young American man who is program director at Amazima Ministries.  You might enjoy going to their website.  Their founder is Katie Davis, a 22 year old young woman from Nashville.  She's in the process of ADOPTING 13 orphan GIRLS.  She homeschools 12 of them, and Jeremy's wife, Jamie homeschools the other one who is 16.  He told us to come back on a SATURDAY when we can see the children and meet with Katie. That would be a goal on another trip to Uganda. Jeremy liked what he heard that EAFC does and said,  "There's no reason to reinvent the wheel. What if we sent you funds and you could help us."  That possibility is exciting to us.

We next went to visit a 4 year old church plant.  In America you would find it difficult to see very highly educated people attending a church that looks like this one.  It may be when I get home before I can include pictures of this meeting place, but I hope you can remember this description and understand a little better our surroundings.  What we found, however, was that the pastor and 10 young people we met with were very impressive.  Their church vision is to equip their members to carry the gospel to the nations.  They long for education, and they clapped when they found out that we want to partner with churches like this.  Two years ago we met Paul, one of these church members.  He has been calling James, our country coordinator about once a month for 2 years now.  Yesterday he traveled from Jinja to meet us in Kampala.  When we found out that we would be in Jinja today, he got his pastor and others together for this meeting.  We were amazed at the interest with the short notice.

After lunch we visited Alpha and Omega Seminary, a college that trains pastors mostly from Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda.  I think they have 77 students.  They come for 5 weeks and then go home for 3 months.  This continues for 4 years.  Their campus is located AT THE SOURCE OF THE NILE, and we got very good pictures of it from their campus.

NOW HERE IS THE REAL GROWTH EXPERIENCE OF THE DAY.  We left that seminary at 3:45 and arrived HOME at 7:30 tonight.  Can you imagine the kind of traffic we faced going that 60 miles?  And to know that these people live like this day after day after day.  Children stay in school until 4:30 in the afternoons, and so they don't see much of their parents during the week.

Tomorrow night we get to eat with James, Lillian, and their 3 children, Kristi, Christian and Jason.  So stay tuned.

Thank you all who continue to pray.  Until later!

RAINY MONDAY MORNING

A house bought 5 years ago here for $200,000 is now worth $700,000.  Zimbabwe land values are rising too, I've learned.  I've also learned that October is rainy season in Uganda and so it's cool.

Rain makes me relax, and boy have I needed to relax.  We have a meeting at 10 but thanks to my friends I'm using their computer thanks to their plugging a STICK into the USB port.  Without wireless my i PAD is worthless.  (live and learn) I'm taking notes in my word processing program so that I can actually blog with pictures when I return.  I so want to share stories and show pictures, but I can't do it like I could when in Liberia.

This morning we go to Zana Presbyterian Church and meet with Emma (Emmanuel) the pastor.  We have a progressing partnership with that church.  Hopefully, we'll meet the girls that the church has chosen for us to help go to college.  THEN we have a meeting with alumni.

It's good to even give you THIS update.  Thank you for all your sharing with me.

More Blessings

Yesterday we visited very interested administrators At DAYSTAR University, a Christian college here in Nairobi. They do care about our Liberian Couple who are having real struggles finding housing they can afford. We now have ideas how to direct them to get help. Pray for living expenses. EAFC doesn't do that, but our heart hurts when we see them struggling so. Don't get me wrong, they don't complain. What a testimony. For Daystsr we had lunch with administration and STUDENTS at Pan Africa ChristianUniversity. Their testimonies, their appreciation was so inspiring. Two of the ladies when hearing about our Women of Purposr exploratory meeting today asked if they could attend, and they did. Now Sarah and I were impressed by their desire to reach out and help. And it is not like they don't have plenty to do!!! From PACU we absolutely crossed the city from West to East through crazy traffic ti meet students and administrators at African International University (formerly NEGST) and Karen Christian College where Pastor Fred's students go. pastor Fred lives in DRC. Those that complain about all the obstacles in making EAFC work only need to meet Pastor Fred. Actually we never have met him except through Internet, but what a dedicated pastor and mentor to his students through the years. NOW here is the exciting news, in Kigali, Rwanda this next Thursday we will get to meet Pastor Fred. He's worked it out. He is traveling to meet us. I haven't got the time, and I doubt that all our details can really be brasped, but I do want you all to know how important you are to what is going on here. We are extremely tired. Every day is intense, but we are also GOOD. Thank you for your prayers. Today we bought products at the Maasai Market. Seeing stuff we thought would be desire st home wasn't hard, but man was this a hard shopping experience. The men that hassled you, the mental processing of whether the prices were something we could afford, bargaining when it wasn't. If we hasn't of had friends to help, we really would have been pulling out our hair. I will save the Women of Ourpose meeting to another post. We leave at 7:45 tomorrow to go to Nairobi Baptist Chiurch. Then Joseph and family will take us to the airport for our flight to Kampala, Uganda. MTW missionaries will rake care of us there. It will be fun to see the Evy's again. Let me finish pavking/ one suitcase stays behind, praying that I am not over weight when 1/2 of what I am taking is gifts. But shoot, when you see their smiles with the stuff we bring, it's really worth iy.

Adjustments

Well, friends, I only brought an iPad not my computer and I can't figure out how to post pictures to you. I have posted a few on my Facebook page. For those who do that and care enough. I was so hoping for a continuity, a daily update of. What is happening. I slept 9 hours last night. We leave in 30 minutes and I haven't seen Sarah this morning. So please pray for stamina. Joseph, our alumnus, country coordinator has been an angel. He has planned our trip,explains us when necsssary, drives us all over this wild and crazy city. We are off to the Maasai Market today and this afternoon we will meet with women who desire to talk about how Christian women can work together to help restore to them the dignity with which they were created. At one meeting yesterday several more asked if they. Could attend. More later.

Day Two in Kenya

Well, unfortunately I haven't figured out yet how to take the notes I made of this day and paste them into this blog. Sarah's gone to bed without supper if that tells you anything about our activity level. I will make one more effort at adding pictures. If that fails, I too will be saying good night. Maybe we can talk to you tomorrow might from Sarah's computer.

Ah, 'tis good to be back

Thank you for all the love I have sensed from family and friends. This trip to Africa was as good as they get, no hitches at all OTHER than Sarah and I needing to be paged in the Atlanta airport because we were late in checking in.(we only had 1 hour layover)  We were really having fun visiting with our new friend, on her way to visit her son, his wife and her 10 grandchildren who are digging wells in South Sudan and developing an organic garden in Karen (ourside Nairobi)
SIX A.M. today I was sleeping so well when my packed alarm clock told me it was time to get up.  So much for sleeping late. ha!  We did take our time leisurely sorting through all our luggage, taking a walk to the Ya Ya Centre, showing Sarah the first of Nairobi in the daylight.  There we met our Liberian students, Albert and Priscilla, studying here at Daystar University.  What precious fellowship we had.  The Lloyds are not without struggles, being in a strange land themselves, but their spirits are high and their faith being tested.  Our trip planner, Joseph, has been an exemplary EAFC alumnus and friend.  He has not only worked tirelessly for Sarah and me, but he and his wife have come to the rescue many times for Albert and Priscilla.

When I figure out how to post pictures, you will get a lot.  The first may be of Joseph and Carolyn's two girls. Genesis  is 6 and Princess  will be 3 in January.  We got to spend the afternoon with that precious family.  They so get it, why we want to buy African products for GREAT prices so that we can sell them reasonably and our friends (and their friends) have something they WANT, and something that BLESSES others here.  Sarah and I began that process today with their help, getting olive wood bowls that I would love to have myself.  We also got children's toys.

Tomorrow is the day we visit STUDENTS in their environment!  We have meetings all day long.  Once again PACU  (Pan Africa Christian University) have invited us to lunch.  What a privilege is ours to work with these fine people.

The internet is again a challenge, but the gracious receptionist is letting me use HIS computer.  Hope to visit with you  again SOON.  Spread the word that I'm blogging.  

What Faith Stretchers Await?

In February, those who followed the first trip know about the faith stretcher I faced, no Visa until 2 days before I left. This time I don't know what potential faith stretchers await and yet I am sure they exist. Today I finish packing; round brush can now be packed, but I better wait until the morningr to put in the cell phone charger. I wish I knew how to alert my friends in their inbox when I post, but I haven't figured that out yet. If you like a post, you can copy and paste it to someone else's email. You can email ME, and I would love that, vvickery@gmail.com. When you sit down for lunch Wednesday, if you live in CDT, we should be arriving and going through customs. We pray the lines aren't as long as usual, and that the donated computers go through without a hitch. See you in Kenya! Bye!

Making Christmas Bless More Than Those You Love

Hi Friends, Tuesday Oct 18 we leave for Africa. You will hear lots about our adventures (I hope) while we are gone. This is what i want you to know NOW. Sarah and I will be bringing LOTS of unique gifts home with us. Want something UNIQUE for your loved one? Let us know. We will look for it while we are gone, in Kenya, Uganda or Rwanda. Why would we spend time and money doing this? It's really simple. When we sell "stuff" some of the cost to you goes to SCHOLARSHIPS for some identified future leaders. We can even tell you their stories if you want to know! So, please let us know.!!! Today, I heard from a former student from Malawi. He wanted EAFC to give his daughter a $3500 college scholarship. I didn't encourage him. WHY? EAFC can't help all those who want and need to be trained, so we focus on those who are mentored, have prayer and financial support from local churches. EAFC looks to proven leaders to recommend to us who has the greatest potential to be a real leader among them IF given the proper training. Will you consider this work? Even if you buy the products! We would love to hear from you. You can email me at vvickery@gmail.com. Thanks!