Hey All,

I posted some photos from my trip at this link. I'll publish more info

shortly. Keep these folks in your prayers please.

God bless,

Bob

http://picasaweb.google.com/BobHillebrand/BobSTripToKenyaV?feat=directlink

　

Thank you for your prayers.  I am home safe and without trouble.  I feel very good about how everything turned out.  I tried to be faithful to the fact that God had all the work to do and I just needed to be faithful and available. 

I will write more soon but some key highlights of the trip are: Encouraged the Pastors and caretakers, Established an operating plan for the home and closed open issues with the original donor family, Completed the solar power installation, fixed the swings and installed ventilation in the kitchen, Completed a basic amateur dental and eye exam on all the kids. Shared a message with 3 different churches at Sunday services, shared a message with 400 kids at a primary school, and completed the grain storage building and bought a years supply of beans.  Best of all I feel at peace where we left off and know all is more encouraged.

Join us in prayer for God to bring us the children He wants in our home to fill the 17 vacancies we have in His time and for praise for a great trip.

God bless you,

After today I will leave the orphanage and travel on to Kimilili andWebuye visiting Samuel, Jonathan, and Alex's homes and families.  Sunday I will share a message at Jonathan's church, a large one in Webuye of about 500 memebers.  Monday afternoon we travel to Eldoret where I fly out.  It seems I just got here.

The last few days have been very productive and rewarding.  On Wed.  I spoke at the Sarura Primary School to about 500 kids.  I talked about focusing their lives on loving God by reflecting onto others the love God has shown and continually shows us.  I explained that this is why God created us and any other effort we do for other reasons, even if it is fun at the moment will not bring us joy in the long run.  Trying to bridge the cultural, social, and age gap, I used an analogy of a Lion working on a farm.  God did not make him to work on a farm so doing so will make him and everyone else around him miserable (especially the other animals).  The Lion honors God by being a Lion.  The Farmer honors God by being a Farmer if God created him to be one.  There is no opportunity for greater joy than to find yourself in the purpose God created you for and doing what God has a will for you to do.  I feel that in my life, especially at the moment.  I asked how many had already given their lives to Jesus and most raised their hands.  It was a very cool experience for me.

Yesterday I finished the two main projects, Expanded Solar Power and the Kitchen Ventilation.  The Solar project was kicking my butt in that I hit a different roadblock every day that prevented my progress.  A trip to town for what I lacked or what broke usually got me going until the next road block.  The last one was my cordless drill charger quit working.  I couldn't debug it because my voltmeter battery was dead.  I couldn't change the battery because the tool I needed "left".  After solving these and using all my 28 year old schooling on electronics, I needed to call my electrical guys for help but the phone network was down for 24 hours.  Not willing to be beat, I devised a 3rd world battery charger using a solar cell, block of wood, and 2 nails.  This was exactly what the instruction manual strongly warned against, citing explosion, lethal lithium gasses, and general havok.  I was successful and completed the panel mounts and installation.  The solar panel system worked so well and charged the 100 amphour extra battery I bought so fast that I went to town and got a 3rd battery.  They will now have very reliable, extensive, and free energy here now.  The drill also allowed me to construct and mount a smoke hood above the cookers and get the smoke out of the kitchen.

We also finished fitting the swings with new ropes to replace the steel chains that the kids just flat wore out.  I'll bet the swings did not quit moving since we installed them in January.  They sure were happy when we got them going again and the seats have not been empty.  We have also accumulated nearly a years supply of beans and stored them in the new store building we completed.  We purchased some new shirts and with the shirts I brought (Michigan, Go Blue) all the kids had a new play shirt.  Today is a fun day with the kids and I need to get some quality time to tide me over until the next visit.

Last night I met with members of the Mudenyo family and had a great meeting.  They pledged complete support of what we are doing here and expressed how thankful they are that the God praising vision their father had in giving the land to the orphanage is being used in such a loving way.  I feel the way is clear for us to faithfully work according to how God has called us.  I feel that we communicated completely, are focusing on the future and raising loving humans, and we have great support from the family.

At this point I have the pleasure of feeling that I have accomplished everything I set out to do and have seen God work good out of our perseverance.  I feel that God put me here at the right time and that we have been blessed with improved morale and direction.  I plan to enjoy the day and praise God heartily because we are all blessed.

I had a nice weekend staying with Pastor Moses and his family.  His home site is one of the prettiest places I have seen in Kenya.  He has nearly a 360 degree view from his hilltop of layers of mountains, green valleys, and hilly tree lined farms.  The sunrise and sunsets are spectacular and the quiet he enjoys is incredible.  During my quiet time this morning watching the sunrise, I noticed for a 1/2 hour that I could not hear a single sign of humanity.  It reminded me how immersed we all are in society and civilization and have to carve out some time for God.

Moses invited me to give a message on Sunday at his church, Sarura Bible Church.  Worship lasted over 3 hours for the 30 adults and 20 kids in attendance, a full house in the little traditionally constructed Kenyan church.  My message about how God loves us and how we can show our love back in response was inspiring to me to prepare at least and was warmly received based on feedback and 8 people responding to the invitation for special prayer at the alter.  Listening, committing, giving, serving, and praising is some good ways to respond to God and reflect His love to others.  I have to give ample credit to Rick Warren.  A love offering of a bag of beans was collected for the orphanage.  What an honor it is to let the Holy Spirit speak through me.

This morning I visited the Sarura Primary School a public government school of 540 students where Moses is a teacher.  I enjoyed the tour and was surrounded by 200 students asking questions.  The Head Teacher asked me to return on Wednesday to speak to all the students.  Imagine this, he wanted me to speak about focusing ones life on God and His purpose for us versus indulging in earthly desires.  Yes, this is a government public school.  God is still in Kenyan schools and in daily life.  People are not ashamed to proclaim Jesus Christ.  I look forward to speaking, what an incredible opportunity.

I also visited the government public school where all our orphans attend, The Kitale Ndugu Primary School.  This school was much poorer and has many challenges for their 660 students.  For example, their pit latrine is full and their is no other, no option to empty it, and no funds to build another.  The buildings were in poor repair and most classrooms had no windows and holes in the walls big enough for me to climb through.  The teachers are paid and supplies are available at least and they were focused on preparing students.  We got to encourage the staff and bless them with our prayers.

The projects will be completed during the next few days.  I also have another orphanage I would like to visit.  The children will be out of school starting Wednesday.  I look forward to playing with them.

Blessings,

After a crazy trip out to the country in the dark driving a challenging vehicle with no lights (but a blessing no less), I am happy to be at the home of my Rafiki (friend) Pastor Moses, the Director of our orphanage, wife Elka, and 10 children.  Through the miracle of laptop and cellular modem, solar panel and 12v lights, I can blog.  I will have the pleasure of sharing a message in Moses' church, Sarura Bible Church, in Sarura Village, about 15 miles out of Kitale in the morning.  The message I plan to share is related to the overall feeling I have being here ... God loves me and I can't show it enough to God how much I love Him.  Some of the ways though are listening, obeying, giving and serving, and best of all just enjoying His creation of our world and relationships.

Pastor Moses writes here...while being quietly watched by some of his kids, Hannah, Deborah, and Gester.....
I thank God for His Mighty Love and His Mighty Deeds.God loved us even when we did not know Love.For Bro. Bob to visit and do what GOD has given him-- thus the work of God Here in Kenya - it's a sign of God's Love.May GOD bless the people that are in His Service.

The projects are moving along, I have all my supplies now, the kids are great.  They are a great joy and ready reminder of why I am here .... they are the twinkle of God's eye.

Thank you all for your continued prayers.