Land Rover Woes

Another week has zoomed by and we are getting close to the summer rush and team additions. There is so much going on the rest of the year,  I anticipate God is going to do a great work through everyone involved. Clayton and Lindsey will be arriving in a week along with Mary Mickler, our intern for the summer and two other 516 mission trippers. The Vickers family will arrive on July 2 and the second 516 missions team with Ashley Johnston on July 10 so we are busy planning and preparing for everyone’s arrival.

            This week there was much done in the office. We had the normal reports, finances, and correspondence along with the summer planning. I was able to put together my calendar for the next two months. I do not want to miss Bible Institute classes so I want to be sure and put them in our open spaces now, so that we can continue with our studies and not have gaps when we do not meet.  I also looked over schedules and itineraries for the interns and summer teams. Making calls and preparing the churches for the teams is a big task. Kenya takes care of all the housing and food things with the groups so that is a huge help.

            The Land Rover refurbishing project has proven to be a big task and so far unsuccessful. Kleopus has been overseeing the work done on it and taking to the various fundis. The engine has been overhauled, interior redone, and the exterior repainted. It looks sharp but some of the repairs were not done right so I spent a full day this week working on it with Josiah to try and sort out some issues. Oh they also painted our trailer to match the Land Rover! I thought everything was good to go until I drove to Gede today and it overheated and DIED on me again. 

            I was very disappointed to say the least but I did not allow it to get to me. I called Kenya and Kleopus to come. I was able to find one issue that attributed to the problem but I am still not sure if it is the main problem or not. I left it once again with Kleopus. Please pray for the Land Rover to be fixed and to run well. We depend on it. I was trying to go to Timboni today to visit with Daniel and Juma to talk about the church in Jimba and about Juma’s future plans. I guess the Lord had other plans.

      

            There are several projects around the house here that need attention and one of them was our garage. I spent one full day trying to get the garage all in order. What I tend to do with the garage is run in and get what I need done at that moment then run out leaving small messes until the messes are so big I can not find anything I need and I am forced to do something about all the little messes. In this instant every tool was out of place and stuff was just strung out everywhere from me just go go going. Anyhow the garage is now in working order and ready for the summer rush. We will actually be able to find tools that we will need and use the garage.

            I ran to Miritini to have classes on Friday this past week but we ended up just talking and doing some planning. I did do an hour and half of teaching because the guys all had work that they need to go to in the afternoon. It was a very productive and good time of fellowship. We are planning to be in Bokole to do some teaching and put a roof on while the 516 Missions team 1 is here. We will also spend a day teaching and fellowshiping with the Miritini church.

            Big news this week is that the Malindi church called Nicholas as pastor and Ricklynn as his assistant. This is a huge step for the church and huge relief for me. This will now enable me to visit all the other churches to encourage them and to focus on being a missionary not a missionary and pastor. It has been a good year with Malindi but the price has been steep. Pray for me as I get back in the field with the other churches we are working with, as well as wisdom as to where to begin new works. Initially I plan to spend a few months encouraging and reconnecting with our other six churches. I also want to focus on the Bible Institute because it is the key to raising up leadership. There are several areas north of Malindi that I believe we could begin working in the near future. Pray for the Malindi church and Nicholas as they move forward. Also pray again for wisdom as we strengthen the churches and preach the Gospel in new areas. I believe that the first 516 missions team will be the spring board to launch me back into the field as we visit all the churches with the first team and do teaching and visit face to face. 

      Kleopus came by this evening and apparently when we had the overheating in Singuaya we blew the Head Gasket. The overheating in Singuaya was because the Fundi put super glue on the engine to cover a hole in the water system which did not hold...Obviously.  Kleopus feels  terrible because he recommended the fundi and a small mistake has become a big problem. I assured him that I knew he was trying to help and that we were together. The bottom line is the we need  a new head gasket and the head needs to be checked to be sure it is not warped or damaged. I guess I am not supposed to go to Singuaya this weekend. Again pray for the Land Rover to be repaired properly and quickly.       

     Rickylynn and Mama Esther had their baby today! They have a a healthy baby boy, Bradley Mjanja.  Apparently last night while Ricklynn was here at work Mama Esther was in labor but Ricklynn's phone was not working. This morning when it was time to leave he saw all the messages on his phone and he ran straight home. As you can imagine Mama Esther was not happy, but there was no time to fuss and they went straight to the hospital. Kenya, Sadie, and mama Cedrick went to see the baby this evening.  Kenya said he is big and has a lot of hair. I am so excited for Ricklynn that he has a son now. 

            Let me share a few personal matters. First of all I did my two year lab work from the kidney donation and everything came back good. I think health wise I am doing great. I have put on about 25 pounds in the past six months and am working out regularly which helps with dealing with stress. Kenya and the kids are all doing well. Kenya has irregular blood pressure and had to adjust her medicines this month because she has been working out which caused her to have to reduce one of the meds, a good thing, but she has to watch it so she doesn't have migraines again. The kids all finished school up for the year and were super excited. Sadie did an amazing job this semester. We are going to miss her so much when she goes back to the states with the first 516 missions team. 

Our families back in the states seemed to be stable at the moment. My brother got married this past weekend and we are super excited for him. I was not able to be there for the wedding but we were able to send a nice gift. 

            This weekend Josiah will be 13 years old. We will have our first teenager in the house. Please pray for Josiah, he is doing well, but he is really longing for friendship. This last year Josiah lost Richard who was his best friend and up until now he really does not have any guy friends. He and I have really been bonding and I am so happy about that. He has been helping work around the house and we work out together but I understand it is not the same as having boys his age. He has asked me several times this week to check his email because he is hoping some of his friends he emails with will tell him happy birthday. So far no one has written and it just pains me in the gut, not because of the kids not writing, they are kids, just the longing that Josiah has. I know the Lord will give Josiah grace, but as a parent it is tugging at my heart I want Josiah to be happy… Kenya and I say this all the time but the gut sigh and heart pain knowing that Josiah has emotional cravings that are being unmet make it all too true, that we are in a new phase of life. One thing that is certain in life is change. Through living on the other side of the world from home in a third world culture it takes another twist.  Pray for our kids and for Kenya and I that we will have wisdom. The summers are always good because the kids love the visitors but… it also means saying a lot of good-byes. Blah… just typing and sharing… Did I mention we do not have water again… anyhow Good times!