Interns coming to visit

Just wanted to give you all a quick heads-up about what will be going on over here during the next week. Tomorrow morning I'll be driving into town to pick up the three CARE for AIDS summer interns from the airport, and they will be spending the next week here in Kenya getting to see what they've been working for all summer. It should be an awesome week for them to meet all of our staff, spend time with clients in the centers and on home visits, and see some of the beauty that Kenya holds.

I would really appreciate all of your prayers for this group. Right now they are in London, part-way through their journey here, so please pray that all of the traveling involved would be hassle-free. Please also pray that they would have a meaningful, exciting experience that would show them the value of what they have been working for this summer and would introduce them to Africa in a powerful way. Finally, pray that they would feel appreciated for all the work that they have done - these guys accomplished so much this summer, and we are all thankful for the long hours they put into helping CFA grow!

Keep on Praying

Last night the two Kenyan CARE for AIDS Directors, Cornel and Duncan, returned to Kenya from a three-week trip to the States. Besides being amused by the fact that there were two Americans waiting in the crowd to pick up two Kenyans and drive them home from the airport (opposite of the norm), they were full of stories about the wonderland that is America. As soon as we got back to the house, a few other members of the staff came over and wanted to know all about the trip. I expected Cornel and Duncan to start off talking about American food, the big cities they were in, or all of the crazy experiences that happened, but instead their first stories started like this:

"Man, I tell you the thing that I saw more than anything on this trip, is that there are so many people all around America praying for CFA. Everywhere we went, people said to us, 'We are praying for your work,' and when we looked into their faces, we knew that they really meant it."

I know that you guys reading this are some of those people that so touched Cornel and Duncan by their commitment to prayer, and I hope you realize that everyone here appreciates it a great deal. Please take this as an encouragement that the time you spend asking God to bless this ministry is time well spent. Know that each member of our staff in Kenya is blessed by the knowledge that you are praying - we know that none of the fruit we are seeing could come about without God's blessing and provision, and we believe that your prayers play an integral role in the change that is taking place in people's lives.

So we all want to say, "Asante sana kwa omba yako," which roughly translated means, "Thank you for your prayers!"

Back in Kenya!

I'm happy to report that Jane and I made it through the long trip to Kenya without any problems last week - praise God for kind immigration officials and airlines that didn't lose any bags! The last few days have been a whirlwind of reconnecting with friends and CFA staff, helping Jane to get settled in, and readjusting to life in Africa. Although I'm missing my American showers already, it's been an incredibly joyful week, and I am so thankful for the chance to be back in the midst of something that I've become so passionate about! In comparing this arrival to when I got here last August, I'm so thankful for the peace and comfort that I feel - there is something wonderful about having a familiar house and good friends to come "home" to, and many of the doubts and worries that were present a year ago have been replaced by anticipation and even more excitement.

I was a little worried that I would come back to some sort of crisis or disaster in the CARE for AIDS world, but after hearing hours of updates and stories, I am convinced that all of our administrative staff did an amazing job over the past two months. There were a few small challenges that arose (as there always are here), but I am really impressed with the way that everyone has responded to them and kept things moving forward in my absence. Praise God for the difference that I see in CFA compared to last year at this time - being away for a few months has really enabled me to see the progress that everyone has made.

This weekend we also managed to squeeze in a little African adventure with an overnight trip up to the Aberdares National Park. Jane and I, along with 6 other friends, drove up in two cars about an hour North to the steep, misty mountains of the Aberdares range. It was an unbelievable place - totally different from anywhere I've been in Kenya. We spent Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning driving around the park on steep muddy roads through dense jungle, checking out all kinds of monkeys, birds, and gazelles, along with some spectacular waterfalls. We also had a very close encounter with a testy herd of Cape Buffalo that didn't want to move off of the road for us, and I got about four feet away from a curious male Bushbuck - awesome! It was a great chance to see some of the beauty of Africa and hang out with some really fun people.

Thanks again for all of your prayers - look forward to some more CFA updates soon, as we have several teams from the States coming in during the next couple of months and I'm sure there will be good stories around the corner!

Round Two!

Just wanted to drop a quick note as I finish up all of my packing and preparing, because tomorrow morning I start the long journey back to Limuru! I know that I'll miss some of the beautiful things about America (people, food, and efficiency come to mind), but I'm really excited to be back in Africa and return to the in's and out's of what CARE for AIDS is doing on a daily basis. I'm also extra-excited because I'll be picking up Jane along the way in Detroit - I'm not sure if she quite knows what she's signed up for in 10 months of Kenya, but we can't wait to figure it out along the way!

I'd love your prayers for the next few days. This trip is never an easy one, but I'd appreciate it if you could pray for on-time flights, nice immigration officials, and baggage that actually arrives when we get there. Please pray too that both Jane's and my heart would be prepared for all that God has in store this year and that everything gets off on the right foot!

I'm looking forward to blogging more consistently once I get back to Kenya, and I know that God is going to bring about some amazing things for me to share, so stay tuned...

Update: Kenyan Director Trip to the States

Guest Blogger: Preston Gordon, CARE for AIDS Event Coordination Intern

From the moment Duncan and Cornel arrived at the Atlanta airport last Wednesday to now as I write from Chattanooga, TN, this summer’s director trip has been a successful and adventure-filled experience. My job for the last month has been coordinating Duncan and Cornel’s time in the States and now that they are here, I am their chauffer, chaperone, and personal encyclopedia on everything that us crazy “mzungus” do on a daily basis.

The main focus of this trip is to extend our network of Americans who partner with CARE for AIDS through raising support and awareness about our ministry. So far, Duncan and Cornel have traveled to Winshape Camp in Rome, Georgia, spoken in the homes of Rich and Karon Wilckens and Ernest and Jan Taylor in the Atlanta area, visited Harris Baptist and Northside Baptist churches in Greenwood, South Carolina, spoken at the home of Sarah Tollick in Greenville, South Carolina, and traveled to Charlotte, North Carolina to speak at an amazing fundraising dinner hosted by Donald and Brenda Thompson—all in just over a week! We have had the opportunity to introduce CARE for AIDS to many individuals who were previously unaware of our work in Kenya and to date have raised a substantial level of support for CFA.

Needless to say we have been very busy traveling and speaking, but some other highlights of the trip so far include visiting the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte, meeting southern hospitality (e.g. endless quantities of delicious food) around every corner, going on a golf cart adventure around Peachtree City, and exploring the outdoor playground that is downtown Chattanooga.
Tomorrow (7/17) we will speak at Brainerd Baptist in Chattanooga, then head back to Atlanta to speak at Dogwood Church the remainder of the weekend. Next week is filled with speaking events in the Atlanta area, then the following weekend we will head to Virginia Beach to wrap up the trip.

This time with Duncan and Cornel has been an invaluable learning experience for me in so many ways—from logistics of event planning to being forced to rethink questions such as, “Why don’t we use the big open spaces beside the interstate to plant corn and graze cows?”, I have loved every second of it. Having the opportunity to live with Duncan and Cornel for a few weeks has given me an amazing snapshot of their passion for serving those suffering with HIV/AIDS in Kenya. And knowing that these two men of God are leading the way for our ministry in Kenya, I am more confident than ever that God is using CARE for AIDS to transform lives not only through physical counseling and emotional support, but also—and more importantly—through the power and love of Jesus Christ. The work of our Lord is being carried out in Kenya! To God be the glory…