update

I have no idea if this update will post to the blog but here goes nothin. I feel like a little bird pecking away an update as I try to type this into my phone. Technology is about to drive me over the edge! Our power has been out A LOT lately. Then our internet. So we get it all sorted and feel the power will be consistent awhile. Oh but wait, then our computer crashes. And I'm trying not to hyperventilate seeing as how all our Mattaw admin work is on there and its our piece of metal that keeps our lives going. Ok maybe that's extreme, but close. Let's just say its a HUGE tool we use to enable us to do life day in and out that much easier. I find most all my homeschool stuff on there, recipes, skype with family and friends, downloading and watching a few tv shows (chuck!), music,calendar that reminds us what and when we are doing things, coordinating team schedules this summer, PICTURES, records and ALL Mattaw admin files. Including our sponsorship
program. Need I go on?! So we could use a miracle and have our barely one year old laptop resurrected! Or I could run down the street and get it fixed at the apple store.... Oh wait... That might be one looong run... And swim.

Let me not dwell on that and give some updates. Its been a great week aside the whole computer malfunction!

The children at Mattaw are taking end term exams this week to finish up the term and they'll be on break starting next week. They are all doing SO great. I just love our children. They are a great blessing and everyday I thank God that I can call them "ours". We do not take the task at hand lightly in raising future leaders, ones that love Jesus and love others.

This past Tuesday, Bud and I started house parent training with our current two couples of house one and two and also four potential new couples for house 3-6. We plan to open house three in a few weeks, at least before the children start back to school. Then we will have a team come in June to build house four and a team in September to build house five. So we are asking the Lord to bring us the right house parents who play such a significant role in the entire vision of Mattaw. The meeting was from 10-12 and went SO incredibly well. God never ceases to astound us in the ways He provides our every need. I could feel the tangible presence of the Lord as we sat and went through a dvd series called "Loving your kids on purpose" by Danny Silk. Everyone was like sponges. And everyone responded at the end. I was a bit nervous beforehand since these teachings are very opposite of how the culture is here. But we started out saying we were not here to train them
the american way or even the Kenyan way, but the Jesus way. And because that was so evident in this teaching, no doubt that is why they were all so receptive. They all wanted to change old patterns of thinking and let Holy Spirit guide them to be parents. Anywho, I pplan to go more into detail on this later. I was just so thrilled at the response. They are all so eager to be house three parents and its a tough chhoice. I'm thinking this could be a good reality show to pick the next couple. Ha. That was a joke. But that would be easier on our part! (A bunch of rules and tests of elimination rather than faith and total reliance on God and tons of prayer).

What else. Today an old connection in America and his friends came to Kitale for a quick visit. I'll write more details when I can post pictures but the best part was one of the people in the group is a Dr and was able to come and see all our staff and children! What a wonderful unexpected blessing it was. Although she did treat some of our kids with caugh, ear infection, skin rash, and worms, she was overall impressed with how well taken care of our children are. Praise Jesus!

Last night we had a new missionary family over for dinner. Such a great night. What a lovely family they are. (The wife blogs: safariofsix.blogspot.com).

Today was one of our friends' birthday and we went to their house for a bbq. He and Bud are often confused for one another in town. People are absolutely convinced they are brothers but Bud and Daniel try to convince them that one is American and one is from Holland. We enjoyed that little celebration today regardless of the rains. And Elisha and Claire had a blast playing with the children, bunnies, puppies, and monkey. Yes, they have a monkey!

Friday we take our kids on a field trip to Kisumu. Its a town 2-3 hours away and is by lake victoria. This lake is the mouth of the nile river. All house parents, teachers, kids and us are going. I'm lookin forward to it! Fresh fish for lunch is in order, just have to remember to ask for fillet otherwise it'll be a whole fish staring at me. Ha. Ew.

That's about it for now. I'm about to post on here a new fundraiser we are doing for Mattaw for our school. Since we still don't have full sponsorship on all our children, we are in need of funds to buys school books, supplies and desks. Also to finish the school building that was started by a team recently here. And to put solar panels in the new school building since the design is a bit different from the other school building and its a bit dark inside. We also will be needing to buy new uniforms for some of our ever growing kiddos and then for all the children that will be in house three.

A big thanks to all our sponsors. Thanks for hangin in there with us while we try to improve our sponsorship program and be able to communucate with you better. And also between you and your child. We are currently giving thE children gifts and letters from sponsors that have come in over the past 6+ months. They are writing letters in response and we are doing our best to get them to you quickly!

(Please excuse all the typos in this update, I did mention I'm pecking all this on a little phone??)

More updates on the way...