Hangin out at Mattaw

Yesterday was just a fun day to be around all our children at Mattaw.  I looked around at one point and realized we have A LOT of children.  Glory to God for all he has done and is going to do.  My heart was bubbling with joy to just sit in the middle of the land and observe His goodness all around. 

The kids are on break from school right now for a month so we have many play days out there this month!  When school starts back up we will implement our new curriculum out there.  

Elisha out playing soccer with the boys

Sweet Johnny boy.  He's one of our newest living in house four.

Chewy, the pet out at Mattaw, just had puppies.  And I thought she was a he, I clearly know now!  Anytime I'm complaining about petty things I figured I'd just look at this picture above and realize things could be worse!

 Boys from house three: Levis, Joshua and Franco.

Elisha being sweet 

Franco being, well, not so gentle.  

For lunch we had the traditional ugali (maize stuff) and sukumawiki (collard greens)

Claire loves this meal

She especially loves chai.  Don't mess with her chai. 

 She just looks so grown up here!  Where'd my baby go?

World Water Day

As we sat in London airport this morning, Elizabeth went for a walk and ended up refilling her water bottle at a fountain.  It occurred to her that after being in Kenya for over 6 months, she could now just walk up to a water spout and get clean, free drinking water.  And it was cold, bonus.  

Today is world water day.  I've mentioned several times about our friends at Until Then.  Since its world water day and that is one of their main projects, to provide clean free water to villages that have none, I thought I'd mention them again today.  

Many die from preventable diseases, caused by unclean water.  I'm not sure the statistic, but it's shocking.  We had to have a bore hole drilled at Mattaw to provide clean, safe water.  Where our house is, we have city water but have to filter it in order to drink it.  The simple things taken for granted in America.  

New family

This past Friday was one to write down in the history of Mattaw Children's Village.  We welcomed home 12 new children and God created a new family.  It was a beautiful day.  The process of picking up the children and brining them home was one I'll have to sit and take time to write out.  I was in awe of the precious children that God would entrust us to.  The house parents were so excited to have the responsibility and privilege to love on the least of these and bring them in as their own children.  Orphan no longer, now children who have a family that loves and cares for them.  We're excited to see God work in their lives to bring them as one family in a way on He can do. More stories to bring to you about how this family came about.  A big thanks to all that helped make this happen.... to those who funded this house, those that came and built it, those that are already sponsoring some of these children, those that will respond to God's leading to sponsor these children, to those that helped refer these children, those that prayed for these children before they even knew who they'd be and to our house parents who will raise these children to be "oaks of righteousness, a planing(mattaw) of the Lord, for the display of his splendor".  We are grateful.