Blogs from Kinangop, Central Province , Kenya, Africa

An abrupt thud rattled the door, breaking the somewhat peaceful silence…and then another followed. The single bulb of light that illuminated the cramped, concrete chamber suddenly went off leaving me in complete darkness. The mischievous sound of giggles trailed off into the dorm and then multiplied. After a few seconds passed I finally shouted at the top of my lungs, “Kennedy! Joseph! I can hear you laughing! Get over here now and turn the stinkin’ light back on and leave me alone while I’m on the toilet or else!” This is a daily scenario in my life since I moved my accommodations to make room for Uncle Chris, Aunt Becky and their little one year-old daughter Ana. I am the first resident of the new two-story dorm being built for the IAA children, but the early ... read more

I arrived back to Kenya just a few short weeks ago with joy and a sigh of relief. Due to political problems and a few other events I was gone longer than expected. For two months the country was covered in the red of bloodshed, black of smoldering homes and a gray sorrow cast a shadow over their people as they watched their country untwine. Kenya is a bit more peaceful now that the leaders signed an agreement to work together. That helped everyone to breathe a sigh of relief. Thanks so much to those who prayed for the county and for IAA during such a scary time! During the violence Christine, our on-site administrator, and two of our girls had to be whisked away by motorcycles after a very frightening ordeal. A couple of ... read more

Two weeks I took a swim in the deep and rough ocean of emotions. And after the swim I sat back on the shore, tired, yet amazed. Amazed that God placed within us such strong emotions and feelings. Strong enough that at times they make us feel as if we could soar above the skies and other times we feel like they will crush us, yet we are not overcome. Thursday I experienced a whole gamut… Anxiety and Courage Anxiety and courage had a war within me. I had to go downtown to a part of the city that I had not driven before. For the 40 minutes as I sat in traffic under the Kenyan sun I debated about running the specific errand. Anxiety made my hands sweat and helped me think of ten different ... read more

The first day of our travels delivered us a big dose of culture shock and emotion all thrown together and the three days that followed continued to stir our hearts. The first part of the mission itinerary was to spend some time at the IAA orphanage, doing minor repairs, organizing, painting, and just spreading the love. Now, before I proceed, let me introduce you to the team and IAA staff. The IAA team consisted of Jane Jackson (founder), Annette and Penny (sisters), Tom and Debbie (husband & wife), Beth and Kemble (mother & daughter), Debbie and Lauren (mother & daughter), Tyler, Caleb, Cameron, Billy, and myself. From the beginning the team got along like family. The group was a perfect mixture of different personalities, skill sets, and life experiences, which made for an amazing team. The ... read more

Sometimes I am greatly inspired to write about life in Kenya. Like in the mornings when our kids get up in the dark to get ready for school and we peak outside to see the sunrise that is filled with soft yellow and intense orange hues stretching across the horizon. Or, when we are driving to school with our 16 kids in the van, and the noise is intense and I have to watch the road like a professional driver, missing all the obstacles, swerving around the potholes, and trying to avoid the bottom of our vehicle being torn out if I happen to hit one. Other times I feel I have as much inspiration as a dry, crusty piece of toast. After dropping the kids at school I come and try to work in my ... read more