Winding Down and Wrapping Up!

It is hard to believe that this is day 27 of the "SDB Kenyan Connection" trip with 3 more days to go until I land back home, Lord willing!

I had the opportunity to jump online this morning to check e-mail, Facebook and other internet-based necessities after the power had been out here in Kisii for two days but didn't leave enough time to blog at length.

Here is a quick synopsis of what has taken place since last Friday (June 22nd) and is planned to take place from now until my trip's end (photos and more details to come):

• Last Sabbath was spent with the Riomoyo church.
• Sunday morning we worshipped with a non-denominational church with which Benard has good relations and then we were off to Nakuru (a 4 1/2 hour long, sometimes treacherous trip)!
• Monday was a safari day at the Nakuru Game Park and traveling back home.
• Tuesday with the HIV/AIDS support groups in Bogwendo and Tinga and with a new branch church forming in the area of Nyandoche Ibera's pastor's home (close to Tinga).
• Wednesday at a soap stone quarry and shop and conversation with Nurse Helen regarding the HIV/AIDS issues in Kisii and her passion to learn all she can to help her people live as fully as they can with the disease.
• Thursday at Benard's room resting.
• Today blogging, shopping, time with Benard's family and Dorcas.
• Tomorrow at the Keera church with leaders/pastors/representatives from the other churches and groups I've connected with; evening time with leaders.
• Sunday - morning communion with leaders and then off to Nairobi where I fly out at 11:25PM Kenyan time (4:25PM EST) for Zurich, followed by a quick flight to Geneva to catch the flight back to JFK and the USA, ending with a short flight to Syracuse and home!

Benard & Dorcas's wedding has been rescheduled for next month so I will miss out on witnessing a Kenyan wedding and the open-air meeting planned for Sabbath (with renting of tents and chairs and transportation of public address system and peoples from distant churches) in a public-square type of area has been revamped to better utilize the remaining missions funds to take place where this Conference began - at the Keera church. (No missions funds were used for my personal trips to Kisumu or Nakuru, by the way!)

There is so much to write about regarding ministry dynamics that took place in the activities mentioned above and will take place (tomorrow and Sunday morning) as well as many personal angles - such as my making Benard his first peanut butter & jelly sandwich a week ago and which has now become an almost daily favorite of his - but time doesn't permit me to finish.

This may be my last blog until after I get home (unless I can do so from the internet cafe at the Nairobi airport) - so again, I humbly thank you for your prayer coverage and your interest!