Hello from the Hill!!!! 

 

We are closing up our first month here at the Oasis Children’s Home in the Trans Mara region.  Megan has been back in Sheboygan for over two weeks now and is getting adjusted back at school, work, etc…  We miss her and are really looking forward to having her return in the beginning of May perhaps with some other college aged girls who feel led to come to the Hill for a month to work in different aspects of the ministry.  We are looking forward to helping to get a few new things started this month in the spiritual development and other areas.  James started the Oasis Kids CD recording this past week with the eight older kids who are leaving for high school very soon. The time with them in Bible study, science, and other fun has been great and we are really going to miss them.  They really rocked hard on Our God!  During the first week in May, while the high school kids are home for the presidential election, James wants to have all the kids record the songs in Swahili they choose to be on the album. 

 

We are visiting our friends, the Smiths, in Kijabi this weekend for some R & R- some wonderful conversation in English and warm showers!!!  Matthew is looking forward to a visit to a smaller airport in Nairobi tomorrow to meet with a few African Inland Missions aviation pilots to talk “mission pilot stuff”- we are very thankful the God has made this awesome opportunity for him.  Sarah has made some very good friends during these weeks and has had a gaggle of smaller kids following after her in the afternoons. She found a puppy, or the puppy found her, which has helped with some home sickness- praise God for Little Joe!  We have even managed to fit in a little bit of school in each day. All of us are pretty tired when we head home each night after devotions with the kids-fairly treacherous walk after those late afternoon rain storms- the Maasai guards are kind to walk us back in the dark with their very impressive bow and arrows. I would not want to mess with those guys. Had an opportunity to preach last weekend at some point of the end of the three hour church service. There is no lighting in those dug and mud small buildings- I had prayed that God would help me to see my notes- waiting for the words to be translated into Swahili gave me a few extra moments to decipher my chicken scratch. Scott is up on the preaching docket next weekend! 

 

Please pray for doors to open for development of the wholeness program for the kids in the home-we are praying for many salvations and even baptisms in this month!  Even though this month has in many ways been the longest month we have experienced for a while, we know that God wants to work in His timing in powerful ways  in us and that we are thankful for this time.  Time with the kids is just icing on the cake!

    

Last week, I (Kathi) had been still struggling with this stomach “thing”.  After our afternoon preschool time with the little ones, one of the youngest little guys needed some holding time as he was tiring.  Another little one year old boy wanted to be picked up- it was then that I first smelled, and then saw, diarrhea running down his legs puddling on the dirt.  I quickly took a few steps away, with my little friend still clinging to me, before retching- what fun!  I sat down on a step and didn’t realize I must have had tears running down my face.  This precious little boy put his sweet face very close to my face and began to wipe away my tears.  It was that I recognized that he was singing a song we have worked on for over three weeks, Jesus Loves Me- even some words in English.  He then began doing the sign language to the words while staring directly into my eyes.  What a beautiful gift from my Father through this beautiful little boy!  No cultural or language barriers during this moment- just a connection made only because God loves us both.  Ten to fifteen minutes later, he was asleep in my arms- I pray that I will never forget this gift from the Lord- with Him, there are no barriers of any kind- Yes!

We have so very much to learn- with Jesus there is victory in all! 

 

In Christ,

 

the Derse Family