Easter fun pics.  We will write more soon but we had a great time celebrating Easter with the children and staff.

Hello Family and Friends!

 

We are still in Kijabe awaiting things to be finally sorted out with the national elections.  The vote took place this past Monday, but they have been counting votes all week and, hopefully, will be done and make an official announcement sometime today.  There have been some allegations of fraud, but I think on whole, the elections were transparent and fair.  The country, as a whole, has been peaceful all week but we can not return to The Hill until we see what the response will be to the final announcement.  We are so thankful to the Smith family for housing us this past week during this uncertain time.

 

Kathi is still feeling under the weather.  We thought she was doing better overall, but had another episode last evening with increasing abdominal pain, vomiting, etc.  Her tests have all been negative to date, but sometimes you can still have typhoid and have the test be negative.  We will be waiting for her to feel better before we make the final decision to return to The Hill.  Please pray for healing for her.

 

We are all missing the children on The Hill this past week.  The week before we came to Kijabe, we had a very exciting evening devotion.  Kathi talked about past hurts, fear, disappointment, etc. burdening us and preventing us from living a life of freedom that God wants for each and every one of us.  The children were each given a slip of paper and asked to write down (confidentially) whatever they were being burdened with in their lives.  They then brought the folded slips of paper up to the front of the room and pinned to a wooden cross and, symbolically, left their cares there at the cross.  It was a very powerful and life-changing evening.  We were so proud of the children for their participation and maturity in handling a service like this.  One of the most powerful moments came when Kathi was starting to preach and the rain started to fall upon the metal roof and drown out her talking.  She stopped and prayed to God to stop the rain so that this important message could be given.  Immediately, the rain stopped, the children cheered, and Kathi was able to continue the entire service without interruption!  Amazing!

 

We were also officially welcomed and installed as missionaries by the Church of God in Kilgoris, which is the small town at the base of the mountain where we are living.  Although a long and very warm service, we were humbled by the large turnout of people and the warm welcome we were given.

 

James is making progress in the recording of the worship CD.  He also recently finished shooting, editing and finishing a music video that he did for the small church up at The Hill.  I’m sure this will be posted on YouTube in the near future.  Sarah is enjoying spending time with the Smith kids this week and trying to get some school work done.  Matt is helping with a few projects around the house, working on his on-line class and going on a few runs down to the airstrip here by the hospital.  I know he misses flying and is looking forward to his return when he can again get back in the air.  Upon our return to The Hill, I will be travelling to visit several of the small clinics that are run by the Church of God and, hopefully, advise them on things they might be able to do to run more efficiently, with better financial accountability and provide even better medical care in the isolated areas where they are located.

 

That, I think, is about all for now.  We miss you all and continue to covet your prayers and remain ever-thankful for all of your support!

Dear family and friends,

     It has been a few weeks since we last posted a blog, fuller days and a slow, and sometimes active, internet have all played into this.  Thank you so much for continuing to pray for our family during this time and for the children and staff of the TransMara Children’s Home (residents of the Hill).  We have daily sensed that God is working through your prayers.  We never have we been so touched and grateful when others tell us that they are praying for us.

 

A highlight so far this month:  Forty three children asked God to forgive their sins and asked Jesus to come into their hearts and be their Lord and Savior last week during devotion time!!!!!!   We are very excited knowing that their new lives as Christians have just begun!!!  Please continue to pray for emotional and physical healing for these precious children.  I wish you could meet them all- to look into their beautiful faces, hear their voices raised up to heaven in worship each night, and witness the joy so many of them have for life.  Each child has a story, a dream for their future (even the little guy who told me this week that he wants to be a purple crayon), and the strong desire to be loved for who they are.  The eight little preschoolers have been singing “Go,.Go Joshua” and marching around the pretend walls of Jericho- shouting and blowing their horns many times each day.  Just the sight of us walking onto the children’s home can cause a few of these little ones to break into the Joshua song. 

 

Scott, Matthew, and James have continued to do some projects around the home and we are looking forward to Nate and his brother coming next month so we can help redo the kid’s bedrooms.  The spiritual development curriculum and Bible verse memorization program are up and going- the kids love the object lessons, character development and Bible stories, and they are becoming more comfortable with coming up to be a part of a short drama.  We had thirteen older children up in front last night as we acted out the real story of Valentine’s Day- they received quite the applause from their friends afterwards. 

 

Scott has been taking care of a small boy who cut his arm with a knife last weekend.  The terrified shrieking has stopped when his mother brings him in the house- he knows his bravery will be rewarded with gum.  I started a study on the book of James with the women’s Bible study group on Wednesdays. To help bridge the language gap, sometimes I try to illustrate the teaching with dramatic movement and gestures (which is received with loud laughter) and close each time with Chai tea, sweets and friendly conversation in Maasai) They are a precious group of women, the prayer time together is very special to me and I love listening to their discussion through the interrupter (interpreter). One woman told me this week and she didn’t think women from America and Kenya were all that different. Praise God!

 

Sarah will be sad to see her new friends leave for high school next week- it has been a blessing for our family to get to know these young men and women.  Sarah also looks forward to time playing with the little ones and has picked up some pretty useful phrases in Swahili.  James is continuing to work with the kids on the CD of worship songs.  All of the children will be home here for the upcoming presidential election in early March so he hopes to do lots of recording, especially their favorite worship songs in Swahili.

 

Friendships are beginning to grow with the staff and other people in the community.  Many have been very patient with us as we become educated with their culture. As one of our boys mentioned earlier this week, “it is still Ground Hog Day” around here!  We really miss Megan and we look forward to her return in early May.  She loves to call at night after devotions and talk with several of the kids who all want her to bring them a torch (flashlight). 

 

Miss you all!  Love, the Derses

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

Hello from the Derse’s!  We trust this update finds you in good health and full of joy.  We have heard that the upper Midwest is slowly coming out of a cold snap.  That is one thing we are NOT missing here.  It is hard to believe we are only entering our 4^th week here.  Ironically, we are struggling to adjust to the slow pace of life here.  In the months leading up to our trip, almost every waking moment was taken up with trip preparations, work and the business of daily life.  We are learning that life here in Africa more or less plods along day to day and we sometimes feel we are living out our very own movie version of “Groundhog Day.” 

 

Kathi recently finished the Bible study on James with the grade 8 kids and has moved on to teaching on the Holy Spirit.  These young people are anxiously awaiting their scores on the nation test they completed.  Once released, they will be finding out what high school they will be accepted to and then move to continue their schooling.  Pray that God would bring some measure of peace to them now during this anxiety-ridden time of waiting.

 

I have been trying to analyze the somewhat fragmented, patchwork conglomeration of dysfunctional healthcare here in this rural area.  It is, at times, confusing to sort out, but I am hoping to have a meeting with some of the leaders of the local Church of God.  There are a group of 5 clinics in the region that they run but these clinics struggle mightily.  I hope to study how they are running these clinics and, perhaps, advise them on how to implement some things that might help them operate better and improve the delivery of healthcare to the people of this region.  

 

Matt will be visiting a mission aviation program at Wilson Airport in Nairobi this coming week to meet the training captain, have a tour of their operations and learn more about the life of a missionary pilot.

 

James has been working with the children to practice their singing parts for the Oasis for Orphans music CD.  He is discovering the challenges involved in recording a large group of kids in a rural environment with cow bells clanging, roosters crowing and donkeys braying directly outside the room where they are recording.  He remains excited, however, about this music project and what it will mean for the kids to have their very own music production on CD.

 

Sarah is doing well and helping with all of the above activities as well as just spending time with the children.  She is VERY popular with the kids and the Mamas that are on staff are quite taken with her.

 

Megan travelled home safely last week after spending an enjoyable 2 weeks here in Africa.  She reluctantly had to fly back to take a teaching methods class that is ONLY offered during the spring semester and that she needs to be able to graduate next December.  She is already looking forward to her return flight here in early May.

 

I think that is all the “news” for now.  We pray God’s continued blessings and peace for you.

 

Scott, Kathi, et.al.

Hello to all from the Derse’s!!

 

We will be finishing our first week on the Hill and we are slowly starting to feel a bit more comfortable in our new surroundings.  We have been overwhelmed by the welcome and the love we have been shown by our Kenyan friends and are SOOO thankful for the grace that they have extended to us as we try to learn and absorb everything we can about their culture and ways of living.  Day by day, I am continually awed by the beauty of this country.  We arise to a cacophony of sounds every morning.  These range from the crowing of the roosters, bleating of lambs, and the ever-present (but somehow comforting) soft clang of the cowbells on the cattle.  It is awesome to see the sun rise slowly over the Rift Valley and see how the many shades of green on the surrounding mountains blaze forth.  I wish one were able to convey this in words or even in a picture, but I have come to realize that is not possible.

 

Our work at the Hill is going great!  Kathi, Matthew, Sarah and Megan have been spending 2 hours with the preschool children every afternoon doing activities and Bible stories.  We also have been able to spend time with the 8^th grade students doing Bible study daily on the book of James.  I also have the opportunity to teach science class to them and we are doing dissections of fish and frogs.  It is so refreshing to see young people who are actually hungry for knowledge and who take their education so very seriously.  In the evening, we return after dinner for devotion time with the children and to say goodnight.  Despite all of their struggles and difficult life circumstances, we are humbled by their enthusiastic praise and worship to our Lord. 

 

We would like to ask for prayer for the following areas.  Pray that we would be able to continue to develop the trust and build relationships with the staff, children and the community.  Pray that the deep water well would soon be repaired (it has been broken since October) and that it would again supply abundant, clean water to the children.  Pray for travelling mercies for Megan as she travels back to the US next Wednesday to complete her spring term.  Please pray that God will continue to help us get adjusted to our new surroundings and to love these children and see them as He sees each one of them.  Pray that we will continue to have good health and the stamina to do the work that God wants us to do here.  And lastly, please pray for the children here and that God would continue to raise them up to be strong, Godly individuals in their communities.  Thank you for your support!!

 

Blessings,

 

Scott, Kathi, Megan, Matthew, James and Sarah

Family and Friends,
Sorry we have not been able to write since leaving on January 2. Our internet has not been working well the past few days. We arrived at the Hill on Sunday afternoon and were welcomed by the children, staff, and many people from the church and community. It was so so good to see the everyone! The children have grown so much this past year and they all look so good! We have spent the past few days unpacking, learning our way around the nearby towns, getting to know the staff, and spending lots of time with the kids. We are amazed at the time and effort it just takes to live here- no electricity, no running water (yeh, solar bag showers- like drops of water from heaven), and learn to do and make everything from scratch.  As Sarah would say, we are trying to "man up" and get with the program.  The Smith family has been more than wonderful, patient, and encouraging as they help us go through The Hill- living in Kenya 101!  Thank you to Ann, Rick, and kids!!  Our whole family is so humbled and thankful for this awesome opportunity to love and serve these beautiful children and community.  We know now more than ever that we will receive more than we could ever give here- how good is God!  Please pray for us as we rest up from our travels here (and the preceding influenza of late December that hit our family hard) and that we would heard God's voice daily to be His hands and feet in these childrens' lives here.  Please pray for the children and staff here as well as the Oasis team.  Please contact us on our new email (scottandkathiderse@gmail)- we will be so excited to hear from you!  Love, The Derses