Our first week in Mombasa

We arrived in Mombasa at 3am last Wednesday after a very long 30+ hour journey. Getting through immigration was a breeze this time, but then we discovered that only 2 of our suitcases had made it to the airport. As you can imagine this was a bit distressing! One of the baggage men just so happened to be a Christian brother and he went above and beyond the call of duty to get our luggage to us 2 days later. He also invited Sean to go on an outreach with him in Samburu on Saturday. They distributed food and other items and preached the good news.

Do you remember Dennis? The motorbike driver that surrendered his life to Jesus during Sean's trip to Kenya last August? Sean was invited by his new pastor to preach on Sunday. I didn't get pictures, but the church was what we would call a "hole in the wall". There were about 25 of us crammed in there and it kept raining and soaking everyone in the back row. The hole in the wall next door was full of garbage and the flies were abundant. Welcome to Africa!

After church, we visited Dennis' cousin and his family. They lost a newborn baby recently, but were so gracious to invite us for lunch. We believe that God is working in their lives and they will play a big role in the kingdom when they are converted! Their home is the perfect setup for house church meetings.

There has been some opportunity for ministry here at the YWAM base as well. A young man came to the gate asking for 200 Kenyan shillings to start his own shoe repair business. He has a young wife and baby who are separated from him right now and he is homeless. After speaking to him and seeking God, we have given him some work to do here at the base. When he earns the money to buy his shoe repair equipment, Sean will go with him to make the purchase. Sean and some of the other men here have been discipling Willington, who wants to preach the gospel. We hope to reunite him with his family very soon. The neat thing is that Dennis took it upon himself to find a room for Willington to stay in until he can afford to rent a place of his own. We are so happy to see him growing in the grace and knowledge of God.

Tuesday we visited the Baby Life Rescue Center I posted a video about some time ago. We are looking forward to working with Peter and Selpher to rescue abandoned babies and care for them until the Father sets them in their families. They have many empty beds that they haven't been able to fill due to lack of finances (for food and supplies), so we are trusting God to provide that need.

Life at the base has been a blessing and a challenge. We are in a cabin (think family camp but a lot more rustic). The bathrooms are all outhouse style. We have all kinds of wildlife visiting us~geckos (and their poop), huge millipedes, poisonous centipedes, and most of all mosquitoes who have never met a repellent they couldn't beat. Basic tasks like laundry take forever for us greenhorns. And cold bucket showers...well you can figure that one out!

The children have been making the most of it~helping out with chores like cooking, cleaning and taking care of the shamba (garden).

We are thankful for the loving hospitality of our brothers and sisters here at the base and also for the time to acclimatize ourselves to life in Africa while we wait on God to provide a home for us. Sean has been looking and we do have some prospects. We want to be where the Lord wants us, so please pray for His open door to be obvious.

Words can't say how much we cherish the love and support that you have shown us~we love and miss you all!