Travelled out on a daytime flight on Monday 3^rd October.  Arriving in the late evening at Nairobi there was some mix up about our driver and one enterprising young man tried to con us into paying for another taxi.  Eventually however we made it safely to The Methodist Guest House had a rather disturbed nights sleep. 

On Tuesday I was led off by Pastor Silas to Kawengari slum by “public means” where as usual things were slow to start but eventually had around 50 pastors and others gathered for teaching on Galatians.  Meeting up again with Pastor Susan was very refreshing discovering all that the Lord had done in their community since last year.

The teaching on false teaching and living by the Spirit was all well received with many pastors encouraged to stand for the truth of the gospel. 

Silas and Susan accompanied me back and joined me for a cuppa! 

Julie meanwhile had spent the day at Dandora and although the traffic had been particularly bad there and back the actual day had been hallmarked by the sense of the presence of God, the worship sweet and the teaching deep and transforming. 

Wednesday, Julie and I swapped over and she went to Kawangari and I went to see our friends John Odaro and Obed at Dandora.  It is such a privilege to teach and preach in these slums.  The hunger for the word is amazing and here more than anywhere else on the trip are gathered those who have both an understanding and thirst for the scriptures.   Both my conferences had more attending than the day before as word got around about the teaching and there were around 70 at Dandora including bishops, pastors and leaders.  I noticed that such was the blessing of God on the place that since last year they’d taken down the church and re-built it somewhat bigger to allow for the increased congregation. 

On the way back into town we picked up Richard, David and Johnny from the airport and once we had arrived back managed to have quite a gathering for afternoon tea! 

In the evening we shared prayer and communion together as a team and this time was very special to us all. 

On Thursday Richard, Julie and myself took the early and squashed flight to Kisumu and once again there was the welcoming committee! James had obviously taken onboard Richards’ words about looking after those teams that return again and again, because Julie and I were freed up most of the day and allowed to settle into Kisumu in peace – this time in a new hotel called the Dal International.  Basically a guest house but very new as it was hardly finished and the staff (although very friendly) still required some training (which Mamma Julie took upon herself to administer over our stay!). 

In the evening we jointly took a Crusade in a very poor area.  Several made first responses to Christ whilst others came forward for healing. 

 Friday started to get more busy with Julie preaching in the morning – me in the afternoon and both of us taking separate crusades in the evening.  As usual the pastors at the conference were very responsive and appreciative of the teaching.  I returned to the previous Crusade location and this time had extra time to talk and play with local children before preaching and again seeing several respond to Christ and others seeking healing, whilst Julie reported an excellent response in the Obonga slum that Richard had preached in the night before. 

Saturday was absolutely packed – as Julie took the ladies out from the main conference around 100-120 women in a separate conference that seemed to take off in the Spirit – with prophesy, healings, teachings- bibles being handed out and fought over!

Meanwhile I had a more sedate time with the men but still did around 4 hours of teaching – finishing up Galatians.  Mercifully we only needed to share at one Crusade where 3 were saved and others received prayer for healing.  But when we eventually got back we both crashed and were asleep by 9.30pm.

It was very noticeable this year that James and others were making sure we got enough space and allowed us time in the evenings without the constant conversations with various Pastors and orphans.

 Sunday I awoke early praying though a sermon in my head for the special opening service which was due to start at 9.30am.  We were of course not picked up and until well after 10am and when we arrived at the orphanage the key guests had still not arrived ( in fact the mayor and MP didn’t turn up for any of it in the end)!

But Julie and I sat under these shelters from 11- 4pm with endless greetings, sermonettes and choirs singing.  They even had a choir from a local group which turned out to be a cult but James had invited them because he wanted them to hear the Gospel!  Eventually I preached and the Lord was gracious to us – the response was  a general one  and prayers were said for the work etc.  Julie then opened the new buildings (not before doing her own short sermon much to the delight of James and the others!) Eventually we were able to view the new rooms, 3 bedrooms with new mattresses purchased with the last sponsorship money, a secure store with lots of extra food in it now and an empty room which was apparently the dining room.  

We had “lunch” around 4.30pm and then were able to spend an hour talking to guests and some children who we promised to have a party for the following day.  Fortunately there was no crusade planned for the evening.

 Monday we started out by going to visit David Odhiambo’s home.  As the oldest of James’ orphans at 23yrs he had decided to return to his home village which he’d been chased away from as a 12yr old.  There in a broken down hut he slept 3 days a week to stake his claim on his family land.  Julie and I visited him and were appalled by the conditions he chose to live in.  We met one of the village elders and spent time trying to reconcile him to David, we prayed for them both and as we were leaving we were introduced to 3 children who it turned out were orphans and had themselves been chased from village to village and had arrived at this one that morning, been given some food and now would be moved on… James’ heart immediately went out to them and before we knew it they were added into the car.  Their lives and prospects changed dramatically that morning – they went from refugees to loved members of a large family – a family that was about to celebrate on that Kenyan Bank Holiday which significantly was dedicated to the care of orphans!

 All the way back with a 4 yr old on her lap Julie had tears streaming down her face.  When asked by James to name them – as the children at that point wouldn’t/couldn’t speak – she chose Faith, Hope and Joel… Quite what these children made of it as they were whisked 20 miles down the road and into the middle of a celebration that included cake, biscuits, squash, craft and parachute games we may never know but by the end of a very hectic day they were very happy to have their photo taken with other sponsored orphans.

The hardest part was discovering that alongside our 50 sponsored orphans had come another 60-100 other street children had come from far and wide (not just form Kisumu town centre) – the word had spread and everyone was hoping not just for a little extra food but also the chance of being sponsored and loved themselves.  Even that night when we returned to the hotel, James told us that nearly 60 extra children had stayed and would bed down on the hard floor in the dining room in the hope of a little to eat in the morning…  We were able to give a small gift – enough to give them a late night snack and tea with milk in the morning.  But James and Rose had to make these kind of decisions practically every week – who to feed and who to allow to go hungry.  There is estimated to be over 800 street children “living” in Kisumu town centre alone. 

Tuesday at breakfast my knee locked and I was glad of Hilary’s foresight in making me take a folding stick. But for the next few days I was limited in how I got about and what I did. It didn’t stop me teaching but jumping up onto crusade platforms seemed a little foolhardy.

We travelled to Siaya, but “on the way” stopped off at Josiah’s orphanage which had moved out from Siaya itself into the countryside.  There Julie viewed all the facilities and met with the children, again trying to make it clear that although we could give one off gifts to help with food etc. we were in no position to start sponsoring children in a different area and orphanage!    

We were also introduced to a 60 year old widow who had some weeks previously broken both her legs and had basically laid there, in her hut ever since.  One other lady a friend of James, had been bring food and caring for her.  But she had not been able to afford medical treatment or even a lift into town to the hospital.

We prayed for her healing and then gave a gift so that a car could be brought and treatment sort.  The incident along with Faith, Hope and Joel most revealed to us James Osare’s heart for the Lord.  This trip was teaching more than any other just what the Lord requires of us…

 Eventually arriving in Siaya we were taken first to the hotel to drop things off and then to the Pastors Conference.  This was very mixed ability and understanding with only a few actual leaders – yet both Julie and I taught and were well received.  Then it was off to the Crusade in the town square.  The atmosphere was difficult yet better than last year, and a few – perhaps 5 or 6 came forward and we also prayed for all the pastors and new leaders. 

After a short break we were again taken off for some “night teaching”.  This turned out to be just outside the town and at a new church plant – they only had a tent for meeting.  This time I spoke on “Our Father” and one or two responded including a alcoholic who was set free and became a Christian at the same time.

Wednesday we had further teaching sessions with the pastors and again Julie preached in the town square.  This time only 4 came forward for prayer and just as we finished the rain came.  Once everything was packed away we headed (very slowly) back to Kisumu.  Our car followed the truck – for safety, on the way we met the usual corrupt police and even some possible thugs that were frightened away by James’ new torch! 

Thursday was the day we had set aside just to be with James and Rose. Although they arrived late with the driver, we were able to go off to find a “nice place” to talk through our giving strategy and future visits.  Over lunch we managed encourage them and give some gifts both towards their own family welfare (which had suffered due to James’ keen decision not to touch money or food that was given for the orphans).

We also gave some of the gifts to help the mission projects and for the older orphans who don’t have sponsors.  In the afternoon we met up with Roy and outlined our proposals to plan health care projects for next year.  He seemed to be a real godsend, with just the right skills and understanding to help next year go in a well organised fashion.  After leaving him we travelled up into the hills above Kisumu so that we could pray over Bandani and the Word of Life Orphanage.  The way was steep and difficult but God sustained us and we were able to pray with James and Rose. On the way up God even gave Julie a vision of a map with many red flags sticking in it..? 

Despite getting a puncture on the way back we still managed to have half an hour at the orphanage and take certain pictures and say goodbye to the children – which was surprisingly hard to do.

Once checked in we had the usual sodas with everyone that turns out to see us off.

The flight home was really good and spacious we both even got some sleep.  But it was a very welcome sight to see Richard who’d got up before 5am to meet up and drive us home.

 Overall I think this trip was about understanding… understanding God’s strategy, understanding between James and ourselves and understanding that God is calling us to the long haul with this project – even if we can’t visit every year – both Julie and I know that we are committed to loving and praying for James, his family and this marvellous group of children who