Update # 3 East Africa A

June 8, 2022

Habari zenu familia? (How are you family?)

Sorry for the long wait for our first full update! Here are some highlights from our journey to East Africa and the last few days of ministry. After a long journey, 4 flights, and 21 cumulative hours in the air, we arrived in our village safely! We are so happy to be here.

Upon arrival, we were greeted with an amazing “welcome ceremony,” which included singing, ribbon cutting, flowers given to each team member, and the ceremonial planting of an Avocado tree to commemorate our coming. D. Gluck’s son Titus had the honor of cutting the ribbon as we entered the Hospice facility. After this amazing welcome, we traveled to our guesthouse to settle and rest after our long journey.

These past 2 days have been filled with rich experiences. A few moments that especially stood out to our team included:

On Tuesday, we had the amazing honor of visiting the room of a girl with cerebral palsy. Despite her condition, her smile was contagious enough to light up the room. She LOVED music, and told a staff member she was sad to miss our singing in another part of the hospital. After playing a few songs around her hospital bed, the nurses asked if she wanted one more song… Without hesitation, and through labored speech, she said “TWO!” with a wide grin on her face. We sang “How He Loves” and an old spiritual called “Oh the Blood of Jesus”, after which there was not a dry eye in the house. We went away moved and blessed by her faith and joy!

On Tuesday night, we celebrated the birthdays of two of our own team members as well as one of our local friends here in the village. The night started out with a dinner that was a taste of home but with an East African spin. A special dessert of lemon cake, brownies, and ice cream (a rarity in the East African region) was then prepared for us and all of the singles in the room were required to dance in a circle around the honored people to the beat of a traditional East African song. After dessert, while fellowshipping in the living room, the village bishop proceeded to christen us with our own Kalenjin names based on the circumstances around our births (which is a great honor for visitors). The names given to us were:

• Daniel – Arap Bett (born when the sun is high and the cows are out)
• Alyssa – Nebo Arap Bett (wife of Arap Bett)
• Deb – Chepasis (twin, one made into two)
• Kayden – Jepkoech (born in the stir of the day; rushhour)
• Ryan – Kip Rono (born when the sun is going down and the sheep are coming home)
• Kathleen – Mrs. Rono (wife of Kip Rono)
• Bella – Cherop (born during the rainy season)
• Hannah – Chebett (born when the sun is high, many activities happening)
• JD – Kip Kemboi (born in the middle of the night)
• Titus – Kip Leting (came into the world quickly, a surprise)
• Chloe (Jep Korir) – (born when the sun is just below the horizon)

We look forward to continuing our ministry each morning and afternoon at the hospice care facility when we are doing home visits, and while we put on VBS next week for students.

Tutaonana! (See you later!),
The East African team!

Riding Shuttle at Frankfurt Airport

Our last flight across the country!

Titus Gluck cutting the ribbon as we enter the Hospice Care Facility

Team planting an avocado tree to commemorate our visit.

Touring the ministry site – this is their new prayer chapel.

There’s always time for Chai!

Chai time – Pt. 2.

Riding in the ministry “Ambulance”, African style.