Hello family and friends! Our first full day in East Africa has been one for the books! We arrived yesterday, after a grueling 24+ hours of travel and little to no sleep. We took a bus back to the town we would stay in (fun fact: they drive on the opposite side of the road like England!) and showered, then had an AMAZING dinner at our organization’s Cafe. After a good meal and full night of sleep, we woke up the next morning and drove to the organization’s school. We were welcomed with singing and dancing and the girls waving palm leaves in the air; it was a grand entrance, for sure. Then the girls put on an awesome choir performance for us, and we introduced ourselves with some games and Swahili lessons. We then ate a delicious lunch made by the staff, and then went to a Christian Childrens’ Crusade that happened to be taking place that day in the town. There were over 5,000 children in attendance from all over the town and surrounding areas. We sang and danced and talked with the children, a lot of whom spoke a few words of English. After a few hours with them, we headed back to have tacos for dinner that were absolutely incredible, and ended our day at the Cafe. The whole trip so far has been an incredibly moving and humbling experience, and we are beyond honored to be here and be a part of something so beautiful and powerful in these girls’ lives. Thank you so much for continued prayer and support, we would not be here without you! You are a blessing! Check for more updates soon! 🙂
After a long day of travel, Team East Africa B has arrived safely at their base in country. They are getting settled into their hotel and even got to take some long-awaited showers already! Please join us in praying for the East Africa B team, that the Lord would give them energy and peace as they adjust to a new place (& time difference) and new culture. Pray for openness and strength as they begin to get settled into their ministry routines as well.
Praise God! The team arrived safely at the airport and made it through security with no issues. As they board their flight and get ready for a long day of travel ahead of them, please join us in praying for their physical safety and health, and pray that the Lord would provide peace as they prepare to enter a new culture and do the work of ministry in a new place.
We will update again when the team arrives and gets settled in East Africa!
It’s has been a wonderful couple days here in East Africa! Here is a highlight from each team member based on the weekend.
After an amazing church service on Sunday, the pastor invited our entire team and then some neighbors to his families house. There, we shared soda (which is way more flavorful here :D), cookies, queen cake, and stories. We also met the founder of Empowering Lives International (ELI) who spoke about the help they give to people struggling with addiction, along with other amazing directives. Following, the pastor shared his testimony about receiving help from ELI in the past. I was so moved (to tears) by his openness, and his wife’s heart to stand by his side when hearing of his past. – Deb
On Sunday we had the amazing opportunity to visit ELI’s children’s home down the road from us. They showed us around the home before we gave testimonies and a devotional. I was amazed by the way the house parents loved their children and their heart for the organization. When we were touring the home, two girls ran up to me and wanted to hold my hands. Later, another girl ran up to us and tried to hold my hand, two to a hand. The children’s joy and love they share with each other and us as a team amazes me. – Kathleen
Today after having chai, we had the privilege to take some Swahili lessons and it was great. I can officially say “Nina sema Kiswahili kidogo” (I speak Swahili a little bit). Then we had the opportunity to serve at Kimbilio Hospice and of course, I was with the children. Seeing their big and bright smiles was the best way to start off the morning. It is inspiring to see how they can find joy in the simple things. Today was also the first day of VBS, and I had a blast with all the children. I had the opportunity to connect with a group of children through music, crafts, games and snacks. Having many little children come and hold my hands filled my heart with joy. I am really looking forward to this week and for what God has in store for this community and our team. – Bella
On Saturday morning, we had a much needed resting/prep time for the coming week. During this time I chose to join Mama Richard in hand washing my clothes outside our guesthouse (I felt like a real East African). She showed me how to properly wash the clothes, while talking about her little ones and her husband running around the house. While this may seem like a simple moment, that is the exact thing which made it stick out to me. For the first time in a long time, I found so much joy in the simplicity of life. No technology, no shortcuts, just two women having a genuine conversation about each others’ very different lives, while doing a seemingly mundane task. I’ve been so grateful for these times within the last couple days that remind me to find the joy in the smallest of moments. I hope I can remember this feeling once I get home! – Hannah
My Saturday morning was started early for a hike up to this rock overlooking a valley to watch that sunrise. The changing colors in the sky and the green in the nature surrounding me is a beautiful reminder of God. Nothing really compares to it and no picture can really capture the beauty.
Another constant reminder of God is the hospitality I have received while here. The people around me are always inviting us into their home to visit with them or to talk over chai. One specific lady, that I met at a Bible study, was quick to invite me over for the following day. She came running behind me as I arrived with open arms and a huge smile. She served me chai and told me all about her family. The way that the community welcomes us right in and wants to host us in their home is an amazing aspect of their culture and a testament to the character of God. — Kayden
Our first day of Fruit of the Spirit themed VBS was all about joy. The 220 schoolchildren patiently listened to the story of Paul and Silas choosing joy and worshipping while in prison. I was in charge of games and taught the children to play human knot (untangling themselves like the chains on Paul and Silas). One wheelchair bound boy was unable to play the game, and sat to the side in the shade. Once the children grew tired of human knot, I taught them red light green light (at Hannah’s suggestion). I decided the wheelchair bound boy would be the one to call out when the kids run, and I even put my bucket hat on him because “the hat makes you the boss”. All were blessed by the joy he expressed being able to participate in the game from a seat of honor. It was a reminder to me of how God raises up the lowly into the highest of places. — Ryan
Our family is LOVING Africa! It’s been so wonderful to have our children meet all our friends from over the years, see life here, and have the opportunity to serve. Joshua and Titus are playing lots of music, and Chloe has been leading the crafts at VBS. Titus appreciated hearing the Pastor’s Mikes testimony and how God delivered him from addiction to now be a pastor. Alyssa and I are reconnecting with many friends, and soaking up the precious days here. I have had the opportunity to preach or share a number of times already. The experiences have been rich! -Daniel (on behalf of Gluck family)
Thank you for tuning into to the East Africa team adventures!! We love you all so much and miss you dearly! Your continuous prayers are felt by all of us.
We landed safely in California Friday afternoon with sleepy eyes and thankful hearts! Thank you to everyone who has prayed for us before we left and while we were on the field. We felt your prayers and we would not have had this experience without your faithful support.
Please continue to be praying for the people of South Asia to know and love Jesus and for the believers there to be strengthened. Please also continue to pray for our team as they re-enter American culture with new perspectives and new experiences. Pray that their hearts would be encouraged as they process everything from the past two weeks and that the Lord would protect them from any spiritual warfare.
Make sure to ask your team member about their experience and how you can be praying for them specifically! We thank you and we love you all! Dhanyavaad!
Hey guys! Sophia here, absolutely blown away that our two incredible weeks in this place are now over. This experience has stretched us and challenged us in so many beautiful ways, and I think every member of our team would agree we’re coming home with a lot to think about. Learning how to effectively share the gospel was an honor, and it’s inspiring to me that, no matter where we are, the conversations, interactions, and relationships we have can always point back towards God. Watching a man or woman go from mildly curious to completely engaged in the gospel story is an absolutely touching way to see Christ at work. Throughout our trip, we’ve been struck by the recurring theme of Romans 12:12 in our ministry, and have recognized and embraced the absolute power of prayer. Praying over malls, temples, restaurants, our hotel, and the city, and praying with people we met all over the city, has been a powerful reminder that prayer can be simple, touching, powerful, and anywhere. We’ve had a lot of adventures to look back on too- rickshaw rides that give roller coasters a run for their money, train trips where we flew through the city, overpriced Starbucks (it’s universal), hikes around murals and statues and temples, loud and vibrant worship nights, staring contests with strangers, beaches and henna tattoos and so much more. Now that we are looking back on it all with broken-in sandals and touched hearts, we can truly say goodbye to Mumbai knowing that we have given it our all for these two weeks. None of it would be possible without the support of our family and friends, so please know how close we hold you in our hearts and how grateful we are for you. We can’t wait to share more stories when we get back, and look back on this trip with love knowing we will continue to carry it with us as we come home. Love you all so much and please pray for continued safe travels as we head home! PS Dad, Mom, JR- love you times two!! and happy bday to my bff!
Soon we will board our second flight to come back to the US. We look forward to seeing all of our family and friends soon!
Hello family and friends! We have had some wonderfully full last few days in this city. This week we have been intentional to share the gospel each day, and we have been able to connect with so many incredible people. We are one of only a few short-term teams to explore this new part of the city so our days have been full of new sites, adventures of being in a new and unfamiliar place, and not a lot of structure (our team is being stretched in this area!) We have also been able to connect with some local believers here who are close with our fieldworkers and they so graciously invited us into their home for a time of worship, prayer, and a delicious, authentic South Asian meal. The hospitality in South Asia cannot be beat and we were so blessed by their warm welcome and their abundant confidence in Jesus. Their vision is for a church to start in one of the rooms of their house and we are praying in faith that it will happen! Please join us in praying for the sisters R, S, C, and their mother, that they would be encouraged by the Lord working through them in their community and that they would be able to plant a church in their home to be a light to their entire neighborhood. We have been blessed to go out sharing with them for several days and we’ve been able to reach more people because they know both English and the local language here. We hope to serve as an encouragement to them that we are partners with them in the gospel and that we will continue to pray for them even after we go back home. They have been an encouragement to us that there are believers here who are dedicated to sharing the good news and will continue this work in their daily lives even after we are gone. -Kayla
Hey! It’s Joe here. Yesterday (our Wednesday) the three guys (Roenz, Israel, and myself) all went out to meet up with some local students who Israel met a few days before. They had lots of questions about Jesus and what it means to be a Christian. During this time, we were also able to dive into the book of John and go over the story of Nicodemus together. After our Bible study, we bought them lunch and continued to have a good conversations with them about music and life in South Asia. Later, we met some people at a pond and were able to share the Gospel and pray with them! There was also a birthday celebration going on that we were invited to join in for a few minutes while we were there too. A constant with the people of South Asia is their hospitality and great kindness to new people. While getting ready to meet up with the rest of our team, we saw some people playing a pick-up game of Cricket and we were able to play with them for a while! Though they didn’t speak English, we were able to figure out that they played together in a league and they were VERY good. At this point we met up with the team and shared the gospel at a nearby park for a few hours!
-Joe
Please continue to pray for this city, and for the ministry we are a part of to be strengthened even after we depart. Pray for the believers in this city (1.6% of the population) to be strengthened and encouraged. Pray for those who have heard the gospel and who still have more questions to be surrounded by local believers, and pray that they would make the decision to follow Jesus. Please also pray for those who have never heard the gospel or the name of Jesus here, that they would have an opportunity to hear it, to accept it, and to commit to following Jesus.
Some familiar American food: Pizza Hut!Our friends R, S, C & their mother. This is the room they want to see a church start in!They very graciously made this delicious meal *not* spicy. We thank them for that. Girls juice break while the guys met up with their follow up.Yes, this giant statue of a man’s head was in the middle of a large park. No, we have no idea why or who it is. Truly thriving. Some excellent “barbecue” food after our last full day of ministry here!
Hey, Mackenzie here! ✨🤍 The past two days at our new location have been full of excitement and plenty of heat and humidity . The city our team is in is beautiful with all sorts of murals everywhere you look. Yesterday we had a slow morning, praying over our lovely hotel and all the people within it. Then we tried South Asian McDonald’s, very American of us, I know, before heading to a local mall to go share the Gospel. Each of the small groups we split up into had some different experiences, some had fruitful conversations, but my group had a bit of a tougher time. The people here are very hospitable and love to chat with us, but they’re not all down to talk about Jesus. Anytime we tried to steer the conversation back to Christ, the people we talked to managed to skate right past it with surprising skill. Still, we weren’t too bummed out and left with the knowledge that we left an impression for them to think back on as well as more encouraging stories from the rest of the team.
Today we got to visit a church! We walked into the room incredibly early but were welcomed in immediately. Six of us got to listen to worship in both English and the native language of the city and it was an amazing experience. You could feel the joy and energy radiating from the small worship team and the congregation. The small room, which was tucked away on the third floor of a giant convention center through a maze of stairs and dizzying hallways, was packed full of families and individuals ready to be in community with each other. The message struck out hearts and lined up with everything we’d been studying and preparing for in advance for this trip, it’s amazing how God works! It was an encouraging day to be with other believers in a completely different culture than our own. Not to mention, we had the best chai I’ve ever had! The other members of our team also had an encouraging time at another church and got to have lunch with the pastor and his family.
For those curious, our stomach troubles are still hanging about, but we’re getting better day by day and appreciate your prayers! To my family and friends, don’t worry, I am in fact alive and thriving through the heat and the sweat, struggling not to pet all the stray cats and dogs I see. (Especially the cats, they’re so cute. The dogs are cute too but kinda sketch not gonna lie. Please see the included photo of a cat napping on a motorcycle.)
Some of our group, with some of our friends that live in the city, out sharing at the mall. Our crew before leaving for church on Sunday!Some of the group visited one church and had a beautiful experience!The other part of the group went to another church and had lunch at the pastor’s house after, so delicious!Roenz & Israel got to play cricket with some friends from church, they loved it!The views from the freeway entering into this beautiful city!
Hey hey parents, family and friends! This is Emily and I’m going to do my best to summarize our last three days!! It’s been wild that’s for sure. 😜 To start, on Tuesday we had more orientation and training and then got to go out later in the day. The boys went to a University to pray over it and share the Gospel and the ladies headed to the mall to buy some traditional clothing and do a prayer walk as well. 🙂 We eventually came together to have dinner at the food court (yay for some American food!). Wednesday we had a scavenger hunt day where we got to experience the city on our own!! We were split up into groups of 3 and had to finagle and figure out how navigate the city. All teams have different experiences and stories for this one but ours was chaotic (in a good way!). For my team (Israel, Sophia and myself), we got on the wrong transportation system twice 😂, but then a nice and friendly civilian helped us get on the correct train! We made it to a popular tourist landmark in the city where we met a Christian lady who gave us a mini tour for free (we got to pray over her and her boss at the end which was cool). I got pooped on by a bird at the beginning which was a fun twist but I got an M&M prize for it from our fieldworkers later which almost made it worth it.
Anyways, there was so much more but I’ll let everyone tell their individual stories when we all get back 🙂 A good day all around and we ended it with a great worship night. Yesterday was more of a transition day. We were relocating from one part of the city to another, where we will stay for the remainder of the trip. We made it there by the end of the day and then headed to the mall to do some grocery shopping, grab dinner and pray. It was a much needed slower day.
Today is our Sabbath. Israel, Kayla and Roenz went to do a hike very early in the morning until around lunch time and the rest of us slept in, rested, played card games and started watching the first Top Gun movie because we went to watch the new one in theaters tonight😎. Fun fact: they have intermissions during every movie here and so it randomly stopped halfway through and they had the funniest commercials. Some of us are battling the inevitable fun bathroom struggles but we’re gettin through! 💪
Please continue to be praying peace, confidence, unity and good health over our team. We appreciate all our support and love from back home! 🤍
PS hi mom and dad and brothers (&maia) love you
PPS yes mom i am drinking lots of water and electrolytes
Riding the train!Making a stop at the ocean on our scavenger hunt!Found a very popular tourist destination!More scavenger hunt finds. 🙂So much exploring to do in this city!Cows just casually roaming the streets of the city.Some peaceful city views from our hotel room before the start to our Sabbath day.The start to our hike exploring some caves and incredible views of the city!To end our day of rest in between weeks of ministry, training, and cultural orientation, we went to the movies and now we all highly recommend Top Gun: Maverick.
Hey guys! My name is Hailey and I am one of the team members here in South Asia! It is the end of Day 2 (beginning of day 3 now when posting) and we’ve already experienced and seen so much. Thankfully, our travel went very smoothly to get here, and then we made it through day 1, jet lag and all! We tried lots of new foods (all of them being my new favorite), and we also got to ride in rickshaws (highly recommend). Today was fun and exciting for me because I met a girl and I got to share the gospel with her! When she told me about her story, I really felt like I could relate because I was in her shows just a few years ago: not really sure what to believe in but searching for answers. She was really interested in what I had to say and wants to learn more, so I’m looking forward to talking to her again. All of us are having a good time and we have a great dynamic in our team. Joe helps calm us down if we start to feel anxious; Emily, Kaitlin, Mackenzie, and Sophia reassure me that I’m not alone, and Izzy keeps me laughing… all the time. Oh and Roenz and Kayla are just the best at keeping us grounded. 🙂 It’s been a great start with great people and we can’t wait to share more as the days come!
-Hailey
The team staying hydrated on Day 1!A rickshaw ride! Apparently very soothing for a sleepy Hailey!Joe, Mackenzie, and Sophia leading worship on our second day of orientation for our fieldworkers and other teams in our city.We found some American comfort in getting cold Starbucks drinks on a hot day!Joe and Kaitlin found some great shade and beautiful art on our walk while sharing!*fun in the sun*
