We have been grateful and blessed by your prayers and emails and chats and thoughts over the past 10 weeks since we’ve returned to Africa. We have been trying to find time to get an email update written, and are very sorry it’s taken so long! Please know that you have been on our hearts and minds as well, as our goodbyes this summer are still fresh in our memory.

Over the past 10 weeks we have:

• flown across 8 timezones and eventually conquered jetlag
• Lost 2 friends in the AIM AIR accident (http://brownfamily.ws/2009/08/17/the-update-i-didnt-want-to-write/)
• Did what we could to support those 2 families who lost their husbands and dads
• Moved into a new house (our 5th house in Nairobi!)
  

  Kids, in front of our latest house

• Lost all the weight we’d gained over the summer in the US
• Struggled with electricity and water rationing, often both at once!
• Started having health issues and had a colonoscopy (Andy), the 2nd in 3 months!
• Started over at a new school
• Saw our little girl become a schoolgirl (Sydney- kindergarten)
• Saw Lesa’s return to full-time teaching
• Celebrated a birthday (Robbie- 11)
• Started regularly leading worship on Sunday mornings (after a 2 year hiatus)
• Spent 5 days in the Northern Frontier District filming (Andy) (http://brownfamily.ws/2009/10/16/worship-from-the-desert-place/)
• Driven over 600 miles through Nairobi traffic on a motorcycle (Andy)
  

  Andy, rainsoaked, and his motorcycle

• Are 8 weeks into the 11 weeks of rehearsal for The Diary of Anne Frank (Lesa)
• Praised God over and over that He has placed us here, doing exactly what we were made to do

Over the next 10 weeks we will:

• Celebrate two more birthdays (Lesa, Oct 30 and Sydney, Nov 11)
• Direct 3 HS performances (Lesa) of the The Diary of Anne Frank (Nov 5,6,7)
• Take over the leadership of On-Field Media (Andy) while Ted is on home assignment
• Spend a week as cameraman with Billy Graham Association (Andy)
• Spend 8 days in Lesotho (South Africa- Andy) on filming a documentary on the nomadic, underclass shepherds of this mountainous country

The first month of our return to Africa was a rough one. Between our friend’s deaths, the funerals, moving houses, starting a new school, not to mention being terribly jetlagged, we were a mess. Through that time we held fast to God’s promises, that he is faithful and compassionate and understanding and works all things together for our good. All things… every single thing.  We are still holding tight to Him, as life is completely different now in many ways and we are all still getting used to the many changes.

We are finally seeing some rain after a severe drought here in Kenya. People and livestock have been suffering terribly over the past few months and it seemed as if the rain would never come.  We’ve never gone without water completely here in Nairobi, but the city has been rationing water so that most of the city only received water a few days a week.  Everyone stores the water when it comes, so while it has been inconvenient, we have been okay.  The electricity was also being rationed (off 3 days a week) because of the water shortage.  The rains started up this past week and haven’t let up too much.  The rationing appears to be over and we feel quite spoiled to be able to turn on the faucet and see the water pouring in every day!  Our prayer now is that there won’t be flooding all over Kenya, which can be destructive as well.

Lesa has her 3rd drama production coming up, the The Diary of Anne Frank. She is also teaching 2 high school drama classes and a middle school drama class.  She will direct a middle school play second semester, as well as a musical production for the high school.  Returning to work has been challenging and tiring for her – teaching at 35 with three kids is much different than teaching at 23!  Despite the sharp learning curve, she is loving her time at our school and feels a deep sense of purpose in mentoring and equipping these students to use their gifts for God’s glory.

Andy, filming in northern Kenya last month

The children have been busy at school with activities and getting to know new friends.  Robbie is now playing the trombone and will also be in the upcoming elementary Christmas production as a shepherd.  He and Avery are taking piano lessons at school and are both doing quite well.  Sydney is… well… still Sydney.  She loves school and is as social as ever.  She has a wonderful teacher, whom she loves.  We feel very blessed to be able to have our children at such an amazing school.  Our house has been a blessing too, though quite a bit of work for Andy as he has been working on some plumbing issues ever since we moved in.  Living so close to the school has made all the difference in the world for Lesa and the kids – no more hour-long bus/car rides.  Now we can get to school in under two minutes!  And of course, Andy loves riding a piki piki (that’s Kiswahili for motorcycle).

Lesa, leading worship on a Sunday morning

Us, with Wyclif, Selina, and Brian

We would love to hear from each of you to know how you are doing since we saw you last.  Please drop us an email and keep in touch!  Thank you again for all of your prayers and support.  We couldn’t be here without you.

In His Precious Name,

Andy, Lesa, Robbie, Avery, and Sydney

Prayer requests:

• Lesa’s show – that the students would do their best, that God would be glorified, and that our family will survive the stress!
• Andy’s trip to Lesotho – for safety and opportunities
• Kenya’s drought – that the rains would make it throughout the country (but not too much!)
• Andy’s health – please pray that the Ulcerative Colitis, which reappeared after our stressful month in August would go away again (last time it was gone for 8 years).
• AIM AIR – please pray for our friends at AIM AIR as they are still putting the pieces together after the accident.  Also, please pray for the Williams and the Toew’s families who each lost a husband/father.

We knew it would be a hard couple of weeks upon our arrival in Africa. We were planning on it being hard, knowing that within days of landing Lesa would begin staff training at our school, I would be moving our possessions across town and we’d be extremely jetlagged. We knew it would be hard, but not this hard.

Frank Toews

After landing in Nairobi and clearing customs, we were greeted by my friend Ted with the news of the AIM AIR crash that afternoon. Our friend Frank, the pilot, was dead. Our friend Ryan, an engineer who was also sitting in the front of the plane, was in the hospital with serious burns. Our hearts sank, as did our knees to the floor of the airport.

We lived between the 2 families for a couple months last year. Ryan’s oldest son and my 2nd son are great friends. But beyond our feelings, our entire small close-knit community of AIM International Services was reeling and hurting. Hurting for our friends, for their children, for ourselves, for each other. Confident, though, in Frank’s presence with our heavenly Father.

We still had a job to do. Lesa still had staff training to attend, and we still needed to move houses within the week. I managed to secure a lorry (truck) and 7 strong kenyan men to help, and we moved on Wednesday. Ryan died on Friday, at a special hospital for burns in South Africa.

Ryan's toolbox at the AIM AIR hangar

Frank’s memorial service was Tuesday, Ryan’s was Saturday. Between the two services, we had Ryan’s son to our house for a sleepover. I’ve been really proud of my sons as they’ve lost their selfishness the past few weeks to do what they needed to do to support their friends.

So, here we are, just over 2 weeks after arriving in Africa. A tough couple of weeks that has taught us a lot. Taught us that God is good and deserving of praise even when praising seems like such a sacrifice. Things are picking up, the house is getting unpacked, the kids have started school, and Sydney is loving kindergarten. Life really is good, and God is great.

More information on the AIM AIR crash:
World Magazine, “Crash in Kenya” http://www.worldmag.com/webextra/15749
AIM news http://www.aimint.org/usa/news/
AIM AIR blog http://www.aimair.org/page21/page21.html

Mom, Lesa, and Wycliffe in Kibera

Easter Sunday we went to Nairobi Chapel and then home for an Easter egg hunt and a big late lunch (photos here). Monday we had our friend Wycliffe take mom and dad and Lesa on a tour of Kibera, visiting the church that DCC helped sponsor and even making some home visits with Kibera residents. We wrapped up the day with Kenyan staple foods ugali and sukuma at Wycliffe’s tiny 1 room apartment on the edge of Kibera.

Robbie piloting the DC3

Mom, Robbie, Lesa at Nairobi Safari Walk

The next day we toured the AIM AIR hangar, home to International Services, our division of AIM. While the kids crawled in and out of the airplanes, we visited with pilots and mechanics. We wrapped up with lunch at the Simba Saloon.

The next day we went to the Nairobi Safari Walk, adjacent to the Nairobi Game Park. We saw pigmy hippos, albino zebra, a rhino, a leopard and a cheetah among other things. Then we spent the afternoon finishing packing for our overnight train ride to Mombasa.

Sydney eating breakfast on the Lunatic Line

Our private room on the train

The train was quite an experience. It takes 45 minutes to fly from Nairobi to Mombasa, or a bone-jarring 8 or 9 hours in a car, or a slow 16 hours by train. Honestly, if I had to do it again I still would have picked the train. If we could have been better prepared we might have slept better, but the kids had a blast, which is why I would choose it again (versus being crammed together in a car, stopping for potty breaks, not to mention riding in our Land Rover for that long would be guaranteed to give you a headache). The train, while slow and constantly stopping, at least gave us private sleepers, supper and breakfast, and the opportunity to go potty when you wanted. Not to mention getting to stretch out and relax, since I wasn’t having to drive!

Our beach house

Indian Ocean

Our time in Mombasa was great. Roger (dad’s brother) met us at the train station and drove us to the house they’d rented for the week. Just north on Mombasa, right on the beach, the house had a small pool that the kids enjoyed, and the immediate oceanfront was an awesome coral reef full of starfish and lionfish and jellyfish and all kinds of cool stuff. It was shallow enough that even Robbie and Avery could snorkel around and enjoy. The house even came with a cook, who prepared and cleaned up every meal for us. Now that’s what I call a vacation!

We flew back, because mom and dad had an early Monday flight to Malawi where they visited with good friends who have been in Africa for 30 years or something crazy like that. While they were away we packed and moved out of our house. We scattered all our stuff all over the place as the house we are staying in temporarily is fully furnished (and on a compound, not in a Kenyan neighborhood as before). Couches went to one house, dining room set to another, and a bunch of stuff went into a sea container for storage. Beginning of June we’ll move back to the estates (Kenyan neighborhoods) and try to remember where we put everything.

Overlooking Rift Valley

Lunch at Tumaini gardens

After mom and dad came back from Malawi, we spent the last week doing stuff around Nairobi. We drove up to the overlook of the Rift Valley, had a picnic lunch at RVA, drove some really rough roads down to the “lower road” and back to Nairobi. We also went to Roger & Shirley’s church and had a nice picnic lunch at Tumaini, where they live and work. One morning I even put mom and dad on a matatu by themselves and sent them out to Karen by themselves. They toured Robbie and Avery’s school, and had lunch with them there.

Mom taking photos

Mom taking photos

The last day of their time here we got up early and went on a game drive. We picnicked and saw a lot of giraffe, zebra, baboon, antelope, warthog, and even some crocodile. We wrapped our time up with them with supper at Java House, and then I drove them to airport. Exhausted, but very very happy. And a little sad that the event I’d been looking forward to since arriving in Kenya last June had come and gone, and we won’t see them again for another 14 or 15 months.  We’ll miss you, mom and dad.

Politically, as you have probably heard, attempts are being made at mediation between the two parties.  There has still been some violence in different parts of the country, but mostly now everyone is realizing what terrible consequences they must face now.  The tragic part of it is that the consequences are being paid by innocent by-standers – women, children, and peaceful people who have lost possessions, homes, jobs, schools, churches, etc.  Many will not be able to return to the areas where their families have lived for generations because of tribal conflicts.

Andy is going on an AIM AIR flight tomorrow to Kisumu, one of the most affected areas in Kenya.  The plane will be taking three trips, carrying food and supplies to one of the camps there filled with those who are displaced.  He will be doing photography and videos for AIM.

For our family, life is slowly returning to “normal”.  Though it is a new normal for us because we are in a new house, which we very much enjoy.  We are so grateful for what we have – safety, food, and a loving community here and at home.  The boys start school next Tuesday and Andy has been glad to get back to work this week.

As we said in our last blog, we have been blessed to partner with a church in Kibera feeding 250+ people who are living there – through the generosity of one of our sending churches, Dulles Community.  Today we had the opportunity to go and visit the Kibera church and greet the pastor.  We were amazed to find that there have been 3 babies born there, at the church, in the past week!  It is truly amazing how God has provided for these people.  We don’t feel that we made it happen as much as we feel used by God – a small part of His plan to provide for His people.  The church will be able to provide 3 meals a day for a total of 2 weeks for those staying at the church (around 300) and those who come to the gates for a meal.

What is so heartbreaking is that most of the people have lost everything.  You can see the confusion and sorrow on their faces about what they will do next and how will life ever return to “normal” for them?  Most living on less than $1 a day, they have lost items they may have worked a long time for – a radio, a bed – all burned or stolen.  We are so glad that these meals could be a beacon of light in this otherwise dark time.  We were also so glad to meet them face to face and hear their stories.

This was Andy’s second time in Kibera and Lesa’s first.  It is an experience like no other – smells and sights you will not forget for a lifetime.  And all through it, we shared the same feeling that this is what it is all about. This is why we are here – so much need, both physically and spiritually.  This is the Africa that compelled us to come here.

For some reason, in Kibera, more than other parts of Nairobi, we find our hearts drawn towards the people.  How we wish we could somehow solve all of their problems.  We’re sure they wish we could, too – as they see us walk by, the only white faces they will see all day long, we represent the resources they wish they had.

We don’t have the answers to how they will replace their homes and belongings, or how they will survive the hatred of another tribe – but we do know a God who wants to give their hearts peace and hope and who wants to share with them an eternity of all they wish for.  Let us all continue to pray for the people of Kibera, of Kenya, and all of Africa – that they would know the true King and place their trust in Him alone.

We love you all.  Thank you again for your prayers and e-mails.  They have made all the difference in the world to us the past couple of weeks.

The people we were videoing/photographing were the Rendille, a beautiful tribe of Cushitic origin, known for their goat and camel herding and colorful beads they wear. They live in small huts, gathered together in small villages, many miles apart from each other. We were working specifically with a Rendille pastor who had a church, school, and many literacy outreach projects, as well as being involved in translating the Bible into Rendille.

The first morning we arrived we dropped some of our gear at the house we’d be staying at, then toured the local village. After lunch we hopped in the back of a Land Rover and bounced through the desert (picking up anybody on the way who might flag us down… this is part of the responsibility of owning a car here… at one point we had 12 in the car!) to see some of the literacy classes going on. The classes would meet at a large Acacia tree out in the middle of nowhere, but somewhere near each village. We visited at least 2 classes that day and walked probably 2 or 3 miles. We arrived back at the house sweaty, dusty, and hot. The shower felt good, but I didn’t take a long one knowing that every drop of water was pumped from a well in town and carried by hand to that house.

I was awoken that 1st night, and each night, by the sound of hyenas crossing by the house. One night there must have been 5 or 6, with their evil laughing barks, searching for dogs or small animals to drag back to their den and devour.

The 2nd day we visited the school, and some of the village’s children’s literacy classes, also under random, large Acacia trees. We also went into some of the huts of a local village with the pastor, after getting the required permission from the village elders. Drank smoky chai in a sweaty hut and met the extended family of the Rendille pastor we were with.

The 3rd day we brought our camera, sound and light gear inside a hut of a woman named Ndubayo (sp?) who had an awesome testimony of how she came to trust Christ. We recorded her testimony a couple of times, with and without translators, and were blown away each time by the joy of the Lord that was reflected in her beaming smile. Blown away by the fact she couldn’t talk about Jesus without grinning from ear to ear.

As the sun was setting on our 3rd and final day, we climbed a hill near the town of Korr for some excellent lower-light photography (shooting in the noon-day sun was not only killing us but provides some of the worst lighting conditions you could ask for). As we wrapped up our shooting, we counted the tapes: 8.5 hours of video from the past 1.5 weeks, which we need to log and archive, and create a 3 minute video from within the next 2 weeks!

Lesa and the kids survived the 4 days/3 nights without dad/husband/superhero, but were glad to see me return. I had such an awesome time, and between Kibera on Monday and Korr on Tuesday-Friday, I feel like I’ve gotten to see a part of Kenya most people don’t get a chance to see except in journalism or coffee-table books. I feel totally blessed to get to take a part in all of this, and know that many people have sacrificed for us to be here. We’ll never forget that, nor our God who pulled all things together and sustains us in this strange and fabulous and foreign land.

Click here for more photos from Korr