24 hours in London

Last day in Kenya

It's Monday morning, 7AM here. We have a long day of meetings and then eat dinner and head to the airport for a midnight flight. We arrive in London at 6AM Tuesday and won't fly out until Wed morning. So we have to get our luggage and six people from the airport to the hotel by train, then do a little sight seeing.
Yesterday's teacher appreciation banquet was a huge success. 100 teachers and their spouses were bussed across town over to our beautiful compound here at the hospital. They arrived at 1:30, and were greeted and given name tags and fresh roses. We had music and a lot of laughing at the expense of the guys on the Bridge team. We then had a wonderful catered Kenyan dinner followed by an awards and appreciation presentation. Each of the teachers received a gift bag, a Bible and an engraved pen. They were then broken into three groups and given a 40-minute tour of the hospital with question/answer sessions. Many took the opportunity to do video interviews with Don, which will be used by Bridge to share with donors. As night approached, they reluctantly, and with great fanfare boarded their two buses for the ride back to reality. They were all dressed in their Sunday best and it is hard to imagine that most would return to their reality of a dirt floor, corrugated-tin-sided shack. They are precious, intelligent, giving people. Many said it was the most appreciation they have ever received in their life. God is good.
Can't wait to see Nevada. We left in Spring weather and I suspect it might be looking like summer.
God bless.
Greg

Safari Time

Sorry we haven't been able to blog as often as we would like, the power is off at St. Mary's tonight and the generator is soon to shut off...such is Africa. We were blessed to get away for one night to Sweet Water to a game preserve and it was just what we needed. We saw Elephants and Hippos and all the other beautiful Africian animals. We were so excited!!

On our way we made a stop to see one of the four homes that Charles Mulli has established for the street children of Kenya. If you haven't read, "Father to the Fatherless" it is an excellent time to pick it up. The farm we visited is an example of man's work through God. What an amazing place to see in person! Everywhere you look, you see the blessing of God upon this ministry. We were blessed to have a three hour tour by Charles Mulli's natural son, Kulele, a 30 something University graduate and an MBA. We left in awe and appreciation for the humanitarian work accomplished through this mission.

Time to hit the road..again. We managed to point the vehicle north and headed to Sweetwater Resort. Sweetwater is a 90,000 acre private game reserve managed for game watching and relaxation. It is an oasis of sanity compared to life in Nairobi. We were tired and exhausted and this was the perfect respite.

The vehicle rocked, rolled and just about flipped over as Jeannie screamed with total oblivion seeing a herd of elephants! The rest of the vehicle occupants (us) sat dumbfounded at such behaviour. We all had a great time traveling the byways at night and day looking for the great and small beasts of Kenya. The tent accomodations looked out over a lighted pond that attracted all sorts of beasts for our viewing. We saw most of God's creatures and were hoping to see a simba..you know the big lion. No such luck. We hit the road again after saying goodbye to the Hippopotami and Mt. Kenya in backdrop.

Back in the saddle again. We managed to buy half the fruit produce between Sweetwater and Nairobi on our way back. The little kids in the Mitumba slum are in for sweet treats when we see them this Sunday. Don is teaching and we have an opportunity to have all sorts of little smiling children call to us and hold our hands. Believe me, this is worth any trip into the slums.

Nearing home, we had dinner with George and Lydiah Magore, Greg's Essential Structures Partner. Good food, great conversation and wonderful friendship. We managed to squeeze out of their home and with God's grace crash landed in our beds' at St. Marys. Whew, another whirlwind!!

Wed Night

Mitumba Slum was on our radar screen this morning as we hurtled down the Nairobi streets to meet with and provide support to participants in our Biashara Program. Pastor Shadrack, the Christian light and gentle man of Rural Evangalistic Mission, met us along with a small entourage of Biashara participants and small smiling children. We wound our way through the narrow twisting trails to the dwellers who have endured Kennedy’s rigorous training. As Jeanne describes Kennedy, “He is the man”.

This morning he was dressed in his blue Bridge shirt, armed with his business cards and even had his desk name plate with him. He is a star! We met with several successful and expectant entrepreneurs, interviewed, filmed, laughed, and more than anything looked at each other with amazement about the lives that are being changed before our eyes. Biashara is working! Successful entrepeneurs were proud to show off their vegetables, dry goods, storefronts, inventory , and more than anything tell us how Bridge has been a part of their changing lives.

We exited Mitumba but not without praying and consoling a mother who just lost her 21 year old daughter to an accident, engaged a dozen or so shop owners, gave out Certificates of Completion and listened to singing school children. Greg’s artful eyes and photo equipment were busy recording Mitumba into photo history. Don, our cameraman and reporter..among other notable things, was practicing to work for NBC as a correspondent.

Our usual MO these days is to make as many appointments as possible , race to meet our commitments and not make any of them on time. Today was no exception. Our safari van driver ( aka, Fast Eddie)new our strategy and sped off in the direction of our next Biashara visit miles away. His skill at negotiating Nairobi traffic has been nothing less than extraordinary. Several times we thought we would have to use St. Mary’s Hospital. Jeannie’s prayer mantra in the back of the bus has kept us on the road.

A visit with Flora along the way, the delightful articulate young girl Bridge interviewed in the Mathare slum almost four years ago, was refreshing and renewing. If you recall, she was going to be the President of the World Bank. She is a senior in one of the best high school in Kenya. She wants to be a dentist and an accountant. Hmm, not a bad mix considering the amount of money she could earn working on teeth! We will be looking for ways to help her with a college or university within the next year.

We managed to see more successful Biashara entrepreneurs and celebrate their successes. MCO was a big stop where dozens of Certificates were issued and participants congratulated. One particular entrepreneur had Jeannie and Connie doing high fives as a Kenyan lady explained how she is making money renting out generators, welding equipment, selling supplies, etc to male contractors and laborers. This sort of arrangement is not an ordinary happening since women are usually not found in “man’s business”.

Our day was not winding down as we continued our quest for exhaustion. We met with the MCO Board in downtown Nairobi for a couple of hours and communicated our way to self satisfaction and mental exhaustion. We should know in a couple of months of any significant changes in their way of conducting business. Their Board is made up of some very intelligent individuals who represent important positions in Kenyan Government and business interests. We are encouraged and have expectations for change that will address our concerns.

We left at 8:00 PM for yet another meeting back at our hacienda. The staff at St. Marys are wonderful to say the least! They prepared a meal for us knowing that it was way after closing the dining hall.

Don met with Father Bahadi from the Hospital to coordinate the tour of the facilities with over one hundred people when we celebrate the teacher celebration during our Sunday luncheon.

Here is to another day in Kenya. Your correspondent tonight, Gary Weigel. I’m going to bed and maybe I’ll here the lions roaring in the distance as last night. Kwa heri.

Tuesday Night - Lighter day.

After a few days of being with the dear people of the Mathare Slums, we took today to visit Essential Structures and Christian Mission Aid. It was wonderful to see old friends and all that is happening with the business. We were impressed to see the display of the structures and all the new ideas they have developed. Please pray with us for some pending orders!

We had a beautiful lunch with our friends, Larry & Debbie Kitchel from CMA, and then we raced off to Bomas, a Cultural Center which teaches us about all the different tribes in Kenya. It was so fun, and we all enjoyed seeing Connie dancing with a slightly clothed African man....She Was Great!
An interesting note, was that nearly every one of the six Kenyan's accompanying us (as well as Andrew) was born and raised in one of these huts (below) before moving to Nairobi.

We are all running on empty by the time we arrive at the end of the day. We are so thankful to be able to stay at this wonderful guest house at Saint Mary's Hospital. The days are so packed and are racing by way too quickly. Pray we use this precious time wisely.

Sweet dreams to all of you tonight, more tomorrow!
God bless
Jeannie














Jeannie's Hut

















Luo traditional hut.

Monday Evening 5-18-09

Today was another long,but rewarding day in Kenya. We started out our regular day at nine in the Mathare slums. Of course, it was an anticipated event for Connie and Gary who had never been to the slums before. It was everything that they had heard about their first visit to Mathare. The poverty and stench and the hot sun were all still there, including the wonderful teachers and those wonderful children in such a terrible environment. I think the experience was everything that they had heard about the Mathre slums.
Our next visit was to the Karabungi school and orphange. We must have visited at fifteen class rooms oF young students, who were all prepared to sing a couple of songs and quote some scripture before we could move on to next class. All the children were very glad to see us and they really put on a good show and we really enjoyed them all.

We left Karabungi a few minutes after 4:15 for a 4 PM meeting with the Board of Directors for MCO. After a lively discussion and 5 hours later we adjourned until the next meeting. We got back to our rooms about 9:30 after a long and productive day...after all, this is a large part of why we're here.
Vic Marques














Singing in class




Brother and sister in Mathare.

monday 18, 2009

Mon Morning 5-18-09

Sunday was a day to remember at Outreach Community Church in the Mathare slum. After an hour of worshiping in two languages, Don delivered a moving sermon on the good Samaritan. I saw most of our Kenyan friends taking notes as he spoke. Several dozen people came forward for prayer.
After a three-hour service and a break, we were surprised by the entire teaching staff. They had prepared us a sit down lunch and two hours of amazing entertainment. This was done entirely on their own and at their personal expense. They shared personal testimonies of how being paid on time prevents them from being locked out of their homes. If rent is not paid on the 1st, their doors are padlocked on the 2nd. The Bridge teacher support program guarantees they are paid on the first, and little did we understand the impact.
Our staff health insurance program was probability the next benefit most appreciated. Many, many teachers thanked us for how life-changing, access to medical care is.
We have a 12-hour, very busy schedule to today, and hopefully we can post again tonight. We are 10 hours ahead of Nevada time here in Nairobi.
(posted by Greg Burns)

Sweeper girl during the lunch by teachers


















Teachers during the lunch they gave for us. We were so humbled! You may recognize (L to R) Jane Kamau, from our video; Douglas Odhiambo, Andrew's brother; Babbie Mbuiki; Phoebe Omega. (Greg Burns photos)

Our flight to Africa was a thousand times better and more comfortable. We arrived in Nairobi at 6:30 and by 11 AM we were meeting with the MCO Board. What a godly group of men and women who are wanting to do whatever God wants.
This afternoon we visited the Mitumba Slum and met Pastor Shadrack and some of his Board members. It was exciting to see one of Greg's Essential Structures in use as a class room. They have also set up a home for parentless children which is clean, well organized, and so impressive in so many ways. They sang for us and shared Bible memory verses. The little children ran up to us wanting to be picked up or to hold our hands. It was so precious. I am already learning about what deep faith looks like, and it's humbling. We're all pretty fried from little sleep and a busy schedule so pray for our health and energy.

The accommodations at St. Mary's Hospital are wonderful and the staff are so friendly. The traffic is outrageous and I'm so glad we don't have to drive!
Connie

May 15, from Oundle, UK

After a long and difficult flight from Chicago, where we spent 3 hours on the tarmac waiting for the lightning to stop, we have arrived safely in Oundle, UK. We have spent a delightful evening and day with Ruth Abbey, who used to be the MCO administrator. We have appreciated her insights on the Kenyan ways of thinking. Her hospitality and Christian warmth has refreshed our spirits.
We've had time to walk through the little village of Oundle, appreciating the centuries-old stone architecture and the amazing English gardens. Tonight we fly to Kenya. Pray for us as we hit the ground running tomorrow morning, with meetings all day!
Love in Christ,
Connie Marques, for the team
Captions: (above) Connie Marques, Ruth Abbey, Jeannie Burns outside Ruth's home in Oundle.
(right) Downtown Oundle at night. Greg Burns photos.











(left) The village of Oundle, UK.

P.S. We also enjoyed a visit with Ralph and Jane Hanger, UK missionaries to Africa for 40 years. Their wisdom and insight were just what we needed prior to our many meetings with the MCO board of directors. God is so good in providing what we need even before we know we need it! -DB

Just a few more hours...

... and our journey begins. Six of the twelve board members from Bridge Ministries are about to leave northern Nevada for London, then Nairobi, Kenya.
Here are the members of our team: Greg & Jeannie Burns; Vic & Connie Marques; Gary Weigel, and me (our wives are teachers, so they can't make this trip)! We've been planning for the past few months, and we've been shopping and stuffing bags for the past few days. I'm still repairing things that have broken at home for the past several hours... but the plane will leave anyway!
Our mission has several objectives. Bridge has worked for the past 3 years to help encourage and financially support the teachers at Mathare Community Outreach, a school in one of the worst and oldest slums in Africa (this is from the Africans' point of view). 1 sq km of an old open-pit mine now is home to 600,000 people. Teachers at MCO risk their lives and health by choosing to teach in these conditions. But as Jane, one of the teachers put it so well, "This is not a job, but a call [from God]".
We feel our efforts to come alongside them is a call, too. We wish to encourage these teachers who serve the children of Mathare so sacrificially in Jesus' name. We'll also be working out details of Bridge's teacher sponsorship program with the MCO school board.
We plan to visit successful participants of our Biashara (business entrepreneur) program, who have undergone training and now are supporting themselves and their families through their businesses. We'll see old beloved friends and make new ones; and we'll visit a new ministry or two.
We're going to take turns posting on this blog to keep you informed. I think you'll enjoy the different perspectives each person will offer.
For now, my perspective is getting more limited as my eyelids droop! Thanks for reading and for praying. We're going not out of any sense of self-importance, but rather dependent on our Lord Jesus, knowing that He will guide and do amazing things for His glory and for the poorest of the poor.
Get some rest!
Love,
Don

Bridge Ministries

Bridge Ministries (http://www.bridge-ministries.net/) is a non-profit organization with a mission to share the love of Christ with the poorest of the poor in the slums of Kenya.

Six members of the Bridge Ministries team will be in Kenya from May 13 to May 27, 2009. Don Baumann, Greg & Jeannie Burns, Gary Weigel and Vic & Connie Marques will be using this blog to share experiences and photos!