Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow

As Shakespeare wrote: parting is such sweet sorrow.  It came time to say good bye to our Kenyan Team who we've spent so much time with over the years.  This time was extra special.  We watch God grow them in the ministry.  We watched how the Lord molded together a team with different gifts and talents.  God has formed them into His Fifty5five team of Kenya.  I tear up for so many reasons.  Selfishly I tear up not knowing if I will see them again this side of Heaven but knowing our hearts are forever bonded in Him.  Also, because I see God unfolding a bigger work than I could have ever imagined.  He has equipped His Kenyan children to equip more of His Kenyan children.  Missionaries from America often go and serve in other parts of the world but are asked is is lasting?  Our goal at Fifty5five is always to train up teachers and to work ourselves out of a job in a country.  We want to train up the locals to train up the locals.  We want to teach them to fish not give them a fish.  We've seen it in India.  We are seeing it again in Kenya.  Thank you Lord for what you have done and what You continue to do!

A Spoantaneous Training

I had originally planned to do a second Teacher Training but the additional orgainization did not follow through with me on their contact.  We always go into this with a general plan but are totally open to the Spirits prompting.  Watch Him work!  On the flight out to Ethiopia Lavon was seated next to a very intoxicated man.  He kept the whisky shots coming.  It came to a point that she had to move.  She was seated next to an Ethiopian businessman.  They began to talk and she shared how why we were going to Ethiopia.  He had been on business in Dubai.  He had taken on a task from his church to seek cirriculum for the Sunday School teachers.  He came back empty handed.  LaVon game him our contact information and he contacted me while we were in Sendafa.  I went to Addis one day (you may have read the post from Patty explaining the treck to get there in a previous post) and met him for coffee to chat with him more.  I explained that we do not provide curiculumn but tools on delivery of teaching.  We agreed that he would set up a training within 3 days.  He delivered.  We spent 1 day in Addis and went to his small open air church.  When we arrived there were about 5 people but by the end it had multiplied to over 50.  They were delighted to receive a mini training in 4 hours and are eager for us to come back so they can connect for the full training.  They also video taped the whole session so that those who could not join could view it.  A few faces from Sendafa also came.  It is always such a joy to see God's plan roll out and us just being open to His prompting.  The Kenyan team also did some of the story telling.  They grew so much from this training.  We were so proud of them.  It brings tears to my eyes like a parent to watch them grow.

VBS

We hosted a 2 day VBS in Sendafa.  There were over 200 children.  Teacher Training is our primary goal but what I always say VBS is the icing on the cake.  It is always such joy to see those little faces and watch them jump to new songs.
We took them out to play with the parachute but it was a bit muddy/slimmy and that was most interesting.
At one point during training one could hardly hear anything from the PA system over the pounding rain on the metal roof.
The most interesting part of the VBS was plugging the Kenya team in.  They were now doing their 'practical' part of their training.

Wrap up for Teacher Trainining in Sendafa, Ethiopia

(7/17) We wrapped up 3 days of Teacher Training in Sendafa. I can not begin to tell you how I see God's hand in this whole orchestration of events.  I had coffee many months ago with a local Ethiopian who's NGO we worked with in Ethiopia last year.  He connected us to the Center for Child Development.  They did not comprehend what it was we did but were trusting their friends' referal.  He told me that the training they received filled a gap that they were missing.  They were trying to figure out how to nurture creativity in the kids but they themselves were not taught how.  The story telling and props were so complimentary to their own program.  The trainees also asked losts of questions on discipline, personalities, etc.  The fruit of this training is like that of a new level.  These trainees will go on to train others.
Let me tell you a bit about the facility.  Those that attended received diplomas from an 18 month program through the Center for Child Development.  The training is funded by Compassion.  May times these are children that were raised by the aid of Compassion and want to give back,  It is pretty incredible.
We are in the process of working with the center to form a partnership.  If you are considering a trip you might want to pray about Ethiopia next year=-)

Training in Sendafa

(7/15) I write this update Wednesday in the wee hours of the morning with the howls of the hyenas in the back ground. 
Fifty5five teams (Kenyan and US) are reunited. Thank you for your prayers. We all arrived safely on Tuesday.
We are very excited to see the Lord work. We had originally intended to go to Tanzania as well as Ethiopia. But, the Lord had different plans for us. It is beautiful to see His plan carried out. Our Kenyan Team will finish their training with us and will take over training in Kenya and maybe more. Liston is a great man of prayer and faith. I feel confident God will use him and his/His team in a mighty way. Thank you to Oak Ave Church for their contribution that helped make it possible for them to travel and meet us.
I'd like to introduce our team.  Our Kenyan Team is Bishop Liston, Sophia, Mary, and Seth. This will be Liston's 5th time with us. Two of those he coordinated the training. The others have attended 2-3 times.  They are all from Kissii.
Our American Team consists of Becky Jo and Linda who are the primary trainers. Bob who's primary duties are to video the training to allow us to get the training to those who we cannot travel to for safety reasons and to leave as a training tool for those we do train. LaVon is part of the core team. She'll be working closely with our Kenyan teams on prep work as well as numerous parts of training. She helps it run like a well oiled machine. Lastly myself, Theresa. I have the privilege of coordinating the trip and the details that come with it. Thank you to all those who support our fundraisers and individual contributions. Thank you to our families at Touchstone Christian Fellowship, Warehouse of Elk Grove, and Lakeside who are instrumental in supporting us. 
Our loved ones make a huge sacrifice supporting us as we travel abroad a couple times a year. For those who have loved ones on the trip please know we are having phone issues but may have wifi. So an emails may reach them. As awesome as it is to unplug it is also valuable to get encouragement from home.
Thank you all for your prayer support.  You are the backbone of this ministry.
Please pray for the teacher training over the next 3 days.

Day 1 Teacher Training

(From 7/16) Training was wonderful. The Center for Child Development brought in their degreed teacher trainers. They will then take the training and teach others.
The people were immediately engaging and animated.
Many are video recording the training. This is confirmation that a video to leave with them is important  (that is what Bob is doing).
The coordinator shared that they do not use props. They also do not nurture creativity and that is their goal. They were so excited to see the storytelling with props. 
Everyone is doing well. Maybe a little sleep deprived but not complaining. The accommodation are missionary top notch. We are housed onsite. It's lovely to save on travel time.

No New Info

Just in case you were wondering, I have had no additional information to post.  Both Jeff and Mike had heard from Lavon and Theresa so they know they are safe.  Please continue to pray for endurance, sleep and an out pouring of the Holy Spirit. 

Texts from Theresa

VBS today and tomorrow.  Over 200 kids.  It rained so hard!

Tuesday a spontaneous 1/2 day teacher training in Addis.

Text from Sendafa

Theresa was able to get a few texts through today.  They are in a remote location called Sendafa. Wonder if it means send-them-far? : )  Probably not but it kind of makes it easier to remember the name when you pray for them there.  They had no real communication abilities for several days and currently it is very limited.

Here are the texts I got:
Teacher training was amazing.  We taught at the teacher training center.  Everyone is healthy (some sleep deprived).

1 prep day.  VBS Sun Mon and a 1 day teacher training then the Kenyan Team will do a practical.  Very fruitful trip.

Town was an interesting journey.  Horse and cart, public transit (van stuffed with locals) another van, and a taxi....ONE WAY!

Please keep the team in prayer for endurance and SLEEP!

Brief update from here at home

Not sure how much connectivity the team has but Lavon was able to get a text through to her husband who shared with us so I am just putting in a brief update but am not the author of the blog.  They are on day 2 of teacher training and it sounds like it may be cold.  They have hot water and are getting 3 meals a day (yay).  I am sure Theresa will post an update when she is able.  ~ Patty H

Hanging Around in Dubai

We are having a little fun in Dubai.  Sitting around waiting.

Safely arrived in Dubai

Now for a 15 hour layover. Then next stop Addis Ababa Ethiopia.

US Fifty5five Team

Ethiopia Bound

Today start our newest adventure. We fly out from San Francisco. Some of us had to drive in from Markleeville  so 3 extra hours to add to the travel time.
Please pray for safe travels, health, unity, all luggage arrives with us and undamaged, the further travel issues and that the Kenyans meeting us have no difficulty either.
I will try to blog but that is always dependent on the circumstances and surroundings.

Fifty5five has crossed the threshold

We wrapped up the week by finding many beautiful items for the boutique (the next Tea is May 2). We toured the killing fields,  Wat Phnom, and the royal palace from the outside.
We had a final dinner with our friends Daleep,  Tithda, and Jackie at Suki Soup. To round out the evening we tried our first cricket.  We gone to the next level.
We are packed and ready to depart for home in the morning.

It's a wrap!

Thank you for your prayers for energy. We were revived today.

Teacher training wrapped up  with storytelling, worship, and games.

In the training there was a Vietnamese Pastor. There is a lot of disention because of history. They brought him in to minister to the Vietnamese people. He is hearing English, that is translated to Khmer, that is then translated into Vietnamese. He is smiling and enjoying and participating in the training. What a trooper.

VBS was acted out by the locals. They did a great job.

Chris and Mary Ann Young, the missionary who coordinated our 2007 trip,surprised us at lunch. It was a blessing to catch up. The Lord orchestrated a time of encouragement.

We did a debriefing with those from training. They shared how people can give money or do service  but what Fifty5five left was a sustainable model. They had already began to use it. To God be the glory.

We leave resources for them to utilize. They already pooled the resources to use. Some of it made its way to the main floor and was being used. Their open door policy will use them to maximum capacity.

It was an honor and pleasure to serve with AIM/Rehab's House. Thank you for allowing us to be the hands and feet. Your prayers and support are the backbone of this ministry.

Day 4 Teacher Training and VBS

The teachers learned about creating costumes out of local resources.  They practiced skits and other skills. They are really  awesome.
The team is pretty wiped out today. Most are still waking around 3 am and at the latest 5:30.  We tried caffeine and a cat nat. Neither solved the delima. 
VBS was on salvation. The kids watch scruff the dog make the ultimate sacrifice for kip the robot. They learned about sin and salvation. There were lots of little  hands raised to receive Jesus in their hearts.
Tomorrow  finishes our service with Agape International Missions. Please pray for energy and endurance.

Day 3 Teacher Training /VBS

Day 3 Teacher Training:
We all shared different personalities and how God uses them.  Becky taught  the 10 commandments on her hands. Linda and Jerry taught different ideas for memory verse games. It's very fun to watch adults imitate animals. It's a fun way to teach kids scripture.

VBS:
Today was by far the best day. We taught on forgiveness of sin. The teachers had fun using the crazy bag of ideas. For example...stick out your tongue and say the memory verse. The teachers may have enjoyed it more than the kids.

It wouldn't be a mission trip without a little creepy crawly. At dinner Kelsey poured her tea and there were 3 cockroaches in her cup.  Two were drowned and the other came running out at me. In America we'd have immediately left.  But true to being a missionary, we stayed and ate dinner. Kelsey was done with the whole idea of tea.

The weather has been in the high 80's low 90s.  We are hot and the locals are cold. We open a window or turn on a fan and they close it or turn it off.  We even prayed for a  family who lost a family member to the 'cold'.  It certainly is not the hottest we've been in but, coming from the true cold it's hot to us. Over all it has been a comfortable trip for a mission trip. We've been blessed with air in our rooms and van. Thank you for your continued prayers. They are so valuable.

The end of the day we were happy to have a wet one and a cold one...water that is.

Day 2 Training /VBS

Today was day 2 of teacher training and VBS. We did shared different types of  learners, storytelling, and discipline at teacher training.  I'd like to share a few highlights.  Linda had to choose between good and evil as Theresa and Jerry represented good and evil. Jerry does a mean evil. Becky shared the prodigal son with awesome foam props. Kelsey and Ron posed as kids in the classroom  receiving discipline.

Ron enjoyed coconut water while others enjoyed  Vietnamese coffee at break. It refueled us for the afternoon.

We are getting  our cardio in from all of the stair climbing. Our rooms are on the 5th floor and the lift (elevator) requires a lot of patience. Add to that our training is on the 3rd floor. We did a tour yesterday  of some garment factories and the stairs were definitely not to code. We'll be equipped to climb Mt Everest after this and our calves will be so awesome. 

The entertainment came from Ron when he questioned if the sprayer (bidet) was for our hand washing.  Uhm...no thanks.

Thank you in advance for prayer for endurance. Although it's an abbreviated trip, we're working hard to fit a lot in.

Day 1 Teacher Training and VBS

Today began training  and VBS.  We were blessed to work with those who supervise children that are being  temporarily fostered for various reasons.  The interpreter was a total match for Becky and the teachers  were quick to participate. After a three hour training  they then used their new skill to pretty much put on the VBS. These teachers have a great program in place. We are hoping, as Paul did for the churches,  that we'd be an encouragement to them. We hope also to offer fresh ideas that will carry on into the ministry. Linda and Becky were inspiring.  Jerry and Ron were a hit in the skit as a robot and dog. Kelsey was popular being the youngster of the group.
We'll not be sharing photos  from the site at the requests of our hosts. This is to protect those they have rescued. What I will share is that we got a tour of the great work  that is happening. They are closing brothels, rescuing children, educating, housing and employing people. It is pretty  incredible. It pulls at the heart strings to know what has taken place there but the forward  vision is spot on.  They are equipping the people.
That is all these tired brain cells can muster up tonight. Thank you for your continued prayers.

The Lord's Day

We had the privilege of attending church at Rehab's House...eventually.  We all woke up in the wee Cambodia hours because  we couldn't  last past 6:00pm the night before . We had no problem being ready to head out at 6:45am today. Our driver arrived in Cambodia time (late).  He then blessed  us with an unintentional scenic  view  of Cambodia.  We arrived over  an hour  late to  church.  We were excited to see we had taught at the after school  program there 7 years ago.   We hurried into church and received a  message  that was translated for us and worshipped  together. We met our  hosts and talked logistics.
We spent the  remainder of the day prepping  for our first  day of teacher training  and VBS. We've  changed  our normal  program  up to accommodate the AIM group  we are serving. 
We were also blessed with a  visit from our friends  we met in 2007, Titha  and Daleep.  That is such a treat as you never know if you'll get to see people from trips again this side of Heaven.  We did get to see Daleep when she was in the states back in  2011.
We are all doing well. We are still  struggling to  make it past 6:00pm. I'm  thinking we'll be adjusted  about the time we are set to go home:-). 
Oh yes, you know how the loaves and fish were multiplied?   Well that darn fish and knife  multiplied here. The knife was confiscated at the airport  but we were spared the rubber fish that held it. Today another knife and fish appeared. The saga continues.

What does a rubber fish have to do with it?

Our travels have started out pretty smoothe for us.  A little back tracking and a pit stop for necessary items.  Even the weigh in went smoothe.  They were a bit over whelmed at the amount of luggage we had so the didn't even weigh it.  They did weigh our carry ons which caused a little rearranging but not much.  The young man at the counter was very helpful and humorous letting things slide. Oh yes, and the knife in the rubber fish in Jerry's luggage.  Poor Jerry always  gets set up. The good news is only the knife was confiscated.
The 14 hour flight was good despite the turbulance and tea spillage.  Our layover was almost uneventful with the exception on 3 gate changes. After Kelsey's keen eye of noticing that Phnom Phen was not  on the monitor, we had to speed walk/sprint to another terminal.  It was a great way to get a little exercise in between flights. 
Our final flight was only 3 1/2 hours and pretty good with some turbulance and a few extra smacks on the head from the traveler behind me.  It kept it entertaining.  We've arrived in Phnom Pehn, hit the Russian  Market, skipped  dinner,  and trying to  keep  our  eyes open past 5:30. I have a  feeling it is going to be an early morning.

How many people make up a mission team?

I'm thinking of all the wonderful people who make it possible for us to be the hands and feet of this mission: those who give, pray, prepare crafts, help pack, donate supplies and food, transport us, handle our house holds, feed our families, send emails and text of encouragement,  cover us at work, and our families who make huge sacrifices.  You are all part of this mission. How many people make up a mission team? I suspect over 300. We thank you! You make it possible and we richly value you.

Cambodia 2015

Our 6 person  team departs Thursday.   Check in daily for updates.