July 11th

From the Browns:
Half of our group went to the vocational school and half went to the MCC to finish painting. We had an emergency today. Phoebe, a standard grade 8 girl, passed out. Carroll sent her to the German hospital and then they sent her to Kenyatta Hospital. Several times we were unable to get her pulse and she was unconscious. Be much in prayer for Phoebe. Our worship group had a great service. Lee Ray had those from America wash the teachers hands (there is a picture here on the blog) and we all shared an ear of hard corn for communion. Everyone loaded up on gifts yesterday from the Massai market. God’s blessings to our family, friends and church family.

From Judy:
Carroll and I filmed some of the 8th graders yesterday. She asked them what they were hoping to do when they were adults. They wanted to be doctors and nurses-one wanted to be a neurologist! Their hopes are to be an airline pilot, a “lecturer,” and “the best musician in the whole world.” They shared their plans with such enthusiasm and conviction. Hope is the operative word here. Patrick says that each one just knows that they will be the one to make it out of the valley. He says, “I have done the math and it’s not going to happen.” All of the children know that Mathare Valley translates as “abandoned valley;” discarded and forgotten . They know also that Mercy Care Center is the beacon of hope, their only hope out of this extreme poverty. What then is MCC’s hope? What we are all feeling is- it’s hope is us and our ability to share what we have seen and experienced so that these precious children are not abandoned, discarded and forgotten….like the valley in which they live.

From Purnell:
Thanks ever so much for all of your best wishes. We truly feel your support and hold it close to our hearts. It is evident that we ALL are on this wonderful mission. Look out for me when I return because I will be begging everyone I know for needed monies for MCC. They have so little. We see smiling faces Monday through Friday; but Patrick says that when the children attend half days on Saturdays, no one smiles. They don’t get a meal Saturday or Sunday-only five lunches a week. We have no grasp of the meaning of hunger!

From the Greenes:

Today Lydia and Mom went to the Convocational school while Dad and I stayed behind at the MCC. Today at the MCC one of the girls passed out and we could not find her pulse. She took off to the hospital, but we don’t know if she will make it through the night. The harsh reality of hunger and disease truly hits you when you play with a child one day, and they almost die the next. Please continue to pray for these children. Tomorrow we will get to see a little more of the Valley…it is hard to imagine that it can get poorer than what we already have seen! We love you all and keep you in our prayers. Thank you ever so much for all your petitions to the Father on our behalf!

From Purnell:
Our stay at Fig Tree Camp in the Masai Mara was unbelievable! Patrick and Pamela joined us; so we became a “party of 13” for 2 and a half days and 2 nights. Carroll told us that we would be staying in tents on concrete slabs. Duh……the tents had bottoms, three sides with five windows and the fourth side was a marble bathroom. The elephant print bedspreads and dark wooden tables and doors were absolutely handsome. All of our tents had front porches overlooking the Talek River. Roughing it? Not! We returned to Mercy Care, refreshed, “bonded,” and ready to spruce up the school. I wish I had a movie of Lynn, Judie, Carroll and I stretching over, under and around one another with paint and brushes to work on a mural on the back wall of a classroom. When a group of students swarmed around us to watch, we would ask them to please move back because breathing became difficult in a 12x14 classroom of 28, along with a group of 12 extras from another class. To see the joy, excitement, and appreciation in the faces of the staff and children is worth every dreamed hope I had to some enhance the atmosphere of the school. God is leading us daily to make Mercy Care a brighter, happier place.

From the Greenes:
What a wonderful time we had over the weekend. We traveled approx. 250km to Massai Mara Fig Tree Camp. We had an awesome “breakfast in the bush!” We saw so many wonderful animals and visited a Massai “boma” (village).We slept in tents (very nice tents) under the mosquito nets. During the night, we had several animals come to the tent including a hippo, monkeys, a hyena, and who knows what? We saw a lion across from our tents on Monday morning. Today at Mercy Care, we greeted the children and they did the “salvation bracelets.” We are painting the school this week and Sarah is teaching the music teacher how to play the guitar. After only three lessons, he can already play three songs. The kids are super excited. Yesterday, the family did not feel well after the long trip home. Everyone has rested up and is feeling better. We are staying at the Methodist Guest House in Nairobi. We don’t have access to the internet as before. Thanks to all who have sent emails or comments. Thank you Sondra for your loving care of Kidogo, Panther and Brianna. It means so much! We leave for Tanzania on this Saturday. We will try to keep you in touch. Pray of the children of the Valley. With love, the Greene Family.

From The Browns:
We are back in nairobi after 3 great days in Maasai Mara. We saw everything - lions, cheetahs, elephants, giraffe, etc. It was nice to se Steven - Esther?s friend. He was our guide. We have moved to the Methodist Guest House and it is very nice. It is back to the valley tomorrow for a full week!
The internet connection here will limit us somewhat but keep sending e-mail. If it not too personal a message just post it on the blog and each can read it.
Love & Kisses to grandbabies and friends

July 6th

From Everyone:
We are taking a break from Methare and headed on a safari…so we won’t have internet access over the weekend. But we will keep you posted on Monday about our adventures!

From Lynn:
Yesterday when I wrote of feeling great joy that many children needed little or no treatment, it was because their health conditions had improved so much thanks to the Mercy Care Centre program. However, these children are still very much at risk and so much more needs to be done- continued health care and nutrition as well as their education. The new secondary school at the MCC will be a true blessing and will provide a real opportunity to break the cycle of poverty and neglect that is so difficult to overcome. Today we finished in the clinic after caring for and providing medicine for up to 400 children- none of whom complained or protested while having their heads and bodies scrubbed or having medicines that sting and burn put on open sores and injuries. Every child sat quietly while we did whatever their situation required. Very few of our children could or would have been so brave. Whatever I thought I needed or wanted in my life before this mission seems so unimportant now! Life is what we all should value and thank God every day for all our many blessings. Hearing one child laugh out loud today was worth more than anything money can buy!

From the Browns:
It was with a grateful heart that we finished the clinic today. We treated nearly 450 students and teachers for scabies, ringworms and worms. Many had very serious problems were unable to treat. We are off early tomorrow morning for Masai Mara game park for three days. The headmaster, Patrick, and his wife will be our guests. We will be able to make future plans for the school as we travel. The group has worked exceptionally hard and it is time for some fun. The group will love the animals. So, dear friends, we will be away from the internet until Monday. Kwa heri (goodbye)!

From the Greenes:

Everyone is feeling better…praise God! We all slept well last night and had a wonderful day today. I (Sarah) taught the second lesson to the music teacher at the school today. He can already play and sing one song that I taught him. He will catch on quick and the valley will soon be filled with the sound of praises on the guitar! I am super excited. We are excited about the weekend safari and Lydia and I are ready to see Kenyan life outside of the city. We love you all and miss you and are praying for you. Thanks so much for your prayers….they are with us!

July 5th

From Lynn:
Today was a day of extreme emotion for me. Working with the children in the clinic caused me both great sadness and joy. The children with the more serious conditions left my heart heavy and I prayed our treatments would reduce their pain. At the same time, many of the other students needed little treatment and were much healthier because of improved diet and medical attention over time at the Mercy Care Center. Your support for this school is making that possible and is saving precious lives. That gave me great joy!

From Purnell:
Thank you for your response baby brother to our blog site! It is great hearing from you since it takes FOREVER here to open and send email. SLOWER than dial up. I tell ya. I wish you all could see the preschoolers scream and run after our van each morning when we arrive at Mercy Care! They make us feel as if we are ROYALTY! Today the various classes took turns painting the bottle caps that they flattened with rocks yesterday. When their paint job passed my inspection I said, “Perfect!” or “nzuri,” which means good. With a one word praise, you would have thought that I had given them a thousand dollars! We are preparing the caps for hand painted earrings or pendants to sell at home for the school. Yesterday, Claude, Lynn and I painted the back wall of a classroom. Tomorrow we will paint a mural of the students in class on that back wall. Try to imagine painting, or for that matter, learning in a 12x14 foot room with one small window and 22 students!

From the Browns:
Today went smoothly except for Lee Ray being sick. After clinic the group went to the Giraffe Farm and Karen Blixon home. Tonight we went to our favorite Indian restaurant! God is good! We are so thankful for Betsy. I told Patrick the good news of more money for the secondary school and he was thrilled!

From the Greenes:

Dad has recovered from a day in bed. We think and hope he just ate something bad. Today was good, but there is so much mixed emotion in that clinic. It is so beautiful to see the smiles on the children’s faces. But it is also so hard to realize how many have aids, scabies and ring worms. Thanks for all your prayers!

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July 4th

From the Browns:
Today we started working. Eight of us did the clinic and four painted. It was a sight to see Purnell getting 100 kids to flatten bottle caps with rocks and paint them white. She also isn’t fond of Ugali! Kisses and hugs to grandkids. I think th epictures will tell today’s story.

From the Greenes:
Thanks to all who have written on the “blog.” It is so good to hear from friends back home. The last two days with the children have been glorious! The valley is so “shocking.” From what we are told, many people have left due to the recent blood-shed. Please pray for the beautiful people of the Valley, for Mercy Care Centre, for the Headmaster, Bwana Patrick, the teachers and the people of the Valley. Today we providied a clinic. We treated for scabies, ring worms, and maleria. We also cleaned infected founds and fungal infections and gave out vitamins. We treated approximately 50 kids today and have 350 to go. Our hearts are touched…it has been a blessing to be here. Thank you and keep praying.

From Judy:
Today is a day I will never forget! Some of the children’s scabies were so deep it would have to be surgically removed….but we scrubbed hard to give them a better chance. Some had infected wounds that we had to open in order to clean. Some had foot fungus ans when we removed their shoes, dirt poured out. Some had ringworms that were infected so we knew the peroxide hurt and then the ointment. Most all had scabies. I never saw the first tear but when a five year old (whose little, dirty head was fully of scabies, ringworms and lice), looked up at me with those big brown eyes, smiled shyly and said, “Thank you Madam,” the tears were mine.

From Sarah:
“In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:33 I read this verse yesterday after experiencing the slum for the first time. It hit me, that this very is talking about surrending everything. We are not required to go and give away all our posessions, but rather surrender them and all of us to the Lord to do whatever He desires. Here in this place I have realized that they were never mine in the first place! We just thought they were and that pride has kept us in bondage! Who am I to “deserve” the CHANCE to have anything that I own. It is in realizing that it is all truly a gift, and giving every part of us and all we can hold to the Lord that we can truly be free. I am learning this……although I am not sure I will ever truly grasp it! It is truly trusting that giving Him everything is all I need.