Missions Orientation and Pictures! (recycled from Kenya site)

Please don't be mad, dear friends, but its 11:35 and I have a quiz in something like 9 hours and so I can't bear to re-write an update. I wrote this for our Kenya webpage tonight and thought those of you who haven't checked out that site yet might like to read this info.

Blessings to you and peace. Love, Tiffani

Hi Friends!

I've written this update twice (last night) and started it a third time... this is the fourth. I'm going to chalk it up to spiritual warfare and push through...

Yesterday we had our mission trip orientation. All the students and staff were there that are going to go on trips this summer - 140 people between Kenya, Armenia and Honduras (go to: www.baylor.edu/um for more information on the various trips!). It was a great day - I think that all of us are itching to go more now than ever! There were four main parts to the day.

First, the team members spent just over an hour filling out paperwork and turning in passport and visa information. It was pretty difficult actually, and most of us messed it up at least once - the key to the Kenyan passport: surname = last name, and "block letters" means CAPS! You'd be surprised how many of us made mistakes on that form at least once.... if not more times!

Next, Becky Kennedy (director for missions) gave us tips on how to travel, what to expect and what kind of attitude we should bring. Christy Correll-Hughes (GA for missions), packed pretend luggate to tell us what physical items we should and shouldn't bring.

Then, Ryan Richardson (associate director for worship and media) gave the Kenya people specifics about the country - like the size = about the same as Texas; population = way bigger than Texas; major exports = coffee; major industry = tourism, etc. Meanwhile the other teams got schooled on Armenia and Honduras. Its possible that Ryan's talk gave us as many questions as it answered!

Finally, we met together as a team, talked more about what we were going to be doing and experiencing and enjoyed each other's company (as usual).
Marquette and I have been blessed by some missionaries and pastors who live in Nairobi and our itinerary for our activities in country is almost complete. Lord willing, it will all be approved and set in stone (as much as anything like this can) by the end of this week. We are both really excited to be working with these communities in Kibera, Mitumba and Nairobi!

We are also encouraged by your prayers and financial generousity, as we continue to receive donations that are amazing and prompted completed by the Lord's moving in people's hearts as a response to prayer! Thank you for your spiritual and financial gifts on our behalf! We will have another fundraising update tomorrow.

Lastly tonight, attached are some photos taken by a mission team that went to Nairobi in January. There are a number of slide shows at the website listed below, but some that you might like to check out are: Gracia Guesthouse - where we will be staying while in Kenya, Railia and Mitumba Kids Clubs - both of which we will be visiting while there, and there are shorter slide shows with photos from Kibera and Mitumba slum (Mitumba slum is a poorer district of Kibera). There is also a slide show from the Masai Mara safari park, where we will spend our first 2 days resting off jet lag. http://www.smitsphotography.com/kenya.htm

I hope this information and the photos are helpful as you pray for us. We are grateful!Blessings!