Step Into Africa...

That is what World Vision calls their amazing exhibit designed to help raise awareness about the pandemic of HIV/AIDS in Africa. They chose 4 children; and using props, audio, and photos they have replicated a section of the life of each.






My church hosted the exhibit for a week and I journeyed through all 4 as I volunteered to help. I was profoundly moved by the experience as were the people who filed into the tent all week.






Here are two pictures I found when I googled "Step into Africa". The first is a re-enactment of a 'hotel' or cafe owned by Kombo's grandmother. Kombo is a young boy living in Kenya - when I walked into his life I was taken right back to Kenya and felt intensely a bit of what life is like for young Kombo.















Babiyre is the name of the first child I 'became' back in November when I walked through this Experience at Saddleback church where Denise and I attended the Annual Aids Summit.

I Call Her Joey

You remember Joseph...he was his father's favorite - always got whatever he wanted ... including that multi-colored robe.

Well, that's Amanda - she always manages to get what she wants. Some call it spoiled, I call it blessed and highly favored! What takes others several days to several weeks - finding just the right apartment at the right price in the right place in Santa Monica - took her exactly one day! She didn't find one she loved, she found three! Two of them were offered to her - oh my!


This first photo is in the pink kitchen at "Amos' Place". She is completing one of the three applications she filled out that day. Joel put his foot down on the pink - said she could not have one more pink item in the apartment if they ended up with Amos' place! The pink oven is retro - very cool!

Here are some photo's from Doug's Place - this is the one she chose (the two offered were Amos' Place and this one.)


















She especially loved the tile in the kitchen and the bathroom - and the hardwood floors.

Mike's Place was high on her list and the first application she filled out...it is a small apartment but had a great patio perfect for barbequing! But, it was rented later on the same day that we saw it.

On the day after Christmas her dad, Steve, and I took her to sign her first lease and put down the money so that she could get the key and begin moving some boxes in. She and I give God all the glory for His abundant grace as He brings harmony and love into the relationship between her dad and me. We were divorced when she was only one, but have remained friends over the years. This day was truly a family outing!


This first photo is actually a 're-enactment' of the lease signing, since I forgot to pull out the camera at the leasing office - thanks Amanda for being a good sport!





















The rest of the 'family outing' pictures really need no captions - you can pretty much tell what's happening in each!


Ah! moving day. Precious Jim (my brother and Amanda' uncle) rented the trailer and took charge - directing each of us what to do - it was the best move I think I have ever been a part of....hmmm...more "Joey" stuff!?



Joel and Amanda drove her car, packed full of her stuff and some of his. Her dad suggested that Joel begin to bring his things over so that the apartment feels like it is his too, since he will be moving in after the wedding.





Jim and I drove his car pulling the trailer.

Here we are, double parked, next to the sidewalk in front of her new apartment.

Even though I unpacked the kitchen boxes, the kitchen is hers and here she is taking ownership!














Amanda's close friend Amy, now a neighbor, came by to visit and to help unpack. Later she cooked dinner for them all!



Jim and Joel are still friends, even after a looong day of moving!

Yes, I was there too - here I am posing next to all those boxes I emptied out!





The parting shot...this is a happy/sad day. This is truly the beginning of a whole new life for her - and the end of one that has held many moments of happiness, challenge and fond memories...her childhood is officially over and at the age of 26 she is in her first apartment and moved out of her childhood bedroom. We were both 'crying on the inside' as we parted that day!

News from Kenya...

Please check the internet for updates on what is happening in Kenya. As a result of a very close presidential election, there are riots breaking out in many towns including Nairobi, Mombasa, Eldoret and Kisumu.

I just spoke with my friend Denise who is a missionary there and got caught in the middle of the rioting in Kisumu. She was there to do some banking assuming that the day after the election would be a relatively safe time to travel. She and our friend William have been in Western Kenya doing ministry in the rural area there about two hours from Kisumu, since early in December.

By Saturday the town began to look like a war zone and she has been stranded at a hotel (in a 'safe' part of town) since then. She reports that today is fairly quiet, several gas stations have reopened and banks were even open today for a few hours.


Their plan is to go to the bank in the morning to exhange money enough to fill the tank with gas and to buy food and provisions for our "Kitere" family (seen in the photo here). William's family lives in a village called Kitere and have not been able to get food for several days as businesses are closed and travel is next to impossible.

The situation there really is as bad as the news you are hearing so please pray for the fighting to end and for resolution to take place. This will certainly take an act of God to sort out as the rioting is an outbreak of tensions that have existed in Kenya for decades.

Please join me in prayer for God's peace and power to prevail. That the hearts and minds of Kenyans of all ethnicities will join together in unity for the future of their nation.