Jambo from Machakos - Tuesday, June 12

Hello everyone.  Thank you Jill Cox for getting the word out last night that we made it here safely!  After we got everyone situated in their rooms and I came to update the blog I realized I forgot to ask for the current password to get on the wifi so had to text Jill to update you.  She is my blogger buddy!
This year, I will be having different people update the blog throughout the trip, especially once we break into our four area groups so check back often until you hear news of your loved one.

So the flights were fine and non-eventful.  That first leg of 14 hours straight was pretty brutal but it was nice to then only have 4 hours for the second leg of the flight here.  Everyone is well and we only had ONE bin get lost in the airport this year.  Everyone got their own personal luggage and the one bin is supposed to be coming in the next day or two.  I think that's our best record yet on actually getting all the luggage here, especially since we have the largest group ever.

Today, we got to sleep in a little and had breakfast.  Then we met for devotions and worship time and introduced the group to our Scott guides.  There are about 15 Scott students or members of the Scott community chapel that have been asked to serve with our group this year.  They will accompany us everywhere we go to serve as guides and translators and are a HUGE help to us.  By the way, 73 people is a LOT of people to fit into a circle during our meeting times!  :)

After our meeting, we took a tour of the campus and let everyone look at the work project we will be helping with here this year.  Last year, we dug a hole and prepared the foundation for the new Kindergarten building that Scott will use as an outreach to the community.  This year, we will be leveling an area for a playground there and painting the building.

Our first "change of plans" has already occurred as we were just informed that they have a group of 100+ kids showing up at 4:30 TODAY for VBS!  We had been told we would start NEXT Monday so we are now scrambling to get ready for that.  Half of our group will go run the VBS and the other half will be heading out to do door-to-door evangelism in the surrounding neighborhoods.  Each of those groups will have a Scott guide with them.

A fun treat this year is that one of Jon's cousins, Steve Wolcott, has been able to join up with our group for this first week.  He actually grew up here in Africa as an MK, moved back to the states for college where he met and married Jon's cousin Debbie, and then has served here in Africa with AIM since then.  They have been back in the states now for the past year and a half but he is over here visiting and it just finally worked out that we're actually here at the same time in the same area.  He's wonderful to have along and speaks fluent Swahili. 

Please pray that our "surprise" first day of VBS will go smoothly and be a fun start to our outreach here.  Also pray for those going out evangelizing for boldness and the right words to say.  Pray for continued good health for the team and for general adjustment for the students (and some of the adults) who are here for the first time. 

Thank you so much to you parents who are entrusting your TCA students with us.  They are already proving to be a fabulous group and we look forward to what God is going to do this year while we're here!

Sincerely,

Jenni Millet for the group