Thanksgiving Day

Well they don't have turkeys so we had to settle for kuku. Noah wanted stuffing or as some call it dressing so we made our own from brown bread as they call it, oil and spices. In a couple of hours we will stuff our kuku (Chicken) and put it in our European size oven made in Italy. The appliances are small but Stef has made out well with making banana bread muffins (cakes they call them here). We just have to remember that everything cooks faster here since we are about between 6,000-7000 ft above sea level.

Earlier we we went for a walk of about 3 miles. Stef is a little warn out. I think she want the baby to come soon! She managed well and so did the kids. We walked around the village and around to a local congregation that is on the other side of a few fields. Women were doing their wash in the river and one little boy was taking his "Sunday" bath in his birthday suit. It is a warm day here as the rains are becoming less and less. It has only rained twice in the last week and a half. Summer is approaching and it will be quite warm and no rain until March. Indeed not as grueling as N. California!

All is well as we give thanks for God's great gift of life and salvation through Jesus' Christ. A free gift received by faith.

New Photos on Picasa

I uploaded a few photos on Picasa about life here in Kenya. One is the Ringa Girl's High School, the falls near the Atemo Bible College and Julianna's Birthday Pinata.

http://picasaweb.google.com/revrabe/ConcordiaMissionsInKenya02?authkey=Gv1sRgCO6H2rj_9pWWPA&feat=directlink

Chicken Tonight

A few weeks back someone gave us a chicken as thanks. Being the city boy that I am I did not know how to prepare the chicken. So, they showed me and helped me.

Everyone is well. Stef is counting the days until the baby comes. The children are enjoying school and looking forward to little brother. 

A Trip to a Rural Hospital

I never cease to be amazed when I go to a rural hospital to see the conditions. The thought kept going through my mind "don't get sick here" or "will I get sick here?" I went with a friend who needed to take someone to the hospital for a test and x-ray. Surprisingly it took less time than a hospital here to get the services done but the conditions are meager. The rural hospitals make many of our rural hospitals look like "John Hopkins."  I did meet two Japanese women who were working with the hospital. They were the equivalent to our "peace corps." Between us three we were the only mzungus there. Thankfully there are these hospitals and indeed it is a blessing that many of these hospitals can operate due to support from countries such as the US and Japan so that medical supplies are available. Only today the dispensary was out of meds so we had to go off property to a local pharmacy.

Prayer Services

Yesterday we had our last prayer services for the primary schools. We visited two schools one only a few kilometers from Atemo and the other about 10 km away. It is so amazing to see these students and the conditions that are so different than the states. Classrooms usually have anywhere from 30 to 50 students in a room the size the average living room in the U.S. Usually there are three students to a desk which is wide enough for two students and are simple wooden benches. Yet they work hard and do their best even though the conditions are not the best.

It was humbling to go to these public schools which are sponsored by the ELCK and pray for these students as they take their exams. The discussions with the Kenyans about how the U.S. public schools and these here in regard to being able to pray for the students often makes them wonder about the future of the U.S.

The Day of Preparation

Saturday. We are ahead of most of you who will read this blog. It is Saturday night and tomorrow will be the Lord's Day. It is a joy to serve here in Kenya as a teacher and as chaplain to 350 girls at Ringa High School. The senior class has one more week of testing to determine whether they will go onto University or vocational training. Tomorrow is the day of Worship to receive His gifts in the Divine Service in Word and Sacrament. Tomorrow we will commemorate All Saints Day remembering those faithful who have gone before us in the faith. There are many that come to my mind of those who I had served for the last 9 1/2 years in Oroville, California and are now with the Lord. But tomorrow we celebrate the foretaste of the feast to come. What a joyous day to give us strength from the assaults of the the flesh, the world and the evil one. But our Lord is greater...greater than our sin and the one who roars like a lion. Our Lord has is the Victor and in Him we rest in true peace.

Thank God for those who support us in Mission

We thank God for those who are supporting us in mission. It is humbling to receive your continued financial support, prayers and words of encouragement. We have only been here a month and a half and it truly has been a blessing to serve God's people in western Kenya. I have begun to teach at the Bible college and serve as chaplain at the Girl's high school. Indeed so much has happened in the last few months and now we begin to settle down to work and serve in this our new vocation. Truly it has been a joy and blessing to us to serve.

We continue to keep you in our daily prayers as you serve in your vocation where God has placed you whether it be in Washington, Minnesota or California. Again we thank God for you and continue to thank God for your partnership in the Gospel.

Reformation Week

We celebrated the festival of the Reformation at Ringa Girls with a new Altar, Pulpit and Altar Cloths. The hall now looks more like a church. Ev. Fredrick who has been assigned to work with me translated the sermon into Luo. We will soon begin to have a Luo and an English service. The congregants mostly speak Luo and prefer it to English so we will soon begin a service for them prior to the English service for the Girls.

Atemo was a blessing this week as we continued our study of the Small and Large Catechism of Luther. Working through the Creed and the Lord's Prayer brought many practical and theological questions.  I also think they are getting used to my "accent." We are all well and healthy. Stefanie had a good check-up at the doctor in Kisumu and we are thankful for continued health for the baby and the children.