Lodwar (as told by Jessica Yap)

Welcome to Lodwar International Airport!  Well, sort of.  We were welcomed, but there was no airport; and even if there had been, it would probably not have been an international hub.  Here, in the north of Kenya, we see the Africa of our imaginations – arid land sprinkled with trees, thatched huts, men and women in zesty, colorful robes.  Currently we lodge in thatched-roof, open-air cottages and sleep under mosquito nets.

The Lodwar airport

Yesterday we were met at the Lodwar airstrip by Thomas and Moses, the director and manager of the House of Hope orphanage, respectively.  House of Hope is home to forty orphans ranging in age from about 5 to 14.  The team got a tour of the facilities, including the garden and greenhouse where the children assist the gardener in coaxing sustenance out of the parched earth.

The girls' (foreground) and guys' (background) guest houses in Lodwar

The children introduced themselves and sang for us a song about being new in Jesus and the old self being washed away.  Each place we go, we meet brothers and sisters in Christ and it is truly special.  We (team, children, staff) joined hands and prayed together for continued healing and also to thank God that we (the team) could be there.  It is so uniting to hear our African brothers in Messiah pray.  Even though they live a quarter of the globe away from us in the States, they still pray to the same God, and they pray in the same manner that we do.

Welcomed by the children of House of Hope

We played with the children for hours on the playground.  Hannah, Noah and Josh played soccer with some pretty talented kids.  Jon invented his own game, which was an immense hit with the children (something about passing the soccer ball and counting, and then crazy dances when it came full circle).  David climbed the basketball pole and helped kids make the shots.  April and I had this sort of London Bridge game going on where we lowered our arms as the kids came down the slide; but after accidentally knocking a few kids in the head, we switched it to high-fives.

In a few minutes, we are heading out there again to play with the kids.  Gotta wrap it up quick, so I’ll say this:

Praise the Lord for air conditioning in America! And for His healing, and continued healing of our team.  And for our toilets.  And for our luggage, which made it to Lodwar today!