Silly Dogs!

The other day we went a little crazy with a new way of giving our dogs their treat. Yes, I do agree it is gross.

If you have been totally grossed out, you're welcome.

By: Emily Swain

Spiritual Life Retreat!!

We have a spiritual life retreat every year at the beginning of the school year for our collage here in Kenya. We got tons of pictures I hope you have fun looking at them all! 

Selfie time with my Mom! <3 don't you think she is so pretty! 

everyone arriving and followshiping

 Some new fun things that we did this year was to hold a tournament of bean bag game and ladder golf. It was fun to see every one getting excited about that, even the older folks. ;o) The winners of the ladder golf game were two of the older ladies. It was so cute to see them beat all the young guys and even us young girls.   

The boys in the bean bag game

Of course you gotta get a cute selfie of Emily and I 

Boys playing soccer   

more bean bag

Ashlyn and Charlene, aren't they cute? 

Pastor Tom

Charalene and I shaking hands before our tournament.

Charlene could never understand why she couldn't win. I could!!

the grandmas winning the tournament!!! :o) 

Counseling and prayer Time

Daniel

  Daniel's testimony; (by permission)

This week we have been at a spiritual life retreat and God has worked in my life through the preaching of God's Word and I'm rejoicing in what He's done. The last couple of weeks I have been challenged to depend on God for everything and trust him in all that I do. A message I heard a couple weeks ago was mainly on trusting Him to work through you and not depending on yourself. I realized that the reason I had not been getting a thing out of my devotions was because I have trying to do it with my own strength and ability. I prayed the other day after that message and told God that I was putting my whole trust in Him to show me something from His Word and He did!!!! I was so thrilled and now I look forward to reading my Bible every day! I like music a lot and I was convicted this week that some of my music was not what God wanted me to be listening to. I got rid of them today and feel great peace inside knowing that I did what was right. I was also challenged to take advantage of every oppurtunity to witness to people and tell them the good news of salvation. We we're challenged to view every unsaved person as someone on their way to lake of fire and that if we don't talk to them, it may be the only chance they get to hear the Gospel. I was convicted of my need to live in the fact that Christ won the victory at the Cross and I as a saved person don't have to serve sin anymore because it's not my master and I don't have to fall into sin I used to be prone to before this week. Why? Because the devil has been defeated already and I am a new creature in Christ. I have never once personally led someone to Christ and apart from many others, my goal for this year is to lead someone to Christ, not by my own ability but by that of Christ alone working through me. I thank God for what He is dong for me!!! 

lady's special music 

Emily's pretty smile 

Pr. Wambua preaching 

Philip song leading

Dr. Rick teaching

the young men with Dr.Jim

my dad throwing out candy at people for correct answers 

 A new thing that they did this year was ask questions form the hand book, and if the person answered right they would get candy. I was surprised on how much of the rules I knew and I have never read it. :o)

The whole college! Extra points if you can find the 3 mksketeers!! ;o)  

Testimony time at the very end of the retreat 

Sara Anne's testimony:
For the Retreat we had Dr. Jim Van Gelderen come and preach. He preached six times. I know almost every time I was convicted about something in my life. I would come to the service thinking, Come on God you dealt with me in all this, theirs’ no more, Right? Nope by the end of the service I would be on my knees getting right with the Lord in another area. I think my favorite message was Dr. Jims last one. It was about Satan not being our master anymore. I got my sin right, I’m going home, but I don’t have to fall into my old ways of sin because SIN IS NOT IN AUTHORITY OVER ME!!!! 

Elizabeth second year student 

My mom, Masters student

Titus 1st year student 

Dasiy 1st year student

Dr. Rick, teacher/ administrator

Charlene 2nd year student 

 By Sara Anne 

A trip up - country

This is the way of life, I think, a lot of people think of when they imagine life in Africa. Wooden houses with dirt floors, cooking over fires, having to draw water from a river, and no indoor plumbing.....I almost forgot  to mention no electricity.  Yes, lots of people still live like that here in Kenya, but there is also the totally different life, of living in the city. Living in the city (Thika), is what I am used to, but I also love going up - country and doing things the "old fashioned" way.:-) (at least, to some it is.)

These pictures here are from our trip in December (.....way back in 2014:-) to Wanjiku's (she's our house help) mother's house. We probably go and visit her, like two or three times a year. I enjoyed walking up and down the hills, to get to her house, and (at least) trying to help get lunch ready. The only thing was they cook on open fires, in a little kitchen shed, and my allergies were driving me crazy, with all the smoke.......don't worry I didn't sneeze on the food.:-) We also fed the cows and goats, and I think we might have given them too much grass and banana leaves, but they didn't seem to mind too much:-) Oh, and I got to wash everyone's hands, Kenyan style.....you'll see what I mean in the picture":-)

Have fun looking at the pics from life up - country!....I love it!

By - Ashlyn Elaine (sorry, I haven't written in quite awhile:-)

on our way to her house

I like how green it is up here and all the shambas (gardens) everywhere

this is her living room

standing outside her front door, you can see her cow sheds

heading down the hill to the little river where they collect all their water

life would be so different if  I had to come down that hill
every day and collect water here

Winnie and I....she loves the fact that she can wrap her
arms all the way around me:-)

the cow and I were good friends as long as I had grass in my hands for it
to munch on.:-)

I think the cows got plenty to eat:-)

"Hey aren't you going to feed us too?"

Wanjiku's newest, little niece, Nancy.
It was soooo hot out (to me) but this baby's mama sure didn't thinks so
as Nancy had like three layers on then a blanket.:-)

I was watching and trying to help with the lunch preparations.:-)
A wooden shed is the normal up -country kitchen.....and everything cooked
with firewood or charcoal.

when ya got no sink you bring the sink to them:-)

I love Kenyan food!
Here is some steak, cabbage, and mukimo (mashed potatoes, beans,and corn).