Maisha Kamili Advent Guide Day 9

www.maishakamili.org

Emmanuel is the only college student we have still in school. He will finish his course next year and be qualified to get a job as a lab tech. He is working very hard.

Pray 

For Emmanuel to finish strong and that God will provide employment for him after he graduates.

Read 

Luke 2:8-14 
8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

Maisha Kamili Advent Guide Day 8

www.maishakamili.org

These are the two youngest of Japhet’s brothers. They stay at home with their grandmother for now, but with Shukurani entering Standard 7 in January, he will start boarding at the school, leaving Lemmy as the only child at home. Lemmy is starting Standard 2.

Pray 

For Shuku as he transitions to boarding school. Pray for Lemmy and their grandmother staying at home.

Read 

Luke 2:1-7 
1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

Maisha Kamili Advent Guide Day 7

www.maishakamili.org

Sifa is one of Japhet’s brothers. He is another who will be starting his last year of primary school in January. His school has a boarding facility for the 7th and 8th graders so that they can focus on their studies without the distraction of all of the jobs they would have to do at home.

Pray 

For Sifa as he completes this very important year of primary school.

Read 

John 1:10-14 10 
He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

back to the Great Rift Valley

We first experienced the Great Rift Valley last year, when we spent a week and a half in Nyahururu.

This past weekend, we went up to visit a friend from the US who came with a team to lead a conference at the Rift Valley Academy. This was a much shorter trip, and we took a much longer route to get there. Last year we flew. This year, traveling with another family, we decided to all take the night bus together. The boys had been super excited about going in an airplane before we decided on the bus. Fortunately, they found the bus equally as exciting as a plane.

After an exhausting night on the bus, we arrived in Nairobi early, where a driver was waiting with a touring van (like they use on safaris) to take us to Kijabe. We stopped at the overlook to view the Great Rift Valley at dawn. And there was even coffee! Not good coffee. It was instant. I take what I can get.

The Great Rift Valley is one of my favorite parts of the world. I have yet to see a picture that captures its awe-inspiring magnitude. If you ever come to Kenya, we would love to have you visit us at home. However, we would not be at all sad if you wanted to meet us at the Rift Valley instead.

^click that^ - it looks way more awesome full sized!

Mt Longonot. It is not the other edge of the Rift Valley. It is a volcano which sits in the valley. Hell's Gate is on the other side of Mt Longonot, and was the inspiration for the landscape in The Lion King. 

The weather was beautiful. It was a bit chilly for us. The forecast didn't look that cold, but we are so used to being hot, I wished I'd packed more long sleeves...

There was much playing outside. It's nice to be able to enjoy the sunshine instead of feeling like it's melting you!

We spent one morning at a park nearby. It has no playground, just a volleyball court and soccer field.

The boys all showed off their athleticism: racing, doing push-ups and pull-ups, sliding down fire poles. Nate isn't nearly as fast as his new friend Don (who is 5½ years old), but he has some kind of stamina! We kept losing Don, then finding him hiding under a tree resting. Meanwhile, Nate was still going, back and forth, up and down the soccer field.

Ben got frustrated when everyone else got to the end of the field before him. He would stop running and start crying for someone to come get him. But when we started cheering for him, he perked up and finished strong!

Of course we had to do silly faces. They were both pretending to be "cross." You can tell, right?

I didn't manage to get any pictures of the Americans, but they were there. The boys got A&M T-shirts and Goldfish (the snack, not the pet), which made a big impression, as I expected. Nate prayed last night for "my friend Laura who gave me Goldfish."

Maisha Kamili Advent Guide Day 6

www.maishakamili.org

Japhet is the eldest of 4 orphan boys who live with their grandmother. He is such a good student that he received a scholarship from his school, but he needed help getting his uniform and school supplies, and his brothers needed help with school fees. He contacted us to help his brothers, but we consider him an MKK, too!

Pray 

For Japhet as he ventures from high school into adulthood. Pray that he will seek God for guidance.

Read 

John 1:1-5 
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.