Picture Highlights from the Trip

Pictures from my camera on this link. More from the rest of the team coming soon...
Click here to view photos

Henna

I've had a few folks ask, so thought I'd better clear up the controversy: Emily did not come home with full arm and foot tattoos.

What I did do on the morning of our last day in Nairobi was visit a salon where a young lady decorated my skin with henna. Henna art is an old Asian/East African tradition -- the coast of Kenya and Tanzania ("Swahili" culture), in particular, is where you will find many a hand and foot decorated in elaborate designs. Henna is a plant that is ground into a paste, mixed with tea or lemon juice and maybe some essential oils, and used as a dye to, among other things, draw tattoo-like designs on the skin. As the paste dries, it stains the skin, and the dye usually stays on the skin for up to 3 weeks. Swahili women will pay to have a henna artist decorate their hands, arms, feet, and lower legs, especially for occasions such as weddings. A good artist is exceptionally fast; the gal who did mine painted my arms and feet in only 45 minutes.

While I was pregnant with Lincoln, I also learned from an Indian friend that in some cultures the women decorate their bellies with henna when they are expecting (she decorated mine at the time, and it was beautiful!). I opted not to do that this time around, mostly because I would have had to sit in the salon and wait for the paste to dry - with my shirt up for all the world to see my white belly - for up to an hour.

For me, having my hands and feet dressed up with a gorgeous floral design was a way for me to bring a bit of Kenya home with me - a visible reminder that will last a couple weeks. Besides, how could I not take advantage of the opportunity: I paid a mere $20 for my henna (would have been half that had I been on the coast instead of Nairobi), while the same work would have easily cost me $100 or more here in the U.S.

Karen's Final Reflections

From Karen:

There are so many things that moved me, but if I have to pick a couple, I would have to say that one would be meeting Josephine's father, Ibrahim Gitonga. He works humbly as the hands and feet of Jesus in his rural community. It is not a surprise that Ibrahim (a name that means "father to many") is a father figure to many of our sponsored kids, and in a visit to his compound we saw many of our kids laughing and playing as well as some of the older ones he has taken to live in his home. His smile and the shine in his eyes are just a bit of evidence of the joy he shares being the servant leader that he is.

It was also extra special for me to meet Harriet, the young woman I have sponsored for several years. It was a treat to sit with her and talk and to feel a connection that I have treasured so long in our letters... To be able to visit her home, meet her mother, and give her a hug in person was a dream come true for me. She is an inspiration to me and it has been an honor to be able to have such a close relationship with her.

Last Day in Kenya

We spent our last day, Monday, tying up loose ends, packing bags, and then visiting an area of Nairobi called Kibera.

Kibera is one of the largest, and most infamous slums in Nairobi. My host mom from my days as a study abroad student, Lucy, lives on the outskirts of Kibera in a gated, secured neighborhood. She is a retired teacher and spends much of her time these days supporting and helping to manage a preschool and rescue center for children from Kibera. The ministry she works with, Sisters of St Vincent de Paul, focuses their efforts on orphans, especially those affected by HIV/AIDS. We visited the preschool, the rescue center, and Lucy's home on Monday afternoon -- a trip down memory lane for me, and a new experience for Karen and Bob.

During our visits, another friend, Irene -- the 15-yr-old girl who Jason and I have sponsored through Homeless Children International (http://www.teulekenya.org/) for several years -- joined us. The last time I met Irene, she was a very shy and quiet girl with only elementary English speaking skills. This time around, she was a confident, well-spoken young lady. We had just enough time to visit her home in the slum, a tiny shack the size of my bathroom. She lives with her Auntie Elizabeth, who sells ground nuts (peanuts) to support her own 4 children, as well as Irene and Irene's sister and brother. Without this kind auntie, Irene and her siblings would be on their own on the streets. Meeting Elizabeth was another highlight of this trip for me -- such a joyful and strong woman, doing the very best she can with what little she has, and praising God through it all. She gave me a necklace she had made before we left, a gesture which nearly moved me to tears.

With adventures in Kibera out of the way, we took one final trip to the Methodist Guest House to fetch our bags -- emptied of gifts for kids, and now refilled with purchases from curio shops and the Masai Market. We then headed out through Nairobi's rush hour traffic (the most insane circus of vehicles you will ever experience) to dinner, and the airport.

Josephine, Karen and I arrived back on US soil late Tuesday morning. Back home safe! Greg is enjoying a bit more time in Kenya with his daughter and son-in-law, and Bob stopped off in the Netherlands to spend one more week with his daughter's family (his wife, Janet, has also been staying there during our entire trip).

Safari and Other Adventures

First of all, let me confess that I spoke too soon about 100% health for the team. I spent most of Monday night tossing and turning with stomach issues, and got up Tuesday morning (the day we drove back to Nairobi) feeling horrible. Thank goodness for emergency antibiotics! On the advice of a Group Health nurse, I started the meds that morning, and was feeling back to normal again in just a couple days. Thank you, Lord!

With that news out of the way, let me back up to the wheelchair delivery in Meru. Definitely one of the highlights of the trip for all of us. We drove into the village and found Dorothy's home, wheeled her new wheelchair up to the tiny hut/house where she and her mother live, and found them both home. Dorothy came out using crutches, and gave us the biggest smile we'd seen in a long time. It took her no time to hoist herself up into her new chair, and she was soon wanting to try it out for herself, wheeling around the bit of yard in front of her house. Something about the joy from Dorothy, and the knowledge that this wheelchair was given by another friend in the US who is wheelchair-bound, and the opportunity to help out the mother with medical bills, all made the experience a tearful and memorable one. Picture of this moment to follow when we have the ability to add more pics to the blog...

The next day, Tuesday, was a long drive back to Nairobi. We then took Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday to take a break and travel to Nakuru National Park, and Masai Mara for some game drives and amazing food. We were able to use the down time to regroup, reflect on the work of the week prior, and make some plans for stuff we need to accomplish once we return home.

Saturday (today) was taken up with one last long drive back to Nairobi. We will be here for 2 more nights, and may try to see a couple more sponsored kids who are currently in the city. On Monday night we hop on airplanes back home - except for Greg, who will hop on a different plane to Zanzibar. Hard to believe the trip is almost complete...

Day 6 in Meru

Our weekend was full of opportunities to experience Meru life.

Friday night we ate dinner at Rev. Elijah Mwirigi's home. His wife, Pricilla, is an amazing gardener, and gracious hostess. She keeps a "shamba" (garden) full of all sorts of tropical fruits and vegetables, 2 goats, 1 cow, and 100 chickens. Getting to know them a bit that night was a joy. Our only challenge was the discovery of a flat tire on our van as we exited the house. Good thing our driver, Joshua, is quick at changing tires!

We were invited by Rev. Elijah to attend a wedding on Saturday. Cultural note here: when someone gets married in Kenya, the bride and groom invite their friends and family, and then friends and family invite their own friends and family as well - invite 100, expect 1000 to come! The son of the presiding bishop of the East African Methodist Church (Rev. Stephen Kanyaru, whose home we visited during our 2005 trip) was getting married at Kenya Methodist University (KEMU for short) right here in Meru. We were a bit of a spectacle to the children sitting around us at the reception - lots of giggles and staring - but we enjoyed the experience. Seeing the women singing and dancing, and the formalities of gift-giving, cake-cutting, and speeches from friends and family gave us a window into Kenyan celebrations. Because the groom was from such a well-known and well-off family, this particular wedding was attended by well over 1000 people. Amazing.

Saturday night we met once more with the Hope Board, and accomplished quite a bit. Unfortunately, Peter and Josephine were unable to join us, as they had visited Peter's mom in the village while we were at the wedding, and the car they were driving died on them just as they left his mom's home. They ended up having to wait until late in the evening for Peter's brother, Harun, to find them and fix the car.

For Sunday worship, we split into 2 groups: Karen, the Mburugus, and I joined Esther and her husband Joshua at their church, while Bob and Greg joined Rev. Elijah and Pricilla at their church. Esther and Joshua's church is a very small, young, somewhat charismatic congregation, while Elijah's is older and more traditional. The fun part for Greg and Bob was that this was Youth Sunday at that church, so the youth were in charge of the morning.

We all met up at Esther and Joshua's for lunch, and were joined by several friends of theirs. A great afternoon of fellowship and food.

Sunday night, the Board met one last time - this time without us Americans, so that they could sort out details on their own. Peter had to leave for Nairobi this morning, so we hope they got enough accomplished to feel peaceful about leaving.

This morning (Monday), we visited the HIV/AIDS clinic at Meru General Hospital. Our new friend, Lawrence, visits there every morning to provide counseling for the families affected by the disease. Mondays are especially for children - some with parents, some orphaned. We took the blankets from UPPC's VBS, and the notes the VBS children wrote and gave these out to the children we met at the clinic. The blankets will be such a blessing to those kids.

The rest of today is our chance to catch up with the few sponsored kids who did not attend the seminar, including Dorothy, to whom we will deliver a wheelchair! Almost done with our time in Meru - hard to believe.

Please continue to pray for health for all of us (so far, so good), for safe travels as we drive around the village today, and for a safe journey back to Nairobi tomorrow.

Greg's Reflections on Friday's Seminar

Greetings from (the new) Kenya--

I'm in a cybercafe in Meru right now with my colleagues from UPPC, specifically Bob Mohr, Emily Bosh, and Karen Lau. (Peter and Josephine Mburugu and their daughter Joy are also with us on the trip but off running errands right now.) It's my first chance to review email, and I thought I'd take the opportunity to check in.

It was especially touching to me that many of our sponsored children, who have never met us but received photos in our correspondence, asked after my wife, Peggy. This included three students from universities as far away as Eldoret, a full day's travel to the west of Meru, who had come simply to express directly their gratitude for the support we had been led by the grace of God to provide to them during their high school years. The Spirit-given poise and grace of these young people is simply amazing to behold! I can assure those of you who currently sponsor children in this program that you are doing a wonderful thing indeed!

I'll share more when I return. Meanwhile, may God's Peace be with each of you.

Karen's Reflections on Meeting Eric Gitonga

It was our great honor to have a chance to share a meal with our first sponsored child, Eric Gitonga, earlier this week. Eric is on break from the university and taking a course in Nairobi before he goes back to school in September. We met him at a restaurant in the YaYa shopping plaza. He was a quiet young man with a great smile. His concern kept coming back to Sharon Moffitt (his sponsor, who he calls "Mom") and her family. It was wonderful to see this young man as he explained his job with the communications company, and amazing to realize that at one point he was being let go from his school due to lack of fees. Awe inspiring.

Day 3 in Meru

The past few days have been so very busy, yet so very fruitful - we are all grateful for all that has been accomplished in such a short period of time.

We arrived safely in Meru on Wednesday night, and checked into Hotel Incredible in the heart of Meru Town. (Is that not the greatest name for an African hotel?) Our beds are comfortable, and the breakfast is great. We even have hot water (sometimes) for our showers, which is a bonus for Meru!

The weather is unusually cold, probably lower to mid-60s, and rainy. This kind of weather is normal for July here, but not late August - we expected 70s and 80s, and yet we are all wearing the one sweater or jacket we brought every single day!

Most of Thursday was spent with the Hope Board: Esther, Rev. Elijah, and Ibrahim (Josephine's father). The other 2 board members (Amalia, who is currently taking classes in Nairobi, and Harun, who works during the day) were unable to join us. We visited together, got to know each other a bit, and then launched into business: comparing logistics of how we send sponsor and donation information with logistics of how the Board receives and distributes the donations, family by family. We also checked out the computer at the Hope office to check for internet capability. We took a break for lunch (which did not actually get consumed until close to 4pm!), visited Esther's home-to-be, which is under construction, and met up with John Ikiugu - who has been living in Tacoma for the past year - and his new bride, Heldine. Our dinner meeting with the Board later in the evening was a brainstorming session on what kind of administrative support might be needed for the ministry to grow and continue; we will continue that discussion when we meet tonight.

The seminar for the sponsored kids and their families took up all of Friday. What a day! Some highlights:

• We estimate about 250 attendees, including sponsored kids, siblings and friends, parents/guardians, and alumni.
• All but about 10 of our sponsored kids came to the seminar - some from very far distances! Gifts from sponsors were given, pictures were taken, and each kid wrote a letter back to their sponsor.
  
• The alumni who came had big smiles on their faces, and encouraging words for the younger kids who are currently sponsored. One gal came all the way from Nairobi, where she is in her 2nd year at a university.
  
• The breakout sessions included sustainable farming for the adults, study skills for the high schoolers, "sex education" for the standard 4-8 (grades 4-8) kids, and playtime for the younger kids.
• I was able to give a brief nutrition lesson to the entire crowd, which seemed to be received well.

All in all, we feel like the seminar was a huge success. It was a great way to see as many sponsored kids as possible in a short period of time, and an opportunity to witness how effective the program has been here in Meru since we last visited.

Today, Saturday, we are catching up on email, attending a wedding, and then meeting one last time with the Hope board. Our remaining days here will be spent trying to meet up with the sponsored kids who did not attend the seminar, and visiting dear friends here. God has been so very good to us! Everyone is feeling healthy and well - pray that we remain so.

Driving to Meru

Here's a fantastic example for you of the way things work in Africa:

Last night, as we were dropped off at the Methodist Guest House, we arranged with our driver, Joshua, to have our bags ready by 8am this morning so he could load the van while we ate breakfast; departure for Meru would be 8:30am.

Reality: Some of us slept a bit late, but still managed to get all our bags out by 8:30am. Breakfast ended at more like 9am. We left the Methodist at more like 9:30am (after deciding on arrangements for the wheelchair we're delivering to Meru... an item that does not fit in our van; and after purchasing more minutes for our cell phone). We then made a stop to visit one of the families who have sponsored kids here in Nairobi- the home of Stephen and Lucy. Now it is 11am, and we are waiting for Joy Mburugu to be delivered to us here at the YaYa Centre so we can finally depart.

The bonus for me: I get to drink a lovely cup of spiced chai while I update this blog.

Day 2 in Nairobi

Greg has made it to Kenya safely, and is adjusting to the time zone better than I have. It is good to have the whole team here at last.

This morning started out with an early trip to International Justice Mission here in Nairobi. The organization has offices all over the world, advocating for victims of various forms of injustice. The Nairobi office focuses its efforts on children who are sexually abused, and people who are illegally detained by police. Check out their website for more info: http://www.ijm.org

Other highlights for today:

• Visit to Nyumbani AIDS Orphanage (http://www.nyumbani.org)
• Visit to Kazuri Bead Factory (http://www.kazuri.com)
• Lunch with Eric Gitonga, former sponsored student who now goes to school and works in Nairobi. More on that visit later...
• Visit with Irene, who Jason & I sponsor through Homeless Children International. What a sweetheart! The last time I saw here she was 10yrs old, very shy and quiet, and not too great at speaking English. Today, I met a confindent 15yr old, who spoke very good English, and told me about her dreams to become a TV newscaster.
• Dinner with Josephine's sisters' families

We almost tried to squeeze a visit to Kibera into the day, but realized we were all too exhausted, and didn't really have enough time to do so today. We'll do that visit when we come back to Nairobi next week.

Off to Meru tomorrow...

Safe in Nairobi

All of us are here in Nairobi except Greg- he arrives tonight. All of our bags AND the wheelchair we brought with us made it safely as well. Praise God!

Weather in Nairobi feels exactly like it did in Tacoma on Saturday when we departed: cool, cloudy, but sun breaks here and there. Very pleasant.

Karen & I are sharing a room at the Methodist Guest House (http://www.methodistguesthouse.org). We slept great last night until about 4:30am, and then proceeded to chuckle about all our tossing and turning and inability to get back to sleep.... We'll get our body clocks straightened out in another day or two.

On the agenda today: get shillings from the bank, get a phone to share amongst the group, and maybe visit some Nairobi attractions (Nyumbani AIDS Orphanage (http://www.nyumbani.org), Giraffe Center (http://www.giraffecenter.org), Nairobi Museum, Bomas of Kenya... we'll see how much time we have). I am also hoping to connect with my dear friend, Lucy Kayiwa today so we can have a good visit. Today or tomorrow we also hope to connect with Eric Gitonga, one of our ministry's original sponsored kids, who is now a college graduate doing an internship here in Nairobi with a travel company.

We are blessed to be here. Thanks for checking in!

Prayers for the Team

From Greg:
My prayer is that this trip would redouble our enthusiasm to joyfully serve this mission in our capacities as leaders and sponsors, and that God grant that we will be able to effectively communicate the spirit of this mission trip to the many sponsors back home that we are representing on this journey.

I would also ask for prayers for my wife Peggy, who has had to withdraw from the trip due to health issues.

From Bob:
My prayer requests...

1. Safe, easy, and uneventful journey for Emily Bosh
2. That the travel team will work together and have no disagreements
3. That we would see God's work in Meru and provide encouragement to the teachers, students, and board members to continue their work
4. Prayers and support for the students
5. Prayers and encouragement for the Board of Hope International Ministry Trust
6. Prayers for Elijah Mwirigi (Board member) and his work

From Karen:
My prayer request would be that we would be able to make meaningful connections with the HOPE team and the children we are sponsoring, from Amalia to Zaleen. I am so thankful to have the opportunity to meet these youngsters and their families. May they feel as blessed as I do.

From Emily:
My main prayer requests...

1. Health and safety for everyone on our team
2. Open hearts, minds, ears for what God has in store for us there
3. For our fellowship as a team to be "sweet incense to the Lord"
4. For our encounters with friends in Kenya to be life-changing; may we be the hands and feet of Jesus to change their lives, and may they do the same for us

Change of Plans

We haven't even left U.S. soil yet, and unexpected changes are already afoot. Peggy Yuckert has decided, due to health concerns, not to travel to Kenya. Impacts of this change:

• A new prayer assignment for you: pray for Peggy, for her health to improve, for her time at home without Greg during the trip; and, pray for Greg on the trip without his bride.


• We are, of course, now a team of 7, which changes roles, budget, accommodations- none of which are a big deals, just different than expected.


• Greg will likely join us for the tail end of our trip (side trip Sep 3-4, Nairobi Sep 5-6), spend a few extra days in Nairobi with Josephine's sister's family, and then join up with his daughter and son-in-law.

I'm sure this won't be the last surprise...

Pregnancy Update

Third trimester began on Saturday, although my belly is so much bigger this time around, I feel as though I'm more like a few weeks from delivery. Everything is healthy and looking fantastic so far. THANK YOU to everyone who has been praying for me & baby.

I have one more midwife appointment this Thursday before I leave; my final chance to ask questions, and her final chance to tell me if there are any contraindications for my departure.

My biggest concerns at this point:
1. That baby would not be affected at all by the malaria medication I take (mefloquine/Larium)
2. That I would make it comfortably (is that too much to ask??) through my flights to Kenya and back.
3. That riding around on the bumpy roads in Kenya would not cause any harm to baby, placenta, etc. The bumps are also a concern for Peggy, who has pretty painful arthritis issues in her back and legs.

Again, thanks for all the support and encouragement out there! God is good...

Trip Itinerary

As with everything in Africa, this "itinerary" is tentative. Everything is subject to change, except our departure and return dates. But, this gives you a general idea of what we will be doing during our time in Kenya:

• Sat, Aug 21 - Depart Seattle, 4hr layover in Amsterdam


• Sun, Aug 22 - Arrive Nairobi in the evening


• Mon-Tue, Aug 23-24 - Visits to International Justice Mission, Homeless Children International, home of Mrs. Lucy Kayiwa (my host mom from when I was a student in 1999); Greg & Peggy arrive Nairobi Monday evening


• Wed, Aug 25 - Travel to Meru, approximately a 5-hour drive


• Thu, Aug 26 - Meet with Hope International board members


• Fri-Sat, Aug 27-28 - Assist with Hope Seminar for sponsored kids and their families


• Sun, Aug 29 - Attend church in Meru, possible visits to sponsored kids


• Mon-Thu, Aug 30-Sep 2 - Visit sponsored children, visit a school, meet again with Hope Board if needed


• Fri-Sat, Sep 3-4 - Possible safari or other trip, Greg & Peggy may part ways (plan to spend additional time with their daughter elsewhere in Kenya later the next week)


• Sun, Sep 5 - Return to Nairobi


• Mon, Sep 6 - Depart Nairobi in the evening


• Tue, Sep 7 - Arrive Seattle late morning

24 Days and Counting

As the day of departure approaches, I thought I would share some details about our trip to Meru.

The team for this trip consists of 8 excited travelers:

Karen Lau, retired, and ever diligently keeping track of all our sponsored kids, their names, their sponsors, their special needs. Because she handles most of the administrative duties of Cherish Ministry, she is very much looking forward to seeing the nuts and bolts of the Kenya side of ministry first-hand. Her big project for this trip is to take notes and pictures from every sponsor to their kids in Kenya, and then retrieve notes and pictures of every kid to take back home to sponsors. With 130 sponsored kids, this is no small task!

Bob Mohr, retired, is a Missions Elder at UPPC, and is circling the globe this summer, participating in several of the UPPC mission trips. Kenya has been on his list for some time, and this year he finally is able to join us. Bob will be our treasurer for the trip, which will simplify purchases of meals, accommodations, and transportation for the team.

Greg & Peggy Yuckert, both retired, are long-time participants of Cherish Ministry, sponsoring several different children. Greg is also a member of the UPPC Kenya Ministry Team. Both have traveled internationally before, but are expecting Kenya to be an eye-opening experience. Greg will be our videographer, and Peggy our team devotions/debriefing facilitator.

Peter, Josephine, & Joy Mburugu are Kenyans who live in Tacoma, are a part of the UPPC family, and are responsible for inspiring the creation of Cherish Ministry (and partner ministry, Hope International, in Kenya). Peter and Josephine believe deeply in caring practically for the poorest and most vulnerable children in their country. Their passion for following Jesus this way has rubbed off on their children, Justin and Joy- two of the most compassionate and caring kids I have ever met. Justin, who just graduated from high school, is unable to join us on our trip this year; but Joy will be with us, leaving a bit early to get back to the States for the start of the school year.

And of course myself, Emily Bosh, mom and dietitian. I will serve as team leader, and hopefully get a chance to be a nutrition speaker at the student seminar we plan to assist with. I am hoping my tidbits of Kiswahili will come in handy, if nothing else than to greet friends, and bless them as we part ways.

Malaria Med Update

Just a quick note to say that I will be able to take Larium as a malaria medication for my trip. Not necessarily 100% safe, but low enough risk given the alternative of possibly contracting malaria. Thanks for prayers, everyone!

Tea & Sympathy

There are many remnants of British colonial rule in Kenya, one of which is the ritual and hospitality of tea. The Kiswahili word is the same used in India and many other parts of the world: chai. Although, chai as we know it here in the US is not necessarily the same thing as Kenyan chai. Chai literally means simply "tea", but in Kenya it is almost assumed that the tea will be brewed in a boiling-hot mixture of equal parts water and milk. Some folks also add spices, as we do for American chai (think Starbucks chai latte, or Oregon Chai concentrate), some add lemongrass, and if sugar is not mixed in for you, it is certainly offered.

But chai is more than just a warm beverage in Kenya. (And the warm part often causes me to involuntarily smile, especially when I am sweating from the African sun while sipping my steaming hot brew). When you enter a home of any sort, you are offered a seat and a cup of chai, and are expected to sit, sip, and visit for awhile. The drink you accept is a sign of hospitality, an extension of friendship, a warm - literally - welcome, and a request for fellowship.

One of my favorite memories of shared cups of chai was as a student in 1999. Upon meeting my host family in a small village in Western Kenya, I was immediately offered chai, which I knew by then to accept. However, milk had not been agreeing with me that spring, perhaps due to lack of pasteurization in rural areas, and so I had been telling folks that I would love some chai, but without the milk, as it made my stomach sick. When I relayed this to my host mother, she gave me a bit of a sideways look (who drinks chai without milk??!!), but headed back to the other side of her tiny two-room hut to fetch me some milkless chai. Several minutes later, I realized she was brewing a whole new batch of chai just for me. It was that important to her that I be able to share a cup with her and her children. For the remainder of my stay in her joyful home (only one week or so), there was always a separate cup of plain black tea waiting for me in the mornings and afternoons, and never a word of questioning or teasing about the milk. Every cup was a humbling and endearing experience I hold dear to this day.

Your First Prayer Assignment

Many of you already know, but for those who do not:

Jason and I recently found out that more than one Bosh will be traveling to Kenya: I will be 28 weeks pregnant when I board my Nairobi-bound flight in August.

No, this was NOT in the plans.

Yes, I will still be traveling.

I have the okay from the midwife to travel, but here's what it means:

• I am researching anti-malaria medications that are safe for pregnancy (I have an appointment with a travel nurse this Wednesday)
• I am also researching effective non-DEET alternative bug sprays
• I will be more susceptible to sicknesses in general
• My flights (8.5 hrs to Amsterdam, then 8.5 hrs to Nairobi, and then back again) will have the potential of being rather uncomfortable; I've requested aisle seats!
• I will not be able to enjoy a full cup of Kenyan chai at every home we visit, as Kenyan tea is quite high in caffeine (as reference, the last time I traveled there, I probably drank between 5 and 10 cups per day)

That last issue is mostly selfish on my part: I love chai and the hospitality it represents. More on that in a future blog entry...

So, your assignment, if you are praying for me on this journey:

• Pray for no mosquito bites
• Pray for protection over my immune system, for no illnesses while I'm there
• Pray for safe and comfortable travel on the airplanes
• Pray for me to let this situation be something that opens up conversation and vulnerability with Kenyan friends; pregnancy is such a universal life event, who knows what God will do with this

I'd also love suggestions from any of you who have traveled while pregnant, or know someone who has -- especially to developing countries, and/or high malaria-risk areas.

Looking for a Little Prayer & Support :)

For those of you who have already read this letter, skip to the bottom and note that the deadline for responding has changed to May 31, 2010. At the very least, send me a note to let me know if you will be praying for me and my team!

I am excited to share with you an incredible opportunity I am preparing for this August. I will be leading a team from my church, University Place Presbyterian Church (UPPC), on a trip to Meru, Kenya in East Africa. This trip will be the fourth of its kind – the last was in 2005 (my husband, Jason & I both participated in that trip) -- as the church has been building relationships and embarking on mission work in Meru for over seven years now. I’m hoping to put my rusty Kiswahili language skills to good use!
The UPPC Kenya Team manages the sponsorship of needy children in Meru through a ministry called Cherish Ministry to Meru. Cherish partners with a Kenyan non-profit organization, Hope International Ministry Trust. The five board members of Hope International Ministry Trust (we call them Hope Guardians) administer sponsorships and relay news to us about sponsored children. Our ministry has grown to over 130 children sponsored by folks here in the U.S.
The purpose of this summer’s Meru mission trip will be to facilitate relationships between our church, the Hope International Ministry Trust, the children we support, and the sponsors of the children. This will mean visiting as many of the children and families as possible, assisting with a two-day seminar for them, and holding several meetings with the Hope Guardians. All of this in only two weeks!
I hope to lend my nutrition expertise by leading two sessions at the seminar: one for younger children and their parents, and one for older kids. I’ve been asked to address the misconception that traditional, inexpensive Kenyan foods (beans, rice, maize meal, local greens, ground nuts, milk) are inferior to more expensive ones (meats, poultry, packaged foods). I’m hoping to also address food safety if/when that is also a need.
Please prayerfully consider supporting our mission trip:
The estimated cost of this mission trip is approximately $19,000 for our eight-member travel team. I am writing this letter, in part, to ask for your help with this cost. If you feel called to provide financial support, print out the form below, check the appropriate box, and follow the mailing instructions on the form no later than May 31, 2010.
More critically, I am in great need of prayer as I prepare to travel, and as my team ministers to the people of Meru. If you feel called to commit to praying for me and my team, check the appropriate box on the form and mail, or simply respond to this email letter (emilybosh@yahoo.com). You are, of course, welcome to support us in more ways than one! Whatever your form of support might be, I will be grateful just to have you sharing in God’s work in Meru with me.
For those who respond, I will be writing again to share specific prayer requests before I leave!

Sincerely,

Emily Bosh

P.S. If you would like to know more about UPPC, the Kenya Team, or Cherish Ministry to Meru, you can check out the church’s website at www.UPPC.org or the Kenya Team’s blog at uppc-kenya/blogspot.com.
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I have prayerfully considered supporting Emily Bosh in her mission work in Meru, Kenya, August 2010, and would like to contribute:

□ a financial gift of: $
□ lots of prayers, both now and in August
□ other:


Please make checks payable to “UPPC”, and write “Kenya Travel Team” in the subject line. Your response form and check will need to be enclosed in a UPPC Missions offering envelope before being submitted to the church, so you may do one of two things: 1) Mail directly to me at: 1634 Firlands Dr., Tacoma, WA 98405; I will hand-deliver all envelopes to UPPC’s Financial Coordinator. 2) If you prefer to mail your form and check directly to the church, let me know via email (emilybosh@yahoo.com) so that I can mail an offering envelope to you. Please respond no later than May 31, 2010.