Actually headed to Kenya!

We're only 3 weeks away from our long awaited trip: we depart for Kijabe May 21st and return June 8th. Please be praying for us!

The Meaning of the Cross

Please take some time to mediate on the meaning of the cross. Here are a couple of questions:

1. What was the ultimate reason Jesus Christ came to us and died on the cross?
   
2. What did His death actually do?
   
3. Why is this significant for us?

Give some of your thoughts on this!

Fund Raising Schedule

- Rice Heating Bags - on sale now $5.00 for herb-free, $7.00 for herbal (spearmint or rosemary). Needs: make more rice bags.

- Yardsale at Faith Baptist Church in Hollis, NH - Saturday, June 2nd 7:30am to 2:00pm. Food, music, yard sale treasures, rice heating bags, and much more! Needs: yardsale treasures.

- Change for Africa jars - jars already in distribution, some have already been returned. More jars available.

- Faith Baptist Church Youth Group Band benefit coffee house - mid-June (date pending).

- Spaghetti Dinner - late June/early July - need to set date.

- "Night out" - more fancy dinner - idea in the works. Need a coordinator - Haavistos?

- Support letters - already sent out.

Suggested Packing List

Suggested Packing List for Kenya (focused on females)

Think: simple and all things to leave behind. Rule of thumb for dressing: dress nicely but comfortably. Always be prepared to walk a long way in whatever you’re wearing that day. Kenyans dress very nicely and very modestly.

Plan on one checked bag and one carry-on backpack

Clothes – plan on leaving most in Kenya

• One pair of loose fitting pants for around the motel/travel
• One pair of capris for safari
• Two loose skirts below the knee
• One church outfit
• 3-4 shirts (short sleeve, no sleeveless)
• Underwear for a week (will do laundry)
• Comfortable sandals (need to be able to walk distances)
• Sneakers and comfortable socks
• Comfortable church shoes (optional, could just wear nice sandals)
• PJs (cool at night ~70 degrees)
• Jacket/sweater (cool and windy at night, travel)
• Men: sports coat and tie, dress pants, dress shoes, two pairs pants, 5-7 undershirts, 3 collared casual shirts or polo shirts, sandals/daily shoes (comfortable for walking distances).

Toiletries – are available to purchase in Kijabe if you forget something!

• Small shampoo/conditioner
• Small soap
• Small toothpaste, toothbrush
• Facial soap, washcloth
• Moisturizer with SPF
• Deodorant (don’t forget that!)
• Razor (in checked luggage)
• Nail clippers (optional - in checked luggage)

Accessories

• Broad rimed hat
• Sunglasses
• Sunscreen at least SPF 30-40
• Mosquito spray/lotion (not aerosol due to plane travel)
• Camera (with lots of film or digital memory!) (put film in your carry-on, not checked luggage to preserve film integrity)
• Travel alarm clock
• Inflatable travel pillow
• Nalgene water bottle (pack in your checked luggage – European airports may not let you thru security with even empty container)
• Flashlight
• Pocket knife (optional - in checked luggage)
• A few snacks (granola bars, crackers, raisins)

Medical

• Tylenol
• Bandaids, triple antibiotic ointment
• Malaria meds
• Anti-diarrheal (immodium)
• Peptobismo
• Anti-diarrhea antibiotic (Cipro)
• Packet of Gatorade for rehydration
• Decongestant

Gifts

• Stickers for kids in VBS
• Balloons for kids in VBS
• One host/hostess gift with gift bag and tissue paper (each person bring one gift and we will take turns giving gift to our hosts – calendars, American foods, journals, etc.)
• We can purchase Bibles there in appropriate languages, so consider bringing money if that’s a gift you’d like to give to a Kenyan.

Money (depends on you)

• $100 for gifts
• $30 for extra expenses (snack foods, airport snacks, etc.)
• $30 for local ministries/offerings
  

Important documents – recommend a money belt/bag to keep passport next to your body under your clothes during travel.

• Passport
• Money – divided into several different places throughout your luggage and person
• Vaccine record

Do not bring: Matches, aerosol cans, lots of hair/face accessories

In your carry-on, pack one entire change of clothes, your necessary medications, basic toiletries (all liquids <3oz style=""> I.e. any essentials if the checked luggage gets lost for a few days.

The Gospel Part II

We want to know and understand the whole Gospel of God. The Gospel should be so much a part of us that all of life reminds us of, and demonstrates to us, the centrality and importance of the Gospel in our lives.

In our discussions of the Gospel, we're going to break it down into 4 essential parts. Remember, this is just one way to organize it so we can discuss and remember it better. The organization itself is not the Gospel! Please interact with the Gospel, and be careful not to fall in love with some way to organize it. It is as we interact with it that it will become part of us and be beneficial to us. Here is how we will look at it:

1. God is Holy
2. Man is sinful
   
3. Jesus is the answer
4. God calls us to respond with repentance and trust in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord
   

In our previous discussion, we spoke of God's holiness and a little of the sinfulness of mankind. We will at some point go back and look at the holiness of God, but for next week we are to consider the sinfulness of man. Please remember to read through Genesis 3, and ponder the following questions:

• What was the essence of Adam and Eve's sin?
• Consider how this "essence" of sin connects the outward effects of sin that we can see. In other words, what is it about sin that makes it so bad that God hates it, and how does that show itself in our actions as sinners?
  

Please be ready for this when we meet next Sunday!

What is the Gospel

When asked what this purpose of a missionary is, many people will respond with something like, "One who shares the Gospel with people from other cultures". There is a lot to discuss in this statement, but right know I would like to focus on the "Gospel" part. Take some time to study and contemplate what this "Gospel" is that we find so important as to compel us to share it with others. What is this Gospel that has compelled others to not only make it their lives work, but to even give up their lives?
Take some time to think and write about this this week in the comments of this blog. Search the scriptures for our answers, and indicate what those are in your answers. The questions is "What is the Gospel!"

Fund raising

We pray that everyone is feeling better and recovering from your various activities this weekend!

We need to get to work on fundraisers - this is something that we can work on over the internet and less in person, so be sure to chime in!

1. Yard Sale - spread the word to starting collecting/saving items for a huge yard sale in the spring. Let's set a date - a Saturday - please list days that ARE NOT good for you and email me at mcrattin@gmail.com. We'll need help running the yard sale as well as setting up the day before and advertising. We need some people who are not on the missions team who also can help out!

2. Herbal heating pads "rice socks" - we can make these together and sell them online, in our communities, and at the yardsale. We need to set a date to get together to make them - please suggest dates that are good for you - at least half a day. Also, we need the following materials: international looking fabric, large spools of black and white thread, lots dried herbs - we have lots of rice that we'll donate to the cause and we have some African fabric which can be used. Anyone have a recipe for how much herbs need to go into one of these to make it aromatic when heated?

3. Penny jars - collect containers! We need to collect as many containers as possible ASAP - we can label them and give them back to our church family to start collecting loose change. Does someone want to design a small label that we can print off, cut up, and glue to the containers?

4. Refine your support letters and get them to Josh if you haven't already. He especially likes to proof read letters in languages that he doesn' t know... right Elizabeth? haha!! ;-)

5. More thoughts?

Keep praying!
-Abby